Grilli’s Gone Wild; lame factor through the roof

Detroit Tigers reliever Jason Grilli has a tee-shirt, and it is pretty lame, but a definite collectors’ item (if you’re a big Detroit middle relief fan). Being a Tiger fan, I am shocked that I had not stumbled upon this fashion gem until just now. I don’t know when this came about or why it was even developed to begin with, but he can’t be serious. Just a terrible play on words replacing the ‘Girls’ in ‘Girls Gone Wild’ with ‘Grilli’s.’ Also, his pitching arm is blurred out. So weak. But at least the Olde English D isn’t being disgraced as it was airbrushed from the design. Also available for purchase are the sunglasses with windshield wipers he wore during the 2006 ALCS celebration.

Pitifully cheesy merchandise aside, Jason Grilli has been rather good lately, following a terrible start to the 2008 season where he was booed every time he did something. His lowest point was giving up 3 ER on 3 pitches against the White Sox earlier on. However, he has gotten his ERA down to 3.29 and is working on a scoreless streak of 11.1 IP. The Tigers need him to continue pitching well because their starters have been one of the greatest disappointments in baseball this year. Tiger fans give him a lot of grief for some occasional catastrophic outings, but he’s still one of my favorites. I am a homer sometimes (but not as much as Phil) and I apologize.

UPDATE: Grilli has been traded to the Colorado Rockies. Just when he started pitching well.

Tuffy Rhodes Watch: April

This is a new monthly column by Phil that will chronicle Tuffy Rhodes’ endeavors in Nippon Pro Baseball in Japan. He is, and will always be one of our favorite players. From his three homer Opening Day in 1994 with the Chicago Cubs and many fantasy team owners getting angry later in the season when he did not produce, to tying 55 homers in 2001 with the immortal Sadaharu Oh, we will always love him.

Tuffy Rhodes is one of the few bright spots for the Orix Buffaloes (11-20) so far. Last year, mostly as a DH, he hit .291 with 42 home runs and 88 walks in one of his better seasons. With guys like Alex Ochoa, Tyrone Woods, Rick Short and Aaron Guiel leading in batting average in the Nippon Pro League, these American guys have a great chance do well. Guiel also leads the Japanese Central League in homers. This year so far, Tuffy has 10 home runs in 31 games already (out of 130 or so), leading the league. He is hitting .301/.434/.660, also among the leaders. 24 walks leads the league too. So far, another good season for Rhodes. Don’t expect him to keep up this pace, but this is good.

Other Japanese players and expatriates that I watch:

Hitoshi Tamura (Fukoka Softbank Hawks): .297/.343/.436, injured
Hiro Tanaka (Tokyo Yakult Swallows): .365/.435/.476
Ex-MLBer Lew Ford (Hanshin Tigers), off to a slow start: .180/.241/.292
AAA batting champ Rick Short (Tohoku Golden Eagles): .289/.329/.393

Pitchers

Yu Darvish (Nippon Ham Fighters): 0.69 ERA
Kaz Ishii (Seibu Lions): 2.16 ERA
Seth Gresinger (Youmiri Giants): 2.43 ERA

Rich Garces has a job in America again, not at Old Country Buffet

Expect less posts this week, we have final exams looming. Anyways.

El Guapo is back. And no, he’s not working at Old Country Buffet or delivering Domino’s Oreo desert pizzas to underprivileged children. He’s playing baseball in the Can-Am league, for the independent Nausha Pride. Of course I could make RICH GARCES EATS A LOT jokes all night, but I would rather post this picture.

I’m gonna drive to Nashua now.

Rich “El Guapo” Garces Returns (Oursportscentral)

“Guys Do It All The Time” (Remix) ft. Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens is not doing much to improve his Hall of Fame resume. It has been reported that Clemens had a “decade-long affair” with country singer and former hottie, Mindy McCready (my anti-drug; click the story and you’ll see an updated picture). Usually an athlete sleeping around is not a shocker, but this started when Clemens was married with two kids at 28, and McCready 15. Clemens denies the relationship was of a sexual nature, but what kind of affair would that be? Did you misremember getting it on?

Clemens’ Monster.com Hall of Fame Resume

• 354-184
• 3.12 ERA
• 4,672 Ks
• 2 World Series Rings
• 7 Cy Youngs
• Cameo in Kingpin (classic movie)
• PED allegations
• Possible affair with girl aged 15 (employers hate this)

I still say that Clemens belongs in the Hall of Fame. I view him as the best pitcher in baseball history. But he is definitely not rallying many votes from the writers for his enshrinement with those last two bullet points. Gaylord Perry threw a spitter and he’s in. Technology has just replaced the saliva with a syringe. I haven’t seen Perry on To Catch a Predator though.

Report: Clemens had relationship with country star (Fox Sports)

Water sucks, Gatorade is better

According to this piece here, water is not allowed in the U.S. Cellular Field dugout now, due to Gatorade being the official sports drink of Major League Baseball, meaning no water, no Vitaminwater, no Red Bull, no other drinks in the dugout other than Gatorade, and certainly, no tobacco juice from Nick Swisher. I wonder if the rest of Major League Baseball is following this unhealthy attitude for sports marketing.

I wonder what Bobby Boucher thinks of that. He’s gonna open a whole case of whoop-ass pretty shortly on Selig here..

Don’t drink the water! (nj.com)

Cliff Lee putting up Nintendo numbers

As some of our most diehard readers (no, not ourselves) may have noticed, I have not written an entry for a few weeks now. Conspicuous by my absence during the last few weeks of intensified school work, there has been a lack of entries related to the Cleveland Indians (with the exception of Joe Blow Borowski’s DL stint). In the interest of journalistic integrity, I told myself that my next entry would pertain to something else entirely unconnected to the Indians. Being a student of cultural politics, this week’s celebration of Jackie Robinson was one topic I wanted to write about. However, while I’ve been away jail-raping end of the semester exams, Cliff Lee has been jail-raping American League hitters. The numbers are staggering: 4-0, 0.28 ERA. In 31 2/3 innings, Lee has allowed 11 hits, struck out 29, walked 2, and put up a ridiculous WHIP of 0.411. Last night, Cliff Lee allowed 3 hits and struck out 9 batters in a complete game shut out of the Royals.

Harold back in TV, Big Hurt back in baseball

Everyone knows our undying love for two of our favorite black guys in baseball, Harold Reynolds, and Frank Thomas. Well, they both have jobs again.. and not illegitimate jobs like that stinkhole at MLB.com. Just kidding, MLB.com is not bad at all. Our boy Harold though, he da man at SNY now and although he ain’t givin’ no free hugs at Boston Market no more, we still respectin’ dat. Offensive imitation aside, you can hug your television monitor next time he appears on SNY. The ESPN firing against him was bad press, as he was never told why he was fired, which sucks, because Reynolds was one of the more watchable personalities in ESPN (as well as Scott Van Pelt and.. uhh… help me here).

The Big Hurt got a job with the A’s today, where he played for in 2006 and promptly, he is now the full time DH, which means the A’s have two other DHs in their bench now in Mike Sweeney and Jack Cust, although the rest of that bench is very weak. Which is cool again, because we liked Frank Thomas in the 1990s and he still hasn’t been proven for steroid use. It hasn’t been a good year for DHs, with guys like Jose Vidro, Jim Thome, Gary Sheffield, among others slumping badly to start the season. Fair to say, we were hurtin for a squrtin of more Big Hurt here.

Cool to see him back.

Start Joba?

Hank Steinbrenner has pulled a George Steinbrenner and complained that New York Yankees relief phenomenon Joba Chamberlain is being improperly used. According to Hank, Chamberlain belongs in the starting rotation. Hank’s opinion should be taken seriously because he knows more about baseball than manager Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman…

Steinbrenner is not a baseball mind, but he may have accidentally made a decent point. The Yankees starting rotation has Chien-Ming Wang (4-0, 3.94 ERA) and Andy Pettitte (3-1, 2.45 ERA) pitching great so far, but the remainder of the rotation leaves a lot to be desired. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy have been simply terrible, and Mike Mussina is obviously on the decline.

• Phil Hughes (0-3, 8.82 ERA, 16.1 IP)
• Ian Kennedy (0-2, 9.64 ERA, 14.0 IP)
• Mike Mussina (2-3, 4.94 ERA, 27.1 IP)

You can win a division with two pitchers having exceptional seasons, but to have three pitchers playing at this poor level, and two of them with ERAs over 8.50, a change must be made. Enter Joba Chamberlain. Joba was a starter at Nebraska, but the most he ever pitched in a season is 118.2 innings. There are obviously some concerns about arm durability and losing one of the best talents in a long time to injury. Joba has a blazing fastball with some tail, a slider that batters struggle to touch, along with a curve and a change. He has excelled in the setup role, with a 0.38 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 24.0 IP in 2007. This year, he is at a 1.18 ERA in limited innings pitched (8.0 IP) with 9 strikeouts.

The Yankees poor pitching rotation definitely needs help, but can they allow Joba to vacate the setup role? The answer is unclear. Brian Bruney is a big guy who throws smoke and reminds me of a baseball John Daly (grip it and rip it), though he has lost some weight. If Joba moves to the starting rotation, I would predict Bruney to be the setup man for Mariano Rivera. He has a 1.59 ERA so far and averages just over a strikeout per inning. Bruney has struggled with control at points in his career, but he appears to be putting those issues behind him. He is definitely a better option than Kyle Farnsworth and a struggling LaTroy Hawkins.

Manager Joe Girardi needs to decide what is more important: a sure stopgap to preserve save opportunities for Rivera, or to fix a struggling starting rotation whose 3-5 pitchers are simply not getting it done. Joba appears destined to become a starter within the next year, especially with Hank Steinbrenner pushing for the change. The key for the Yankees is slowly increasing his innings pitched to avoid burning out the most potent young arm in baseball. Look for the Yankees to make a move, either putting Joba in the rotation, or, in Yankee fashion, bringing in a high-priced veteran to bolster the staff.

After Steinbrenner lashes out about Joba’s future, Cashman fires back (ESPN.com)

Does speed nullify weak statistics?

Speed on the bases is an asset that any manager would love to have. A burner at first keeps the pitcher nervous, can get into scoring position, and ease the manufacture of runs. But looking at a few of the MLB leaders in steals, you wonder if having this luxury of speed on the bases is worth the atrocious numbers at the plate.

OF Michael Bourn-Houston Astros

Bourn is the current MLB leader in steals at a perfect 13 for 13. He is undoubtedly one of the fastest players around, his 2004 season at A Lakewood when he stole 57 of 63 is evidence. His 2007 in Philadelphia showed some promise at the plate with a .277 over 105 games and a sturdy .348 OBP. Again, he was almost perfect with 18 steals and one caught stealing. But this year, he is off to a weak start at the plate batting .216. On the positive side, he has 10 BB so far, contributing to a .310 OBP. It would be nice to see him get that average up because he has the speed of the prototypical lead off man, he has shown he can take a walk, and past performance suggests that he can bump up the batting average and be one of the league’s most dangerous men on the bases.

OF Carlos Gomez-Minnesota Twins

Carlos Gomez is an absolute speed demon, but wow, for a guy touted as a “five-tool” player (minus the power so I guess four), this guy is off to a horrendous start. He has been a total liability at the plate. His OBP of .247 is unacceptable at the top of the Twins lineup. Perhaps the ugliest stat of the first month of the season is Gomez’s K/BB ratio. 24 K and 2 BB (second only to SS Bill Hall with 26 K and 2 BB, but apples and oranges since Hall hits the ball sometimes). I am definitely not sold in the least bit on Gomez. I don’t care if he’s 9 for 10 on steals this year because that speed is not doing much walking back to the dugout. Get really good at bunting and just do that every time. Is the cure for the Wobegon batting .230? Get it together because we don’t want to see you turn into Alex Escobar.

OF Joey Gathright-Kansas City Royals

Gathright is another speedster who needs to get it together at the plate. Gathright is about as entertaining as a baseball player can be on the bases. He has wide receiver speed and he can jump over fielders and cars. That’s pretty damn cool. The main beef I have with Gathright, and many other speedy guys, is in the walks department. Take some pitches please.

These three guys are still young and have time to fix some things in their game and become hot commodities. If they can combine the offensive portion of their game with the speed and base running ability they already possess, then we are looking at a nice crop of classic lead off men. Speed is a great tool, but you can’t steal a base when you get out every time. In the meantime, these managers should let these guys find their ways offensively by leaving them in the lineup, despite substandard numbers.

Reds GM Wayne Krivsky fired already

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It has only been two years into Cincinnati Reds GM Wayne Krivsky’s tenure, and now owner Bob Castellini is firing him and replacing him with former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty. As a Reds follower, I definitely saw this coming. It appeared Castellini got impatient with not winning. I like Castellini, I really do. Although Krivsky kind of had an obsession with older, reliever veterans, he made some great trades, like Wily Mo Pena for Bronson Brandon Arroyo, Brandon Phillips for some A-ball player, the Josh Hamilton Rule 5 deal, the Jeff Keppinger trade, etc. Wayne Krivsky was not bad at all.

“Frankly, I blame it on my own impatience,” Castellini said. “I wouldn’t say that it was a particular thing. We’re not going to bat 1.000 [on acquisitions]. The results were not there.”

It is pretty fair to say that the Reds want to win now and not 2009, although I myself would have waited until 2009. It also seems like the Reds were going to turn the corner too. Does this mean we will see more General Manager firings in midseason? We usually see them in the offseason.