Troubling times for Rocco Baldelli

Here's a story that, while it might not have been on your radar and television screen; it is still very interesting.

Rocco Baldelli has had problems staying on the field the past few seasons. In Tampa Bay, this guy is a monstrous disappointment because of the amounts of potential he showed early in his career (when gas was only approaching $2.00 a gallon) and his inability to deliver after signing a lucrative multi-year deal. Rays fans have even speculated the oft-injured Baldelli was a steroid user.

This year he planned a full comeback and was set to try and become an everyday player again, but Baldelli's body wouldn't cooperate. In spring training he tired with any amount of workload and basically couldn't function. He knew something was off and after a vast array of tests by medical physician, Baldelli has been diagnosed with mitochondrial disorder.

He doesn't know if he'll ever be the same or what the future holds:

Q: What is your long-term prognosis of your condition?
A: I don’t know what the long-term prognosis is. I don’t think the doctors have complete knowledge of it because I think everyone’s case is different. I think you stick with the treatments that they give you and see where it goes. There’s no real way to know what its going to mean five or 10 years from now. It’s not something I try to dwell on or think about too much anyways.

Q: Your goal is to become a full-time player again?
A: Obviously, but I don’t know if that’s completely realistic. I don’t know if it’s something you can completely recover from. It took me awhile to come to terms with that. I don’t know if that’s 100-percent the case, but I think it’s the case. Really, it was tough at first, but I think its something I’ve learned to live with and deal with and I’m OK with it.

Though this doesn't appear to be life-threatening it is scary nonetheless. Here you have a strong young ballplayer in the prime of his career and his life, and he's stricken with illness. It really can happen to anyone.

Who knows, maybe this story ends with the storybook Rays getting into the World Series and Baldelli somehow finding his health in time to make the postseason roster. Baldelli steps to the plate as a late pinch-hitter in the clinching game and delivers the hit that wins the Rays their first championship. The irony would be rich. This game has a long history of making moments like that though.

This Season is up for Grabs

Last night someone asked me who I honestly think will be in the World Series. I thought about it for a while and I really had trouble feeling confident about my answer. Someone has got to win the last series they play in October; walking off the field to shower one another in champagne in the clubhouse. I tried my best to have some vision of who was gonna play for it all.

I scanned through the NL teams. Thought about the Phillies. Thought of the Mets. Then I said it's going to be the Cubs. Although I think the Brewers could give them some trouble, the Cubs are going to make Ryan Dempster look like a genius.

Then I started thinking about another team that could come out of nowhere to have that 'special' type year. Something storybook like. I wanted to say the Red Sox earlier this season, but you know what? They're in for some serious shitty karma because they've had their share of good fortune. Why not the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. I have the Rays and Cubbies in a World Series that is immensely great for baseball.

But in all honesty, I can't remember a season this wide open in a long time, for reals. There are a lot of teams that seem just good enough to be a contender. There is no dominating team. Not that one that is just gonna roll. It could make for an excellent postseason in which all series go to the maximum games allotted.

Every team has around 60ish games left (depressing), and nothing has been decided yet.

Our wonderful season, wilting away

The season is halfway over and we are a bit melancholy about it. We wish baseball season could last 11 of the 12 months out of the year, and we'd never get tired of venturing to the ballpark or staying up to see if the Orioles outlasted the Royals on the late night sports shows.

We'll be picking up the slack here in the second half of the season. More coverage, more opinions, more links, and more overall wholesome goodness. Stay tuned, it's going to be a good ride.

Moments are only in a day; but legends live on forever

[Box Score]

Every day Jay Bruce does something that could only come from a dream, only to top it the very next game he plays. We have to admit, this whole week has been so exciting and unbelievable on the part of the 21-year old rookie that it's all starting to run together for us. The fact of the matter is, you couldn't even have stuff this good in a dreams.

On the day when our childhood favorite player Ken Griffey Jr. opened scoring with his 599th home run of his legendary career, the new kid in town closed scoring with the first homer of his own career. He also added 2 more hits in addition and 3 runs scored. You just knew his first home run was going to come in a situation like this after watching his flare for the dramatics all week long. The most impressive part of it to us is that he's doing it with all eyes watching. The crowds in Cincinnati the past two days have been two of the largest of all season. It's not just the fans in the ballpark, it's fans all around the league that are taking notice of this kid.

The Reds, for the first time in what has seemed to be an eternity; are leading off sports highlight shows all over America. The Reds are 4-1 and there is a clear buzz in the city that gets louder with every crack of the Deal's black Louisville. As we propheted, Bruce is saving baseball in Cincinnati. Sure, that might seem like a lot of pressure to put on a kid, but not this guy. He's got the head on his shoulders that will keep him playing hard and not allow any amount of success to change that. The Deal seems too good to be true.

We were a little surprised to hear that this was the first walk-off home run in Jay Bruce's entire life. What could be better than after seeing Bruce's moonshot land in the moondeck, seeing Dusty Baker skip off the field in amazement with his new pup Bruce at his side. How ironic that this could have been going on for 2 months or more if Baker had wanted it to. But we can't think like that. We have now and that is all we have. The past doesn't matter because of The Deal. Josh Hamilton's monstrous season over in Texas is now meaningless to Reds fans, because we have Bruce. All that matters is the future and the now. Right now is better than folklore, and it's better than dreams. We have to admit, it feels pretty good.

Cincinnati's fucking joke of a season rolls onward....

I'm a Reds fan and I was really looking forward to this season, until it started. It was a particularly bland Opening Day and it's resulted in a last place underachieving club that is essentially playing out the string here in May.

Well it should be no surprise that the Reds continued to invent new ways to do stupid, unimaginable shit: they batted out of order. Though Corey Patterson was supposed to be at the plate, David Ross batted out of order in the ninth inning of an 8-3 loss to the Mets today.

Through my entire career of playing this game, which probably spans the course of thousands of games; I never saw it happen. Not in T-ball and not in little league. Seriously, fuck these guys. They're just not even worth it right now.

You've also got to love Corey Patterson predictably riding his interstate tricycle down I-97 right now. You've got to love Ken Griffey's excruciantly slow crawl towards 600 home runs. At this rate he'll get there by August. You've got to respect that the organization won't call up Jay Bruce (hitting .325 with 6 bombs and 7 stolen bases in AAA Louisville) because they don't want his arbitration clock to start. You have to love that Matt Belisle and Johnny Cueto are holding down rotation spots while Homer Bailey rips it up in AAA.

This isn't a team that is trying to get better. Their front office instability and bad decision making really shows up with their on-field product.

Note: In the same breath, I'm driving 2 hours in marginal weather to watch them play the Florida Marlins tomorrow night.

I'd just like to point out the Tigers early season bed-shitting

The Detroit Tigers were shut-out today. By the Kansas City Royals. This coming after blowing a lead and losing the game in extra-innings on Opening Day to these same Royals. Both of these afflictions have occurred at Comerica Park in Detroit. Today's pitcher of record for the Royals? Are you ready? Brian Bannister.

Look, I know it's early. I know the Tigers have a nice ballclub. But you can't be doing this shit Detroit. There isn't enough Marlboro sold in that city (according to my friend who works for Phillip Morris) to keep Jimmy Leyland calm through this.

Ya'all Muddafuckas Best Be Gettin Readay.....

[Saunters out of clubhouse]

Big Cec': Prepare yourself, Nukkas. And stay da fuck up out my jalapeno cheeze wizzy. And who da' fuck left shit marks on my fuckin toilet?

Prince: Fat ass bitch. Everything they say about you is TRUE!

So I hear there is a game today

As you all know, tonight is game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Editor George and I have met up for a Diamond Hoggers meeting of the Chairmen of the Board. It's going to be an important night of Cigars, Dewars, Dip, and end up at the Winking Lizard bar. The game of the century for the Indians is on tap, and the fate rests in the hands of Fausto Carmona.

If the Indians make the series tonight against Curt Schilling in Boston, I'll go completely nuts and celebrate late into the morning hours....I really will.

Pictures to come from tonight. GO INDIANS!

ALCS Game 5: The Once and Future Mighty Indians

The Cleveland Indians tonight have a chance to rewrite all that is good in baseball. This is what teams play games, seasons, careers for. This is the reason they lace it up, the one's that love the game anyways. This is what ties a million dollar world-class athlete to his boyhood dreams after all the lights have gone out each night in the big city that he plays. The dream of playing in the World Series. Some are playing for their jobs and as Jake Taylor says in Major League, "some of you won't be back next year."

This is some players' only chance to make it to the World Series. It could be all of this team's only chance. Fates and careers will be decided tonight. There is no grander stage. There is no better drama in movie theatres. This is when the dreams are while you are awake. The Cleveland Indians up I-71 are playing for a chance to go to the World Series tonight. By tomorrow morning we might very well be talking about the American League Champion Cleveland Indians. We might be hearing about the party that went late into the night and into the wee morning hours as the rest of us go to work.

This is our team, our Indians. This is the blue collar team who wins ugly and represents it's city well. These guys are tight knit, and they play hard every night. They've gotten this far. One last step remains to make this season a memorable one and to win their 3rd pennant in 12 years.

Legends have been carved on this stage. You think back through the years to the images of other teams celebrating on this stage and wondering what it will be like to wake up one morning and have your team playing for it all. This is the Indians chance to carve that history and be that team. There is no turning back now.

Hold on baseball fans. 27 outs from now, the Cleveland Indians just might be in the World Series.

The Red Sox are on the brink

1 more win and the Cleveland Indians are going back to the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing like a little Harry Doyle to bring out the best in the Indians

We need your help tonight Harry.

ALCS On Tap: Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

Tonight's game 1 dream pitching matchup: Josh Beckett v. C.C. Sabathia

As I thought about this matchup on my drive to work this morning, a good thought came to me. I was thinking about the fact that the Indians are underdogs, and the fact that not a lot of people are giving them a chance at winning this series over the loaded Red Sox, who are supposed to be the best team in baseball. At the same time, the Indians have been pretty good--and not many people really want to count them out either.

This reminds me so much of the 1997 American League Championship Series, where an Indians team that got hot came in and beat a Baltimore Orioles team with 98 wins and homefield advantage, in 6 games. The Indians did it that year with a big blow from Tony Fernandez in game 6. I remember where I was at when he hit that homerun, as well as Marquis Grissom's clutch blast off Armando Benitez in extra innings, in which my mother had to wake me up in my sleep to tell me that the Indians had won. That was the turning point of the series indeed.

There is just something special about this Indians team that tells me you can't count them out; and don't you dare say you see the Red Sox winning the series. Even if you feel that way, you need to wait and hold your opinions, because this team just might end up making you eat your words.

At the same token, I've just got this weird feeling that the Indians will do something similar this year as they did in 1997--possibly something like getting past the Red Sox in 6 games--only to go to the World Series and lose to the Colorado Rockies for their 1st World Championship. It would seem both inevitable and poetic that this team lose it in a game 7 that goes 11 innings, blowing a lead late with their closer in the game and allowing for Colorado to celebrate on their own field due to an Edgar Renteria-like seeing eye single up the middle. At least Charles Nagy is no longer an Indian.

This series means so much for this young group of core players on Cleveland. It means so much to this championship-starved city. As I sit and watch tonight, and take in every gut-wrenching delivery from Josh Beckett, I will be rooting as hard as I've done before for this group. Many would like to sit back and say "If not this year, we'll have a long string of chances to win with this group." As a baseball fan I know that is not ever the case. There is an imaginary window that resides for every ballclub with talent to make the postseason. How long that window remains open to get a World Series championship through it is never certain. Make no mistake about it; there is no guaruntee that the Indians even take this team back to the postseason. The urgency needs to be felt and the time to strike is right now. This team has the opportunity of a lifetime ahead of them and I truly believe the winner of this ALCS is your 2007 World Champion.

I'm going to go ahead and and make my pick of this series, and yes I'm betting on the team from Cleveland. Yes I'm going with my heart which is something you should never do in sports. I might be going against some amounts of logic, but I'm taking the Cleveland Indians to upset the Boston Red Sox in this series in 7 games. That would mean the Indians win the final game, on the road in Fenway Park. As unlikely as it sounds, this team has something about them that won't let them go away. They have staying power. Tonight as I watch from a bar seat at Easton mall in Columbus sipping away at my Jack and diet's to calm the nerves, I'll be pulling with all that I have on every pitch.

As a baseball fan, for a baseball fan.... it just doesn't get any better than this.

Elimination Sunday

Today is the last chance for the Yankees to save their season. It's an NFL day, but come 6:30 it's a baseball day.

Let's hope the Tribe can make like the Rockies and DiamondBacks and wrap this thing up tonight in Yankee Stadium.

Indians Survive 11-inning Classic with Bombers

Sizemore played one of the games of his life

It wasn't pretty like so many of the 97 victories that came before them but it ended with the same old song. The Indians scratched and clawed for 11 innings, holding the Yankees in place until they could deliver a knockout in the 11th.

Fausto Carmona did his thing as well, he shut down the Yankees for 9 innings. He allowed 1 earned run--coming on a homerun by Melky Cabrera. He matched veteran Andy Pettite with everything he had, striking out 5. The Indians finally scratched a run across in the 8th inning off Joba Chamberlain (thanks to those fire lillies!) on a wild pitch that scored Grady Sizemore.

In addition to a diving catch in center field that took away a big 2 out hit, Sizemore led off the game with a single, tripled off Pettite and walked twice.

Now lets talk about the big time player that didn't show up. Alex Rodriguez struck out 3 times in the game and pulled another 0'fer. The Yankees fans can't say much; without him, they wouldn't be in the postseason in the first place. A-Rod isn't doing shit though; again. I think he's a great ballplayer, and a dickwad. Seriously the guy seems like a punk sometimes. He doesn't know who he wants to be. He doesn't know if he wants to be the clean cut momma's boy, or the guy who fights Jason Varitek or is always trying to get into physical altercations on the field. He hasn't played for shit this series--and I'm thrilled to see it.

The Indians have one more game to win and they take another step. I am afraid that they're not going to be able to hang a loss on Roger Clemens in New York in what could be the last start of his Major League Career. Something just tells me he doesn't go out that way. There has been many times when we thought it was all over for Clemens. He doesn't go out with a loss.

Once again, I'm proud of Grady, Fausto, Lofton, Pronk, Victor, Casey, Garko, and the whole gang. Wedge better keep growing that playoff beard. They'll be at least 1 more game in Cleveland this season folks.

[Box Score]

Way to go. Dipshit.

Above pictured is Milton Bradley. Finally his temper fucked him over. This is what almost a decade of reckless abandon and tirades will do to someone. You can't live your life so hostile and angry or you will be scorned. In a season that began with me taking him in my fantasy baseball draft; because Bradley is in a contract year and I thought he'd deliver huge for the Oakland Athletics, he ends up in another California city with his season ending due to a temper tantrum. I think it's the funniest shit that has happened all season long, not to mention the fact that it's the strangest injury I ever remember happening.

Milton, if you should ever read this I offer the following advice: quit being such a bitch. Simmer. Your hot temper has now ran you out of Montreal, Cleveland, and most likely 3 mlb cities in California. Just knock it off.

Some people are just too high strung.

Here's how it's gonna go tenatively

A good blog has structure and focus. We're clearly focused on baseball coverage, but with that being said we skip around a lot. From now on, we plan to make this place a little neater and not such a confusing place to be. Each day, if we make an entry we will go for a certain type of entry. This doesn't mean we still can't recap a ballgame or an entire night's action. It also leaves room for us to be very random. Things will just be a bit more organized for the time being. Depending on what day it is, we'll make a certain entry that will warm your heart. Here is the set up.

Friday: Week in Review, Weekend preview, Visitors Dugout
Saturday: Saturday Baseball afternoon roundtable (smorgusboard of posts)
Sunday: Opininative Piece
Monday: A case of the mondays rant (we rip someone)
Tuesday: Steroid Witchhunt
Wednesday: Story Time/Random Player Review
Thursday: The Dippers/Hoggers Review

You'll see how these different formats shape up as we do them, but expect this to be the format going forward, or like, at least until we're sick of writing about these things.

Cows come, and cows go; but the Donkey just keeps homerin'

As of last evening, when he hit an opposite field homerun off the man who was Joe Table, he's done it 220 times in his career. At the beginning of the season, we had a "Dunn Career HR Tracker," but since we've decided against it with the trade talk, and the slumping while it was up. Still it remains that Adam Dunn just keeps on doing what we love to see most: see a big time slugger, with the threat of homering on every pitch; go deep constantly.

He's homered in 25 different ballparks against 160 different pitchers. Carlos Zambrano, Kevin Millwood, and Glendon Rusch (I've seen him homer off all 3 live) are the pitchers he enjoys feasting on the most; as he's taken them deep 6 times each. He has 19 multi-HR ballgames. 119 homeruns have been to right field, with only 16 going to straight away opposite field. 46 of Dunn's homeruns have been to dead center.

Through all the turnover on the Reds rosters, all the guffaw from the media and the fans. Through all the trade talk and men that haven fallen victim to stints on the DL, Dunner has played and played and played. At the age of 27 he's still amassing homeruns and putting together a nice bit of statistics to hang his hat on. I can honestly say, that this whole thing would be more enjoyable for me if the Reds would do the right thing and lock Dunn up to a long term contract-build around him for the next several years through his prime, and stop this ridiculous fucking talk of trading him. I imagine that won't happen, because things like that just don't happen like that for good guys like me and Dunner.

Nevertheless, with every blast he's provided me with a different memory. Most I remember where I was at when I heard it on the radio, saw it on television, saw it in the box score. I guess that's how it is when you OKAY! It's a man-crush follow a favorite player for a long time. It happens.

I'm hoping for another 10 years of the country slugger launching parabola's that land in the moon deck at Great American Ballpark. I don't know if I'll be that lucky, but to this point, the 220 homers (201 which I have owned in fantasy baseball) over the past 5 years have been a remarkable thing to watch as a baseball, and slugger fan.

Read more: All the Adam Dunn homerun chit-chat you need. (Baseball Reference)

Lets keep the racial generalizations to a minimum

Elijah Dukes is out of his fucking mind. We've said it once, and we'll say it again. In the past few years I never remember a figure in baseball being such a thug. How did this guy have time to put down his Aut-6 long enough to learn the game as a kid?

On his estranged wife:
"I know if I stayed with her I'd physically be in prison because she provoked me by hitting me. She done hit me across the head with a picture frame and everything. I hate that because I told my kids I would never go back to jail for no domestic violence."

On his domestic violence issues:
"When did I get in trouble for domestic violence over the last year and a half?"

On the 17-year-old he impregnated:
"We and her did something one-time … I know for a fact, I know for a fact … if that’s my child, why does it have to be broadcast?"

On needing help/guidance:
‘Elijah, do you need help?’
"No! Do I need guidance? Yeah, I need guidance … I went to jail for breaking a remote control."

On....we don't have a fucking clue:
"Just like the Bible says, If you know it's not true you don't have to say anything and I haven't been saying anything. But I will say something about this situation with my mom out my mouth, because everyone knows I do love my mom. And I am tough on my mom but I know for fact I never told nobody my mom smoked crack because that would be a lie on my behalf. She never told me and I never caught her.''

No matter what your standing is on Elijah Dukes, and at this point you're thinking the same thing as we are; we know it, this guy is seemingly a new sound byte each day and a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.

Look on the positive side though, it gets the Devil Rays some notoriety, albeit not positive, but it is notoriety. I have a feeling how this all ends--in bloodshed. Dukes locking himself in a room with someone held hostage and that same Aut-6 we mentioned earlier. Bulletts, and carnage. Obscenities. More ramblings about crack. I'd be willing to bet for all the talent that ESPN the Magazine ranted and raved about Dukes having, it doesn't end with a trip to Cooperstown in 15 years. I'm just glad he's off my fantasy team and I don't have to root for this waste of human matter anymore.

Read More: Dukes makes Ron Artest look like a bunny (The Big Lead)
Angry Dukes sounds off (The Heater)
Elijah Dukes is on the air (Deadspin)
Podcast of Dukes going bat shit (620 WDAE)