You may have noticed I haven’t posted anything since a brief Thanksgiving Day message. I haven’t given up on blogging. In fact, I’m blogging elsewhere. I’ve decided to fully embrace this fatherhood thing and the writing. So what better to blog about than both.
So check out the new blog: The Evolving Dad.
Stop by, take look, leave a comment or two. Follow along and evolve with me.
-Vince V.
A quick post to wish all those out there a Happy Thanksgiving. Be safe, eat some turkey. If you don’t like meat, I don’t know what you would eat, but enjoy it anyway.
Congrats to the Giants’ Buster Posey and the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera on winning their respective league’s MVP awards. Posey was the obvious choice. I would not have been disappointed with Trout winning, but we can’t discount the first Triple Crown in 47 years. … Continue reading
The great American song “Take Me Out to The Ball Game” is more than a baseball song. Just ask Katie Casey. A young girl madly in love with the game, but also in love with a potential suitor. Yes, the song is actually a love song of sorts. As you know, I’m a big fan of the Library of Congress digital collections so check out this article on America’s second anthem. You may want to enjoy a box of Cracker Jacks while you read.
A quick congrats to the San Francisco Giants. An improbable run that lead to the their second World Series title in three years. What I didn’t expect was a sweep. Until next season Detroit.
Let me throw some names out: Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Mike Trout. Do these names sound familiar?
I hope for both the die-hard baseball fan and casual baseball observers alike they do. These players represent the future of Major League Baseball star power. What will come of their careers only time will tell. But for the moment, let’s take a look at what we have before us:
1) Mike Trout: .326 BA, 30 HRs, 83 RBI, .911 career OPS
2) Stephen Strasburg: 3.16 ERA (197 Innings), 15-6 overall
3) Bryce Harper: .270 BA, 22 HRs, 59 RBI
Here’s the interesting statistic that applies to all of them: each are under the age of 25. This means the future of the game is bright. Could we be witnessing the beginning of a new golden era in baseball? Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.
I still have questions about Harper. Statistically, if Strasburg doesn’t pitch in the postseason, what will the lack of postseason stats do to his career legacy? I think 2012 is the anomaly for Strasburg. After the Cardinals come back, expect to see Strasburg in the postseason for the Nationals, if they get there again. Mike Trout is the real deal. It’s that simple.
Some History
At one time in baseball history, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider all patrolled their respective outfield’s in New York. The Yankees won 29 pennants between 1918 and 1964. The names of Ruth, Gehrig, Shoeless Joe, Cobb, and Cy Young were more than mere echoes on the wind. Yogi Berra was in the process of winning ten championship rings. Most importantly, baseball was the sport of all Americans.
Today’s game competes with the NFL, NBA, occasionally the NHL (when they’re not on strike or in a lockout), and I’ll go as far as to mention the PGA. College sports is just as big a business as the professional games.
Before color television, smartphones, and the internet, radio broadcasted Major League Baseball games to millions of listeners. Regardless of class, race, education, or religion, you were a fan. Baseball transcended the social fabric of the country. While I fill my Saturday’s with changing diapers and Notre Dame football; and my Sundays consist of more diapers and hopefully a win by the New York Football Giants, baseball remains the American past time.
As the respective League Championship Series showcase a Triple Crown winner, a recently benched all-time great, and a team that used to call the Polo Grounds in New York City home, this post season gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past, the present, and hopefully the bright future of baseball.
Are there current players or future stars that should be on my very short list? Let me know.
English: Miguel Cabrera at Dodger Stadium. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In recent years, the news surrounding baseball strays to easily from the actual game. Terms like performance enhancing drugs, grand jury, and perjury flooded the world of baseball. As a fan and baseball blogger, I find this tragic. Which is why I take pleasure in discussing an aspect of the beautiful game and its history that hasn’t seen the spotlight for a while: The Triple Crown.
History
Carl Yastrzemski, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Nap Lajoie, Mickey Mantle, are just a few names associated with the Triple Crown, (see a complete list here). Yastrzemski was the last to win the crown in 1967. If you were around to see this, lucky you. Winning the crown is one of the rare feats in baseball. Going back to 1878, only 14 players have one the crown, with Jimmie Foxx, Rogers Hornsby, and Ted Williams each winning twice. The art of hitting is rarely mastered, to achieve the highest batting average, most home runs, and most runs-batted-in for one season, is truly a spectacle.
Miguel Cabrera
The Tigers Miguel Cabrera is currently batting .327, with 42 HRs, and 133 RBI. To know there is a player, in either league, this close to achieving the crown is exciting. This is good for Cabrera. This is good for the Tigers. This is good for baseball. Most importantly, this is good for baseball fans.
The true beauty of baseball is the rich history of on-field accomplishments. I hope Cabrera wins the crown. If we look at when Yastrzemski last won in 1967 and the rarity of the accomplishment, it truly is a once in a lifetime event for the baseball fan. This is baseball history in the making.
Good luck Miguel Cabrera, and thanks for the show.
The Major League Baseball logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I will say this as simply as possible, adding a second wild card spot is the best thing Major League Baseball has done in a long time. When first announced, I believed this was a good idea and so far it proves to be. We have playoff baseball in late August and September. The star players now need to show up. The average players now have an opportunity to rise to the next level. What more could fans want?
The American League East
The AL East is one of the most competitive divisions in baseball. Typically this battle involves New York and Boston. This season however, the pesky Orioles under Buck Showalter are proving payroll means nothing. The Orioles don’t seem to care much about run differential either. Baltimore is forcing New York to stay aggressive. Thank you Major League Baseball.
The Oakland Athletics
Sitting only two games behind the Rangers in the AL West and in the lead for the Wild Card is impressive, at least to me. Oakland will be a tough team regardless how they get into the playoffs. With seven games remaining between Texas and Oakland, anything can happen. Thank you Major League Baseball.
The National League
Barring any highly improbable, complete apocalyptic collapses, (I’m not even sure if mathematically they could happen), the division leaders in the National League need not worry about their playoff chances. The Wild Card race is what fans need to watch. Going into Sunday’s games, the Braves, Dodgers, and Cardinals are tied for two wild card slots. My apologies to all the Pittsburgh Pirate fans, not this season.This is baseball at its best. Thank you Major League Baseball.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think!
Brandon McCarthy – Oakland – 2012 Home (Photo credit: BaseballBacks)
A’s pitcher Brandon McCarthy took to Twitter to provide us all with some humor. You may ask, what is so special about a professional athlete Tweeting? Simple, after suffering severe head trauma sustained by a line drive, the simple act of composing a tweet, is nothing short of a miracle.
Fans, the media, athletes themselves, are easily caught up in the day-to-day drama of professional sports. Who’s on the disabled list, who’s starting, who’s thinking about free agency, etc. McCarthy’s injury brought reality back to all of us. Sports is entertainment. That’s it. Brandon McCarthy is 29-years old with a life ahead of him.
A simple tweet to the rest of us, but for McCarthy is step towards recovering. We take for granted our daily thoughts. We can all learn nothing is for granted.
Good luck Brandon. Our thoughts are with you and your family. And thanks for the Tweets!
English: Stephen Strasburg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Should Stephen Strasburg be shut down? That question has stirred much controversy during the second half of the Major League season. The answer to this question depends on one of three perspectives observers may hold.
The Organizational View
The Washington Nationals are leading the National League East. While possible, it is improbable the Nats won’t win the division. 2012 is the season where they can make a legitimate run in the playoffs.
The franchise however, is looking long-term. The aim of the Nationals is to protect their investment. The short-term does not appear to be of major importance to them. Rather, years of potential success is more important to this organization. I respect this dynastic view, however short-sighted. As the ticking of the Strasburg Shutdown Clock continues, we are left to wonder about the wisdom in this decision.
The Players View
Shutting down a dominant force such as Strasburg in anathema to everything players learn. A popular saying holds true regardless of the sport: you play to win the game. Strasburg gives you the advantage in winning.
Prior to signing with the Yankees, C.C. Sabathia pitched one season for the Milwaukee Brewers. With little regard for his own long-term health, Sabathia pulled that club into the National Leauge Playoffs. The Brewers didn’t seem to object. Of course the Brewers were not in a real position to sign Sabathia long-term. Maybe I’m comparing apples to oranges.
If any Nationals player is discouraged, even angry over the organization’s decision to shut Strasburg down, they have every right to be. This is a decision with the potential to bring the Nats’ stellar season to an abrupt end. We all know that playoff baseball is different, special, and significantly more competitive than the regular season.
The Fan Perspective
I am not a Nationals fan. I respect the organization in its attempt to preserve their investment. I can’t separate the immediate from the long-term. The Nats have an opportunity now they may not have later. Regardless of whether they shut down their ace pitcher or not. In my opinion, I believe the Nationals organization is looking to far into the future. Management is focusing too much on the journey, rather than the turn up ahead.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think!
