July 18, 2008

TIME FOR A BREAK

The All-Star game represents a time for several things: The Home Run Derby, the All-Star game itself, reflection on the season so far and most important, time to shut it down for a few days.

I’ll have to admit, I’m one of those who’s interest in this event has waned over the years. While I like the concept, I’m not a big fan of its execution. All of the excitement is in the beginning and the ending always seems anti-climatic. Watching slugger’s pound tape-measure homers is fun, and always will be. But, in the current format, guys will burn themselves out in the 1st round and have nothing left for later on. It’s more about endurance than pure power. Unlike the NBA Slam-Dunk contest, which has become a bloated cartoon of itself, I think that the Home-Run Derby can grow and have the drama of a “real” athletic competition. How? Easy, instead of having 8 guys hack away before their 10 “outs”, why not have them square-off one-on-one against each other, seeding the players 1 thru 8, in mini “games”? The seedings would create controversy, they always do, and they would enable office-workers everywhere to do their Home Run Derby brackets! You would still have three rounds, but the “outs” would increase in each, from 3 to 6 to, finally, a 9 out “game” with the batters switching after each “out”. This format, besides being eerily familiar to baseball fans, would better protect players from burning themselves out early and keep the drama going until the last swing.

Still, being the baseball geek that I am, I have to watch. You never know what you could miss. I’m glad I did. Lately for the big guy, Monday has become movie-night for me and the kids. We’re watching movies from my far away youth, this week was the 1st Star Wars, and giving Daddy an excuse for a 2 hour snack binge. (You can’t watch a movie without popcorn and Goobers!) After carrying the little ones to bed, and cleaning snack remnants from one end of the house, to the other, I decided to check out the derby, mainly to see how my boy, Chase Utley did. Armed with my trusty TiVo remote, I was skimming through the proceedings, Utley only hit 5, until I got to Josh Hamilton, as he hit bomb after bomb on double speed, I thought, I better rewind this and watch it real-time. Are you kidding me? Hamilton’s story is very familiar to baseball and a cautionary tale to any youngster. His ascent to the Majors last year and subsequent success with the Reds was a feel-good moment and an inspiration to many with addiction issues. To see how he handles himself now, is proof to the many of us that have been touched in our lives by those affected by addiction that there can, with a lot of work and support, be a positive ending. It was mesmerizing. With his former, 71 year old, teener-league coach pitching, Hamilton launched long-ball after long-ball in the “House that Ruth built” to the adulation of a notoriously jaded NY crowd. (If you can make it there……) Alas, he ran out of gas at the end. (When he came up to bat in the, for him, meaningless second round, I’m screaming at the TV, “Why is he batting? Save yourself for the final!” The ESPN crew, Chris “back to you Boomer” Berman, explained that he was just staying “loose”. What? He just took 38 all-out hacks, how “loose” does he have to get? Get him out of there!) In a way I found it fitting that he came up short while wowing the crowd. That’s how it is when fighting addiction. Victory is always elusive. The only way you win is to be able to play the next day. Sober. I respected the way he handled himself with dignity and class. He can count me as a fan. I’ll be rooting for him in baseball and in life.

As for the game, well, I didn’t see much of it. We were packed to the rafters at the bar. Hot, humid days and 8 All-Star Cubbies are good for beer sales. Two things I did notice:    Thank goodness for the Westside Rooters that Carlos Marmol looked good. This should boost his confidence, if not his dead arm for the pivotal role he is going to have for the Cubs the rest of the year. (He’s the ultimate key as far as I’m concerned.)

And, in a called shot, Billy Wagner gagged the lead in the 8th for the NL. Then again, it was easy, Wagner’s going to gag in a big spot a majority of the time anyway, so I shouldn’t take too much credit.      
 One more thing on the “game”, I still think that it’s a farce that a contest for the fans is used to decide home-field advantage for the World Series. Besides, if you’re Tampa, how do you feel about having Scott Kazmir having to pitch to decide a league rep’s fate after having thrown over 100 pitches on Sunday and having a prior history of arm problems? If this game “really” means something, Terry Francona should never been put in a position to use him. He should only have guys on proper rest and not have to use players in an effort to get everyone in the game. It’s a no-win position for any manager to be in. Of course, none of this would have mattered if Wagner didn’t gag the lead. (Sorry, I can’t get enough of saying that!)

It’s been a fun ride so far. But, as we all know, nothing’s been accomplished yet. As Lou would say, “Let’s not get all giddy!” Last year none of the 3 division leaders at the break made the playoffs. This is baseball. A 162 game marathon. The exposer of all weaknesses. That being said, the Cubbies have to feel good about where they are. Personally, I like how tough their division has become. I think it’s better for a team to be battle-tested than to coast into the post-season. It gives a team an edge to it, not to mention the benefit of packing a certain bar during a month of critical September games. I think 2 things will decide whether the Northsiders make it to October. 1) Their health. Alfonso Soriano has been on the DL twice already. While this has enabled the Cubs to show off their depth, they don’t possess s the ability he has to carry the team offensively.

And the new guy, Rich Harden. He has the ability to be dominating, as he displayed last Saturday. We all know that he came in a package that was stamped, “FRAGILE! HANDLE WITH EXTEME CAUTION!” But if he can answer the bell every time he’s needed, the Cubs easily have the best rotation in the NL.
2) Carlos Marmol. As I have often stated, I think that he was the best weapon in baseball in the 1st half. Until the end of the half that is. His ability to come in and put out a fire with unhittable sliders and do it in the 6th, 7th or 8th inning and do it for more than 3 outs is unparalleled. Unfortunately, he was such a good weapon that he was probably used too much. Coming off his All-Star recognition, along with the break and the hopeful emergence of Sean Marshall as a complimentary option, should allow him to have the confidence and stamina to be an all-year force.

Last but not least, it’s all about the break. I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember being so locked into a baseball season. Obviously, it was a lot easier for me when I was younger to get completely absorbed, as I didn’t have a lot of other responsibilities. As my life has gotten a lot more complicated, I didn’t have as much time as I would like to devote to my lifetime passion. (Thank goodness my job had 13 large-screen plasmas and the MLB package!) This year is different. Maybe it’s the fact that the 4 teams I follow are leading their divisions or that I’ve become addicted to fantasy baseball. (It’s not right that I know what Ronnie Belliard’s stats are for the season, last month and last week. Whatever!) I can’t get enough. But, sometimes it’s good to step away and take a break. It’s time to get recharged for what promises to be a memorable 2nd half. So how did I take a break? On “No Game Wednesday”, I took the day off, loaded up the minivan and took the family to Great America. Nothing says relaxation like a humid 90 degree day riding roller coasters and eating foot-long corn-dogs on a stick!  Typical me though, after a fun day, and the kids and wife were asleep, I flipped through the channels I found one of my all-time favorite movies. As I started to doze-off I had to laugh, for at least the hundredth time, when during a mound visit Nuke Laloosh pronounced his desire to “announce his presence with authority.” Break over.