Bleacher Report - Articles by Josh Durdin

Memphis Aims to Exploit Passing Matchups Vs. Ole Miss in Season Opener

Josh Durdin — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:12:15 -0400

Being a University of Memphis Tiger fan has become pretty easy. Two minutes different in the National Championship game, and there would be that many more fans of the basketball team.

But now we are on to my favorite U of Memphis sport: football. Just like every season, this one could be very interesting.

I attended the football Fan Fest this past weekend at the South campus, and I have to admit that I was very impressed with the players. Tommy West has done an excellent job recruiting players that seem to mesh well with the new direction the football team has created since the DeAngelo Williams Era (better known as Memphis Football, AD: after DeAngelo).

This weekend will be the first game of the season, one that is usually a hard-fought game. The Tigers will travel to Oxford to go toe to toe with Houston Nutt’s “Wild Rebels.”

I reference “Wild Rebel” because this is the new variation of the “Wild Hog” offense Nutt ran while at Arkansas. I have to admit that this does scare me. This is one scheme that Memphis will have to defend successfully to win in Oxford.

One of the keys to victory (yes, this was a reference to the pregame jumbotron at the Vaught, one that I watched many times while getting my undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi) is for Memphis to contain Dexter McCluster. McCluster is a stud that can play any position. Memphis will need to key on him and hopefully keep his all-purpose yards under 150.

Another key will be for the revamped defense to limit the opportunities Jevan Snead has to make big time plays. Snead is highly touted as a future star, so the past struggling defense will need to step up the attack to keep him off balance.

Look for Greg Terrell and Winston Bowens to be adding many different looks on defense. Having Michael Grandberry and Brandon Patterson in the defensive backfield will hopefully mess up the timing for Snead.

The most important key to success is for Arkelon Hall to connect with the larger and more experienced receiving corps that Memphis brings to the table. Ole Miss' corners should have trouble all evening trying to cover Carlos Singleton ("Freak"—6'8", 220 lbs.) and Duke Calhoun (6'4", 200 lbs.), allowing for outside linebackers to attempt to cover Steven Black, Maurice Jones, and Earnest Williams.

Three of the five mentioned receivers are 6'3" or taller, which is a big task for any defensive back to cover.

I expect minimal production from the Memphis backfield on offense because Ole Miss has seemed to own Memphis’ running game (they always kept DeAngelo under wraps).

This Saturday, expect to see another single-digit winning margin, with the hopes Memphis is able to pull a new defense together and get the expected production from Hall and the receivers.

Too bad this game was not picked up for local TV coverage. Everyone outside of Oxford will need to catch the game on AM radio.

Pie Out, Edmonds In—Cubs Still Roll Over Struggling Padres

Josh Durdin — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:08:34 -0400

Yes, Felix Pie is back in the minors and Jim Edmonds got the starting job in centerfield on Thursday.

Even though Edmonds left a small village on the base paths (1-4, 7 LOB), the Cubs handled the San Diego Padres to move one step closer to the 10 games over .500 mark.

I will be first to admit that during spring training I feared the idea of Ryan Dempster starting every fifth day. I was used to the Dempster of old coming into the game during the ninth inning and making every Cubs fan worry with a walk, a coupe of hits, and then working out of the self-induced jam.

Ryan, I apologize. You pitched a gem today. You have been wonderful all season. Thank you.

And yes, I still despise Edmonds. His many years of service to the Cardinals doesn’t allow me to call him a Cub.

Edmonds use to hammer the Cubs at Wrigley and Busch, and this is why I find it hard to root for him. There were even a couple of exchanges between Edmonds and Zambrano.

I will try though. I might have to try harder than usual to like a new player.

Let us just stick to the positives. The Cubs, after 41 games, are leading the Central Division by one and a half, and are nine games over .500.

For those numbers, I will give Edmonds the Gary Gaetti/ Eric Karros award for over-achieving-washed-up-player-of-the-year award in Chicago.

Jim F---Ing Edmonds?

Josh Durdin — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:27:57 -0400

Yes, let it soak in: The Cubs signed Jim Edmonds. By signing Jim Edmonds the Cubs have sent down Felix Pie to open a roster spot. I just don't understand.

Jim Hendry's rationale does make since. In a nutshell, the Cubs pick up a left handed bat that has always hit well in Wrigley for under league minimum.

The thing that I don't understand is why Hendry has not given Pie a chance this year to adjust to major league pitching. Pie has only started in four consecutive games. It is difficult to get an idea on how someone will adjust by not giving them the time to.

Remember the days when defense outweighed batting statistics? One name comes to mind, Ozzie Smith.

Also, when I hear about the Cubs sending a potential star center fielder back down to Iowa I can't help but think about the Ernie Broglio deal. Now I know it is a jump to assume Pie is anywhere the player that Lou Brock became and the Cubs still have Pie in the system, but I just don't like this team management standpoint.

Here are Pie's numbers so far this season:

Year Team Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO DP AVG OBP SLG

2008 Chi Cubs 23 30 63 4 14 1 0 1 7 2 4 23 0 .222 .286 .286

Here are Edmonds' numbers so far this season

Year Team Age G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO DP AVG OBP SLG

2008 San Diego 38 26 90 6 16 2 0 1 6 2 10 24 0 .178 .265 .233

Is it me or do the numbers for signing Edmonds just don't add up?

I have also read that this deal may allow Lou to move Fukudome to the two hole and put Edmonds in the five spot. Why couldn't this have happened with Pie? Is Edmonds that much of a threat anymore for Ramirez to benefit?

I guess only time will tell. If you would have asked me if Dempster would have a dominant start or that Reed Johnson would have provided such excellent play, I would have said no way in hell.

This is why I love the game of baseball.

PS Marty Brennaman, everyone still hates Cubs fans.

Baseball Tonight: Bottom of the Barrel with Eduardo Perez and Steve Phillips

Josh Durdin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:23:27 -0400

I love Baseball Tonight on ESPN. I religiously watch the show during the season just to find out everything I can that is happening in the Majors.

But this year, it's getting hard to watch. More importantly, it getting difficult to listen.

I don't remember Eduardo Perez ever playing. At all. I guess since I am more of a National League fan, he fell through the cracks.

Now I am not saying that an analyst needs to be a high-profile ex-player but he does need to be able to enunciate.

I have tried to figure out what is going on in that mouth of his and it is a cross between someone with an allergy to shellfish and also has had one too many mixed drinks.

His speech is a cross between The Big Show (of WWE fame) and a drunken hobo outside of the ballpark. I cringe every time he speaks because I unable to distinguish what the marble mouth saying anything.

I guess they had to find someone to fill the "huge" hole left by Reynolds.

Next up is the infamous Steve Phillips. Is there anyone in the country that values his opinion? I haven't found anyone yet, but my southern roots may just be showing bias.

If you listen to Phillips, you would believe he was one of the BEST general managers to ever have existed in the major leagues. He is one great salesman when it comes to erroneous views of managerial moves, but with little to no validity to back up his claim.

And with Phillips calling some games on ESPN now, I am thankful for my MLB.com audio subscription so I will not have to listen to the mindless dribble.

While I still believe that ESPN loves the Red Sox and Yankees way too much, I think they need a little more help on baseball tonight.

And thank the lord Dusty is managing again because I don't think I could take anymore of his expert opinion.

Chicago Cubs Haters: Hey Marty Brennaman, Cry Me a River!

Josh Durdin — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:53:55 -0400

I ran across an audio clip from Wednesday's Cubs game where Marty Brennaman rants about how obnoxious Chicago Cubs fans are and how it forces others to hate them.

Here's the clip: Chicago Tribune Website

This was in response to 15-20 baseballs being thrown back onto the field after an Adam Dunn home run. I find it amusing but then again, I have a sense of humor and do not feel that Major League Baseball is the highest form of social and intellectual standards.

I do not know what it is with the Brennaman family but they have a pure hatred for the Cubs. Even after Thom worked as a Cubs announcer, once he joined his daddy with the Cincinnati Reds, he has become a total basher.

Why wouldn't they though?

Although The Great American Ballpark is a hitters dream, they still can't sell out as many games as the Cubs. The times that TGAB sells out during a midweek game usually comes from a Cubs series.

The sad thing is that as big of a Cubs fan I consider myself to be, I have no hatred towards the Reds.

In fact, I like many of the players on their team.

Too bad listening to any broadcast made by a Brennaman makes be cringe at the outright bias nature of most things being announced.

It just places a very negative stigma around the ballclub because the Brennamans complain about everything.

I believe the real issue here is that the Reds have to win to invoke a ballpark experience that is prevalent at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, win or lose, still manage to be one of the top five teams in both home and away games attendance.

I'll just stick to my routine of watching the Reds only broadcast (due to regional restrictions on television), turn down the audio and listen to the Great Pat Hughes and Ron Santo speak to the Cub Nation.

Cubs Spring Training: Five Days and Counting

Josh Durdin — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 02:20:09 -0500

Five days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Only five days.

And the Cubs go into the season with far less questions than the previous. Questions, in my opinion, that are really just small keys that will lead to the Cubs' success.

The major question I want to see resolved is the closer situation.

I thank God that Dempster "decided" to take a shot at the starting rotation. I have spent the last two years cringing at the thought of bringing in Dempster in a non-save opportunity. Not saying that he was a horrible closer, he just always managed to give up a walk, a double, and then realize he needs to up his game and he would get the save.

It is going to be a tough decision to pick the closer. In a perfect world, Kerry Wood would be able to handle the workload with no elbow issues and allow Marmol to be a seventh-eighth inning setup man—that would be lights out.

I know Bob Howry earned a shot at being the closer after he stepped up following Dempster's stint on the disabled list, but I do think he is still more of an American League style pitcher.

Maybe that is just my biased view since he is an ex-Sox pitcher and I could never get into American League style of playing. After the sixth inning or so, the ball game is a totally different managed event.

The next question is in reference to the starting rotation.

There are eight legitimate players that could be in the starting five rotation. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out during Cactus League games.

My vote for the rotation: Zambrano, Lilly, Lieber, Hill, Marquis.

I wouldn't be mad at seeing Marshall, Gallagher, or Hart thrown into the spots for Lieber or Marquis. Marquis is a major question in my book just because of his decline in the second half the past two seasons. Having Marshall, Gallagher or Hart pitching games in triple-A would allow them to be ready when needed. Just like how Hill was handled three years ago.

And yes, I am a Lieber fan. He is a no-nonsense pitcher that goes out and does his job. He doesn't try to force himself to make the perfect pitch, he pitches to the batter and allows his team to make their plays.

Finally I will talk about a question that people keep bringing up: Will Pie be a good centerfielder? I say give him a full season. The dynamic that Pie adds to the ball club is undeniable. I don't know the official stat, but I do remember at one point the Cubs were 20-5 in games that Pie played.

It isn't all about batting average. I remember watching Andrew Jones when he was younger and his batting average and on-base percentage were lower than the league average, but his ability out on the diamond spoke louder than those stats.

I am just ready for the season to get underway. The Mitchell Report has not diminished Major League Baseball for me.

I am still going into the season just as all Cubs fans do, with hope and a little bit of luck, our Cubbies could be World Series Champions.

But I will settle for a winning record against the Cardinals...

A Look Back at the Chicago Cubs: The Homerun of 6/29/2007

Josh Durdin — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:48:04 -0500

Yes, baseball season is coming. It is coming with renewed optimism and enthusiasm. There are just 21 days until the first practice of the 2008 season. Man, I love this game.

As a way of pumping myself up for the 2008 season I did some research on game highlights.

One highlight I kept running across was the Aramis Ramirez walk-off, two run homerun with two outs while facing Francisco Cordero (at the time, he was 30 for 31 in save opportunities).

The screech in Len Kasper's voice, the bedlam of the Wrigley crowd, and the melee at home plate combine to make this one of the best homeruns I’ve ever watched live (via MLB.com video feed while at work).

I can remember having to restrain myself from jumping out of the chair and yelling right as Ramirez struck the ball. After all, I was "working."

Granted, my productivity exponentially decreases in summer after 1:20pm CST while I watch most Cubs games online.

I am also one of those people who loves listening to the radio feed from MLB.com and keeping GameTracker up to watch the specifics while listening to the broadcast. One of the best parts of the radio feed is when they mute Pat Hughes and Ron Santo's microphones between innings and all you hear is the crowd at Wrigley.

It is the best thing I’ve found to make me feel like I am a part of the game. 700 miles away, I still get to hear the sounds of Wrigley and follow the Cubbies.

As the countdown to the 2008 season continues, I can admit: that the annual surge of hope has started to take over.

Baseball Hall of Fame: Is the Writers Association Serious?

Josh Durdin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:06:07 -0500

After the Mitchell Report, I had a feeling that the Baseball Writers Association of America would use this year to allow for some of the last classes of players to enter the Hall of Fame without being included in the "Steroid Era" controversy.

I was incorrect.

With the personnel listed on this last Hall of Fame ballot, I went into yesterday thinking, "How in the world will Andre Dawson not make the HOF this year?"

And the reason Dawson didn't make it into the HOF is due to the arrogance of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

In the wake of the Mitchell Report, articles are popping up everywhere questioning the efforts of every player—even if those players had no connection to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

This is exactly what the Mitchell Report encourages writers, fans, and the general public not to do.

So, in protest, a number of BWAA writers "boycotted" this past vote because they feel that the integrity Major League Baseball has been compromised.

It is this kind of arrogant logic that proves the Hall of Fame ballot process needs to be changed.

The amount of power given to the BWAA makes the Hall of Fame a popularity contest rather than a institution created to enshrine the true greats of Major League Baseball. And yes, the key to the Hall of Fame is "during their era."

When you compare stats of current HOF players to those on the ballot, there should be no discussion. I will not list Dawson's career stats here because there are many more places that have taken the due diligence to compare his numbers with those of players already in the Hall.

This is a very sad day in the world of Major League Baseball, and for children of the 1980s who are seeing their heroes denied their proper place in the history of the game due to the ignorance and arrogance of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Wrigley Field Debate: In Support of a Corporate Sponsorship

Josh Durdin — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:11:39 -0500

So Tribune Company Chairman Sam Zell may want to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field.

Predictably, the idea has sparked much debate in Cub Nation.

Many fans believe that it's blasphemy to hang a corporate sponsor on the Friendly Confines. But I actually see it as a sound way to bring in revenue.

As a Southern boy from Memphis, TN, I make a yearly pilgrimage to Wrigley to catch Cubs baseball every summer. Personally, I don't think adding a corporate name to the field would change it one bit.

Even if the park were renamed Dearborn Field, you could still say to a cabbie, "Hey, take me to Wrigley!"—and he'd know exactly where you want to go...just like if you were to jump in a cab and say, "Comiskey," you'd end up at the Cell.

Wrigley's persona doesn't depend on its name. Whatever it's called, the stadium will still be at Clark and Addison, in a distinctive Northside neighborhood. What's more, the local signage will forever retain the "Wrigley" denotation, thanks to the National Register of Historic Places.

I for one would love to see Heilman's take a stab at the naming rights. I'm a firm believer in the idea that even if you hate the taste of Old Style, you must drink at least one Old Style while sitting in the stadium.

Forget the one rooftop with a Budweiser sign and the other rooftop with a Miller Lite ad—there's nothing like an Old Style to really get into the Wrigley mood.

Speaking on which—how about "Old Style Wrigley Field"? I like it. It plays into the heritage of Wrigley...and the great beer that feels like razor blades going down (but only for the first three or so).

In any event, if the field does take on corporate sponsorship, it won't diminish the game-day atmosphere, or tarnish the Cubs as an organization. Even better, the extra revenue should curb the rising season-ticket costs and allow for more player development.

If they slap a new name on the hallowed grounds and we don't see a return on investment, on the other hand, then Cub Nation will have a major problem.