Hamilton Provides MLB With Blast From The Past
Three months ago Josh Hamilton faced something much more dangerous than opposing big league pitchers. After suffering the second public relapse of his career, Hamilton was forced to field questions about how “under control” his drug and alcohol addiction was. Experts immediately raised questions about Hamilton’s career, suggesting that his best years might be behind him. Coming into a contract year with the Texas Rangers, this was the last think Hamilton needed people saying about him.
Entering the 2012 season, nearly all of the publicity surrounding Hamilton was non-baseball related, providing the perfect distraction to deter focus in the Ranger’s locker room and ruin what was supposed to be Texas’ year at redemption. Hamilton silenced this doubt swiftly and powerfully.
During the first four games of the season, Hamilton belted two home runs and accumulated a .500 average, pushing Texas to a 3-1 start. They would never look back.
Now a month and a half into the season, Texas has jumped out to a 23-14 start and leads the league in 3 of the 4 major offensive categories, including batting average and runs scored. Hamilton has lead the charge, leading the team in batting average, home runs, RBI’s, and on-base plus slugging. Most notably, though, are Hamilton’s power numbers, which have drawn national attention and have provided baseball fans with a glimpse of the long-ball era that seems to have escaped us.
Hamilton raised eyebrows around the league last week against Baltimore when he belted four home runs during a five-hit night that also included a double. With four ball leaving the park in one night, Hamilton showed fans around the league that power baseball is still very much in play. Hamilton followed up his historic night by belting four more home runs in his next four games, pushing his home run total to 18, five more than anyone in the league.
Now heading into the heat of the summer, Hamilton has put himself on pace to hit 78 home runs this season, breaking Barry Bond’s single-season record by five.
Hamilton’s surge marks the first time in years that talk of the home run record has surfaced, and while it is only May, it is clear that Josh Hamilton has given MLB fans everywhere a chance to enjoy what could be the final opportunity to see a home run chance from the days of old.
The Enigma of Bryce Harper
When Bryce Harper made his debut for the Washington Nationals last week, he brought a pretty thick cloud of controversy with him. Sporting a mohawk and a scruffy beard, Harper made some enemies the minute he stepped on the field. His flashy nature, coupled with the reputation he made for himself in the minor leagues, forced many baseball purists to look at Harper with the upmost disdain. But just a week into his career, Harper has already put his mark on the Nationals 2012 resurgence and has forced many to consider the question: Is Bryce Harper actually going to be good for the game?
The most impressive thing I have seen out of Harper in this short stint in the big leagues is the way that he has handled the spotlight, essentially keeping his head down and going about his business. Opening his career in Los Angeles was no easy task, but even tougher was doing so with 40,000 Dodgers fans booing him every time his name was announced. Harper didn’t care. He maintained relative focus and recorded his first career hit, going 1-3 in his opening night. Harper also caught the eyes of many when he uncorked one of the strongest arms the league has ever seen from the outfield. But impressing on the field will never be a surprise for those who watch Bryce Harper. What was surprising was his ability to avoid any media scuffles or public reactions towards the outward resistance that he will likely always get from opposing fans. Harper seems to be just a kid enjoying his dream of playing in the MLB.
You could say that its pretty easy to keep your mouth shut, though. Maybe he has a publicist feeding him every line. Maybe the team has limited his media availability to avoid any incident. So take that with a grain of salt. What you can’t overlook, though, is Harper’s hustle. He flat out plays. Every play of every game, every swing or run or throw in warm ups is done to the best of his ability. In an age when baseball has seen its marquee players evolve into entertainers rather than ball players, Harper’s hustle has become a breath of fresh air. So what if he wears his jersey unbuttoned and his hair looks like a rock stars? So what if he walks around with his shoulders back and his chest out, daring anyone to question his ability? He plays the game the way it is meant to be played, and for that, the rest is just eyewash.
In last nights game against the Diamondbacks, Harper was inserted into the 3-hole in the National’s lineup. Take a look around the league. The third hitter in nearly every team’s lineup is the power guy, a guy that looks to hit home runs and collect RBI’s. If either of those don’t happen, a majority of these guys flip the bat, jog to first, and set their sights on the next at bat. Harper is different. He runs out everything. The slow ground ball to shortstop, the lazy fly ball that doesn’t leave the infield. He is always rounding first base, looking to advance, looking to stretch everything as far as he can. You can’t teach this. Harper isn’t worried about looking good between the lines, he’s worried about getting his team wins.
Say what you want about his style and his personality, but what you can’t say about Bryce Harper is that he doesn’t play hard. The Nationals have picked up on a dying breed in Harper and his enthusiasm and energy will likely ensure that the Nationals are contenders in the NL East for years to come. I can only hope that the rest of the league will take notice. Maybe we can get back to the days of hustle small ball and quiet confidence.
Game of the Week: Phillies at Braves
NL East foes faced off Tuesday night in this week’s Game of the Week, as the Phillies and the Braves opened a three-game series in Atlanta.
The Braves sent RHP Brandon Beachy to the mound Tuesday to square off against LHP Cole Hamels of the Phillies. Both starters faired well on the mound, continuing impressive starts to the season for both. Beachy gave the Braves 7 strong innings of work, allowing only two runs on 5 hits, while striking out 2. Beachy surrendered both of the runs in the top of the fourth, stifling the Phillies offense the rest of the way.
Cole Hamels lasted 6 innings for the Phillies, also giving up 2 runs. Hamels struck out 6 and walked 2. Neither started figured in the decision.
In what was a back and forth game for most of the night, the Phillies ultimately prevailed on a few Atlanta misfortunes. A Johnny Venters wild pitch strikeout allowed Philadelphia’s John Mayberry to score the 3rd run of the game. Hunter Pence followed with a base hit, tacking on an insurance run for the Phillies, pushing the score to 4-2.
The Philadelphia bullpen took over from there, shutting the Braves out in the final three frames and preserving the 4-2 Phillies victory. Jonathan Papelbon earned the save for Philadelphia, his 9th of the season. The Phillies improved to 12-12 on the season, while the Braves dropped to 14-10. The two teams will continue the series Wednesday and Thursday.
Next week’s Game of the Week is TBA
Game of the Week: Tigers at Yankees
Friday night set the stage for two of the game’s most talented arms to duel it out in New York. This week’s Game of the Week paired the reigning AL MVP in Justin Verlander with the Yankees young sensation Ivan Nova. Nova entered Friday night carrying a 15-game win streak in games which he got a decision, while Verlander looked to improve on the 2-1 record that he had compiled thus far in 2012. Sounds like a pitchers duel for the ages, right? Think again.
Both teams lit up the score board early and often, battling one another to see who could out hit the other.
Trailing 6-5 the 8th, the Yankees climbed back into the game, tying it at 6 heading into the 9th. After walking two batters in the bottom half, Tigers pitcher Brayan Villarreal threw two wild pitches, allowing Derek Jeter to score the winning, giving the Yankees the 7-6 victory.
Both starters struggled mightily on the night, allowing two of the league’s most powerful lineups to steal the show.
Verlander was able to make it through 6 complete, but was roughed up in the process. The Yankees struck for 5 runs, 4 earned, on 7 hits against Verlander.
Nova fared only slightly worse than Verlander, giving up 6 earned runs during 5 1/3 innings of work. The 6 runs came on 11 hits and 3 walks, pushing Nova’s ERA to 5.18.
Next week’s Game of the Week is To Be Announced.
Pineda to undergo season ending surgery
Yankees starter Michael Pineda has been diagnosed with an anterior labral tear in his right shoulder. Pineda is scheduled to undergo surgery on May 1st in New York. The Yankees have announced that Pineda’s timetable for return is a minimum of 12 months, placing him on the disabled list until at least the beginning of next season.
Jurrjens optioned to Triple-A
The Atlanta Braves opened the 2012 season hoping that Jair Jurrjens would mirror the early success that he enjoyed in 2011, as they looked for him to serve as the staff’s ace, at least until Tim Hudson returned to the rotation. That hope died for the most part Monday night, with the Frank Wren’s decision to option Jurrjens to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Jurrjens entered 2012 as the Braves opening day starter, but was only able to secure four starts under his belt before the club sent him down. In those four starts, Jurrjens saw his ERA balloon to 9.37. Couple that with a .411 batting average against, and Jurrjens found himself near the bottom of the MLB statistically.
Both the Braves and Jurrjens hope the move is temporary, allowing Jurrjens to get back to fundamental pitching before returning to the the team, but there is no guarantee. With a right knee that has proved to consistently ail Jurrjens during his starts, it is possible that he has pitched his last game in a Braves uniform, or even the big leagues all together.
“Right now, I’m not that same guy I used to be,” Jurrjens told reporters following Monday night’s loss in L.A.. Just minutes later, the news was delivered that Jurrjens must find “that guy” in the minors.
It is likely that Randall Delgado will remain in the Braves rotation after Tim Hudson’s return this weekend, giving Atlanta the opportunity to work out Jurrjens’ issues without losing too much depth.
Pettitte Back In Pinstripes
Just over a year after the announcement of his retirement, Andy Pettitte shocked everyone in baseball by signing a one-year contract with the New York Yankees.
Pettitte’s return did not, however, come as a huge shock to the Yankees brass or many of the team’s players. Brian Chashman and the rest of New York’s front office have allegedly been working on a deal with Pettitte since before Christmas, and have had an idea that the deal would eventually go through. Yankees star Derek Jeter had a similar suspicion.
“I knew he was itching… thinking about it,” Jeter said.
Pettitte’s minor league contract will allow him to switch sides for the remainder of Spring Training, as he will give up his newfound knack for coaching in favor of another chance on the mound. Pettitte might have to adapt to a new look on pitching, as the Yankees rotation looks jammed packed after the acquisitions of Hiroki Kuroda and Michael Pineda. While it is unlikely that Pettitte will be in the Yankees rotation, his presence will undoubtedly give the Yankees a veteran boost this season after the retirement of Jorge Posada.
Pettitte is scheduled to pick up with the team next week during Spring Training, and will likely be a few weeks behind the regulars as he attempts to regain some comfort on the mound.
Marlins Open New Ballpark During Spring Training’s First Week
The Miami Marlins began their renaissance Tuesday when they opened the gates to the newly built Marlins Stadium for an exhibition against the University of Miami.
The exhibition, which was the first of four Spring Training games at Marlins Stadium, served as an opportunity for Marlins players to begin feeling out the new stadium and the way the field plays. Player comfort, however, is far from the only reason the Marlins are getting a head start on their new era. Each of the four games that will be played in the new stadium allow fans to get a brief taste of what the future should look like for Miami. Baseball fans flocked to the stadium, testing every aspect of its fan friendliness, including the food, seating, and aesthetics.
Marlins president noted after the game that a Marlins fan commented to him that, “It doesn’t feel like I’m in Miami. This is an actual ballpark, it can’t be Miami.”
It will take a lot more Miami natives to share in this sentiment before the Marlins can deem their franchise turnover a success, but the Ozzie Guillen and his team sure look like they are on the right track.
Just a few weeks after Marlins franchise player Hanley Ramirez was seemingly given the boot in favor a free agent signee Jose Reyes, Ramirez showed Miami why baseball in South Beach still belongs to him. Ramirez christened the new stadium with its first home run during the 4th inning of Tuesday’s game, dashing any speculation that he might be an issue for the team after his move to 3rd base. The Marlins went on to win the game 7-6, giving Miami fans its first taste of victory, in what looks to be a very successful season.
The Marlins will look to carry the buzz of this victory throughout the rest of Spring Training and into the regular season, when they will be thrown into the Lion’s Den that is the NL East.
MLB Expands Playoff System, 10 Teams Now Eligible
A day after a soft deadline passed for MLB to come to a decision on expanding the playoffs for the 2012 season, MLB officials came to an agreement with the players union to do just that. Friday marked the beginning of a new era for MLB and its playoff system, as 10 teams are now eligible for postseason play.
The expansion, which has been a hot topic for years now, will allow both leagues an extra wild card team, giving each team a total of 5 participants. The two wild card teams in each league with play each other in a one-game playoff for a chance to square off against a divisional champion in their league.
This one-game Wild Card playoff game with change the dynamics of the playoffs greatly, as it will allows teams in loaded divisions (NL/AL East) to finish third in their division and still become a playoff team. The elimination game will also place an increased importance on winning your division, as the two Wild Card teams will likely have to burn one of their top pitchers in an attempt to advance.
The idea of expanding the playoffs has been around for a few years now, and it becoming a reality, in part, because of the Houston Astros move to the AL West. This realignment gives each league 15 teams, with 5 in each division. The field is much more level than it has been in past years.
Even with the expansion, the MLB’s 10 of 30 team playoff eligibility stands as the most exclusive of any of the 4 major North American sports. (NFL is 12 of 36, NHL/NBA are 16 of 30.) The chance at making the playoffs is still very much held at a premium, and this expansion will only add to the intensity of postseason baseball.
News and Notes From the First Week of Spring Training
Ryan Braun’s successful appeal stole the show in the baseball world over the last week, and has been covered from every angle possible. I’ll try to avoid falling into this trap as I explain some of the major headlines that came out of 2012′s opening week.
Burnett set to have surgery to fix broken orbital bone
Pirates newfound ace A.J. Burnett suffered a minor set back during his first action this spring. Burnett was injured while bunting during during the team’s batting practice and the team has yet to release a timetable for his return. Video footage shows Burnett fowling a ball straight up and into his face. Medical experts have suggested that this type of injury should cause Burnett to miss at least a month of action, with the possibility of more, depending on the severity of the break. It is unlikely that Burnett will be available for the Pirates opening day matchup against the Phillies, but look for Burnett to have a major impact on Pittsburgh’s playoff chances this season.
UPDATE: Doctors have conferred with team officials and announced that Burnett is expected to miss 8-12 weeks due to this surgery. This will leave the Pirates without their ace for at least the first month of the regular season.
Varitek Calls an End to Storied Career
The Red Sox longtime great has decided to hang up his spikes this spring instead of moving forward as a back up option for Boston. Varitek, who spent 15 seasons in a Red Sox uniform, served as the teams captain for most of his career and provided the organization with constant stability behind the plate. Coming into the 2012 season Varitek was offered an opportunity to sign a minor league deal with Boston in order to continue his career for one more year, but after months of consideration, the 39 year old Varitek decided that he was through. Varitek led Boston to two World Series TItles and caught two no-hitters in his career.
Freeman injures knee in workouts
The Atlanta Braves young sensation Freedie Freeman experienced his own set back during the first few days of workouts. While doing pick drills during Tuesday morning’s workouts, Freeman felt his knee pop out of place. He gingerly limped off the field to be evaluated by trainers. The injury has not be completely diagnosed by Freeman says that the same thing happened to him during his time in the minor leagues. The timetable for that injury was two weeks, so that is what the Braves are working with as of now. By the looks of it, Freeman should be healthy but the beginning of the season, and appears primed to add to his marvelous rookie season, Atlanta is looking to rebound from their infamous September collapse and Freeman is sure to play a key role in the success they wish to have.
Injury Updates
Mets pitcher Johan Santana threw 40 pitches in a simulated game on Thursday during Mets camp. Santana, who did not appear in the big leagues last year, is looking to recover from a shoulder injury that was surgically repaired in September of 2010. The torn anterior capsule in Santana’s shoulder has plagued him for over a year now, and he hopes that this will be the end of that pain. With Santana in the rotation, the Mets could experience a brief jolt in the standing.
Ryan Howard underwent another surgery on Monday in regards to the torn achilles tendon that his suffered during the Phillies final game last season. Howard suffered from an infection following his initial surgery and had a procedure to remove the infection. Howard’s initial date for return was scheduled to be sometime in May, but with this setback, it could be weeks longer until Howard is back in the lineup for Philadelphia.
