C.C. Sabathia Says ‘Happiness’ Will Decide Where He Plays in 2009.

Even though the Brewers couldn’t get it done in the playoffs, they were sort of like last season’s Phillies, a team that sort of made it to the playoffs against all odds and was just happy to be there.

C.C. Sabathia on the Brewers was a fun time in baseball history. I say history because I don’t know how a team like the Brewers, a team that spends very little, could possibly afford to pay Sabathia unless they raise their ticket prices by 600%.

If the happiness thing is true, it sounds like Sabathia is already trying to rule out the Yankees. Sure, they’ll give him an island in the South Pacific with a mountain made of $20’s, but I’m pretty sure he’d be unhappy to suicidal playing under Hank Steinbrenner and the constant shit-stained spotlight of the New York Media.

The Mets might work to a lesser extent…but who knows.

Sabathia apparently loves Southern California, which makes the Angels, Padres and Dodgers possible targets. I don’t know what the Padres can afford, the Angels already have a great pitching staff but the Dodgers could probably use a big anchor…

Maybe the Rangers will step up, offer him $500 million over 14 years, not be able to pay that contract and then trade him to the Yankees after a few seasons…

I’d love for Sabathia to come to Boston but I don’t think it is going to happen.

Either way, Sabathia was great this season. I’m excited for the upcoming sweepstakes.

Mets Lose Again. The Game Was Agonizing and I’m Not Even a Mets Fan…

I don’t know how many days in a row I can post pictures of Mets players and/or mascots looking depressed.

Last night’s shit-showat Shea began with the Mets givng up a 0-1 lead, then, making Carlos Zambrano throw a lot of pitches, Zambrano walking in a run for the tie and then Carlos Delgado hitting a grand slam to put the Mets up 5-1.

You would think a team that must win every game to even have a chance at the playoffs would bring their A game against a team that has already clinched and is definitely playing hard, but clearly doesn’t care as much. You’d figure the Mets would go into shutdown mode and just throw strikes and nurse the lead. Not waste their bullpen. You know. It was a good opportunity for them to put the Cubs away.

But not this team.

At one point Rick Sutcliffe said something to the effect of “I really feel bad for these Mets fans. This team sucks.”

One direct quote I do have was my girlfriend who said “It must be shitty to be on a bad team. But I bet it is way worse to be a good team that plays poorly and loses all the time.”

That pretty much sums up the Mets.

David Wright has gone on record saying that their impending collapse of 2008 has NOTHING to do with their collapse of 2007. He would know better than me I guess…but who or what does this team need to add to actually get the job done?

Will they go after C.C. Sabathia this off season? Ben Sheets? Maybe both of them? Will they try to get a better outfield? One thing they could do is offer the Pirates Ricardo Rincon in exchange for Nate McLouth.

That deal sounds like it is right up Pittsburgh’s alley.

The worst thing that happened last night (aside from blowing a 4 run lead in a must win game) was when the Mets had Daniel Murphy on third with no outs in the bottom of the 9th.

Obviously I don’t blame it all on Jerry Manuel, but come on! The first two batters ate shit. No one could hit a deep fly ball. No one could even hit a shallow outfield fly (which probably could have been enough to score Murphy). With two outs, how could you NOT go for the suicide squeeze? Better yet, with 0 outs, why not try to sacrifice bunt in the runner? Put on a hit and run, lay a bunt down the first base line and have Murphy sliding into home.

Here’s a gem of stat from ESPN:

New York stranded seven runners in the seventh through ninth innings. The Metsfailed to score after putting runners at the corners with no outs in the seventh, then got only one run — on Jeff Samardzija’s bases-loaded walk to Ramon Martinez — after putting runners at the corners with no outs in the eighth. The ninth was even worse.

 

“That’s bad. That’s bad. That’s bad,” Manuel said.

“At this juncture, probably our toughest defeat,” Manuel said. “No question.”

The Brewers won last night too.

Also, does anyone else think that if the Brewers and Mets combined their rosters they might actually be fun to watch and good? I think they should look into that…I’m sure Bud Selig would approve.

This ship is definitely sinking.

Mets On Verge Of Legendary Collapse. Brewers MUST Win The Wild Card.

I hate to root for the epic failure of a team…but…

Couldn’t you tell this was coming?

The Mets have had a rough time all season. Granted they’ve won 90+ games, but it seems like they’ve had as hard a time doing it as possible (Red Sox come in 2nd in that regard this season).

The Phillies somehow climbed into first. Ryan Howard is trying to win an MVP instantly. An the Mets have 5 games left, 2 against the Cubs and 3 against the Marlins.

The Phillies have 4 games left. 1 against the Braves and 3 against the Nationals.

I’m not saying that the Phillies  should easily win the NL East.

No..wiat…yes. Yes I am.

But the Wild Card? That should go to the Brewers. Another team that has fallen apart in the last month only to still be in playoff contention thanks in large part to the horrific Mets and absent NL West.

The best case scenario would be a one game playoff between the two teams.

Last year’s one-game playoff between the Rockies and Padres was as exciting a baseball game as I have ever seen and I had absolutely nothing at stake in it. I know that Major League Baseball, unlike Hockey and Basketball, does not reward teams that are OK with playoff hopes.

But can you imagine if baseball opened things up to 6 teams per division (like the NFL) and gave the teams with the two best records a bye series (like the NFL). The new round 1 could be best of 3. Then best of 5 and best of 7 then World Series.

But you know how I would have them choose the additional two teams from the AL and NL?

A 1 game playoff tree.

Can you imagine seeing the other 10 remaining teams in the AL battle it out in a one game elimination tournament for a playoff spot? It would be epic. It would make every game a game 7. It would make baseball fun.

I know this is absurd, will never happen and “ruins the integrity of a great sport” (I threw in that for all the annoying old people who complain about EVERYTHING that changes in baseball). But I can dream.

Is it just me, or are the Mets 10 times less exciting than the Brewers this season?

Also, does it make sense to anyone that the Dodgers are going to make the playoffs just over .500 while the Mets or Brewers will not when both of them have a better record?

Just imagine a Phillies/Brewers series in Philly…

I’m rooting for Prince Fielder to get called “Cecil” and kill someone.

C.C. Sabathia Is Out Of His Mind

After a start that looked bad, like 2007 Roger Clemens bad, C.C. Sabathia has gone 7-0 since being traded to the Brewers, the Brewers have won 8 in a row and somehow Sabathia has a total record of 13-8 this season with a combined ERA of 3.04 and 183 Ks.

Since being traded C.C. has had an ERA of 1.55. That is through 8 starts (64 innings). Absurd.

The Brewers have 41 games left. That averages out to Sabathia starting 8 more games. Can he win 7 of 8? That is an important question because:

Sabathia won the Cy Young last season and here are his stats from 2007:

19-7 in 34 Starts. 4 Complete games. 1 Shutout. 241 innings pitched. Gave up 238 hits. 94 Runs. 209 Ks. 3.21 ERA. 1.141 WHIP.

Sabathia’s stats from 2008 (with about 8 starts left):

13-8 in 26 starts. 7 Complete games. 4 Shutouts. 186.3 innings pitched. Given up 166 hits. 67 Runs. 183 Ks. 3.04 ERA. 1.143 WHIP.

If Sabathia ends up going 17-10, regardless of other stats, he won’t win the Cy Young.

But, if he can win 6 or 7 more of his starts…Who knows.

He will easily surpass his K total from last year. Should finish with a better ERA and WHIP. It would be hard not to give him strong consideration if he finishes with a 19-8 or 20-9 record.

Then he will immediately end up signing with the Yankees…

Cincinnati Reds Trade Adam Dunn, Blow It Up, Try To Rebuild After 18 Years Of Misery.

Saying it has been 18 years of misery isn’t exactly fair.

The Reds did make the playoffs 13 years ago (they were promptly swept).

They were also in first place in the NL Central in 1994…you know…before the strike ended the season.

But I have to wonder how it feels to be a Cincinnati Reds fan this morning.

One of their best players for the last several seasons has been traded for prospects. Ken Griffey Jr. was sent away a few weeks back. It can’t be easy.

You know how when you’re a sports fan you have your teams and you have the teams you hate? Does anyone else feel like between yours team and the teams you hate, there are a slew of teams that you have a certain affinity for. You aren’t exactly a fan of the team, but you would definitely root for them should your team not make the playoffs or get eliminated by someone else. Am I the only one?

I can honestly say that the run and gun Phoenix Suns were one such team. I think Bombs felt the same way. I loved watching them do ridiculous things even when the Celtics were horrible.

The Baron Davis Warriors were another.

And I’ve always had a strange and inexplicable affinity for the Cincinnati Reds.

When I look at the NL standings they are sort of the team I root for in the Central.

I mean, I like the Cubs, I can’t NOT like the Cubs, and the Brewers are sometimes entertaining (though this is mostly based on my love of Gorman Thomas).

But the Reds are sort of, like I’ll look at their box scores.

I love Brandon Phillips. I loved Adam Dunn. And I loved Griffey (when he was healthy).

But do I ever watch their games from start to finish? I mean, if they are on, maybe. But I would never seek them out. I just sort of…want them to be good. Does that make sense?

Obviously I don’t get upset when they suck (I would have lived a sad sad life) and wouldn’t throw a party or celebrate if they won it all, but if the World Series was the Reds against the Rangers (or someone else completely random that I have nothing against) I would actually watch it to root for the Reds.

And anyway, trading Adam Dunn for prospects will hopefully help the Reds rebuild.

This is a team that just never seems to go in the right direction.

They never seem to spend money on high quality pitching (yet throw out all kinds of cash for Broson Arroyo). They are in a very tough division. If they go for a youth movement ala the Florida Marlins or Tampa Bay Rays, I don’t see how it could do anything but help their chances in the long run.

However…for the next 3 or 4 seasons…

Jay Gibbons Gets A Second Chance

Jay Gibbons who was named in the Mitchell Report and who has been bouncing around the independent leagues has finally gotten another shot in Major League Baseball thanks to the Brewers.

Gibbons sent out this long apology and explanation and essentially begged all 30 teams to give him a shot at even a minor league contract in June. When I initially read this I thought that anyone who is willing to apologize to potential employers, acknowledge their wrongdoings, and generally put their ego aside certainly deserves another chance.

I’m not one of those people who crucifies steroid using ex-players because the purity of the game was tarnished. Sure, Barry Bonds owning the home run records is annoying (but I would hate him regardless of steroid usage, the guy is a complete asshole and arrogant piece of shit and was when he was 22 the same way he is now when he’s 40-whatever), but the whole steroids problem is really the fault of Owners and Bud Selig for not ever trying to enforce any code of rules related to roids at any point in history.

The easiest solution is to pretend like it never happened. Forget about the juicy age of baseball (‘81-’06), give the guys their awards and move on.

The problem is, Andy Pettite still has a job. Jason Giambi still has a job. Sammy Sosa still has a job…etc. So blacklisting guys like Jay Gibbons, guys that are decent ballplayers, just isn’t right.

Not that I think there is any major conspiracy or anything…but its clear that most GMs wish that the people in the Mitchell Report would just crawl under a rock and die. Too much bad PR.

Well, Jay Gibbons has officially netted the Brewers some good PR. Which means that maybe our perception of cheating and steroids is shifting. Maybe we can start to forget about it and just watch the games.

I wish Gibbons the best of luck.

But C.C. Sabathia? Definitely jucing and I hope he gets banned FOR LIFE FOR IT!!! BASTARD!! YOU RUINED MY LIFE!!!! ARRRRGHHH!

Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin To The Cubs For Prospects.

 Well that didn’t take long.

The Cubs have decided to greatly improve their rotation by trading away six prospects for the A’s ace and consistent starter Chad Gaudin.

Rich Harden is Rich Harden. He strikes people out. He’s an ace. He’s nice to have at the top of a rotation. He is a great pitcher.

Chad Gaudin is a guy with some upside. Actually, I thought before this season that Gaudin and Jason Bergman (Nationals) might be the two starters who made the biggest strides towards improving greatly this season. They both put up decent stats last year while battling injuries and playing for mediocre teams. Neither of them have really come full circle, but it was my unexpressed opinion before the year started.

How can you not like Chad Gaudin? Look at that face. Its like he’s shitting his pants while winding up and trying not to laugh about it.

It makes sense.

And it makes the Brewers look like they could be in a lot of trouble (both in the standings and the future, because they kind of sold the farm for CC and there is no guarantee he is going back there. In fact, if I had to bet on it, I would say the Yankees will probably offer CC something absurd like $300 million for 10 years or something following this season. That would be a Yankee-front-office-like decision…buy high sell low…or just buy high and watch the investment disappear…)

Its funny that this year has seen 3 of the top pitchers in the AL leave for the NL. It seems like the National League might just be rebounding from what some dub “inferiority”.

The real losers here are the A’s fans who have no real reason to watch the rest of the season. Its not like they didn’t have a chance at a playoff spot. They had some good pitching and were capable of beating quality teams. Maybe the investment in prospects will pay off in the future…but right now it sucks.

BRING BACK RICKEY HENDERSON!!!

C.C. Sabathia Heads To Milwaukee, Vows Not To Become This Half Decade’s Bartolo Colon.

 

C.C. Sabathia has had sort of a weird season.

He had a poor start, his team (easily the second best in the league in 2007, mind you) is in last place in a divison of underachievers, the Indians have offered him little run support, he broke the 300 lbs. mark (most likely) and now he’s been traded to the Brewers for an AA outfield prospect (Matt LaPorta) and others (none of them top Brewers prospects).

Its hard to describe a season like that.

I’ll stick with weird.

C.C. was 1-5 (1 no decision) in his first seven starts after winning the Cy Young last season. His ERA was 7.51 at that point and he was generally annoying the hell out of Indians fans and fantasy baseball managers alike all over the world (thankfully I’m not in an auction league…I can’t even imagine spending like 1/5 of my allotment on him for this season).

He’s gone 5-3 since (with 3 more no decisions). Currently last year’s AL Cy Young winner is 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA, 123 K’s and a 1.23 WHIP.

These are certainly not bad numbers (he’s still getting outs) but a 6-8 record with 4 no decisions is ceratinly nothing to be proud of. Especially considering how well he pitched last year. We can attribute some of it to run support, but he just doesn’t seem to be the same pitcher.

How is any of this going to change in Brewville?

Well, for starters, the Brewers actually have a positive run differential, so that will help a little.

But they are also in a more difficult division (at least right now).

It doesn’t seem to happen as often that an ace pitcher leaves the AL for the NL.  Obviously Johan has been one example that comes to mind and he hasn’t exactly been setting the world on fire in New York (see, the same team related issues C.C. has had in Cleveland).

But maybe Sabathia will have a nice period of facing batters who have to adjust to him. Maybe he’ll fare well against a 7 man lineup. Maybe his ERA will continue to drop while the K’s pile up. Maybe he’ll turn in a respectable 16 or 17 win season. All though, if he does manage to, that would mean his record will most likely be something like 16-13 or 17-11, one of those “I’m a good pitcher on a shitty team having an off season” type of records.

I just hope he keeps the weight down. I don’t know if that was at all related to Bartolo Colon’s downfall, but people like to think it is. So hopefully C.C. won’t fall victim to the same issue.

If it doesn’t work out, you can always join the Red Sox at severly reduced pay in 2011.