Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Tuesday 07/03 A.M. Quickie:
Rocket, Ryan, Rashard, Recruiting, More!

Clemens: Joins the 350-Win Club. Now with eight members, it's more exclusive than the 3,000 (Hit) Club or the 500 (HR) Club -- but less exclusive than the 600 (HR) Club.

The Home Run Derby gets a boost: No, Barry Bonds won't be participating (if only he would!), but defending champ Ryan Howard – the reigning Face of Baseball – will be. (Phillies fans cringe at the thought of him injuring himself.)

Update: I realize I totally forgot MLB Studs/Duds today. I leave it to you, but also leave you with this: Ben Francisco! (Get on that bandwagon already!)

MLB All-Star, Cont'd: I just want to say that I sure am glad that the Commenters are here to deliver phenomenal MLB analysis when I can do no better than my usual shallow contributions. If you haven't looked through the (mostly) All-Star comments from yesterday's a.m. post, I highly recommend it. (Scroll past post to Comments section.)

Hargrove resigns, cont'd: I don't know about you, but I'm happy to embrace the various conspiracy theories floating around as to why Hargrove would quit the Mariners just as he was winning.

What's bigger news: That A-Rod injured his hamstring last night or that his wife wore a tank top with an obscenity on it on Sunday?

NBA Free Agency: I think Rashard Lewis ends up on the Magic – and that makes Orlando a hell of a good young team in the East. Howard and Lewis? Wow.

UPDATE: Rashard Lewis to the Magic is apparently a done-deal, but Orlando is going to give him the MAX?! That's a stretch for a player who won't be the team's No. 1 star.

Oden signs contract with Blazers: Hat-tip to the NBA's rookie-salary scale, which makes signing easy. As does a low-key No. 1 pick.

More NBA: Ray Allen's veteran professionalism will really make the Celtics a more admirable Lottery team in 2008.

Here's to Derek Fisher, who was released by the Jazz and will now be able to spend more time with his sick daughter.

Wimbledon: The only match that might get my attention before the finals is something like Venus-vs-Maria. Ask and ye shall receive...

College Hoops Recruiting: Even AOL Fanhouse has picked up the amazing story of the 1-year-old who verbally committed to play college basketball for Florida.

Meanwhile, Billy Gillispie racks up another rising 10th-grader for Kentucky's 2010 recruiting class. It would be laughable if I didn't know every other college coach wouldn't do the exact same thing.)

ProFootballTalk vs. Arena League: Hmm, that's kind of an interesting battle, actually.

Heads-up: The next installment of the Varsity Letters Reading Series is Thursday night in NYC! To consider: What is your own personal biggest "must-do" sports event for your lifetime?

Summer Fashion: The must-have T-shirts for the summer come from Mothering Hut. (My favorite is "DNP: Coach's Decision.") Check them all out here. (Yes, Mothering Hut was my collaborator on the Florida "&" T-shirts. No Gator fan should be without!)

-- D.S.

59 comments:

Unknown said...

College recruiting is a joke. 8th grader? 10th grader? Those coaches only hope they still have jobs by the time those kids are ready.

Gary said...

Rafael...that's probably their plan. Say for instance, the 8th grade kid ends up being in the top 10 of overall college recruits in his year, well, Tim Floyd will be able to say, if you fire me, odds are so-and-so won't stay with his commitment.

David Kippe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
David Kippe said...

Once Maddux reaches the 350 win plateau, nobody else will probably reach it for several years to come. Only 3 players in the live ball era will be a apart of that club too, Clemens, Maddux and Spahn. However in just a few years we will most likely see A-Rod join the 600 club, and in that time frame we will have seen 4 guys (assuming griffey reaches it this year)in just less than a 10 year span reach it. I would venture to say that the 350 club is much more impressive, but maybe doesn't have the ring to it has the 600 HR club. Seems 600 could be the new bench mark, 500 Hrs has lost its appeal. 300 wins Gets you into the hall, not 500 hrs.

alhajir said...

500 hrs from players with no inclination of steroids (aka Frank Thomas, Jim Thome, etc) will get in the Hall. Others like Sosa, Mcgwire, etc wont get in right away. 500 Hrs is still a HOF mark if no steroid controversy surrounds you.

Matt T said...

A-rod's wife's shirt should be a nonstory. Tiny writing on a tank top.

No worse than the fans that wear the buck foston shirts in huge letters. Same sort of thing.

Unknown said...

btw, I'll add that since the ASG is going retro...I hope Griffey does the derby. heh

RevScottDeMangeMD said...

1.) Play Pebble Beach
2.) Attend a Duke/UNC game
3.) See a game at Lambeau
4.) Surf the Bonzai Pipeline
5.) Throw out the first pitch of a MLB game.

Roge said...

What happened with Arod wife and her tank top? I missed it.

ToddTheJackass said...

Yesterday's MLB Studs and Duds:

Studs:
1. Damian Miller - 4/5, 2HR, 7RBI
2. Roger Clemens - W, 8.0IP, ER, 2H, BB, 4Ks
3. Vernon Wells - 4/5, 2HR, 2RBI
4. Jason Hirsh - W, 6.0IP, 0ER, 3H, BB, 2Ks
5. Fausto Carmona - W, 6.0IP, ER, 4H, 2BBs, 8Ks

Duds:
1. Masumi Kuwata - L, 0.2IP, 7ER, 5H, 2BB
2. Al Reyes - 0.2IP, 4ER, 2H, 2BB
3. Bobby Jenks - L, BS, 1IP, 2ER, 3H, BB
4. Tom Glavine - L, 6IP, 6ER, 9H, 5BBs
5. Lenny DiNardo - L, 2.1IP, 4ER, 6R, 8H, BB

Honorary Stud: Jacoby Ellsbury, who scored from 2nd on a wild pitch.

Ftrain said...

In no particular order:

1) Attend Duke/UNC game
2) Attend a World Cup match
3) Run onto the field at Yankees Stadium
4) Running of the Bulls in Spain (though i don't know if i'd classify this as a sport)




@ Roge
A-Rod's wife wore a tank top that said "fuck you" on the upper back in small lettering. That moral compass called NY Post made it its front page "story" yesterday.

Whooppee damn do. Who's ever heard of cursing at Yankee Stadium...

Brian in Oxford said...

I kinda hope that the big names DO skip the home run derby....the game's the thing. (even without the HFA thing)

How about each winning team member gets a million bucks, losing team members gets 20,000 (or whatever the normal appearance money is). But NO team representation rule. Geez, the NL's got 16 teams as it is, the all-star team doesn't even NEED 16 players.

I can see the Celtics in the crappery next spring, too. At least Jim Calhoun won't have to drive far to see Ray Allen play.

Hey Dan, what happens when Florida basketball gets the NCAA death penalty in 15 years? Oh wait, the SEC will have seceded from the NCAA before that. (maybe?)

Hargrove might have just forgotten what it was like to manage a good team, and is overcome with these strange emotions and sensations.

Eric Chase said...

how bout an all lefty HR Derby - Howard, Fielder, Griffey, Bonds, Ortiz and (WHOA!) Carlos Pena and his 18 bombs!

Boomhauertjs said...

MLB Stud-A bunch for the Tribe last night: Francisco, Carmona, and the biggest one, Rafael Perez who came in and got out of a bases loaded, no out jam.

Howard as the face of baseball? How about Grady Sizemore? An all-around great player, plus the ladies love him.

I believe Grover quit/was forced out because Ichiro told Mariners management he wouldn't re-sign if Grover was back next year. The guy has a very Bondsian attitude that no one knows about.

Ftrain said...

Dan,

No thoughts on the NFL's big F-U to the internet and bloggers about limiting ALL NFL online videos to 45 seconds.

As the biggest cheerleader for the "Bloggers are our future" i would've thought you would mention this.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/29/AR2007062902187.html

http://www.foulballs.net/2007/07/nfl-hates-you.html

ToddTheJackass said...

Dan, where's your "Must Do" list?Here's my Must Do list:

1) See a game from the bleachers in Wrigley
2) Visit the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame in KC
3) Visit Cooperstown
4) Play tennis on a grass court
5) Attend a soccer game in Europe

Mega said...

Who CARES what A-Rod's wife did? For pete's sake this is getting ridiculous.

ndyanksfan05 said...

I don't even think it actually said f**k you - I think the uck was blurred out. NY Post sucks so very very much.

ndyanksfan05 said...

Where did the Howard as the face of baseball come from? Who proclaimed this? So many other people that would fit that bill much better. I think its tough to argue that will all the publicity that Jeter gets and the completely polarizing feelings toward him that its tough to argue that he isn't the face. When you talk about America's team, or the face of a sport you need to think of someone that is known EVERYWHERE and stirs a great deal of emotion out of the populous - both positive and negative. Ryan Howard is just a good baseball player...he hasn't accomplished anything that would lend him to be the 'face' of baseball. I'd like to hear some sort of argument for that claim.

I think a David Ortiz also would fit the bill better for similar reasons.

pv845 said...

I agree about Jeter as the face but he is getting old. Howard might be the young new face of baseball.

Ortiz can't be the face of baseball because he doesn't pay half the game. I can't wait to see him in the field at the all-star game. That will be hilarious.

ToddTheJackass said...

NDYanks, Dan was the one last year who proclaimed Ryan Howard as the face of baseball. So take his statement for what it is...

But I'd agree with you that Jeter or Ortiz probably IS the face right now, adding in Bonds as a more polarizing figure and Jose Reyes as probably the most exciting and fun to watch player.

hskr dave said...

Things to Do:

1. Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
2. World Cup Soccer Game
3. Get to More Ballparks, half the teams I've been too have new ones now.

RevScottDeMangeMD said...

todd,

i'm confused...have you never seen a game in the bleachers at wrigley or is that something that everyone must do? b/c if you haven't seen a game there yet...what has taken you so long? tix aren't hard to come by...just don't wear any opposing team stuff.

jhawkjjm said...

I love the people who mock the AL DHs who are forced to play 1B in games. They aren't all bad people. They're not going to win gold gloves but we're talking about 1B people...it's not that hard.

ndyanksfan05 said...

I love going to the bleachers in wrigley and openly cheering for the oposing team...cubs fans are usually too busy drinking to follow whats actually going on in the game and dont really care. I wouldn't say that the bleachers are a very intimidating place for non-cubs fans. And cubs bleacher seats are EXTREMELY easy to come by...just wander around the stadium (near outdoor bars preferably) around opening pitch and you can score tickets for like $20.

Big D said...

@ alhajor:

Jim Thome... no inclination of steroids? Are you joking? Have you ever seen what the guy looked like as a rookie?

@ rafael:
I would love to see the Derby go back in time... I can't remember if it was in Three-Rivers or Veterans Stadium, but in the early 90's there was a great derby with Jr., Bonds, and Fred McGriff that gets replayed on ESPN every so often. Great stuff.

@ pv845:
I agree that Papi doesn't play half the game and therefore can't be a true "face of the game", but he actually is a half-decent first baseman. He might not make people forget about Doug Mientkiewicz or J.T. Snow, but he can play the position at least as well as Pujols, Fielder or Adam Dunn.

ToddTheJackass said...

@Rev, I grew up in California and have lived in Boston for 6 years, and have hardly spent any time in between. So Wrigley is a thing that I think I gotta do at some point.

@Big D, Pujols is actually a really good first baseman, but otherwise you're right. Ortiz is solid, just no range left or right or on popups.

Trey said...

I've read a lot about Gabe Shanoff on Rivals.com.

Coach Chip said...

Things to do:

1: World Cup final
2: Kentucky Derby Infield
3: UNC at Cameron Indoor

I bet 9 out of 10 Americans would put a soccer match ahead of the Super Bowl (as long as their team is not in the SB) on their list of all time must see sports events.

Unknown said...

What I want to do:
#1 Stand on the side of an Alpine Mountain during the Tour de France and drink beer with some Germans, wine with some Italians, Champagne with some French and then scream at the riders as they climb up the hill.
#2 See the Jets win the Superbowl.
#3 Attend a Yankees World Series game.


However, my #1 greatest sports moment in my life, the only time I was truly choked up and near tears was watching my son with the 2nd heat of the 600m event at the local middle school track meet. He had never been very athletic or coordinated to the extent we did OT and PT with him when he was small. I never made him play sports as to not embarass him but I did make him run every day one summer after 6th grade. I never really thought he would ever play a sport but he did.

Perks said...

500 HRs will still get you into the Hall as long as you aren't a complete jackass or roided up. Even with the possible roids and the corked bat, I still think Sammy will get in.

ndyanksfan05 said...

Things accomplished:
Yankees World Series Game (including game 5 clincher 2000)
Game at Fenway
Game at Wrigley
Indy 500
Derby weekend
Premier League Soccer Game
ND Game v. Mich, USC
Game at the Big House

Things i need to do:
ND Championship Game (any BCS bowl)
Final Four
UNC B-Ball
Duke B-Ball
Coliseum ND v USC
World Cup Game
Summer Olympic Track Events
Winter Olympic skiing events
Giants v. Eagles in Philly

Michael said...

I agree about Ortiz and first base. The guy is still a major leaguer, I don't think he got there without being able to scoop a throw to first. He certainly won't win any gold gloves but it's not as if he is going to look like he is playing with his hands tied behind his back.

Michael said...

Is watching a skiing event in the olympics a prime event? Are there places for spectators? I know it isn't masculine but I would assume Figure Skating would be the prime winter Olympic draw, or Hockey, let's say that I would rather see Hockey

ToddTheJackass said...

Also Ortiz came up through the Twins organization, so he definitely had to play the field in the minors, not to mention he learned how to bunt. Why he doesn't always bunt when the shift is on, I will never know. How could you turn down an automatic hit like that? Plus, if you kept doing it, it'd make teams not do the shift anymore, making it then easier to pull the ball, right?

ndyanksfan05 said...

There are always fans around for skiing (at least from what I can see) - I guess I just consider that the premier winter olympic event.

Michael said...

Todd, these guys aren't paid to bunt they are paid to hit some dingers...

What are everyone's thoughts on the deadspin redesign, I've given it a few days and I hate it...

ndyanksfan05 said...

he's not fast enough to make that bunt work everytime - the pitcher can field to the left and if he cant bunt it hard enough past the pitcher it would be an out anyway...plus its not worth it considering his ability to chage the game with one swing - rather get the automatic run on the HR then depend on his teammates to manufacture the runs

Big D said...

@todd:

There isn't a team in the majors that wouldn't gladly give Papi first on a bunt to avoid a homerun, and more importantly, clog the bases and setup a double-play for Manny...

Perks said...

Michael,

I hate it. I have been paying less and less attention. I used to comment daily, especially on DUAN, but now I feel like you need ritalin to understand the site.

David Kippe said...

i was just saying earlier that the 500 bench mark shouldn't be used anymore. too many guys are a acheiving it now. move it to 600. had fred mcgriff hit like what 5 more HRs, would he be in?

jhawkjjm said...

For those looking for things to do: I'ld add seeing a KU basketball game in Allen Field House against a quality opponent. Absolutely amazing atmosphere (in my heavily biased opinion). That and now there's the Hall of Fame (or Legends or whatever its called) filled with history of the program.

RevScottDeMangeMD said...

Speaking of sports "to do lists" lists...

Which doesn't belong.

Sorry for again for shameful promotion...but we need to get the name out there!

ToddTheJackass said...

Re: Ortiz, I don't for a second buy the "he's paid to hit home runs" theory, as he's paid to win ball games (obviously home runs help). But at least the 2007 version of Ortiz isn't hitting that many, so why not bunt more often? Let's say that he could have a success rate of 65% (35% making outs, since he's actually a pretty good bunter), wouldn't that offset the risks of him not hitting a home run? I should add that I'm suggesting this in situations where there is no one on base.

Also, for skiing. I don't remember that spectators are allowed near the course, but that they are at the bottom of the hill at the finishing area. Not sure how good the view is from there.

Unknown said...

For downhill skiing there are fans along the side of the course at certain points behind those red roll out fences. It certainly is harder to get a lot of fans around the course than an arena sport.

In most cases it is easier to watch downhill skiing on TV since they can switch cameras and show the whole run.

Brian in Oxford said...

Even a half-assed bunt should get past the pitcher, down the line. How about in the all-star game, David?

I also wonder why runners don't try to steal home against a lefty with that big a shift on.

Honestly, though, you play to win the game....and a good bunt can work. (I broke out of a slump specifically with a bunt because the 1st baseman was staring straight at the sun on the throw from the 3rd baseman....you do what you have to do -- right, Herm?)

also....

Interesting concept, rev.... I'm sure Wendy from South Park is used to random guys throwing up at the site of her, and at a football game, she'd fit right in.

David Kippe said...

Dan, why not more coverage of the Big Announcement from Dan Patrick today? Whatever it may be.

Michael said...

Did anyone here what the announcement was?

David Kippe said...

rumor is that he is moving on. good for him if it is true.

Unknown said...

Rumour has it that he could be the next host of the Price is Right. That would be cool.

bbom said...

I read some where that he turned it down.

Kevin said...

Big D said...
@todd:

There isn't a team in the majors that wouldn't gladly give Papi first on a bunt to avoid a homerun, and more importantly, clog the bases and setup a double-play for Manny...


Uh...if that were the case, wouldn't he just be intentionally walked every time up? What would be the difference?

And how come only black players seem to be mentioned as the "face of baseball"? Dontrelle Willis, Ryan Howard...Dan also mentioned David Price earlier, for some reason...is this a coincidence?

My vote would go to Grady Sizemore or Jose Reyes (yes, I know Reyes is black)...both are exceptional players, both are young, and they both seem to have their head on straight.

Kevin said...

Dan Patrick wasn't on the radio today, so he couldn't make the announcement. Really strange, since he hyped it up a lot too...

Michael said...

he wasn't on the radio? He mentioned the announcement after every commercial yesterday. I'm not actually a big listener of DP but I must say that I was intrigued

David Kippe said...

him not being on the air after the build up is really strange. BSPN is behind it for sure.

Ftrain said...

@Kevin

Jose Reyes is hispanic. He was born in the Dominican Republic

Johnny b said...

it seems like a flordia OL guy got suspended for the season and one of their running backs has to miss the first game for separate off field incidents

Kevin said...

whoops...that was retarded of me. My first point still stands, though. And I think Reyes would make a great Face Of Baseball, if such a thing exists...

Wild75 said...

I wonder how they know these kids will progress and be ready if they are still 4 or 5 years away from graduating...