Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day One Hundred Fifty: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
If you live in the New York area, the baseball news you hear about most these days pertains to either the Yankees, who head into October looking to repeat as world champions, or the Mets, who limp to the finish line poised to remake what has been a very disappointing ballclub. You look at the standings and see that the Yankees have the best record in baseball, and you figure they’ll claim yet another title this year.
And they may do that. But don’t think for a moment that the Yankees have the best team in baseball right now. If you head about 90 minutes west of New York, you’ll find baseball’s premier unit, and they don’t need to advertise themselves to anyone. Those within baseball know that the Philadelphia Phillies are the team to beat. The question is just whether anyone will be able to do so.
The Phillies started their 2010 season off slowly, as they were hampered by injuries and poor first-half performances by key players. But in the past month, the Phils have won 20 of their last 30 games, including 16 of their last 20. On paper, they look like world-beaters. Finally, they are looking the same on the field.
Offensively, the Phillies’ prowess has never been in question. Their 2008 championship and 2009 pennant both were sparked by the offense, and this year their lineup is as potent as it gets – from Ryan Howard to Chase Utley to Jayson Werth to Jimmy Rollins to Shane Victorino to Raul Ibanez. But the difference this season is found on the pitching mound, where the Phillies have three aces in their starting rotation. Roy Halladay, the likely National League Cy Young Award winner, has 19 wins, 210 strikeouts and one perfect game. Roy Oswalt, the former Astros ace dealt to the Phillies in July, has yielded fewer than two runs per nine innings since arriving in Philly. And then there is Cole Hamels, who took a minor detour from greatness but is back again, thank you very much.
In 2008, Hamels was MVP of both the National League Championship Series and the World Series, as the Phillies stormed to their first title in 28 years. But last season, Hamels stumbled to a 10-11 record, then faltered badly in the playoffs. The lefty with the matinee-idol appearance seemed to be drifting off the list of baseball’s elite pitchers.
And then a new season began. This year, Hamels has been the victim of poor run support during several of his games, but that has not prevented him from pitching tremendous baseball once again. Number 35 is yielding just three runs per nine innings, he’s struck out 201 batters, and he’s been nearly unhittable in the second half of the season. Hamels’s resurgence and Oswalt’s arrival have allowed the Phillies to overtake the Braves in the National League East, where they now have a three-game lead.
In a seven-game playoff series, the Phillies can either start Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels twice apiece, or send Halladay to the hill three times, and the other two aces twice. However they choose to do it, the Phillies are the dominant force to be reckoned with in October 2010. And this time, it starts with pitching.
So as you hear all the news about Derek Jeter’s slump and Carlos Beltran’s lost season, remember this: The Yankees and Mets may be news today, but in slightly more than a month you may very well be picking up your newspaper and seeing a picture of Cole Hamels holding aloft another World Series trophy. They know this in Philadelphia, and they’re ready to make it happen. They’re just keeping quiet about it for as long as they can.
Showing posts with label Houston Astros. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houston Astros. Show all posts
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Playing School (One Sixty-Two: Day 140)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day One Hundred Forty: Chris Johnson & Tommy Manzella, Houston Astros
My girls have been playing “School” every day during the past week. They alternate the roles of teacher and student, leading each other through make-believe school days in their playroom. My 8-year-old, who plays teacher more often than not, gives the 5-year-old everything from morning work to math problems to art projects. Katie’s even drawn up a fire-drill schedule in the room, to go with her attendance chart. They’ve got a dry-erase board, an art table, and a small “teacher’s desk.” School, it seems, is always in session in our house.
As I listen to the girls play upstairs, it’s clear that they are using this game to help themselves adjust to the routines and experiences of the young school year. They’re leaning on each other as they try to navigate their way through something new. As they do this, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see these sisters acting like best friends.
It can be hard sometimes to figure out your new environs. You’ve got so much new stimuli around you, and you see so many new faces in front of you. For students, this year’s teachers have different expectations and approaches than those of the year before. Plus, the work is a little more difficult this year. Your new classroom looks different than last year’s, too, and the kids around you might not be the same ones you saw three months ago. Changes, everywhere.
For ballplayers, a promotion to a higher level of ball brings similar challenges to those experienced by the student. This year, nearly two-thirds of the teams in baseball are out of the pennant race already, thereby leaving many clubs with a desire to test out some of the young, talented players who’ve been toiling in the minor leagues for much of the year.
And as these young players step up to the big-league level, they are adjusting, side by side. Over in Houston, the Astros lineup is very different from the one that Houston fans saw in the spring. Players such as Chris Johnson and Tommy Manzella are getting a lot of playing time these days, as the two young men currently make up the entire left side of the Houston infield.
So far, the results are mixed. Johnson, in half a season’s worth of at-bats, has posted an impressive .324 batting average to go with seven home runs and 39 runs batted in. The 25-year-old third baseman is not taking many bases on balls, which is always important if a player is to develop patience at the plate. But he is showing an ability to make solid contact. Manzella, 27, is off to a slower start. The shortstop is hitting 100 points lower than his fellow rookie, at .224, and has just one homer and 18 RBI. Like Johnson, Manzella is striking out far more often than he’s walking. But, like Johnson, Manzella is so new to the big leagues that his success lies more in how he handles pitchers the second time around than in how he fares the first time.
By the time this school year comes to a close, a new baseball season will have begun again. By that time, Johnson and Manzella hope to find themselves in the big kids’ room, with all the upperclassmen. An Astros’ lineup card with their names on it in April – now that’s a sign that they’ve earned the biggest promotion any baseball report card can hold. That’s an adjustment they’ll gladly make.
Day One Hundred Forty: Chris Johnson & Tommy Manzella, Houston Astros
My girls have been playing “School” every day during the past week. They alternate the roles of teacher and student, leading each other through make-believe school days in their playroom. My 8-year-old, who plays teacher more often than not, gives the 5-year-old everything from morning work to math problems to art projects. Katie’s even drawn up a fire-drill schedule in the room, to go with her attendance chart. They’ve got a dry-erase board, an art table, and a small “teacher’s desk.” School, it seems, is always in session in our house.
As I listen to the girls play upstairs, it’s clear that they are using this game to help themselves adjust to the routines and experiences of the young school year. They’re leaning on each other as they try to navigate their way through something new. As they do this, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see these sisters acting like best friends.
It can be hard sometimes to figure out your new environs. You’ve got so much new stimuli around you, and you see so many new faces in front of you. For students, this year’s teachers have different expectations and approaches than those of the year before. Plus, the work is a little more difficult this year. Your new classroom looks different than last year’s, too, and the kids around you might not be the same ones you saw three months ago. Changes, everywhere.
For ballplayers, a promotion to a higher level of ball brings similar challenges to those experienced by the student. This year, nearly two-thirds of the teams in baseball are out of the pennant race already, thereby leaving many clubs with a desire to test out some of the young, talented players who’ve been toiling in the minor leagues for much of the year.
And as these young players step up to the big-league level, they are adjusting, side by side. Over in Houston, the Astros lineup is very different from the one that Houston fans saw in the spring. Players such as Chris Johnson and Tommy Manzella are getting a lot of playing time these days, as the two young men currently make up the entire left side of the Houston infield.
So far, the results are mixed. Johnson, in half a season’s worth of at-bats, has posted an impressive .324 batting average to go with seven home runs and 39 runs batted in. The 25-year-old third baseman is not taking many bases on balls, which is always important if a player is to develop patience at the plate. But he is showing an ability to make solid contact. Manzella, 27, is off to a slower start. The shortstop is hitting 100 points lower than his fellow rookie, at .224, and has just one homer and 18 RBI. Like Johnson, Manzella is striking out far more often than he’s walking. But, like Johnson, Manzella is so new to the big leagues that his success lies more in how he handles pitchers the second time around than in how he fares the first time.
By the time this school year comes to a close, a new baseball season will have begun again. By that time, Johnson and Manzella hope to find themselves in the big kids’ room, with all the upperclassmen. An Astros’ lineup card with their names on it in April – now that’s a sign that they’ve earned the biggest promotion any baseball report card can hold. That’s an adjustment they’ll gladly make.
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Harvest (One Sixty-Two: Day 134)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day One Hundred Thirty-Four: Brett Myers, Houston Astros
One of my girls’ favorite picture books has always been The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss. This beautiful story tells the tale of a young boy who dutifully waters and cares for the ground in which he’s planted a tiny carrot seed. While his family members tell him that nothing will grow there, he maintains his faith. At the end of the book, just when all appears lost, the leaves sprout out of the ground, followed by the largest carrot known to man.
We had our own Carrot Seed moment this evening. All summer long, we’ve been dutifully watering the green bean plants in our vegetable garden, with nothing to show for it. But as I walked out to the garden before dinner tonight, I couldn’t believe what I saw: Dozens upon dozens of green beans, all fully grown and ready to be picked. By the time I’d finished, there were a good hundred beans in my bowl. I called to the girls, and together we marveled over just how much had finally come up.
Faith. It can be hard sometimes to keep it, especially when you’re not seeing what you’ve been hoping – and perhaps praying – to see. But life isn’t easy, and the results we seek don’t always sprout overnight. So we hold onto our belief that it can get better, and we watch the garden with hopeful eyes.
Ed Wade was general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1999, and he oversaw the selection of pitcher Brett Myers in the amateur draft’s first round. For the next decade, Myers was a part of the Phillies franchise, but he didn’t always produce a bountiful harvest for his team. From injuries to legal troubles, Myers had some dark moments in Philadelphia. While he was part of the Phillies’ championship team in 2008, he never really lived up to his promise there.
So when Myers hit the free-agent market before this season, it was Wade – now general manager of the Houston Astros – who came calling. Wade signed Myers for a bargain price, and placed him right into the team’s starting rotation. With one month to go in this 2010 season, Myers has been one of the true bright spots on a struggling Astros team. The 30-year-old has won 10 games, struck out 145 batters, and posted a 2.97 earned-run average. And you talk about a workhorse: In all 27 of his starts this year, Myers has pitched at least six innings.
So as Ed Wade saw his harvest finally come to fruition this summer, he made sure of one thing: Brett Myers is not going anywhere. Wade signed the pitcher to a contract extension that will keep him in Houston for at least two more years, with a team option for a third year. Since the contract was signed, Myers has shown no signs of letting up. He and left-handed starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez provide hope that with some improved offense, the Astros can become competitive again next season.
We don’t watch too many Astros games here in Central Jersey, although my oldest is a big fan of the team’s logo. But we do know a thing or two about patience rewarded. We’re going to eat a lot of green beans this weekend, and I’m looking forward to it. When you finally see those seeds work their magic, you feel hungry in all the right ways. Your faith has seen you through, just as you knew it would.
Day One Hundred Thirty-Four: Brett Myers, Houston Astros
One of my girls’ favorite picture books has always been The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss. This beautiful story tells the tale of a young boy who dutifully waters and cares for the ground in which he’s planted a tiny carrot seed. While his family members tell him that nothing will grow there, he maintains his faith. At the end of the book, just when all appears lost, the leaves sprout out of the ground, followed by the largest carrot known to man.
We had our own Carrot Seed moment this evening. All summer long, we’ve been dutifully watering the green bean plants in our vegetable garden, with nothing to show for it. But as I walked out to the garden before dinner tonight, I couldn’t believe what I saw: Dozens upon dozens of green beans, all fully grown and ready to be picked. By the time I’d finished, there were a good hundred beans in my bowl. I called to the girls, and together we marveled over just how much had finally come up.
Faith. It can be hard sometimes to keep it, especially when you’re not seeing what you’ve been hoping – and perhaps praying – to see. But life isn’t easy, and the results we seek don’t always sprout overnight. So we hold onto our belief that it can get better, and we watch the garden with hopeful eyes.
Ed Wade was general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1999, and he oversaw the selection of pitcher Brett Myers in the amateur draft’s first round. For the next decade, Myers was a part of the Phillies franchise, but he didn’t always produce a bountiful harvest for his team. From injuries to legal troubles, Myers had some dark moments in Philadelphia. While he was part of the Phillies’ championship team in 2008, he never really lived up to his promise there.
So when Myers hit the free-agent market before this season, it was Wade – now general manager of the Houston Astros – who came calling. Wade signed Myers for a bargain price, and placed him right into the team’s starting rotation. With one month to go in this 2010 season, Myers has been one of the true bright spots on a struggling Astros team. The 30-year-old has won 10 games, struck out 145 batters, and posted a 2.97 earned-run average. And you talk about a workhorse: In all 27 of his starts this year, Myers has pitched at least six innings.
So as Ed Wade saw his harvest finally come to fruition this summer, he made sure of one thing: Brett Myers is not going anywhere. Wade signed the pitcher to a contract extension that will keep him in Houston for at least two more years, with a team option for a third year. Since the contract was signed, Myers has shown no signs of letting up. He and left-handed starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez provide hope that with some improved offense, the Astros can become competitive again next season.
We don’t watch too many Astros games here in Central Jersey, although my oldest is a big fan of the team’s logo. But we do know a thing or two about patience rewarded. We’re going to eat a lot of green beans this weekend, and I’m looking forward to it. When you finally see those seeds work their magic, you feel hungry in all the right ways. Your faith has seen you through, just as you knew it would.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
For What It's Werth (One Sixty-Two: Day 119)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day One Hundred Nineteen: Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies
The legendary pitcher Satchel Paige once said, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” Many of us struggle at times with the impulse to retrace our steps and reflect on choices we’ve made in life. Was it smart to have taken this job over that one? Did we pick the right house, neighborhood or state in which to live? Have we made the best choices in terms of raising our kids?
We know that looking back and thinking through our choices often leads us to more stress than we already have. Looking ahead, on the other hand, often feels much more healthy and exciting. We’ve only got this one life, so why spend most of it second-guessing ourselves?
Plus, the one thing about major life decisions is that you can’t keep score of your personal successes solely by analyzing the things you choose to do. Doing this fails to acknowledge the other kinds of decisions: the things we choose not to do. Sometimes, the things we opted not to do end up being far more important to our life’s journey than the things we did decide to do. There’s that job lead we had that we didn’t pursue – it ended up being a terrible job, after all, but we don’t know that because we didn’t even bother going for it. There’s that blind date we canceled way back when – it ends up she was just the kind of girl we might have fallen for, yet for all the wrong reasons. And there’s that house we decided not to look at when we were out with the realtor – we would have loved its historic charm, but it ended up being a money trap. We filter our decision-making faculties all the time, and sometimes that filter works really well.
Back in July, the Philadelphia Phillies were struggling mightily. As the July 31st trade deadline approached, they toyed with the idea of selling one of their top players rather than trading for veteran contributors. Outfielder Jayson Werth, who will be a free agent this winter, was dangled before teams. Salivation ensued: Werth, who was struggling at the time, has the ability to hit a grand slam, make a great catch and steal home in the same game. But in the end, the Phillies decided not to sell. Instead, they bought, trading some key minor-league prospects to the Houston Astros for starting pitcher Roy Oswalt.
In their last 25 games, the Phillies are 20-5. Since the All-Star break, Jayson Werth is hitting over .350. He is crushing doubles, scoring runs, and taking all the walks he’s given. Werth has anchored the Phillies’ lineup amid injuries to superstar teammates Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. As the Phillies inch ever closer to the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, Werth is leading the charge.
So in July of 2010, the Phillies decided to acquire Roy Oswalt. His numbers will speak for themselves, and plenty of fans will use them to second-guess the decision that Philadelphia made. The Phillies’ organization will choose instead to move forward without re-visiting their choice to pick up this pitcher. But in the end, the most important thing that happened in Philadelphia last month was the thing that didn’t happen. The decision not to trade Jayson Werth has made the Phillies a much better team as the 2010 stretch run begins.
They decided not to hold a summer yard sale, and it turned out that there was a valuable gem inside that pile of stuff to sell. He’s out in right field now, and he’s not looking back.
Day One Hundred Nineteen: Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies
The legendary pitcher Satchel Paige once said, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” Many of us struggle at times with the impulse to retrace our steps and reflect on choices we’ve made in life. Was it smart to have taken this job over that one? Did we pick the right house, neighborhood or state in which to live? Have we made the best choices in terms of raising our kids?
We know that looking back and thinking through our choices often leads us to more stress than we already have. Looking ahead, on the other hand, often feels much more healthy and exciting. We’ve only got this one life, so why spend most of it second-guessing ourselves?
Plus, the one thing about major life decisions is that you can’t keep score of your personal successes solely by analyzing the things you choose to do. Doing this fails to acknowledge the other kinds of decisions: the things we choose not to do. Sometimes, the things we opted not to do end up being far more important to our life’s journey than the things we did decide to do. There’s that job lead we had that we didn’t pursue – it ended up being a terrible job, after all, but we don’t know that because we didn’t even bother going for it. There’s that blind date we canceled way back when – it ends up she was just the kind of girl we might have fallen for, yet for all the wrong reasons. And there’s that house we decided not to look at when we were out with the realtor – we would have loved its historic charm, but it ended up being a money trap. We filter our decision-making faculties all the time, and sometimes that filter works really well.
Back in July, the Philadelphia Phillies were struggling mightily. As the July 31st trade deadline approached, they toyed with the idea of selling one of their top players rather than trading for veteran contributors. Outfielder Jayson Werth, who will be a free agent this winter, was dangled before teams. Salivation ensued: Werth, who was struggling at the time, has the ability to hit a grand slam, make a great catch and steal home in the same game. But in the end, the Phillies decided not to sell. Instead, they bought, trading some key minor-league prospects to the Houston Astros for starting pitcher Roy Oswalt.
In their last 25 games, the Phillies are 20-5. Since the All-Star break, Jayson Werth is hitting over .350. He is crushing doubles, scoring runs, and taking all the walks he’s given. Werth has anchored the Phillies’ lineup amid injuries to superstar teammates Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. As the Phillies inch ever closer to the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, Werth is leading the charge.
So in July of 2010, the Phillies decided to acquire Roy Oswalt. His numbers will speak for themselves, and plenty of fans will use them to second-guess the decision that Philadelphia made. The Phillies’ organization will choose instead to move forward without re-visiting their choice to pick up this pitcher. But in the end, the most important thing that happened in Philadelphia last month was the thing that didn’t happen. The decision not to trade Jayson Werth has made the Phillies a much better team as the 2010 stretch run begins.
They decided not to hold a summer yard sale, and it turned out that there was a valuable gem inside that pile of stuff to sell. He’s out in right field now, and he’s not looking back.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Seeking Stability (One Sixty-Two: Day 108)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day One Hundred-Eight: Brett Wallace, Houston Astros
Summer can make it tough to remember just what home feels like. Between vacations, weekends away and day trips, many of us spend more time outside our house this time of year than we do inside it. While this can be a lot of fun, it also can be a bit disorienting at times. As much as we might hate to admit it, there’s a part of us that looks forward to the return of September routines, and the comfort of our own bed.
Brett Wallace doesn’t care so much about summer versus September. He’s just looking for someplace to call home, period. Since he was selected with the 13th pick of the amateur draft two years ago, Wallace has done nothing but slug home runs in the minor leagues. And yet, he has been traded three times: from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Oakland Athletics, then from the A’s to the Toronto Blue Jays, and finally from Toronto to the Houston Astros just a few days ago. I haven’t followed Wallace’s minor-league career closely, but his stats show a corner infielder who makes some errors but hits a ton. Sounds like a solid prospect to me. Indeed, Baseball America rated Wallace the 27th-best prospect in baseball this spring.
So the Houston Astros, after acquiring a very talented 19-year-old center fielder from the Philadelphia Phillies last week, shipped this youngster off to Toronto in exchange for Wallace. After then trading first baseman Lance Berkman to the Yankees, the Astros gave Wallace the call he’d been waiting for: He was headed from Triple-A to the big leagues.
It’s only been a week, but Wallace has six hits so far, he’s driven in a few runs, and he hasn’t made any errors yet. Things are looking promising for the kid.
Most importantly, Brett Wallace seems to know where home is now. There are no rumors of impending trades, as the Astros are looking for solid young players to help them rebuild. If Wallace keeps hitting, the Astros will be happy to pencil him in as their starting first baseman next year. And that means he might even be able to sign a one-year lease on an apartment in Houston.
Stability, Mr. Wallace, may finally be arriving. And we’re not even in September.
Day One Hundred-Eight: Brett Wallace, Houston Astros
Summer can make it tough to remember just what home feels like. Between vacations, weekends away and day trips, many of us spend more time outside our house this time of year than we do inside it. While this can be a lot of fun, it also can be a bit disorienting at times. As much as we might hate to admit it, there’s a part of us that looks forward to the return of September routines, and the comfort of our own bed.
Brett Wallace doesn’t care so much about summer versus September. He’s just looking for someplace to call home, period. Since he was selected with the 13th pick of the amateur draft two years ago, Wallace has done nothing but slug home runs in the minor leagues. And yet, he has been traded three times: from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Oakland Athletics, then from the A’s to the Toronto Blue Jays, and finally from Toronto to the Houston Astros just a few days ago. I haven’t followed Wallace’s minor-league career closely, but his stats show a corner infielder who makes some errors but hits a ton. Sounds like a solid prospect to me. Indeed, Baseball America rated Wallace the 27th-best prospect in baseball this spring.
So the Houston Astros, after acquiring a very talented 19-year-old center fielder from the Philadelphia Phillies last week, shipped this youngster off to Toronto in exchange for Wallace. After then trading first baseman Lance Berkman to the Yankees, the Astros gave Wallace the call he’d been waiting for: He was headed from Triple-A to the big leagues.
It’s only been a week, but Wallace has six hits so far, he’s driven in a few runs, and he hasn’t made any errors yet. Things are looking promising for the kid.
Most importantly, Brett Wallace seems to know where home is now. There are no rumors of impending trades, as the Astros are looking for solid young players to help them rebuild. If Wallace keeps hitting, the Astros will be happy to pencil him in as their starting first baseman next year. And that means he might even be able to sign a one-year lease on an apartment in Houston.
Stability, Mr. Wallace, may finally be arriving. And we’re not even in September.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Mr. Unlucky (One Sixty-Two: Day 97)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day Ninety-Seven: Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants
Cain is able. He just can’t catch a break.
Each year, without fail, a handful of starting pitchers are unlucky. These are the guys who put together great seasons, only to see their teammates fail to score runs almost every time they’re on the mound. This season, pitchers such as Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros, Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners and Johan Santana of the New York Mets have suffered from dismal run support, and their low win totals reflect that.
Out in San Francisco, though, the Giants have a young starting pitcher who can beat anyone’s woeful tale of low run support. His name is Matt Cain, he’s 25 years old, and he throws a fastball that can blow a hole through a wall. In his five full seasons, Cain has developed quite nicely from a thrower into a pitcher. But Cain arrived in San Francisco at the tail end of the Barry Bonds years, and his Giants have not yet built a formidable offensive club in the post-Bonds era. Hence, Cain has received very little hitting support throughout his career. To put it in perspective, his career earned-run average of 3.47 is ninth among active pitchers. And yet, his career won-loss record is 52-59.
That’s right – he gives up three and a half runs per nine innings, and he loses more games than he wins. By comparison, Andy Pettitte owns a 3.87 career earned-run average – .40 points higher than Cain’s. And yet, in his first five seasons in the majors, Pettitte had a won-loss record of 81-46. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Pettitte was pitching for the Yankees during those years. Indeed, Pettitte has never had a losing record in his career, even going 14-11 with a 4.70 ERA in 1999. By comparison, Matt Cain went 7-16 with a 3.65 ERA in 2007 and 8-14 with a 3.76 ERA in ’08.
Despite a slightly improved offense this year, Cain is still not getting the run support he surely craves. His ERA is at 3.14, but his record stands at just 8-8. The Giants as a whole have such strong pitching this year that they’re in second place, just behind the Padres, in the National League West. As Saturday’s trade deadline nears, Matt Cain is surely hoping to see his team pick up a potent bat from another team. Should they do so, and should rookie catcher Buster Posey continue hitting the cover off the ball, the Giants might be able to give Matt Cain the one thing he undoubtedly craves more than his own victory total – a trip to the playoffs.
In the October spotlight, Cain would have the chance to introduce himself to the scores of fans who don’t know him from Adam. His own Giants fans and teammates know him quite well, though. And they’d like nothing more than to ride that golden right arm into the promised land.
Day Ninety-Seven: Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants
Cain is able. He just can’t catch a break.
Each year, without fail, a handful of starting pitchers are unlucky. These are the guys who put together great seasons, only to see their teammates fail to score runs almost every time they’re on the mound. This season, pitchers such as Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros, Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners and Johan Santana of the New York Mets have suffered from dismal run support, and their low win totals reflect that.
Out in San Francisco, though, the Giants have a young starting pitcher who can beat anyone’s woeful tale of low run support. His name is Matt Cain, he’s 25 years old, and he throws a fastball that can blow a hole through a wall. In his five full seasons, Cain has developed quite nicely from a thrower into a pitcher. But Cain arrived in San Francisco at the tail end of the Barry Bonds years, and his Giants have not yet built a formidable offensive club in the post-Bonds era. Hence, Cain has received very little hitting support throughout his career. To put it in perspective, his career earned-run average of 3.47 is ninth among active pitchers. And yet, his career won-loss record is 52-59.
That’s right – he gives up three and a half runs per nine innings, and he loses more games than he wins. By comparison, Andy Pettitte owns a 3.87 career earned-run average – .40 points higher than Cain’s. And yet, in his first five seasons in the majors, Pettitte had a won-loss record of 81-46. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Pettitte was pitching for the Yankees during those years. Indeed, Pettitte has never had a losing record in his career, even going 14-11 with a 4.70 ERA in 1999. By comparison, Matt Cain went 7-16 with a 3.65 ERA in 2007 and 8-14 with a 3.76 ERA in ’08.
Despite a slightly improved offense this year, Cain is still not getting the run support he surely craves. His ERA is at 3.14, but his record stands at just 8-8. The Giants as a whole have such strong pitching this year that they’re in second place, just behind the Padres, in the National League West. As Saturday’s trade deadline nears, Matt Cain is surely hoping to see his team pick up a potent bat from another team. Should they do so, and should rookie catcher Buster Posey continue hitting the cover off the ball, the Giants might be able to give Matt Cain the one thing he undoubtedly craves more than his own victory total – a trip to the playoffs.
In the October spotlight, Cain would have the chance to introduce himself to the scores of fans who don’t know him from Adam. His own Giants fans and teammates know him quite well, though. And they’d like nothing more than to ride that golden right arm into the promised land.
Friday, July 9, 2010
I Want to Win (One Sixty-Two: Day 78)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day Seventy-Eight: Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros
“I’m going to take my talents to South Beach,” LeBron James said. “I think it will give me the best opportunity to win, and win for multiple years.”
For a man with all the money he could ever need, the focus turns to winning. So as the fans in Cleveland fume, and some even turn to burning his No. 23 jersey, James leaves his hometown for the sunny skies of Miami, and the opportunity to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh under the tutelage of Pat Riley. It’s a winning combination, one that will likely bring these men some NBA titles.
Ho-hum. The rich get richer – again. What’s new?
We see it in sports all the time – players who’ve made more money than most of us could ever dream of choose a franchise with a tradition of winning over another that lacks said tradition. They search for the best chance to claim a title, and leave their old team without much hope. LeBron James did this last night, but he’s not the first. Nor will he be the last.
Roy Oswalt is 32 years old, and he’s in his 10th season pitching for the Houston Astros organization that drafted him. Oswalt has won 143 games for the Astros, one shy of the franchise record for career wins. Oswalt’s right arm helped lead Houston to its only World Series appearance in 2005, and to playoff appearances in ’04 and ‘01. But in 2010, the Astros are well on their way to their third losing season in the past four years. And Oswalt, who has earned approximately $75 million during his 10 years in Houston, is ready to leave the Astros behind.
It happens every year. Oswalt won’t be the only big-name baseball player traded this month – Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee could be traded as soon as today. But like LeBron James, who played seven seasons with the Cavaliers team that drafted him, Oswalt wants to win now. That means leaving behind the franchise that had been his home.
So if you’ve got a No. 44 Astros jersey, wear it today. Tomorrow, it might be out of date. Someday, after he retires, the Astros might bring Oswalt back and retire that number. But for now, in July of 2010, that number is about to be exchanged for Double-A prospects.
Oswalt wants to win. If he could shoot from the outside, the Miami Heat would love to have him. But he’ll settle instead for a pennant race. In a new town. It’s kind of like shopping in a mall – you feel no connection to the place, and there’s nothing there that feels like home. But you get what you want, and you go home with stuff.
Everyone wins, in a way. Except that no one establishes roots. And when there are no roots – when you don’t hang with a place long enough to live through the ups, downs and everything in between – it’s hard for you to ever become what the greatest of our athletes and coaches have been called:
A legend.
Day Seventy-Eight: Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros
“I’m going to take my talents to South Beach,” LeBron James said. “I think it will give me the best opportunity to win, and win for multiple years.”
For a man with all the money he could ever need, the focus turns to winning. So as the fans in Cleveland fume, and some even turn to burning his No. 23 jersey, James leaves his hometown for the sunny skies of Miami, and the opportunity to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh under the tutelage of Pat Riley. It’s a winning combination, one that will likely bring these men some NBA titles.
Ho-hum. The rich get richer – again. What’s new?
We see it in sports all the time – players who’ve made more money than most of us could ever dream of choose a franchise with a tradition of winning over another that lacks said tradition. They search for the best chance to claim a title, and leave their old team without much hope. LeBron James did this last night, but he’s not the first. Nor will he be the last.
Roy Oswalt is 32 years old, and he’s in his 10th season pitching for the Houston Astros organization that drafted him. Oswalt has won 143 games for the Astros, one shy of the franchise record for career wins. Oswalt’s right arm helped lead Houston to its only World Series appearance in 2005, and to playoff appearances in ’04 and ‘01. But in 2010, the Astros are well on their way to their third losing season in the past four years. And Oswalt, who has earned approximately $75 million during his 10 years in Houston, is ready to leave the Astros behind.
It happens every year. Oswalt won’t be the only big-name baseball player traded this month – Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee could be traded as soon as today. But like LeBron James, who played seven seasons with the Cavaliers team that drafted him, Oswalt wants to win now. That means leaving behind the franchise that had been his home.
So if you’ve got a No. 44 Astros jersey, wear it today. Tomorrow, it might be out of date. Someday, after he retires, the Astros might bring Oswalt back and retire that number. But for now, in July of 2010, that number is about to be exchanged for Double-A prospects.
Oswalt wants to win. If he could shoot from the outside, the Miami Heat would love to have him. But he’ll settle instead for a pennant race. In a new town. It’s kind of like shopping in a mall – you feel no connection to the place, and there’s nothing there that feels like home. But you get what you want, and you go home with stuff.
Everyone wins, in a way. Except that no one establishes roots. And when there are no roots – when you don’t hang with a place long enough to live through the ups, downs and everything in between – it’s hard for you to ever become what the greatest of our athletes and coaches have been called:
A legend.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Reaching for the Stars (One Sixty-Two: Day 33)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day Thirty-Three: Hunter Pence, Houston Astros
Every year around the start of the baseball season, Katie and I sit down and look at the logos of each major-league team. She loves art much more than she loves baseball, so our passions meet as we sit down and analyze the different designs on each of the 30 teams’ ball caps and uniforms.
Katie has always appreciated the classic, interwoven “NY” on both the Yankees’ and Mets’ hats, as well as the Olde English “B” of the Boston Red Sox. She’s got a soft spot in her heart for the connected “KC” on the Kansas City Royals cap, as she sees the logo and recognizes the first letters of her first name and her sister’s. (I think she also likes the fact that the K for Katie is on top of the C for Chelsea. You know those big sisters.)
Some caps and uniforms move beyond mere letters, featuring designs that are more likely to attract an 8-year-old’s attention. Katie loves the detailed drawings of birds on the Orioles, Cardinals and Blue Jays uniforms, as well as the nautical design on the Seattle Mariners’ cap.
This year, though, Katie’s favorite logo was none of the above, and it was an easy choice for her. She picked the snazzy, space-age star atop the Houston Astros’ caps. It was a choice that will surely impress her uncle, as my brother has been wearing Astros caps since he found one in the Baseball Hall of Fame gift shop in Cooperstown, N.Y., at age 6.
We have Super-8 video of Eric running around the backyard wearing his bright orange Astros cap. Flash-forward some 15 years, and we have video of Eric walking across the stage for his college graduation, his tassel attached not to a graduation cap, but rather to yet another bright orange Astros cap.
The kid was never a big Astros fan; he was always a die-hard Yankees guy. I think it was just the novelty of this team, from thousands of miles away, with a really cool cap and some neat players – J.R. Richard and Jose Cruz from one generation, then Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio from another.
This year’s Astros don’t wear an orange cap – they’ve got a more reserved, black cap these days. But the star is still there, and it is orange and white. The ‘Stros don’t have much of a team these days, either, as they’ve got the worst record in the National League. But with a young, slugging right fielder named Hunter Pence, and some other budding talent, there is hope in Houston for the years ahead.
As for now, though, most of baseball’s stars are shining for other teams. The Astros turn to their logo, and hope it’s a sign of things to come. Katie, I’m afraid, won’t notice either way. She’s more interested in copying the design. Artists are busy these days.
Day Thirty-Three: Hunter Pence, Houston Astros
Every year around the start of the baseball season, Katie and I sit down and look at the logos of each major-league team. She loves art much more than she loves baseball, so our passions meet as we sit down and analyze the different designs on each of the 30 teams’ ball caps and uniforms.
Katie has always appreciated the classic, interwoven “NY” on both the Yankees’ and Mets’ hats, as well as the Olde English “B” of the Boston Red Sox. She’s got a soft spot in her heart for the connected “KC” on the Kansas City Royals cap, as she sees the logo and recognizes the first letters of her first name and her sister’s. (I think she also likes the fact that the K for Katie is on top of the C for Chelsea. You know those big sisters.)
Some caps and uniforms move beyond mere letters, featuring designs that are more likely to attract an 8-year-old’s attention. Katie loves the detailed drawings of birds on the Orioles, Cardinals and Blue Jays uniforms, as well as the nautical design on the Seattle Mariners’ cap.
This year, though, Katie’s favorite logo was none of the above, and it was an easy choice for her. She picked the snazzy, space-age star atop the Houston Astros’ caps. It was a choice that will surely impress her uncle, as my brother has been wearing Astros caps since he found one in the Baseball Hall of Fame gift shop in Cooperstown, N.Y., at age 6.
We have Super-8 video of Eric running around the backyard wearing his bright orange Astros cap. Flash-forward some 15 years, and we have video of Eric walking across the stage for his college graduation, his tassel attached not to a graduation cap, but rather to yet another bright orange Astros cap.
The kid was never a big Astros fan; he was always a die-hard Yankees guy. I think it was just the novelty of this team, from thousands of miles away, with a really cool cap and some neat players – J.R. Richard and Jose Cruz from one generation, then Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio from another.
This year’s Astros don’t wear an orange cap – they’ve got a more reserved, black cap these days. But the star is still there, and it is orange and white. The ‘Stros don’t have much of a team these days, either, as they’ve got the worst record in the National League. But with a young, slugging right fielder named Hunter Pence, and some other budding talent, there is hope in Houston for the years ahead.
As for now, though, most of baseball’s stars are shining for other teams. The Astros turn to their logo, and hope it’s a sign of things to come. Katie, I’m afraid, won’t notice either way. She’s more interested in copying the design. Artists are busy these days.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Fretting Over Fantasy
To a certain extent, I’ve had it with fantasy baseball. I’m tired of checking to see who the hottest rookie call-up is, tired of comparing the WHIPs of relief pitchers, tired of figuring out which shortstop will tally the most extra-base hits. I’ve been playing fantasy baseball for four years, and by this time of year I’ve often had enough of the daily and weekly grind of trying to improve my team.
And yet, on the other hand, I love fantasy baseball. Baseball statistics are part of the neurological programming in my brain, as I’ve been memorizing and analyzing them since I was six years old. At age 9, I was playing hand-held computer baseball games with the small, plastic Entex game in one hand and a scorecard in the other. The little red dots that beeped and danced around the tiny screen would land on “single,” “double,” “triple,” “home run” or “out,” and I’d fill in the appropriate box for my make-believe matchup between the 1980 Astros and the 1980 Mets. When I was hit by a car and unable to walk without crutches for a few months, I sat down on my backyard patio and threw a racquetball against our chimney, and created an imaginary scheme of bounces and high flies that led to hits and outs. Again, the scorecard gave me stats. As my brother and I grew into our teen years, our parents bought us a Commodore 64 computer, and we quickly found a game called “MicroLeague Baseball.” When we put the floppy-disk software to this game into our computer, the Commodore let us play games featuring real baseball lineups, and the stats were kept for us, right there on the screen. Entire summer days were spent in this statistical heaven.
In high school, Eric and I joined a “rotisserie league,” as fantasy baseball was commonly called at the time, and had a blast as our friend compiled the league stats by hand. College brought me into the world of sports journalism, and I chose to devote nearly all of my free time to writing. It wasn’t until three years ago, at age 34, that I tried out fantasy baseball in its 21st-century incarnation. Fantasy sports are quite the pastime today, with many millions participating around the world in a variety of sports ranging from football to golf to auto racing. I find it fascinating that so many are turned on by the lure of statistical speculation – so much that even Michael Phelps said in a news conference that he had to refrain from opening an e-mail about fantasy football during the Olympics, to keep from getting distracted.
And yet it is that distraction that concerns me, especially when I have spent enough time at my computer already during the day and what I really need is to go for a run, hang out with my wife or play a game with my kids. I don’t want fantasy sports, of all things, to play a role in keeping me away from what I want to do most with my precious time and energy.
So as I finish this fourth year of fantasy baseball (currently in sixth place in both my leagues, by the way), I wonder about whether to go further. Isn’t it perfectly acceptable for me to spend a few minutes doing something that I truly enjoy? Yet, if my free time is limited, isn’t it silly to spend any of it playing a make-believe game?
I’ve talked this over with my wife, kids, brother and best friend, and I think I’ve found a solution. The solution lies with the aspect of fantasy sports I enjoy most of all – the opportunity it affords for keeping in touch with friends and family members – in some cases with people I haven’t seen in quite some time. The sense of community that fantasy baseball provides is something I simply don’t want to give up now. Keeping in touch with friends is hard enough as it is, and if fantasy sports give me a chance to do so, then it’s worth my time.
How much time, though? That’s the key question, and after much deliberation with my 6-year-old, we’ve come up with a solution. When Daddy wakes up on a day off from work and wants to check his fantasy baseball, we’ll set the oven timer to 15 minutes, and leave him alone for that time. When the timer rings, he’s done, and we move on to the rest of our lives.
Sounds like a good deal: A chance to have some fun and keep in touch, but with some clear boundaries that prevent it all from becoming an obsession.
Let’s see if I can pull it off.
And yet, on the other hand, I love fantasy baseball. Baseball statistics are part of the neurological programming in my brain, as I’ve been memorizing and analyzing them since I was six years old. At age 9, I was playing hand-held computer baseball games with the small, plastic Entex game in one hand and a scorecard in the other. The little red dots that beeped and danced around the tiny screen would land on “single,” “double,” “triple,” “home run” or “out,” and I’d fill in the appropriate box for my make-believe matchup between the 1980 Astros and the 1980 Mets. When I was hit by a car and unable to walk without crutches for a few months, I sat down on my backyard patio and threw a racquetball against our chimney, and created an imaginary scheme of bounces and high flies that led to hits and outs. Again, the scorecard gave me stats. As my brother and I grew into our teen years, our parents bought us a Commodore 64 computer, and we quickly found a game called “MicroLeague Baseball.” When we put the floppy-disk software to this game into our computer, the Commodore let us play games featuring real baseball lineups, and the stats were kept for us, right there on the screen. Entire summer days were spent in this statistical heaven.
In high school, Eric and I joined a “rotisserie league,” as fantasy baseball was commonly called at the time, and had a blast as our friend compiled the league stats by hand. College brought me into the world of sports journalism, and I chose to devote nearly all of my free time to writing. It wasn’t until three years ago, at age 34, that I tried out fantasy baseball in its 21st-century incarnation. Fantasy sports are quite the pastime today, with many millions participating around the world in a variety of sports ranging from football to golf to auto racing. I find it fascinating that so many are turned on by the lure of statistical speculation – so much that even Michael Phelps said in a news conference that he had to refrain from opening an e-mail about fantasy football during the Olympics, to keep from getting distracted.
And yet it is that distraction that concerns me, especially when I have spent enough time at my computer already during the day and what I really need is to go for a run, hang out with my wife or play a game with my kids. I don’t want fantasy sports, of all things, to play a role in keeping me away from what I want to do most with my precious time and energy.
So as I finish this fourth year of fantasy baseball (currently in sixth place in both my leagues, by the way), I wonder about whether to go further. Isn’t it perfectly acceptable for me to spend a few minutes doing something that I truly enjoy? Yet, if my free time is limited, isn’t it silly to spend any of it playing a make-believe game?
I’ve talked this over with my wife, kids, brother and best friend, and I think I’ve found a solution. The solution lies with the aspect of fantasy sports I enjoy most of all – the opportunity it affords for keeping in touch with friends and family members – in some cases with people I haven’t seen in quite some time. The sense of community that fantasy baseball provides is something I simply don’t want to give up now. Keeping in touch with friends is hard enough as it is, and if fantasy sports give me a chance to do so, then it’s worth my time.
How much time, though? That’s the key question, and after much deliberation with my 6-year-old, we’ve come up with a solution. When Daddy wakes up on a day off from work and wants to check his fantasy baseball, we’ll set the oven timer to 15 minutes, and leave him alone for that time. When the timer rings, he’s done, and we move on to the rest of our lives.
Sounds like a good deal: A chance to have some fun and keep in touch, but with some clear boundaries that prevent it all from becoming an obsession.
Let’s see if I can pull it off.
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