Scott Kazmir to the Angels

Scott Kazmir has been traded to the Angels for minor league players Alexander Torres and Matthew Sweeney. Both Torres and Sweeney are mid-level prospects, both 21, both playing great in high-A ball but both clearly a few seasons away from the big leagues.

I'm personally shocked at how quickly Kazmir went from #1 ace to being dealt for what is a decent but unspectacular package. Scott Kazmir, for those who have forgotten, had full-season ERAs of 3.24, 3.48, and 3.49 between 2006 and 2008, all while playing in the toughest division in the majors. He was only 25. Why the fall from grace?

The most puzzling aspect about Kazmir's tumble is that not one team claimed him off waivers. Not in the AL, not the NL. The Giants have been putting claims in on every warm body they could (Sheffield, Hoffman, Heilman, Harden...) and even they passed on Kazmir. This trade to the Angels took place after Kazmir cleared waivers. What gives?

It's probably not that complicated. For one, Kazmir had serious injury issues. He's been placed on the DL twice this season and missed significant amount of time last year. He's only thrown 200 innings in a season once, back in 2007. Pitchers with injury concerns rightly scare most teams, no matter how talented the arm is when healthy.

Secondly, Kazmir did not have a bite-sized contract. Kazmir and the Rays agreed to a three-year contract extension in 2008 that saw Kazmir guaranteed $28.5 million through the end of 2011, and with incentives could reach just under $40 million. He's owed $8 million in 2010 and $12 million in '11. For a lot of teams, the price tag alone is enough to ward off potential trades, never mind that the money is owed a pitcher with major injury concerns. There are plenty of non-contending teams (like our very own Orioles) that would have loved to traded for Kazmir...prior to his contract extension and all that guaranteed money.

But what about contending teams? Surely they're not scared of spending to win? Sure, but teams want to win now. Even with his injury concerns, Kazmir still has a bright future ahead of him. Plenty of teams would be glad to trade for him...in the offseason. But right now, during the pennant races, when the Rays would be able to demand more in the way of prospects? When Kazmir has a 5.92 ERA and his strikeout rate is the lowest of his career? Couple together his current performance, his contract, and his injuries, and it doesn't surprise me that a LHP with 45 wins by the age of 24 saw only one team interested in trading for him.

AL MVP

While we're on the subject of predictions, I just want to throw my hat into Joe Mauer's corner in the race for American League Most Valuable Player.

The Orioles just finished a series with the Twins, and it was a treat getting to see Mauer play. I never realized just how huge he is, how big his shoulders are. Along with guys like Brian McCann and the newly arrived Matt Wieters, Mauer seems to be spearheading a trend away from squat, slow catchers and towards sheer athleticism and size. Mauer and Wieters are both around six-and-a-half feet tall, with huge shoulders and little to no fat on them. During the mid-90's, shortstops went through a revolution as teams started playing bigger, stronger players at the position; instead of guys like Ozzie Smith or Luis Aparicio, players such as Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada, and especially Alex Rodriguez were playing short and showing that you didn't necessarily need a tiny guy who could do backflips to man the position. Similarly, I think catchers are going to start looking more and more like running backs as time goes by.

Mauer lived up to his hype as "the best" during the series. He was a great receiver behind the plate and moved extremely well on a few balls in the dirt. The Orioles ran on him a little bit and he made a series of effortless, on-the-mark throws. He also picked up three hits and saw his batting average sit at .373 when the series ended.

A .373 batting average would be the highest ever by a catcher since 1900. Even if his average dips, it is extremely likely that he'll win his third batting title, making him the first catcher ever to win three.

Over the last few years, as he put up historic season after historic season, I've asked myself several times "Is Albert Pujols the best first baseman ever?" And after researching it, I'd say no: It's unlikely that Pujols will eclipse Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig. It's possible, but Pujols has established the level he plays at; he isn't suddenly going to reel off a season (or two) that is well above what we expect, even for a superstar like him, that will suddenly close the gap and see him overtake Gehrig as "The Best Ever".

Since 2006, when he and Jeter were locked in an amazingly close MVP race (ultimately won by Justin Morneau, who was maybe one of the fifteen best players in the AL that year), I've followed Mauer more closely than I do most players. After 2008, I remember thinking "He could be one of the best catchers ever!" But it was only now, during this series, contemplating his impending third batting title, that I finally said to myself: Joe Mauer might be the best catcher ever. It was an amazing thought. I don't really know why it never crossed my mind before now. Joe Mauer might be the best catcher ever! No hedging it, no "best player since", no explaining away "different eras": Total package, no apologies, the best ever to play catcher. That's a thrilling notion.

I watched the three games of the O's/Twins series with a friend who isn't nearly as into baseball as I am. I was talking about Mauer and mentioned that he was a local sports icon, having grown up in Minnesota and been a superstar quarterback in high school. My friend was delighted that he'd given up quarterback to play catcher. "He's like a knight that gave it up to be a general." If that's not a great sports metaphor, I don't know what is.

Thoughts on the NL Pennant Chase

The Dodgers have the best record in the NL, but I don't expect them to win the pennant. Their problem, in my eyes, is the lack of a true ace: Their starting staff is very consistent, but they don't have any pitcher that can match up against the best in baseball. They just have a bunch of #3's. Clayton Kershaw leads the team with a 2.96 ERA, but that's driven in part by his unsustainable 6.4 hits allowed per 9 innings. He also walks more as many batters as any other pitcher in the majors, right now ranking second in the NL with 80 totals walks issued. That's not something that you can do against elite lineups and get away with.

That said, the Dodgers are still the most complete team in the NL. There's been a lot of talk about them 'collapsing' but they still should easily win the division. They play great defense up the middle, they have big hitters, they have a reliable starting staff and a deep, deep bullpen. They could easily lead the league in wins - I just don't expect them to win the pennant.

The Cardinals are scary good. Wainwright and Carpenter are every bit as dominating as Cain and Lincecum, but unlike the Giants, the Cards actually have a great lineup. St. Louis has a deep bench, with Rick Ankiel and Julio Lugo providing good-enough-to-start platoon players. With Smoltz added, their starting rotation is shored up, and when the playoffs roll around they should have a very deep bullpen. Pujols-Holliday is an incredible 3-4, and Yadier Molina is probably having a career year. Overall they're as good as any team in baseball.

The Phillies are as frightening as ever. Their lineup is the best in the NL: they lead in runs, home runs, and slugging percentage. They play amazing defense; their team defense is probably better than any of the other contenders. In Cliff Lee they have an elite ace. Their bullpen has a lot of guys that can pitch. My reservations about Philadelphia mostly center on a few players:

1.) What is up with Jimmy Rollins' bat? He is absorbing so many ABs and is just not hitting. What happens to him during the stretch run, or in the playoffs? Is there a chance he'll start batting eighth?
2.) Is Brad Lidge going to remain the team's closer? At what point do you pull the plug on him? He's not as terrible as his numbers, but he really hasn't been any good, either. Is he going to be given the ball in the ninth inning of playoff games?

When we remember this period in baseball history, this may be the point in which we talk about "that Phillies dynasty." They've followed the track perfectly: They developed talent from within, formed a great core of young players, shored them up with free agents, won divisions, won a pennant and World Series, and now they've sold off their young guys for proven Major League talent. They could very well be on their way to the second of three consecutive NL pennants.

In the Colorado-San Fransisco wildcard chase, I've picked the Giants, even though the Rockies are four-and-a-half games up as I write this. I just think that San Fransisco's aces will be able to carry them to the postseason. Additionally, Colorado has just been playing INSANE baseball. They're 50-25 since firing Clint Hurdle! Surely they can't keep playing .666 ball the remainder of the year. Surely they're due for a fall back to Earth.

If the Giants do reach the playoffs, the can beat anyone in baseball. Can you imagine facing San Fransisco in a short series and getting matched up against Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, Lincecum, Cain? That's insane.

If I had to pick, I'd put the Dodgers, Cardinals, Giants, and Phillies in the playoffs, with the Cardinals compiling the most wins. That would match up St. Louis with San Fransisco (I'd pick the Cardinals to win a series in which each team score maybe 10 runs each across 5 games) and the Dodgers with the Phillies - and I'd take the Phillies. If I had to pick between the Phillies and the Cardinals, I'd have to take the Cards based on their starting pitching...but ask me again when the playoffs roll around.

Quick Hits, Sunday 8/23

-Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold each had home runs as the Orioles won their first series since the All-Star Break. It's encouraging to see the young guys hit. Has there been a bigger surprise rookie in the AL than Nolan Reimold? He's come out of nowhere to become an everyday LF/DH. Felix Pie has made the most of his limited playing time, and should continue to earn starts and ABs. I hope the Orioles can avoid another August collapse.

-John Smoltz made his Cardinal debut, throwing five innings of shutout ball and striking out nine, including a St. Louis-record seven in a row. I don't want to say "I told you so", but...

-Eric Bruntlett's game-ending unassisted triple play was at least the third time this year I've said "What a perfect metaphor for the 2009 Mets." I'm not sure which is more fitting, the triple play or Vinny Castilla shanking a flyball to let the Yankees win in the bottom of the ninth.

-Derek Jeter is quietly having not only one of the best seasons of his career, but the best of any leadoff man in baseball right now. He's .331/.394/.471 on the season with 21 steals; both BP and Fangraphs see him as above-average defensively on the year.

Derek Jeter was so overrated for a while that he's almost underrated. Stat guys got so caught up in pointing out how overrated his defense is and how much the media fawns over him, but they seem to have lost sight of the fact that he's also a Hall of Fame shortstop for a reason.

-I'm no buff when it comes to the minor leagues, and so I was asking around about who the frontrunners for Minor League Player of the Year are; apparently Brian Matusz is the favorite. It would be amazing if the Orioles had two players win the award in back to back seasons. The track record for MiLPOY's is extremely good, with a high percentage of HOFers and perennial All-Stars.

-Speaking of Minor League Orioles, Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun speculates that Justin Turner, the everyday 2B for the AAA-affiliate Norfolk Tides, will be called up soon. I think Turner is one guy who's been hugely flying under the radar. He doesn't have much pop in his bat, but he's a 24-year-old second baseman batting .314 at AAA - that's nothing to sneeze at.

Over the last six games at Norfolk, Turner has gotten five starts at third base, suggesting he'll split time with Mora over the remainder of the year. I don't know if he's in the mix to be our Opening Day third baseman next year, but his callup is exciting. I see no reason he couldn't get about twenty starts across 3B, 2B, 1B or DH over the rest of the year, and maybe compete for a spot in Spring Training. I see him as a Blake DeWitt type, a guy who plays good D and OPS's around .750

Quick Hits

-John Smoltz signed on with the Cardinals to be their fifth starter. I like the move, as 1.) While St. Louis has an amazing 1-2 combo in Wainwright and Carpenter, their starting depth after that is very weak. 2.) When the playoffs roll around, he'll be moved to the bullpen and could be quite effective from there. I still feel like the Cardinals bullpen is a total house of cards, because Franklin is clearly playing way over his head. 3.) Smoltz isn't as bad as his ERA indicates. He still strikes out a lot of people and doesn't walk anyone. His peripherals are/were good, he just got a little unlucky before he had his legitimately awful start against the Yankees. I believe he still has gas in the tank. 4.) Smoltz is desperate for a job. It's a win-win, and a great fit.

-Stephen Strasburg signed with the Nationals for $15.6 million. A lot of people are balking at the number, but I think it’s great. At the end of the day, you have Strasburg and everyone else doesn’t. Some have said they shouldn’t have gone higher than $12 million, but are you really going to let a 21-year-old with his track record, with his polish and incredible stuff slip through your fingers over a few million? Hank Greenberg, when he was GM of the Indians back in the 60’s, had Luis Aparicio ready to sign—and then tried to chisel a few thousand dollars out of the shortstop and saw Aparicio go to the White Sox. Hey, how’d that one work out, Greeny? If you’re serious about winning you sign your #1 picks. I’m glad Washington got it done (even though, had Strasburg reentered the draft, Baltimore would have had a real shot at him), because it’s bad for baseball when you have lame duck franchises, teams with no fanbase, no money, and which seem to have no commitment to winning. I hope Strasburg helps turn the Nats around.

8/14 - Wow, we needed that

I don't have much to say other than that was the best Orioles win of the year. Yes, even over our comeback against the Red Sox.

Dave Trembley had gone on record earlier in the season as saying "Someone is going to pay." Someone was going to pay, because this team was much more talented offensively than the numbers were showing. This team was due to hang ten on someone, and last night they did.

Felix Pie hit for the cycle. The much maligned outfielder made the most of his limited playing time, having the most spectacular evening in a night filled with lots of hits and lots of runs. The Orioles scored 16 against Jered Weaver and the Angels, chasing the Angel starter before the fourth inning. The fact that Baltimore was able to reach (and hit) the Angel bullpen (as three different LAA relievers threw over an inning of ball each) so early in the series means that the Angels' relief corps will be depleted as the series continues, a small but relevant edge over the remaining three games.

Perhaps most significantly, Chris Tillman earned his first major league win, going 6.2 innings with 3 ER (4 runs total), 7 hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Wieters may have recieved the most hype after being promoted, but if the Orioles are actually going to turn themselves around, Tillman's success is just as important as the Switch-Hitting Jesus.

Nolan Reimold has been banged up lately, and with his late performance Felix Pie has earned the right to keep starting in left. In a perfect world, Pie would develop into an everyday left fielder who plays good D and runs well, while Reimold would take over the DH spot and get some starts in left. I have no idea how likely that is (the odds are probably against it) but Pie will continue to get starts in LF. Hopefully, more regular time will do him good.

Maybe we'll get blown out tonight, and Matusz will get hit hard. Maybe Felix Pie really is the chump Chicago fans insist he is. I don't know; that's all in the future. What I do know is that last night was the best time to be an O's fan all year.

Loving the Orioles lineup for 8/14

Per Roch Kubatko:

Brian Roberts - 2B
Adam Jones - CF
Nick Markakis - RF
Aubrey Huff - 1B
Nolan Reimold - DH
Matt Wieters - C
Melvin Mora - 3B
Felix Pie - LF
Cesar Izturis - SS

Tillman is on the mound tonight, facing Jered Weaver and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Some quick points:

-Okay, yes, it sucks that Huff is still batting fourth.

-I'm glad Wieters has been moved up in the lineup. He's earned it, and Mora and the others haven't. With any luck he'll see better pitches to hit.

-This is the second straight start for Pie. I think he needs to get a lot of starts over the remainder of the season. For one, Reimold is a bad defensive left fielder, and while Pie has poor instincts in the field, he is fast and has a pretty good glove and arm. Secondly, while Pie has never hit well at any point in his major league career, I think a lot of that can be contributed to how sparsely and sporadically his playing time has been: Yes, he's not the second coming of Carlos Beltran like he was projected to be all those years ago, but you can't give a guy 100 at-bats one season, 75 another, and then say his performance over those ABs is conclusive. Jered Weaver, tonight's starter for the Angels, is a flyball pitcher as well.

-Reimold has been a successful #2 hitter because he walks so much, but I like him batting fifth as well. What is this team's biggest strength this season? Doubles. You want to have athletic, speedy guys on the bases when your team is hitting a lot of doubles, so that they can score from first. Reimold walks a lot and takes pitches, but he isn't a speedy guy. He's more like Albert Pujols on the base paths: Doesn't run himself into outs, can often go first-to-third, but he isn't a burner.

Should be a good game.

The Six-Man Rotation

The Orioles will be moving to a six-man rotation, it's being reported.

This is a move designed to protect all the young rookies. Sabermetric analysis over the years suggests that when a young pitcher throws more than 40 innings more than he did the previous season, injuries become much more likely. Prior to this announcement, it was assumed that Brian Matusz would be shut down when Brad Bergesen returned, as Matusz was nearing his innings limit. By moving to a six-man rotation, the rookies (and Matusz especially) won't have to be shut down, but will be allowed to pitch throughout the remainder of the season without risking their arms.

I'm definitely a fan of the move, for two reasons. One, I love wacky, think-outside-the-box moves. When the Rockies went to a four-man rotation a few years ago, I was excited about that too. It has nothing to do with smart (or dumb) baseball decisions: The fan in me just enjoys when unusual stuff happens. Secondly, and more importantly though, this signals that Matusz is here to stay. If Matusz were up merely as a placeholder until Bergesen returned, the team wouldn't go to a six-man rotation; the Orioles would just option or bench the lefty once BB returned. By making sure that he gets his work in and keeping him at the big league level, the O's are letting us know that they fully intend for Brian Matusz to be part of their starting rotation on Opening Day 2010. Now that is something to get excited about.

There was talk of possibly optioning Jason Berken, or moving him to the bullpen, but apparently he will continue to start. I'm fine with that; the team can either start a AAAA pitcher, or let Berken take his lumps and hope he gets better in the long run. They have nothing to lose by putting him out there.

Other notes: Koji Uehara is returning soon and is almost certain to be moved to the bullpen. It's too bad that he got such little time as a starter here in the US, but there were just too many young rookies who developed too quickly for him to remain in the rotation. Even when he was out, there was still a dogfight for starts amongst Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman, Guthrie, Berken, Hernandez, and Rich Hill, and that doesn't even count a guy like Jake Arrieta, a highly regarded prospect in AAA who may see time next year. Moving Koji to the pen gives us a very good long reliever (something that is particularly useful considering how quickly our guys can get knocked out, and how much our young guys often labor through innings). Brian Bass has actually pitched pretty well, but I'd much rather have Koji in that role than him. Our bullpen is also starting to take shape, and on Opening Day next year we should have five solid pitchers locked in: Koji, Kameron Mickolio, Jim Johnson (likely serving as closer), Chris Ray, and Cla Meredith. There is also a very good chance that Berken starts 2010 in the pen. Bass, despite his success this year, will still have to earn a spot in the pen next year, and Matt Albers will have to prove he belongs in the Bigs at all.

Mark Hendrickson is a free agent after this year, and I would like to see him brought back on, because he's been an effective left-handed option out of the pen (posting a 3.74 ERA as a reliever) and because, let's face it, we don't have any other LHP relief options. Danys Baez is also a FA, a case of addition-by-subtraction.

Michael Vick

Forgive me if I move away from baseball for a moment, but Michael Vick, it's being reported, just signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. I won't bother recounting the details of his sordid story because they are so well known.

With Vick returning to the league, you're going to hear a lot of talk about how he's going through a difficult period in his life, that he has served his time, and that he deserves the shot he's getting with the Eagles. All of that is true. What is also true is that Vick tortured and murdered dogs for sport. Vick was making tens of millions of dollars a year, and he facilitated, hosted, and participated in dog-fighting to make an extra forty grand every now and again. Was it really about the 40k? Or was it about the sick thrills he got by holding dominion over another living being? Vick's crimes were grievous, and grievously has he answered them: His career is destroyed and will never truly be repaired, his reputation and image have been destroyed and will never be repaired, and he lost two years of his life in jail. He has paid his debt to society, and I have no objection to his return. But let us not minimize his crimes, or forget that he mutilated animals for the sheer visceral pleasure of it all.

My "hero"

So I guess it's okay to start calling pro athletes "heroes" again.

After Sept. 11, for those who have forgotten, there were countless articles talking about how 'we really have to reevaluate our priorities' and that 'we can't keep calling our athletes heroes when the real heroes, firefighters and police officers, go so unsung.' I was a huge fan of such a sentiment then and I'm a huge fan of it now; I've never bought into the cult that surrounds sports, even when I was playing three different sports a year during high school. So often the people we elevate are just the worst of the worst. Your ability to turn on a fastball or shoot a puck says nothing about your character, and we did well to remember that when we finally started taking pro athletes off the pedestal.

It seems like that chapter in sports coverage has ended, though. I haven't kept track, but I've heard more "heroes" and "heroics" than I have in years this season. After the photos of Josh Hamilton relapsing surfaced, there was an article published on MLB.com unironically titled "Psychology in baseball: Heroes are human". It almost feels like sportswriters have been looking for an excuse to bust the term out again, as though they wanted to use it all these years but couldn't because public opinion had turned against them.

This is all anecdotal, of course, so keep your ears open: As we reach the stretch run of the season, and after that the postseason, I'll bet money that we'll hear more than a dozen players called "heroes" on national television. The term is a crutch for broadcasters and sportswriters that they shouldn't ought to use.

Thoughts on Matusz vs. Halladay

Hmph. Well, so much for that "great pitching match up." Brian Matusz got chased after 2.2 innings, surrendering five earned runs, all on three home runs.

I found this game very frustrating to watch because Matusz threw nothing but fastballs and changeups through the first two innings. The Orioles pitching staff has really emphasized working off the fastball to the young pitchers. Chris Tillman, who's best pitch is his huge 12-6 "spike curve", has spoken of being forbidden to throw his fastball in warm-ups and in simulated pitching sessions in order to help him develop his fastball. That's great! That's a good idea. Working off the fastball makes your breaking pitches even better. But to throw nothing but fastballs and changeups in an actual game? Matusz didn't reach the majors as a two-pitch pitcher, why would you think he'd last in the majors as a two-pitch pitcher? He finally started going to his slider and curve in the third, but then he got taken deep a third time and it was over. He actually stayed in the game for a few minutes longer, making a few meaningless throws to the runner on first before getting pulled. I remember being surprised at Dave Trembley giving him the hook at such a time, when he seemed to be getting ready to throw to the next batter, but in retrospect he had probably made up his mind as soon as the third HR left the park and was just having him stall until Brian Bass was ready to come in. I guess I'm okay with that--you've got to take it slow and protect your young guys, not just hang them out to dry. Must be frustrating for Matusz, though: You wait five days to pitch, throw only 62 pitches, then you've got to wait another five days to get out there.

I'm honestly not worried about the home runs; young pitchers get hit, it happens, you take your lumps as a rook and get better. What did bother me, though, is that he kept falling behind hitters, going to 3-0 counts twice and going to several 3-1 counts. His biggest strength was supposed to be his ability to pound the strike zone, and watching him miss over and over is much more worrisome than seeing him get hit.

On the bright side, Halladay had another great game, so it wasn't like the game was a total bust if you were watching it. Melvin Mora, Luke Scott (who has always hit Halladay well), and yes, Cesar Izturis all had RBI hits off Halladay. Cesar Izturis?! Yes, Cesar Izturis.

Nick Markakis reached in his 30th straight game. Since the All-Star break he's hitting .323/.376/.570. That's, uh, really good. Markakis has always, even since he was in the minors, been a second-half player, and considering how bad his first half was, he should be due for an elite second half.

The Orioles begin a West Coast road trip Monday evening, with Guthrie, Hernandez, and Berken scheduled to pitch against the A's. I think the O's should do well with Guthrie on the mound, as the spacious Coliseum should help Guts minimize his home runs, which is his #1 weakness. As for Berken and Hernandez, they're in the same boat as Tillman and Matusz, just trying to figure out how to pitch in the majors and hopefully earn a spot. There is a lot of pressure on Berken especially, because 1.) He's pitched like crap and 2.) He wasn't really ever hyped as 'the next big thing' in the way the others were, and if he keeps slipping he may not get a second shot.

Orioles @ Blue Jays, Sunday 8/9

If you can, tune in at 1:00 PM to watch an amazing pitching match up between the Orioles and Jays, as Brian Matusz makes his second major league start against Roy Halladay.

Matusz, for those who don't know (and that's probably a lot of you considering how irrelevant the O's have been) is arguably the best LHP yet to achieve rookie status in pro baseball. He throws four different pitches (fastball, changeup, slider, curve) and locates them all for strikes. His fastball is about 92-93, but what makes him so good is his breaking stuff. His slider down and in against RHPs is his out pitch, and his curve is plus-plus. He throws two types of changeups: The circle change and a straight change. While his change is his weakest pitch, he can still get guys out on it, as he did in when he recorded his first big league strikeout against Miguel Cabrera off a circle change. He truly attacks hitters, winning with deception: Players have a very hard time picking up his pitches out of his hand.

Against the Tigers in his first start, Matusz faced a lineup comprised entirely of right-handed hitters (welcome to the bigs, kid). He went five, giving up one earned run and striking out five. He should be facing a less potent lineup today in the Jays.

Matusz has top-of-the-rotation stuff and command, and he could honestly be one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball as soon as next year. He's young, sure, but he's enormously polished and has a lot of experience. Between the ages of 18 and 22 he's thrown about 500 innings between college, the US National team, and the minors, and he's dominated every level he's pitched at. I don't mean "had success", I mean dominated.

Last night, Brian Roberts fouled a ball off of his leg; he's day-to-day, and so the Orioles have really had to shake up their lineup. Lineup courtesy of Roch Kubatko:

1 - Felix Pie LF
2 - Caesar Izturis SS
3 - Adam Jones CF
4 - Nick Markakis RF
5 - Aubrey Huff 1B
6 - Melvin Mora 3B
7 - Luke Scott DH
8 - Matt Wieters C
9 - Robert Andino

Yikes. That lineup is, uh, impotent. Manager Dave Trembley is pretty clearly going with defense, especially by starting Pie over Reimold in left. I understand that you want the kid to build confidence, but it's going to be hard for him to win when you can't score runs, and it's going to be hard to score runs when you bat Izturis second against Roy Halladay. I guess the objective is to try and run against the Jays.

Personally, I would have had Reimold DH and had him bat second (and, for the record, batting Reimold second is the best managerial decision Trembley's made all year); I would have had Izturis and Andino bat eight and ninth, respectively; I would have batted Markakis third and Jones fourth to create a righty-lefty-righty 2-3-4. I don't really have a problem with Mora starting over Wigginton, since 1.) It's not like Wigginton is that great a hitter anyways and 2.) If you've got the strategy of "Put a great defense behind Matusz", that's fine and you should stick to it. Don't expect Wieters to see many pitches to hit. If he's patient I think he can work some walks.

Brian Matusz is only getting his shot now because Brad Bergesen took a line drive off his shin about a week ago; Matusz should be shut down after maybe another four or five starts. If you want to get a glimpse of the future, tune in today.

Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton today acknowleged the photos of him in a bar in Tempe last January, drinking, dancing with young women, doing shots off them. The photos would be racy by anyone's standards; for Hamilton, they're almost unbelievable. For a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, not to mention a married man with children, photos of a trio of beautiful women doing shots off his shirtless torso are...humiliating? Disappointing? Heartbreaking.

Hamilton issued a statement admitting that the photos were real. "It reinforces one of the things that I can't have is alcohol," he said in a press conference. "...I wasn't mentally fit or spiritually fit. It just crossed my mind 'Can I have a drink?' Obviously I can't. One drink leads to two and two drink leads to 10 or 12. When I was in AA, one saying I heard was one drink is too many and 1,000 is never enough."

I'm not going to link to the photos, because if you want them you can find them, and I don't want to spread those images around if I don't have to.

I've made a habit of putting down millionaire athletes who treat women like toys to be used, treat alcohol and drugs like God-given rights, but I have nothing but the deepest sympathy for Hamilton. Alcoholism is just such a misunderstood condition in our society, because alcohol is so ingrained in our culture.

Hamilton, since collapsing in a heap on his grandmother's doorstep completely fucked up on heroin and alcohol, has been, by the accounts of his those who know him, an exemplary human being, someone who used his love for family, his love for the game, and his love for Christ to pull himself from the absolute lowest ebb to the paragon of American success. What people often don't realize is that it doesn't matter who you are when you're sober: When an alcoholic like Hamilton gets a drink into his system, he may as well be a different person. Loving father? Dedicated athlete? Devout Christian? It gets thrown out the window once you take a sip. I can only imagine the...terror Hamilton's friends and family must have felt when they saw those photos. Seeing an alcoholic relapse is like watching a person die, because the man that was no longer remains.

The frightening part is, who's to say I wouldn't succumb to the same temptations? That you wouldn't? That anyone wouldn't? It's so easy to take one more drink, take one more gorgeous young woman back to your room, take one more puff, pop one more pill. Everyone around you is always encouraging you, reassuring you, hey, it's okay. You don't need to feel ashamed. I do my best to teetotal, but it's around me constantly, and so I drink from time to time. Even then, I can't tell you the number of times I've been called a pussy or a faggot to my face because I didn't want to take a drink. Our society champions alcohol as a manly, virile thing, forgetting that, in the end, it's quite literally a poison.

My heart goes out to Hamilton. I know that's a hollow phrase, but I mean it with every fiber of who I am. If I were to meet Hamilton, I would tell him that love will help him stay strong. I have nothing but sympathy for the pain he has to endure, and nothing but support to offer, as meager as such an offering might be. Hamilton's a Christian, while I'm an atheist; it was in you all along, Hamilton. That's the most beautiful part. It was in you all along.

The Anti-Pujols

Let me quote a few things from a recent article I read about Pujols while researching just exactly what he had said over the issue of steroids (parsed down for brevity's sake):

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"I can understand people being disappointed with A-Rod and Manny. But just because Manny made a mistake, now I have to pay? Just because A-Rod made a mistake, now I have to pay? Oh, guilt by association? That's wrong. For people to be suspicious of me because of the year I'm having and for people to say I just haven't been caught, that makes me angry and disappointed. I would never do any of that crap. You think I'm going to ruin my relationship with God just because I want to get better in this game? You think I'm going to ruin everything because of steroids? Come test me every day if you want. Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught. I can understand why people don't know who they can trust or their hero was caught. I want to be the guy people look up to. But I want to be the person who represents God, represents my family and represents the Cardinals the right way. So many people can't wait until I do something negative. I can't understand it. That's sad, because I want to be that poster boy in baseball. Just give me the chance."

Pujols, who has three children with his wife, Deidre, and another baby on the way, goes to great lengths to maintain his untarnished image and uphold his deep religious beliefs. He doesn't drink or smoke. He doesn't have a tattoo or wear earrings. He doesn't go to bars, nightclubs or any place where his character could be assaulted.

"If we're in a hotel and a woman gets on the elevator by herself, I'll wait for the next one," Pujols says. "People have their agenda. You have to be careful who you can trust."

Says Giant Randy Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, "I think Albert is the one guy in our game who could go to the opposition, say something, and they'd listen. That's how highly people regard him."

And the 6-3, 230-pounder is saying things more often, especially when it comes to showing respect for the game. The baseball cap should be worn properly. The jersey tucked. The back pockets in.

"I see teams take their jerseys out when the game is over," he says. "To me, that's not professional. I don't care what you do when you get off the field, but don't do it on the field. You don't want kids to see negative things."

"Just because you make $100 million, just because people say you're one of the best, doesn't mean you don't work hard."

"It's as if he wants to not only be the best player today," Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan says, "but the greatest player who ever played."

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I'm glad that Pujols is so intensely vocal on the issue of steroids, as 1.) It makes me actually believe that he isn't on them and 2.) It's the sort of thing that helps people get past any disillusionment caused by steroids. I know there are a lot of people, like my father, who are incredibly cynical about the whole thing, but they still follow baseball closely because "At least Albert isn't juicing." A lot of people think Placido Polanco, because of his body type, uses steroids; I don't, because Pujols is close friends with Polanco and godfather to one of his kids. I don't think Pujols would associate himself with someone if they used (Polanco and Pujols were teammates from 2000-2002). Additionally, I think Pujols' willingness to stand up and act as a figurehead gives people a symbol to rally around; imagine if Hank Aaron and Albert Pujols publicly worked together to get the 2003 drug test results revealed. How could anyone say no?

What I found particularly interesting was the second half of the article, the part about professionalism. I was reminded of one specific player: Prince Fielder.

Fielder was eating up headlines the other day for his confrontation with Guillermo Mota. For those who missed it, Mota, a former teammate of Fielder's, beaned Fielder on the fat part of his thigh in the ninth inning of a 17-4 Dodger win. Mota got tossed; Fielder lifted himself to his feet and seemed to be saying something along the lines of 'Why the hell would he do that?' He looked more perturbed than anything else; he didn't rush the mound, that's for certain. After the game, though, a furious Fielder tried to enter the Dodgers lockerroom, presumably to confront Mota. He tried repeatedly to get past a Dodger-hired usher watching the door and several Brewers, including Ryan Braun, before relenting and turning back.

I don't know exactly what was going through Fielder's mind, either before, during, and after the beaning; what I do know is that his actions in the Dodger Stadium hallways were those of an idiotic child. If Fielder actually felt like he was being thrown at, he should have rushed the mound. Once he didn't, though, the ship had sailed on his chance to personally retaliate--maybe the Brewers could have thrown at Russell Martin or James Loney the next game, but Fielder's opportunity to take matters into his own hands was over. I don't know exactly how I feel about his on-field reaction: I am a huge believer in protecting your teammates and retaliatory beanings (though only if they are retaliatory), so I guess by extension I ought to support Fielder if he tries to protect himself. However, HBPs are just a natural part of the game, while trying to punch a guy in the face is not. I'm not sure how exactly I would feel about the situation if Fielder had charged Mota.

What I am certain of is that Fielder embarassed himself after the game. His actions were ridiculous: Did he really think he was going to gain entrance to the Dogder lockerroom and choke slam Mota? His actions were unprofessional: You're a grown man that a lot of kids look up to. Try and act like it, not throw rock-stars-trashing-their-hotel-room temper tantrums while screaming obscenities. His actions, most of all, were stupid: As anyone knows, and as I mentioned in my last post, the MLB polices itself, and the front offices have made it clear that, even though rushing the mound and punching a guy in the face technically constitutes assault (after all, if you did that on the street you'd be criminally liable and could go to prison), you can get away with it. What you CAN'T get away with is trying to fight people away from the field. Fielder was uncomfortably close to opening a particularly dangerous can of worms.

Note how Pujols wishes players would treat the game with more respect and, amongst other things, maintain a decent appearance on the field. What's the first thing Fielder does after the 27th out is recorded? Untuck his jersey. Pujols tries to set a decent example and doesn't drink or smoke. Fielder (in Pujols' backyard, no less) went through the entire Home Run Derby award ceremony with chaw in his lip and his jersey untucked, and spent the whole night dipping. And now this.

I was actually a fan of Fielder's last year, as his brief friendship with CC Sabathia was great entertainment. The two seemed to feed off the passion of the other, and it was a lot of fun to watch. After his display of a total lack of respect for himself and the game, though, you can count me out.

Hank Aaron, etc.

The topic that's burning up everyone up lately is the issue of the 2003 steroid user list. Some people want it revealed, some don't.

I think context is a little important. Back in 2003, the Player's Association, headed by the soon-to-be-retried Donald Fehr, agreed to have random drug testing. If 7% or more of the players tested positive, then mandatory, regulated drug testing would be enacted the following year. It was also agreed that, no matter what, the results of the test would be absolutely secret and would not be revealed to anyone.

Well, I think we know how that worked out.

Now, Hank Aaron is giving his opinion on the matter. In an interview with the AP: "I wish for once and forever that we could come out and say we have 100 and some names, name them all and get it over and let baseball go on," Aaron said. "I don't know how they keep leaking out. I just wish that they would name them all and get it over with." Link to the story here.

So what to do? Release the list? Destroy it forever? Release the list - and punish the players on it?

I had a very spirited argument with a fellow baseball fan for whom I have a deep respect, and he argued that the list should not be released on the grounds that it would be illegal. There was a contract agreement between the PA and the MLB front offices, and releasing it would violate the letter of the law.

And...he's right. It would be illegal if the list were revealed, as the players who consented to the tests in 2003 did it on the condition of absolute anonimity. Some have pointed out how a lot of players (most notably Albert Pujols) have been extremely vocal in their condemnation of steroids and would likely support the revelation of the complete list; and, after all, if the players themselves (or a large portion) want the list revealed, how can the Association say no? The problem, of course, is that so many of the players who were tested in 2003, whether they tested positive or negative for steroids, are no longer playing and the Association no longer represents their interests.

The elephant-in-the-room for the PA is that the front offices can do whatever they feel like, and they know it. The front offices of the NFL, MLB, and other pro sports leagues have routinely been empowered by the US legal system to police themselves and do whatever they feel like. The MLB is a legal monopoly, and if Selig and company decide that releasing the list is the way to go, then the list is going to get released. Maybe they won't just come out and say "This is what we're doing, anyone who doesn't like it can jump off a cliff"; there will probably be some business with 'anonymous sources', but in the end the list will get revealed.

Regardless of whether or not you like the hazy ethical standards employed, I think most people feel that the publication of the hundred or so remaining names would be good for baseball. There is a huge amount of cynicism surrounding baseball, and rightly so: The game turned a blind eye to performance-enhancing drugs for a decade. There are Hall of Fame voters who didn't vote for Tony Gwynn or Cal Ripken, Jr. because 'everyone from that era is tainted'; and, while that is idiotic logic, I think it reflects the intense disillusionment that has been sweeping over baseball for a long time.

We live in an era in which there are no suprises. Mark McGwire was one of the most popular players to ever put on a uniform and hit well over 500 home runs; as I write this, he has failed three times to reach the Hall of Fame. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, the Lennon and McCartney of Boston, each test positive and we shrug. For God's sake, every one on the planet is convinced Barry Bonds took steroids and he's the all-time home run king!

If we really want to write the epilogue for The Steroid Era and then close the book, letting us see the lists will allow us to finally get a real handle on the situation. After all these years, we can lay all the paranoia and suspicion to rest and see just who was using.

Of course, the PA may still vehemently oppose the release of the list. There job is not to appease fans, but to protect the players, and allowing the list to reach the public eye, while good for the careers of many, would likely be ruinous in some form or another. Some might disagree with me, and point to Manny Ramirez's sustained popularity in Los Angeles in spite of his fifty-game suspension; I would refer them to McGwire, and remind them that most players would be devastated if they knew they were never going to reach the Hall of Fame, even if no other punishment was meted out.

Anyone with an eye for history knows that the eventual leaking of the complete list is likely inevitable. The PA can sit on their hands (I'll let you guess where their thumbs will be) and pretend the bell can be un-rung, or they can make sure that when the list is released, the players named aren't utterly trampled over. A lot of sportswriters and fans have been calling for lifetime bans of any player that tests positive for steroids; while this is a horrible idea that clearly hasn't been well thought through (someone explain to me how banning Alex Rodriguez or Manny Ramirez for life from the game is good for baseball), anything can happen when people convince themselves of the righteousness of their cause. If the PA embraced the publication of the list instead of fighting it, they could help guide the raging flood.

And yet...even if they did, my statement that it would 'write the epilogue' for the Steroid Era is really just a pipe dream. We won't really be able to put it behind us until twenty years have gone by since the last known PED user has retired, and those that were associated with steroids have either seen themselves elected to Cooperstown or snubbed fifteen times in a row and had their names fallen off the ballot.

Either way, we're paying for the sins of the past.