A few thoughts on baseball:
- Maybe the Marlins should have waited to see how HanRam reacts to actually being pitched like a big leaguer before extending his contract in record fashion. He has admitted that he is being pitched differently this year and is having a tough time staying within himself. He has demonstrated that he has no interest taking a hack at the fastball on the outside black at the knees, even with two strikes. Since the deal was announced last Saturday, Hanley is 5-for-27 with only one homer and two RBI. The good part of signing a big deal: Money, security, etc. The bad part: You’re on the map. Enjoy.
I have always felt that the Marlins’ individual numbers were inflated because they play with absolutely no pressure or expectations. (See: Miguel Cabrera so far in Detroit)
- The Hanley deal actually makes the Mets front office look good for once. HanRam signed for six years, $70 million. The Mets locked up their young left side of the infield (David Wright and Jose Reyes) for just a little more than that. Kudos, Omar! Now, quickly, before the goodwill lasts, PLEASE go get us some more Luis Castillos, Ambiorx Burgos’ and Julio Vargas’. And PS, when he takes credit for the Oliver Perez deal it makes me sick. Perez was a throw-in. He was going after Roberto Hernandez, who was terrible in his brief tenure as a Met, and he traded Xavier Nady for him, who is mashing the ball this year and could be really valuable as a spot-starter and a right-handed bat for the Mets.
- Aaron Heilman should get one last shot to start for the Mets, maybe in the double-header Tuesday against Atlanta, and if he doesn’t pitch well, they have to designate him. I can’t handle him anymore. He has really good stuff – a tailing fastball and a disappearing change-up, but he just gets hit in big spots. And now it’s become mental with him and the only thing that might cure him is a change of scenery. I don’t know why Willie is so adamant about keeping him out in the pen. Last year his excuse was because Duaner Sanchez went down they needed him out there. Well, Sanchez is back, and the Mets need a starter from time to time. What do you have to lose? The guy has thrown a one-hitter in the big leagues.
- How awesome is Manny Ramirez? He continually proves that disinterest is the key to success in baseball. If you don’t care, and you go out of your way to repeatedly show it, you can’t lose, right? It’s like back in high school, when the guys on the basketball team would play pickup games with other kids at the school. They would never try their hardest, because if they did and they got beat, then what? But the guy is arguably the best right-handed hitter of all-time, so you’ll take it. By the way, the “Manny being Manny” special this week on Sports Center is must-see television. When he cut that ball off in the outfield a few years ago, PRICELESS!
- This just in, Lance Berkman is a man. “Fat Elvis”, as he is affectionately nicknamed, is on a pretty big tear. But what I am in love with is how the man handles his lumber. After he takes a big cut, he gently places his bat on the ground like it is too heavy to toss – like it hurts him to swing. It is similar to how a woodsman uses his ax. Nice sideburns on that guy, too.
Tags: Berkman is a man, I could play at Dolphins Stadium, Manny is a joke, Omar should be taking Willie's heat, Wright and Reyes are a steal
