Odd Thoughts on MLB Week 7
I have a little more time and a few more thoughts this week, so the update will
be a bit longer. Let's start with Roger Clemens, who started the season just 7
wins short of 300, started out 4-0, but has gone 0-2 in his last four starts.
He'll be shooting for Win # 299 against the Red Sox on Wednesday. If he wins,
he'll get the chance for # 300 on May 26th, also against Boston. I know Roger
would like to already have that big win behind him, but I think it would be
fitting for him to become the 19th pitcher in MLB history to notch 300 Wins
against the team that thought he was washed up after the 1996 season. I hope the
Yankees drop 4 of 6 to the Red Sox in those two series, but I'll wear my
proverbial Yankees hat for Roger Clemens. In other Yankee news, the Yanks got
swept by the Texas Rangers in Yankee Stadium for the first time ever - more on
this later.
Earlier in the week New York Mets' managment informed the media they wanted
All-Star catcher Mike Piazza to begin a shift to first base. Piazza has strongly
resisted such a move whenever it's been mentioned in the past. Piazza then
responded with a torrid week at the plate with 10 hits in 19 at bats (.526)
including 3 home runs and 7 RBIs. He followed that by tearing his groin and
going on the disabled list. He's expected to miss at least a month and could
miss two. Piazza hits the DL just 3 homers short of passing Carlton Fisk for the
most homers as a catcher.
Montreal Expos pitcher Zach Day was ejected from Friday's game against the
Rockies for having a foreign substance (glue) on his pitching hand. Day was
using the glue to cover a blister - not to cheat. Nevertheless, he was found to
be in violation of MLB rules and tossed from the game. In other odd news, Red
Sox outfielder Trot Nixon caught an outfield fly ball and tossed it into the
stands thinking it was the third out rather than the second. The Walt Disney
Company sold the defending champion Anaheim Angels to Arturo Moreno for $184
million. That seems to be a low price for a World Series Championship team.
Moreno is the first Latino MLB owner, and that fact seems to be very important
to the media. But the last time I checked, I haven't seen many Latinos or other
minorities throwing $200 million dollars around. I assure you that when another
team comes up for sale, if there's a non-white person slinging that kind of cash
the MLB Commisioner's office would quickly approve the sale. It's not like the
owners are trying to stay all white. Nobody's prejudice against the color green.
Now let's take a look at the standings and finish up with our first installment
of "If the Playoffs Started Today." Over in the NL West The Giants have a 4 game
lead on the Dodgers and that's the largest gap between any first and second
place team in any division. The Chicago Cubs are still clinging to the #1 spot
in the NL Central, but the Astros (2 out) and Cardinals (3 out) are sneaking up
on them. The Cubs have maintained their position despite being without slugger
Sammy Sosa. Over in the NL East The Braves are up 3 on Montreal and 6 on
Philadelphia. At 30-13, the Braves have the best record in baseball. In the AL
Central, The Royals - as predicted - have lost their spot at the top to the
Twins. This is the first day all year the Royals have not been in first. The
Boston Red Sox moved into a tie for first with the Yankees. The Yankees started
their season 16-3 against the Blue Jays, Devil Rays, and Twins. Their 24 games
against the AL West didn't go as well. They went 11-13, leaving them 27-16
overall - good for the second best record in the American League. The best team
in the AL is your Seattle Mariners (28-15). The M's have opened a 2-game lead
over the A's. If the playoffs started today, the NL would have the Braves facing
the Cubs and the Giants against the wild-card Expos. The AL would be the Yankees
vs. the Twins and the Mariners against the wild-card Red Sox.