Tuesday, March 29, 2016

MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE: "5-STAR PREDICTIONS ON A 1-STAR BUDGET!"

Image result for martin dihigo images

MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE:
5-STAR PREDICTIONS ON A 1-STAR BUDGET”

It's time for 2016 predictions and I know you've been holding your breath. But before we get going with the AL EAST let's take a moment to honor a baseball Ancestor. This is a player who rivals Ruth as a two-way star...Ace pitcher and batting King.

In honor of America's reset of our relationship with Cuba, let us pay homage to the greatest Cubano baseball player of all:

Called “El Maestro” and “El Inmortal”...the Immortal. He was the almost incomparable...

MARTIN DIHIGO


Induction Information
Elected to Hall of Fame by Negro Leagues Committee in 1977, Negro Leaguer
Born: May 25, 1905, in Matanzas, Cuba
Died: May 20, 1971, in Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, Cuba
Primary Position: Pitcher
Bats: R   Throws: R  
Played For: Cuban Stars East (1923-1927, 1930), Homestead Grays (1928), Hilldale Daisies (1929-1931), Baltimore Black Sox (1931), New York Cubans (1935-1936, 1945)
Bio
Martín Dihigo Llanos was perhaps the most versatile player in baseball history. Known as "El Maestro," he played all nine positions skillfully. Dihigo became a national institution in his native Cuba, but also starred in many other countries, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, also spending 12 seasons in the Negro leagues. Playing in the Mexican League in 1938, he went 18-2 and led the league with a 0.90 ERA, while also winning the batting crown with a .387 mark.
Quote
"He was the greatest all-around player I know. I say he was the best player of all-time, black or white. He could do it all."
   — Buck Leonard
Martin Dihigo started out as a quick, tall, rangy shortstop in the late twenties. He had such a great arm that they also played him at third and in the outfield before finally letting him pitch, but when he wasn't pitching he was playing somewhere else.
Some seasons he would play all nine positions and manage at the same time.
Most people say he was most like Joe DiMaggio in body type and all around talent. He could run and his arm was legendary. He once stood on home plate and threw a baseball that hit the wall in dead center on the fly.
Many, many major league players say Martin Dihigo was the greatest player they ever saw. Johnny Mize, the Hall of Fame first baseman, played winter ball with him in 1943 when Dihigo was 38. Mize would hit 359 homers and also won a batting title in a career interrupted by WWII. He reported that he batted behind Dihigo and pitchers were walking Martin to get to Mize.
That 1938 season: Being a batting champ and the best pitcher in any league at the same time is quite impressive, but this was a winter league loaded with major league stars and all the great Negro Leaguers.
Dihigo was simply, “El Inmortal”.
2016 PREDICTIONS:
This year, in a tip of the hat to my movie career roots, I'm rating these teams on the star system.
5*stars= among the best of all time.
4*stars=really good
3*stars=a little above average
2 ½*stars=average
1*star=stinko
0*stars=a real liability...they're playing the batboy.
I'm rating teams in 5 categories: offensive lineup, defense, rotation, bullpen and leadership.
Leadership” is mostly managers and coaches, but also includes the roles of the front office, clubhouse chemistry and inspiration and the ever elusive “JUJU”...good or bad.
Breaking offense down into categories like speed and power doesn't change the overall effectiveness of your offense. You can do it like Kansas City with small ball and speed or you can do like Toronto and brutalize people to death. It's still just offense.
Having two categories of pitching weights the final score accurately (I think) in that it recognizes the supreme importance of your pitching staff.
Let us proceed:
AL EAST OVERVIEW:
1st place: TORONTO
...Mainly because this is their best shot and they know it. Encarnacion and Bautista are going to be free agents and will probably move on. They are just leaving their primes and can still get really hot and carry a team. But folks...that ain't all.
They've got Tulo after he's had a chance to adjust to the new league. He's gotta be hungry for a pennant after all those terrible wasted seasons with the Rockheads.
Donaldson is an MVP in his hitting prime, surrounded by lineup help. What will he put up this year with all the motivation he must have to win now?
Add in Russell Martin's 25 dingers,Colabello's 15 and .321 average in 101 games, Smoaks 18 bombs in 296 Abs and the on-base/speed advantage of Ben Revere hitting leadoff? There is not enough right handed pitching in that division to control this line-up.
Offensive lineup: 5 *...among the greatest ever! Led the majors in OPS by 45 points at .797!
Defense: 4 *...above average almost everywhere. Martin a key at catcher and Pillar and Revere in the outfield. Installed new grass infield to save Tulo's legs.
Rotation: 2 ½ *... if Stroman steps up and can be an ace, it might be a 3 ½. Estrada coming on. Happ, Dickey and Chavez are innings eaters who can win when the offense scores 6 for them every outing. They may need late season help from the front office here.
Bullpen: 3 ½ *... Osuna a great rookie closer last year and Martin helps this unit at catcher a lot.
Leadership: 4 *...front office wants to win badly and satisfy hungry fans who supported this team so well. No money but they went out and got help when needed. Managing seems to be “Here's your bat...another homer would be nice.” Bautista's salary demand was bad juju. But him and Encarnacion and Tulo and Donaldson and Martin all together? Great clubhouse leadership power.
TOTAL: 19 STARS...FIRST PLACE


2nd place...NEW YORK
because their pitching is a little better than the Red Sox, mainly. Price of the Sox is the best starter on either team, but I think with Tanaka,Pineda and Severino the Yanks have stronger arms starting for them. The Sox staff stunk it up last year and they must re-prove themselves. Also, Bucholz is only good for half a season and you don't know how his replacement will do. The Yanks have a little better starting depth.
The Yanks also have three spectacular horses anchoring their bullpen (even though the rest of the bullpen is inexperienced). Chapman, Miller and Betances trump Kimbrel, Uehara (40 years old), Tazawa and Carson Smith. The gap would be wider if Chapman wasn't missing the first month because he got violent with his wife. (file under Bad Juju) Plus Carson Smith of the Sox is hurt to start the season.
Here's my breakdown of the Yankees:
Lineup: 3 ½ *...their club is tailor made for their ballpark with left-handed power to lob homers over the right field wall. This would be higher if most of their guys weren't so old that they will probably get hurt. They have pretty good depth in that eventuality.
Defense: 3 *...very good up the middle now that Starlin Castro has joined them at second. Pretty good everywhere.
Rotation: 3 ½ *...see above
Bullpen: 4 *...see above
Leadership: 4 *...spelled M-O-N-E-Y. The Yanks can always buy themselves out of trouble if they really want to. And all those old pros on the team give them some quality leadership in the house. Girardi has proved himself a master of low-key New York media manipulation and is a quality handler of pitchers and respected in the clubhouse. The players know he has their back. This score would be even higher if not for:
Bad JuJu: age, injuries, the big “S” on ARod's chest, Chapman funny stuff, huge unmovable contracts (see last issue)
TOTAL: 18 STARS...SECOND PLACE


Third place...BOSTON
Lineup: 3 ½ *...weird combo of young stars, older stars and inconsistent stars. If they all do their best work...Wow! But that's asking a lot.
Defense: 3 *...awesome in the outfield, more than adequate at second and short, miserable at first and third. Catching talented but young. (And the pitchers need help)
Rotation: 3 *...mainly because of Price, but what are they going to get out of 2 through 5? Lots of possibles in depth chart but are they really good enough when the first team starts going down with the ever-recurring Bosox injury bug?
Bullpen: 3 ½ *...a strength of the team. Kimbrel a great closer...Uehara, Tazawa pitched too much the last few years. They needed Carson Smith and his right-handed fastballs to handle Toronto and he went down early.
Leadership: 3 ½ *...like New York, they have money if they need help. Dombrowski is a dynamic and knowledgeable baseball guy. Farrell is supposed to be Mr. Pitching Guru but they actually did much better when he was gone second half last year. Still paying the price for blunders like Hanley Ramirez, Panda and Rusney ($70+mil?) Castillo. If those guys turn it around....maybe. Off the charts leadership from Dustin Pedroia, Ortiz and (it looks like) now Mookie Betts. Ortiz's last ride should be good for some motivation. (Good JuJu)
TOTAL: 16 ½ STARS...THIRD PLACE
Fourth place...BALTIMORE
Lineup: 3 *...they got Chris Davis back to team with Adam Jones and Manny Machado. That's a potent combo if they stay healthy.
Defense: 4 *...very , very good.
Rotation: 2 ½ *...very, very bad (if you're trying to win the East...otherwise average)
Bullpen: 3 ½ *...very good actually with Zach Britton, Darren O'Day at the top.
Leadership: 2 ½ *...everybody says Showalter is so great. Genius handler of pitching staffs. Well, the Orioles are in the lower middle of baseball in pitching. Also, Buck keeps griping about how the Yankees and Red Sox have more money than the Orioles do. Three words for you Buck...Kansas City Royals. If they had money the Orioles wouldn't spend it 'cause their owner is tight as a tick.
TOTAL: 15 ½ STARS...FOURTH PLACE


Fifth place...TAMPA BAY
...they finished higher over the last few years and didn't get the best high draft choices anymore. It's showing. They still have good pitchers coming through but a lot of them got hurt or had to be traded when they became free agent-eligible. They have a terrible park and just don't make any money. The franchise should be moved.
Lineup: 1 ½ *...almost totally stinko. Only Longoria and maybe Loney are threats and any sane pitcher will pitch around them.
Defense: 3 *...Kiermaier is the best in baseball in center. Keystone combo is young and suspect. (29th in baseball last year in DP's)
Rotation: 4 *...as usual the Rays run out great arms every day. Not as much depth as in the past.
Bullpen: 3 *...weaker than usual.
Leadership: 2 *...Manager Cash isn't Joe Maddon. The front office can't seem to get a new ballpark. They should hire George Bush to teach them how to fleece the taxpayers to your own profit. The scouting department should get about a 4 ½ for identifying terrific pitching prospects over the years.
TOTAL: 13 ½ STARS...FIFTH PLACE


That's it for this issue. The rest of the AL follows in a day or two and then on to the National League. Check your mailbox and thanks for your kind attention!


PLAY BALL!










Saturday, March 19, 2016

MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE: LIFE IS HARD WHEN YOU'RE DUMB

MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE:
LIFE IS HARD WHEN YOU'RE DUMB!

Like the song says:

“Life is hard...but it's hardest...when you're dumb.
Inside your head...a dark and silent...vac-u-um.
If there's a blank behind your face,
Why not rent out the extra space?
Life is hard...but life is hardest...
When you're dumb!”

In this issue we recognize outstanding achievements in baseball dumbness (Dumbitude?) It should make for an interesting entree into the season as we prepare for our official predictions next blog.

BOSTON WRETCHED SOX: We begin with the all time champions. That's right, proud owners of the all time dumbest move in baseball history...this is the team that owned Babe Ruth...and sent him to the New York Yankees!
Ruth was the greatest power hitter baseball had ever seen, the best drawing card in baseball history and the best leftie pitcher in the American League to boot. THE RED SOX KNEW THIS! He was just entering his prime in 1920 when the Sox got rid of him. Consequences? Ruth is still the greatest offensive player baseball has ever had. Also the greatest drawing card. He started a Yankee dynasty and initiated 86 years of Boston futility.

They traded Zeus!

Step right up, Red Sox! You have Pride of Position in our examination of more recent dumbness.

CHERINGTON BITES THE DUST: After being declared the newest genius general manager for stocking the club with bit players and afterthoughts like Shane Victorino and Kojie Uehara and winning a World Series with them in 2013, Ben Cherington finished last in 2014 and panicked.

The whole idea about not spending money on high-priced free agents in 2013 was to bridge the gap for all these great young players the Sox had in their system. So for 2015
the Sox offered their Ace pitcher John Lester half of what he was worth on the market and then traded him. Then they went out and gave Rick Porcello...a number 3 at best... a long term contract at a high price sight unseen. Then Cherry went out and hired two free agents...Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval.

By the All-Star game Porcello had an ERA of 5.90. They tried to make Hanley a left-fielder and he couldn't make even basic plays and lost them many games until he got hurt and was a liability the rest of the year. Pablo had about the worst WAR per salary dollar in the league for any position player!

The worst thing was not just finishing last again. It's that now you have Sandoval and Ramirez blocking great young players who could be helping the team. Moncada, Travis Shaw and Rafael Devers are all waiting in the wings but they have to watch Sandoval and Ramirez and their bloated contracts make the Boston infield the worst in the league defensively.

Bye Bye Ben Cherington! Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

NEW YORK BLOATED OLDIES: The Yankees kept giving obscene contracts to older players until they have a roster full of huge financial liabilities who can't even play because they're hurt all the time.

C.C.Sabathia is owed big piles of cash and has almost nothing left...except years to go on his contract. $50 million for 2 more years.

Texiera actually had a good power year with 31 jacks in 392 at bats but of course got hurt again and can't really do anything but hit an occasional bomb over the little league fence the Yanks have in right field. $22 million for 1 more year.

Beltran is a statue in right field. $30 mil for 2 more years.

Ellsbury...who everybody knew was a major injury-prone-type player whose major asset was speed when they got him started getting hurt and lost his speed and now is a below average player owed big gobs of moolah. For what? $110 million for 5 more years.

Brian McCann is an aging catcher on the DL a lot. Big contract. $66 million for 4 years.

Tanaka has a frayed rubber band for an elbow. Owed $111 million for 5 more years.

And of course, the Pillar of Dumb...the Yankees gave ARod a TEN YEAR EXTENSION for $275 million when he was already 32 and a known lying steroid cheat. $40 million for 2 more years.

Even for the Big-spending Yankees, that's a crippling amount of money tied up in no longer prime productive players. They've got no one but themselves to blame.

TAMPA BAY WRONGS: The Rays built themselves a ballpark in a location where their fans wouldn't go and ...surprise! They didn't draw. Even when they finished first they only drew 1.8 million. Now they're down to 1.2 million. Welcome to the world of Dumb, Rays!

TORONTO BLOG JADEDS:
JOEY “BAT-SHIT” BAUTISTA announced just before entering this, his last contracted season, that he would not be giving any home-town discounts to the Jays and intimated he would be expecting around $200 million and a six or seven year contract when he entered free agency.

Bautista is now 35! That means this mythical contract would last until he was age 42 or so. Given the recent history of players over 37 falling off the table production-wise, does he really think he's going to be offered a contract like that by anybody? (Correct answer: NOT!)

Hope you're happy in your wonderful bat-flipping bat-shit world Jose!

WASHINGTON GNASHINALS: This whole team has an aura of Supreme Dumbness...they dump Hershey's chocolate syrup over each other to celebrate their rare victories.

But the top dumb move ever may have been shortstop Ian Desmond turning down a $107 million contract extension for five years from the team in 2014. In 2015 he had a terrible season defensively and the offer was pulled. Then he turned down the qualifying offer of $16 mil for one year and turned into a free agent. The only offer he got was $8 million to play left field for one year for the Rangers.

You better talk to your agent again, Ian. You are now no longer a shortstop and you are about $100 million dollars poorer. That's some great bargaining there!

MIAMI MUCH MALIGNED MARLINS: They hired Don Mattingly to upgrade the poisonous atmosphere in the clubhouse and then went out and got Mr. Toothache Barry Bonds to “help” him with the hitters. One thing or the other, Miami!

MINNESOTA TWINKERBELLES: In 2010 catcher Joe Mauer hit .365 for the Twinks with 28 homers and 96 RBIs. The Twins decided to make him the face of the franchise and gave him an 8 year contract for $187 million...insuring he'd be on their team at least until 2018 when he would be 35.

Then they moved the team into outdoor Target Field where Joe couldn't reach the fences. Since then, in 6 seasons Mauer has hit only another 47 homers. So you take the primary offensive force on your club and put him where he can't succeed. Now Joe is no longer a full time catcher and is a no-power first baseman for the rest of his career. That's real dumb, Twinkers!

Actually the Twinks sacrificed the best home field advantage in baseball...playing at the nasty, loud old Metro Baggie-Dome... and got a brand spanking new park where they don't win as much. Onward, Twinkards, onward!

MILWAUKEE ABUSERS: Ah yes, the fabulous team from Wisconsin. They failed to recognize that they needed to rebuild, then when they did it was too late to get rid of the thorn under their saddle...Ryan Braun. Ryan is a player who can no longer avoid injuries now that his system is...ahem...let's say less bolstered? So the Brewers are entering Rebuild Hell slowly...sacrificing players like Gomez, Segura and Lucroy (he may be going to Texas) in a slow bleed while they have to keep smiling as they send Braun out there day after day to be the face of a dishonored franchise.

LOS ANGELES ANGST-ANGELS: Signed Josh Hamilton to a huge contract, knowing he was a frequent wagon-faller-offer and injury certainty. Then when Josh got hurt and depressed and was playing badly and started to hit the pipe again were shocked, shocked to discover he wasn't a reliable bet. So they ship him back to Texas and are still paying his whole salary!!! (Actually, Texas gives him about $8 million for three years while LA pays the other $63 million or so.)

That means LA will have paid $93 million for Josh to play two years for them where he played in 240 games and hit 31 homers total. And they are paying $63 MILLION so he can now play for their division rivals for three years!

I root for Josh to come back and redeem his career....but I can recognize supreme dumbness when I see it and the Angels just won the booby prize.

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS....nope, that's not right...Mariners, right?
I mean SEATTLE MARINATORS: Why did they think Robbie Cano would be just as productive at Safeco Field in his thirties as he was in his twenties at that New York Yankee bandbox? The only thing the same about Cano is his penchant for jogging to first on any groundball. Oh well, they needed a big name to bring in the fans.

Enjoy your money Robbie. Mariners, why don't you study the KC Royals if you want to build a winning team in a pitcher's park?

OAKLAND PATHETICS: I hate to sound like a broken record, but that Josh Donaldson trade was really dumb!

LOS ANGELES DRUDGERS: They don't have a lot of star power for the most expensive team in baseball. They do have probably the top farm system of anybody though so I guess they aren't THAT dumb...except for trading Dee Gordon who turned into a batting champion, Gold Glove second baseman who also led the league in steals. That's a lot of dumb to trade a player like that.

SAN DIEGO PUTRIDS: Where to start? Start anywhere....they just haven't figured it out yet.

COLORADO CROCKIES: How long does it take to figure out that the only pitchers who will succeed at Mile High Stadium are big power strikeout pitchers or sinker ball specialists. The Rocks just keep getting guys in the middle somewhere who get killed.

They're never going to get big free agent pitchers to sacrifice themselves on the Altar of High Elevation Doom that is Mile High, but couldn't they at least develop those kinds of pitchers down on the farm? Nope.

“Life is hard...but it's hardest...when you're dumb.”
So just sit back...and smoke a bowl...of opium.
If being stupid is your fate,
Just relax cause it's too late.
Life is hard...but it's hardest...when you're dumb!”

Next issue: SPRING PREDICTIONS: FINAL VERSION.