Carlos Beltran traded to SF
Zack Wheeler traded to NYM
I love this trade in favor of the San Francisco Giants. In an effort to defend their World Series championship last season, they had to add another bat after Buster Posey went down for the season in May, and the bats from last year disappeared. The Giants have scored the least amount of runs in the National League besides the lowly San Diego Padres.
The only prominent bats in the Giants lineup this year were Aubrey Huff and Pablo Sandoval. If they wanted to score runs off of the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves in the playoffs, they needed a bat that could wake up this offense. Beltran is the man to do that, bringing a bat that can hit .300 with 25 HR and 100 RBI. He would lead the Giants in all of those categories if he played with them for an entire season, and with pitchers attempting to go around him, it will only benefit Sandoval and Huff.
Also, the Giants will need Beltran to perform well on the big stage in the playoffs. He is a regular customer, hitting .366 with 11 HR and 19 RBI in 22 postseason games. Although Beltran is a free agent after the season, this rental is through October and if they can’t resign him, they will get a Type A free-agent compensation in the draft that could offset the loss of Zack Wheeler.
Wheeler is a major gain for the New York Mets farm system. Having said that, the Giants should be thrilled that they get to hold on to their center fielder for the future in Gary Brown. Brown possesses game-changing speeds, and with his ability to get on base, he will be the perfect leadoff man for the next 10-15 years once he reaches the Majors in the next two to three years. Wheeler was the sixth overall pick in the 2009 draft, but he has shown some command problems in high-A ball. This season he has struck out 98 in 88 innings with his 94-97 mph fastball and strong changeup and curveballs, but he has also walked 47. Albeit he should develop into a strong #2 or #3 pitcher, the Giants are loaded with pitching and they were able to hold onto my projection the better prospect.
Other Trades:
Kosuke Fukudome traded to CLE
2 prospects traded to CHI
I think the Chicago Cubs got away with a fast one on this deal. As they are out of a playoff chase this season, they need to start building for the future and no better way to start than making regular playing time for Tyler Colvin. Although the Cubs only got two mid-level prospects, Fukudome is an impending free agent and I don’t think the Cubs were going to even make an offer to retain him. Thus, instead of getting possible Type-B compensation in next year’s draft, they make room for Colvin’s future.
The Cleveland Indians are in a free-fall after their hot start, but they still have a chance in the weak AL Central division. With Grady Sizemore landing on the disabled list again, Fukudome should be a decent bat at the top of the order to provide a spark and he should be an upgrade to Ezequiel Carrera. Although this is only a two-month rental, the Indians have a shot at the playoffs and credit to their front office for not giving up too much while still aiming for a shot to return to the top of the AL Central.
Colby Rasmus to TOR
Trever Miller to TOR
Brian Tallet to TOR
P.J. Walters to TOR
Mark Teahen to TOR
Edwin Jackson to STL
Marc Rzepcynski to STL
Octavio Dotel to STL
Corey Patterson to STL
3 players TBD/cash to STL from TOR
Jason Frasor to CWS
Zach Stewart to CWS
I paired all of these players as a part of a three-team deal after Toronto used both teams to improve upon its future. Chicago traded Teahen’s bad contract and a decent starter in Edwin Jackson but it doesn’t help them this season and has to make people question whether they believe they have a real shot at the playoffs. Frasor has been a decent reliever for the Blue Jays this season, but I’m not sure whether he is good enough to provide a significant upgrade to the White Sox bullpen. Zach Stewart has been traded to his third organization although he is graded as a top prospect. He strikes out a lot of hitters with his low-90s fastball, mid-80s slider, and a developing changeup. I think he projects to be more of a setup man or closer, but he is still a year away from contributing in the Majors.
Toronto has been regarded as the big winners in this three-team deal, and I must agree. Colby Rasmus has to potential to be a 20/20 outfielder and if they are going to compete with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees every season, they had to grab talent for the future. Trever Miller and Brian Tallet are not going to be a part of the Blue Jays in the future, but I like how they acquired P.J. Walters. Walters is going to be a great reliever for years to come with his ability to strikeout hitters with his 77-79 mph changeup that sinks and he forces a strong number of groundouts. Overall, Toronto did a great job to improve for their future without giving up much more than one prospect.
The St. Louis Cardinals are in it to win right now, and with no regards towards their future. Although if they lose Albert Pujols they won’t be at the top of the NL Central every season, they improved their bullpen with Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepcynski. Rzepcynski has been pitching well this season with his ability to force groundouts and has held opposing hitters to a .201 batting average. Dotel will never be the reliever and closer that he use to be but if the Cardinals can acquire Heath Bell, this will be a strong enough bullpen that should give them a strong chance to compete with the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers for the division title.
Other hot targets:
B.J. Upton
A player that I though would command better offers but Upton has a strong possibility of staying with the Rays through the deadline. The Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies have expressed interest. The problem with Upton is that Hunter Pence is a cheaper alternative that some teams like more. Upton would bring a impact bat to the Atlanta Braves who will need more offense after Brian McCann went to the DL, but their front office doesn’t seem likely to part ways with a top prospect.
Heath Bell
There are numerous rumors stating that the Padres are frustrated that Bell hasn’t received better offers, and now may actually hold onto him and Mike Adams. The Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals are in the mix to trade for him, with Bell preferring to go to the Cardinals to remain as the closer. The Cardinals also have the better farm system compared to the Rangers, but I will be surprised if the Padres hold onto Bell by the deadline.
Ubaldo Jimenez
Several teams are interested in the disappointing Jimenez, which makes you wonder how much interest he would have commanded last season. Although he isn’t having the greatest season, the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians are in favorites to make the trade. If the Yankees offer Jesus Montero, who would crush the ball at Coors Field, I think Jimenez is theirs, however, the Indians are the team that needs him the most if they want to compete for the AL Central.
Denard Span
Span has been the target by the Washington Nationals, and it would allow the Minnesota Twins to give more playing time to Ben Revere and open up a possible future for Aaron Hicks. However, the question is how much the Nationals would have to give up to acquire Span. With the prototypical leadoff man for the Nationals, the Twins want Drew Storen. According to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, the Nationals will not part ways with Storen, increasing the probability that Span will stay in a Twins’ uniform.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Vlog: Debt Ceiling speeches
On Monday night, President Barack Obama and John Boehner gave their speeches on the current debt ceiling situation. Here's my take:
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Bobby's World: July 23, 2011
Welcome to the first installment of my new weekly sports column “Bobby’s World.” I’m hoping to make this a regular column that will appear on my blog every Saturday afternoon, which will recap the week mainly in sports and a quick dabble in politics. Hopefully you will enjoy reading, and feel free to drop a comment on which sections that you like or dislike. I will probably be making plenty of changes to this column throughout the year.
Headlines
In this section, I’m just going to digest three-to-five headlines and give my two cents about them.
College sports: Pay for play?
Players are being investigated, and caught more than ever for accepting improper benefits, which is causing several major football and basketball programs across the nation to be sanctioned. The root of all these problems is the question, should college athletes be paid?
I don’t buy it. A scholarship suffices the need for 98 percent of college athletes, preventing them from breaking amateur rules and taking improper benefits. Yes, I agree it's tough for a player to turn down getting paid for an autograph, or receiving a free tattoo. But, what makes a college athlete entitled to receive more free benefits when they are already awarded a free college education?
In a time with more students taking student loans, high tuition prices, and a high average cost of living, I have no sympathy that an athlete is denied from making any extra money. If they are a special talent, they will turn to the professional ranks and make their money that way. Another problem with the “pay-for-play” idea is how would go about paying all of the college’s athletes. This argument was tailor-made for football and men’s basketball players, but what about volleyball, tennis, track, swimming, etc.?
Tim Tebow was the face at the University of Florida, and although his jersey was the number one sold at the school, he didn’t receive payments just because it was his jersey. If you argue that he should be paid because it is his jersey, do you think you will hear any sympathy arguments from the men and women who are working multiple jobs to pay for their college education? Do you think that the students that will be ridden with years of debt from student loans care if he is making any extra money?
Again, I don’t see the big reason for college athletes to be paid. If an athlete’s family is struggling to make it through this economy, I doubt he would be the only one on campus that is struggling.
The media has driven this issue up because of the numerous agents and athletes trying to sneak around the NCAA to make money, but they represent such a small portion of college athletes. They may be some of the most popular athletes, but they don’t represent every fish in the ocean.
Another idea on how to pay college athletes was suggested by Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun, highlighted in Pat Forde’s article against paying college athletes. Calhoun brought up the idea that athletes should be paid about a $2,000 stipend after they graduate. However, why should only athletes be rewarded for graduating? That should be expected because every other student in the school is striving for graduation as well.
I’m against preferential treatment for athletes and I don’t think that they should be paid. As the old commercial use to say, 99 percent of athletes turn professional in something other than sports. We shouldn’t change the rules for the one percent that are.
Dodgers are doomed
After moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the Dodgers are the royalty of the west coast. The most storied franchise in California has been dealt a major blow, possibly knocking them off of their throne. Although the Dodgers haven’t been as competitive in recent years, it is nothing compared to the embarrassment that the McCourt’s divorce is causing right now.
A Delaware judge ruled Friday that he would reject the Dodgers’ proposed $150 million bankruptcy financing plan, and MLB’s commissioner Bud Selig wrote a scathing letter towards owner Frank McCourt.
MLB rejected a multi-billion TV deal with Fox Sports that McCourt was hoping to use to pay off his debt. However, MLB didn’t want McCourt to be ending old debt with new debt and thus staying in the same position while also adding stress to its main television provider. Also Selig wanted the Dodgers to hold leverage, as its deal with Fox doesn’t expire until the end of 2012, which would make it an attractive luxury to any television provider.
Selig wrote to McCourt, “Despite your pledge to make the Dodgers the ‘best franchise in baseball,’ you are not selling the club’s media rights … to improve the club’s on-field performance, renovate Dodger Stadium or enhance the fan experience.” McCourt is also being investigated by the IRS specifically for his tax returns from 2006 to 2008.
McCourt does not want to negotiate with MLB because he believes that Selig is attempting to take control of the team and force a sale. Last week, McCourt fired former Dodger and San Diego Padre great Steve Garvey for plotting to become the next majority owner of the Dodgers.
McCourt is in a vicious divorce with his ex-wife Jamie, whom they fought for ownership of the Dodgers along with other important items.
The ones impacted by these proceedings are mainly the team and the fans. The Dodgers can’t be buyers in free-agency due to the problems with ownership and the fact that they can’t add any more money. Employees of the Dodgers have complained that some of their checks have been bouncing, which is not the publicity that storied franchise such as the Dodgers needs, and in this economy, won’t make many employees happy. The fans are suffering because the Dodgers aren’t competitive this season. Currently, Los Angeles is 13 games under .500 and 13.5 games back in the NL West division.
What is even more unfortunate for the Dodgers is their lack of a strong farm system. The only way that they will be able to improve in the next couple of years will be through trades and free agency. However, if they don’t have money to spend for the next year, they won’t be improving at all and will be falling behind the rest of the National League. Once this drama is settled, the new general manager is going to have a long and tall task ahead of him to improve the Dodgers, especially since Los Angeles isn’t the most patient town for production (unless you are the LA Clippers).
The Dodgers and their fans deserve much more than they are receiving right now from the ownership point of view. MLB should impeach Frank McCourt from owner of the team, and allow Mark Cuban or any other investor an opportunity to own the Dodgers, and give the team a better chance to compete on the field, increase the fan experience, and revitalize the storied history of the franchise.
Owners and NFLPA still don’t have a deal
After an owners vote Thursday, NFL fans began to get excited for the upcoming season, after NFL owners locked out their players on March 12th. Although there were several court rulings over last couple of months, fans waited patiently for the final good news that would start the season again. With the owners vote on Thursday, fans thought they finally heard the news they were waiting for.
Well unfortunately, the NFLPA was shocked at the owners vote and still are not as close as previously thought. Although the NFL season should start up soon, this labor dispute is ridiculous in my mind.
Unlike most of the other major sports, the NFL is on the meteoric rise. They made over $9 billion last year, and I don’t expect that number to fall any time soon. However, this dispute is more over how to split that $9 billion compared to the NBA, who is trying to make more money to break even for all of the teams losing money.
Everybody knew an NFL season was going to happen, there was too much to lose and not much to win with a prolonged dispute. Without a season, fans would flock to other sports (i.e. MLB’s strike in 1994 lost fans that still haven’t returned).
With a season, the NFL stands to make at least $9 billion more dollars to split between the two. However, my only problem is the fact that NFL owners and the NFLPA took so long to get close to a deal when really there is no losing side in this dispute.
Another problem I have with this dispute is the tactics that each other attempted to gain the side of the public. The owners approved nearly unanimously to the proposed CBA (collective bargaining agreement) on Thursday, which excited the fans. However, the NFLPA said the owners changed the terms of the proposed CBA and weren’t going to vote and explained, successfully, to the public that the owners were guilty of dirty tactics and shouldn’t be trusted.
I don’t know who is right in this argument and don’t have a side of the fence that I want to stand on. Its just this labor dispute has gone on far too long about nothing, and I, along with millions of fans, want to see the NFL underway. The NFLPA and owners should be less concerned on the winners of the future CBA in the public’s eyes, and more concerned about just playing football.
Blyleven and Alomar enter Hall of Fame
Two different sides of the spectrum will be entering the Hall of Fame Sunday. Roberto Alomar, one of the best second basemen in baseball history, garnered 90 percent of the votes in his second year of eligibility. On the other side, Bert Blyleven, one of the best strikeout pitchers with his devastating curveball, grabbed 79.7 percent of the vote in his 14th season on the ballot after missing the Hall of Fame by only five votes last year.
Alomar may have been robbed of an induction last year because of the incident in September of 1996 when he spit on an umpire. However, nobody can dispute the fact that Alomar is one of the best second basemen to play baseball with 12 consecutive All-Star appearances, 10 gold gloves, 2,724 hits, 474 stolen bases, and that he won two World Series.
Blyleven received little support when he first was up for vote for the Hall of Fame (17.5 percent and 14.1 percent in his first two years). Blyleven was only inducted into two All-Star games, and in the top-3 for the Cy Young Award twice. Although he struck out 3,701 batters, he won just over 53 percent of his games (287-250).
However, thanks to statistics beyond wins-and-losses, many voters saw Blyleven now as better pitcher than they did when he first entered the ballot. For this reason, it justifies the reason why players appear on the Hall of Fame ballot for 15 years (as long as they receive 5 percent of the vote).
Although both Hall of Famers entered at different perspectives from their careers, the voters made the right decision in voting both of them in. Alomar will always be one of the best second basemen that I had the pleasure of watching, and Blyleven, although I was never able to watch him pitch, showed that Sabermetrics (advanced baseball statistics), will be the new way players are judged on their careers.
Next year’s class may not have any players reach the coveted Hall of Fame with a weak incoming class. The best player eligible for the 2012 ballot is Bernie Williams, but he doesn’t have the numbers to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Barry Larkin should inch closer to the 75 percent vote that he needs to be inducted, but I think the 12-time All-Star may be forced to wait another two-to-four years.
Larkin deserves to enter the Hall of Fame but the upcoming classes bring in some big names that may steal the spotlight and votes from Larkin. In 2013, Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa are going to collect all of the attention, especially Bonds and Clemens. It doesn’t ease up over the next three years (2014-2016) with the likes of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, Trevor Hoffman, and Ken Griffey Jr. becoming eligible.
Games at a Glance
This spot in my column is to look at last week’s important games, and a look towards next week’s matchups that are worth paying attention to. Because it is the first week of this column, I will take a look at the MLB standings and give a quick breakdown before highlighting next week’s matchups.
AL East: The top two records in the American League belong to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. No surprise there, but after a dismal start the Red Sox should be considered the favorite to win the AL pennant. The Tampa Bay Rays lurk from behind, but I think they are too far away (8.5 games) to make a run to the top.
AL Central: I’m shocked about how bad this division is this year. Detroit and Cleveland are at the top but both show signs that they could fade into the back at any moment. I think Detroit will stay at the top by the time the season ends. White Sox and Twins aren’t too far behind, but White Sox have better hitting that could heat up in time to provide an opportunity to win the division.
AL West: The Texas Rangers showed that losing Cliff Lee wasn’t the end of the world, and that they could return to the World Series. The L.A. Angels are doing much better than I thought they would fare this season, but I like Texas a little bit better due to last year’s experience.
NL East: The Philadelphia Phillies stand atop the division, which every person in the world thought they would. The Atlanta Braves are in prime position to win the wild-card, and should be able to pull it off after they have been so successful throughout injuries this season. Fredi Gonzalez has done an underrated job as manager for the Braves.
NL Central: This division has been awful this season, which means several teams have a chance to stand at the top by the end of the season. The Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds are my favorites to battle it out because the Brewers have the firepower to compete every night and have solid pitching. The Reds’ have been inconsistent this season but they are completely capable of heating up to win this division easily. The Pittsburgh Pirates are the best story in baseball this year, but are still two years away for contending for a World Series, due to overachieving pitchers. The St. Louis Cardinals are in the mix, but I’m not a huge fan of their pitching and bullpen.
NL West: The defending World Series champions San Francisco Giants are in the driver’s seat and should have a strong chance of competing with the Phillies for the NL pennant. Arizona is performing much better than they should and Colorado has been disappointing this season.
Next Week:
Pittsburgh at Atlanta, July 25th to July 28th: If the Pirates want to be known as a contender, they need beat a major contender on the road.
Detroit at Chicago White Sox, July 25th to July 27th: This series, in Chicago, will decide whether Detroit takes a commanding lead at the top of the AL Central, or the White Sox will be storming back to the top.
San Francisco at Philadelphia, July 26th to July 28th: Both teams are atop of the division, and this could be the match-up for the NLCS. It will be interesting to see which team takes the momentum.
Standing on the Hill
In this section of my column, I will break down one issue in politics (two this week due to the debt ceiling talks), or I will explain my own views and the reasons I feel that way. Eventually I want to break down Presidential candidates in this section.
Debt Ceiling Talks Fail
In one of the more simple tasks for Congress in the past couple of decades is causing uproar in Washington thanks to the people. Before I bring up my feelings towards Capitol Hill and the White House on the current debt negotiations, I want to state that the debt ceiling would not be an issue without the Tea Party.
Republican Ronald Reagan raised the debt ceiling 19 times under his presidency. George W. Bush raised the debt ceiling nine times under his presidency. Neither of them faced any opposition towards raising the debt ceiling.
Although President Obama is spending more than any president before him (although that doesn’t count for inflation), the only reason that the debt ceiling is an issue right now is because the Tea Party raised a fuss about it.
Now, to my feelings toward these negotiations, which fell apart on Friday and spurred Obama to rip Republicans and its Speaker of the House John Boehner in a press conference. It is almost agreed across the board that a short-term agreement is not going to work and to cut the deficit is going to take some large cuts for the future.
Republicans and Democrats agreed on a number of points for their debt negotiations. First, they agreed $800 billion in revenue increases and certain entitlement reforms. The revenue increases would be fixing the loopholes in the tax code, and entitlement reforms would also be fixing some loopholes.
However, they disagreed over an additional $400 billion in revenue hikes (taxing the rich), and how deep cuts should be made to Medicaid.
The plus when these debt talks fell apart Friday was that the markets had already closed on Friday, not letting a major market fallout begin. However, that adds to the pressure for Congress and the White House to agree to a deal before the market re-opens on Monday.
Although Obama promised to veto any short-term extensions in the past, he is now open to an extension that would last throughout his term into 2013, in order for the United States not to default.
The problems that will ensue after the United States default are not currently known, but nothing positive has an opportunity of happening, yet the negative problems for the market could be endless.
Thus, the pressure increases when the lawmakers meet on Saturday and throughout the weekend. My problem is that Republicans are going to receive the large part of this deal, yet still are aiming for a larger piece of the pie in this deal. Nobody wins if a deal is not made between the two sides and the American people are going to be the ones suffering.
However, Obama has no leverage in this deal. If the United States defaults, and Republicans can efficiently blame him for the lack of economic growth, he will not be re-elected, and the GOP will control Congress and the White House. For Obama to win in this situation, he has to broker a deal between the two sides and see economic growth as a part of these negotiations.
While I agree that nobody in Washington wants to see the United States default, I think one side knows they have the leverage to force the other side into a one-sided deal. The only question is how far they will push their leverage. Here’s to hoping that economic growth can transpire from a bi-partisan agreement.
Obama repeals “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Lost yesterday after the debt ceiling talks became the top story, President Barack Obama certified the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military once it takes effect in 60 days.
Although gay marriage is the largest issue for the LGBT community right now, this is an important step for the United States and its government towards equality for all. For those who supported “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I just want to raise the question, what problems does serving in the military, which is one of the toughest decisions and largest sacrifices for a young man or woman, occur to people that are gay or lesbian compared to heterosexual?
I’m predicting that this era with restrictions against the LGBT community is going to be embarrassing for future generations. I want to remind everyone that African-Americans and whites couldn’t attend the same school until the Brown v. Board of Education decision was made less than 60 years ago. Most African-Americans couldn’t vote until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, less than 50 years ago. The same Civil Rights Act included Title IX, which you can argue whether it is effective for college sports, but you can’t deny that women gained some rights that they deserved through the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Whether people want to argue on gay marriage or not, I think it’s an extremely different issue than serving openly in the military, where these young men and women made incredible sacrifices to serve their country.
I will probably address gay marriage in this column eventually, but in this week’s I’d like to commend President Obama for ending an outrageous policy in the military and working more towards equality for all human beings.
Story time
This section will either be a story from my personal life that I want to share with everybody, or it will be a place that I deal with my pet peeves in a social norm. By the way I say social norms, I will detail a situation in which that needs to be addressed and changed (such as people waiting to get on an elevator should wait until the people in the elevator are all the way out of it).
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Peoria Chiefs’ outfielder Rubi Silva, which was on video and placed on this blog. After researching Silva and watching him in his first couple of weeks, I decided that wanted to interview the outfielder signed from Cuba in Spanish. Well, I didn’t figure that I wouldn’t be able to learn slang and be able to understand him quick enough to do it all by myself, which is why I used a translator to translate his answers back to English.
Now what has to make it tough for the international players in the minor leagues is the lack of friends and family that will visit you during the season. Also, I imagine it has to be extremely difficult to speak a language that isn’t popular in the area. Thus, I was happy to receive a comment on YouTube this week from Silva’s father saying how proud he was of Rubi. I haven’t been able to talk to Silva about the message yet, because the team is currently on a road trip but I’m glad that my interview made it all the way to Chile (that’s where the Youtube profile said he was), and that he has a medium to reach his son. Although it was brief, it was one of the most extremely rewarding experiences that I’ve had in my short career in sports.
Random stat of the week
Albert Pujols hit his first professional career home run in 2000 with the Peoria Chiefs, against the Kane County Cougars (then-affiliate of the Florida Marlins) on April 6th. Who was the pitcher that offered up Pujols first home run of his professional career?
That honor belongs to current Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett.
5 Rants of the week:
In this portion of my column, I will discuss five things that just really frustrate me or changes that I would like to see in sports, politics, or just life in general.
1. Although NFL players have turned the public’s opinion to worry about their health more than ever. As a fan, I still selfishly want to see 18 games played in the regular season. Who wouldn’t love two more weeks of football (or two less weeks of meaningless preseason games)?
2. I’m truly sick of politics being entirely based upon ideologies. A compromise is defined as an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions. To everyone on Capitol Hill: it’s time to make progress without the “my way or the highway” approach.
3. When I’m paying outrageous prices for a flight on an airplane, I would like more than one tiny bag of peanuts, pretzels, or a cookie. Is it that tough to give me a standard bag? I’ll even take fruit snacks.
4. Dear media,
I don’t care where Casey Anthony is staying after she was released from jail. The only people that do care are the nuts trying to harm her. She will speak eventually through a book or television interview, and get an extra 15 minutes of fame. Put the media frenzy to rest.
5. What is with the new Facebook chat? I don’t even understand how use it, and now it takes up a huge block on the side of my page. This is why I have converted to Twitter (you can follow me: @nightengalejr).
Quote of the Week:
Usually this will be filled with a political or sports quote, but because this is my column’s introduction week, I want to put one of my favorite personal quotes.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.”
-- Dr. Seuss
Again, this is my first shot at this new column, so please give any feedback on what you liked or disliked. Thanks for reading and I hope you continue to read this column every Saturday afternoon.
Headlines
In this section, I’m just going to digest three-to-five headlines and give my two cents about them.
College sports: Pay for play?
Players are being investigated, and caught more than ever for accepting improper benefits, which is causing several major football and basketball programs across the nation to be sanctioned. The root of all these problems is the question, should college athletes be paid?
I don’t buy it. A scholarship suffices the need for 98 percent of college athletes, preventing them from breaking amateur rules and taking improper benefits. Yes, I agree it's tough for a player to turn down getting paid for an autograph, or receiving a free tattoo. But, what makes a college athlete entitled to receive more free benefits when they are already awarded a free college education?
In a time with more students taking student loans, high tuition prices, and a high average cost of living, I have no sympathy that an athlete is denied from making any extra money. If they are a special talent, they will turn to the professional ranks and make their money that way. Another problem with the “pay-for-play” idea is how would go about paying all of the college’s athletes. This argument was tailor-made for football and men’s basketball players, but what about volleyball, tennis, track, swimming, etc.?
Tim Tebow was the face at the University of Florida, and although his jersey was the number one sold at the school, he didn’t receive payments just because it was his jersey. If you argue that he should be paid because it is his jersey, do you think you will hear any sympathy arguments from the men and women who are working multiple jobs to pay for their college education? Do you think that the students that will be ridden with years of debt from student loans care if he is making any extra money?
Again, I don’t see the big reason for college athletes to be paid. If an athlete’s family is struggling to make it through this economy, I doubt he would be the only one on campus that is struggling.
The media has driven this issue up because of the numerous agents and athletes trying to sneak around the NCAA to make money, but they represent such a small portion of college athletes. They may be some of the most popular athletes, but they don’t represent every fish in the ocean.
Another idea on how to pay college athletes was suggested by Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun, highlighted in Pat Forde’s article against paying college athletes. Calhoun brought up the idea that athletes should be paid about a $2,000 stipend after they graduate. However, why should only athletes be rewarded for graduating? That should be expected because every other student in the school is striving for graduation as well.
I’m against preferential treatment for athletes and I don’t think that they should be paid. As the old commercial use to say, 99 percent of athletes turn professional in something other than sports. We shouldn’t change the rules for the one percent that are.
Dodgers are doomed
After moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the Dodgers are the royalty of the west coast. The most storied franchise in California has been dealt a major blow, possibly knocking them off of their throne. Although the Dodgers haven’t been as competitive in recent years, it is nothing compared to the embarrassment that the McCourt’s divorce is causing right now.
A Delaware judge ruled Friday that he would reject the Dodgers’ proposed $150 million bankruptcy financing plan, and MLB’s commissioner Bud Selig wrote a scathing letter towards owner Frank McCourt.
MLB rejected a multi-billion TV deal with Fox Sports that McCourt was hoping to use to pay off his debt. However, MLB didn’t want McCourt to be ending old debt with new debt and thus staying in the same position while also adding stress to its main television provider. Also Selig wanted the Dodgers to hold leverage, as its deal with Fox doesn’t expire until the end of 2012, which would make it an attractive luxury to any television provider.
Selig wrote to McCourt, “Despite your pledge to make the Dodgers the ‘best franchise in baseball,’ you are not selling the club’s media rights … to improve the club’s on-field performance, renovate Dodger Stadium or enhance the fan experience.” McCourt is also being investigated by the IRS specifically for his tax returns from 2006 to 2008.
McCourt does not want to negotiate with MLB because he believes that Selig is attempting to take control of the team and force a sale. Last week, McCourt fired former Dodger and San Diego Padre great Steve Garvey for plotting to become the next majority owner of the Dodgers.
McCourt is in a vicious divorce with his ex-wife Jamie, whom they fought for ownership of the Dodgers along with other important items.
The ones impacted by these proceedings are mainly the team and the fans. The Dodgers can’t be buyers in free-agency due to the problems with ownership and the fact that they can’t add any more money. Employees of the Dodgers have complained that some of their checks have been bouncing, which is not the publicity that storied franchise such as the Dodgers needs, and in this economy, won’t make many employees happy. The fans are suffering because the Dodgers aren’t competitive this season. Currently, Los Angeles is 13 games under .500 and 13.5 games back in the NL West division.
What is even more unfortunate for the Dodgers is their lack of a strong farm system. The only way that they will be able to improve in the next couple of years will be through trades and free agency. However, if they don’t have money to spend for the next year, they won’t be improving at all and will be falling behind the rest of the National League. Once this drama is settled, the new general manager is going to have a long and tall task ahead of him to improve the Dodgers, especially since Los Angeles isn’t the most patient town for production (unless you are the LA Clippers).
The Dodgers and their fans deserve much more than they are receiving right now from the ownership point of view. MLB should impeach Frank McCourt from owner of the team, and allow Mark Cuban or any other investor an opportunity to own the Dodgers, and give the team a better chance to compete on the field, increase the fan experience, and revitalize the storied history of the franchise.
Owners and NFLPA still don’t have a deal
After an owners vote Thursday, NFL fans began to get excited for the upcoming season, after NFL owners locked out their players on March 12th. Although there were several court rulings over last couple of months, fans waited patiently for the final good news that would start the season again. With the owners vote on Thursday, fans thought they finally heard the news they were waiting for.
Well unfortunately, the NFLPA was shocked at the owners vote and still are not as close as previously thought. Although the NFL season should start up soon, this labor dispute is ridiculous in my mind.
Unlike most of the other major sports, the NFL is on the meteoric rise. They made over $9 billion last year, and I don’t expect that number to fall any time soon. However, this dispute is more over how to split that $9 billion compared to the NBA, who is trying to make more money to break even for all of the teams losing money.
Everybody knew an NFL season was going to happen, there was too much to lose and not much to win with a prolonged dispute. Without a season, fans would flock to other sports (i.e. MLB’s strike in 1994 lost fans that still haven’t returned).
With a season, the NFL stands to make at least $9 billion more dollars to split between the two. However, my only problem is the fact that NFL owners and the NFLPA took so long to get close to a deal when really there is no losing side in this dispute.
Another problem I have with this dispute is the tactics that each other attempted to gain the side of the public. The owners approved nearly unanimously to the proposed CBA (collective bargaining agreement) on Thursday, which excited the fans. However, the NFLPA said the owners changed the terms of the proposed CBA and weren’t going to vote and explained, successfully, to the public that the owners were guilty of dirty tactics and shouldn’t be trusted.
I don’t know who is right in this argument and don’t have a side of the fence that I want to stand on. Its just this labor dispute has gone on far too long about nothing, and I, along with millions of fans, want to see the NFL underway. The NFLPA and owners should be less concerned on the winners of the future CBA in the public’s eyes, and more concerned about just playing football.
Blyleven and Alomar enter Hall of Fame
Two different sides of the spectrum will be entering the Hall of Fame Sunday. Roberto Alomar, one of the best second basemen in baseball history, garnered 90 percent of the votes in his second year of eligibility. On the other side, Bert Blyleven, one of the best strikeout pitchers with his devastating curveball, grabbed 79.7 percent of the vote in his 14th season on the ballot after missing the Hall of Fame by only five votes last year.
Alomar may have been robbed of an induction last year because of the incident in September of 1996 when he spit on an umpire. However, nobody can dispute the fact that Alomar is one of the best second basemen to play baseball with 12 consecutive All-Star appearances, 10 gold gloves, 2,724 hits, 474 stolen bases, and that he won two World Series.
Blyleven received little support when he first was up for vote for the Hall of Fame (17.5 percent and 14.1 percent in his first two years). Blyleven was only inducted into two All-Star games, and in the top-3 for the Cy Young Award twice. Although he struck out 3,701 batters, he won just over 53 percent of his games (287-250).
However, thanks to statistics beyond wins-and-losses, many voters saw Blyleven now as better pitcher than they did when he first entered the ballot. For this reason, it justifies the reason why players appear on the Hall of Fame ballot for 15 years (as long as they receive 5 percent of the vote).
Although both Hall of Famers entered at different perspectives from their careers, the voters made the right decision in voting both of them in. Alomar will always be one of the best second basemen that I had the pleasure of watching, and Blyleven, although I was never able to watch him pitch, showed that Sabermetrics (advanced baseball statistics), will be the new way players are judged on their careers.
Next year’s class may not have any players reach the coveted Hall of Fame with a weak incoming class. The best player eligible for the 2012 ballot is Bernie Williams, but he doesn’t have the numbers to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Barry Larkin should inch closer to the 75 percent vote that he needs to be inducted, but I think the 12-time All-Star may be forced to wait another two-to-four years.
Larkin deserves to enter the Hall of Fame but the upcoming classes bring in some big names that may steal the spotlight and votes from Larkin. In 2013, Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa are going to collect all of the attention, especially Bonds and Clemens. It doesn’t ease up over the next three years (2014-2016) with the likes of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, Trevor Hoffman, and Ken Griffey Jr. becoming eligible.
Games at a Glance
This spot in my column is to look at last week’s important games, and a look towards next week’s matchups that are worth paying attention to. Because it is the first week of this column, I will take a look at the MLB standings and give a quick breakdown before highlighting next week’s matchups.
AL East: The top two records in the American League belong to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. No surprise there, but after a dismal start the Red Sox should be considered the favorite to win the AL pennant. The Tampa Bay Rays lurk from behind, but I think they are too far away (8.5 games) to make a run to the top.
AL Central: I’m shocked about how bad this division is this year. Detroit and Cleveland are at the top but both show signs that they could fade into the back at any moment. I think Detroit will stay at the top by the time the season ends. White Sox and Twins aren’t too far behind, but White Sox have better hitting that could heat up in time to provide an opportunity to win the division.
AL West: The Texas Rangers showed that losing Cliff Lee wasn’t the end of the world, and that they could return to the World Series. The L.A. Angels are doing much better than I thought they would fare this season, but I like Texas a little bit better due to last year’s experience.
NL East: The Philadelphia Phillies stand atop the division, which every person in the world thought they would. The Atlanta Braves are in prime position to win the wild-card, and should be able to pull it off after they have been so successful throughout injuries this season. Fredi Gonzalez has done an underrated job as manager for the Braves.
NL Central: This division has been awful this season, which means several teams have a chance to stand at the top by the end of the season. The Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds are my favorites to battle it out because the Brewers have the firepower to compete every night and have solid pitching. The Reds’ have been inconsistent this season but they are completely capable of heating up to win this division easily. The Pittsburgh Pirates are the best story in baseball this year, but are still two years away for contending for a World Series, due to overachieving pitchers. The St. Louis Cardinals are in the mix, but I’m not a huge fan of their pitching and bullpen.
NL West: The defending World Series champions San Francisco Giants are in the driver’s seat and should have a strong chance of competing with the Phillies for the NL pennant. Arizona is performing much better than they should and Colorado has been disappointing this season.
Next Week:
Pittsburgh at Atlanta, July 25th to July 28th: If the Pirates want to be known as a contender, they need beat a major contender on the road.
Detroit at Chicago White Sox, July 25th to July 27th: This series, in Chicago, will decide whether Detroit takes a commanding lead at the top of the AL Central, or the White Sox will be storming back to the top.
San Francisco at Philadelphia, July 26th to July 28th: Both teams are atop of the division, and this could be the match-up for the NLCS. It will be interesting to see which team takes the momentum.
Standing on the Hill
In this section of my column, I will break down one issue in politics (two this week due to the debt ceiling talks), or I will explain my own views and the reasons I feel that way. Eventually I want to break down Presidential candidates in this section.
Debt Ceiling Talks Fail
In one of the more simple tasks for Congress in the past couple of decades is causing uproar in Washington thanks to the people. Before I bring up my feelings towards Capitol Hill and the White House on the current debt negotiations, I want to state that the debt ceiling would not be an issue without the Tea Party.
Republican Ronald Reagan raised the debt ceiling 19 times under his presidency. George W. Bush raised the debt ceiling nine times under his presidency. Neither of them faced any opposition towards raising the debt ceiling.
Although President Obama is spending more than any president before him (although that doesn’t count for inflation), the only reason that the debt ceiling is an issue right now is because the Tea Party raised a fuss about it.
Now, to my feelings toward these negotiations, which fell apart on Friday and spurred Obama to rip Republicans and its Speaker of the House John Boehner in a press conference. It is almost agreed across the board that a short-term agreement is not going to work and to cut the deficit is going to take some large cuts for the future.
Republicans and Democrats agreed on a number of points for their debt negotiations. First, they agreed $800 billion in revenue increases and certain entitlement reforms. The revenue increases would be fixing the loopholes in the tax code, and entitlement reforms would also be fixing some loopholes.
However, they disagreed over an additional $400 billion in revenue hikes (taxing the rich), and how deep cuts should be made to Medicaid.
The plus when these debt talks fell apart Friday was that the markets had already closed on Friday, not letting a major market fallout begin. However, that adds to the pressure for Congress and the White House to agree to a deal before the market re-opens on Monday.
Although Obama promised to veto any short-term extensions in the past, he is now open to an extension that would last throughout his term into 2013, in order for the United States not to default.
The problems that will ensue after the United States default are not currently known, but nothing positive has an opportunity of happening, yet the negative problems for the market could be endless.
Thus, the pressure increases when the lawmakers meet on Saturday and throughout the weekend. My problem is that Republicans are going to receive the large part of this deal, yet still are aiming for a larger piece of the pie in this deal. Nobody wins if a deal is not made between the two sides and the American people are going to be the ones suffering.
However, Obama has no leverage in this deal. If the United States defaults, and Republicans can efficiently blame him for the lack of economic growth, he will not be re-elected, and the GOP will control Congress and the White House. For Obama to win in this situation, he has to broker a deal between the two sides and see economic growth as a part of these negotiations.
While I agree that nobody in Washington wants to see the United States default, I think one side knows they have the leverage to force the other side into a one-sided deal. The only question is how far they will push their leverage. Here’s to hoping that economic growth can transpire from a bi-partisan agreement.
Obama repeals “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Lost yesterday after the debt ceiling talks became the top story, President Barack Obama certified the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military once it takes effect in 60 days.
Although gay marriage is the largest issue for the LGBT community right now, this is an important step for the United States and its government towards equality for all. For those who supported “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I just want to raise the question, what problems does serving in the military, which is one of the toughest decisions and largest sacrifices for a young man or woman, occur to people that are gay or lesbian compared to heterosexual?
I’m predicting that this era with restrictions against the LGBT community is going to be embarrassing for future generations. I want to remind everyone that African-Americans and whites couldn’t attend the same school until the Brown v. Board of Education decision was made less than 60 years ago. Most African-Americans couldn’t vote until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, less than 50 years ago. The same Civil Rights Act included Title IX, which you can argue whether it is effective for college sports, but you can’t deny that women gained some rights that they deserved through the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Whether people want to argue on gay marriage or not, I think it’s an extremely different issue than serving openly in the military, where these young men and women made incredible sacrifices to serve their country.
I will probably address gay marriage in this column eventually, but in this week’s I’d like to commend President Obama for ending an outrageous policy in the military and working more towards equality for all human beings.
Story time
This section will either be a story from my personal life that I want to share with everybody, or it will be a place that I deal with my pet peeves in a social norm. By the way I say social norms, I will detail a situation in which that needs to be addressed and changed (such as people waiting to get on an elevator should wait until the people in the elevator are all the way out of it).
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Peoria Chiefs’ outfielder Rubi Silva, which was on video and placed on this blog. After researching Silva and watching him in his first couple of weeks, I decided that wanted to interview the outfielder signed from Cuba in Spanish. Well, I didn’t figure that I wouldn’t be able to learn slang and be able to understand him quick enough to do it all by myself, which is why I used a translator to translate his answers back to English.
Now what has to make it tough for the international players in the minor leagues is the lack of friends and family that will visit you during the season. Also, I imagine it has to be extremely difficult to speak a language that isn’t popular in the area. Thus, I was happy to receive a comment on YouTube this week from Silva’s father saying how proud he was of Rubi. I haven’t been able to talk to Silva about the message yet, because the team is currently on a road trip but I’m glad that my interview made it all the way to Chile (that’s where the Youtube profile said he was), and that he has a medium to reach his son. Although it was brief, it was one of the most extremely rewarding experiences that I’ve had in my short career in sports.
Random stat of the week
Albert Pujols hit his first professional career home run in 2000 with the Peoria Chiefs, against the Kane County Cougars (then-affiliate of the Florida Marlins) on April 6th. Who was the pitcher that offered up Pujols first home run of his professional career?
That honor belongs to current Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett.
5 Rants of the week:
In this portion of my column, I will discuss five things that just really frustrate me or changes that I would like to see in sports, politics, or just life in general.
1. Although NFL players have turned the public’s opinion to worry about their health more than ever. As a fan, I still selfishly want to see 18 games played in the regular season. Who wouldn’t love two more weeks of football (or two less weeks of meaningless preseason games)?
2. I’m truly sick of politics being entirely based upon ideologies. A compromise is defined as an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions. To everyone on Capitol Hill: it’s time to make progress without the “my way or the highway” approach.
3. When I’m paying outrageous prices for a flight on an airplane, I would like more than one tiny bag of peanuts, pretzels, or a cookie. Is it that tough to give me a standard bag? I’ll even take fruit snacks.
4. Dear media,
I don’t care where Casey Anthony is staying after she was released from jail. The only people that do care are the nuts trying to harm her. She will speak eventually through a book or television interview, and get an extra 15 minutes of fame. Put the media frenzy to rest.
5. What is with the new Facebook chat? I don’t even understand how use it, and now it takes up a huge block on the side of my page. This is why I have converted to Twitter (you can follow me: @nightengalejr).
Quote of the Week:
Usually this will be filled with a political or sports quote, but because this is my column’s introduction week, I want to put one of my favorite personal quotes.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.”
-- Dr. Seuss
Again, this is my first shot at this new column, so please give any feedback on what you liked or disliked. Thanks for reading and I hope you continue to read this column every Saturday afternoon.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
7-18 pre-game show
On July 18th, I was fortunate enough to host the pre-game show before the Peoria Chiefs faced off against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. The 20:00 minute pre-game show can be played below:
*Note #1: It's not the loudest recording, so it is best to turn the audio player's volume all the way up (on the right).
*Note #2: The audio highlight reel that plays in the first minute was created by me using calls by Chiefs' broadcaster Nathan Baliva from games this season.
*Note #1: It's not the loudest recording, so it is best to turn the audio player's volume all the way up (on the right).
*Note #2: The audio highlight reel that plays in the first minute was created by me using calls by Chiefs' broadcaster Nathan Baliva from games this season.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Willie Scott finds his calling in coaching
By Bobby Nightengale
BNIGHT’S BEATS
PEORIA, Ill. -- Willie Scott sits alone in the spacious conference room of the Bradley University men’s basketball coaches’ office. As he slowly eats his footlong Subway sandwich, the assistant coach is surrounded by silence. Nobody else is around. Most of the offices are completely empty. The pictures are gone.
He is the only person in the men’s basketball department who is still on campus from the previous coaching era.
The “Roadrunner”
Scott use to roam Bradley’s campus as a superstar after leading the Braves to a 1982 NIT Championship win. He set a Missouri Valley Conference record with 20 assists against Indiana State in the conference tournament, and he was nicknamed the “Roadrunner” for his lightning quickness, similar to the Warner Bros. cartoon character. He also left Peoria owning Bradley’s single-season and career records in assists.
“There are guys that become men and older men, and you have your favorites,” said Dave Snell, Bradley basketball’s radio announcer since 1979. “[Scott] is one of my all-time favorite people. Not just as a basketball player but also as a person.”
After playing at the Hilltop, Scott embarked on a 14-year professional career overseas after being the last player cut by the Detroit Pistons before the 1983 NBA season.
However, the fanfare didn’t end after his college days. After helping his Argentinean team win a league championship, a local city in Argentina celebrated his birthday as a holiday for several years.
During his time playing in Argentina, Scott wanted to learn the fashion industry. This led to Scott starting his own clothing line, Willie Scott Custom Clothier. He specialized in designer suits that were directed towards the famous clientele, including: Prince, Michael Jackson, and many others.
“I wanted to create a garment that was very well made,” Scott said. “The workmanship of my garment is guaranteed for 10 years. I think the average person is going to spend the average amount for a suit, and I wanted to be above average, and I always wanted to be above average in everything I did.”
In 2005, Scott’s world was flipped upside down when his “best friend,” his mother, was diagnosed with cancer. He decided to move to Mississippi to take care of her.
Time for transition
March 6th, Bradley men’s basketball head coach Jim Les was fired, and it put the futures of all of his assistants up in the air.
Scott turned down a Division-I head coaching position prior to accepting the assistant coaching offer at Bradley, and now he was staring unemployment in the eyes.
“It was very emotional,” Scott said. “I understand the business side of it. That’s their [Bradley administration] decision and I tried to keep my personal feelings to myself.”
However, Scott stayed in the administration’s plans as Bradley’s Athletic Director Michael Cross named Scott the transitional coach after Les’ firing.
“Coach Scott is a Bradley alumnus who had good relationships with all of our student athletes and I thought he was the best person to provide stability to our program during the transition due to these relationships as well as his excellent values and understanding of the significance of a Bradley education,” Cross said.
After Geno Ford was named Bradley’s new head coach, Scott had to stare at unemployment once again, as Ford held the authority to choose his own coaching staff.
The calling
With his mother struggling with cancer in 2005, the fifth oldest of his nine siblings, Scott took the lead role of helping his mother back to full strength.
“I learned something about myself,” Scott said. “I can take a person, who has basically given up on life, and encourage them and bring them back to the point where they are walking again and living life. I think God put on my heart the same thing with young kids and to steer them in the right direction to be great young men in life, not just in basketball and that sparked me to coach.”
When his mother’s health improved in 2007, Scott talked his way into coaching, earning an advisory assistant role with the Jackson State basketball team immediately after an initial two-hour interview with head coach Tevester Anderson.
After helping Jackson State reach the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, Scott became the head coach at Malcolm X College in 2008, which consistently had one of the worst records in junior college basketball each year.
“When I took the job, everybody told me if I was going into coaching, that was not the job to take,” Scott recalled. “But after somebody tells me not to do it, that’s usually when I go after it even harder.”
After two winning seasons, and helping four student-athletes reach the school’s Dean List and an 80 percent Academic Progress Rate with no assistant coaches, Scott became one of the high-rising coaches in college basketball.
“Some coaches just go in because it’s a job,” Scott said. “I take it [coaching] on as a personal challenge.”
Scott’s new role
Scott was a major factor in helping to keep the Bradley basketball team stable, and preventing players from transferring to other schools.
“He kept the team progressing through off-season workouts, in academic performance and in providing our student athletes a point person that could answer any questions they might have,” Cross said. “He was very successful in all these roles and was instrumental in having a program fully intact when Coach Ford arrived.”
After two weeks, Ford decided to add Scott to his staff, making him the only person in the basketball department who will be returning from last year.
Back in the office, waiting for everyone in the new era to arrive, Scott reflects on his purpose in coaching.
“I just want to continue to do the right thing,” Scott said. “I hope God uses me to save more kids' lives and keep them on track.”
BNIGHT’S BEATS
PEORIA, Ill. -- Willie Scott sits alone in the spacious conference room of the Bradley University men’s basketball coaches’ office. As he slowly eats his footlong Subway sandwich, the assistant coach is surrounded by silence. Nobody else is around. Most of the offices are completely empty. The pictures are gone.
He is the only person in the men’s basketball department who is still on campus from the previous coaching era.
The “Roadrunner”
Scott use to roam Bradley’s campus as a superstar after leading the Braves to a 1982 NIT Championship win. He set a Missouri Valley Conference record with 20 assists against Indiana State in the conference tournament, and he was nicknamed the “Roadrunner” for his lightning quickness, similar to the Warner Bros. cartoon character. He also left Peoria owning Bradley’s single-season and career records in assists.
“There are guys that become men and older men, and you have your favorites,” said Dave Snell, Bradley basketball’s radio announcer since 1979. “[Scott] is one of my all-time favorite people. Not just as a basketball player but also as a person.”
After playing at the Hilltop, Scott embarked on a 14-year professional career overseas after being the last player cut by the Detroit Pistons before the 1983 NBA season.
However, the fanfare didn’t end after his college days. After helping his Argentinean team win a league championship, a local city in Argentina celebrated his birthday as a holiday for several years.
During his time playing in Argentina, Scott wanted to learn the fashion industry. This led to Scott starting his own clothing line, Willie Scott Custom Clothier. He specialized in designer suits that were directed towards the famous clientele, including: Prince, Michael Jackson, and many others.
“I wanted to create a garment that was very well made,” Scott said. “The workmanship of my garment is guaranteed for 10 years. I think the average person is going to spend the average amount for a suit, and I wanted to be above average, and I always wanted to be above average in everything I did.”
In 2005, Scott’s world was flipped upside down when his “best friend,” his mother, was diagnosed with cancer. He decided to move to Mississippi to take care of her.
Time for transition
March 6th, Bradley men’s basketball head coach Jim Les was fired, and it put the futures of all of his assistants up in the air.
Scott turned down a Division-I head coaching position prior to accepting the assistant coaching offer at Bradley, and now he was staring unemployment in the eyes.
“It was very emotional,” Scott said. “I understand the business side of it. That’s their [Bradley administration] decision and I tried to keep my personal feelings to myself.”
However, Scott stayed in the administration’s plans as Bradley’s Athletic Director Michael Cross named Scott the transitional coach after Les’ firing.
“Coach Scott is a Bradley alumnus who had good relationships with all of our student athletes and I thought he was the best person to provide stability to our program during the transition due to these relationships as well as his excellent values and understanding of the significance of a Bradley education,” Cross said.
After Geno Ford was named Bradley’s new head coach, Scott had to stare at unemployment once again, as Ford held the authority to choose his own coaching staff.
The calling
With his mother struggling with cancer in 2005, the fifth oldest of his nine siblings, Scott took the lead role of helping his mother back to full strength.
“I learned something about myself,” Scott said. “I can take a person, who has basically given up on life, and encourage them and bring them back to the point where they are walking again and living life. I think God put on my heart the same thing with young kids and to steer them in the right direction to be great young men in life, not just in basketball and that sparked me to coach.”
When his mother’s health improved in 2007, Scott talked his way into coaching, earning an advisory assistant role with the Jackson State basketball team immediately after an initial two-hour interview with head coach Tevester Anderson.
After helping Jackson State reach the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, Scott became the head coach at Malcolm X College in 2008, which consistently had one of the worst records in junior college basketball each year.
“When I took the job, everybody told me if I was going into coaching, that was not the job to take,” Scott recalled. “But after somebody tells me not to do it, that’s usually when I go after it even harder.”
After two winning seasons, and helping four student-athletes reach the school’s Dean List and an 80 percent Academic Progress Rate with no assistant coaches, Scott became one of the high-rising coaches in college basketball.
“Some coaches just go in because it’s a job,” Scott said. “I take it [coaching] on as a personal challenge.”
Scott’s new role
Scott was a major factor in helping to keep the Bradley basketball team stable, and preventing players from transferring to other schools.
“He kept the team progressing through off-season workouts, in academic performance and in providing our student athletes a point person that could answer any questions they might have,” Cross said. “He was very successful in all these roles and was instrumental in having a program fully intact when Coach Ford arrived.”
After two weeks, Ford decided to add Scott to his staff, making him the only person in the basketball department who will be returning from last year.
Back in the office, waiting for everyone in the new era to arrive, Scott reflects on his purpose in coaching.
“I just want to continue to do the right thing,” Scott said. “I hope God uses me to save more kids' lives and keep them on track.”
Friday, July 15, 2011
Interview with Jeff Fassero
Jeff Fassero played in the Major Leagues for 16 seasons after being drafted in the 22nd round of the 1984 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. His best season was in 1996 with the Montreal Expos, going 15-11 with a 3.30 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 231.2 innings. Currently, he is the pitching coach for the Peoria Chiefs, the single-A affiliate for the Chicago Cubs. Fortunately I was able to speak with him about becoming a pitching coach:
Monday, July 11, 2011
2011 Futures Game Recap
The Futures Game is an All-Star game for all of the best minor leaguers in baseball to come together for a game on national television and play against each other. Created in 1999, it has provided a stage for several future MLB All-Stars to be seen and heard before cracking the big leagues. Sunday, I was able to watch the entire Futures Game and with my pen and notebook, I recorded notes and scouting reports for all of the players, and highlighted players that I think will be extremely successful in the future. Without further ado, the BNight’s Beats 2011 XM Futures Game Scouting Report:
The Cream of the Crop:
Bryce Harper, LF (Washington Nationals; Level - AA):
Last year’s number one pick was one of the main reasons I was excited for the Futures Game. He is only 18 years old and it’s his first year of professional baseball after being drafted first overall in the 2010 draft. Although he put on a show in batting practice according to the ESPN announcers and numerous media outlets, he struggled with off-speed pitches, and even missed a fastball in his last at-bat that was right down the middle and belt height. This is one of the main reasons that the Nationals shouldn’t be worried about rushing Harper, and that he needs more seasoning before reaching the big leagues. Having said the negatives, he has an amazing arm in left field, solid speed, especially for a former catcher, and in batting practice he showed that he possesses the most power in the minor leagues. He will be a fixture for All-Star games once he reaches the Major Leagues, and Nationals fans have to be excited for their bright future.
Minor League stats: .318, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 19 SB, and 17 2B at Class A Hagerstown
*He has only been promoted to AA for 4 games.
Hak-Ju Lee, SS (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - A):
Fortunately, it wasn’t my first time watching Hak-Ju Lee because he played for the Peoria Chiefs last season, and I was able to catch a couple of games. Since then, he has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as a major component of the Matt Garza trade. He showed great range at shortstop in turning a double play, and reaching balls in the hole. Although he went hitless in two at-bats, Lee is a great hitter and will continue making strides in the Rays organization. Expect to see him in plenty of All-Star games next to teammate Evan Longoria.
Minor League stats: .330, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 20 SB, and 9 3B at Class A Charlotte
Manny Machado, SS (Baltimore Orioles; Level - A):
Another player that went hitless in the Futures Game but will be a star at the next level is Manny Machado. Machado made some nice plays at shortstop, and helped show the world why the Orioles drafted him third overall last season. Baseball writer Peter Gammons tweeted, “Does Manny Machado look like what an All-Star shortstop is supposed to look like, or what?” Again, this is a player that people will remember for a long time. Also, note that he has almost an even walk-to-strikeout ratio (23 to 25), which is even more amazing when you consider that he is only 19 years old.
Minor League stats: .276, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 3 SB, and 23 BB at Class A Delmarva
*He has only been promoted to Hi-A for 14 games.
Carlos Martinez, RHP (St. Louis Cardinals; Level - A):
Although Carlos Martinez has rolled through Peoria a couple of times this season, unfortunately I was never able to see him pitch live.
Also, I have been working on my Spanish, and I was hoping I would even have him available for an interview on this blog but he has since been promoted. He is regarded as ‘untouchable’ for any trade talks by the St. Louis Cardinals, even when the San Diego Padres reportedly offered Heath Bell for him. Martinez throws a 98 mph fastball that can touch up to 100 mph. He also throws around 97 mph in the stretch. Along with his electric fastball, he has an 83 mph curveball and 80 mph slider. He needs to work on his command as he was a little wild at the All-Star game and his control has plagued him a little bit at the single-A level. However, he has immense potential and should be considered the future ace of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Minor League stats: 3-2, 2.33 ERA, 38.2 IP, 50 K, in 8 starts at Class A Quad Cities
*He has only made 2 starts at Hi-A Palm Beach (5.06 ERA)
Matt Moore, LHP (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - AA):
I’ll admit Moore was the only player that I didn’t know on my “Cream of the Crop” list entering the All-Star game. However, I read several tweets and scouting reports that stated Moore should be able to make the Rays staff the best rotation in baseball once he reaches the Major Leagues. Thus, I was extremely excited to see him take the mound and he did not disappoint. Moore throws a 98 mph fastball that can touch 100 as a left-hander. He also threw an 88 mph slider that plagued even the best hitters he faced. After watching him for one inning on the mound, I’m in a daze and can’t wait to see Moore in the Majors. Don’t believe me for watching only one inning? Read the stats below.
Minor League stats: 7-3, 2.14 ERA, 96.2 IP, 26 BB, and 125 K in 17 starts at Class AA Montgomery
*He also threw an 11-strikeout no-hitter on June 16th.
Wil Myers, RF (Kansas City Royals; Level - AA):
Coming into the Futures Game, I knew that Myers was the next in line after Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas found themselves in the Major Leagues this season. However, I had yet to watch Myers and didn’t know what to expect. While watching the game, I found myself loving Myers as a prospect, and I think he has the potential to do big things. Myers showed great speed when he broke up a double play for a fielder’s choice RBI early in the game, and he just held himself throughout the game as a player that was ready to be called up to the Majors in the next half season. I don’t know how soon the Royals plans have him for being called up, but I am excited to see him play in the future All-Star games.
Minor League stats: .271, 3 HR, 20 RBI, and 5 SB at Class AA Northwest Arkansas
Julio Teheran, RHP (Atlanta Braves; Level - AAA):
Teheran already has Braves’ fans calling for him to start in the Major Leagues and it’s easy to understand after watching him start for the World team in the Futures Game. He gave up a leadoff home run to Jason Kipnis, but I think that was more due to the fact that he threw seven straight fastballs. Tehran shut the rest of the U.S. lineup down including fooling Bryce Harper in his first at-bat. Tehran throws a 95 mph fastball, 76 mph slider, 78 mph curveball and a change-up. His change-up is deadly as it looks just like his fastball but he will get hitters to swing way ahead of it. Thus, his freezing of Bryce Harper was more of him not wanting to get fooled by his change-up which led to a strikeout looking. Teheran should be called up soon, and he will make the Braves rotation happy for the next 15 years.
Minor League stats: 9-1, 1.79 ERA, 95.2 IP, 25 BB, and 81 K in 15 starts at Class AAA Gwinnett
Impressive:
Tyler Thornburg, RHP (Milwaukee Brewers; Level - A):
Thornburg has been one of the best pitchers in minor league baseball based on production, but his potential is still impressive. He has an interview on this blog, which can be found here. He was compared to Roy Oswalt on ESPN’s coverage and I agree with that assessment. He throws a 95 mph fastball, 79 mph curveball that has huge break, and an 82 mph changeup. ESPN’s Keith Law only projects him as a reliever but I think he has the potential to be one of the top starting pitchers in baseball.
Tim Beckham, SS (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - AA):
Beckham has been labeled a bust after being drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 draft and not reaching the Major Leagues yet. However, he was drafted out of high school and credit to him during the Futures Game for drilling a 94 mph fastball to the outfield wall for a RBI double. He still has work to do to make it to the Major Leagues, but he’s still only 21 years old. However, due to the pressure he has faced, credit to him for doing well in the Futures Game.
Grant Green, SS (Oakland Athletics; Level - AA):
The Futures Game MVP had a great day at the plate after coming off of the bench. Green also made two spectacular plays at second base, although he primarily plays shortstop. His RBI double in the fifth inning was off of a 95 mph fastball, as was his RBI double in the eight inning. I loved his potential as a second basemen because of the defensive range that he showed in the game, but I would have to rank him a little bit lower as a shortstop. Green is having a good season at the AA level, but he strikes out too much and his power has dropped from 20 home runs in 2010 to only 4 home runs this season.
Jason Kipnis, 2B (Cleveland Indians; Level - AAA):
Kipnis led off the game with a home run off of Julio Teheran, which is no easy task. However, I have to discount it a little bit due to the fact that he faced seven straight fastballs. Kipnis should be in the Major Leagues but Indians’ manager Manny Acta wants him to continue working defensively on becoming a better second basemen before he earns the promotion. I don’t think he projects to be a perennial All-Star but he should get the job done for the Indians, especially as a #7 hitter in the lineup.
Kyle Gibson, RHP (Minnesota Twins; Level - AAA):
With all of the injuries to the Twins Major League roster, you have to wonder if Gibson will be one of the next ones to rise up to the Majors. In the Futures Game he threw a 92 mph fastball, 81 mph changeup and picked a runner off of first base. He’s shown good command in AAA with an 86 to 22 strikeout to walk ratio, but hitters are still batting .272 against him. If he can force more outs when opposing hitters put the ball in play, he should have a successful Major League career as a #3-4 starter.
Shelby Miller, RHP (St. Louis Cardinals; Level - AA):
Although Carlos Martinez has the electricity to be the future ace of the Cardinals, don’t discount the potential of Miller. He throws a 93 mph fastball with an 85 mph changeup and 79 mph curveball. He was dominant in single-A and high-A with tons of strikeouts and a low ERA, but he has outdone himself in double-A. In seven starts, he has 43 strikeouts in 42.2 innings and a 1.90 ERA, and could be looking at a September call-up. However, one problem I saw in Miller was his funky delivery in the stretch. He pulls the ball out of his glove slightly and then puts it back in before making the pitch, but I think that will allow a lot of base stealers to swipe second against him.
Brad Peacock, RHP (Washington Nationals; Level - AA):
Although Bryce Harper will steal all of the highlights and media attention at the double-A Harrisburg, Peacock is a pitcher that is sneaking through the minor leagues with such potential that he could be the #2 starter in the future Nationals rotation next to Stephen Strasburg. Peacock threw a 94 mph fastball, an 81 mph change-up, and a beautiful 74 mph curveball that dropped off of the table to hitters. This season, Peacock is 10-2 with a 2.01 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 98.2 innings. In years past, Peacock has struggled with opposing hitters batting around .260 against him, but he has lowered them to a .179 batting average this season. For a 41st round pick, the Nationals got a steal and a future star.
Jarred Cosart, RHP (Philadlephia Phillies; Level - A):
The Phillies’ Big Four rotation has made waves throughout baseball this season, but don’t sleep on the future Cosart once he reaches the Majors. He throws a 98 mph fastball, a 76 mph 12-6 curveball, and an 85 mph changeup. He has a type of whip delivery that is usually associated with closers, but he has been a starter throughout his minor league career. I think he will eventually be converted to a solid setup man or closer, but he has the potential to be successful at the Major League level.
Tyler Skaggs, LHP (Arizona Diamondbacks; Level - AA):
Count me as impressed by Skaggs with the pressures of pitching in Arizona, and competing with guys that are much more experienced than Skaggs. His poise, along with his nasty curveball and movement on his pitches from left to right were especially impressive. Skaggs has struck out 125 in 100.2 innings in high-A and should be a great prospect for the Diamondbacks in the future.
Gary Brown, CF (San Francisco Giants; Level - A):
Only in his first full season, Brown has shown a tremendous about of potential. He was the only player to steal a base in the Futures Game, but that should come as no surprise as he has stolen 35 bases in 49 attempts this season. Also, Brown is hitting .316 but a staggering .404 against left-handed pitchers. Hailing from Cal-State Fullerton, I think the Giants have found their future lead-off man in this local talent.
Others:
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B (Arizona Diamondbacks; Level - AA):
Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers admitted to the ESPN booth that Goldschmidt has a strong chance of being called up by the end of the season. Although he didn’t have a great game, he was one of the most watched prospects because he was playing in his future ballpark. He is having a great season at Double-A: a .315 batting average with 25 HR, 78 RBI, and 7 SB.
Matt Szczur, CF (Chicago Cubs; Level - A):
The prospect I know the best because I interned with the team he has been on all season, the Peoria Chiefs. He will be promoted after the Futures Game to High-A Daytona, but he has excellent speed and range in center field. It will probably take him a little longer to progress at the plate because he was a two-sport athlete (football) in college, and he is working on his first full seasons of baseball. However, a good sign is that he rarely strikes out and leaves the Midwest League tied for third in batting average. He has the potential to be the future center fielder for the Chicago Cubs, but I think the key will be him driving the ball at the plate because his speed will allow him to make plays on the base paths once he is on base.
Liam Hendriks, RHP (Minnesota Twins; Level AA):
Hendriks has generated a ton of attention in the Twins organization and has been hailed as a future star for the Twins’ rotation. However, I don’t buy it, as I just didn’t see the poise on the mound during the Futures Game. Hendriks throws a 92 mph fastball, 82 mph changeup and a 75 mph 12-6 curveball. His numbers speak for themselves this year, 81 strikeouts in 90 innings with a 2.70 ERA; but I just didn’t see the look of a future star for the Twins.
James Paxton, LHP (Seattle Mariners; Level - A):
Unfortunately he got out of his inning pitched in only six pitches so I didn’t get to see much of him in the Futures Game. Luckily, I have seen him pitch against the Peoria Chiefs earlier this season, and he is the real deal. He is a strong throwing lefty with a 95 mph fastball, and good off-speed pitches. Paxton struck out 80 in 56 innings with a .273 opposing batting average at single-A before being promoted to double-A right at the beginning of July. Paxton has a lot of potential, but I can also see him making a move to the bullpen at some point due to the plethora of talent in the Mariners’ rotation.
Alex Liddi, 3B (Seattle Mariners; Level - AAA):
I really like the potential of Liddi from what I saw of him during the Futures Game. He made some great plays at third base, and has a nice swing that projects nicely at the next level. This season at triple-A, Liddi is hitting .257 with 17 HR and 61 RBI. My only question is why Liddi hasn’t been called up on the Mariners who have struggled with offense this season? Liddi has been awful against left-handers this season (.171 batting average), and I’m guessing he is struggling with off-speed pitching, but if he can make the adjustments, he will make for a solid third basemen in the future.
Snubbed:
Taijuan Walker, RHP (Seattle Mariners; Level - A):
Although he didn’t make it to the Futures Game, Walker is my favorite prospect in the minor leagues. I have seen him pitch several times against the Peoria Chiefs, and I think he has what it takes to fit perfectly in the Mariners’ rotation with Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda, and Danny Hultzen (2011 draft pick). Walker has thrown 83 strikeouts in 62 innings with a 2.76 ERA, including 19 strikeouts in 12 innings and a 1.50 ERA in two July starts. This kid has tons of potential and hopefully he will be showcased in next year’s Futures Game, because he has a ceiling to be the future #1 starter for the Mariners.
The Cream of the Crop:
Bryce Harper, LF (Washington Nationals; Level - AA):
Last year’s number one pick was one of the main reasons I was excited for the Futures Game. He is only 18 years old and it’s his first year of professional baseball after being drafted first overall in the 2010 draft. Although he put on a show in batting practice according to the ESPN announcers and numerous media outlets, he struggled with off-speed pitches, and even missed a fastball in his last at-bat that was right down the middle and belt height. This is one of the main reasons that the Nationals shouldn’t be worried about rushing Harper, and that he needs more seasoning before reaching the big leagues. Having said the negatives, he has an amazing arm in left field, solid speed, especially for a former catcher, and in batting practice he showed that he possesses the most power in the minor leagues. He will be a fixture for All-Star games once he reaches the Major Leagues, and Nationals fans have to be excited for their bright future.
Minor League stats: .318, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 19 SB, and 17 2B at Class A Hagerstown
*He has only been promoted to AA for 4 games.
Hak-Ju Lee, SS (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - A):
Fortunately, it wasn’t my first time watching Hak-Ju Lee because he played for the Peoria Chiefs last season, and I was able to catch a couple of games. Since then, he has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as a major component of the Matt Garza trade. He showed great range at shortstop in turning a double play, and reaching balls in the hole. Although he went hitless in two at-bats, Lee is a great hitter and will continue making strides in the Rays organization. Expect to see him in plenty of All-Star games next to teammate Evan Longoria.
Minor League stats: .330, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 20 SB, and 9 3B at Class A Charlotte
Manny Machado, SS (Baltimore Orioles; Level - A):
Another player that went hitless in the Futures Game but will be a star at the next level is Manny Machado. Machado made some nice plays at shortstop, and helped show the world why the Orioles drafted him third overall last season. Baseball writer Peter Gammons tweeted, “Does Manny Machado look like what an All-Star shortstop is supposed to look like, or what?” Again, this is a player that people will remember for a long time. Also, note that he has almost an even walk-to-strikeout ratio (23 to 25), which is even more amazing when you consider that he is only 19 years old.
Minor League stats: .276, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 3 SB, and 23 BB at Class A Delmarva
*He has only been promoted to Hi-A for 14 games.
Carlos Martinez, RHP (St. Louis Cardinals; Level - A):
Although Carlos Martinez has rolled through Peoria a couple of times this season, unfortunately I was never able to see him pitch live.
Also, I have been working on my Spanish, and I was hoping I would even have him available for an interview on this blog but he has since been promoted. He is regarded as ‘untouchable’ for any trade talks by the St. Louis Cardinals, even when the San Diego Padres reportedly offered Heath Bell for him. Martinez throws a 98 mph fastball that can touch up to 100 mph. He also throws around 97 mph in the stretch. Along with his electric fastball, he has an 83 mph curveball and 80 mph slider. He needs to work on his command as he was a little wild at the All-Star game and his control has plagued him a little bit at the single-A level. However, he has immense potential and should be considered the future ace of the St. Louis Cardinals.Minor League stats: 3-2, 2.33 ERA, 38.2 IP, 50 K, in 8 starts at Class A Quad Cities
*He has only made 2 starts at Hi-A Palm Beach (5.06 ERA)
Matt Moore, LHP (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - AA):
I’ll admit Moore was the only player that I didn’t know on my “Cream of the Crop” list entering the All-Star game. However, I read several tweets and scouting reports that stated Moore should be able to make the Rays staff the best rotation in baseball once he reaches the Major Leagues. Thus, I was extremely excited to see him take the mound and he did not disappoint. Moore throws a 98 mph fastball that can touch 100 as a left-hander. He also threw an 88 mph slider that plagued even the best hitters he faced. After watching him for one inning on the mound, I’m in a daze and can’t wait to see Moore in the Majors. Don’t believe me for watching only one inning? Read the stats below.
Minor League stats: 7-3, 2.14 ERA, 96.2 IP, 26 BB, and 125 K in 17 starts at Class AA Montgomery
*He also threw an 11-strikeout no-hitter on June 16th.
Wil Myers, RF (Kansas City Royals; Level - AA):
Coming into the Futures Game, I knew that Myers was the next in line after Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas found themselves in the Major Leagues this season. However, I had yet to watch Myers and didn’t know what to expect. While watching the game, I found myself loving Myers as a prospect, and I think he has the potential to do big things. Myers showed great speed when he broke up a double play for a fielder’s choice RBI early in the game, and he just held himself throughout the game as a player that was ready to be called up to the Majors in the next half season. I don’t know how soon the Royals plans have him for being called up, but I am excited to see him play in the future All-Star games.
Minor League stats: .271, 3 HR, 20 RBI, and 5 SB at Class AA Northwest Arkansas
Julio Teheran, RHP (Atlanta Braves; Level - AAA):
Teheran already has Braves’ fans calling for him to start in the Major Leagues and it’s easy to understand after watching him start for the World team in the Futures Game. He gave up a leadoff home run to Jason Kipnis, but I think that was more due to the fact that he threw seven straight fastballs. Tehran shut the rest of the U.S. lineup down including fooling Bryce Harper in his first at-bat. Tehran throws a 95 mph fastball, 76 mph slider, 78 mph curveball and a change-up. His change-up is deadly as it looks just like his fastball but he will get hitters to swing way ahead of it. Thus, his freezing of Bryce Harper was more of him not wanting to get fooled by his change-up which led to a strikeout looking. Teheran should be called up soon, and he will make the Braves rotation happy for the next 15 years.
Minor League stats: 9-1, 1.79 ERA, 95.2 IP, 25 BB, and 81 K in 15 starts at Class AAA Gwinnett
Impressive:
Tyler Thornburg, RHP (Milwaukee Brewers; Level - A):
Thornburg has been one of the best pitchers in minor league baseball based on production, but his potential is still impressive. He has an interview on this blog, which can be found here. He was compared to Roy Oswalt on ESPN’s coverage and I agree with that assessment. He throws a 95 mph fastball, 79 mph curveball that has huge break, and an 82 mph changeup. ESPN’s Keith Law only projects him as a reliever but I think he has the potential to be one of the top starting pitchers in baseball.
Tim Beckham, SS (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - AA):
Beckham has been labeled a bust after being drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 draft and not reaching the Major Leagues yet. However, he was drafted out of high school and credit to him during the Futures Game for drilling a 94 mph fastball to the outfield wall for a RBI double. He still has work to do to make it to the Major Leagues, but he’s still only 21 years old. However, due to the pressure he has faced, credit to him for doing well in the Futures Game.
Grant Green, SS (Oakland Athletics; Level - AA):
The Futures Game MVP had a great day at the plate after coming off of the bench. Green also made two spectacular plays at second base, although he primarily plays shortstop. His RBI double in the fifth inning was off of a 95 mph fastball, as was his RBI double in the eight inning. I loved his potential as a second basemen because of the defensive range that he showed in the game, but I would have to rank him a little bit lower as a shortstop. Green is having a good season at the AA level, but he strikes out too much and his power has dropped from 20 home runs in 2010 to only 4 home runs this season.
Jason Kipnis, 2B (Cleveland Indians; Level - AAA):
Kipnis led off the game with a home run off of Julio Teheran, which is no easy task. However, I have to discount it a little bit due to the fact that he faced seven straight fastballs. Kipnis should be in the Major Leagues but Indians’ manager Manny Acta wants him to continue working defensively on becoming a better second basemen before he earns the promotion. I don’t think he projects to be a perennial All-Star but he should get the job done for the Indians, especially as a #7 hitter in the lineup.
Kyle Gibson, RHP (Minnesota Twins; Level - AAA):
With all of the injuries to the Twins Major League roster, you have to wonder if Gibson will be one of the next ones to rise up to the Majors. In the Futures Game he threw a 92 mph fastball, 81 mph changeup and picked a runner off of first base. He’s shown good command in AAA with an 86 to 22 strikeout to walk ratio, but hitters are still batting .272 against him. If he can force more outs when opposing hitters put the ball in play, he should have a successful Major League career as a #3-4 starter.
Shelby Miller, RHP (St. Louis Cardinals; Level - AA):
Although Carlos Martinez has the electricity to be the future ace of the Cardinals, don’t discount the potential of Miller. He throws a 93 mph fastball with an 85 mph changeup and 79 mph curveball. He was dominant in single-A and high-A with tons of strikeouts and a low ERA, but he has outdone himself in double-A. In seven starts, he has 43 strikeouts in 42.2 innings and a 1.90 ERA, and could be looking at a September call-up. However, one problem I saw in Miller was his funky delivery in the stretch. He pulls the ball out of his glove slightly and then puts it back in before making the pitch, but I think that will allow a lot of base stealers to swipe second against him.
Brad Peacock, RHP (Washington Nationals; Level - AA):
Although Bryce Harper will steal all of the highlights and media attention at the double-A Harrisburg, Peacock is a pitcher that is sneaking through the minor leagues with such potential that he could be the #2 starter in the future Nationals rotation next to Stephen Strasburg. Peacock threw a 94 mph fastball, an 81 mph change-up, and a beautiful 74 mph curveball that dropped off of the table to hitters. This season, Peacock is 10-2 with a 2.01 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 98.2 innings. In years past, Peacock has struggled with opposing hitters batting around .260 against him, but he has lowered them to a .179 batting average this season. For a 41st round pick, the Nationals got a steal and a future star.
Jarred Cosart, RHP (Philadlephia Phillies; Level - A):
The Phillies’ Big Four rotation has made waves throughout baseball this season, but don’t sleep on the future Cosart once he reaches the Majors. He throws a 98 mph fastball, a 76 mph 12-6 curveball, and an 85 mph changeup. He has a type of whip delivery that is usually associated with closers, but he has been a starter throughout his minor league career. I think he will eventually be converted to a solid setup man or closer, but he has the potential to be successful at the Major League level.
Tyler Skaggs, LHP (Arizona Diamondbacks; Level - AA):
Count me as impressed by Skaggs with the pressures of pitching in Arizona, and competing with guys that are much more experienced than Skaggs. His poise, along with his nasty curveball and movement on his pitches from left to right were especially impressive. Skaggs has struck out 125 in 100.2 innings in high-A and should be a great prospect for the Diamondbacks in the future.
Gary Brown, CF (San Francisco Giants; Level - A):
Only in his first full season, Brown has shown a tremendous about of potential. He was the only player to steal a base in the Futures Game, but that should come as no surprise as he has stolen 35 bases in 49 attempts this season. Also, Brown is hitting .316 but a staggering .404 against left-handed pitchers. Hailing from Cal-State Fullerton, I think the Giants have found their future lead-off man in this local talent.
Others:
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B (Arizona Diamondbacks; Level - AA):
Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers admitted to the ESPN booth that Goldschmidt has a strong chance of being called up by the end of the season. Although he didn’t have a great game, he was one of the most watched prospects because he was playing in his future ballpark. He is having a great season at Double-A: a .315 batting average with 25 HR, 78 RBI, and 7 SB.
Matt Szczur, CF (Chicago Cubs; Level - A):
The prospect I know the best because I interned with the team he has been on all season, the Peoria Chiefs. He will be promoted after the Futures Game to High-A Daytona, but he has excellent speed and range in center field. It will probably take him a little longer to progress at the plate because he was a two-sport athlete (football) in college, and he is working on his first full seasons of baseball. However, a good sign is that he rarely strikes out and leaves the Midwest League tied for third in batting average. He has the potential to be the future center fielder for the Chicago Cubs, but I think the key will be him driving the ball at the plate because his speed will allow him to make plays on the base paths once he is on base.
Liam Hendriks, RHP (Minnesota Twins; Level AA):
Hendriks has generated a ton of attention in the Twins organization and has been hailed as a future star for the Twins’ rotation. However, I don’t buy it, as I just didn’t see the poise on the mound during the Futures Game. Hendriks throws a 92 mph fastball, 82 mph changeup and a 75 mph 12-6 curveball. His numbers speak for themselves this year, 81 strikeouts in 90 innings with a 2.70 ERA; but I just didn’t see the look of a future star for the Twins.
James Paxton, LHP (Seattle Mariners; Level - A):
Unfortunately he got out of his inning pitched in only six pitches so I didn’t get to see much of him in the Futures Game. Luckily, I have seen him pitch against the Peoria Chiefs earlier this season, and he is the real deal. He is a strong throwing lefty with a 95 mph fastball, and good off-speed pitches. Paxton struck out 80 in 56 innings with a .273 opposing batting average at single-A before being promoted to double-A right at the beginning of July. Paxton has a lot of potential, but I can also see him making a move to the bullpen at some point due to the plethora of talent in the Mariners’ rotation.
Alex Liddi, 3B (Seattle Mariners; Level - AAA):
I really like the potential of Liddi from what I saw of him during the Futures Game. He made some great plays at third base, and has a nice swing that projects nicely at the next level. This season at triple-A, Liddi is hitting .257 with 17 HR and 61 RBI. My only question is why Liddi hasn’t been called up on the Mariners who have struggled with offense this season? Liddi has been awful against left-handers this season (.171 batting average), and I’m guessing he is struggling with off-speed pitching, but if he can make the adjustments, he will make for a solid third basemen in the future.
Snubbed:
Taijuan Walker, RHP (Seattle Mariners; Level - A):
Although he didn’t make it to the Futures Game, Walker is my favorite prospect in the minor leagues. I have seen him pitch several times against the Peoria Chiefs, and I think he has what it takes to fit perfectly in the Mariners’ rotation with Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda, and Danny Hultzen (2011 draft pick). Walker has thrown 83 strikeouts in 62 innings with a 2.76 ERA, including 19 strikeouts in 12 innings and a 1.50 ERA in two July starts. This kid has tons of potential and hopefully he will be showcased in next year’s Futures Game, because he has a ceiling to be the future #1 starter for the Mariners.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Casey Anthony trial
What draws everyone’s interest into this one woman’s murder trial? Hundreds of murder trials happen every year, and several of them implicate the death penalty.
However, Casey Anthony has drawn several million people to tune in for daily coverage of her trial, including me.
What piques my interest in this trial is the fact that nobody knows the motivation behind an alleged mother murdering her own daughter and having zero remorse about it. Although she doesn’t have the celebrity status of an O.J. Simpson murder trial, it’s the fact that a mother could murder her own daughter and then go to parties and clubs afterwards, and if she didn’t murder her then how could a mother not report their child missing for a month? It’s for these reasons that I’m drawn in to this trial.
I will first put down all the facts, show what the prosecutors and defense teams have game planned, and then give my prediction on how the jury will take it all in.
TIMELINE:
June 15, 2008 - Caylee Anthony last confirmed sighting alive
June 17, 2008 - George and Cindy Anthony (Casey Anthony’s parents) notice that the gate to the swimming pool is open and the ladder is next to the pool
June 18, 2008 - Casey Anthony borrows a shovel from a neighbor
June 20-21, 2008 - Casey Anthony goes clubbing
June 24, 2008 - Casey Anthony’s ex-fiance calls her and may* have heard Caylee in the background although he did hear Casey Anthony reprimand Caylee for climbing onto a table. (*He stated that he did originally, but wasn’t sure in court)
George Anthony calls police and reports that 2 gas cans with about $50.00 in gas have been stolen from his storage shed.
Later that day, George finds the gas cans in Casey’s trunk after she shows up at her parent’s home to pick up clothes.
June 27, 2008 - Casey Anthony leaves her car in a parking lot outside of a store, as she goes to the beach with her ex-fiancé.
June 30, 2008 - Casey Anthony’s car is towed. Her purse is found on the front seat.
July 3, 2008 - Cindy Anthony posts on MySpace that Caylee is missing and her current mood is distraught.
July 4, 2008 - Casey spends the day partying with friends
July 15, 2008 - Cindy Anthony gets a tip from her friend where Casey is staying, and her friend accuses Casey of stealing checks and $700
Cindy picks up Casey and calls 911 three times, telling the police that she wants her daughter arrested for stealing money and a car, and that Caylee is missing. Casey had allegedly stolen her mother’s credit card.
During the third 911 call, Cindy Anthony tells the dispatcher that she found her daughter’s car today and it smells like a dead body.
December 11, 2008 - Human remains, later identified as Caylee, are found with remnants of duct tape by the Anthony house.
January 23, 2009 - George Anthony is sent to the hospital after sending family members suicidal texts.
May 24, 2011 - Casey Anthony’s trial begins, facing first-degree murder charges as well as 2 other charges and 4 counts of providing false information to law enforcement, as well as facing the death penalty.
Prosecution goals:
The prosecution has done a great job for the high profile case without a ton of evidence. The coroner and autopsy still haven’t found way to rule Caylee Anthony’s death, so most of the prosecution’s evidence is circumstantial. However, as many legal experts have noted, Casey Anthony shouldn’t benefit for no forensic evidence because it took nearly half a year for her body to be found.
Also, the prosecution had to be up to the task of trying to explain to a jury how a mother could murder her own daughter. They wanted to portray her as a mother who wanted to get back into the party scene, and is a pathological liar.
Defense goals:
The defense made waves in their opening statements when they declared that Caylee Anthony drowned in the family pool, and that her grandparents helped cover it up, as well as saying that Casey Anthony was abused by her father and brother.
Although the opening statements made for some strong headlines, the defense did an awful job at proving their shocking opening statements. The only mention of a possible drowning was getting Cindy Anthony to admit that they forgot to move the ladder away from the pool, and that Caylee had climbed it before, but otherwise there is zero evidence of a possible drowning and cover-up. Also, the defense started with the abuse charges against her father and brother, but never prodded into it, and it just seems to an inaccurate statement.
What the defense has tried to prove is that George Anthony’s suicide attempt was because of his guilt in covering-up Caylee’s drowning but the prosecution did a great job of blocking this attempt in cross-examination.
Also in one of the most bizarre testimonies, the defense brought in a guilt expert that testified that she thought it was normal that Casey Anthony went out and partied after her daughter’s death (I don’t get it either).
Jury:
The toughest part to predict is that the jury has been sequestered for the past six weeks, and hasn’t seen any of the media coverage around this case. However, the toughest thing is to decipher between the ways that Casey Anthony is portrayed; a woman with no cares in the world and hasn’t really showed any remorse/guilt/sadness that her daughter is dead. On the other side, there is not any forensic evidence that Casey Anthony murdered her own daughter.
Overall, I think the jury will find her guilty due to the defense team trying to blame Caylee’s death on her own family but then not any facts to give that theory any plausibility. Also, Casey Anthony did not testify, which has to mean something to the jury that she didn’t want to take the stand and explain her story when her defense was in shambles for most of the trial.
The jury should begin deliberations Sunday afternoon, and I’ll post the final result on this blog afterwards.
However, Casey Anthony has drawn several million people to tune in for daily coverage of her trial, including me.
What piques my interest in this trial is the fact that nobody knows the motivation behind an alleged mother murdering her own daughter and having zero remorse about it. Although she doesn’t have the celebrity status of an O.J. Simpson murder trial, it’s the fact that a mother could murder her own daughter and then go to parties and clubs afterwards, and if she didn’t murder her then how could a mother not report their child missing for a month? It’s for these reasons that I’m drawn in to this trial.
I will first put down all the facts, show what the prosecutors and defense teams have game planned, and then give my prediction on how the jury will take it all in.
TIMELINE:
June 15, 2008 - Caylee Anthony last confirmed sighting alive
June 17, 2008 - George and Cindy Anthony (Casey Anthony’s parents) notice that the gate to the swimming pool is open and the ladder is next to the pool
June 18, 2008 - Casey Anthony borrows a shovel from a neighbor
June 20-21, 2008 - Casey Anthony goes clubbing
June 24, 2008 - Casey Anthony’s ex-fiance calls her and may* have heard Caylee in the background although he did hear Casey Anthony reprimand Caylee for climbing onto a table. (*He stated that he did originally, but wasn’t sure in court)
George Anthony calls police and reports that 2 gas cans with about $50.00 in gas have been stolen from his storage shed.
Later that day, George finds the gas cans in Casey’s trunk after she shows up at her parent’s home to pick up clothes.
June 27, 2008 - Casey Anthony leaves her car in a parking lot outside of a store, as she goes to the beach with her ex-fiancé.
June 30, 2008 - Casey Anthony’s car is towed. Her purse is found on the front seat.
July 3, 2008 - Cindy Anthony posts on MySpace that Caylee is missing and her current mood is distraught.
July 4, 2008 - Casey spends the day partying with friends
July 15, 2008 - Cindy Anthony gets a tip from her friend where Casey is staying, and her friend accuses Casey of stealing checks and $700
Cindy picks up Casey and calls 911 three times, telling the police that she wants her daughter arrested for stealing money and a car, and that Caylee is missing. Casey had allegedly stolen her mother’s credit card.
During the third 911 call, Cindy Anthony tells the dispatcher that she found her daughter’s car today and it smells like a dead body.
December 11, 2008 - Human remains, later identified as Caylee, are found with remnants of duct tape by the Anthony house.
January 23, 2009 - George Anthony is sent to the hospital after sending family members suicidal texts.
May 24, 2011 - Casey Anthony’s trial begins, facing first-degree murder charges as well as 2 other charges and 4 counts of providing false information to law enforcement, as well as facing the death penalty.
Prosecution goals:
The prosecution has done a great job for the high profile case without a ton of evidence. The coroner and autopsy still haven’t found way to rule Caylee Anthony’s death, so most of the prosecution’s evidence is circumstantial. However, as many legal experts have noted, Casey Anthony shouldn’t benefit for no forensic evidence because it took nearly half a year for her body to be found.
Also, the prosecution had to be up to the task of trying to explain to a jury how a mother could murder her own daughter. They wanted to portray her as a mother who wanted to get back into the party scene, and is a pathological liar.
Defense goals:
The defense made waves in their opening statements when they declared that Caylee Anthony drowned in the family pool, and that her grandparents helped cover it up, as well as saying that Casey Anthony was abused by her father and brother.
Although the opening statements made for some strong headlines, the defense did an awful job at proving their shocking opening statements. The only mention of a possible drowning was getting Cindy Anthony to admit that they forgot to move the ladder away from the pool, and that Caylee had climbed it before, but otherwise there is zero evidence of a possible drowning and cover-up. Also, the defense started with the abuse charges against her father and brother, but never prodded into it, and it just seems to an inaccurate statement.
What the defense has tried to prove is that George Anthony’s suicide attempt was because of his guilt in covering-up Caylee’s drowning but the prosecution did a great job of blocking this attempt in cross-examination.
Also in one of the most bizarre testimonies, the defense brought in a guilt expert that testified that she thought it was normal that Casey Anthony went out and partied after her daughter’s death (I don’t get it either).
Jury:
The toughest part to predict is that the jury has been sequestered for the past six weeks, and hasn’t seen any of the media coverage around this case. However, the toughest thing is to decipher between the ways that Casey Anthony is portrayed; a woman with no cares in the world and hasn’t really showed any remorse/guilt/sadness that her daughter is dead. On the other side, there is not any forensic evidence that Casey Anthony murdered her own daughter.
Overall, I think the jury will find her guilty due to the defense team trying to blame Caylee’s death on her own family but then not any facts to give that theory any plausibility. Also, Casey Anthony did not testify, which has to mean something to the jury that she didn’t want to take the stand and explain her story when her defense was in shambles for most of the trial.
The jury should begin deliberations Sunday afternoon, and I’ll post the final result on this blog afterwards.
**UPDATE**
Casey Anthony was acquitted on first-degree murder charges.
The jury said in their few interviews that Casey Anthony wasn't "innocent" but rather the evidence wasn't surmountable enough to say without reasonable doubt that Casey Anthony was guilty of first-degree murder. Some members of the media have said that the jury is guilty of a "CSI effect", in which they were disappointed that they didn't get a murder weapon and motive similar to television shows.
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