Tagged: Mariano Rivera

The Big Puma Goes To The Big Apple

*Sorry I forgot to post this a few days ago.

After 1,648 hits, 326 home runs,
1,090 runs batted in, 1,592 games, and parts of twelve seasons, Lance “The Big
Puma” Berkman is leaving Houston to play with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez,
Mariano Rivera and the rest of the New York Yankees in the Big Apple.

It’s a bittersweet day in Houston.
On one side, the team is starting over and getting younger. On the other side,
you are losing a franchise player who played his college career (with the Rice
Owls) and pro career in Houston. Berkman has given the city of Houston so many
memories, good ones and bad ones.

Personally, I have two distinct
memories about Lance Berkman. The first autographed baseball I ever got was
Lance Berkman’s on my ninth birthday. However, In spring training of 2008,
while I was trying to get autographs, he went off the field, in a golf cart,
into the clubhouse, (the Astros clubhouse at their spring training park,
Osceola County Stadium, is on the other side of the left field fence) totally
ignoring the fans.

That day, Miguel Tejada, Jose
Valverde, Hunter Pence, and Wesley Wright, among others came a signed for the
me and the rest of the fans. I understand that fans do get a little crazy
sometimes. Ex-Astro Roy Oswalt use to only sign to small groups of fans while
with the Astros but spring training is different. Which, I understand.

Anyway, it has been a gradual
decline in power since 2006 when “Fat Elvis” hit 45 home runs. Since then, he
has hit 34, 29, 25 and 13 (in 85 games this year). And with the exception of
2008 when he drove in 106 runs his RBI totals have gone done every year since
2006 when he had 136 of them.

Now, I expect his power numbers to
increase with the dimensions of Yankees stadium and not having to face Josh
Johnson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Roy Hallady, or Mat Latos (who has a 0.99 WHIP) along
with the rest of the National League pitchers. However, the one thing that
could make his disappointing season even more disappointing would be if he
can’t play ball in the spotlight of New York City.

0801berkman.JPG

Continue reading →

Fantasy Baseball Help- Tip 2

Before I begin I would like to say a few things.
–My Play was AWESOME! We did very well. I was Uncle Andrew in the Magician’s Nephew. I used a can of hair gell, a bottle of hair dye,and a ton of hair-spray for my hair. I got flowers and chocolate, it’s a weird thing we do to the star at the theatre, and by weird I mean awesome. So if the sports carer doesn’t work I’ll have acting to do.
-Also my championship basketball game got moved to six o’clock so I might get to blog tomorrow.
– I moved the front page of MLBlogs! Congrats Cob for making it also and Hyun Young for being the featured blog.

Closers End The Game and End the Draft


When drafting for your team draft closers at the end or middle, unless you play some weird league where saves are worth more then wins. Closers don’t pitch as much as starters and don’t play as much as position players. The only exceptions would be to Jonathan Papelbon, Brad Lidge, and Francsico Rodriguez and some could argue Marino Rivera, Joe Nathan, and Jose Valverde. Closers get the least amount of point on your team except for benchwarmers. The closer is the most overrated position in all of baseball. All they do is pitch one inning. Yes their is a ton of pressure and not everyone can do it but at the end of the day all it is is pitching one inning. I should know I’m the closer on my baseball team. Unless you don’t blow a one save, save sixty, or are the next Trevor Hoffman you are most likely overrated. I know I will get some really bad comments about this but I really don’t care. The most overrated closer? Francsico Rodriguez. Brad Lidge goes perfect with the exception of the all-star game and all we hear is K-Rod this, K-Rod that. Don’t get me wrong K-Rod is one of the games best at closer but he blew seven games last year. The save really just means how many closer games you won. So in a way you don’t want to have a closer come in and pitch because you want to have a blow out. Sarters pitch 200+ innings if you great and closers pitch about 70 at the very most. Position players play sometimes the whole season. While I respect closers and I think they are a huge part of a teams success they are overrated. 
Francisco Rodriguez
sportsnet.ca

blog.pennlive.com
Closer Jonathan Papelbon gives the Red Sox a vital weapon in the postseason.
sportsillustrated.com
Note- This may have been the stupidest entry I’ve ever written because since I’m the closer for my team i just dissed myself.

Pettitte Stays in Pinstripes, While Varitek is do This Week

Andy Pettitte, 36, signed a one year, $5.5 million dollar deal with the Yankees. The deal could be worth up to $12 million dollars if he reaches all of his incentives. Contracts with incentives are the best contracts, you can’t overpay or underpay a player who has incentives in the contract. Pettitte was 14-14 last season with a 4.54 ERA. He also had 158 strikeouts in 33 games, 204 innings pitched. Pettitte played nine seasons with the Yankees before joining the Houston Astros from 2004-2006 and then went back to the Yankees after the 2006 season. The Yankees rotation is now set to be C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Chein-Ming Wang, Pettitte, and then Joba Chamberlain. I think Phil Hughes should be the fifth starter and not Joba. Joba went 3-1 this season as a starter. Joba needs to stay in the bullpen so in a few years when Mariano Rivera retires Joba can become the closer, but I am getting off track. In order for Pettitte to come back on to the roster the Yankees designated Chase Wright for assignment. Wright went 10-3 this season at Double-A and Triple-A

Andy Pettitte

The Red Sox have set a Friday deadline for Jason Varitek. The deal would pay him a base salary of $5 million dollars for 2009 and a club option for 2010 worth $5 million dollars. if he doesn’t make his mind up by Friday Boston would likely trade for a younger catcher, maybe Jarrod Saltamacchia (that was a mouthful), of the Texas Rangers or Miguel Montero, of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Varitek will turn 37 in April. Last season he batted .220, with 13 home runs, and 43 RBI’s. He was backup to Joe Mauer of the Twins in the 2008 All-Star Game , his third all-star game, at Yankee Stadium and caught Jon Lester’s no-hitter.  Varitek will probably start this season and will have Josh Bard or a young catcher as his backup this season and in 2010 will mentor a young catcher. It is also possible that Boston wants a young catcher to catch knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. That is unlikely though because Wakefield is close to retirement. I hope Varitek comes back tomorrow! 


Jason Varitek gives Alex Rodriguez a face full of catcher's mitt, setting off a benches-clearing incident July 24.

I love this picture.

Also I just noticed that in past entries “Varitek” is spelt “Varitex.” Sorry.


Hall of Fame Winners and Losers- Part 7

First- The Marlins aren’t really interested in Pedro after all.

Lee Smith, No, Eventually



Lee Smith is on the ballot for the sixth year. He has a carer record of 71-92, an ERA of 3.03, 1,251 strike outs, and 478 saves. Smith played 18 seasons with the Cubs, Red Sox, Cardinals, Yankees, Orioles, Angels, Reds, Expos. Smith will probably go in as a Cub. Closers Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage waited a while but finally got in. Smith is third on the all time saves list behind Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera. Smith will get 50% of the votes and will get in with 78% of the votes.

Alan Trammell No, Never


Alan Trammell is on the ballot for the eighth year. He hit .285, with 185 home runs, drove in 1,003, scored 1,231 times, stole 236 bases, and was caught stealing 109 times. He made 235 errors at shortstop, third, second, and outfield. Trammell played twenty seasons all with the Tigers. Trammell was a six time all-star who also won four golden gloves. Last year Trammell got 18.2% of the vote. This year he will get 20% of the vote and his best will be 40% of the vote.

Greg Vaughn No, Never

Greg Vaughn is on the ballot for the first time. He hit .242, with 355 home runs, drove in 1,072, scored 1,017 times, had 1,475 hits, stole 121, and was caught stealing 59 times. Vaughn played 15 seasons with the Brewers, Padres, Reds, Devil Rays, and Rockies. Vaughn if he does go in will probably go in as a Brewer. In 1998 he hit 50 home runs while the Padres went to the World Series. Vaughn will get 5% of the vote and his best will be 20% of the vote.