Sluggish

SPORTING GOODS

I think Bobby Abreu is a very good player, and is probably under-rated offensively when one considers everything he brings to the table. But twice last night I heard NY news reports refer to him as a "slugger".

Here is a list of the National Leaguers around him on the slugging percentage leader board.

Jimmy Rollins
Aaron Rowand
Craig Biggio
BOBBY ABREU
Jose Castillo
Jamie Carroll
Conor Jackson

I'm sure Abreu will somehow capture the "Yankee magic" and pick up the home run pace (which currently has him at 8 for the year). But can we please not call him a slugger? On-base machine, yes. Five tools player, yes. Slugger? No!

World Trade?

SPORTING GOODS

Do you trade Lastings Milledge for Barry Zito? I'm completely torn on this. On the one hand, the Mets are probably the only team that can get Zito from the A's and he would be a huge improvement in the rotation and greatly increase the odds of getting to the World Series. Then again, I hate the idea of trading our studs. I want to win the World Series and don't think we will with our current staff but hate the idea of losing someone with an upside like Milledge.

This is why a fan can not be a GM.

Not listed on Monster.com

SPORTING GOODS

So, what is the best job in New York? Some might say it is mayor, as you can be a daily positive force in the greatest city in the world. Others might argue that being a DJ at Score's is the best job, or maybe the Sommelier at a restaurant like Per Se, or the guy who changes the colored lights on the Empire State Building, or analyst of pharmaceuticals and biotech which I hear is a lot of fun.

But to me, the best job in New York is whatever the hell Carl Pavano's job is.
Let's review.

Salary: $8,000,000
Office location: Home dugout, Yankee Stadium.
Job demands: Occasionally throw a baseball. Tell someone it hurts. Rest.
Job perks: Front row seat to all games; occasionally play wingman to Derek Jeter (I'm only guessing, Carl must have skills considering he dated Alyssa Milano).
Job risks: Bruised left buttocks. Getting in way of random rage of Randy Johnson or Gary Sheffield. Getting booed, if anyone actually could recognize that you are still a member of the team.

Seriously, it doesn't get much better than that. Get paid millions to sit around and watch baseball games. My submission for the best job in New York.

Always room for one more

SPORTING GOODS

The rebirth of my interest in soccer came from me starting to watch and follow the English Premier League (EPL), which helped me really get into the World Cup. I realize for most people it's the other way around, and I'm sure everyone is shocked - SHOCKED - that it wasn't MLS that rekindled the flame.

Anyway, a couple years late but still admirably, ESPN's Sports Guy has decided that he has been missing out, and invited readers to recommend which team he should throw his support behind. Kind of a fun task when you have no geographical or historical reason to root for any team, and you can start from scratch.

You can read all about his selection process and see the early cuts here. Actually, when he first announced the task, I predicted three teams that he would choose between, and in the end those were his final 3. You can read about his final decision here.

The nice thing for me is, while Simmons has been one of my favorite writers in part because of his focus on the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics, he somehow went ahead and picked my EPL team as well. So, for those that want to know just what he's talking about when he writes the occasional column on the EPL this year, there is plenty of room on the bandwagon!

A-Rod

Sporting Goods

The New York media is absolutely killing A-Rod these days. He's been slumping and he gets paid a lot so that seems like a good enough reason. I actually love seeing Yankee fans boo A-Rod because, it seems to me, the more the fans boo, the worse A-Rod plays. It is great.

Despite drawing the ire of Yankee fans, it is obvious that A-Rod is one of the best players in the game. That being said, Brian Cashman's defense of his golden boy is a little laughable:

"It's just unbelievable to me that there's so much focus on Alex Rodriguez," said Cashman. "He's having the same season as David Wright of the Mets. He's just not getting the same love because of the money he makes."

Really, Brian? Did A-Rod just finish second in the Home-run derby? Did A-Rod homer in the all-star game on a national stage?

And let's do a little statistical comparison.

A-Rod - AVG .285 | HR 20 | RBI 68 | OBP .387 | SLG .506
Wright - AVG .317 | HR 21 | RBI 79 | OBP .389 | SLG .575

Wright has a higher average, a much higher slugging percentage and more RBI.

Hmm? These numbers aren't all extraordiarily different but it is certainly not "the same season." Maybe it will end up that way, but it isn't yet.

Anything else?

A-Rod has 6 more errors at third-base.

Anything else?

There is also that clutch hitting thing. Wright had a walk-off double against Mariano Rivera to cement a 5 run comeback. A-Rod? Well, if you don't know, just read the NY papers. For a more statistical view let's look at their batting averages in "close and late" situations: A-Rod - .180; Wright - .323.

Wright is certainly not A-Rod but he is certainly having a better season.

Plus, Wright isn't an ass.

Hey, Veto!

MANIFESTO

I think our esteemed president, and those who voted against the recent stem cell bill, should put their money where their mouths are, and save millions of lives by "adopting" every frozen embryo that was going to be destroyed anyway, and now is also not available to do research.

Of course, then I suppose that in 20 years we'd have an army of anti-science fundamentalists overrunning the streets, so maybe that isn't a good idea. But then again, NEITHER IS VETOING THIS BILL for the reason given by the White House spokesman, that it is “taking something that is living and making it dead for the purpose of research.”

Won't someone think of the frozen, about to be discarded embryos?!?!?

Did I Read That Right?

UNIVERSAL REMOTE

The New Yorker is getting a little frisky. Or else my head truly lives in the gutter. From Anthony Lane's review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest:

"...the lower half of (villain Davy) Jones’s face is composed of moist, writhing tentacles, so dexterous that they can play the keys of an organ. I don’t know if there is a Mrs. Jones, but if there is she must be a contented woman.

That is a cunnilingus joke isn't it?

Like a Record, Baby

SPORTING GOODS

In case you missed it, there was a very good piece on Mets Geek about the historic paces that Reyes, Beltran, Wright, and Delgado are on for the Mets. You can read the piece here.

The most interesting part of the story, to me, is the shortstop related records that appear to be set to fall.

First off, Jose Reyes is having a tremendous year. He is on pace to break single-season Mets records for runs, steals, and triples in a season. In case you were wondering if Reyes is fast.

But the more impressive thing is that Reyes is on pace to break Mets shortstop records in the following categories: batting average, slugging, total bases, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, rbis, and steals, as well as saber-stats OPS and runs created. Wow.

I remember when I was in college, Sports Illustrated ran an article about how the Mets have never been able to feature (for any length of time) any decent third-basemen. HoJo was really it. But since Fonzie, Ventura, and Wright have all put in some quality seasons, shortstop has now become the position that makes you shake your head looking back.

To illustrate, just check out some of the previous Met shortstop records:
Batting average: .287 by Jose Vizcaino
Home runs: 10! by Kevin Elster and one other.
RBI: 60 by Rey freakin' Ordonez
Slugging: .396 by Kaz Matsui (which would be good for 72nd out of 90 qualified batters in the NL this year)

Not to mention, the Mets SS on-base percentage record was set in 1962, and we all know how good the Mets were back then.

I guess it makes sense, I can't think of any good hitting Mets shortstops, but I didn't imagine the drought went back that long. Jose Reyes is about to be printed all over the Mets record book. At least that will be erasing a lot of Kaz Matsui in the process.

Classic

SPORTING GOODS

Some observations from SNY's rebroadcast of the Mets 3-2 victory over Atlanta on September 21, 2001. As you may remember, it was the first baseball game played in NYC after the 9/11 attacks.

• The great Bobby Valentine screaming his head off at the end of Diana Ross' rendition of "God Bless America."
  
• The Mets wearing NYPD and NYFD hats instead of their normal caps.
• Ken Caminiti starting at third base for Atlanta.
• A spry 42-year-old Julio Franco playing in his first season back in the MLB after being exiled to Japan and Mexico.
• "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!"
• Rudy Giuliani, at the height of his popularity, watching from behind home plate.
• Police and firemen dancing behind Liza Minelli's singing "New York, New York" during the 7th inning stretch.
• Mike Piazza crushing a low-and-away pitch off the camera stand for a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning.

Without a doubt, it was one of the most emotional home runs I have ever seen. For the fans at Shea, it wasn't just exciting, it was cathartic. I remember getting choked up when I saw it in '01 and I couldn't help getting choked up again last night.

Snakes on a Plane: The One-Sheet

UNIVERSAL REMOTE

The poster on the left is the official American one-sheet for Snakes on a Plane. The one on the right is the official French poster. Without a doubt, I like the French on better. I especially love how Fat Albert is sitting there calmly watching a garter snake slither across his arm while everyone on the other side of the aisle is screaming bloody murder. If you're going to throw all your cards on the table and announce to your audience that the movie is completely tongue-in-cheek, then this is the way to do it. The American one doesn't even have a snake on it for God's sake! I can imagine the discussions among the suits at New Line and some sort of lame "not everyone likes snakes and they may be turned off by seeing them on the poster" argument. Uhh buddy, the movie is called Snakes on a Plane. I don't think they're going to be coming no matter how many snakes they see in the advertising. Personally, I liked the way they undersold the premise with the teaser poster but if I had to pick, I like this unofficial T-shirt best.

Samuel L. Jackson was nominated for an Oscar in 1994. That seems like a long time ago.

Scary

Sporting Goods

In what is likely my last World Cup post, did anyone find the images of one million Germans assembled, waving flags, and chanting, just a little bit frightening?

One of the commentators pointed out that since World War II, nationalism in Germany had really been downplayed as much as possible. But, the country's success in hosting the World Cup and reaching the semifinals has brought patriotism back in Germany.

I'd say their neighbors may want to start stockpiling weapons ... just in case.

All Star Whining

SPORTING GOODS

I enjoy watching the MLB All-Star game, and probably even more than that I like seeing who gets picked and who doesn't, both by the fans and the players and managers.

But my least favorite part of the process is the inevitable columns and radio rants from various know-it-alls who suggest that since the fans don't pick the "perfect team" every year, then they should lose the right to vote.

Today in the NY Times (no link since it's Times select), William Rhoden puts together a great example of such a column, using the genius who is Willie Randolph as his primary supporter.

I'm not really sure what the main gripe is (from either William or Willie), as there appear to be several: Fans stuff the ballots, players get rewarded for past performance, players don't get rewarded for past performance, and players get voted in even if they don't like their position.

The argument: Fans stuff the ballot boxes. (Jason Bay cited as the example)
The Pittsburgh Pirates, who are hosting the game this year, stink. They give their fans little to cheer for, but gave their fans an open plea to vote for Jason Bay. They were able to vote him in, with the help of knowledgable fans and even MLB.com writers (who talked up what a good season he was having). Jason Bay followed up his 30-20 season of last year (where he had an OPS of .960), by hitting 20 HRs so far this year while posting an OPS of .930. Last I checked, Ken Griffey, Jr. was the third NL outfielder by the voting. No explanation as to why Bay getting voted in is a problem.

The argument: It's a popularity contest, where players get rewarded for past performance. (No specific examples provided)
The argument: Players don't get rewarded for past performance (No specific examples provided)
I've lumped these together, as somehow the article makes both arguments. So either it is a problem that Manny Ramirez, Ichiro, Vlad Guerrero, David Ortiz, and A-Rod get voted in, OR it's a problem that David Wright, Jose Reyes, Chase Utley, and Jason Bay get in. I'm not sure which is more offensive to Mr. Rhoden, Mike Mussina, and Willie Randolph.

Yes, Joe Mauer probably deserved to make it over Ivan Rodriguez (and Mauer was picked as a reserve, as I'll note that fans only select 18 of the 60 or so All-Stars), but as Willie says "I think if you ... have been a perennial All-Star, even if you have somewhat of a slow start before the All-Star break, I think you should still make it if you are the best at the position." Pudge is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, is having the 3rd best season among catchers by Win Shares, so yeah I guess he should go. But Mike Mussina says "The [position players] earn their way maybe two years ago or three years ago." Hmm, I'm confused, the argument kind of goes both ways. Now I don't know which is better. But obviously, the way to solve that conundrum is by taking away the fan vote.

The argument: Players get voted in even if they don't like their position. (Willie's genius statements about why Alfonso Soriano shouldn't have been voted in).
Alfonso Soriano, he of the 24 home runs and 18 steals in a pitcher's park, "might be a second baseman next year when he's a free agent. That's why I don't think the fans should vote, because they don't really know." Get it fans? You're stupid, and Willie is smart, See, he doesn't want a guy who is on pace to hit 40 homers and steal 30 bases, because the guy will probably be a second baseman next year, and didn't even want to play the outfield back in spring training. "They don't know talent, they don't know who can really play." See, Willie knows talent, and apparently Soriano doesn't have it. Yes, Soriano, who is 4th in Win Shares of National Leaguers, has no talent and can't really play.

In the end, Rhoden decides that players and managers should pick the whole teams. Even though the one player and one manager he cites can't seem to agree on the standard for picking All-Stars, and even though the manager thinks that a player's positional prefences are more important than statistics, it's the fans who shouldn't be able to pick who they watch in their mid-season exhibition game. See, doesn't it make perfect sense?

Mark Loretta shouldn't have made it because there are too many Red Sox fans. Jason Bay shouldn't have made it because Pittsburgh wanted him to play. Pudge shouldn't make it because he is mostly making it on his past performance, but David Wright shouldn't make it because he hasn't been doing it year in and year out. And then Alfonso Soriano shouldn't make it because he doesn't love being a leftfielder.

The bottom line for all of these arguments, unfortunately, is that the author or radio host, or manager, or player who wants the fans to lose their right to vote, just wishes that they could pick the whole team. Until the day when the All-Star team is the 30 players that they wanted, the whole process is flawed. But hey, it gives them something to rant about every 4th of July weekend.

In closing though, I'll note that while this is an annual argument, the new wrinkle this year is brought to us by the Mets' manager. I'll just point out that Vegas would probably put good odds on Randolph being the manager of the NL All-Stars next year. Who knows, maybe his selections would be enough for writers to make the case that fans should vote for all of the players after all.