"Oh Catcher, My Captain:" The Bengie Molina Success Story

No Matter What, Beng-Mo Gets Ice

I am sure most of us know by now that no matter what the outcome is of this year’s World Series, Bengie Molina will receive a ring.

Some people may wonder as to why the Giants would give Bengie a ring if they beat him for the Series.  Well, to answer that one should look beyond just his 61 games played for them this year (a point for which alone he deserves it), and really review his full body of work with the Giants (literally, not figuratively, as a man of Bengie’s stature would take far too long for a once over). 

Bengie “Big Money” Molina had been with the Giants since ’07, a year after being an integral part to the Blue Jays ever-revolving door at the catcher position (don’t you just love how the Jays make out like bandits at the catcher position EVERY year).

When he came to San Francisco the Giants were a mess:

1.       They hit homeruns so sparcely, that the regularity of a constipated senior citizen would have been a more appealing frequency rate between events.

2.       Their pitching staff was so young that they had recess with Justin Bieber. 

3.       They had glaring holes in the field, which is why they tried to pry Alex Rios from Ricciardi’s Jays, offering up some elite starting pitching for him.  Eventually, they settled on signing Aaron Rowand.  (Phew I’m glad JP held onto Alex, he got much better value for him from the Sox).

4.       I reiterate: They were so bad that Aaron Rowand had a starting job.

5.       Two words: Barry. Zito.

In Bengie Molina, this team got a leader who could help fix the Giant’s problems.  He could maximize the potential of the team’s valuable pitching assets.  He could show the player’s how to be a walking punchline on the basepaths.  Most importantly, He could show these “Little Giants” how to win.

Bengie went beyond expectations.  In all three seasons he posted 80+ RBI, 16+HR, and basically, scored all of the runs for this team.

Beyond his own personal numbers, he mentored the franchise’s new poster boy, Tim Lincecum, to back-to-back CY Young Awards.  On top of that project, he made a front line starter out of Matt Cain, who if the Giant’s could score runs and bring him wins, would have been in the conversation for both of Lincecum’s CY Young’s. 

If Lincecum is Batman, and Cain is Robin, then Molina is The Batmobile: Large, in charge, a powerhouse engine, a completely illogical and unnecessary vehicle to get from point A to point B, and straight-up badass.

“Where is this team without Beng-Mo? Does the pitching staff grow into the dominant force it is without Molina calling the game? Are they comfortable with runners on base if Bengie’s gun isn’t there to throw them out? Does the offence ever get an extra-base hit? Do bench players get any work if Bengie isn’t there to be subbed for a pinch runner? “

All of these unknowns lead to the BIG question we now face, “Are the Giants up 2-1 on Bengie, if he wasn’t helping to build this team over the last three-and-a-half seasons?”

Homage to Catching:

If you think that Bengie isn’t the catalyst for the Giants success than think again.  Think back to when you played little league, and the poor sucker who was the catcher missed a game.

Remember the innings when you were put in to catch?

Remember complete and utter frustration boiling over with ever pitch?

Remember fearing for the life of your future children with every errant pitch?

Remember the sting in your thumb with every errant catch?

Remember the pressure to not screw up throwing it back to the mound?

Remember watching players steal second with complete ease?

Remember thinking, “Man, I hope they don’t hit me with the bat.  Am i too close to the plate? Ump, where are you standing?”

Remember when the catcher came back the next game?

I guarantee that when they did, you showed him the ultimate respect for the job he does every game, and gave him first pick of pop from the post-game cooler. 

“Enjoy the purple Gatorade my catcher friend, my fearless leader on the field.”

In San Francisco, Bengie always deserved the first purple Gatorade for a post-game win, and because of him, a lot more of those came to the Giants.

When Your Favourite Team Is Out: “The Emotional 5”

With the World Series just around the corner, one question continues to trend:

“Who are you rooting for? Giants or Rangers?”

This question is asked every year to all of those who lost their team along the way.  Sometimes it is just a flip of the coin, but sometimes people have a surprise answer.  Sometimes that team is in their, “Emotional 5.”

After our hometown/home grown favourite team, there is a story behind why we like the other teams we do.  Some of these stories are quite interesting, and can reveal a lot about a person’s childhood.  These teams are our “Emotional 5.”

I had forgotten many parts of the stories that surrounded my “Emotional 5” until I started to write them out.  Some of these have their own tangents from which I could go on about ad finitum.

Disclaimer: These teams in my “Emotional 5” are not recently adopted ones, but ones rooted to a part of my childhood.  So, fellow Jays fans you must excuse the exemption of the Phillies from my list, as I do not have a story to connect myself to the Phillies, and not enough time has passed since the Halladay trade for them to yet crack my list.

I encourage everyone to tell the story how of you became connected to certain teams in the MLB outside of your hometown favourite.  It will certainly surprise and entertain the listener, and likely yourself as well.

In ascending order of favourites, here are my teams, and this is my story.

After the Jays: Rounding Out My Own, “Emotional 5:”

“The ‘Generations of People Live Long Satisfying Lives Without You Winning A World Series Team” - Chicago Cubs:

If you have previously read my long winded banter (see below), you know that underdog teams hold a special place near to my heart.  102 years and counting without a Championship allows the Cubbies to make my list on sheer “I feel sorry for you in the same way I get teary eyed when watching the ‘Toronto Humane Society Fundraiser’ infomercial every Saturday morning” compassion alone. 

There is an element of mysticism that surrounds teams that have either sucked, or fallen on the “bag of flaming dog shit” luck that teams like the Cubs have for so many years.  Thanks Steve Bartman for keeping the hopes and dreams of Century old Cubs fans crushed for so long! 

Disclaimer: I am embarrassed to say that this space on my emotional rooting list was not always held by the Cubs.  It was once occupied by the Boston Red Sox until 2004.  Being a Jays fan, saying this is blasphemous, I know.  But, I have my reasons which I will now defend to avoid the “Chrysalids-like Fringes reserved for banished Jays fans”:

 I was brought up in a baseball loving household, and as a result, my dad taught me to hate all of the Yankees from a very young age (notable exemption: Bernie Williams).  I remember one time sitting with him on the couch watching a game, and he began to tell me several stories about baseball past. 

As he spoke, I would gaze into my father’s beard, listening to every word coming out of it.  I listened with the type of captivation previously reserved only for my yearly visits to Santa’s knee to get reassurance on my good behaviour for the year that had passed. 

Of these stories, the one which stuck the most was, “The Curse of the Bambino.”  Now, when you are 5 you believe ghosts not only exist, but exist in your room.  So for years I believed The Babe would come out of my closet to curse/forever haunt me.  This story permanently sealed my everlasting hate for the Yankees.  As well, it made me deathly scared of John Goodman for his on-screen role as “The Babe” or as I then liked to call him, “Paranormal Child Frightening Baseball Player Ghost.” 

Up until 2004, once the Jays were out of contention, I shifted my support to the Sox in order to hope for the end of the curse.  Therefore, young baseball fans everywhere could finally sleep easy at night knowing the Bambinos evil reign was over. 

Once the Sox won it all, they took their rightful place in my baseball doghouse.  I now  spend my days saying how overrated Josh Beckett is, and how Kevin Youkilis looks like a complete idiot in the batter’s box.  All is right in the world again.

Go Cubs!

“The Gift I Was Tricked Into Believing Was From The Hall of Fame” –Texas Rangers/Houston Astros:

This story of emotional attachment is rooted back to Christmas 1990 or 1991.  In order to get the year correct, it would require much rummaging on my part through my parents homemade VHS collection in order to find the recorded history of this Christmas.  A task I begrudgingly will have to do in 2 months time regardless.

On this particular video my dad is recording my brother and I going back and forth showing the camera the presents that Santa had given to us.  As a 3-4 year old my eyes light up with every gift I was showing the camera, “Look Dad, Hot Wheels! Look Dad, Ninja Turtles! Look Dad, a Dick Tracey Car!”  My brother would show his gifts with far less enthusiasm.  He obviously knew the Santa jig was up, but he played along for my sake. 

One gift in particular stuck with me as he held it up to the camera, and said, “Look Dad, A Nolan Ryan Autographed Ball.  It is plated: 5000 Strikeouts.”

For some reason, I always kept that ball, and his description of it, in the back of my mind.  The only issue was that, like a bad game of broken telephone,  I had misinterpreted what my brother had said.  “Wow, my brother has Nolan Ryan’s 5000th Strikeout ball!  He has the best baseball collection ever!”   Being young and full of hope, everyone in the family played along with me for a few years.   After all, older brothers enjoy being the idol to their younger siblings. 

The truth was, this ball was simply autographed by Nolan Ryan in the year he rung up his 5000 Strikeout.  Looking back now, I ask myself, “Why on Earth would I believe that something belonging in Cooperstown, or in Ryan’s own personal collection, actually be held in an old china cabinet in Barrie, Ontario?”  I don’t know, but I did. 

And I thought Ryan was the best ever. 

And I listened to the stories about him. 

And I loved the teams he played for. 

And I stared endlessly at that ball....

Go Rangers! Go Astros!    

‘Well, I Got All of These Hand-Me-Downs, I Might As Well Support Them!” – Florida Marlins

My emotional connection to the Florida Marlins is footnoted by my near and dear Blue Jays ’92 World Series victory.  The story, and how I became a fan, was a case of perfect timing. 

We were driving down the East Coast on a family trip to Florida in March of 1993.  If you have time, look up the weather in the Eastern United States in March of 1993,  More specifically, the 12th and 13th.  You will quickly learn that it was regarded as, “The Storm of the Century,” or “The ‘93 Superstorm,” and that no one in their right mind should or would drive through it.  Well, we did. 

As a result of the trip, to this day I regard the 1992 Buick Regal as the most winter-equipped car ever created.

After the storm cleared, we were going to spend a few days in Georgia to visit family friends.  There was only one problem, my brother was wearing a Jays hat and wind breaker, and we were going to Atlanta where the Jays had just shit stomped them the previous fall.

The city was still bitter, so for his safety, we had to put these items in the trunk and purchase some new threads.  Being the early 90’s pastel colours were the quote-unquote “shit.”  And, there was a new team around looking for supporters.  We went off to the mall, and replaced his Jays hat and wind breaker with ones from the new team in town, the Florida Marlins. 

Fast-forward four years and a few growth spurts later.  It is 1997, I’m roughly my brother’s size from 1993, and the Marlins have taken the Wild Card and are looking dangerous.  I become a fan not as much out of wanting to be one, but more out of necessity for a wind-breaker.  After all, It’s Barrie, it’s fall, and it’s cold.  The combination of these factors meant I was becoming a fan, and I was wearing that sweet Marlin Teal. 

Turns out my Marlins swag started to turn heads in class and on the playground.  The team was poised to win their first World Series, and did so in a thrilling 7 games on an Edgar Renteria extra-innings single. I saw the whole thing while done up in full Marlins “Starter” apparel. 

Huge Win!

Their first Canadian super fan was born!

Go Marlins!

P.S. (Scott Stapp, please don’t ever let us hear this song again.  You'll ruin everything I love about this team).

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1933169

“Because That’s What Happens When You Get A TV In Your Room” – Atlanta Braves

There was a time in every Canadian baseball fans life that an American from the South could never quite relate to.  That time, was when we first got the Turner Broadcasting Network (It will always be TBS, never Peachtree).

I remember when we used to get free previews of TBS every long weekend over the summer months.  Getting TBS symbolized fun, and freedom from school.  It represented a time to spend every moment of the day outdoors, and every night watching Atlanta Braves baseball after your own game. 

After teasing us with these free previews, TBS was finally made available to Canada.  I convinced my parents to order it, so that I could follow the Braves, and forever keep that feeling brought over me during those summer long weekends.  At the same time as they ordered it, I saved up all of my pennies to buy myself a TV for my room so that I could watch.  After months and months of saving, I finally bought the “Cadillac of TV’s,” a 13 inch Goldstar tube television.

My dad fought the cable wiring through the ceiling for a whole afternoon to get a feed set-up in my room (my parents have a thing about exposed wires).  Once he had completed his handy work, I was set to go.  I could now sit on my bed and watch all of the Atlanta Braves baseball I wanted! 

Click!

I saw the rise of stars like the Jones’ Chipper and Andrew.

Click!

I saw the power swinging catcher Javy Lopez hit another jack!

Click!

I saw the former Jay, Fred “Crime Dog” McGriff drive in Ryan Klesko and David Justice! 

and of course...

Click!

I saw the 3-headed pitching monster of “Mad Dog” Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine. 

It’s for the memories I still have of that feeling you get summertime, and for the nights spent lounging in my room after a hard fought 6 innings of little league, that I hold the Atlanta Braves so close to my heart, and at the top of my “Emotional 5.” 

Go Braves!

Tell'em Your Story

Now, as we the World Series starts up, think long and hard about your answer to the question.  Is there a reason why you chose the team you did? Are they a part of your own “Emotional 5?”

If so, I’m sure that at that moment when you realize the answer, you will chuckle to yourself and smile.

The Texas Rangers: An Underdog Blog

Answering the Call

As this post-season continues on, I find my soft spot for the Texas Rangers growing and growing.  It is to the point where I can now say that there is little to no chance that I don’t impulse buy an Ian Kinsler jersey the instant I see one.

Let’s be honest, no one outside of Nolan Ryan, thought THIS team would be THIS good!  Going into the post-season, the American League was lining up to play the Rangers in the first round, they were the definition of underdog. 

We asked the questions critically: How would CJ Wilson do going from middle reliever to post-season starter in just over a year? Does Vlad Guerrero know that this isn’t his years on the Expos? Is Josh Hamilton ok? Does anyone named Darren know how to pitch the 7^th or 8^th inning?

They responded with authority: As a TEAM, we will get bases.  As a TEAM, we will get outs. 

And, as they have shown, it is a TEAM that wins a series.

The Texas Rangers are not without their shortcomings.  We have seen them rear their ugly head at times.  But what they are with is Ron Washington’s emotional philosophy to do anything to go from 1^st to 2^nd, and to take it personally if you leave your teammate stranded at the end of an inning.” 

You just have to love the way these guys play!

The Characters in a Feel Good Story

After drinking several beers, and watching several games now, you look at the Rangers line up card and are on every occasion you ask yourself, “Where the hell is the out on this team?”

At the same time, with every name on that card, there is a feel good story that you can to smile about:

Elvis Andrus was once passed over by the Yankees for having too large a frame for a shortstop.  Now he beat them in 6 games, and defensively embarrassed his Yankee counterpart (the fabled #2, who covers about as much of the infield as a base), with his unreal range.

Michael Young’s has never forgotten his roots.  His community outreach project “Wipe Out Kids Cancer” in support of pediatric cancer in the Texas area has made him the definitive role model for baseball players going above and beyond the call of duty. 

Josh Hamilton is the feel good story in all of baseball.  Once thought to be the next great American ball player (and he still may be, just a little later than previously assumed), drafted 1^st overall with a bat better referred to as a “Boom Stick” (Thank you Bruce Campbell and The Army of Darkness), the wheels to play centerfield, and a cannon for an arm that in his scouting report had him listed with a 100mph fastball.  But Hamilton’s celebrity like status, mixed with his young age, got him in trouble with drugs and alcohol.  But, Hamilton found God, and he came back.  As a Rule 5 pickup by the Reds, he started, as an MVP candidate, and beloved teammate to and by his Rangers (you have to love the ginger ale shower moment), he stands four years later. 

Vladdy has turned back the clock.  Left for dead by the Angels he posted an All-Star season.  And who doesn’t like seeing someone go old school and grip a bat without gloves? I guess maybe “Franklin Sports?”  Let’s just hope for the sake of cleanliness he doesn’t strengthen his grip with the “Moises Alou Pee on for Power” method.

Nelson Cruz is only 2 years removed from hoping to have a big league job, and having to call shotgun on Oklahoma’s AAA bus.  But Texas never gave up on him.  Now, he beats up baseballs.

Ian Kinsler is the best teammate ever.  He gets suspended for a game because he ran on the field to celebrate a walk-off homer by Nelson Cruz, after earlier being ejected for arguing a call to an ump.  Now that is baseball spirit you thought you only saw when hitting your first little league inside the parker!  Actually, I wouldn’t know that, I never hit one.  Ever.

David Murphy beat Mariano Rivera in August to tack a blown save onto the future HOF closers resume.

Mitch Moreland’s middle name is Austin, which is a hilarious trend in Texas sports.  I soon hope Dallas Clark joins Miles Austin on the Cowboys to round it out.

Jeff Francoeur looks to finally have found a role on a team after being baseball’s lost soul most of his career.

Bengi Molina is just a little slow ball of happiness that just reminds you of “singing cupcake kid” on YouTube.

Cliff Lee has overcome every father’s nightmare, and dealt with a child diagnosed, fighting ,and recovering from Leukemia, with the utmost strength. 

And of course, their emotional leader, Ron Washington, who openly admitted to cocaine usage.  And, rather than hiding behind it, or making the subject taboo, he admirably came open with his team about it, owning up to his own mistakes, and asking for forgiveness.  The way he stands on the steps of the dugout, the way he talks to his pitchers in-game, the way he stands up against the umpires for his players, is done so with an emotional involvement reminiscent of the way your dad coached your childhood team.  Seeing how his players look up at him, they take to and respect Ron Washington in this same way. 

For a team that filed for bankruptcy just this past year, and was saved by their former on-felid hero Nolan Ryan, this Texas Rangers club has come a long way, and has one heck of a story to tell. 

When David Beats Goliath

The Texas Rangers are a team of underdogs working together to overcome the odds.  You cannot help but love them for the same reason you probably watched “The Blindside” 20 times this year and loved it (Sandra Bullock I take back all of the nasty things I said about over the last 15 years from things like “The Net” and “Forces of Nature”) .  We are all drawn to feel good stories, and this Rangers team just may be the feel good story of 2010. 

So as I root for the Rangers to reach their goal of 101 wins this season, I find myself often referring to a quote by the pinnacle of television characters, Tim Riggins:

“Texas Forever...”

Picking a Manager: Success Through Sibling Rivalry

Sibling Rivalry: An Overview of Childish Competitive Behaviour

There is very little in this world as intense as a brotherly sibling rivalry.  Brothers have the innate ability to throw complete suck attacks at each other from competitive wins/losses almost from the time of birth, and with maturity, use that emotion to beat the other next time the play. 

This is why sports were invented.

This is why EA Sports is as successful a game franchise as it is. 

The “Battle Royale” between siblings starts early.  I, being the younger brother, can speak to the points as experienced by the Little Brother everywhere.  From the instant you see Big Brother play a game, you want to play, and you want to beat him.  The only problem with your Little Brother logic is that big brother is infinitely larger and infinitely stronger than you at this point.  Therefore, in every at bat, he strikes you out swinging with 42mph heat.  In every inning, he takes your pitches deep over your childhood backyard fence.  Basically, you are defenceless against his skill, and easily embarrassed. 

The embarrassment stems not only from the fact that you just got dismantled playing a game, but by the fact that you got owned while wearing Big Brothers old clothes, and literally failing while trying to fill his old shoes.  Nothing is salt in a Little Brother’s wound like the slightly oversized, extremely over washed, ’92 LA Kings Tasmanian Devil pull over sweater you was wearing while your Big Brother just shelled you. 

So, knowing it will be years before you can beat Big Brother, you take to the video game world where the playing field is more even.

In this forum of Nintendo/SNES/N64/Wii, Genesis/Saturn/Dreamcast (if you had a poor decision making process, Xbox/360 or PlayStation/PS2/PS3, any man would be king.  Endless nights were (and let’s get real here, continue to be) spent battling it out in best-of-seven series for that nights Stanley Cup/World Series Champion.  The all-time score is an afterthought while playing, in that moment all that matters is, “I will win tonight.  I lost yesterday, and I can’t stand this constant heckling and chirping any longer from him.”

This rivalry battle would satisfy any Little Brother, and would give him the biggest grin bearable to know that there were days when he would be champion over Big Brother. 

Then, there comes a time when Little Brother grows up, and takes on Big Brother in the backyard game that he once was destroyed in daily.  The first time Little Brother strikes Big Brother out, hits that home run, or scores that first goal, is a feeling of euphoria unmatched by any.  Little Brother has no choice but to play sore winner, and finally rub it in Big Brother’s face.  This behaviour motivates Big Brother to come back bigger, stronger, and better than ever.  The result is an ongoing cycle of bettering one another.

What We Learn From This:

The emotional concentration and constant striving to be the best in a sibling rivalry is one of the biggest motivators a child can have.  I could not imagine the concentration and devotion I would have to succeed if my Little Brother was one of the most honoured and decorated members of a sports community I know resided in.  If every time I came to work, I would stare out at the field and see his name forever etched into the stadium I now try to make my mark in. 

Well that is the kind of emotion, concentration, dedication, and commitment to win Big Brother Sandy would face, and bring to the field, every day if he joined the Jays as manager.  I want to see that, this young team could use a Big Brother like Sandy to push them this hard to win.  Big Brother Sandy wants his name beside Little Brother Robbie’s on the Jays’ Level of Excellence, and I for one, would love to see him get his chance to do it.

AJ Burnett: Reasons To Thank A Big Bag of D.

Watching AJ Burnett throw baseballs with as much velocity and movement as those launched from your Mosquito League pitching machine provides one of the greatest feelings of jubilation a spectator can experience.

The fact that he does all of this while pitching for the Yankees is not only the icing on the cake, it is also the delicious hard frosting covered cookie piece that somehow ended up on your slice. 

I can remember in December of ’05 when AJ signed with the Jays.  It was the Jays “off-season of optimism,” a full roster overhaul.  JP Ricciardi no longer had to play Beane-esque “Moneyball*” as “Uncle Ted” had opened up his wallet to turn the Jays into legitimate AL East contenders.  AJ was just one of the big names brought in that year, as we also saw new faces in Lyle and the Overbays, Troy “never blink” Glaus, and BJ “pitching?” Ryan. 

With all of these big name acquisitions, it seemed like Ricciardi thought money was going out of style, in fact, I am pretty sure Toronto rapper Drake wrote the lines,

 “It wouldn’t be the first time I done it, throwin’ hundreds
When I should be throwin’ ones, bitch, I run it (Ah)”

About Ricciardi’s off-season spending.  And like the song title, no matter how much JP spent, this season was “Over” before October.

After shelling out $55 million over 5 years, and the first ever player option given to a starting pitcher, AJ rewarded the Jays with a, “sparkling as a toilet bowl after a Taco Bell lunch” season of 10-8 with a 3.98ERA 118K’s in 135.2 innings. 

“Thanks AJ!” Not from me, not from Toronto at all, but from players like Gil Meche, Carlos Silva, Jeff Suppan, Jake Westbrook, Kevin Millwood, and Oliver Perez for driving up the price on mediocre-at-best pitching talents.

When AJ came over, he had a reputation as a .500 pitcher, with lights out potential, and the attitude of Shea Hillenbrand using a locker room wipe board.

When he left, he was a SLIGHTLY above .500 pitcher coming off an uncharacteristic 18 win campaign, with SLIGHT flashes of brilliance, and the attitude of someone who would hate the criticism of NY, and ultimately choke in any game his curveball even SLIGHTLY sucked (which we just refer to as every 5 days now). 

So, “Thanks again AJ!” This time, it is from me, and from the city of Toronto.  Your selfish behaviour in opting out of your contract, and not re-upping with JP’s offer  and crippling our financial resources saved us!  Oh, And also, thank you from Barry Zito, Carlos Zambrano, and Daiuske Matsuzaka, for keeping consistency in $80+ million SLIGHTLY above average talents.

For making us all feel good about where you are at in your career, Thanks AJ. We don't miss you, but we love watching when Brett Cecil owns you, and your Yankees.

Beat Cancer: The NFL's Sunday Reminder & Coping With Our Morality Through Baseball

Blog number two, and I am already choosing to speak "sentiment and philosophy" over "wit and drunken statistics."  This will not be a trend, but I feel it is appropriate to write on this point at this time of year...

Sundays, When We Watch Football and are Reminded to Beat Cancer:

As I sit back on my couch to watch some football this Sunday, the NFL does a great job reminding myself, as well as millions of others, that there are those out there fighting battles far more difficult than those on the gridiron. 

The NFL’s effort in raising awareness is seen throughout the day as, “#BeatCancer” rises in trending topics on Twitter.  As each down passes I cannot help but be reminded of life’s fragility, and remember those who were with me, talking about division rivalries every Sunday, only a short time ago.

This week will mark one year since I first lost someone near and dear to me to cancer.  Unfortunately, I cannot say that this was the last person in my life that I have lost over the time since, as other relatives, friend’s parents, and even more tragic, friends grown up with, have all been taken far too soon.

In my mind, I am too young to deal with the loss of a parent or relative, I am far too young to see a friend my age taken away from this life.  But as I have learned, and as I think about every time I see the referee blow a pink whistle this month, there are no guarantees, and cancer does not care if you are ready to deal with it.

As I write this today, my thoughts lay with the woman more a mother to me at times than my own, and of her current battle against cancer.  When I was home this weekend I asked my mother how she was doing, my mom sat me down and with a tear in her eye, could she only look to me for answers as to why the good people in life need to go through this.

With a stomach full of turkey, and a head spun on wine, I decided to get philosophical in my attempts to explain the greatest open question of all when it comes to mortality, “why?”

It began like this...

What would you rather have, eighty years with someone else, or the time you had with them? 

This question has a loaded answer, so it makes the point come across much easier.  My mother and I agreed that, given a choice, we would not trade the time we had with these people, for a lifetime with others.    

There are people out there who have eighty-plus years and they let it pass them by.  Then, there are those who in a short time make such an impact on us, that all we can do is be thankful for those memories, and that we got to be a part of something so amazing.

I do not blame a “higher power” for taking them, I can only be thankful that I got them as a part of my life, in whatever capacity that ended up as.

In our own lives going forward, we must take our stand in the fight against cancer.  So that we may hopefully better not just our own lives, but better impact the lives of those around us, by forcing an end to this disease. 

 On Life as Baseball:

To avoid religious preaching, I will speak my final thoughts on life as a euphemism to baseball:

It is as simple as this:

 In the ball game of life, we are all on pitch counts.  What we do with it is up to us. 

When the manager comes to get us, we are applauded for the effort we gave, and we accept that not all great efforts are complete games.

When the manager came for those we have lost, know that there was a stadium full of spectators giving praise for their performance on the mound, and the impact they made.  Know that the crowd was left hoping to emulate their own life’s performance after what they had just witnessed.   Know that the manager does know best, and that those taken from this game, were done so because they were needed for another game, at another time.  Most importantly, know that we will see them play again, but for now, we must take what they have shown, and apply it to ourselves.

We can all build off of the strength of those fighting cancer, we can all better ourselves from the memory of those whose time in this game has passed. 

We accept that at some point, our own pitch count will be up and that the manager will come to take us out of this life’s ball game.  All we can do is make sure that when they do, we gave the crowd our best performance, that when the book is closed on our pitching line, it was truly one to be remembered.

Let’s strikeout cancer.

A Battle of Aces: How it Affects The Championship Series

Many sports talk shows were speaking this week about how the Aces of the four remaining teams match-up, and what it may mean in setting up the World Series.  I have also heard that blogging is all the rage.  As a response to these topics, I decided to make this.

The ALCS: Thank you Indians Rebuild and Cost-Cutting, Sincerely, The Rangers and Yankees

Cliff Lee

It is hard to believe that Lee is only 3 seasons removed from posting an era over 6, but over these 3 years this has been a completely different Cliff Lee.

Arguably the most dominant pitcher of last year’s playoffs, Lee looks like he has picked up right where he left off with those Phillies.  It seems to be the case with Lee that he takes it to another level in the post-season.  He dominated Tampa Bay in his 2 starts posting a 1.12 ERA and a .69 WHIP.  Oh and he’s struck out 21 in 16 innings as well. 

Lee was less than spectacular during his 15 starts with the rangers in the regular season, and his track record shows that he will consistently be an animal as long as he is on the mound when it counts the most. 

Expect Lee to dominate the team that will likely throw several bags of money his way this off-season because you know, the Yankees do not have a dominant left-hander and are in dire need of one... oh wait.

Prediction: Lee makes the Yankees bats look like the Pirates ones, twice.  He will answer any questions regarding his pending off-season mega deal.  As well, he strikes out A-Rod in all at bats that he is not throwing at his face.

C.C. Sabathia

A lot of controversy surrounds whether Sabathia is this year’s AL CY Young Award Winner.  If you are Joe Morgan, you say he is.  If you know the first thing about baseball, you say Felix Hernandez deserves it. 

Either way, we can all agree that C.C. is a force on the mound, and that one cannot help but draw startling comparisons between his physical stature and that of the will-knotted Charmin Toilet Paper Bear.  The only problem with C.C. is that, before last season, he was a playoff choke artist with a career 7.92 ERA in 5 post season starts.  Not to say he did not overcome these jitters last season, as he did post a 1.13 ERA in the ALCS, but this Rangers team has bats that can punish with the best of them, not to mention contains arguably the most clutch hitter in all of baseball in Michael Young (Jays fans, insert Esteban Loaiza sigh here). 

The fact is C.C. is great, but has not yet proven enough that his emotions can be used in his favour.  One has to think that all it will take is a clutch Young single, or a Josh Hamilton hitting it a mileout of Yankee Stadium, or another dazzling outing from Cliff Lee (the anti-C.C.) to throw Sabathia off of his game.

Prediction: C.C. will be dominant in Game 1, but C.J. Wilson will give the Yankees offense left-handed trouble as it has all year.  As a result C.C. will not get the win, will play on tilt in his second start, and be ineffective.

The NLCS: The Key To Dominant Pitching Is To Have LeRoy As Your Middle Name, Just Ask These Guys

Tim LeRoy Lincecum:

He has back-to-back CY Young Awards.  He has now struck out 245 batters this season, and has also pitched just over 221 innings.  If someone had said 3 years ago that a strikeout pitcher could log over 200 innings in each of his first 3 seasons, I would have responded with, “So he plays for Dusty Baker? Well, let’s enjoy it before Tommy J comes knockin’.”  But Lincecum is the exception to the rule, and his trophy case is fast to support that fact.  The only real question with Lincecum is, “how much longer can he go?”  If the answer is, “As long as his hair is,” then he will go well into the 240-250 inning marker and continue to post brilliant complete game 14 strikeout performances.  If the answer is, “as long as someone in the SF Giants offense can hit it,” well then maybe “Tim’s Tank” is finally running on “E” for this season.

Prediction: Lincecum will be Lincecum-like and dominate.  However he cannot carry this team by himself and simply will not be able to go the distance in 2 games and win them both 1-0.  Even “The Freak” cannot be THAT good.

Harry LeRoy Halladay:

Speaking of potentially running out of gas, Roy threw 250+ innings during the regular season.  Yet, no one is worried about this statistic as he is Roy Halladay, and is more machine than man.

Halladay’s post –season capabilities were a big unknown going into this post-season.  Some surely asked, “Will he be solid? Will he give up the Halladay patented “poor first inning,” and put his team out of it early in these clutch low scoring NLDS games? Or will he give arguably the greatest pitching performance in post season history and no-hit the best offense in the NL?”  We all sat and watched Roy do the latter, and dominate with such a stoic demeanour about him that it was clear, everyone else on earth was more emotionally involved in what was happening in that game than Roy Halladay was.  Doc just simply kept on pitching.

Truth is Doc was built for the playoffs.  He works harder than anyone in the game, and once the ump calls “play ball” it seems like doc shuts everything out except the strike zone and goes to work. 

I think the only thing left to ponder in his post season abilities is not, “Will he be great?” but, “How great will he be?”  Doc was already in a league of his own during the regular season, now, he has taken it to an all new level.  All we can do is sit back and watch something special every time he takes the mound and pitches himself a new story to be written in baseball folklore. 

Prediction:  Doc out duels Lincecum in a battle of the NL’s best.  It comes down to late-game focus, and frankly, Doc is more likely to get that 1-0 lead with his offense than Lincecum is.  First run wins the game with pitchers of this calibre, and Halladay will get it.

In Conclusion:

In my opinion, Cliff and Doc are the cream of the crop in their respective leagues (no offense to their counterparts).  It is hard to believe that the Phillies could have had both of these aces this season, but here is to hoping that we get a Phillies/Rangers Series, and Ruben Amaro Jr. puts the man he always wanted against the man he once settled for.