MiltonSearch.com blog

I haven’t done a baseball blog as of yet – I’ve been focussed on the NHL for far too long now thanks to intriguing stories like:

- Gary Bettman’s blatant blocking of the Predators’ sale and pending move to the most lucrative hockey market in the world

- The Leafs’ usual questionable offseason moves

- and back to Bettman again with his failure to link the performance of the Canadian dollar to NHL revenues, which has sent the salary cap rocketing up, creating this year’s “free agent frenzy” and shutting out the smaller markets taking the league back to it’s pre-lockout days.

The aforementioned stories have been worth writing about, but good ‘ol baseball has taken a back seat. Today, all of that will change.

After actually sitting down and watching the MLB Home Run Derby and All-Star Game last week, I have a few thoughts (better late than never).

Even without the Expos, there’s still room to bash Canada

Ex-Expo Vlad Guerrero and current Jay rising star Alex Rios gave the announcing trio of Chris Berman, Joe Morgan and a third guy (I gotta find out who it was…) plenty of opportunity for some good, old-fashioned Canada-bashing (ok, it was pretty mild and not done in a hurtful way, but some of the comments just had me shaking my head).

I don’t have a problem with Berman, other than his patented ‘backbackbackbackback…’ calls for three hours straight during the yearly Home Run Derby. This guy’s act is tired – the expiration date on his brand of sports humour and obnoxious play-by-play calling was about 5 years ago. Morgan wasn’t too bad either, but ‘the third guy’ had me wanting to reach into my TV to apply a chokehold on more than a few occasions….

First of all, Alex Rios steps to the plate to comments like: “I don’t really know anything about this guy – he plays in Canada.” Yep, he plays somewhere in Canada. That somewhere is actually North America’s 5th largest metro market, but I wouldn’t expect anyone at ESPN, broadcasters or ex-athletes aside, to know that.

Granted, Rios isn’t even really a household name here and was a last-minute replacement for the Derby, but he’s definitely a rising star – currently the Jays home run leader and remember, before a staph infection cut his season in half, he was actually selected to last year’s All-Star Game as well. These guys are supposed to be baseball experts right? ESPN touts itself as the world’s sports leader, but I guess it’s too much to ask to get some guys in the booth who are on top of EVERY player at the All-Star Game. It also seems as if it’s too much to ask for the producers to maybe brief said chuckleheads on some of the less-popular players at the event to avoid having them coming across like incompetent boobs. Oops. Swing and a miss.

Even though he only hit 2 homers in the final, it was definitely satisfying to watch the sweet-swinging Rios soar past the competition, hitting the most homers of any round that night in the semi-finals. It was enjoyable watching the rest of ESPN’s “experts” scramble to come up with things to say before each round as Rios kept moving on…. Topic for another day: the Derby is cool, but let’s shorten it and make it more of a ‘game’ where guys face off against each other in ‘innings’ which end with three outs (non-home runs), so guys aren’t hitting 2 homers in the final because their arms are ready to fall off.

The dumping on our fine nation by ESPN didn’t stop there. During one of Guerrero’s appearances, the now famous ‘third guy’ made some more ‘observations’:

First, it was the usual statement about Guerrero – the congratulatory one about how great it is he’s ‘out of Canada’ so he’s finally getting the exposure his talent deserves. Again, real baseball experts and fans knew this guy was a stud in Montreal. I’m sure he appeared on ESPN highlight packages most nights during his Expo tenure, either swatting long balls or gunning guys out at third or home from right field with his cannonating (thanks Danny Gallivan - I couldn’t think of a better word) arm. He may not have played on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball or FOX’s Saturday Game of the Week, but most of America was well-aware of who he was. He’s been in more than a few All-Star Games as well….

That comment was followed up by another, something like “at least he got out of Canada before that turf killed his knees like it did to Andre Dawson.”

Another beauty.

No mention of “Montreal”. All the turf in Canada is bad I guess. Again, the baseball ‘experts’ couldn’t be expected to stretch their memories all the way back to 2004, the Expos last season north of the border. Were they playing on turf? Yes. Astro-turf? No. FieldTurf had been installed for the last two seasons at the Big O, and unless they planned to rip it out and put the old asphalt parking lot stuff back in, that’s the surface Vlad would have been playing on had MLB (yes, remember the Expos were dismantled -er, I mean “owned” by Bud Selig and Major League Baseball) not let him walk as a free agent to sign with the Angels. They couldn’t even bother to engineer at least a one-sided trade where they got back a cracked batting helmet, some snuff and a couple of rosin bags for him - but I digress… Is FieldTurf as soft as grass? Probably not – but it’s close. You’re not going to see it cut down careers like it did with Dawson and other players during the 70’s and 80’s. Vlad would have been fine. Hey, if FIFA has approved field turf as a suitable surface for the Under-20 World Cup of Soccer games at BMO Field in Toronto and Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa, then it can’t be too bad.

But again, good for Vlad – he’s finally ‘out of Canada.’

I wondered if maybe some producer would sneak up behind the astute broadcast team and maybe give them the tap on the shoulder reminding them that Ted Rogers was paying his hard-earned cash to beam their broadcast to a national audience all across the Great White North on Rogers Sportsnet…

Nah, I don’t think they cared.

That was Monday night. Tuesday, I settled in to watch the All-Star Game itself, forgetting about the arduous process of having to introduce all 475 players, pay tribute to the host city’s legendary player of yesteryear and perform two national anthems. All of this meant after starting their broadcast at 8:00pm, FOX was looking at the first pitch occurring somewhere around 11:45. A little less than ideal for us East Coasters with families who work. I guess as long as you have something to prop your eyes open with by the fifth inning, it’s not that bad. I’m sure I’ll be writing again on this topic in October, when MLB playoff games routinely run into the wee hours. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have to find out the final score of a baseball playoff contest the next morning. Anyway, time to get the toothpicks…

After the player introductions and the most uncomfortable moment of the night where Willie Mays ran in from centre field followed awkwardly by his scorned God son, Barry Bonds, it was time for the national anthems…

Major U.S. sporting events that are forced to play ‘O Canada’ make me laugh. It’s always entertaining to see which washed up or over-exposed Canadian act they send out there (under strict orders to keep the anthem ’short and sweet’ I’m sure). This is always followed up by a ridiculous, over-the-top rendition of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ by [insert bloated, flavour-of-the-month American pop star here], which is extended in length by 5 or 6 minutes and with an intro that is morphed with some kind of soul, R & B or gospel tune, transforming it into a painful, barely recognizable version of the anthem we thought we knew combined with maybe some fireworks or a military fly-by thrown in just in case the aforementioned wasn’t enough to glorify the mighty U.S. flag (This reminds me of yet another topic: ‘why anthems before sporting events should be banned’, but that’s for another day).

Anyways, the All-Star Game followed right along with the formula, but this time, we (Canada that is) weren’t even provided the opportunity of having a singer or artist perform. Out trots the San Francisco Symphony to ‘play’ O Canada. They do a fine, tidy job, but having the anthem belted out on instruments just doesn’t have half the flair of even stooping to the likes Celine Dion, Bryan Adams the Barenaked Ladies or God forbid, Nickelback. They did a good job. Nothing fancy, but I guess with only 1 of 30 teams north of the 49th, it’s not worth the effort or coin calling in any kind of big name celebrity, 10 years past their prime or not.

As Chris Isaak prepared to sing The Star Spangled Banner (precluded by some kind of Marvin Gaye-style intro), they flashed to a couple of jets beginning their approach to the bay area, ready to crash through the skies above the stadium upon the anthem’s conclusion creating the usual forced dramatic finish Yanks have come to expect from these kind of events….

I had to leave the room at that point. Maybe the San Francisco Symphony wasn’t so bad after all.

Ahhh, god bless our neighbours to the south.

Oh yeah - who was the ‘third guy in the booth’ you ask? Just a second, let me look it up.

Actually, check that. If ‘third guy’ couldn’t make the effort to know who Alex Rios was, or try to avoid spewing his ignorant, blanket comments about Canada, then why should I take the time to look up who he actually was?

Nevermind. Just some fat, overpaid, pantload, ex-athlete, that’s who (please pardon the generalization, won’t you).

What was LaRussa thinking?

Ok, so onto the game now. By the time the ninth inning rolls around, I’m barely hanging on (see earlier comment about the delayed start time). But finally, some suspense! With the AL leading by a run, the NL loads the bases with two out and the Phillies’ Aaron Rowand striding to the plate.

No offense to Rowand, but surely he’ll be pinch hit for, as the announcers comment on the fact that the only National-leaguer available on the bench is in fact, Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols. He’s struggled this year, but is still one of the most feared clutch hitters in the game, and hey, with home field advantage on the line and the NL trying to avoid extending their 9-game All-Star winless streak, the decision is obvious.

So what does Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa do? He inexplicably leaves Pujols on the bench and Rowand hits a lazy fly ball off Angels’ closer Francisco Rodriguez to end the game.

Huh?

“Sunglasses at night” LaRussa, one of the great tactical baseball minds (if you don’t believe me, just ask him) leaves Pujols on the bench?? Did that just happen?

Later on, LaRussa explained that in case the game went to extra innnings, he needed to save the versatile Pujols (who can play many positions). Um, Tony - rule number one: you have to GET to extra innings first… My philosophy is that you pull out all the stops and do everything it takes to tie the game up - then worry about shuffling your lineup for extra innings. Besides, with Pujols up, bases loaded and two outs, a single at the very least probably scores two runs and the game is over - planning for extra innings becomes inconsequential.

Also factor this in as well: the entertainment value.

Bud Selig should have thrown the main power switch to AT&T Park to give himself time to scurry down to the NL dugout to FORCE LaRussa to pinch hit Pujols. Yes, the situation was already dramatic, but replacing Rowand with Pujols would have multiplied the drama quotient exponentially. I know major league managers don’t think about the fans, but come on - throw us a frikken’ bone. EVERYONE was hoping Pujols would get the call…

And one more thing: LaRussa manages Pujols. With the defending World Series Champions struggling but still within striking distance of the inexperienced Brewers in the NL Central, LaRussa needed to make sure his go-to guy had a ‘happy-happy-joy-joy’ All-Star experience. Pujols hinted afterwards that he was none too pleased with LaRussa’s decision, and even though they kissed and made up afterwards, you know it was just PR. He didn’t get him into the game until the 9th inning, which was bad enough - and then he doesn’t even give him the chance for the game-tying/winning hit, which is the one thing that could cheer up any coddled superstar in that same position? Not only because of baseball strategy was it a mistake, but LaRussa probably just “lost” his team’s most valuable player and in turn, the Cardinals chances this year.

My theory: LaRussa makes these weird decisions from time to time. Just ask my buddy Capper - a die-hard Cardinals fan. He’s always bemoaning LaRussa’s managing decisions - usually it’s leaving a pitcher in for two or three innings longer than they should as their ERA rises like my Mom’s yorkshire pudding. I think he does these things in an attempt to show the world his ‘baseball genius’ by going against the grain. He’s probably had his ego stroked several times over his managerial career from going with these kind of ‘hunch’ moves… Imagine the praise that would have been heaped on him in the post game presser if he leaves Rowand in and he wins the game. If Pujols wins it, it’s all about how great Albert is. If Rowand wins it, it was a great move (or non-move) by the manager.

Good stuff LaRussa. Now, if my beloved San Diego Padres (yes, the Padres are my team - long story for another blog), currently battling for first overall in the NL, make the World Series and get to the point where they’re facing a deciding game six and seven in some hostile AL city like New York or Boston, I’ll be thinking of you….

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 19th, 2007 at 10:10 pm and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.