Yesterday Chuck Russell and I decided to brave the 110 degree heat and head out to the K. The Royals took on the Chicago White Sox and picked up a nice win. We got to see a brawl (click for video), were given coupons for a free hot dogs and drink, and enjoyed chatting with the baseball coach from Pembroke Hill. There were five ejections. Oh yea, and Chuck decided to tie his shirt over his head in a turban, and made the Fox Sports broadcast. I was also on TV, thanks to Chuck’s honorary status as a member of Pale Force. Ryan Lefebvre talked about Chuck for a while.
This season Andrew Conard and I picked up a 21 game season ticket package, and have taken in quite a bit of baseball. I’ve enjoyed watching the Royals progress this year. Right now they are 8 games under .500, so they still possess a losing record. Even though they’ve still lost more than they’ve won, this is a better baseball team than it was a year ago, and I think they are a better baseball team now than they were in April and May. There is still a long way to go for the Royals before they become a playoff contender in the AL Central. They’ll need to pick up more power in the middle of their lineup and see some better production from Alex Gordon and Billy Butler. Since the All-Star break Butler has looked better at the plate, has driven in runs, and hit a few dingers. Let’s hope he can keep it going.
Royals (No) Trade Analysis
All the talk in KC in the week heading up to the trade deadline concerned who the Royals might move. Well, the trade deadline came and went and no moves were made. Starting pitcher Zack Greinke was rumored to have been inquired about by other ball clubs. Mark Grudzielanek is a veteran second baseman who hits for average, whom some thought might have some value. The Royals also had left-handed reliever Ron Mahay in the bullpen, and playoff contenders are always looking for quality guys like him. There is also the case of Jose’ Guillen, who wants out of town after just a few months with his new team, and who has two more years remaining on his contract.
In the end, the Royals moved no one. I’m glad. It is better to hang on to guys who can help you learn how to win than deal quality players for warm bodies to fill your farm system. The Royals must not have fielded any offers that would best serve the organization. I’m actually glad they hung on to their current players, Greinke and Mahay especially.
Favorite Deals at the Deadline
Here are my top three favorite trades which occurred at the MLB deadline:
A close fourth might be Mark Teixeira to the Angels, who look even more dangerous with his addition. But the story lines in the three listed above are just too good.
First off, I thought the Yankees were buried this year as last as June. Steve Phillips of ESPN continued to lament the Yankees lack of pitching, and constantly cited the missing offensive production in the Yankees lineup. The Yankees are currently 5.5 games back of Tampa Bay in their division, and 2.5 games back of the AL wild card. They aren’t out of it by any stretch of the imagination. They’ve played better baseball since the All-Star break, with some major offensive explosions. Their acquisitions at the deadline make them more intriguing. There is always pressure to win in New York.
I like Manny to L.A. for simple reasons–he is Manny Ramirez. I love to watch the guy hit. You put a bat like his in a terrible division like the NL West, and anything can happen. Manny might be able to lift the Dodgers by himself, and he seems rejuvenated by being out in the California sun. I like the deal also for the Red Sox, who jettisoned a guy who seemed tired of being there. Even though they are now regarded as part of the Boston “axis of evil” in the world of sports, I started pulling for the Red Sox in the mid nineties while I was learning about the history of baseball. By parting with Manny, I think they may have done the best thing for the club.
Enough Baseball, A Couple of Updates
My parents came in to town this past weekend, which was good. Today is my brother’s birthday. I submitted a piece today to a magazine. And, for the rest of the day, I’m going to do some reading, writing, and reflecting on the authority of Scripture. Later this week I’ll be logging some hours in the bus, so hopefully I’ll be trained, certified, and ready to go by the start of school.
God bless!
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Star Game, and I enjoyed every minute. Aside from three errors and three strikeouts by Dan Uggla (the errors didn’t cost his team the game, but sure made them sweat), it was a well played game with great pitching, some clutch hitting, and theatrics worthy of the final year of Yankee Stadium. The game ended on a sacrifice fly from Michael Young in the bottom of the 15th, scoring Justin Morneau from third. J.D. Drew took home the MVP, mainly for contributing a 2 run blast over the right field wall in the 7th which tied the game at 2. You can read about it in more than one place, but I thought 
Here is Billy Butler. The more I see this guy, the more I like the nickname I’ve given him–Pancakes. He hits the ball hard when he makes contact. He also looks like a guy who eats a big breakfast. When he comes to the plate, I thinking his ideal theme music would come from 
Thank You Stephen Colbert!
Posted in Cultural Commentary, Grab Bag, Satire, tagged Baseball, comics, Stephen Colbert on November 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Three of my absolute favorite: religion, baseball, and comics. This is a great clip.
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