Archive for the ‘baseball’ Category
Saying the Brewers and Cardinals don’t like each other is like saying, “The water is wet.”
Today’s blog post by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s regular baseball beat writer, Tom Haudricourt, states the obvious even to its title, which is: “Brewers, Cards don’t like each other.” This is like saying, “The water is wet.”
I’ve been discussing this for months now, with my most recent post about the Brewers-Cardinals animosity being this one regarding Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Nyjer Morgan’s “spitting incident” at Saint Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter after Carpenter swore at Morgan. This is why Haudricourt’s blog post shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. But Haudricourt’s blog is still quite insightful due to getting a number of revealing quotes.
First, Haudricourt started with Brewers pitcher Zack Greinke, who will start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series tomorrow at 2:30 PM CST at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Greinke said, after being asked whether the Cardinals and Brewers truly have animosity toward the other team, this:
“Maybe now,” he said. “I think no one really likes (Chris) Carpenter. Besides that, I think (the Brewers) respect mostly everyone on their team.”
Greinke referred to the Cardinals’ ace, whose 1-0 shutout of favored Philadelphia in Game 5 of the National League Division Series propelled wild-card St. Louis into the confrontation of NL Central rivals. That comment drew an immediate and expected response from St. Louis manager Tony La Russa.
Here, Greinke may be referring to the way Carpenter acted at the end of the concluding game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals in their National League Division Series. The Phillies’ big first baseman, Ryan Howard, tore his Achilles tendon on the last play of the game and was writhing along the first base line as he never made it to the first base bag while the Cardinals piled into the now-traditional dogpile in celebration elsewhere on the field. Then, Carpenter was interviewed, and he either didn’t know that Howard had to be helped off the field (and could put no weight on his leg or tendon) or he didn’t care.
None of this looked classy on the part of the Cardinals, though the media for the most part left it alone.
Back to Haudricourt’s blog, where the next person quoted was Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa. However, because LaRussa is a very good friend of former Brewers manager Ned Yost (who was unjustly fired with only twelve games or so remaining in 2008), that might somehow impact upon what LaRussa thinks and feels. You need to keep this in mind as you read the following:
“Very disappointed that Greinke would say that,” said La Russa. “I don’t know him a lot but I always thought he was a high character, classy guy. That’s a bad comment to make unless you know Chris Carpenter.
“Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, it’s not our business unless somebody crosses the line.
“So, I think the Brewers should take care of their players and their comments and not be concerned about other players and comments. But, like I said at the beginning, if they had Chris Carpenter they would be cheering for him and believing in him and they would not allow somebody that was a teammate to make a crack like that.”
Haudricourt’s blog is full of information about why the Cardinals dislike Morgan in particular; it goes back to when Morgan was a member of the Washington Nationals, long before Morgan ever became a Brewer. Morgan is a hard-nosed, gritty player with attitude and ebullience, and he isn’t shy about sharing what he thinks and feels, either (see the two “f-bombs” he let loose with in the TBS coverage during the game 5 coverage that I talked about here). Morgan also is known for being a player whose behavior is right on the edge of what’s considered acceptable, as Tim Brown pointed out in this article from Yahoo Sports, dated September 8, 2011.
So perhaps it’s not too surprising that one Cardinals player, veteran Lance Berkman, opened up and actually discussed with Haudricourt (quoted in Haudricourt’s blog) what Berkman thinks about the Brewers in general and Morgan in particular.
Berkman, however, was more truthful about the lingering tension between the clubs.
“It doesn’t just go away; it’s always under the surface,” said Berkman. “So, we’ll see what happens. It is what it is. I hate that phrase but that’s as good as I can come up with to describe it.
“I don’t want to create something that’s not there. We all respect the Brewers and think they have a great team. Taken individually, I think they’ve got some great guys. Sometimes, when you’re competing collectively, there are things that rub you the wrong way or incidents that happen.”
As for Morgan’s antics, Berkman said, “He’s obviously a passionate guy and intense competitor. That being said, sometimes that exuberance can spill over into a realm that I don’t feel is appropriate. But I’m not the czar of baseball, either.”
All of this is why the Brewers-Cardinals will definitely be “must-see TV” in my household, even if I weren’t such a big Brewers fan.
———-
** Note: You also might want to take a look at Jeff Passan’s column at Yahoo! Sports, which discusses the Cardinals and Brewers in great depth with the understanding of the whole “Brewers are ‘new school,’ Cardinals are ‘old school'” dynamic that the national media is doing its best to portray. (Me, I see the Cardinals, and their ace P Carpenter, the same way Greinke does, quoted above from Haudricourt’s blog.)
Brewers win game 5 in 10 innings, Advance to NLCS
Game five of the NLDS between the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks is over, with the Brewers winning, 3-2, in ten innings. But let me set the scene for you, as this game was even more exciting than the scoring shows.
The Brewers led, 2-1, after Yovani Gallardo had pitched a smart and gutty game through six innings. Both relief pitchers, Takashi Saito and Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod), pitched well enough in their innings (Saito the 7th, K-Rod the 8th) to keep the game 2-1. The Brewers went into the top of the 9th with Brewers closer John Axford, who hadn’t blown a save since April, brought into the game to close it out.
But sometimes, the best-laid plans of mice and men do not work. Instead, Arizona tied the game at 2-2, though Axford was able to get three outs and preserve the tie (he still got a blown save).
The ninth went by quietly, as only Jerry Hairston, Jr., hit the ball hard (and, unfortunately, right at Gerardo Parra in left field). No runs, no hits, no errors.
The tenth inning rolled around, and Axford was still in there. Axford had only pitched two innings seven times this past year; he usually is a strict one-inning closer, partly because of how successful he’s been. As Axford had not looked all that good in the ninth, I was very concerned — however, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke made the right move to leave Axford in as he breezed through the top of the tenth.
In the bottom of the tenth, J.J. Putz, the D-backs closer, was brought in to pitch to preserve the tie. Craig Counsell went up to bat; he lined out to right field. Carlos Gomez came up, and hit a single to left field. Now Nyjer Morgan stood at the plate, and he’s been a tough clutch hitter for the Brewers all season long; I’m sure D-backs manager Kirk Gibson knew this, but he also knew that Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder (the Brewers #3 and #4 hitters) were up after Morgan and so Gibson elected to take his chances with Morgan.
At this point, Gomez stole second base, but was unable to take third on a wild pitch by Putz.
Pitch after pitch went by; finally, Morgan got a pitch to hit and roped a single into center. Gomez is the fastest man on the team, so I knew if anyone could score from second base, Gomez could do it. And Gomez did it — he scored easily — which means the Brewers won, 3-2, and will advance to the National League Championship Series against the winner of the St. Louis Cardinals-Philadelphia Phillies matchup, which is currently in progress. If the Cardinals win that game, the Brewers will have home field advantage in the next round of the playoffs; if the Phillies win, the Brewers will not.
This is the first post-season series the Brewers have won since 1982. Like the ’82 Brewers, it took the ’11 Brewers five games to win the series; unlike the ’82 Brewers, they were ahead, 2-0 (the ’82 Brewers were behind, 0-2, even though they, too, had home field advantage; unlike this series, until game five, every road team had won the game). And in this one, the ’11 Brewers did not win a single road game — but they didn’t have to, either.
Now, the one thing you need to be aware of is that Sam Ryan, reporter for TBS, was on the field right after the Brewers won the game. Morgan dropped a few “f-bombs,” which I would’ve told you were quite predictable — but Ms. Ryan doesn’t seem to understand things like this.
This is the same reporter who didn’t seem to know who in the world Brewers Hall of Famer Robin Yount was when she spoke with him during game 2; Yount was very polite to her, but if I had been Yount, I would’ve pulled her aside and pointed to Yount’s retired number #19, which is prominently displayed at Miller Park (the Brewers’ stadium). I would’ve told her that I was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, too, and one of the few players to ever win Most Valuable Player awards at two different positions, shortstop in 1982, and center field in 1989. And next time, that she should do her homework or stay home and let someone who knows more about baseball get paid.
There are many female baseball reporters who would’ve done a better job than Ms. Ryan did, during game 2 and at the end of game 5; I do blame her for even putting a microphone on Morgan because while I really like Morgan as a player, he’s a high-strung guy who’s been known to lose his cool before.** (Granted, he was on a huge emotional high at this point. But he’s not like Brewers sluggers Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart or Rickie Weeks; Morgan doesn’t have that level of self-control and everyone should know it unless they’re completely clueless, like Ms. Ryan apparently is.)
Anyway, Axford ends up with the ultimate rarity for a closer — a blown save, and a win. I’m sure he’ll take it, as will all Brewers fans.
What a game. What a finish.
Let’s hope the Brewers have something left for the NLCS, where Zack Greinke will be pitching game 1.
——————-
** Now, does this excuse Morgan for dropping the “f-bombs?” No, not really. It makes it comprehensible, but it certainly isn’t excusable. Morgan should know better.
Brewers losing in fifth inning
Folks, I am so frustrated with Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke right now that I want to scream.
Remember my earlier blog post, where I said that Shaun Marcum, tonight’s starting pitcher, didn’t look really good? (I said he was OK. Not awful, but not great, and that I fully expected Marcum to be gone early.)
Well, apparently Roenicke has a whole lot more faith in Marcum than I do despite Marcum’s last four outings, where he compiled a 6.66 ERA. When Marcum started to falter, quite predictably, in the fifth inning, Roenicke didn’t even have anyone warming up in the bullpen.
Just a few minutes ago, Paul Goldschmidt, a rather unheralded first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks, hit a grand slam HR off Marcum to put the D-backs ahead 7-1. Marcum, finally and mercifully, was lifted; just like his last start, Marcum lasted only 4 2/3 innings and looked, at best, like he has a tired arm. (Or, quite possibly, that there may be some problem with Marcum’s arm — he hasn’t looked like the same pitcher for a month.)
Now Kameron Loe has been brought in, and another run has scored. The Brewers are now down 8-1.
This happens in baseball, as it’s rare in the postseason to win all games (“sweep the series”) because both teams, demonstrably, are good ones that have played well all season long. And a good team that’s finally managed to get a home game, like the D-backs, usually manages to win at least one game (the 2008 Brewers, vastly overmatched by the Philadelphia Phillies, won their first home game in ’08 behind then-Brewers pitcher Dave Bush), so the D-backs doing well tonight is not a surprise.
As of right now, it looks like it’ll be up to Brewers left-handed starting pitcher Randy Wolf tomorrow night to lock this series down for the Brewers unless there’s a major rally in store from the Brewers big bats. I’m confident that, providing the Brewers cannot rally tonight, Wolf will pitch well tomorrow and the Brewers will close out the series in four games.
DWTS Results; Brewers Game in Progress
After a few hours worth of editing, I turned to two of my favorite things to do: watch “Dancing with the Stars,” and continue to follow the Milwaukee Brewers in their National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Thus far, the Brewers are leading the series 2-0, and with Shaun Marcum pitching tonight, there’s a good chance that the Brewers can wrap things up this evening if all goes well.
In tonight’s game so far, Marcum gave up two runs in the first inning but has otherwise been OK. (Not great, but not bad, either.) And Corey Hart hit a home run in the top of the third to cut the lead to 2-1, which is where the game stands as it enters the bottom of the third inning. My estimate as of now would be that the Brewers bullpen should be ready to go early, perhaps as early as the fourth inning if Marcum doesn’t regain any momentum; this game will definitely be up to the bullpen to win as it stands.
As for DWTS, the results show was one of the more unusual ones in recent memory because Kristin Cavallari — one of this season’s better dancers — went home rather than Chaz Bono (called safe early), the lowest scorer, Nancy Grace, who despite her name is far less than graceful, and David Arquette, who got scores that were much better than he deserved last night. Note that both Bono and Arquette danced the rhumba, while Grace danced the waltz; Cavallari had the demanding samba, and was the only dancer last night who had to perform that difficult dance.
Now, what probably sent Cavallari home early is her lack of name recognition. She’s best-known for being Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler’s ex-fiancée and for her stint playing herself on “The Hills,” and her very first words on DWTS were something to the effect of how she’s really not “the b-word” (as this is a family-friendly blog, I won’t quote the word she did say that rhymes with witch) and that she hoped people would give her a chance.
Though I am no fan of Mark Ballas (he annoys me, and has for several seasons, most noticeably with former partner Bristol Palin and their “gorilla dance,” where both danced in gorilla masks and outfits), he actually toned it down this season and I was able to see his partner’s potential. So while I wasn’t on board the “Kristin train” (as Mary Murphy of “So You Think You Can Dance” would most likely put it), I definitely wasn’t against her and enjoyed watching her dance.
What I think happened is exactly what DWTS host Tom Bergeron suggested; voters assumed Cavallari would be safe and voted for those they felt would be in jeopardy, such as Bono (the night’s lowest scorer), Arquette (he’d been in the bottom two the week before, so people knew he needed help) and Grace (though I honestly don’t know who’s voting for her, I can see where people might think she needed help). Also, the clips from last night’s show for Bono, Arquette, and Grace were all much more stirring than Cavallari’s, and that, too, might’ve been a factor in how people voted. (To sum up: Bono danced to a song his father Sonny Bono wrote called “Laugh at Me,” which resonated with the crowd due to Bono’s overall likeability; Arquette confessed to his battle with alcoholism and laid the blame for his marital problems solely on his own shoulders; Grace nearly died in childbirth with her twins. While Cavallari hasn’t had that level of drama in her life by a mile; she’s only twenty-four, while Bono, Arquette and Grace are all at least forty years old.)
At any rate, the important thing to know is that Cavallari is out, though if someone else gets injured or withdraws, she might be called back as she was definitely a favorite of the judges. She also might be asked to dance with her partner, Ballas, on the results show just to show some more of her developing skills — this has happened before with someone who was truly eliminated too soon. Or something else good may come of this for all I know, as last night Cutler was in the DWTS audience and there was a photograph of the pair this morning, holding hands; perhaps this experience will help the pair down the road.
As I have been voting for Bono and Lacey Schwimmer (Bono’s professional partner) from the beginning (I will continue to do so as long as Bono lasts, partly because I like him but mostly because I really enjoy Schwimmer’s dancing as she is my favorite DWTS pro), I would’ve been unlikely to vote for Cavallari because I knew Bono and Schwimmer would need a lot of help. Maybe many people were like me, and wanted to see Bono’s journey because he’s so likeable, and because we can tell how hard he’s working, and because his pro, Schwimmer, is also quite likeable as well.
All that being said, the people I had firmly expected to be in the B2 this week were Grace and Arquette, with Grace going home. When those two were called safe, I was shocked — but really, it’s the judges fault for not putting those two far lower as they both were (I’m sorry to say) awful. And had the judges given those two, Arquette and Grace, the low scores they truly deserved as they should’ve been right down there with Bono, it’s quite possible one of them would’ve gone home and we’d have Cavallari’s performance and showmanship skills to look forward to next week rather than two more insipid performances by Grace and Arquette.
Ill; Watching Brewers in Post-season
For the past several days, I’ve been battling some sort of sinus issue, so getting up to watch the Milwaukee Brewers in post-season play was difficult even though it’s a real “happening” here in Wisconsin (partially due to its rarity; this is only the second time the Brewers have made the post-season since 1982).
While I’m not feeling at all up to snuff, I have to wonder what it’s like to play baseball when you aren’t feeling well, especially when it’s post-season time. For example, Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy admitted that he wasn’t feeling particularly well (he was quite hoarse) on the Brewers pre-game show carried by the Brewers Radio Network (I listen on the “flagship” station, WTMJ-AM 620 in Milwaukee), also with some sort of sinus issue. Lucroy called it a “cold,” but if it’s anything like what I’ve been dealing with for several days, it’s not a minor problem — it causes a great deal of fatigue, it’s hard to breathe, and it has definitely gotten in my way.
Lucroy is catching his first major league baseball post-season game ever; to be ill while doing something so exciting must be intensely frustrating. But so far, you’d never know he’s ill unless you listened to the Brewers pre-game show as the national announcers certainly haven’t said word one about it.
As for anything else, so far it looks like Brewers starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo is on his game; after a problematic first inning (where no runs scored only because Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun threw out an Arizona runner at home plate), he’s settled down and looks as good as I’ve seen him all year. Which is good, because the Brewers’ bats have thus far been rather quiet; the only rally we’ve had so far was in the second inning due to a walk to Rickie Weeks and an infield hit to Jerry Hairston, Jr., who’s playing in place of the light-hitting Casey McGehee at third (while Weeks is in his customary place at second).
Anything can happen in the post-season . . . heck, anything can happen in baseball, as was shown on Wednesday night with some of the wildest season-ending games in baseball history. But what I’d like to see are good, solid games that feature the Brewers at their best, with their pitchers and hitters both doing well.
I know the Brewers’ opponent, the Arizona Diamondbacks, are a tough team with excellent outfield defense and better infield defense than the Brewers have; the D-backs also have quite a few home run hitters (they’re similar to the Brewers in that) and much better than average pitching. But I believe if the Brewers play their best, they will vanquish Arizona; now, it’s just up to the Brewers to do what they do best, not have any mental let-downs, and play their game. Providing they do that, I will be content.
—————–
Personal update stuff:
As for me, despite feeling terrible, I managed to get a story off to the Writers of the Future contest yesterday about eight hours before the 9/30/11 11:59 PST deadline (no idea how good or bad the story is, but at least I finished it and sent it off). I did some editing this week, too, and wrote one review last night; that, and this blog, and a few others on Wednesday (when I was feeling a little better) will probably have to stand for my writerly output this weekend unless something really outrageous, outlandish, or upsetting happens.
Mind you, that doesn’t mean the rest of my life just stops, but it does have to slow down when I feel like this. (Live to fight another day, and all that. Or in my case, write another day.)
End of the Season Wrap-Up: Vinny Rottino
As IF/OF/C Vinny Rottino’s season has come to an end, it’s time for an end of the season wrap up. Rottino batted .167 in his September call-up with the Florida Marlins, getting two hits in twelve plate appearances. Rottino walked twice (both last Sunday against the Brewers) and struck out four times; he played adequate defense and showed an above-average arm.
But as I’ve said before in all of my blogs about Rottino, this really isn’t the whole story. And after re-watching last Sunday’s game (as my Mom taped it for me on her DVR), I have some more thoughts regarding Rottino and major league baseball.
First off, Brewers announcers Brian Anderson and Bill Schroeder were quite complimentary to Rottino. They called him a “very good guy” and mentioned his outstanding AAA season, giving many of the details I’ve related in previous blogs. (Not that it’s hard to do as stats are printed in many places.) And when Rottino overran the ball hit by P Chris Narveson in the second inning, while Anderson and Schroeder pointed out it was a misplay, they also pointed out that Rottino had been playing shallow in the outfield because Narveson had shown bunt (meaning Narveson looked like he was about to bunt before pulling the bat back and slapping the ball at the third base bag; the ball actually hit the bag before rolling to Rottino, and as that’s an odd play all the way around, it wasn’t that Rottino was out of position or doing anything wrong — it just was an odd play and Rottino tried too hard as I said in my earlier blog post to pick the ball up). Throughout the game, Anderson and Schroeder had nothing but good words to say about Rottino and how hard he’s worked in the minor leagues to get another major league opportunity; they also pointed out how classy it was of Marlins manager Jack McKeon to start Rottino in front of his family, friends, and the organization that signed Rottino in the first place, the Milwaukee Brewers.
While looking up stats and trying to compare what Rottino did to other rookies, I found this from Fangraphs, which was written in 2009. They ranked Rottino 35th on their list of trade deadline prospects, and said this:
- 35. Vinny Rottino, IF/C
Milwaukee to Los Angeles NL A 29-year-old rookie, Rottino is your basic triple-A vet and emergency MLB fill-in. The right-handed hitter has some value because he has gap power and can serve as a third-string catcher.
What this says to me is that Rottino does have major league ability to be the 24th or 25th man on a major league roster if he’d only be in the right place at the right time. For example, in 2010, Jonathan Lucroy started the year in AA at Huntsville, but was the best-available catcher the Brewers had in their minor league system. Lucroy was brought up (by this time, he’d been in AAA for a while) and mentored by manager Ken Macha and the other catchers on the roster such as George Kottaras (not to mention Brewers bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel). Lucroy blossomed, and has become a very steady defensive and offensive catcher.
While Lucroy was specifically a catcher and Rottino has always been a utility player, imagine if the Brewers had still had Rottino at that point. He would’ve been in AAA ball because the Brewers had a crying need for catching as Geoff Zaun had been lost for the season and their best catching prospects (aside from Lucroy) were either injured or unavailable. It would’ve been Rottino called up at that point, had he still been with the Brewers; Rottino caught every day in 2007 for Nashville and was an All-Star for them. He also caught every day in 2008 for Nashville, and again was an All-Star. So it’s likely that had Rottino not been traded in 2009 by the Brewers, he again would’ve been at Nashville and he, not Lucroy, would’ve been brought up as Rottino was by far closer to “major league ready” than Lucroy.
That doesn’t take anything away from Lucroy, mind you; Lucroy is a very good player and his “upside” is probably a great deal more than Rottino’s upside. But you can see how sometimes it’s just luck — being in the right place at the right time — that gets you a true major league shot, and nothing else. Rottino has not yet had that luck. And as he’ll be 32 to start next season, time is running out for him to get that lucky break.
But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t stay prepared. After all, look what he did this year; he had a fabulous season at AAA in New Orleans, where he led the Zephyrs in RBI, in hits, in stolen bases, in walks . . . Rottino had a great season, and was once again an All-Star at the AAA level.
So Rottino deserved to be called up, and I’m glad he got the call.
As for anything else, since the last time I was able to see Rottino play in the major leagues, it’s obvious that Rottino has gained weight in the upper body, possibly to add to his power potential. (Rottino isn’t a home run hitter, but he hits quite a few doubles and some triples.) Rottino looks fit, healthy, in shape, and if I had seen him in a health club somewhere, I’d have expected him to be the “resident pro” or personal trainer as he definitely exudes workmanlike competence.**
All that being said, I think it’s great that Rottino continues to work hard, stay in shape, and do whatever he can to be prepared if the right opportunity finally presents itself. I think his persistence is his best quality, something many other people in and out of sports could learn from, while his stalwart refusal to give up on himself is his second-best quality and is also something many people in all walks of life could stand to learn as well.
————————-
** — Granted, I don’t know what he’d do with someone like me — someone with physical limitations, who’s out of shape and often in physical pain to the point that it greatly affects any exercising I might be able to do. But my best guess is that Rottino would be an excellent guide and motivator, considering how he’s been able to motivate himself all these years.
Baseball Season Ends with Wild Finish
Last night’s major league season ended with a bang, not a whimper, as four teams still had an opportunity to make the playoffs as a wild card (the fourth and final seed), two in the American League (the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays) and two in the National League (the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves). Both sets of teams were tied going into the final game of the season, and there was a lot riding on the end of the year.
First, St. Louis played their game, beating the hapless Houston Astros 8-0 behind a 2-hit Chris Carpenter shutout. Which meant that Atlanta had to win to stay even with them, which would force a one game playoff to determine which of the two teams would continue on in post-season play.
As for Atlanta, their team was in extra innings; the tenth inning went by, tied 3-3 with the Philadelphia Phillies. The eleventh inning, still tied. The twelfth, with no change. And finally, in the thirteenth inning, the Phillies scored a run off a Hunter Pence RBI single (Pence was a member of the Astros until two and a half months ago, being a late-season acquisition by the Phillies) to go up 4-3, while Atlanta had nothing in the bottom of the 13th.
This meant that the Cardinals won the National League Wild Card; they will now face the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the National League Division Series.
As for the American League, there was a great deal of drama there also. First, Boston was playing Baltimore and they were in a very long rain delay, up 3-2 in the 7th. When Tampa Bay fell behind 7-0 to the New York Yankees, it looked all but assured that Boston would go to the playoffs.
But there was more baseball to play, as Tampa Bay showed by scoring six unanswered runs in the bottom of the 8th; the Yankees still led, 7-6. As the Red Sox continued in their rain delay, Tampa Bay was down to their last strike in the bottom of the ninth, when pinch hitter Dan Johnson, who’d hit only 1 HR all year and had a batting average of only .108, hit a game-tying HR to force the game into extra innings.
So the tenth inning goes by, with the Yankees and Rays being tied, 7-7. The eleventh inning, still tied; by this point the tarp is being taken off the field in Baltimore and the game between the Red Sox and Orioles was about to resume.
As for the Orioles, former Brewers shortstop JJ Hardy shut down two Yankee offensive threats all by himself, as in the top of the eighth Carl Crawford hit a double to the deepest part of left-center; the Red Sox runner on second base was sent home, but Hardy’s strong arm in relaying the pitch from the OF (from five or six steps deep into center) was sure and the Orioles catcher hung on to get the third out called there without a fourth run being scored. While in the the top of the ninth, JJ Hardy started a nifty double play that took the Red Sox out of a promising situation and they again failed to score; between Hardy’s game-saving defense and the 2-run HR he’d hit earlier in the game, it’s obvious that Hardy was the MVP of that game.
At any rate, Jonathan Papelbon, the Red Sox’s closer, was brought in against the Orioles. He struck out the first two guys, then gave up back to back doubles and was wild in the strike zone with the fourth and fifth batters. The Orioles were down to their last strike when Chris Davis hit the first double, Nolan Reimold hit the second, and Robert Andino, who’d been 0-for-the-game before this, hit the game-winning single to end the game and the Red Sox’s post-season hopes.
Note that Boston OF Carl Crawford attempted a sliding catch in the ninth on Andino’s single which, if successful, would’ve sent the game into extra innings; instead, Crawford trapped the ball and wasn’t able to get up and get his throw in from shallow left field. Had Crawford, who is a former Tampa Bay Rays standout, played that ball on a bounce instead, the Orioles runner would’ve been held at third and the game may well have ended up in extra innings if Papelbon had somehow mustered up enough energy to get the third out. Crawford is now being called a “goat” in Boston for what amounted to him trying too hard to send that game into extra innings, when the real “goat” for the Red Sox should be Papelbon — who had the Orioles right where he wanted them until Papelbon ran out of gas. Papelbon blew the save, lost the game, and ended the Red Sox’s season.
So, we go back to the Rays, who are now batting in the bottom of the twelfth. Evan Longoria was up; he hit a pitch well, but it looked like a double to me off his bat. Longoria was fortunate, though; he hit it to the shallowest part of left field by the foul pole, at the 315 foot sign, and just barely got it out of the park. So within three minutes’ time, the Red Sox had lost to the Orioles, while the Rays had beaten the Yankees in 12 innings to advance to the post-season as the American League wild card seed. The Rays will play Texas in the first round of the playoffs.
I have never seen a baseball season finish like this before, where teams had to step up and play well at the end with two teams forcing extra-innings games, with one team winning (Tampa Bay) and the other team losing (the Atlanta Braves). So there are two really good teams — the Red Sox and the Braves — who will be joining me and many other spectators by watching the post-season at home, while two other really good teams who played exceptionally well in September (Tampa Bay and St. Louis, respectively) will continue their excellent seasons.
Compared to that, the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers needing to win their final game in order to clinch the second-best record in their respective league to get home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs doesn’t seem as dramatic. But the Brewers and Rangers, too, showed the value in refusing to concede anything in September, and played well in pressure-filled situations in the final week of the season . . . any other year, these teams would’ve been the stories, not the Rays and Cardinals.
Quick Vinny Rottino Update
Yesterday, the Florida Marlins started Vinny Rottino in left field in their game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This was significant because Rottino is from Racine, WI, and had been a Brewers “farmhand,” being signed as a minor league free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003 (Rottino was the 2005 minor league player of the year for the Brewers if memory serves). This was the first time Rottino had returned as a major leaguer to Milwaukee, and the first time he’s played in front of his own family and friends as a member of the Marlins.
While Rottino did not get a hit, he did draw two walks and showed an excellent eye at the plate. (So far, he is one for eleven in his current stint with the Marlins, with a batting average of .091. But he hasn’t had that many chances to play, either.) Rottino also was very lucky not to get an error in the outfield as he overran one ball; usually a misplay like that is caused by trying too hard rather than the reverse, and is something that might be attributed to nerves as Rottino had many friends and family in the crowd.
As for me, I watched the game on television and I was hoping that Peter Jackel of the Racine Journal-Times would have something to say about Rottino. Jackel didn’t, so all I can tell you is what I saw.
But that’s not the whole story, as anyone who’s followed along with my updates about Rottino should realize by now; Rottino’s all about heart, persistence, and a refusal to give up on his very real talents as a baseball player. This is partly why his story is compelling, because at 31, many baseball players have “packed it in” and Rottino has refused to do so because he knew he had more to give. And the rest of the reason why I continue to follow along with Rottino is my own belief that people should be judged by who they are and how hard they work, not by their age or by some pre-set list of qualifications.
I believe that if Rottino gets a chance to play a bit more often, he will succeed in the big leagues. I also believe that if a major league team gives him a chance, they will be pleasantly surprised at all the things Rottino can do that will help their ballclub.
That being said, all I can do is watch Rottino as I’m able and hope for the best. Because what Rottino’s doing is what I like to call “when perspiration meets inspiration” — he’s living his dreams because he’s worked very hard, he’s prepared himself as best he’s able, and he’s done his level best to get himself to advance to the final level in baseball, the major leagues.
While I’m very glad the Marlins called Rottino up, he’s still a ballplayer in need of a break. I really hope that in 2012, he will finally get the break he needs to become a full-time major league player.
Milwaukee Brewers win NL Central Title
Finally, the Milwaukee Brewers have won the National League Central Division in 2011.
After weeks of uncertainty, the Brewers beat the Florida Marlins, 4-1, while the St. Louis Cardinals lost 4-1 to the Chicago Cubs. As the Cardinals were the lone remaining obstacle to the Brewers winning their division, I was hoping the Cardinals would lose now rather than wait a few more days for the Brewers to win another game, as starting tonight’s action the Brewers “magic number” was down to only two games — meaning a win by the Brewers and a loss by the Cardinals tonight would win the Brewers the NL Central Division title.
This is the second time in three years that the Brewers have advanced to the playoffs, as they were the Wild Card seed (fourth-best team in the league, roughly) in 2008. At that time the Brewers did not do very well, being eliminated in four games by the eventual World Series champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. But this team will probably do a little better as there are many players remaining from the ’08 season, plus there are some crafty veterans like Jerry Hairston, Jr., and Mark Kotsay who weren’t on the ’08 squad, plus the ever-reliable, ageless Craig Counsell, who was.
This is the first time since 1982 that the Brewers have won their division; at that time, the Brewers were in the American League Eastern division (there being no “central” division at that time, the AL East was a seven-team division and a notoriously tough nut to crack). The Brewers eventually won the AL pennant and advanced to the World Series, where they lost after seven hard-fought games to the St. Louis Cardinals.
This time, the Cardinals were in our own division, so perhaps it was a bit easier to beat them. (Or not, as the Brewers split the season series with the Cardinals, 9-9.) And now, unless the Cardinals are able to win the Wild Card (as the Brewers did in ’08), the Brewers will not have any chance of playing the Cardinals again until next year, which I find a particularly inspiring thought.
I am happy they Brewers are the Central Division Champions, but I do not believe they have fulfilled their potential as of yet as there’s still a great deal more work to be done before they get a chance to advance to the World Series.
I appreciate this team for what it is (a very good hitting team that finally has good pitching to complement that hitting) and appreciate the ’82 team for what it was, too — oddly, both teams featured very good hitting for several years, yet needed a few more good pitchers to advance to postseason play. In 1981 and 1982, the Brewers had added Pete Vuckovich and relief ace Rollie Fingers before the final piece of the puzzle, Don Sutton, was brought on board via a trade, whereas this year Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke were brought on board via trades while Randy Wolf was signed to play for the Brewers last year and reliever John Axford learned last year from relief ace Trevor Hoffman before taking over for good this year.
What both teams (the ’82 version and the ’11 version) show is that you need both good hitting (in ’82, the hitters were Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Paul Molitor along with Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie, Gorman Thomas, Charlie Moore and Ted Simmons) and good pitching to win a divisional crown. (If you don’t know who this year’s teams good hitters are, well, here they are: Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks and Nyjer Morgan are the most feted.)
There are a number of other parallels from the 1982 season to this one; while none are exact parallels, there are enough of them for me to appreciate the resonance though it’s been twenty-nine years since I last heard this particular harmony.
Way to go, Brewers! Now, let’s win some more games, kick butt in the postseason, and continue the journey onward.
Odds and Ends: DWTS, baseball, etc.
Just a quick note here, folks . . . waiting for the Dancing with the Stars show results, as I hope Chaz Bono and his partner, Lacey Schwimmer, have made it through to the next round.
Otherwise, I’m also keeping an eye on the Brewers (they’re winning, so far) and the Cardinals (losing, so far) . . . and congrats to New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera, major league baseball’s new saves leader, who passed former Brewers reliever Trevor Hoffman to take the major league lead with 602 saves last evening.
Barb Caffrey's Blog 