HE DID WHAT?!

The New York Mets will not qualify for postseason honours this year, but shortstop Jose Reyes remains in line for individual honours as he vies for the National League batting title. What remains of his chances are anyone's guess after laying a bunt single in his only at-bat in the Mets' final regular season game. Leading off the bottom half of the first inning, Jose Reyes bunted the ball down the third base line, and reached first base safely. Mathematically speaking, this puts Reyes ahead of Brewers' slugger and lead MVP candidate in terms of batting average; Reyes finishes 2011 with a .337 BA. For Ryan Braun to overtake Reyes, he must go at least 3-for-4 in his final game against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight.

Amidst some boos from his home supporters, who paid considerable money to watch him play a full game against the Cincinnati Reds in the afternoon contest, Reyes entered the Mets' dugout to congratulations from most if not all of his teammates. Even the Mets' broadcasters were perturbed by interim manager Collins' decision to pull him from the game. According to Twitter, however, it was at Jose Reyes' request!

One can win trophies for mathematical supremacy via gamesmanship; when the same individual attempts to win trophies based on the subjective judgment by writers and outside influences, however, the perception of foul play taints and voids any attempt at securing such high praise.

No one can vote for who shall win the batting title, in the same way no one can remove Barry Bonds' single-season homerun record of 73 because he used performance-enhancing drugs, which many knew about and continued to overlook. Jose Reyes did what he felt was right, according and not according to the rules of the game. This would throw into question Reyes' effort during the season in almost every situation when the manager pulled him from a game, or didn't start him. However, if the National League Most Valuable Player Award came down to my vote, I would hope for Mr Reyes' sake that he would not be counting on me.

Embedding features off-line: For more on this game, click on this link to MLB.com ^_^

Toss-Up for NL MVP?

Decided to leave the debate for American League MVP for another day, and weigh in on the debate for the player most deserving to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award for the 2011 season. There is no need to add a pitcher to the list of candidates because no pitcher went above and beyond to be nominated for MVP in all of the National League; just fielders this time:

My Favourite

Ryan Braun sporting the Milwaukee Brewers Retro Uniform

Ryan Braun of the Central Division Champion Milwaukee Brewers looks like the runaway favourite in the NL MVP race. His league-leading .333 batting and .599 slugging averages would boost the standing of any major league baseball club, but to join the 30/30 club and beat opposing teams with his bat and his speed are something else (33 homeruns, 31 stolen bases in 37 attempts). Left fielders know most of the action in baseball will come their way, so to lead the league's left fielders in innings played (1229.0 INN) and fielding percentage (.996 FPCT), rank 2nd in assists (8), and error only once is no small task. Detractors may credit his success this year to the fact he plays on the same team with Prince Fielder, who is in his contract year, but to rank 4th in the NL in runs batted in (110 RBI) means Braun is doing his fair share.


My Rival

Matt Kemp during happier, postseason times, with #55 Russell Martin no less

Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers had an exceptional second half to the 2011 season, if not a very good 2011 as a whole, as he led the NL in hits (88) since the All-Star Game in Arizona. Tied for first in home runs with Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols (37 HR), and tops in runs batted in (120 RBI) are good enough for Kemp to be #2 on this author's list of MVP candidates (His 40 stolen bases are nothing to sneeze at either). Too bad his numbers aren't astronomical otherwise he would get the nod as favourite; the Dodgers are among the cellar dwellers of the National League sitting fourth in the NL West Division. The Most Valuable Player award should go to a player on a playoff bound team, or a player whose contributions more than make up for his team's lack of production and talent.

My Dark Horse

Carlos Ruiz used Death Stare; it's super effective. Batter faints. Ruiz gains 780 XP

Carlos Ruiz of the Philadelphia Phillies may have pedestrian statistics this year, but his value to the team's pitching staff goes without saying. He only played in 125 games, but his presence at catcher is a god send for pitchers such as Halladay (19 wins), Lee (16 wins), Hamels (14 wins), and rookie Worler (11 wins). If one considers a player's value to a team, then Ruiz has a case.

That's my three candidates for National League MVP. I'll weigh in on the "Verlander for MVP" debate in the next couple of days. The photos are linked to their respective sites, so I don't take credit for or own MLB pictures (all rights reserved); special thanks to MLB.com for statistics, and Getty Images and Zimbio for images.

Oh my! Sparks Fly!

Due to the embedding embargo imposed by MLB.com, all I can do is provide a link to the page. As the season progresses, or after a couple days, I can embed it on this page to show you.

Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila gets a shocking surprise from a Pierzynski foul ball in yesterday's game versus the Chicago White Sox! What is not a surprise to the Detroit Tigers or their fans is their first place ranking in the American League Central Division ^_^

Failure to Understand

I love MLB.com with its user-friendly interface and informative blogs and insight into each and every Major League Baseball game. If there is one concern, however, it is with the Headlines section in the top right corner of the window. There is a slight possibility one could be mislead if the headlines are read the wrong way! For example (Headings obtained from MLB.com website on September 13, 2011): Damon joins exclusive 200-HR, 400-steal club That's good about the homeruns, but shouldn't someone speak to him about his kleptomania? Beckett to start either Thursday or Friday Procrastination is not a good habit to get into. Terry Francona is really relaxed on managing his players Red Sox feeling the pain but remain confident If they changed the setting from perm press to normal, then things will not be so bad.

Bautista at the Bus Stop?

Remember the last time a baseball player attained hero status? In the post-steroid era of the game, cynicism hangs like a cloud, or maybe a slider, over every significant offensive accomplishment. Prognosticators, fans, and writers hold their breath awaiting for the inevitable positive drug test. This week in the city of Mississauga, and possibly in other places in and around Toronto, however, there is an unfamiliar and welcome site gracing the bus shelters and billboards of the metropolis. There is nothing surprising about professional athletes hawking sports products, fire-selling outdated electronic equipment, or promoting restaurants and eateries. Given the current climate of cynicism and apprehension about all professional sports, management structures, and the athletes employed by those teams, the surprise does not come from the beaming smile of Jose Bautista fire-selling the organic fruit drink "Booster Juice", but from the slogan printed in bold letters next to him.

Everyone needs something to believe in, and right now Torontonians believe Jose "JoeyBats" Bautista is the real deal. So much so that private industries are buying into his gracious and humble image. While the world of baseball casts a Spockian eyebrow at his outer worldly accomplishments, Bautista's consistency and hard-working attitude is a hit with fans right here in Canada.

After hitting his 42nd homerun of the season against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, which caromed off the foul pole in left field, Bostonians watch Bautista in eerie silence. The knowledgable Bosox supporters would shower other players of the past, such as Rafeal Palmeiro and the bulky Barry Bonds, with boos and taunts until the cows come home. In spite of the disparagement, there is an unsettled and bewildered eye toward Jose Bautista as he rounds the bases. There are no Popeye muscles, no overwhelming size, and no earth shattering step; he remains the same size player Blue Jays hitting coach Duane Murphy pulled aside for a word about the hole in his swing near the end of the 2009 season.

The advertisements are all over Toronto now, and they are a proud symbol of one city's belief in their "most valuable player", and the "booster juice" he drinks LOL. No, much more than that, for just like in days of yore following the Black Sox scandal and a big-time big fella with a big bat playing for the Yankees graced the box of a popular kids' cereal in the 1920s and 1930s, heroes still live among us - no matter how big or small.

9/11 Ten Years Later: Pause to Remember

Classic Post: Little League World Series

In ode to the Little Leaguers playing today (I think), I delved into the archives to pull out this poorly written gem about the competition more than one year ago on my old blog page, The Franchise. It's weird to read old scribbles, and know how far you came since those times. Enjoy...

They call it "The Little League World Series of Baseball", but I call it trying to get me to cry. Teams of ten year old boys from all over the world, and just as many teams from the United States play in Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the right to be crowned the world's best little league team...

(Insert Facepalm here)

I'm glad people are taking an interest in kids, promoting fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship, and the love of the game. However, I get more than a little upset about the annual questions coming out of this nationally televised event.

1) Why is there an American team in the final EVERY year? The LLWS has two "leagues" or conferences: American and International. While the best teams in the world face off against other young talents to see who is the best in their pool, all the American teams play in their league to see which the best/luckiest to play in the final.

2) How old is that kid anyway? There is always one tall, stubble-bearded, fantastic player from the darkest jungles of the world that takes the baseball world by storm. However, controversy surrounds that kid wherever he/she goes (See thirteen year old Danny Almonte in action)

3) What's with the flagwaving? When the USA is in the final, you can guarantee biased reporting from broadcasters, "USA!" chanting up to high heaven, and the heavy burden of patriotism and national pride befallen on kids with more on their plate than the RAF during "the Blitz" combined.

4) World War 2 anyone? Nothing says "fate of the world at stake" quite like Americans playing and winning against a team from Japan.

5) Are you crying?! Two cameramen are responsible for locating, isolating, and zooming in on kids from the losing team crying their eyes out on the field after a big loss. Tsk tsk tsk, shame on you. Check out this replay from the 2005 LLWS between Ewa Beach, HI and Curacao if you don't believe me. Tom Hanks is losing his mind about what he is watching out there!

6) What do you mean there is no ice here? Count on two other things about this competition.

1. Canada is in the competition
2. Canada will find a way to lose the competition

According to the logic of the LLWS, I'm playing eight Canadian teams in the next Winter Olympic Games, because hockey is OUR game: Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, Central Provinces, Territories, and First Nations. Come on, we do it in curling!

I have many beefs, but this beef above all gets to me: Video Replay in the LLWS. Never mind the call, but do we need this in Little League? As if the fate of the world hangs in the balance when Little Leaguers, who can't even drive cars, get together for a game of baseball? Perish the thought of a child crying his eyes out at the end of a game because of a blown call; who knows, maybe he will never play baseball again? We can't have that! Give them instant replay! We must get things right for the kids, and while we are at it let's get rid of defeat and losing, because those things are wrong. Yes, let's make every game a tie game so that everyone wins, except for the winner.

It sounds like I'm harping on kids, but the fault is with us. We put too many high expectations on our kids, and when they fall short they crash and burn; in the case of LLWS, however, we get it on film. If the LLWS is a gimmick, then we don't need eight American teams, flagwaving exercises, intense close-ups of Mom and Dad in the stands when their boy goes to bat, and video replay for calls that matter less to a ten year old than bubble gum and bike rides in the park. However, if it is not a gimmick, and we NEED this REAL baseball to prove something, then it's time to turn off the cameras, sit down with our kids, and find out who we are and what is important in life. Otherwise, the LLWS is really for those who didn't make it, and now living out our hopes and dreams in those we raised to serve our purpose.

What would I do about the LLWS? Two things for starters really: Shut off the camera and let the kids play.