Randomocity meets curiosity by Mike Ghika
A collection of thoughts from the week that was

While the ALCS gets underway tonight, it is still important to recall the little things -- the scattered idiosyncrasies that bring out the best in baseball.

•The early exits of the Angels and Cubs this postseason means that the Rays have the best regular season record (97-65) of the four remaining teams in the playoffs. Can you say “team to beat?”

•Francona praised second baseman Dustin Pedroia even despite his 2008 ALDS struggles (1 for 17, 2 BB), saying that opposing pitchers still should not and cannot take him lightly. “He’s a known threat,” Francona said. “Teams need to treat him like that. He’s one of the best players in the game.” After all, do you really think Pedroia would miss out on the party again in this series?

•In Game 4 of the Brewers/Phillies ALDS series, Milwaukee’s middle infield got out of the top of the 7th with an inning-ending double play. However, first baseman Prince Fielder began to throw the ball around the diamond and then put up two fingers indicating the incorrect number of outs as his teammates headed for the dugout. Fielder proceeded to hit a towering solo blast to lead off the bottom half of the inning, so it was clear his mind was on his upcoming at-bat. Nonetheless, it has been lapses like these that have Milwaukee brass thinking their slugger may be expendable. Look for GM Doug Melvin to ponder trade possibilities in the off-season to acquire back the starting pitching the team will lose in free agency.

•Carrying three catchers in the first round of the postseason was clearly the right choice by Theo and Co, because having the defensively-gifted David Ross at the end of the bench allows Terry Francona to pinch-hit for Jason Varitek and Kevin Cash with left-handed bats late in games (JD Drew pinch-hit for Varitek and Mark Kotsay for Cash in Sunday’s ALDS Game 3 before Ross entered). However, the move also indicates the Sox’ lack of faith in Varitek’s declining offense, which makes it more and more likely that Epstein will explore trade options with Texas for 23-year-old-catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the 36th overall pick of the 2003 draft.

•Baseball columnist Nick Cafardo’s Sunday Globe ‘Baseball Notes’ page is essential to life. I suggest you read it weekly.

•Phillies slugger Ryan Howard has proven he can stay healthy despite his large size (he's averaged 152 games a year since 2006). In addition, he was Rookie of the Year in 2005 (despite playing in just 88 games) and MVP of the National League in 2006 (a 58 HR, 149 RBI season). But as we all know, he has already stuck out 692 times in 572 career big league games (1.21 SO per game), including 199 whiffs in each of the last two seasons. Yankees great Joe DiMaggio struck out 392 total times in 1736 career games stretching 13 seasons, a 0.23 per game mark.

•It is evident CC Sabathia will break the bank this winter when he hits free agency. He’ll indeed get your team there, but he has yet to prove that he can do it when you are in fact there. Outside of a 2001 ALDS victory at home against Seattle with Cleveland, the big guy has gone 1-3 in the postseason with a 9.47 ERA. He lost twice to Boston’s Josh Beckett in last year’s ALCS, and his 5 ER in 3.2 IP in last week’s Game 2 of their series all but ended Milwaukee’s hopes for a miracle season. He will turn 29 next July.

•The Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez has an MLB record 26 career postseason home runs. Sure, old-timers are at a disadvantage in the category because they did not play in any League Divisional Series (Ramirez has 12 career HR in 10 LDS series), but regardless, I do not see any slugger from this generation ever topping the mark. He’s even got a shot at the 30 HR plateau this postseason.

•Do the Rays sign another iffy closer this off-season (Eric Gagne?) just as they did last year with Troy Percival? Or do they simply insert the lights-out Grant Balfour into the role? Side note: the on-field antics between Balfour and Orlando Cabrera in last week’s Game 1 of the White Sox/Rays series was October baseball at its finest.

•Kevin Youkilis would have been sent to the Oakland Athletics as compensation had Billy Beane agreed to become the general manager for the new ownership group back in 2003. The way things have turned out, I’m comfortable with Theo Epstein and a 29 HR, 115 RBI output instead. Seriously, did anyone think the ‘Greek God of Walks’ (he’s actually Jewish) would be this good?

•For the first half of the season, Mike Scioscia had catchers Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis splitting innings, but Napoli eventually garnered the majority of the playing time while becoming the Angels’ everyday catcher. His 11.35 AB/HR ratio (20 HR in 227 AB) and .374 OBP may have something to do with that.

•Courtesy of baseball-reference.com: The 2008 season had 23 players of 250+ lbs. that appeared in the majors, the highest total ever for the category. Bartolo Colon and youngster Justin Masterson are the only two 250 pounders from the Red Sox.

•And lastly, hats off and best wishes to Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, whose mother died early Friday morning. Nonetheless, the tragedy didn’t force him to miss Game 2 of the ALCS at the helm of his ball club. If that doesn’t light a spark under his team, I’m not sure what could.



Published on October 10, 2008

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