Friday, May 18, 2007
Heading into Inter-League Play
Brewers fans good for you that the ball club came through and won the final game of your seven game roadie through stiffer competition. Too bad for you, as the Clarion warned, once the Brewers got out of the Mr. Softie NL Central, they struggled. Ben Sheets picked’em up large in that final game of the trip. He threw 7 and 2/3, and handed the ball directly to ace closer Francisco Cordero, as they won 3-2 in Philly. Because while losing five of seven was rough, it was far better than losing six of seven and five straight heading into inter-league play. Much as the Clarion has picked on the Brew crew, they are looking strong in the Central right now. Winning the final game on that trip was big for their confidence.
How about the Mets today, a five rune 9th inning comeback, heading it into the subway series tomorrow. It was the first five run, ninth inning rally by the home side at Shea since 1999 against Curt Schilling, then still pitching for the Phils. The Metropolitans have the best record in the National League and All-Star calibre talent Carlos Delgado hasn’t started to hit yet, which he will. Plus, they get Pete back in August for the stretch and the playoffs. Their pitching may be the deepest in either league when he rejoins the rotation.
As for the Yanks, the picture is bleak, Roger may be too little, too late. The comparison with the White Sox, who just took two of three from the denziens of the Bronx, is insightful. The White Sox are three games over despite slow starts by their 3, 4, 5 hitters. Of that trio, Pierzinksi, Dye and Konerko, two of the three of are hitting under .220. Compare that to the Yanks who have A-Rod, Jeter and Posada all hitting over .315, but are three games under .500 and about to use their 11th and starting pitcher this year. Worse, the Yankees are 9 and 1/2 back of Red Sox, whereas the White Sox are only 3 and 1/2 out in the Central.
Yankees fans are officially allowed to fret heading into this week. The Men of the Bronx have a three game series with the Mets and Red Sox, owners of the best records in their respective leagues. The Yankees are already 5 and 1/2 out in the Wild Card race, too. Losing 5 of the next 6 games could be terminal.
Other baseball notes
The Florida Marlins are on pace to break the most strikeouts in season record. Unfortunately for them, it is not their pitchers who are about to break the record, but their hitters. How about the other Florida team, too, the franchise in Tampa Bay, their AAA affiliate, the Durham Bulls, have struck out even more this season than the Marlins. Sure, the Devil Rays have taken all their hitters, up to the big club. (which for those guys is better than the big house.) The Rays still have pitching talent in Durham. Gradually, the Clarion has become moderately optimistic on their medium term future on the field.
That said then, the other questions come to the forefront. Are there inherent obstacles to their success? They have new ownership, but their home park sucks. Tampa is full of transplants who had other prior baseball loyalties. They want to be a regional draw, but they couldn’t sell out a 9,300 seat stadium in Kissimmee for even one of three games against the Texas Rangers. A series that the Rays swept in what by all accounts. was a scenic setting. As horrible as it sounds to say that they could not sell out 9,300 seats in suburban Orlando, the average crowd was better attendance than Tampa did at Tropicana Field* for their six home dates against the Rangers last year. Their regular home attendance is the worst in the league. Can a team contend or even survive in Tampa?
*Field should always be considered a deceptive misnomer for an indoor facility.
How about the Mets today, a five rune 9th inning comeback, heading it into the subway series tomorrow. It was the first five run, ninth inning rally by the home side at Shea since 1999 against Curt Schilling, then still pitching for the Phils. The Metropolitans have the best record in the National League and All-Star calibre talent Carlos Delgado hasn’t started to hit yet, which he will. Plus, they get Pete back in August for the stretch and the playoffs. Their pitching may be the deepest in either league when he rejoins the rotation.
As for the Yanks, the picture is bleak, Roger may be too little, too late. The comparison with the White Sox, who just took two of three from the denziens of the Bronx, is insightful. The White Sox are three games over despite slow starts by their 3, 4, 5 hitters. Of that trio, Pierzinksi, Dye and Konerko, two of the three of are hitting under .220. Compare that to the Yanks who have A-Rod, Jeter and Posada all hitting over .315, but are three games under .500 and about to use their 11th and starting pitcher this year. Worse, the Yankees are 9 and 1/2 back of Red Sox, whereas the White Sox are only 3 and 1/2 out in the Central.
Yankees fans are officially allowed to fret heading into this week. The Men of the Bronx have a three game series with the Mets and Red Sox, owners of the best records in their respective leagues. The Yankees are already 5 and 1/2 out in the Wild Card race, too. Losing 5 of the next 6 games could be terminal.
Other baseball notes
The Florida Marlins are on pace to break the most strikeouts in season record. Unfortunately for them, it is not their pitchers who are about to break the record, but their hitters. How about the other Florida team, too, the franchise in Tampa Bay, their AAA affiliate, the Durham Bulls, have struck out even more this season than the Marlins. Sure, the Devil Rays have taken all their hitters, up to the big club. (which for those guys is better than the big house.) The Rays still have pitching talent in Durham. Gradually, the Clarion has become moderately optimistic on their medium term future on the field.
That said then, the other questions come to the forefront. Are there inherent obstacles to their success? They have new ownership, but their home park sucks. Tampa is full of transplants who had other prior baseball loyalties. They want to be a regional draw, but they couldn’t sell out a 9,300 seat stadium in Kissimmee for even one of three games against the Texas Rangers. A series that the Rays swept in what by all accounts. was a scenic setting. As horrible as it sounds to say that they could not sell out 9,300 seats in suburban Orlando, the average crowd was better attendance than Tampa did at Tropicana Field* for their six home dates against the Rangers last year. Their regular home attendance is the worst in the league. Can a team contend or even survive in Tampa?
*Field should always be considered a deceptive misnomer for an indoor facility.
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