A September Russian Roulette

Analyzing a Lip Smacking MLB Regular Season Finish

As if last season’s September run in wasn’t enough , the 2012 Major League Baseball season is headed towards another roller coaster home stretch with no team still assured of their place in the playoffs and a whole host still interested , especially with 2^nd wild card spot up for grabs this season. So in essence this is how the playoff spots are decided.

The top teams each from the Eastern, Central and Western divisions of the American and the National leagues gain automatic entry with the next two teams with the best overall records facing off in a one game shootout for the fourth playoff spot. Not only does the Russian roulette of the one game playoff , make it imperative for the teams to top their respective divisions but it gives a number of teams added incentive in September to clinch that 2^nd playoff spot.

American League:

July in long gone, when the New York Yankees (East) and the Texas Rangers (West) were being comfortably tipped to top their respective divisions. The Yankees have managed to lose a 10 game lead and are now willing every weary sinew to try and stay atop the Baltimore Orioles (one of the 2 surprise teams of the season) and the “always dangerous in September” Tampa Bay Rays. The Yanks have had their share of injuries with the core pitching staff of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Andy Petitte all spending more than enough time on the disabled list. Add to that an inconsistent offence, which has at times been carried on his shoulders by their 38 year old captain, the incomparable Derek Jeter. It’s a miracle that they are still one game atop the AL East and will need the other big bats like Alex Rodriquez and Robinson Cano to step up to win the pennant. Both the Orioles and the Rays have been punching above their weight on the back of some outstanding starting and relief pitching; however over the home stretch you have to believe the Yankee offence would have that little bit extra to scrape through.

Derek Jeter : Captain Fantastic

The AL Central is a neck and neck 2 horse race. The Chicago White Sox have led for the most of the season but the Detroit Tigers are only one game behind. Detroit probably have the best pitcher in the majors in Justin Verlander and the best hitter in Miguel Cabrera and you wonder if it is this quality which might just see them make the grade. It is also imperative for the Central division teams to win their division as both Chicago and Detroit are unlikely to gain the wild card spots if they finish second.

After the start the 2011 World Series Runners Up, the Texas Rangers had , it is startling that the Rangers are only 2 games ahead of the inspired Oakland Athletics – for the uninitiated in India – the same Oakland portrayed in “Moneyball” with the same GM Billy Beane. However, the A’s success this time around hasn’t been due to Moneyball tactics but some outstanding rookie pitching and clean power hitting. If the Playoffs were to begin today , the A’s and Orioles would battle it out for the wild card spot to join the Yanks, Sox and Rangers – however a lot may change since then.

Miggy : Key to the Tigers Challenge

Over in the National League , things are much clearer with the Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds and 2010 World Series Champs, San Francisco Giants having established comfortable leads in their respective divisions. The Atlanta Braves appear to have the first wild card spot all sewn up, and though no one in the Braves camp will have forgotten last season’s September meltdown, surely lightening will not strike twice in successive years for them to squander yet another comfortable lead.

The real battle in the NL is shaping up for the 2^nd wild card spots with likely to be captured by either defending champions the St Louis Cardinals or the star studded LA Dodgers. With veteran ace Chris Carpenter making a long awaited return for the Cards next week and the Dodgers Ace, Clayton Kershaw set for a possible DL stint with a hip injury – pitching might just well be the area which clinches it for the champs ; after all they are no stranger to late September heroics:  Will David Freese please step up !

A Mere Quarter of a Billion Dollar Trade

Analyzing the Red Sox-Dodgers  deal - the Biggest in the History of Professional Sport

It is easily the biggest trade in sporting history. The recently concluded Boston Red Sox- LA Dodgers deal which ended in Boston sending marquee names like Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto along with ace pitcher Josh Beckett to the Dodgers in exchange for James Loney and a number of prospects. More importantly Boston ended up freeing about 250 million dollars worth from their payroll. The deal has set tongues wagging on the east and west coast with pundits discussing the merits and the demerits for both teams.

Gonzalez and Beckett : East-West Swing

From the Boston point of view, the trade smacks of a top heavy, lurching franchise admitting to its mistakes over the past 2 years, conceding defeat in the playoff race and aiming to rebuild with a view to next season.  In 2011 when Boston acquired the marquee free-agents Gonzalez and CC, they were touted as pre-season favourites to win the World Series. Things did not pan out quite so well. Although A –Gone had a creditable first season (putting up MVP numbers) his production since then has dipped considerably. Crawford, to put it bluntly, has been an abject failure in Boston with injuries, form and confidence making him one of the worst free agent transfers in recent years. Beckett, an undoubted pitching ace responsible for the 2 world series triumphs in 2004 and 2007, has been inconsistent over the past 2 years. Add to it last year’s abject September surrender , the managerial fiasco (the Francona sacking and the Valentine chaos), the beer –fried chicken saga and this season’s poor form – this was a team crying out to be revamped. What this trade ensures is that come November, the Red Sox will be in pole position to attract the big name free agents (Josh Hamilton being the most obvious one). Their starting pitching, even minus Beckett, on paper does not look very bad (Lester ,  Buchholz and a fit Lackey) : and they could obviously add to that with all the free salary space.

The trade for the Dodgers on the other hand signifies only one thing – mounting a serious playoff challenge. They are 2 games behind the Giants in the NL-West and given the riches at their disposal, are likely to at the very least secure a wild-card playoff spot. Their line-up (especially if A-Gone gets hot) with Ethier and Kemp matches the firepower of the rangers Texas and the Yankees. Beckett , of course is a different matter. The unquestioned ace in LA is the reigning Cy Young winner, Clayton Kershaw. Beckett might be the spark to fire the pitching staff to greater heights, or he could possibly be a divisive influence. One thing he definitely brings to the table is playoff and championship winning pedigree.

The quarter of a billion dollar deal has been locked in – the fun now begins to see how the cast plays out. Will the Dodgers reach the playoffs – likely. Will they win the World Series – unlikely (there are at least 3-4 better teams in the Majors) and as Boston themselves have proved: Marquee names do not necessarily mean a prolonged post-season.

 P.S. : Adrian Gonzalez launched a 3 run homer in his first at-bat as a dodger earlier today. 

Perfection for the King

Felix Hernandez pitches Major League Baseball's 23rd Perfect Game

27 Up- 27 Down for King Felix

All Americans, Indians in America may shift attention elsewhere immediately. This is only for the Indian audiences who at most times are sceptical of American sports (with the possible exception of basketball).

So this post is about baseball – the sport that has had me hooked irrevocably for the past 5 years. Last night, “King” Felix Hernandez produced a perfect game of pitching for the Seattle Mariners against the Tampa Bay Rays. A perfect game in baseball comprises a pitcher pitching all 9 innings and retiring all 27 batters (3 in each inning) without a single base-runner: i.e. 27 out, no hits, no walks and no men on base. It is hardly correct to try and equate cricket to baseball but the only probable comparison I can come up with is a bowler in a one–day international producing figures of 10 -10 – 0 – 10.

I can already hear those with an understanding of baseball and cricket groaning at this comparison – and I humbly admit – the crude cricketing equivalent which I administered will likely never be seen. On the other hand Felix’s perfect game was the 23^rd in the history of Major League baseball, the first ever having been thrown by Lee Richmond in 1880. What is astonishing is, that in the 133 years since then only 22 other perfect games have been thrown. Even more mind-boggling is the fact that 3 of those perfect games have been pitched this year, by Phil Humber (Chicago White Sox), Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants) and now by Hernandez, prompting the 2012-13 season to be christened as “Baseball’s Perfect Season”.

King Felix, already considered one of the premier pitchers of his generation, now has another bit of history to add to his 2010 Cy Young Award. It’s a pity however that his team, the Mariners, are consistently out of play-off contention. What a sight it would be to see him take the mound for game one of the World Series. May baseball fans not be denied that pleasure too long!