It’s been yet another intriguing week in MLB. In the American League, we can probably say that there are now five teams battling for four spots. In the National League, all three divisions are far from settled with the possibility that even the Mets could miss out altogether on October baseball. If the past week is any indicator, there are plenty more twists and turns in store over the next two weeks or so.
Good things come in threes – Two weeks ago we saw the Tribe turning three and the White Sox hitting three homers in a row. Those seemingly unusual feats were repeated this week. The Phillies turned the fourth triple-play of the 2007 season having already been responsible for the first back in April. I’ll be honest, it was one of the uglier triple-plays that I have seen. Normally you expect to see the ball pinging around the infielders at break-neck speed, leaving the crowd rubbing their eyes in amazement. Not so in this case, with Greg Dobb catching Matt Holliday’s line drive and then Chase Utley tagging out Sullivan and Tulowitzki leaving the crowd saying “is it?… oh.. it isâ€. It was still a triple-play though, so it’s a bit harsh to complain really. As for the Brewers, they know how to do things in style. Hitting back-to-back-to-back jacks is always impressive, but when it’s the first three batters of the day you know you are witnessing something special. Weeks, Hardy and Braun gave Ben Sheets a dream start against the Reds last Sunday and he didn’t waste it as the Brewers took the game 10-5.
Living life to the max-well – Justin Maxwell doesn’t believe in doing things by half. The Nationals have given the youngster a September call-up and he got his first Major League hit in his fourth game. He also got his first ever Major League home run at the same time. Oh, and his first grand slam. Yes, with the bases loaded and on an 0-2 count, Maxwell smashed a grand slam into the left field seats to give the Nationals a 7-5 lead. The Nats naturally blew the game later on, but that didn’t make it any less memorable for Maxwell.
Four more years of Ozzie? – Most managers would be fearing the axe with a 61-83 record on the season, but Ozzie Guillen’s punishment for the White Sox’s miserable campaign was a four-year contract extension (announced last Tuesday). In fairness to Ozzie, ditching him would have been the ultimate case of the “what have you done for me lately?†syndrome bearing in mind the world title he helped bring to Chicago two years ago. Still, it’s very rare for a sports organization to make such a bold sign of support when a team has underperformed in the way that the White Sox have this season. Guillen’s controversial character makes him more susceptible to the chop than most managers: “Ozzie being Ozzie†can be excused when the team is winning, but it makes him an easy target when things aren’t going so well. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf clearly doesn’t blame Guillen for this disastrous campaign, but someone will be called to account if it’s repeated next year.
Musical chairs in Minnesota – While the White Sox are happy to retain the status quo, changes are afoot in Minnesota. General Manager Terry Ryan announced his resignation on Thursday, although it won’t signal the start of major disruptions in the Twins’ Front Office. Assistant GM Bill Smith will simply shift up a place at the end of the season, while Ryan will remain with the organization as Smith’s senior adviser. It’s an interesting time for Ryan to vacate the hot seat. During his thirteen year tenure as GM, the issue of a new stadium (and of course the related threat of contraction) has rumbled along and work has just now begun on the new stadium. The Twins have ludicrously played the pauper throughout (these are the same Twins who are part of the booming MLB market and are owned by Carl Pohlad – he of the estimated $2.6 billion fortune), and Ryan has appeared to have his hands tied when it comes to adding extra pieces to the puzzle or keeping the prize pieces they already have. Torii Hunter looks set to leave this winter after allegedly receiving a relatively pathetic three-year extension offer, while Johan Santana has been similarly slighted and has publicly lambasted the organization. With the new ballpark scheduled for 2010, the Twins are running out of excuses and if they cannot tie the likes of Santana, Morneau and Mauer to the team for years to come, Bill Smith is likely to take all the flak.
Philles: the comeback kings – Philadelphia have been a permanent annoyance to the Mets this year. Time and again, they have waved goodbye to the Phillies, only to see them reappear in the NL East division race. Two games into their final series of the season, the Mets probably just want to get the final game over and done with. The Mets let a 2-0 lead slip away on Friday before being defeated in extra innings and then last night a 3-1 lead going into the seventh inning turned into a 5-3 loss. These were the Phillies’ 44th and 45th come-from-behind victories of the season (most in the Majors) and made it seven straight wins against their rivals from New York. The Mets had a player ejected in the latter innings of both games, so maybe they are starting to feel the pressure?
Damon chasing the dollars – Boston fans will tell you that Johnny Damon is always ready to earn some extra money. After catching a lazy fly ball for a third out during a game against Toronto on Thursday, Damon jogged to the sideline and gave the ball to a fan. Nothing strange about that, you may think, but Damon had obviously been negotiating with the fan before the event as he was ready and waiting with his twenty dollar note! Damon gratefully accepted the payment, before handing it over to a kid whose reaction suggested that he would rather have had the ball instead.
Boston in Japan – We’ve seen Camden Yards turn into a home-from-home for Boston this season, with the stands packed out by more red than orange. In 2008 we may see the Red Sox nation descend on Japan as well. With Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima on their roster, it came as no surprise to hear that the Red Sox are being lined up to open the 2008 MLB season in Japan with a series against the A’s. It would undoubtedly make for a great spectacle.
63 at last – Finally, as a follow up to last week’s WHGB, congratulations must be extended to the Royals. At their eighth attempt, K.C. finally crossed the threshold from sixty-two wins to sixty-three, ensuring that they can’t lose 100 games this season. From small acorns etc!
