A Sure Sign of Spring

Pitchers and catchers report!

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It appears that Major League Baseball knows how to play hardball. There has been a desire for some time to balance the leagues at 15 teams each (which makes the move of Milwaukee to the National League years ago a head scratcher). In order to achieve this balance it was made a condition of sale for the Houston Astros that they move to the American League West. There is a lot to be said for this. The I-45 rivalry begins. As it stands now, the Rangers can use another team in the division to beat up on. But before we get too giddy, remember that the Astros were in the World Series several years ago. If Major League Baseball decided to rename the divisions for people instead of geography (like the NHL used to do) would the American League West, with the addition of the Astros, and already having the Rangers and Angels, become the Nolan Ryan division?

American League Manager of the Year

Baseball writers are notorious for being one of the last bastions of a "boys club" atmosphere. They have their favorites and they stick with them. Take the voting for American League manager of the year. Now, I will not contest Joe Madden of Tampa as the winner. After all, the man got his team to the playoffs again this year with virtually no star talent. But Jim Leyland as a close second is a joke. He has a great pitching staff, headed by the winner of the American League Cy Young award, Justin Verlander. He has a powerful lineup that includes the American League batting champion. And then, Ron Washington finishes a distant third. Could they still be getting on Wash for his little indiscretion two years ago when he tested positive for a controlled substance?

Baseball

G. Edward White. Creating the National Pastime. (1996)

Baseball did not spring from the brow of Zeus as America's pastime. As Ed White details, it was created through the trials and errors of the men who had the most impact on the game in the period 1903-1953, the Owners.
Mostly it appears to be the errors. Slow to recognize the value of newspapers and radio, reluctant to end the color barrier, owners stumbled into a great moneymaker. This is a history of the business side of baseball and is very entertaining.

Just Wondering

If the first commandment in Major League Baseball is "Thou shalt not gamble nor associate with gamblers", why do they allow billboards for casinos?

Opening Day

Thomas Boswell was right, time begins on Opening Day. Opening Day should be a national holiday. When every baseball fan still can reasonably cherish the hope of going to the World Series. The day, at the end of which, half the teams are in first place, the other half are in last. What defines a successful season, beyond winning more games than you lost? I would posit the argument that it depends on which team you are discussing. The Yankees, the Phillies, and the Red Sox will not consider it a success unless they win the World Series. The Twins will consider it a success if they win the American League Central. The Royals and the Pirates would consider 82 wins a successful season. Where do the Texas Rangers stand in all this? I believe winning the Series would constitute exceptional success. If they win the American League West, that will be success. Now, the people who are paid money to discuss these things are saying the Rangers should win it all. They say this for a very cynical reason. The odds are the Rangers will not win it all, and the writers can then criticize the team to their heart's content. You should have kept Cliff Lee. Losing Chuck Greenberg was critical. Should have traded Michael Young. The general manager is inept, and so on. Sports reporters in the Dallas area think of themselves as critics and live to denigrate any professional effort. I believe this attitude developed in the 1960s, and it had to do with the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys from the late 60s to the early 80s were a team that defined success by winning the Super Bowl. There are few teams, college or professional, in any sport or any era that can say this realistically. I have already mentioned the teams in baseball. In football, it is probably New England, and, maybe Pittsburgh. The Lakers, Heat, and Celtics wear this distinction in basketball, as do the Red Wings in hockey. In college football, Alabama, Notre Dame, Florida, and Oklahoma. Others have different measures of success. Ohio State is content with winning the Big Ten. Maryland with going to a bowl game. Different expectations, different teams, different realities.

Pitchers and Catchers Report

In five days.
While Dallas digs out from yet another school closing ice storm, there is a sign of spring on the horizon: Pitchers and Catchers report to training camp in less than a week.
ESPN's Baseball Tonight could have been renamed Rangers Tonight. First topic was designated hitters and the Michael Young problem. I do not see why the Rangers wanted to trade him unless they believe he is on the downside of his career. His postseason was not great but he is the heart of the team.
Next came a story on whether the Rangers could replace Cliff Lee. It was like the Rangers were in last place when they traded for Lee last July. If I remember correctly they were already in first. Lee was a steadying hand down the stretch as well as a pitcher with postseason experience. Now, all the returning pitchers have postseason experience. I believe it is a loss but not as bad as some make it out to be.
The conclusion of the "experts"? The Rangers are the favorites to win the AL West but it won't be as easy as last season. Last season was easy?