Wednesday, July 27, 2011

How could the umpire miss this call?

From last night's marathon between Braves and Pirates.



Seriously how could this idiot umpire Jerry Meals blew this? Julio Lugo is out big time not even nowhere at the plate. MLB really needs to expand replay after this bullshit and last year when a blown call cost Armando Gallaraga perfect game. This major blown call may cost Pirates the NL Central at end of the season if Pirates miss winning it by one game.

Monday, July 11, 2011

2011 MLB All-Star Snubs

Let me introduce you my All-Star snubs of this year. It trim it down to 4 players each from both leagues. To me they are:

NL:

Michael Morse (.301; 15 HR; 47 RBI) - comeback player of the first half has produced offensively for the Nationals, more than $126 million man Jayson Werth. At least he was consider part of final roster vote.

Danny Espinosa (16 HR; 50 RBIs) - in his first full season he provided the Nationals a 1-2 offensive punch. His 16 HRs currently tied 10th in the NL.

Anibal Sanchez (6-2; 3.58 ERA; 117 strikeouts) - back to form after battling injuries for past few years. His 117 strikeouts is tied 9th in the league.

Tommy Hanson (10-4; 2.44 ERA; 1.02 WHIP) - one of 13 players to have 10 or more wins with a low ERA and still no appearance.

AL:

Dan Haren (10-5; 2.61 ERA; 134.1 IP; .95 WHIP) - like Hanson, one of 13 players with 10 or more wins, a low ERA, and effective starter stretching out innings and walking fewer batters.

Alex Gordon (.299; 106 hits; 11 HR; 50 RBI) - finally has his breakout season with showing off his offensive bat. At least he was part of the final vote.

Nelson Cruz (20 HR; 55 RBI in 73 games) - despite missing 1/5 of the season he bounced back with his offensive pop that netted him 20 homeruns in 73 games. Those 20 homeruns currently ranked 9th in the league.

Adam Lind (.300; 78 hits; 16 HR; 52 RBI in 67 games) - like Cruz who missed part of the season he manage make it up with his offensive with his homers and driving in runs including a healthy .300 average.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

How to Fix the All-Star game

With mid-summer baseball exhibition coming up fans gripe about players who deserves to be there got snub and who should not be in. At same time you have game where it lost it luster throughout the decade and half. How about fixing the mistakes of the All-Star game that just got to a point its a lousy exhibition with a lousy win-all incentive? Here are my suggestions on fixing the MLB All-Star game.

1. Get rid of winner gets World Series home field advantage - its a lousy incentive to play for. Despite getting home field in the playoffs its still a 50/50 chance the team will get eliminated. Ever since the incentive was placed not once a World Series headed to game 7. Look into sports outside MLB home field advantage doesn't mean much. The recent examples happened in NHL and NBA Finals. In the NHL Vancouver Canucks had home ice and series went to a game 7. They lost game 7 and the series. In the NBA Miami Heat had home court. Series went to a 6 games which Dallas Mavericks beat them right at their home court. Team having home advantage in the playoffs doesn't mean anything in anymore.

2. Get rid of all 30 teams must be represented rule - before the expansions (before 1993) I wouldn't mind. Now with 30 teams the rule gotta be scrapped. Sometime the lone player representing the team at the All-Star game shouldn't be there. Remember Mike Williams and Derrick Turnbow being named despite with ERA of 4-5 and they were relievers? How about last year picks of Ty Wiggington and Michael Bourn? Despite being "best" pick of the team the player is not worthy of being on the All-Star team taking away a spot for much deserved player. See Michael Young exclusion last year. I rather have the "best" players of the league playing in the game, not one per team.

3. 2 closers and 1 reliever to the team - Instead five relievers how about trim it to three? Let it be 2 closers and 1 reliever. Give two extra players to starters that deserve it. Would you have Tommy Hanson over Johnny Venters or last year, Jaime Garcia over Evan Meek to pitch an inning?

4. Get rid of fan voting - fan voting is just a popularity contest. See this year when Derek Jeter was named starter based on votes despite missing part of first half when Astrubal Cabrera deserved it more than him. Fans just stuff ballots and small market teams like Royals and Pirates have hard time trying garner extra votes outside their market.

5. Pay per incentive/bonus - reason why NASCAR All-Star race is popular and matters is the $1 million dollars prize to the winner. How about MLB pony up the money and give it to the players in some form? Give them a bonus for being in the game or toss in extra money for homeruns, strikeouts, stolen base, or runs driven in. Call it greed, but it worth watching of players going full force for the extra money. With the money bonus incentives it make players play and try harder to earn the extra bucks. It make him and the fans feel he deserves to be part of the All-Star game. It worked for NASCAR.

6. Move the game after the regular season ends - move it to the fall and have it right before the playoffs start or better yet, before the World Series. Instead half a season, players have entire season to show they belong in the All-Star exhibition game.

7. Get rid of winner gets World Series home field advantage - oh wait I just mention that.

The All-Star game need serious changes if it want to make relevant to watching.