Bleacher Report - Articles by Thomas Cogliano

Forty Years Later and Still Amazin': The 1969 Mets Remembered!!!

Thomas Cogliano — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:10:44 -0400

On October 16, 1969, Baltimore has a runner on base with two outs. The Orioles are trailing by two runs in the top half of the ninth inning. They are on the brink of an incredible elimination in the World Series. Mets' starter Jerry Koosman has his sign and delivers the pitch to Baltimore's second-baseman Davey Johnson. Johnson swings. He hits a long and towering fly ball to left field. Left-fielder Cleon Jones is tracking the fly ball. He continues tracking the ball back, back, back, almost at the warning track. Jones reads it. He opens his glove awaiting the catch, dropping to a knee while reading the ball all the way into his glove. OUT! GAME OVER! WORLD SERIES OVER! The 1969 World Series champions are the...New York Mets!!! The Amazin' Mets!

The 1969 Mets in many ways saved Major League baseball from the doldrums of the 1960s. After 1964, the legendary Yankee dynasty had collapsed with the Bronx Bombers dropping into fifth place in 1965 and never emerging as a pennant contender for another 10 years. Pitching was so dominant that only one American League hitter actually cracked .300 in batting average for the 1968 season [Carl Yastremski who won the AL Batting Title with a .301 average!!!]. Attendance and fan interest in the game plummeted after the 1964 season. Granted, economic and social factors were involved, namely the Vietnam War, a terrible economic recession, and a turbulent social front in reaction to both events. Nonetheless, Major League Baseball tried to reinvigorate the game for the 1969 season.

The 1969 season was an expansion season. For the first time in MLB history, baseball would be played in Canada. The Montreal Expos were born. Also, for the first time in MLB history, the two leagues would be split into two divisions. And the pennant would be determined, not from a first place finish in each league as had been the case since the first World Series was played in 1903. The pennant would be determined by a best-of-five League Championship Series.

For the New York Mets, the team had low expectations for the 1969 season. After all, they had never had a winning season since the franchise's birth in 1962 when they lost an astounding 120 games [still an MLB record]! In fact, the Mets finished the previous season in ninth place, winning only 73 games! And on Opening Day for 1969, the Mets lost to the expansion Montreal Expos!!!

The National League East was a division for the Pittsburgh Pirates [with Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Bob Moose] or the Chicago Cubs [with Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Ferguson Jenkins]. The Mets were never supposed to factor in the division chase. The Cubs got off to a roaring start and seemed to have the division wrapped up by early summer. But that was when the New York Mets began their comeback. It started with a June trade to acquire first-baseman Donn Clendenon. All of a sudden, the Mets had a power hitter who could slug homeruns!

In early July, an epic three-game series was played between the Mets and Cubs at Shea Stadium. Donn Clendenon played the role of the hero spoiling a potential one-hitter by Chicago's ace starter Ferguson Jenkins to defeat the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth. The following night, Tom Seaver was one out away from pitching a perfect game against the Cubs. After surrendering a base hit with two away, he retired the following batter to complete the shutout. And just like that, the Mets won a HUGE three-game series against the Cubs.

The following week at Wrigley Field, the Mets took two out of three against the Cubs once more. And all of a sudden, it was a three-team race for the NL East: Cubs, Pirates, and Mets!

In early August, the Mets stumbled and the Cubs seemed to regain composure. The Cubs were 9.5 games ahead of the Mets in the standings. That was when lightning struck twice for the Mets. From mid-August to the end of September, no team was hotter in MLB in 1969 than the New York Mets.

The Cubs stumbled out of contention after being swept in a mini two-game series against the Mets from September 8-9, 1969. The following day, the Mets took first place for the first time that season...and that franchises's history. They maintained that momentum all the way towards the end of the season and clinched the NL East! To keep their strong starting pitchers, Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman, well rested, New York pitching coach Rube Walker decided to expand the pitching rotation from four pitchers to five, an unprecedented move in MLB history!!!

With the expansion of the pitching rotation, Seaver and Koosman earned an extra day of rest for the final weeks of the season and were fully prepared for October baseball.

The NLCS in 1969 featured the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Despite three homeruns by Hank Aaron, the rest of the Atlanta bats were silent and the Mets earned a surprisingly easy National League pennant by sweeping the Braves in 3 games!

But, the World Series was supposed to be an impossible feat for the Mets to win. The American League champions, the Baltimore Orioles, were heavy, heavy favorites to capture the title. After all, it was essentially the exact same team that upset the Los Angeles Dodgers three years earlier to capture the 1966 World Series!!! In addition, the Orioles won a significant 109 games that season with two 20-game winning pitchers [Mike Cuellar and Dave McNally], a former Triple Crown winner [Frank Robinson], and six players with double-digit homerun totals for the season!!!

Odds makers were predicting an Orioles victory in the World Series in five games [four games to one].

In Game One at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, it appeared the odds makers were right. On Tom Seaver's second pitch of the game, Baltimore's lead-off hitter Don Buford smacked a solo homerun. After surrendering three more runs in the fourth inning, Tom Seaver was removed from the game in a disastrous outing. Baltimore's Cuellar was sensational and the Baltimore Orioles cruised to a 4-1 victory!

But the World Series is best-of-seven. A team has to win four games in order to win. The spark for the Mets came in Game Two with Jerry Koosman and Donn Clendenon. Clendenon smacked a solo homerun off Dave McNally in the fourth inning to give the Mets its first lead of the series. Koosman took a perfect no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Mets held on to defeat the Orioles 2-1. The World Series was now tied at a game apiece!

In Game Three at Shea Stadium, the Mets stole the show with centerfielder Tommy Agee. He led off the game with a solo homerun off Baltimore's Jim Palmer and proceeded to make two amazing catches in the outfield to rob potential Baltimore runs from crossing the plate. The Mets impressively took Game 3 by a score of 5-0.

In Game Four, the Mets and Tom Seaver took a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning. But Baltimore rallied with runners on first and third and only one out. Brooks Robinson smashed a line drive into right field. Mets' right-fielder Ron Swoboda dove full body length and made a most spectacular catch saving at least 2 runs from scoring. Although the catch was made, it was still good enough for a sacrifice fly. The game was now tied. In the bottom of the tenth inning, the New York Mets scored the game-winning run when pinch-hitter JC Martin bunted in a sacrifice attempt with runners of first and second but the ensuing throw to first hit Martin the back and sailed into the outfield. The runner on second scored and the Mets took a 3-1 lead in the World Series.

Could the Mets clinch the Series in Shea in Game Five? Game Five was the last chance for that to happen. If the Mets lost Game 5, they would have needed to win the Series at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, which was no easy task. It appeared that that was what the Mets would need to do. Jerry Koosman surrendered two Baltimore homeruns in the third inning [Dave McNally and Frank Robinson]; thus, the Orioles took an early 3-0 lead in the game.

But, the Mets made a furious comeback, beginning with a Donn Clendenon 2-run homerun in the sixth inning and an Al Weiss solo shot in the seventh. After plating two more runs in the eighth inning, the Mets took a 5-3 lead into the ninth inning. With Davey Johnson's fly ball out in the ninth, the New York Mets had achieved the impossible! They had become the 1969 World Series Champions...knocking out the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in five games and adding a remarkable chapter in the great history of Major League Baseball!!!

Very few teams since then have inspired the way the Amazin' Mets of '69 had done. Several nominations include the 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers and the 2003 Florida Marlins!!! But no matter how many more of these cinderella baseball teams emerge, the original is always the best! The 1969 Mets were amazin'...and forty years later, they still are!!!

2009 MLB Playoffs: Predictions and Assessments

Thomas Cogliano — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:50:09 -0400

Last year at this time, I posted an article of my predictions for the 2008 MLB playoffs.

Of the seven postseason series, I accurately called four of them, including the NLCS showdown. I had the Phillies knocking off the Dodgers in five games last year, which turned out to be 100 percent accurate!

However, before I give myself a congratulatory pat on the back, I should also inform the reader that I whiffed on the World Series. I had predicted that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were going to defeat the Phillies for the Fall Classic. Unfortunately, the Angels were knocked out in the ALDS by the Boston Red Sox. To see what I wrote last year, here is that article:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/63988-predictions-and-assessments-of-the-2008-major-league-baseball-playoffs

Will I be better this year? Let us roll with 2009!!!

2009 ALDS; MINNESOTA TWINS versus NEW YORK YANKEES

Prediction: Yankees will defeat the Twins three games to zero. This will be a sweep.

These Yankees are not like the previous A-Rod Yankees who crashed and burned in the opening round of the playoffs three times under former manager Joe Torre.

These Yankees are well-equipped in the pitching department and have no safe place in the batting order to pitch to. The Yankees had five players this year smash at least 25 home runs [Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher, and Mark Teixeiria]. While CC Sabathia did accumulate 19 wins this season with the Yankees and is likely the top candidate for the AL Cy Young Award, he has not been a reliable pitcher in the postseason.

Want proof?

Check with Cleveland and Milwaukee fans for tales of old! However, Minnesota will be without its strongest hitter for this series, Justin Morneau, and Sabathia will have a powerful lineup supporting his every pitching effort. With the Minnesota Twins providing a respectable effort in the latter half of the season to clinch a playoff spot for the AL Central, they exhausted a great ton of their starting rotation and bullpen to accomplish that effort. The ace of Minnesota's staff this season, Scott Baker, had to be used for the one-game playoff and will likely not see any action this series until Game 3 at the earliest. By that point, the Yankees would be up 2 games to 0, courtesy of a couple of blowouts at home. Baker will not be enough for the Twins to avoid the sweep.

2009 ALDS; BOSTON RED SOX versus LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM

Prediction: Angels will defeat the Red Sox three games to two.

Well, I got this exact same prediction wrong last year. Am I an idiot for going with the Angels edging the Red Sox two years in a row? I doubt it. These Angels do not have the world's most impressive hitters; however, they play the most fundamentally sound baseball unlike many teams in the game today.

They have two players who have stolen at least 30 bases this season [Bobby Abreu and Chone Figgins]. In addition, while Josh Beckett is a good postseason pitcher, Boston's Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield are not always reliable in October. Instead, the pitching combination of Los Angeles' John Lackey, Joe Saunders, and Jared Weaver is a far more consistent trio.

The addition of Torii Hunter in center field also provides the Angels with a huge defensive stud which is vital for winning ball clubs in October. This series will be ugly. There will be a split in Anaheim for the first 2 games, a split in Boston for the next 2 games, and a nail-biting Angels victory in Game 5 at home over the Red Sox.

2009 ALCS; LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM versus NEW YORK YANKEES

Prediction: Yankees will defeat the Angels four games to one.

The Yankees will prove to be unstoppable in this series. They will ride their momentum from the ALDS against the Twins and take the first 3 games of this series before dropping Game 4 in Los Angeles before finishing the Halos off in Game 5. Although the Angels have a good trio of starting pitchers, the Yankees have a better batting lineup.

The New York Yankees will win the AL Pennant!!!

2009 NLDS; COLORADO ROCKIES versus PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Prediction: Phillies will defeat the Rockies three games to zero. This will be a sweep.

In 2007, the Rockies humiliated the Phillies by sweeping them in three straight games. But, that was 2007.

The following season, the Phillies returned and won the World Series. Now, the Phillies have entered October not only for the third consecutive season but also as defending champs. And there is a golden rule in sports that champs remain champs until someone can defeat them. I hate to break it to Colorado fans, but the Rockies do not match at all with the Phillies. Any batting order which features Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley is extraordinarily intimidating.

Who do the Rockies have to counter that? Not Matt Holliday! He left the Rockies before the 2009 season. He is now with the St. Louis Cardinals. Long story short, the Phillies will beat the Rockies as badly as the Rockies were beaten by the Red Sox in the 2007 World Series.

2009 NLDS; ST. LOUIS CARDINALS versus LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Prediction: Cardinals will defeat the Dodgers three games to one.

The Cardinals had arguably the greatest starting pitching rotation for the season. This trend will continue in the NLDS against the LA Dodgers. Here are the four biggest reasons why the Cardinals are better than the Dodgers:

No. 1: Tony LaRussa [LaRussa has an incredible postseason record in the LDS, having won his last 4 appearances in the LDS. Joe Torre has lost three of his last four appearances in the LDS.]

No. 2: Albert Pujols [47 home runs, 135 RBIs, enough said]

No. 3: Pitching [Chris Carpenter has 17 wins, Adam Wainwright has 19 wins, and neither has an ERA above 2.70 this season. The LA Dodgers do not have any starting pitcher with more than 12 wins this season.]

No. 4: Head-to-head [The St. Louis Cardinals were 5-2 this season against the Dodgers.]

2009 NLCS; ST. LOUIS CARDINALS versus PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Prediction: Phillies will defeat the Cardinals four games to three. This will be one of the most exciting playoff series in MLB history.

Ryan Howard versus Albert Pujols! Cole Hamels versus Chris Carpenter! Jayson Werth versus Matt Holliday! This series has classic written all over it. And it will not disappoint.

Both teams are loaded with World Series experience and postseason glories. Both teams are led by very effective managers. Both teams have good batting lineups with superstar sluggers. This will go the distance...but the home-field advantage which the Phillies have will earn them the edge. Hosting a Game 7 is always a great advantage.

The Philadelphia Phillies will win the NL Pennant!!!

2009 WORLD SERIES; PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES V. NEW YORK YANKEES

Prediction: Phillies will defeat the Yankees four games to two.

The Philadelphia Phillies have the same balanced, yet powerful batting order that they had last year when they won the 2008 World Series. CC Sabathia will be hammered twice in this series for crushing Yankee losses. This will give the Phillies the momentum they need to finish the Yankees off in New York in Game 6 and repeat as World Series champions.

Once again, I would take a batting lineup with Rollins, Utley, and Howard anyday over Jeter, Teixeira, and A-Rod. Why? Because look at who supports these trios. For the Phillies, it is Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, and Shane Victorino. For the Yankees, it is Robinson Cano [decent but not great], Johnny Damon [very unreliable], and Jorge Posada [inconsistent these past few seasons]. The edge is clearly with the Phillies!

The Philadelphia Phillies will repeat as champions and win the 2009 World Series!

All-Star Mania: Rise and Fall and Rise Again Of The Midsummer Classic

Thomas Cogliano — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:25:46 -0400

In 1933 at the World's Fair in Chicago, an event was held at Comiskey Park. The best of the best from all across the American League and National League gathered for an unprecedented exhibition game...an All Star Game.

The result was a sweeping success that it became part of the baseball season each year, scheduled for midsummer.

The Midsummer Classic provided fans a unique opportunity to see the best and brightest from either league competing against one another, an opportunity that could only have taken place in the World Series.

Nonetheless, the World Series only provided the fans with a chance to see the two best teams of the game compete against one another. This was not necessarily a guarantee that the greatest players would be competing against one another. Indeed, the Midsummer Classic provided that opportunity.

It was always a thrill for baseball fans to watch a Whitey Ford challenge a Hank Aaron or a Willie Mays, or a Bob Gibson challenge a Carl Yastrzemski.

Up until 1997 with the introduction of Interleague play, American League and National League teams never clashed in the regular season. It was one of the reasons why the Midsummer Classic was much more than a friendly exhibition, and the fans recognized that too.

If anyone has doubts about the Midsummer Classic being treated as anything but an exhibition, remember Ray Fosse!!! Remember Pete Rose ramming into Ray Fosse to breakup a tag at the plate for the game-winning run in the 1970 All Star Game propelling the National League to victory!!! Yes, it was an exhibition...but Ray Fosse's career would never be the same after that great collision.

If anyone needed further proof of how the Midsummer Classic was seen as anything but an exhibition, examine the popularity of fan voting!!! In 1947, fans were given the right to vote for the eight non-pitching starters for either side.

Instantly, this new feature for the Midsummer Classic became the source for dubiousness. Although Cincinnati was not the only franchise attempting to be dubious, Cincinnati was the most successful in the 1950s.

The Cincinnati Enquirer would print already marked all star ballots in their sunday editions with all 8 starting positions filled with Cincinnati Reds. So, all Cincinnati fans had to do was rip out the ballot from the paper and submit it. And they could submit these ballots as many times as they wanted with each sunday edition!!!

In 1956, this campaign successfully sent Reds into 5 of the 8 starting positions. In 1957, with an even more aggressive campaign, the Reds had 7 of the 8 starting positions. The lone position not filled by a Red was first base, which was won by the ever-so-popular Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The results of the 1957 vote angered Commissioner Ford Frick that he removed two of the seven Cincinnati Reds from the starting lineup: Gus Bell (CF) and Wally Post (RF). In fact, Frick dismissed Post from the team completely, but he kept Bell on the roster as a reserve for the National League.

In addition, Frick took the vote away from the fans...an edict that did not get reversed until 1970.

To the fans, the All-Star Game was also about opportunity...opportunity to see their favorite stars compete with the game's greatest. An exhibition? No way!

Talk about extraordinary feats! The All-Star Game has had plenty of those over the years.

In the second All Star Game ever (1934), one of the greatest pitching feats occurred. New York Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell had the ball to start for the National League. After walking the first two hitters he faced, he proceeded to strike out the next five batters in a row: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin. All five batters would be future Hall-of-Famers.

Hubbell's feat was only matched one other time: Fernando Valenzuela (1986). Valenzuela struck out Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., Jesse Barfield, Lou Whitaker, and Teddy Higuera in succession.

However, of the five batters he whiffed, only Ripken has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Thus, Hubbell's feat in 1934 edges out all to current date.

The 1971 All Star Game in Detroit featured a unique display of power hitting. The American and National League combined for six homeruns. All six were hit by six different players, all of whom were future Hall of Famers [Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Harmon Killebrew, and Roberto Clemente].

Bo Jackson had the performance of a lifetime at the 1989 All Star Game. He led off the first inning for the American League with a towering 448-foot homerun and then proceeded an inning later to steal a base becoming the only ballplayer since Willie Mays to accomplish hitting a homerun and stealing a base in the same All-Star Game.

From 1963 to 1985, the National League single-handedly dominated the Midsummer Classic, registering a record of 21-2 over the American League during those years. The National League was aided for half of that period of time with perhaps the greatest starting outfield ever, an outfield you can only dream about for the ultimate Fantasy League team: Hank Aaron (LF), Willie Mays (CF), and Roberto Clemente (RF)!!!

The All-Star Game was a tremendous spectacle. But, that all changed in 1997 with the introduction of Interleague play. The Midsummer Classic lost its luster.

American League and National League teams were competing against one another in regular season games, which took away from the majesty of the Midsummer Classic.

To put the harmful effect of Interleague play in perspective, the 1999 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees marked the first time ever in Major League Baseball history that the two teams competing in the Fall Classic had clashed in the regular season that year!

From 1997-2002, the All-Star Game fizzled into a ridiculous circus fest with managers working diligently to get all 30 players into the game at some point, even for only one at-bat or a half-inning of defensive work.

This blew up in baseball's face at the 2002 All-Star Game in Bud Selig's backyard, Milwaukee. With the game tied after 11 innings, Bud Selig suspended the game as a tie because both teams had run out of players.

This marked the lowest point in All-Star Game history. It prompted Selig to act something out...a new campaign. The winner of the All-Star Game would host the World Series rather than undergo a rotation each year between the two leagues.

Astoundingly, this campaign renewed fan interest in the Midsummer Classic beginning in 2003. While the "This Time It Counts" campaign was a success, the truth of the matter is: IT HAD ALWAYS COUNTED!!! Granted, the World Series was never on the line with the Midsummer Classic prior to 2003.

But, the Midsummer Classic in the days before Interleague play was always a catchy rivalry between stars in two leagues that never competed against one another unless it was the World Series.

The Midsummer Classic has proven to be the MOST POPULAR All-Star contest among all American professional sports. Period.

Epic Perfection in Epic Defeat! 50 Years Since The Haddix-Burdette Duel

Thomas Cogliano — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:49:01 -0400

Fifty years ago from today on May 26, 1959, the greatest game ever pitched took place. The two-time defending Milwaukee Braves were hosting the up-and-coming Pittsburgh Pirates. But on a cool evening that day, the two starting pitchers were set to engage in a pitching classic for the ages!!!

Milwaukee’s Lew Burdette and Pittsburgh’s Harvey Haddix shut down the opposing team for 12 consecutive innings each. The former had surrendered 11 hits during that stretch while the latter surrendered none.

Both men had walked nobody after 12 innings. In fact, the latter had retired the first 36 hitters of the game!!! Haddix had a perfect no-hitter going through the end of 12 innings; however, Pittsburgh, despite scattering eleven hits in their first 12 innings against Burdette had failed to score a single run.

The best chance for Pittsburgh came in the third inning when the Pirates smacked three singles but failed to score a run, largely due to a huge baserunning mistake by rightfielder Roman Mejias. Mejias tried to advance from first to third on a tricky infield hit but was gunned down at third base.

The reason this mistake was painful was that Dick Schofield followed up with a base hit of his own which would have scored Mejias if he had held up on second base earlier.

In the bottom of the thirteenth inning, fate cruelly turned against Haddix. Leadoff hitter Felix Mantilla reached on an error by Pittsburgh third baseman Don Hoak. The perfect game was officially over…but the no-hitter still stood.

Following Mantilla’s reach on error, Eddie Matthews sacrificed him with a bunt to second becoming the first out of the inning. Pittsburgh decided to intentionally walk Hank Aaron in order to face Joe Adcock.

Adcock had a miserable game at that point. In his four previous plate appearances versus Haddix that night, Adcock failed to get the ball past the infield, striking out twice.

However, this was the thirteenth inning…and fifth time is sometimes the charm. On Haddix’s second pitch of the at-bat, Adcock slammed a three-run homerun that just crept over the center-field wall. No hitter…gone. Shutout…gone. Victory…gone. DEFEAT!

Milwaukee 3 Pittsburgh 0 (F/13 Innings)

It is quite remarkable how quickly a game can change. Baseball is a funny sport where the goat can become a hero and a hero can become a goat over the course of a single ballgame. Fate can change on a whim…sometimes with special skill, sometimes with luck, but always due to a measure of effort.

Haddix had pitched a no-hitter [according to the rules at that time] because he had successfully taken his no-hitter through the ninth inning. And yet…he was the losing pitcher!!!

Burdette surrendered 12 hits in a complete game effort…and he had a shutout!!!

And to add to the bizarre, the final score of the game was amended a day later on May 27 by National League President Warren Giles to 1-0. During the Adcock homerun trot, Hank Aaron reached second and walked to the dugout failing to finish the trot. Thus, Adcock had passed Aaron on the base path.

Adcock was ruled out, thus disqualifying his run and Aaron’s on the home run trot. Since the infraction occurred after Adcock rounded second base, his homerun was changed officially to a double.

So, the only run that did count for the game was Mantilla’s…and it was UNEARNED because of the Hoak error. The amended box score showed Haddix as having allowed 1 run but 0 earned runs for the game.

[Note: Had Hank Aaron made this baserunning blunder with two outs in the inning, none of the runs would have counted and the game would have been suspended!!!]

Milwaukee 1 Pittsburgh 0 (F/13 Innings)

In this game today where a quality start these days for pitchers are those games when they can advance beyond five innings, this game should put the modern era of pitching to shame. Bullpens??? Ha!!! Those guys never needed bullpens!!! Relief pitching was for emergencies only…not as a convoy of hurlers collectively assigned to finish a nine-inning game.

Harvey Haddix versus Lew Burdette

Combined Totals:

Innings Pitched: 25.67 [13 by Burdette, 12.67 by Haddix*]

Walks: 1 [the intentional walk of Aaron in the 13^th]

Runs: 1

Earned Runs: 0

Strikeouts: 10 [2 by Burdette, 8 by Haddix]

Hits: 13 [12 off Burdette, 1 off Haddix]

Extra-Base Hits: 1 [the Adcock “double” in the 13^th]

* Haddix earned an extra out in the ninth from Adcock passing Aaron on the base path of his homerun, which later was changed to a double because of Aaron’s blunder.

NOTE: Randy Johnson is currently the last player in MLB who hurled a perfect game, which occurred in 2004. That is why I chose that photo for this article. I could not find any file photos from Getty Images on Harvey Haddix. Sorry!

National Sorrows! A Washington Baseball Fan's Ventilation

Thomas Cogliano — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:03:03 -0400

"When sorrows comes, they come not single spies, but in battalions."

- Hamlet (Act IV, Scene V)

No other quote in literary history can best captivate the 2009 campaign thus far for the Washington Nationals. Stricken with poor defense, embarrassing relief pitching, and sheer bad luck, the Nationals after 11 games have the worst record in Major League Baseball, losing all but 1 game.

This begs the question: How did they manage to win that 1 game? Hahaha.

Anyhow, the recent three-game sweep by the Florida Marlins over the Nationals this past weekend best exemplified the team's downward spiral thus far. On Friday April 17, Saturday April 18, and Sunday April 19, the Nationals took a lead into the ninth inning. They had three opportunities to close all three games for three wins.

Instead, Washington's closers blew all three leads in the ninth inning in all three games and the bullpen eventually succumbed to the Marlin hitters for three consecutive heartbreaking losses. It's unprecedented in baseball history for a team to blow three ninth inning saves in a row at home!

A bad combination of poor relief pitching and horrible defense allowed this to happen. Joel Hanrahan blew the saves for the Friday and Saturday games. Saul Rivera blew the save for the Sunday game. In the ninth inning alone during this three game series against the Florida Marlins, the Nats allowed 8 runs to score off of 7 hits and 3 walks!

When evaluating the performances of the Nats' closers, you can see how they managed to blow the games. Hanrahan, to his credit at least, threw strikes and challenged hitters, which is precisely what a closer should do.

However, his strikes were bad strikes, strikes that caught too much of the plate and were sent out of the yard upon contact. Hanrahan in his two save opportunities allowed two game-tying home runs, but at least he escaped those ninth innings without further damage and gave the team a chance to win on their own at-bat.

On the other hand, Saul Rivera did not know where home plate was. It was not a case where Rivera was being hosed by a petite strike zone.

It was a case where Rivera was hurling curveballs that did not curve at all. So bad was Rivera's curveball in one delivery that it forced Flores to jump out of his stance to snare it before it flew to the backstop.

In one of the most painful ninth-inning performances I have ever seen, I watched Rivera grind 42 pitches on Sunday afternoon. Out of those 42 pitches, at least 25 of them were balls.

He walked 3 batters including the lead-off hitter Emilio Bonifacio to start the inning. Bonifacio ended up stealing second base and scored the tying run off a John Baker double.

Bonifacio, who in his career has only hit two home runs--only one of which actually left a ballpark-- apparently intimidated Rivera to the point of pitching around his blatantly obvious power, or Rivera just plain sucks at pitching. I am thinking it is the latter.

Rivera was so erratic that he actually threw a pitch that caught the strike zone and the home plate umpire ruled it a ball. Nats TV color commentator Rob Dibble said, "That was not a ball!"

Even K-Zone showed the pitch tucked neatly inside the strike zone square; however, as Dibble later explained, pitchers that erratic do not get good strike calls. Thus, Rivera's own doing cost him the good calls when he actually hurled a good pitch.

After 42 pitches, 3 walks, and a broken ego, Rivera finally completed the ninth inning on Sunday allowing only 4 runs to score. Pathetic! Utterly pathetic!

Just as bad as the pitching has been is the defense. Shortstop Alberto Gonzalez committed 4 errors in a span of 18 innings during this three game series with the Marlins.

A telling moment came in the top of the 11th inning on Saturday when Gonzalez fielded a routine groundball and, calmly and casually--I said, calmly and casually--, threw the ball into right field! Right Field!

He was trying to aim a throw to first, but it kinda did not land in the vicinity of the base or the line! It is one thing to commit a throwing error when rushed or hurried. However, when an infielder is misfiring with a casual throwing motion, then that tells me something about that infielder; he just sucks!

If that is not bad enough, how about the infamous at-bat by Jesus Flores on Friday night? With the Nats down a run in the bottom of the 10th, Elijiah Dukes led off the inning with a double.

One out later, Jesus Flores works a 3-0 count and proceeds to take three consecutive fastball strikes. FASTBALL STRIKES...THREE OF THEM! Some may say that Flores was looking for a walk but, why is that a good excuse?

Flores is a veteran catcher representing the winning run and hitting with the tying run in scoring position. He proceeds to surrender the at-bat? Was he thinking of a walk?

Or, rather, did Flores not have any confidence in his own ability? If the latter, then I have to question his manhood. Even if you doubt your own ability, is the appropriate response to lay down and die like a dog? Come on!

I know, I know, I know. The Nationals have had sheer bad luck. Cristian Guzman who was batting .515 before tearing his hamstring was out of action over the weekend and will remain so until the end of the month. This prompted Alberto Gonzalez to play in his place.

It is still no excuse for an infielder to play so whimsically that even he has doubts where his own throw is going to go.

Yes, I am outraged. I express frustration, not from hate, but rather from a sense of passion. I can tolerate losing. After all, I am a DC sports fan thus, losing is as much a part of life in the nation's capital as crooked congressmen. What I do not tolerate is sheer laziness, stupidity, and ineffectiveness.

Hamlet was onto something with that spectacular quote I alluded to earlier. The misery in DC right now is striking in battalions. Rekindle your passion to play the game, Nationals, or risk losing what is left of your dying fan base. We are not the Chicago Cubs, we will not carry on as "lovable losers." Enough!

A Case For Curt Schilling's Hall Of Fame Induction

Thomas Cogliano — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:49:33 -0400

On Monday March 23, 2009, the great Major League pitcher Curt Schilling formally announced his retirement from the game of baseball.

Within nanoseconds of his much anticipated announcement, there were rumblings among many sports analysts as to whether Schilling had done enough to warrant induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The majority of these analyses lean in the direction of no induction. The consensus has been that Schilling did not do enough over the course of his career to earn a spot in baseball's most revered shrine.

The biggest criticism has been that Curt Schilling won only 216 games in his pitching career.

Traditionally, pitchers are not considered Hall of Fame worthy unless they crack the 300 win mark. With that said, the number 300 is arbitrary. Several starting pitchers have been inducted into the Hall of Fame while failing to win 300 games [ex. Jim Palmer and Sandy Koufax].

In order to consider a candidate who played the game of baseball worthy of the honor of Hall of Fame induction, the committee has to evaluate the player's "value". His "value" is not only based on his individual statistical output but also his impact on his team's overall output.

Schilling was a 20-game winner three times over the course of his career. Each season which he finished with at least 20 wins, Schilling was snubbed of Cy Young Award honors. He finished runner-up in the Cy Young voting all three seasons, twice to his Arizona teammate Randy Johnson!

While 216 wins over the course of a 20-year Major League career may not cut it for some critics, Schilling's 11-2 record in the postseason should. Only former Cardinal great Bob Gibson boasted a postseason resume as impressive as Schilling's.

How many pitchers in baseball history have won a World Series start for at least three different teams? Only one...Curt Schilling (1993 Philadelphia Phillies, 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, 2004 Boston Red Sox, and 2007 Boston Red Sox).

Schilling's 3,116 strikeouts ranks him currently 14th on the all-time list. Bear in mind that among the pitchers ranked higher than him on that list includes the disgraced Roger Clemens. Also, bear in mind that Schilling ranks higher on that list than Hall of Famers Jim Bunning, Warren Spahn, Sandy Koufax, Jim Palmer, and Bob Feller.

In the case of Koufax, he failed to win 170 games! But, how can you argue against a man who had pitched 4 no-hitters [one of which was a perfect game] and a 2.76 career ERA?

In the case of Schilling, he failed to win 220 games! But, how can you argue against a man who cracked 3,000 strikeouts, won at least 20 games three times, and won World Series starts with 3 different teams finishing a career with the greatest postseason record of all time?

In the aftermath of Schilling's announcement that he was retiring, there were many articles written about his outspokeness and political incorrectness. Normally, I would never venture off the beaten path to address such trivial matters...but, I feel the need to do so in this case.

Listen up! Schilling is outspoken, provocative, and, on occasions, politically incorrect. So, this makes him wrong because...why? Hahaha.

Schilling was outspoken against steroid usage in baseball. So were we, the fans!

Schilling was outspoken about Manny Ramirez's antics while a player in Boston. So were most Red Sox fans [which I am not, just for the record]!

Schilling was outspoken about Barry Bonds' pursuit of a respected homerun record. So were we, the students of the game of baseball!

Schilling exercised free speech. So too do we, Americans all!

Grow up, sportswriters!

Schilling may be provocative. However, Schilling's provocative commentary parallels with a Davy Crockett, rather than an Ann Coulter. Ann Coulter's provocation is mostly senseless character assassination with very little of any substance to contribute to intelligent discussion and debate.

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and a former congressman, was provocative out of principle to show the entire political arena how pathetic its attempts to regulate and manipulate the nation were.

Crockett talked and walked the principled life...abandoning his home state of Tennessee for Texas when the latter was fighting for its independence from Mexico and gave his life defending the Alamo.

Schilling attacked the sinister activities going in the the game of baseball, which he participated in. He attacked players, union representatives, owners, and reporters. And every time he donned his uniform for game time, he gave 110%! He poured his heart and soul into every pitch, every motion, every delivery.

He may not have the impeccable pitching statistics of a Tom Seaver or the jaw-dropping impact of a Nolan Ryan...but he has the spirit and enthusiasm as any old-school pitcher in the days of old.

Many of the game's current pitchers cannot help but gripe everytime they feel the slightest tingly feeling going up their shoulders. Many starters fail to carry a start beyond 6 innings!

In 1998 while pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies, Curt Schilling completed 15 games! While injured in the 2004 ALCS as a member of the Red Sox pitching against the New York Yankees, Curt Schilling came back in Game 6 of that series and won a critical start to even that series at three games a piece! How could we all forget about the bloody sock?

Schilling represents a breed of Major League pitcher that is dying off in the game today...gritty, tough, effective, and consistent.

Schilling's retirement leaves his kind in the form of Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine. It is only a matter of time before those four walk the plank towards the vast waters of retirement.

And when these giants in the art of pitching move on, what would our current generation of pitcher look to for inspiration?

Such a dilemma can be offset and rectified. It begins with the induction of Curt Schilling into the Baseball Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in 2013!

The Nine Greatest Upsets in American Baseball History

Thomas Cogliano — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:49:03 -0400

The Dutch were clutch in the WBC, sending the DR straight to the ER!

Okay, that was a poor attempt to sound "hip." However, let not anyone underestimate the profoundly stunning result that 2-1 victory by the Netherlands over the Dominican Republic was.

The Dominican Republic was a team loaded with MLB all-stars (Miguel Tejada, David Ortiz, Jose Reyes, and Pedro Martinez...to name a few); however, the Dutch had not a single player on its roster who is currently signed with an MLB team.

The closest player on the Dutch team with MLB experience was starting pitcher Sidney Ponson, whose career was marked with so many off-the-field and in-the-clubhouse disciplinary incidents that even the volatile Milton Bradley found him frightening!!!

Nonetheless, the result got me to brainstorm about American baseball upsets, whether in international competition or in professional baseball. Since it takes 9 innings to complete a baseball game, I gathered a list of the nine greatest upsets in American baseball. I start with No. 9 and work my way to No. 1.

Feel free to comment or to add suggestions at where you agreed or disagreed with my list:

9) 2004 Quarterfinal game at the Olympic Baseball Qualification Tournament: Mexico defeats USA (2-1)

This game eliminated Team USA from competing at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games held in Athens in the event of baseball. Former Team USA manager Tommy Lasorda remarked that the episode was an embarrassment that the nation who invented the game cannot even qualify for the Olympic event.

After cruising through the preliminaries in this qualification tournament undefeated, USA faced a harmless team from Mexico that only advanced out of the preliminaries because another team who actually advanced did not have a complete roster to continue due to injuries.

In this historical game, Team USA's offense was non-existent, collecting its only run on a solo home run. Mexico's bullpen held off a final rally by Team USA in the ninth to finish a stunning upset and eliminating the Americans from Olympic competition.

8) 1924 World Series: Washington Senators defeat New York Giants (four games to three)

The Washington Senators had clinched its first pennant in 1924. The New York Giants, on the other hand, were markedly more experienced having won several World Series titles in the previous 20 years of Major League Baseball. In fact, in 1924, the Giants had clinched its fourth consecutive National League pennant. The Giants were going for their third World Series title in the past four years!

In this historic World Series, the Giants clobbered the "Big Train" himself, Walter Johnson, in two starts. The Senators had lost both those games he started; however, the Senators won three of the other four games he did not start! This forced a magnificent Game Seven which went into extra innings.

Walter Johnson redeemed himself by coming out of the bullpen to pitch a stellar long relief performance as the game went into the 12th inning. In the bottom of the 12th, the Senators scored the game-winning run when a groundball to third hit a pebble and took a bad hop over the Giants' thirdbaseman Fred Lindstrom. The bad hop allowed Senators catcher Muddy Ruel to score from second base, thus ending the game and the World Series.

7) 2000 Summer Olympics Gold Medal Game: USA defeats Cuba (4-0)

Talk about David versus Goliath! With regard to international baseball, Cuba was the Goliath! When baseball became an Olympic medal sport in 1992 for the Barcelona Games, Cuba cruised to a gold medal finish, whereas Team USA failed to win a medal.

In 1996 in Atlanta, Cuba repeated this feat scoring a second straight gold medal, whereas Team USA settled for the bronze. Team USA had never beaten Cuba in the Olympics. Going into the Gold Medal Game at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, it appeared that that fact was not going to change.

In the preliminary round, Team USA lost to Cuba 5-1. However, in the Gold Medal Game, Manager Tommy Lasorda sent fireball hurler Ben Sheets to the mound to start the game. Sheets was spectacular completing a three-hit shutout over a Cuban national team as red-hot as their communist politics.

For that one game, Team USA was on top of international baseball.

6) 1973 NLCS: New York Mets defeat Cincinnati Reds (three games to two)

The Mets in 1973 won the National League East with a pathetic 82-79 record, the worst record for any division winning team until the 2005 San Diego Padres. The faced a Cincinnati Reds team who had won its third division title in the past four years and who were defending National League champions.

In this historic NLCS matchup, the Reds and Mets split the first four games. In Game Three, Pete Rose took out Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson to break up a double play. But, Rose slid so far out of the basepath that Harrelson punched Rose in the stomach causing the worst bench-clearing brawl in postseason baseball history.

In the critical Game Five of the series, the Mets crushed the Reds 7-2 collecting a total of 13 hits against the Big Red Machine.

5) 2003 World Series: Florida Marlins defeat New York Yankees (four games to two)

Despite having a payroll only a fraction of the New York Yankees, the Florida Marlins stunned the Bronx Bombers in six games, culminating in a two-hit complete game shutout in Yankee Stadium by Josh Beckett.

The series featured fantastic pitching from Brad Penny, Carl Pavano, and Josh Beckett on the Florida side with mediocre offensive performances on the Yankee side.

Even in Game Four when the Yankees came from behind in the ninth inning to tie the Marlins and force extra innings, it was the Marlins who ended up with the last laugh...thanks to an Alex Gonzales home run in the bottom of the 12th.

4) 2006 ALDS: Detroit Tigers defeat New York Yankees (three games to one)

The Tigers closed out the regular season on a losing streak which caused them to lose their lead on the AL Central division to the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers still clinched a postseason berth...but only a wild card berth.

Many baseball analysts viewed the Yankees/Tigers ALDS to be a joke. After Game One, they seemed to be right on the money. The Yankees crushed the Tigers 8-4 with Derek Jeter going 5 for 5 at the plate with a home run!

However, Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, and Jeremy Bonderman frustrated the Yankee hitters in the next three games in a row culminating in a shocking upset in recent years!

3) 1966 World Series: Baltimore Orioles defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers (four games to none)

Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were the two most unhittable pitchers in baseball. The defending World Series champions, Los Angeles Dodgers, looked to be in position to sweep the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.

The Orioles had just won their first ever American League pennant while the franchise had been located in Baltimore.

However, it was the Orioles who earned the sweep, stunning the Dodgers in four games. Crafty Baltimore pitchers Dave McNally and Jim Palmer had thoroughly outpitched the Dodger rotation. The Dodgers only scored TWO RUNS in the ENTIRE series (both coming in the first three innings of Game One)!

2) 1969 World Series: New York Mets defeat Baltimore Orioles (four games to one)

With almost the exact same team as it had in 1966 when they last won the World Series, the 1969 Baltimore Orioles seemingly had a second championship in hand. Winners of 109 games in the regular season and featuring the AL CY Young Award winner Don Cuellar, the Orioles were expected to crush the New York Mets.

After taking Game One by a score of 4-1 against the ace of the Mets' pitching staff Tom Seaver, things looked good for the Orioles. However, Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Game Two and the Mets ended up edging the Orioles 2-1 to even the series.

When the series shifted to Shea Stadium, the Mets won all three home games, including a come-from-behind victory in Game Five when the Mets trailed the Orioles early by three runs. In 1969, the New York Mets were Amazin'!

1) 1988 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Oakland Athletics (four games to none)

The greatest upset in American baseball history was the 1988 World Series. The Oakland Athletics won 104 games and featured the AL MVP of the 1988 season Jose Canseco, the Rookie of the Year Walt Weiss, the best closer in baseball Dennis Eckersley, the fastest man in the game Rickey Henderson, and the best starting pitcher in the game Dave Stewart!

On the other hand, the Los Angeles Dodgers had Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson. However, Hershiser could not pitch Game One because he had been used for a lot of innings in the classic NLCS matchup against the Mets which lasted seven games. And Kirk Gibson was injured...supposedly missing in action for the whole World Series.

And yet, the Dodgers took Game One. How? An injured Kirk Gibson hobbled out of the clubhouse and slammed a game-winning two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Dodgers a 5-4 come-from-behind victory.

The demoralized Athletics dropped three of the next four games...two of them at the hands of Orel Hershiser who pitched 18 innings surrendering only two runs.

With this list, I submit to the readers for judgement and evaluation.

In Defense of Jim Bowden: Hypocritical Contradiction in the DC Media

Thomas Cogliano — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:34:18 -0500

Hypocrisy!

In my book, that is the most heinous crime for any person to commit—particularly in journalism.

Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden resigned on Sunday Mar. 1, 2009 from his position which he held since the Expos had finished their final season in Montreal prior to their move to DC in November of 2004.

But from what a baseball fan gathered from the articles covering Bowden's decision to step down from local sportswriters from various newspaper outlets in the Washington area, one would think that Bowden was a stumbling, bumbling, crooked moron.

The recent allegations against Jim Bowden dealing with the signing of young pre-18 aged prospects in the Dominican Republic are serious...however, they are unproven and unsubstantiated.

There are no indications that federal investigators are even considering referring Bowden to a grand jury probe.

Who knows? Maybe they will pursue charges...or, maybe they will not pursue charges. However, the allegations which surfaced in late February by Sports Illustrated after the "Smiley" Gonzalez scandal had absolutely nothing concrete to stick to Bowden other than the quite typical circumstantial 'guilt by association' junk.

Years ago, these sportswriters in the DC area praised the merits of Jim Bowden's leadership, especially since he remained until Sunday the only member of the organization that pre-dated team ownership.

Now, these writers reinterpret the Bowden they loved and praised! No mention of his accolades! No mention of his character!

How about the second chance stories? Bowden signed players who were outcasts with other ballclubs and rejuvenated what appeared to be dead careers.

Players like Jose Guillen, Dmitri Young, and Elijah Dukes found redemption with the Nationals after being released from their previous ballclubs for disciplinary reasons.

Jose Guillen was kicked off the Angels in 2004 after a fight in the dugout between him and Manager Mike Sciosia. He was even removed from the postseason roster for the Angels that year despite the fact only Vladimir Guerrero, who would become the the American League's MVP, had more home runs for Anaheim than Guillen.

The Nationals signed Guillen in 2005 where he led the team in home runs en route to a surprising 81-81 season. He even signed a one-year extension after that season due to the amount of respect he had for the organization.

Dmitri Young became an All-Star in 2007 in his first season as a National, the year after he was kicked off the Detroit Tigers with more than a month remaining on their pennant-winning regular season.

Elijah Dukes remains a prominent feature for the Nationals. Tamp Bay had kicked him off the team in 2007 for a series of disciplinary issues...and despite a shaky start to his 2008 season as a National, he actually finished the season as one of the team's hottest hitters.

Bowden's tenure as a General Manager is not marked with postseason glories. In fact, in the 15 years he served as a General Manager for the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals, there was only one postseason appearance total for any of those teams.

However, Bowden's tenure is marked with rejuvenated careers. Jose Guillen remains a prominent star. Young and Dukes remain Nationals.

Bowden worked to give outcasted players a second chance. And instead, the perception of Bowden if we believe the rants of the Washington Post and the Washington Times, is of a whimsical, maniacal, idiot.

Such a profile for a great mind of the game of baseball is an insult.

In 2005, Bowden drafted Ryan Zimmerman from the University of Virginia. Zimmerman was robbed of Rookie of the Year honors in 2006. Most sportswriters nationwide felt Zimmerman was the rightful winner of that honor with his magnificent season.

The DC media lauded Bowden back in 2005 and 2006 as a 'Golden Boy' or a 'Boy Wonder.'

His midseason 2006 trade acquiring Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns from the Reds for Royce Clayton was deemed by many DC sportswriters as one of the best trades of the season.

His trade of Brad Wilkerson to the Texas Rangers for Alfonso Soriano was highly praised and well rewarded with Soriano smashing 46 home runs despite the fact that he played half of his games in hitter unfriendly RFK Stadium.

It was Bowden who reformed the farm system for the Expos/Nationals.

Last year in 2008, the Washington Nationals, while they lost 102 games in MLB, had the second best farm system in all of baseball...next to the Tampa Bay Rays. In fact, the Potomac Nationals won the Carolina League Championship in Class A.

Jordan Zimmermann, one of Bowden's prospects drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft, might end up with a starting spot in the Nats pitching rotation this year!

These accolades were missing in the pages of the Washington Post and the Washington Times.

DC sportswriters such as Thomas Boswell and Tom Knott desired to spend more time reflecting on unsubstantiated and hazy allegations against a man who apparently, if one reads their columns closely, lost his constitutional right to be presumed innocent.

In addition, in a spirit of overkill, these writers proceeded to reflect on Bowden's miscues by reinterpreting all the events of the last four years as GM where he had been previously praised.

Oh, please! Fool me once, shame on me!

However, it is not surprising when one profiles the city of Washington. After all, it seems Washington is a city renowned for its contradictions and hypocrisies.

Only in DC does it seem that contradictions of this variety are allowed. After all, 24 hours after news of Bowden's resignation was made public, DC sustained the biggest snowstorm in March since 1999.

And while six inches of snow were falling over DC city streets, a protest of global warming alarmists was occurring with the objective of warning the city public, although snow-drenched at the time, that the Earth was warming rapidly (hahaha).

Only in DC can a public official swindle billions of taxpayer dollars in the name of "progress" and, in the worst of circumstances, receive a slap on the wrist. Meanwhile, the citizen who commits petty larceny could be sent away for multiple years in a correction facility.

Only in DC can a city council determine that spending only a small handful of dollars for the building of a much needed new soccer stadium for one of MLS's most historic franchises would be wasteful...even though DC pays its own School Chancellor an annual salary of $275,000.

As a direct result, the historic DC United team chose last week to vacate the city for Prince Georges County, Maryland in 2011.

Only in DC, if history serves us well, can a mayor be elected even though he is legally unable to even vote for himself because of his criminal record (*cough* Marion Barry *cough* 1994 *cough*).

Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.

What does this have to do with Jim Bowden? Nothing!

What does all this have to do with the Washington media's reaction to Jim Bowden? Everything!

The Washington media's reaction to Jim Bowden's resignation is as hypocritically contradictory as the city's internal and external political history.

I am not arguing that Bowden was the greatest GM in baseball history. He likely may be one of the lesser successful GMs of all time.

However, unlike Boswell and Knott, a hypocrite he was very not!

This Bud's for You! Or Is He Really?

Thomas Cogliano — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:57:41 -0500

Last week, I had heard of Bud Selig's comments regarding the A-Rod steroid admission.

I was expecting the commissioner to take a high road position like the Yankee superstar had done and admit his own shortcomings in quietly condoning the steroid culture in Major League Baseball for the past decade.

Instead, Selig substituted the high road for the high horse! In a state of self-righteousness, he declared that A-Rod had humiliated the game of baseball and that punishment was not being completely ruled out.

First of all, punishment? A-Rod admitted to taking steroids before the current steroid policy was put into effect. Furthermore, his sample tested positive when it was supposed to be an anonymous survey of 104 ballplayers.

The promise that was given to the Players' Union was that the identities of those players would not be identified. Thus, A-Rod is by every legal maneuver possible in the clear from punishment by MLB.

But this is not the reason why I am writing this article. I, for one, am not a fan of A-Rod. Furthermore, I find what he did despicable.

However, what I find even more despicable than A-Rod's positive urine sample from six years back is the foolish, hypocritical arrogance of Commissioner Bud Selig.

As more information has emerged beyond just the ramblings of a Jose Canseco book or a leaked government investigation into BALCO, Bud Selig has a lot to answer to.

It has become quite clear that he was aware of the steroid problem years before the March 2005 Congressional hearing chaired by Congressman Tom Davis.

Allegations have even surfaced that several star players, like A-Rod, may have been tipped off by the Players Union that a pending drug test was coming.

Now, for the record, this is just an allegation. So, it remains unproven and could very well be false. But, if true, it serves as another dark chapter in the last 15 years of Major League Baseball.

Whether Bud Selig is an accessory before the fact or after the fact does not matter at all.

What matters is that Selig was the Commissioner over the most tainted era in baseball history since the 1919 Blacksox scandal when gamblers were running the show and throwing the World Series.

The Blacksox scandal scared team owners so bad in the early 1920s that they collectively agreed upon to create an office of commissioner to oversee the game's integrity.

Kennesaw Mountain Landis, a tough law-and-order federal judge, was named by the team owners as baseball's first commissioner.

In his first act to clean up the game, he had the eight Chicago Whitesox players alleged in throwing the 1919 World Series with the help of gamblers expelled from baseball for life.

Granted, this was a controversial decision because not only were all eight players acquitted by a criminal jury but also several of them, like Buck Weaver, were only implicated by association, rather than misdeed.

With that said, Landis felt that the allegations were serious enough to put a dark stain on the game of baseball. So, to preserve the integrity of the sport, he banned all eight players, including Buck Weaver, who was pretty much innocent.

Landis did not care whether a player was a superstar. He punished any player for misdeeds. In 1921, Landis famously suspended Babe Ruth for 40 games when Ruth was caught barnstorming, which baseball forbade players do.

Just as George Washington serves as a gallant role model for future American presidents, so too should Landis serve as a role model for future baseball commissioners.

Bud Selig was a used car salesman who eventually purchased shares in the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1992, he orchestrated the coldest, sleaziest maneuver to oust a commissioner by campaigning for votes among the team owners.

By an 18-9 vote, Selig and the owners removed Fay Vincent as commissioner. Selig became acting commissioner. In less than two years, baseball had a strike and the World Series was cancelled for the first time in 90 years!

Now, do not get me wrong. Selig has done some good things. The All Star Game adjustment, in 2003, of making the winning league host the World Series and the installment of the World Baseball Classic, in 2006, were very good things.

However, they came about because of Selig's mistakes. In 2002 with his hometown of Milwaukee hosting the All Star Game, Selig had the game stopped in the eleventh inning with the score tied.

As for the World Baseball Classic, that came about because Selig refused to allow Major League players to compete in the Summer Olympics. Thus, the IOC saw no reason to continue baseball as part of the Summer Olympic program after the Beijing 2008 Games last summer!

But, just as Landis had to oversee the game's integrity after a colossal scandal, so too did Selig. While Landis acted quickly to quell the issue, Selig did little, if anything, until his hands were publicly tangled when criminal probes on BALCO began around 2003.

The homerun was a marketing tool that was bringing fans back to baseball. Baseball was at its lowest level of popularity after the 1994 strike.

Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa put fans back into their seats in 1998 as they pursued a respected record set by the honorable Roger Maris.

From a business perspective, it is understandable why Selig was slow. But, from an ethical perspective, it is understandable why fans like me and the silent majority out there are very disgruntled with Selig.

My grandfather, Rube Walker, played the game the way it was supposed to be played...with honor! Where is the honor these days? Where is the character? How many people remain as examples of high character?

Bud Selig has failed as a commissioner. A culture of drugs and cheating has surrounded his tenure. For the integrity of the game, Bud Selig must resign!

In his place, Frank Robinson should succeed as acting commissioner until the owners can collectively choose a permanent replacement. Who knows? Maybe they will stick with Robinson.

After all, the owners felt confidence in Selig...thus, what would be wrong with Robinson? Or, is Frank Robinson too honest, too noble, too principled for the game of baseball today?

Say It Is So, Joe: Why Joe Torre Is 100 Percent Right To Tell His Story!!!

Thomas Cogliano — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:05:22 -0500

When the illustrious General George Washington entered a crowded room, silence ensued. The profound presence of the great man was enough to stir the silence even amongst the rowdiest of crowds.

George Washington, to put in lay man's terms, was a Man...a Man among men. When he spoke, he spoke with the interests of the Republic in his heart, mind, and soul.

Joe Torre too is a Man. When he speaks, he speaks with the interests of the game of baseball in his heart, mind, and soul. In recent weeks, some baseball analysts questioned Joe Torre's decision to go forward with a tell-all book entitled "The Yankee Years."

A few have even argued that the great baseball man had taken the low road. The low road? Really? That is quite a slanderous attack on a man of the game.

Joe Torre has given over 50 years of his life to this great game of baseball. He grew up in the game as a ballplayer during a time when players actually played the game...for THE LOVE OF THE GAME. How about that? THE LOVE OF THE GAME! Where do we hear that these days...other than some sub-par Kevin Costner movie?

Torre left the playing field and joined the managerial ranks managing the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and his current stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He earned the respect of his players who played under him, as well as his coaches.

My grandfather Rube Walker was Torre's pitching coach with the New York Mets. When upper management for the Mets informed Walker in 1981 that Torre was being fired, my grandfather gave upper management an ultimatum ("If Torre goes, I go!"). Thus, Torre and Walker were fired!

However, Torre never forgot my grandfather's stand. After being hired prior to the 1982 season by the Atlanta Braves as manager, Torre hired Rube Walker as his pitching coach. In 1982, the Atlanta Braves ended up winning their first division title since 1969.

Torre spent several years as a broadcaster after leaving the Braves in 1984. But, he returned to managing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1990, where he posted three winning seasons in a row from 1991-1993. My grandfather was also employed by the Cardinals during this time working as a scout for the St. Louis organization up until his death in 1992. Among the well-wishers at my grandfather's funeral in the small mountain town of Lenoir, North Carolina was Joe Torre himself!

After Torre was unceremoniously fired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1995 in midseason, he was hired by the New York Yankees and George Steinbrenner. And what did Torre do during his tenure as manager of the Yankees? In his 12 seasons as manager, he won 10 division titles, six American League pennants, and four World Series championships.

He won these World Series titles with farm system talent and a multitude of reasonably priced free agents. When Brian Cashman began spending for the BIG MARKET free agents like Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, and Carl Pavano, the Yankees won zero World Series championships.

Torre had championed a system where he had little and created a lot. Cashman wished to install a system that had a lot...but in the end, created nothing! Torre was the product of the old-school...the Golden Age of baseball...when players placed team and teammates above their own selfish interests.

It was an age of baseball where a Roger Maris would lay down a suicide squeeze in a magical season where he was chasing Babe Ruth for the most homeruns in a single season. It was an age where Mickey Mantle would play hurt...sometimes in excruciating pain...to ensure that he could support his team on the playing field.

It was an age where Roberto Clemente would risk injury making a diving attempt to catch a pop fly in foul territory. Cashman was part of the business age of baseball where the game expanded to market itself commercially for the benefit of explosive profits.

He saw the game of baseball as a gigantic market that can be exploited by pursuing good ballplayers at unreasonably expensive prices. Thus, in Cashman's mind, a winning team can buy out the talent field available in the game.

The "old-school" Torre versus the "profiteer" Cashman is a significant clash of titans. The former believing that championships are earned and the latter believing that championships are bought. Torre is right to highlight those differences with Cashman.

His book should not be seen as an indictment on Cashman, Steinbrenner, or the Yankees. It should be seen as an indictment on this generation of ballplayers. There are very few players out there who go all out for THE LOVE OF THE GAME. Torre wanted more Derek Jeters...and fewer A-Rods (or should I say A-Frauds?).

First in War, First in Peace, Last in the NL East

Thomas Cogliano — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:57:38 -0500

Borrowing from the famous lines of "Lighthorse Harry" Lee's eulogy to General George Washington, this modified cliche best captures the futility of the Washington Nationals and all previous professional Washington baseball franchises.

Granted, the franchises who came before the Nationals were in the American League, so this current cliche would not quite fit pending a slight adjustment.

This morning, Saturday Jan. 24, 2009, I was reading a column in the Washington Post by legendary sportswriter Thomas Boswell on the lack of aggressiveness best characterizing the offseason of the Washington Nationals. In particular, the lack of free agent signings was what upset Boswell.

With players like Adam Dunn, Orlando Hudson, and Jon Garland still unsigned in the free-agent market now, it would be unwise for the Nationals to pass up on this extraordinary opportunity to acquire good players at a less expensive [non-Steinbrenner] price.

I could not agree with Boswell more. The Nationals have been floundering opportunity after opportunity to acquire any big free agent signings during arguably one of the biggest free agent markets in recent Major League Baseball history.

I do not know who in Nationals organization is to blame? Lerner? Bowden? Kasten? But, it does not matter who the blame belongs to.

This is a collective failure by an organization that last season had been expressing optimism that they would be a winning team in a new ballpark with a re-energized fan base. Everything was going well for the Nationals last season until they were 3-0. Then, the Nats proceeded to lose 102 of their remaining 159 games.

Why is Washington baseball so poor? During the Walter Johnson years, from the late 1910s through the early 1930s, Washington baseball was in its prime. The Senators won three American League pennants in an era where Babe Ruth's Yankees were sweeping the pennants in many of the other seasons.

Following the Senators' third and final pennant in 1933, the Senators dropped to seventh place in 1934 and struggled to finish with a winning season in the years ahead prior to the move from DC to Minnesota in 1955 where the team became known as the Minnesota Twins.

In 1961, a new Washington Senator franchise was born. But this franchise only lasted in DC for 11 seasons before departing after the 1971 season to become the Texas Rangers. Over the course of their 11 seasons in DC, this Senator team had only one winning season.

It seemed that the only highlight for this Senators team was its final game at RFK Stadium on September 30, 1971. The Senators were leading the Yankees 7-5 in the ninth inning with two outs when the fans stormed the field.

Since security guards had already left the ballpark early that night, the fans tore up the field, stole first base, and forced the Senators to forfeit that game.

The fans were outraged that the team had been sold to Texas just five days earlier! Thus, only the passion of the fans made this second era of DC baseball exciting! The fans were rising up against the franchise establishment who mishandled the team and stole a precious pastime from the nation's capital for the next 34 years.

Then, in 2005, the Washington Nationals came to town. After a promising first season where the Nats finished 81-81, the Nats ended up losing 91, 89, and 102 games in their next three seasons respectively.

If the Nats desire a winning season for a change, they first have to change their losing past. A winning season would not only be a break for this Nats team...but for all Washington professional baseball teams.

The teams that came before them since the 1933 World Series, when the Senators fell to the New York Giants in five games, fared little better.

This Washington baseball fan, unlike Boswell, will be a bit more patient. But patience like a history book can often wear thin after so many years.

Jeff Kent: A Legend Retires!!!

Thomas Cogliano — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:30:10 -0500

Jeff Kent will unlikely make a top 10 list of the greatest players of Major League Baseball for the past 15 years. However, Jeff Kent was one of the craftiest, most clutch hitters during the 15 years he played.

When Cleveland traded Kent to the San Francisco Giants after the 1996 season for Matt Williams, Giants' fans all across the Left Coast blasted upper management for trading away a fan favorite like Matt Williams for an unknown second-baseman. However, Kent proved to be extremely useful for the Giants immediately.

In the 1997 season, he proved to be a worthy anchor and on-deck hitter to protect Barry Bonds from all the intentional walks he had started to receive from a deep contingency of National League pitchers.

Kent smacked a then career-high of 29 homeruns and 121 RBIs during the 1997 season, which proved instrumental in the Giants clinching the National League West for the first time since 1989!

In 2000, Kent earned the National League MVP when he smacked 33 homeruns, drove in 125 RBIs, and batted .334. He edged fellow teammate Barry Bonds for that honor due to the number of those 125 RBIs that occurred following an intentional walk to Bonds.

As a result of Kent's productivity, the Giants clinched another division title that season.

In 2002, Kent reached his career-high in homeruns belting 37 that season. Furthermore, Kent was instrumental in as many ways as Barry Bonds in pushing the Giants to clinching the National League pennant that year. In fact, in the World Series versus the Anaheim Angels, Kent had hit three homeruns with seven RBIs.

Speaking of the postseason, no matter which team Jeff Kent had played for, he performed in October like no other player has in recent memory—with the possible exception of Derek Jeter.

From his playoff experiences with the Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers, Kent collected a total of 47 hits, nine homeruns, and 23 RBIs in the postseason.

Besides the three homeruns he hit in the 2002 World Series, another major postseason highlight of Jeff Kent's impressive resume included the walk-off three-run homerun he hit in Game five of the 2004 NLCS for the Houston Astros, as they knocked off the St. Louis Cardinals that game 3-0.

Another highlight in Kent's postseason career was the 2006 NLDS with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although the Dodgers were swept by the New York Mets, Kent demonstrated his veteran capability in the series batting 8 for 13 with one homerun and a .923 slugging percentage!

So, now we get down to the ultimate question. Is Jeff Kent a Hall of Famer?

Considering he was playing under the shadow of a tainted superstar like Barry Bonds for many, many seasons, thus preventing him from further MVP glories that he rightfully deserved (especially for the 2002 season), Kent, in my book, should be a Hall of Famer.

Bear in mind, Jeff Kent's 377 career homeruns ranks him first on the all-time list for second basemen. And the person, whom Kent surpassed for that achievement, was none other than the great Chicago Cub, Ryne Sandberg, who IS a Hall of Famer!

So, in conclusion, this baseball fan tips his cap in laudatory tribute to a man who respected the game, played the game, and lived the game. Way to go, Jeff Kent!

Billy Martin: A Christmas Day Tribute to One of Baseball's Greatest Managers

Thomas Cogliano — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 02:47:07 -0500

Christmas is a time for celebration, a time for family, a time for unity, and, last but not least, a time for reflection.

On December 25, 1989, 19 years ago from this day, the great baseball manager Billy Martin died in a car accident. He had a good career as a ballplayer.

After all, he was a key feature to the New York Yankee dynasty in the early 1950s. As the starting second baseman for that legendary Yankee teams, Martin was the World Series MVP in 1953 as the Yankees took the Fall Classic from the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Although Billy Martin had a series of off-the-field issues, especially as it related to womanizing and alcohol, no one can ever take away the fact that Billy Martin was one of the finest baseball minds ever.

As a manager, he always found a way to create winning ball clubs no matter where he went. He inspired many of the players under him as well as many of his coaches, several of whom went on to become successful managers as well.

The late Dick Howser was one of Martin's coaches who went on to be a successful manager with the Kansas City Royals, managing them to their only World Series title in 1985.

Lou Piniella, one of Martin's ballplayers from his first stint as manager of the Yankees, was and remains a successful manager with a World Series title to his credit managing the 1990 Cincinnati Reds. Piniella has even referred to Billy Martin as his influence for his managerial style.

Billy Martin, as a manager, demonstrated a rare genius in implementing the pure fundamentals of baseball and using those fundamentals to build a cohesive team unit. The key for the unit was not individual talent but rather individual selflessness of understanding what needed to be done on behalf of the team.

From his first managerial stint in 1969 with the Minnesota Twins to his last managerial stint with the New York Yankees in 1988, Billy Martin led four different teams to division titles: Minnesota Twins (1969), Detroit Tigers (1972), New York Yankees (1976, 1977), and Oakland Athletics (1981).

He won two pennants with the New York Yankees in 1976 and 1977, capturing the World Series on the second attempt.

In fact, the 1976 New York Yankees (a team that did not feature Reggie Jackson yet) had clinched the first pennant for the legendary organization in 12 seasons!

Even when George Steinbrenner signed free agent Reggie Jackson to a monster contract after the conclusion of the 1976 World Series, Billy Martin refused to give in to the newly-acquired superstar. He stuck with veteran Yankee catcher Thurman Munson as his team captain, the first team captain the Yankees had named since Lou Gehrig.

A true example of Martin's managerial philosophy regarding team effort came in a June 1977 game at Fenway Park between the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Reggie Jackson lazily retrieved a blooping base hit by Jim Rice. Jackson waved off second baseman Willie Randolph as he jogged slowly to pick up the ball, which allowed Jim Rice to take second base on his own blooper to shallow right-field.

Billy Martin came out to make a pitching change; however, he also came out to make a fielding change, yanking Jackson out for Paul Blair.

This caused a heated confrontation to take place in the dugout between a disgruntled Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin. But that was classic " old-school" Martin.

In his mind, the new superstar players of the game at that time like Reggie Jackson were not nearly as selfless or team-oriented as his generation of ballplayers such as Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford.

One of the reasons why Martin stuck with Thurman Munson as his team captain was because he recognized that Munson had that "old-school" instinct in him, something lacking in many of the other players in the game at that time, something that is hardly existent in the game today.

As we celebrate Christmas, we baseball fans should also remember Billy Martin. His epitaph speaks volumes of his great fondness and respect for the game of baseball:

"I may not have been the greatest Yankee to put on the uniform but I was the proudest."

REQUIESCANT IN PACE, Mr. Billy Martin.

Yankee Ignorance Reaches New Heights

Thomas Cogliano — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:33:44 -0500

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow!

So began Macbeth’s soliloquy, as he remained resigned to the fact that his life, his ascent to power, and his closest associates, were all dissipating one at a time. It is a sad consistency over the past eight years for certain Major League franchises to expand their payrolls from being just slightly bloated into gargantuan monstrosities.

Today, Dec. 23, 2008, the New York Yankees agreed to terms with first baseman Mark Teixeira. The Yankees have agreed to sign Teixeira to an eight-year deal worth $180 million! That means approximately $23 million per season. To put that figure in laymen’s terms, that is more than half the total payroll of the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, also known as the defending American League Champions!

I now turn my attention to one Hank Steinbrenner. Will you learn anything from your father, Hank? You cannot possibly BUY A PENNANT! You want precedent to substantiate this claim? Let us take a look at recent history. The 2008 American League Champions had a payroll that was 25 percent of the Yankee's. Even the 2008 World Series Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies, boasted a payroll ($98 million) that was less than half of what the Yankees spent. In fact, the top three payrolls for the 2008 season were, in order, the Yankees ($209 million), the Detroit Tigers ($138.6 million), and the New York Mets ($138.2 million). How many of those teams played in the postseason last year? About the same number as American League pennants won by the Yankees since signing Alex Rodriguez…zip!

When will these franchises learn? Money does not buy championships; heart does! Remember the 2003 Florida Marlins? The mediocre payroll that the Marlins had that season did nothing to prevent them from scoring a major upset in the World Series, knocking off the heavily-favored Yankees. It was this defeat that prompted George Steinbrenner to pursue Alex Rodriguez, and the Yankees have yet to play in another World Series since.

But, it is not just the New York Yankees who are guilty of this fiscal recklessness; however, the Yankees are the ones who spend the most money regardless of the rough economic times nationwide. The Chicago Cubs in 2006 began a transformation from a big-market team into a supermarket franchise. At the end of the 2006 season, the Cubs signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez to a five-year, $73 million contract extension. Derek Lee had been given a five-year, $65 million contract extension during the season. However, even with those monster contract extensions, Chicago exacerbated its own bloated payroll after the 2006 season by signing free agent Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year, $136 million contract to complete a $100 million payroll for the upcoming 2007 season.

The Cubs followed this by re-signing overrated starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano to an expensive extension late into the 2007 season at five years and a whopping $91.5 million! This figure helped give the Cubs an even further expanded payroll for the 2008 season totaling $118 million. What have the Cubs gotten in return for their spending? Well, they did win back-to-back NL Central division titles in 2007 and 2008. With that said, the Cubs have only managed to win a grand total of…[drumroll]…[more drumroll]…0 playoff games!!!

Playing with heart is not just simply a rhythmic melody from a catchy song in some musical about some diehard Washington Senators fan who sells his soul for a shot to play on the losing ballclub to upend the Yankees for the pennant. Playing with heart is what can transform a small-market team into an elite franchise. Ever heard of Money Ball? Billy Beane, the long-tenured and successful general manager of the Oakland Athletics, transformed a small-market franchise into one of the most victorious teams this decade. With a very small payroll fitting in the bottom third of all franchises in baseball, the A's have managed to clinch four AL West titles and one Wild Card berth in the past decade. In fact in 2006, the Athletics clinched the American League West with the fifth best record in the majors in spite of the fact that their total payroll was 21st out of 30 teams.

Thus, supermarket teams like the Yankees, Tigers, Mets, and Cubs need to learn this valuable lesson. They can spend as much money as they please. They can attempt to buy up all the talented bunch of stars available in the free agent market to intimidate the small-market franchises. However, when the curtain is drawn, when that first pitch is delivered on Opening Day, when the 162-game regular season drags on, success is not measured in dollars, but by the scoreboard, with one team gutting out a win and another team grinding it out in defeat. Money does not make champions. Heart does.

Until this lesson is heeded by the supermarket franchises, all that remains for them is another “tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.” [Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5]

Why The Recession Benefits Major League Baseball

Thomas Cogliano — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:45:00 -0500

With the recession this country faces right now, which will very likely continue for at least the next two years, professional sports are going to be dealt a financial blow.

Major League Baseball certainly will feel the effects of this financial crisis. Personally, the recession might be what this country needs to return to sound fiscal management [assuming of course that the hyper-stupid Congress quits bailing out failing businesses!!!]. But, I digress. The purpose of this article is to discuss why the recession might create a much needed positive to reform the game of baseball. What is this positive? It is...the end of big contracts!

Following the 1979 season, the Houston Astros signed free agent Nolan Ryan from the California Angels. The Astros gave Ryan a four-year, $4.5 million contract. This made Nolan Ryan the first Major League baseball player to sign a contract worth at least $1 million a season.

Since the Nolan Ryan contract, salaries have exploded exponentially. The milestone moment came in 1994 with the last baseball strike. Since 1994, free agents have been signed for excessively high and most undeserving salaries.

To illustrate this point further, I am going to list the top five worst free agent contracts signed since the 1994 baseball strike. Here goes:

5. Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (10 years, $252 Million, 2001-2010)

While A-Rod did put up productive numbers for the Texas Rangers during the three seasons he played in Arlington, the Rangers finished in last place every season in the AL West.

With all the money the Rangers paid A-Rod, they could not invest in acquiring pitchers or younger talent. It set the franchise backwards for several years. To date, the Rangers still have not had a winning season even though it has been five years since they traded A-Rod to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano.

To illustrate how excessive this salary was, in 2001, A-Rod already was paid the first $1 million of his contract before his first Major League at-bat with the Rangers on Opening Day that season!!!

4. Sidney Ponson, Baltimore Orioles (Three years, $22.5 Million, 2004-2006)

Ponson had his career best year in 2003 when he won 14 games with the Orioles. Following the 2003 season, Ponson became a free agent. With another free agent's excessive contract expiring, the Orioles invested in buying new players.

Instead of focusing on acquiring superstar pitchers, the Orioles re-signed Ponson to an undeserving contract and focused the rest of their attention to getting big hitters like Miguel Tejada, Javy Lopez, and Rafael Palmeiro.

Ponson started the 2004 season going 3-12 for the first half of the season. He was released from the team in 2005 for being busted for DWI. After being released from the team, he was busted in Aruba punching out a judge and remained in an Aruban jail for a couple months.

3. Roger Clemens, New York Yankees (One year, prorated $28 Million, 2007)

Really? Do I have to spell out why anyone in baseball is undeserving of a SINGLE SEASON contract worth more than $10 Million, let alone $28 Million? Clemens only went 6-6 for the 2007 season with a 4.15 ERA. In other words, he was paid more than $4.5 million per win!!!

2. Albert Belle, Baltimore Orioles (Five years, $65 Million, 1999-2003)

Belle started off okay. He put up good offensive numbers for the 1999 and 2000 seasons, cracking 37 and 23 home runs, respectively.

Then he sustained a hip injury after the 2000 season, and NEVER PLAYED ANOTHER GAME AGAIN! The Orioles were obligated to continue to pay Albert Belle for three more years! So from 2001-2003, the Orioles were paying a player on their roster over $10 million a season for doing nothing. It crippled the Orioles from making any moves until after the 2003 season...which was discussed earlier what the Orioles ended up doing [how history repeats itself].

1. Carl Pavano, New York Yankees (Four years, $39.95 Million, 2005-2008)

Every New York Yankees fan agrees: The Pavano signing has to be the worst in history. While the salary may not be as excessive as the Albert Belle and the Roger Clemens contracts, at least those two were superstars of the game. But....Carl Pavano?

Carl Pavano?

He had a mediocre career with the Montreal Expos and the Florida Marlins. After having one single above average season in 2004 with the Marlins, Pavano was a free agent and was heavily courted by many franchises. George Steinbrenner gave him an offer he could not refuse: a contract worth about $10 Million a season to a pitcher who had only 50 career wins as a pitcher over a seven-year professional career! In the four seasons since the contract was signed, the always injury-prone Pavano has only made 26 starts total going 9-8!!! Pathetic!!! Very, very pathetic!!!

Eddie Jordan Fired! How Dumb Can a Franchise Be?!

Thomas Cogliano — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:38:16 -0500

When a team struggles out of the gate of a regular season, the fans harboring the fringe of the team's fanbase always begin hollering for a change of leadership.

Some franchises are mature enough to disregard the cries of the extremists, however, others are as weak-minded as stormtroopers—easily influenced by forces beyond them [thank you, Obi-Wan Kenobi.]

From the firing of Eddie Jordan and his assistant Mike O'Koren, the Washington Wizards have proven to be the NBA's weakest franchise as of this moment for the 2008-09 season and, perhaps, the next couple of seasons to follow.

Moronic is not even a strong enough word for this debacle. Travesty is a better word. Abortion! Now, that is the best word for this fiasco...abortion! Disgusting, inhumane, immoral, stupid!

Let me take the readers back to the 2002-03 season: Michael Jordan was playing his final season for the Wizards, Doug Collins was the head coach, Kwame Brown was in his sophomore season in the NBA (and screwing up royally), Jerry Stackhouse was the leading scorer for the team, Brendan Haywood was still trying to prove that he can be at best a second-tier center for a second-tier NBA team, and the Wizards completed their FIFTH STRAIGHT losing season and SIXTH STRAIGHT year of missing the postseason.

So, Michael Jordan retired, but was expected to work in the front office as the President for the Wizards following that season. However, Abe Pollin fired Michael Jordan. Then, Pollin fired head coach Doug Collins.

In Collins's place, Pollin hired Eddie Jordan, a Washington D.C. native who had spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach to Byron Scott's under-appreciated New Jersey Nets who had won the Eastern Conference Championship in both those seasons!

Added on to that team was a free agent from the Golden State Warriors, who had only two years of professional experience in the NBA and had unknown potential—Gilbert Arenas.

With a new system and a new coach, the Wizards struggled that first season going 25-57 in the 2003-04 season. However, Eddie Jordan developed the Wizards into a "Big Three" offense.

After trading Jerry Stackhouse to the Dallas Mavericks for Antawn Jamison, Jordan had his system ready. Jamison, Arenas, and Larry Hughes formed the first "Big Three" and the Wizards STUNNED the Eastern Conference, going 45-37 in the 2004-05 season.

The Wizards had their first winning season in SEVEN YEARS and were playoff-bound for the first time in EIGHT!

In the first round of the 2005 playoffs, the Wizards upset the Chicago Bulls in six games, capturing their first postseason series win since 1982!

Following the 2005 playoffs, the Wizards were dealt a blow when they lost free agent Larry Hughes to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, the Wizards responded by trading Kwame Brown to the Lakers for Caron Butler, who would eventually be an All-Star selection representing the Wizards.

Eddie Jordan made Butler a key addition to the offense by inserting him into his new "Big Three" joining Arenas and Jamison. The Wizards would clinch the playoffs that upcoming season as well as the following two seasons.

In fact, last season, the Wizards started off with an 0-5 record. Two games later, Arenas sustained an injury that kept him out until late March. Thus, with Arenas missing 69 of the 82 games in the 2007-08 season and with an 0-5 start, the Wizards finished with a winning season and seized the fifth-seed in the Eastern Conference.

They did so with players like Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Brendan Haywood stepping up like all-star professionals.

Again, these players had been around with other coaches, or in the case of Butler and Jamison, with other teams. Yet, it was under Eddie Jordan that these players became formidable stars.

Jamison and Butler were selected to their first All-Star games under Eddie Jordan's tenure, and Haywood was robbed of a selection last season [in my opinion, of course].

And let us not forget about the Great One...Agent Zero himself, Gilbert Arenas. He earned three All-Star appearances during this tenure of Eddie Jordan, including one selection as a starter! It has been decades since Washington basketball had such a talented group of players.

Hmm, so Eddie Jordan was a bad coach, right Mr. Pollin? Critics would argue that after knocking off the Bulls in the first round in 2005, the Wizards have been bounced out early in the opening round of the playoffs in the next three seasons and that is somehow Eddie Jordan's fault.

Hmm, in the 2007 playoffs, the Wizards were missing Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler for the entire postseason due to freakish injuries sustained late in the season.

TELL ME! HOW CAN A TEAM BE EXPECTED TO PERFORM WELL IN THE PLAYOFFS WHEN THEIR TOP TWO SCORERS ARE MISSING IN ACTION?! HOW?!

So, the Wizards got off to a very bad start this season. They are currently 1-10. That is very, very bad.

Yet, once again, how is Jordan responsible for the fact that Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood have been on the Injured Reserve List for EVERY game this season so far?

Even Caron Butler has been playing hurt. The injury bug bit the Wizards hard this year, but, then again, the bug has bitten the Wizards for the last several seasons in the Eddie Jordan era.

It was the utter coaching genius of Jordan that kept the team intact and competitive for those last few years. This year, for the first time, it caught up with Jordan.

Yet, Jordan gets shoved out the door in the most undignified way? This is the man who...um...kinda like...saved the franchise? This is the man who...oh...like...made the Wizards a marketable team to watch?

This decision to fire Eddie Jordan was not moronic. It was not a travesty. IT WAS AN ABORTION!

Reforming the System: My Proposal for Postseason Division I College Football

Thomas Cogliano — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:16:39 -0400

The BCS system is very broken. I do not need to give specific examples to illustrate that fact because it is so painfully obvious. Take a look at the BCS standings after the wild ride yesterday in college football.

With No. 1 Oklahoma going down against No. 5 Texas, No. 4 LSU going down to no. 11 Florida, and No. 3 Missouri going down against No. 17 Oklahoma State, the entire BCS system is shaken to the core. Who deserves to be No. 1 now?

A good case can be made for Texas given that the Longhorns knocked off the nationally top-ranked Sooners. A good case can be made for the Penn State Nittany Lions who are undefeated as well over the course of this season.

Regardless of who deserves to be No. 1, will the BCS championship game be between two legitimate teams which no one in the rest of the country could argue otherwise that a third team should have been considered? Unlikely!!! The last time there was such a matchup it was the 2002 double overtime classic played by the only two undefeated teams in the country, Miami and Ohio State.

So, how does the system get reformed? People talk about a postseason format, but the proposals are either vague or non-existent. It is time that someone laid down a concise format. So, here is mine:

There are six BCS conferences [ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, SEC, PAC 10]. Give the conference champions for these six conferences an automatic bid into the tournament. Then, add the top six "at-large" teams in the BCS standings into the tournament as well.

Thus, there are 12 teams who will receive bids into the tournament. These teams will be seeded 1 through 12 based on their final poll positions in the BCS standings following the final week of games in the regular season.

The top four seeds will receive a first round bye. Teams five through 12 will play each other in an opening round at the home fields of the top four teams and those sites will also play host to the quarterfinal games as well.

The winner of the 5-12 game will face the No. 4 team in the quarterfinals. [Both games played at the home field of the No. 4 team]

The winner of the 6-11 game will face the No. 3 team in the quarterfinals. [Both games played at the home field of the No. 3 team]

The winner of the 7-10 game will face the No. 2 team in the quarterfinals. [Both games played at the home field of the No. 2 team]

The winner of the 8-9 game will face the No. 1 team in the quarterfinals. [Both games played at the home field of the No. 1 team]

For the semifinals and the finals, the site should be in a neutral location and that same location should host all four games of the Final Four of Division 1 College Football.

The winner of the 5-12 v. 4 game will face the winner of the 8-9 v. 1 game.

The winner of the 6-11 v. 3 game will face the winner of the 7-10 v. 2 game.

The winners of both semifinals will play for the championship.

The losers of both semifinals will play a consolation game for third place.

The first round can be played during the last week of December after the Christmas Holiday and right before New Year's. In fact, by the time the NFL playoffs begin, the college football BCS tournament would already be at least in the semifinals!!! Thus, there is extreme unlikelihood of TV conflicts!!!

If there is a better format for Division I college football, please elaborate. What flaws are in mine? What is commendable in mine? I am curious about this.

Predictions and Assessments of the 2008 Major League Baseball Playoffs

Thomas Cogliano — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:06:15 -0400

After careful analysis of the LDS matchups, I am prepared to offer my predictions as to who will win each round and why. Feel free to comment on my predictions and offer suggestions for me to reconsider. This process was very elaborate and required deep reflection.

So, without further ado, here we go:

1) NLDS: Milwaukee Brewers v. Philadelphia Phillies

Prediction: Phillies will sweep the Brewers 3 games to 0.

Reason: The Phillies quietly put together a "Murderer's Row" lineup in the latter stages of the season. Any batting order where Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard are batting consecutively makes a pitcher's responsibility an utter nightmare.

The Phillies were humiliated last year by being swept out of the NLDS by the Colorado Rockies. However, the Phillies suffered a case of the "October Jitters" for a team that had never experienced a postseason in 14 years. The Phillies have gotten over that; however, the Brewers are just beginning.

The only weapon the Brewers have to go against the Phillies is C.C. Sabathia. However, Sabathia has been neutralized by the fact that he had to pitch the season finale on Sunday and will be pitching Game 2 this Thursday on only 3 days rest. Also, as Cleveland fans will probably remind Brewers fans, Sabathia is unreliable in the postseason.

2) ALDS: Boston Redsox v. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Prediction: Angels will defeat the Redsox 3 games to 2.

Reason: The Angels are the only team in MLB this season to win 100 games. They did so with a balanced attack of clutch hitting, power hitting, good defense, great starting pitching, and a fierce closer. Francisco Rodriguez boasts a record this year of 62 saves!!!

The starting rotation for the Angels led by John Lackey, Jared Weaver, and Joe Saunders is impressive, especially for a best-of-five series. The Red Sox do not match up well against those three.

Josh Beckett is good in the playoffs, but, beyond him, everyone else in the Boston rotation is unreliable in the postseason and would not matchup well against the comfortable rotation of the Angels.

One more reason for why Boston will lose? No Manny!!! Say what you want about Manny Ramirez and his clubhouse issues and teammate conduct, but Manny is clutch in October. Unfortunately, Manny is playing in October...but not for the Red Sox. This series is likely to go the distance with the home team winning all the games. Since the Angels would host a Game 5 if necessary, that would mean...advantage Angels.

3) NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers v. Chicago Cubs

Prediction: Dodgers will defeat the Cubs 3 games to 1.

Reason: The Cubs choke in October. They always do. I do not see this season to be any different. Last season, all of baseball thought that the Cubs would break through only to be swept out of the playoffs in the Division Series by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers actually have a decent lineup that can stay toe-to-toe against the Cubs. The addition of Manny Ramirez has given the Dodgers a powerful weapon to go up against Carlos Zambrano, the only Cubs pitcher who may steal a game on behalf of the Cubs.

Long story short, Joe Torre's postseason magic will live on with this incredible upset as the Dodgers will knock off the Cubs!!!

4) ALDS: Chicago White Sox v. Tampa Bay Rays

Prediction: Rays will sweep the White Sox 3 games to 0.

Reason: The Rays have a young, fun team to cheer and root for. Plus, the Rays will have their injured veteran Carl Crawford back in action.

On the other hand, the White Sox remain depleted. Carlos Quentin, who had 36 homeruns prior to his injury in mid-September, is done for the whole postseason. Paul Konerko, the veteran White Sox firstbaseman and 2005 ALCS MVP, is playing injured from a knee injury sustained in late September.

James Shields and Scott Kazmir are a good one-two punch that the Rays can throw at the White Sox in Games 1 and 2 at home in this best-of-five division series which should give the Rays a quick two game lead in the series.

With their backs against the wall, Ozzie Guillen will probably have a mental meltdown which would affect the team and the White Sox would blow Game 3 in Chicago and all hopes of a northside v. southside Chicago World Series dies in the LDS!!!

ALCS: Tampa Bay Rays v. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Prediction: Angels will defeat the Rays 4 games to 3.

Reason: The Angels are seasoned, but the Rays are fiesty. This is a similar matchup to last year's ALCS between the seasoned Red Sox and the fiesty Indians. The Rays will overachieve early in this series, like Cleveland last year, but they will break down when they have the opportunity to clinch the pennant, thus, experience will save the day for the Angels.

Thus, THE ANGELS WILL WIN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE PENNANT!!!

NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers v. Philadelphia Phillies

Prediction: Phillies will defeat the Dodgers 4 games to 1.

Reason: Mismatch!!! The Phillies are WAY too good versus the Dodgers. Although the Dodger lineup could stand up to the Cubs in the NLDS, the Phillies' lineup is far too good. This NLCS is no contest at all. The batting lineup for the Phillies is filled with two former MVPs and a potential third. Brad Lidge never blew a save all season long and the defense for the Phillies has been extraordinary. The Dodgers have had a mediocre bullpen for most of the season and a batting lineup that misses depth beyond Jeff Kent and Manny Ramirez.

Thus, THE PHILLIES WILL WIN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT!!!

World Series: Philadelphia Phillies v. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Prediction: Angels will defeat the Phillies 4 games to 1.

Reason: Pitching, pitching, pitching!!! The Angels have a comfortable starting rotation; however, the Phillies do not. Cole Hamels is the only starter that the Phillies have who is slightly capable of staying pitch for pitch with Lackey, Weaver, and Saunders.

Thus, THE ANGELS WILL WIN THE 2008 WORLD SERIES!!!

1971 MLB All-Star Game: Greatest Midsummer Classic Ever!

Thomas Cogliano — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:28:23 -0400

The 1971 All-Star Game held at Tiger Stadium in Detroit was the greatest Midsummer Classic of all time. Granted, the game did not come down to a walk-off hit or a final at-bat; however, the game did achieve a plethora of feats.

First, this game featured the longest home run ever hit in the history of the Midsummer Classic.

Second, all the runs scored in this game were all driven home by home runs. Six homeruns were hit in all, three by the American League and three by the National League.

Third, all six home runs were hit by six different players, all of whom would later be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The scoring started in the top of the second inning when American League starting pitcher Vida Blue (Oakland) surrendered a two-run home run to Johnny Bench (Cincinnati) after hitting Willie Stargell with a pitch. [National League 2, American League 0]

In the top of the third inning, Hank Aaron (Atlanta) smashed a solo blast off Vida Blue to extend the NL’s lead to 3. [National League 3, American League 0]

In the bottom of the third inning, the American League finally got around to National League starting pitcher Dock Ellis (Pittsburgh). With one on and nobody out, Reggie Jackson (Oakland) smashed a towering two-run home run that ricocheted off the light tower hovering over the right field roof of Tiger Stadium.

The home run was estimated to have traveled 540 feet! Ellis was rattled because with one on and two outs later in the inning, Ellis surrendered another two-run home run. This one belonged to Frank Robinson (Baltimore). [National League 3, American League 4]

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the American League extended its lead with a two-run home run by Harmon Killebrew (Minnesota). This gave the AL a three-run lead. [National League 3, American League 6]

In the top of the eighth, Roberto Clemente (Pittsburgh) ended the scoring for the night with a solo shot off Mickey Lolich (Detroit). [National League 4, American League 6]

Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, and Roberto Clemente all homered in the 1971 All Star Game. All six players were later inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The blast by Reggie Jackson in the third inning was the longest in the history of the Midsummer Classic.

The homerun hit by Roberto Clemente was the final at-bat for the legendary right fielder in the Midsummer Classic. Following the conclusion of the next season, Clemente was killed in a plane crash while trying to assist victims of a devastating Nicaraguan earthquake.

The American League's 6-4 victory over the National League in the 1971 All-Star Game was its only victory in the Midsummer Classic during the 1970s.

Flyers-Capitals: Horrendous, Downright Criminal Officiating Dooms Washington

Thomas Cogliano — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:21:48 -0400

First, the officials called a ticky-tacky tripping call against the Capitals after already attempting to kill a four-minute double minor high-sticking penalty against Federov with the game tied 1-1 late in the first period. Fortunately, the Flyers did not convert on that 2-man advantage.

Then, the officials refused to wash out the go-ahead goal netted by the Flyers halfway through the second period even though there was obvious goalie interference against Cristobal Huet. It was a goal that should never have counted.

Next, the officials wanted to be cute and called a ticky-tacky tripping penalty in OVERTIME IN GAME 7 [what morons these officials were!!!]. That gave the Flyers a power play which was converted by Jeffrey Lupal for the game-winning goal.

Once again, we witness a group of officials that desired to get themselves in the score sheet with their HORRENDOUS officiating. They ruined what was supposed to be a great game. Do not get me wrong! If the Flyers won fair and square, I would be the first to congratulate them. But, the officials tainted this game.

Washington Nationals: Progress...er... Regress Report

Thomas Cogliano — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:55:31 -0400

Three weeks into the 2008 season, the Washington Nationals find themselves in last place in the NL East with a dismal 5-14 record. A few readers here may remember that shortly before this season began, I wrote a piece predicting that the Nationals would end up division champions at the end of this season. For the first time in human history, fans for both the Mets and Phillies found common ground: to antagonize me for my optimism for Nationals' glory. Despite the fact that many such fans are gloating with "I told you so" exclamations at my expense for the Nationals' dismal start, I stand by my prediction. I still think that the Nats have the tools and weapons at their disposal to make a bold run for the division crown this season. Remember, a baseball season is 162 games long, not 19. Plenty of baseball remains this season...PLENTY!

Now, I am going to issue a Report Card for the Nats based on five categories: hitting, fielding, baserunning, starting pitching, and relief pitching.

1. Hitting = D- : The Nats have failed again and again thus far in coming through in the clutch. Although the Nats have had glimpses and patches this season of offensive prowess, there have only been a couple innings thus far where they have collected more than 1 hit. Lastings Milledge has been the only bright spot offensively so far. Ryan Zimmerman and Nick Johnson have failed to be the clutch players they are supposed to be. Since coming off the DL, Wily Mo Pena is 3 for 23.

2. Fielding = D+ : A team cannot commit 3 errors in one game in a losing effort to the pathetic Florida Marlins and expect to have respect. In addition, Ronnie Belliard's abominable fielding error at Shea Stadium with 2 outs in the bottom of the eighth inning allowed for the Mets to come back and tie the Nationals in a critical division game earlier last week. Little mistakes like defensive miscues explain why the Nats lost 4 consecutive 1-run defeats a few weeks ago.

3. Baserunning = F : Since when does a 23-year old get a "green light" on the base paths to steal at will? PATHETIC! Lastings Milledge has ABUSED that right already by being picked off the base paths twice and in addition being caught stealing third base in a critical inning at Shea Stadium last week.

4. Starting Pitching = B+ : This is the only bright spot for the Nationals so far. Tim Redding has 2 wins already. Odalis Perez has cashed in 3 quality starts so far and should have had a win on Opening Night if not for Paul Lo Duca's lazy pass ball in the ninth inning which allowed the Braves to tie the game. John Lannan, who was called up to replace the already struggling Jason Bergman, struck out 11 batters in a single solid start against the Mets in Shea last week and also should have had a win until Belliard's textbook fielding error in the eighth.

5. Relief Pitching = F : The Nats currently have no closer. Chad Cordero lost his closer role when his fastball was being clocked at 76 m.p.h., which was at least 12 m.p.h. slower than his fastball from last season. Manny Acta named John Rauch as the new closer for this season. However, Rauch already has 2 blown saves.

This Report Card is dismal; however, I stand by my prediction that the Nats will win the NL East. They do have weapons to pull off an incredible winning drive through the summer months. Unfortunately, they are going through growing pains currently. Let the hits come where they may!

What's Wrong with MLB's Wild Card

Thomas Cogliano — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:42:48 -0400

As a baseball traditionalist, I despise the current postseason format in its entirety.

In 1994, it was announced that there was going to be three divisions with a best-of-five League Division Series to determine the two teams to compete in the best-of-seven LCS, instead of having two divisions and a best-of-seven League Championship Series to determine the pennant winner.

To complete the format, each league was going to have a wild card spot for the best non-division leading team. Thus, an extra round of playoffs was born, the League Division Series (LDS).

But, perhaps a better word for the first round is LSD because it is SO INSANELY STUPID!

The LDS has imposed parity in the postseason format that did not exist before.

Even though I am a traditionalist, I had no problem with LCS play from two division winners prior to 1994. At least fans could be assured that two quality teams were competing for the pennant.

However, with the introduction of the LDS, sometimes the best team does not get to represent its league in the World Series. The Wild Card team receives footing equal to that of the No. 1 team in the entire league.

In each World Series since 2002, at least one wild card team has appeared in the Fall Classic.

In 2002, the World Series featured two wild card teams: Angels (AL) v. Giants (NL). The Angels won the World Series in seven games.

In 2003, the National League pennant winner was a wild card team: Yankees (AL) v. Marlins (NL). The Marlins won in six games in the World Series.

In 2004, the American League pennant winner was a wild card team: Red Sox (AL) v. St. Louis Cardinals (NL). The Red Sox won the World Series in a four-game sweep.

In 2005, the National League pennant winner was a wild card team: White Sox (AL) v. Astros (NL). The White Sox won the World Series in a four-game sweep.

In 2006, the American League pennant winner was a wild card team: Tigers (AL) v. Cardinals (NL). The Cardinals won the World Series in five games.

In 2007, the National League pennant winner was a wild card team: Red Sox (AL) v. Rockies (NL). The Red Sox won the World Series in a four-game sweep.

Why have the wild card teams been able to do so very well in the playoffs? I can offer three specific reasons:

1. The LDS is a best-of-five series, which is WAY TOO SHORT. It should be at the very least a best-of-seven series!

2. The wild card team should face the No. 1 team in its league. However, there is a rule that if the No. 1 team in the league happens to be in the same division as the wild card team, the wild card team faces the No. 2 team in the league in the LDS and the No. 1 team faces the No. 3 team.

That is stupid! It actually punishes the No. 1 team who has to face a division winning team in the opening round.

3. Parity in the playoff format gives no advantage to the No. 1 team in the league.

Here is my solution: Get rid of the wild card completely. Keep the divisions the way they are and have three division winners per league!

The No. 1 team should be given an automatic berth in the LCS. That team will face the winner of a best-of-seven LDS between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams.

Murderers' Row Reincarnate: 2008 Detroit Tigers

Thomas Cogliano — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:32:47 -0400

The 1927 New York Yankees have always been considered the quintessential team of the Twentieth Century.

Nicknamed "Murderers’ Row,” the 1927 Yankees, led by their crushing batting lineup, cruised to the American League pennant by finishing the season 19 games above the second place Philadelphia Athletics.

The team won 110 of the 154 games it played during that season. The Yankees led all of Major League Baseball (both American League and National League) in a plethora of categories: home runs, triples, team batting average, team slugging average, and team wins.

But perhaps the most famous feature of the 1927 Yankees was their ferocious batting lineup.

Two power-hitting Hall of Famers, Babe Ruth (OF), who smashed 60 home runs in 1927, and Lou Gehrig (1B), who smashed 47 home runs in 1927, anchored the lineup.

Besides these two, the Yankees featured a series of clutch hitters: Tony Lazzeri (2B), Mark Koenig (SS), Joe Dugan (3B), Earle Combs (OF), Bob Meusal (OF), and Pat Collins (C).

Of these eight players, Joe Dugan posted the lowest batting average of the bunch at .269. Think about that; the lowest batting average posted by a member of the starting eight for the 1927 Yankees was .269.

Only Joe Dugan, Mark Koenig, and Pat Collins posted batting averages below .300. The other five members of the team’s starting eight posted batting averages well above .300. In fact, three players, Earle Combs, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig, posted batting averages above .350.

As a definitive exclamation mark to their historic season, the New York Yankees went on to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates in four straight games in the 1927 World Series.

What was the point of this summary?

In 2008, Major League Baseball is about to witness the reincarnation of the "Murderers’ Row."

Where is that great team? In the Motor City, home of the Detroit Tigers.

With the lineup the Tigers have going for this season, Jim Leyland and company will be in a terrific position to become an absolute dynasty for at least the next five seasons.

Let us examine the starting nine for the Detroit Tigers this season.

1. Curtis Granderson (CF): One of the fastest players in baseball is a potential leader in stolen bases.

2. Placido Polanco (2B): The terrific hitter and slick infielder batted .341 last season.

3. Magglio Ordonez (RF): The defending AL Batting Champion posted a .363 average in 2007.

4. Miguel Cabrera (3B): The all-time home run leader for the Florida Marlins will surely blast balls again.

5. Gary Sheffield (DH): The veteran slugger is renowned for tape-measure, gopher-ball shots.

6. Carlos Guillen (1B): He batted .296 last season and has underrated defensive talents.

7. Edgar Renteria (SS): The fantastic defensive player batted .332 last season for the Atlanta Braves.

8. Ivan Rodriguez (C): He is arguably the greatest defensive catcher of all time.

9. Jacque Jones (LF): The clutch-hitting veteran will look to repeat his prime performances from his days with the Twins and Cubs

Last season was a fluke season for the Tigers, who did poorly with essentially the same team that won the American League pennant two years ago.

But the Tigers improved in the offseason picking up Miguel Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, and Dontrelle Willis, all former All-Stars and World Series champions. And several were a part of that pennant-winning 2006 club.

So this team is filled with players with October experience. And having a lot of October experience matters; just ask last year’s Red Sox, who cruised to their second World Series title.

P.S. To all of you Cleveland Indian fans out there, I do predict that the Indians will make the playoffs...as the wild card.

Rube Walker Should Be in the Baseball Hall of Fame

Thomas Cogliano — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:30:13 -0400

Before I begin, I would like to make this point loud and clear. Rube Walker was my grandfather; however, I am not posting this to brag or boast. I am writing this article because it is the right thing to do for a great pioneer of the greatest game ever invented.

My grandfather Albert "Rube" Walker should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York for his accomplishments to the game as a pitching coach. However, if you add up the number of years he devoted to the game of Major League Baseball as a player, pitching coach, and scout, he was active in the game for nearly 50 years.

His playing career was mediocre, but I will summarize what I can regarding his playing days. Rube Walker's playing career began at the age of 22 in 1948 as a starting catcher for the Chicago Cubs. That season he hit .275 in 79 games played with 5 homeruns and 26 RBIs but only 17 strikeouts against 24 walks.

He was traded shortly before the 1951 season to the Brooklyn Dodgers and served as a backup catcher to future Hall of Famer Roy Campanella. He started all three games of the 1951 playoffs against the New York Giants and hit a homerun in the second game of that series (the only game the Dodgers won in that series). He had the misfortune of being the catcher during the Bobby Thompson homerun in game three of that series on October 3, 1951. But for the record, he did not call the pitch Ralph Branca delivered to Thompson in that famous (or infamous) at-bat [he said so].

He was a member of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodger world series championship team, although he did not have an at-bat in that famous 1955 World Series. The very next year in the 1956 World Series, Rube Walker actually had two pinch-hit at-bats (unfortunately he went 0 for 2 in that series). He continued to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers through their move to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. After playing one season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958, he retired.

But his real legacy occurred as a pitching coach. He went on to become a pitching coach for the Washington Senators, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves. With the New York Mets, he revolutionized baseball by inventing the five-man pitching rotation. With the help of manager Gil Hodges and pitching coach Rube Walker, the Amazing Mets of 1969 won the World Series by upsetting the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles four games to one.

Four years later, under manager Yogi Berra and pitching coach Rube Walker, the Mets won another National League pennant and were one game away from winning a second world series title only to lose in seven games to the Oakland Athletics. As pitching coach for the Mets, Rube Walker helped groom young pitching prospects into becoming future Hall of Famers such as Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan.

Later, he helped groom another famous pitcher into a future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro when he served as Atlanta's pitching coach.

When he became a pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves, he served manager Joe Torre in the early 1980s and helped Atlanta win the National League West division title in 1982 before losing to the eventual World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS that year. Following his stint with Joe Torre's Braves, he went on to become a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals where he remained employed until his death on December 12, 1992.

Major League Baseball has in the past inducted managers, umpires, and sportswriters into the Hall of Fame. Why not induct pitching coaches? Why not induct the man who invented the five-man pitching rotation? Why not induct the man who schooled three future Hall of Fame pitchers while a pitching coach? Furthermore, why have the Mets not inducted this man in their own Hall of Fame given how he put the Mets on the map of baseball's elite teams?

The Washington Nationals: The Soon-To-Be NL East Champions

Thomas Cogliano — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:28:41 -0400

In the final two weeks of the 2007 season, the Washington Nationals dictated the exciting division race between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.

By defeating the Mets in five of their final six meetings and edging the Phillies twice in the final week of the season, the Nationals set the stage for a potential one-game playoff between those two franchises to determine the division champion.

However, Tom Glavine got tattooed by the "fodder franchise of the NL East," the Florida Marlins in the final game of the season. That loss gave the Phillies the division and the Mets a historic late-season collapse.

The collapse of the Mets placed their manager, Willie Randolph, on job security and mercifully provided Phillies' embattled manager, Charlie Manuel, a much-needed reprieve.

But, make no mistake about it, both Randolph and Manuel are under the microscope this season.

For Randolph, he is under extreme pressure to right the wrongs of the past two seasons: A disappointing exit in the NLCS by a weaker St. Louis Cardinal team in 2006, and an epic late-season collapse that rivaled the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers in 2007.

For Manuel, he is under the scrutiny of characteristically overanxious Philadelphia sports fans, who are eager for a winner in the City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia has not had a championship team in any sport since 1983, and despite winning the division last season, the Phillies' untimely exit in the Division Series by way of a three-game sweep by the wild card Colorado Rockies places Manuel under the firing gun of the organization.

Remember, this is the same Philadelphia fanbase that booed and jeered Mike Schmidt when he posted a disappointing performance in the 1983 World Series when the Phillies dropped a five-game series to the Baltimore Orioles. This was the same Schmidt that helped the Phillies earn their first and, thus far, only World Series title three years earlier.

In Philadelphia, sports fans judge their athletes on one and only one criterion: What have you done for me lately? For Manuel, the answer currently is nothing.

On the other hand, the Nationals come into 2008 with no scrutiny at all.

With a young, but now seasoned, pitching rotation, an intimidating bullpen anchored by one of the National League's best closers (Chad Cordero), and a batting lineup filled with clutch-hitting veterans such as Ryan Zimmerman, Dmitri Young, and Christian Guzman, the Nats are highly probable to take the National League East this year.

The new ballpark in downtown D.C. provides a contrast in outfield dimensions than did its ancient predecessor, RFK Stadium. The shorter porches in left and right field provide power hitters such as Zimmerman and Young to post career high home run numbers in 2008.

Zimmerman successfully cracked the 20-home run mark in each of the past two seasons, while the Nats called RFK home. Imagine the numbers Zimmerman will post at Nationals Park with an open-air stadium and reasonable outfield dimensions left field to right field!

Nick Johnson posted his career high in homers in 2006 when he blasted 23, most of them at RFK. Should Johnson receive regular playing time, imagine the numbers he will post at Nationals Park. This is a season for tremendous statistical opportunity for many in the Nationals' batting order.

Finally, it should be noted that with a new stadium comes new fervor.

In 2005, the entire country saw the kind of fervor the Nats provided the baseball-hungry fanbase of the Washington, DC area. That surge of support left the Nats in late June that season 19 games above .500 and four games up over the then-second place Philadelphia Phillies.

The fervor settled down over the course of the next two seasons; however, in 2008, that fervor will return with a new stadium. And, yet, in spite of the expected surge in fervor, the Nats are projected to finish at best third in the NL East behind the Mets and Phillies.

What these analysts fail to comprehend is that the pressures for high expectations for Randolph and Manuel will hinder the progress of the Mets and Phillies.

On the other hand, the laissez-faire managerial style of the charismatic Manny Acta and the upbeat clubhouse attitude of the Nationals with a revitalized D.C. fanbase will bring back memories of the summer of 2005.

Only this time, the Nats will hold on to first place!!!