The Cardinals Have a Shot, or Please, Think of the Children

 

The NL Wild Card Race...is still very much a moving item right now, mostly because a number of losing and winning streaks have lined up together. So even if there's one wild card spot that's very much reserved for the Dodgers...the last one has become a five-team free for all.

Granted, the two contenders that have been there all season, the Padres and Reds, are still there and leading, and currently tied for the spot. But the Phillies and Mets have caught up, and also...a team that was counted out a little while ago is now one game behind the two leaders. 

And because it's September, and I'm never allowed to enjoy myself...it's the Cardinals. 

I would love it if the Cardinals would just go away and not compete for a long period of time. I know this is what you all say about the Yankees, but the Cardinals just never get the hint to stay down. They remove themselves from the conversation, then by the end of the year they've hung around and can sort of waltz back into it without anyone objecting. The Cardinals have been pulling this shit every few years for the last decade or so, and sometimes it catapults them into the NLCS. 

We don't need the Cardinals to come in and start winning when there's absolutely no need for them. We already have the Astros for that.

To their credit, the Cardinals do have a halfway decent team this year. It's a lot of elder-statesmen types, like Paul Goldschmidt, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright, who are leading this team, but also some homegrown types like Harrison Bader, Tommy Edman, Tyler O'Neill and utility infield standout Edmundo Sosa. There's some versatility, some surprising heroes, and some nice depth. Granted, not everything has worked. Jack Flaherty has been injured for most of the season, Paul De Jong has seemed lost without former battery partner Kolten Wong, Lars Nootbar has been only serviceable as a bench bat, and trusted veterans like Miles Mikolas, Andrew Miller and Jon Lester have all struggled this year. 

So it's not a perfect team, but it's a very fortuitous, streaky team. This week, they have to play 2 Wild Card contenders, the Mets and the Padres. I feel like they have enough momentum to ground the Mets a bit, but I don't think they'll get past the Padres, who...yeah, I'm thinking might take the last wild card spot. I appreciate the Cardinals' determination and drive, but I just don't think they have a place in this construct this year. Especially if it leads to a 1-game playoff against the Dodgers.

Just watch, I just gave the cosmos permission to give me an Astros-Cardinals World Series. Wonderful.

Coming Tomorrow- An acquired starter for a team whose wild card status has shifted slightly but isn't completely dead yet.

DeJong the Giant

(Music Pun Streak #20. And to think, I thought I was done with these yesterday)

So. The Cardinals are in first. Again.

I'm not gonna act like they don't deserve it, because they kind of do. The Brewers could have been a perennial first place team, but they chose to blow easy games to sucky teams, so they're gonna do their thing, the Pirates and Cubs are gonna shoot for the wild card, and the Cardinals are just gonna waltz to the end again, right? RIGHT?

[long sigh]

The Cardinals have the best record in the NL...and are tied for the best record in BASEBALL...with the Tampa Bay Rays. So already this is a great start to the season for this writer, a noted Yankee fan and fan of Ryan Howard's fully-functioning achilles.

Paul DeJong already has a 2.1 WAR, best on the team, a .333 batting average and 41 hits. Marcell Ozuna already has 10 home runs, and leads the team in RBIs with 29. Even Goldschmidt already has 9 home runs, as he seems to be doing his slow-burn strategy from 2018 again. Guys like Jose Martinez, Dexter Fowler and Matt Wieters, who haven't hit for average in ages, are doing just that. And John Brebbia, who was the bane of the bullpen's existence last year, has only allowed one earned run in 15 appearances.

...so to say that this Cardinals team has learned from its mistakes is a vast understatement. Oh gosh. This is bad.

The closest things to criticisms I can come up with...you know, besides 'THEY WON'T STOP', is that Matt Carpenter's average is way too low, and the starters have too many ERAs above 4. But...they'll probably fix those in the next week.

Until next Cardinals post....go Pirates.

Coming Tonight: Fun cinderella hero for a slumping team. Nevertheless, a happier post.

Pictures, Please (or Addressing The Lack of Customs Thus Far)

Ah, yes. A post I was hoping I didn't have to write, but desperate times.

So, um...

...I'm worried I may not be able to do customs this year.

Granted, I do get worried about things that end up being unfounded. I'm a very anxious person by nature, and a lot of the worrying I end up doing isn't really based in reality. But...this has me concerned.

And I'll specify first that this nebulousness doesn't come from anything on my end. I can still type, my computer still works, Photoshop is still working and updated, and I have plenty of memory on my laptop.

But...what worries me is that my source for MLB photos, free to use, for the last ten years...hasn't been producing a ton of daily content since last season ended. My source, who I'll at least spoil begins with a Z, has only been covering high-profile events (or ones where celebrities show up), or the occasional fledgling international sporting event. There's a much lower frequency than before, where you'd expect dozens of new photo updates per day, which had been the case for ten years.

And now...the well seems to be drying up. In past years, I'd often only find one or two Spring Training games with usable photos. There hasn't been a single one, and games have been played since last week.

On one hand, it may not be anything, as Spring Training photos are usually passe, and I end up redoing the customs of these players anyway as the season goes on. But...if there's nothing coming for Spring Training, there's a chance that this site may not produce content for the hundreds of games during the regular season. And if I don't have those, I don't have content.

...and if I don't have content, then I essentially have nothing.

I like making customs. It's been one of the few constants in my life since starting the blog in 2009. It's an easy activity to keep photoshopping new players into old designs, and present them as a backdrop for MLB commentary. It's been one of the staples of the blog since its inception. And I'd really, REALLY rather I not lose that.

So I have a few options. Either I wait it out until the regular season, and continue to fill the blog with...the spotty content that you've witnessed since the season ended, and hopefully they produce copious amounts of new baseball photos. Or I can try and find a new photo supplier, a source that could give me new, high-ish quality photos to use in customs without being sued, and preferably without having to pay a great deal, or at all. I honestly don't know where to begin there, so if any of you have any leads, let me know below, or wherever. Remember, my goal here is to not get sued or arrested for breaking copyright laws, something I've evaded for 10 years in using this Z site.

Or I could just...move on from customs entirely? Figure out a new way to present content? Use my scanner more? Become a...normal card-blog?

...but what fun would that be? I like to think a lot of you read this thing simply BECAUSE it's not normal. It stands out. And hopefully you're alright with that.

So I sincerely hope I can continue to stand out for you all. Hopefully this photo issue will be resolved, and I can get right back to producing my own content for you all (and for myself but mostly for you all).

Why Must the Baseball Gods be so Cruel?

As you all can tell, I didn't post at all during the World Series. There were a couple reasons behind this. I was swamped with work, I was out of town all weekend, and I was more focused on getting the box break out.

And, of course, there was the fact that the Red Sox were doing really well.

If I can remove my pinstriped bias for a moment, I can agree that there were some great players and moments with this team, and that it may have been one of the more overpowered World Series teams in recent history. But...why did this have to be a Red Sox team? Why must I suffer?

Steve Pearce was the obvious choice for World Series MVP, because he hit so many home runs this postseason that something had to be done about it. And after the recent spout of inconsistency the guy's had, I'm happy for him. He went from bench has-been to starter, to WS MVP. That is impressive, and I am here for it.

So...that was the World Series. The Dodgers put up a valiant effort, but even without their respective snafus, they just couldn't get past this Sox team. I don't think anyone could have.

I guess this means the post-heavy baseball season has come to a close. As per usual, I find it hard to fill the months without baseball with posts, but I will give it some actual effort this year. I wanna go back to the editorials of old, I wanna talk more about the card industry, and decisions, and I wanna be more active consistently. Yes, I do have a month before Uncustomed Heroes starts up and I can post every day again, but I don't want to have to wait for that.

Expect some content in the coming month. I'll try, for you guys.

Heartbreak City

I kind of wanted to title this post 'Angel Hernandez can go lick a dingus', but I feel as though that would have come off as juvenile and crass. So this is what we've got.

So...that was a tough loss.

Not only was that a loss against a Red Sox team we should have prepared better for, but it was against a Red Sox team that played dirty. This Sox team brought it every single game, even when we didn't. They had the pitching, they had the bench support, they worked when the lineup was shuffled, and they didn't crack after Game 2. This team only has one subpar variable, and it's David Price. The Yankees have far more of those.

To be honest, this was bound to happen. It was just a matter of momentum, and the Yankees couldn't hold onto theirs. And while this is a sad ending to a great season, it's still one that makes sense.

I'm still proud of this Yankees team. I'm still happy they came as far as they did, and I'm excited to see how they bounce back in 2019.

As for the winners...

...I hope the Astros do to you what you just did to my Yankees.

I think I said earlier this year, 'oh, the Yanks-Sox matchup has never been this fun, this likable all around'. I rescind that. This one was bloodthirsty to the end, and the Sox were far from great sports about it. And they're going up against a team that, in my eyes, could get back to the World Series. So they're gonna need to really push for this one.

Obviously y'all know where my rooting interest lies on the ALCS. Especially after this series.

Marlins Update: [Exhausted, Embarrassed Sigh] Edition

On one hand, I was expecting worse from the Miami Marlins. On the other hand, UUUUNNNGHHHHHHHH...

The Marlins lineup has surprisingly rebounded over time, with Derek Dietrich becoming a starter AND a power hitter, Starlin Castro picking up where he left off in the Bronx, and Brian Anderson becoming a starter like we all thought he would. They also seem to have found their everyday shortstop in Miguel Rojas, though JT Riddle has been playing some games as a way of security.

Other than that...dear lord this team is bad.

The pitching? I have not found a silver lining here. Nobody is pitching well, and everybody who was is now injured. Kyle Barraclough is doing his best to hold up the closing pitching, but it's hard to close games for a last place team. The youth isn't really working as well as the team would like.

It's not fun to watch, it's not fun to report on, and...it's not fun to be a Miami Marlin right now. J.T. Realmuto is playing really well right now, and the Red Sox need a catcher. Put two and two together.

Coming Tonight: Reliable defensive shortstop for a second place, but by no means contending, team.

The New Nomar

I did not miss somebody named Nomar beating down on the Yankees. So last night, needless to say, was not fun.

Look, it was nice that we got to beat up Bartolo Colon for a bit, but Cole Hamels is pretty unbeatable. I don't care who are you. It's hard to do. Even worse, the offense that only occasionally comes on was on last night, featuring newbies like Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Ronald Guzman, and....Jurickson Profar for some reason. People who I'd never really heard of were attacking the Yankees' offense, and battering down Domingo German. And Nomar Mazara was the ringleader.

To be fair, it's very easy to hit a ton of home runs on this team without being seen as a good player. Guzman, Rougned Odor, and ESPECIALLY Joey Gallo are guilty of this. None of them can hit for average, and none of them are particularly good position players (Odor notwithstanding), but they sure can go for long balls. Mazara has the range, though, and can get by on hits and RBI as well as hitting 10 home runs. He's got the range that nobody that's healthy on this team wants to have. And yes, there's promise in this roster, but Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus are both injured, so only Mazara seems to have the right idea.

The pitching's fine, though. Colon, Hamels, Fister and occasionally Mike Minor seem to be working pretty well. Keone Kela's a good enough closer, but he's not used a ton because they're the Rangers and they don't win games unless they're against Domingo German apparently (OKAY, FINE, I'M STILL A LITTLE BITTER).

With Mazara, the Rangers will at least avoid being a completely lifeless last-place team, though if he gets traded anytime soon, I at least hope Andrus and Beltre will still be around to carry the team.

Coming Tonight: The ace for an NL West squad that's quickly losing momentum.

Dead Fish

(Music Puns are over. Could not think of one for this post for the life of me. I'll bring 'em back someday.)

The Marlins are NOT, I repeat, NOT the worst team in baseball. But dammit...they're awfully close.

Look, stripping the team of any of its big stars didn't help, but...there is just no momentum. There's SPARKS...but nothing's really standing out. At all. The pitching staff is...damn near horrid, with only a promising converted starter named Jarlin Garcia showing promise. The lineup is just as depressing, with a lot of sub-.250 averages, a ton of strikeouts, and only Starlin Castro doing any sufficient positive work at the plate. Lewis Brinson, the guy they were gonna build the team around, is hitting below the Mendoza line.

And the worst part is that there's not really a solution. Justin Bour and JT Realmuto, the two guys that stayed around from last year's great lineup, are doing well enough...but they're not really holding up the roster like they were supposed to in Stanton and Ozuna's absence. A lot of the better pitchers, like Dan Straily and Wei-Yin Chen, are still injured, as is Martin Prado.

This is, as expected, a team in disarray. So much disarray that I'm not sure if they'll be able to even hold a candle to the rest of the division for the rest of the season.

Coming Tomorrow- Something happier. Actually...no, not really, it's someone from the White Sox.

Brand New Jay

(Music Pun #4. Sorry if this one stings a bit.)

The Blue Jays are 12-6 right now. Second in the AL East. This...is not good. Not at all.

The thing is, this is definitely a team in flux. Jose Bautista is gone--that's the most important bit. Russell Martin, one of the other symbols of the older guard, is nearly done, as Luke Maile is doing a MUCH BETTER job as catcher than he is. People like Kevin Pillar, Yangervis Solarte and Aledmys Diaz are picking up the roots of this team and trying to save it. Now, granted, there are a ton of people in this lineup, like Randal Grichuk, Devon Travis, Kendrys Morales, and the aforementioned Martin. And...Josh Donaldson, the team's star, is injured. Additionally, the rotation is a bit weightier than usual, with higher ERAs than usual from Marcus Stroman and Marco Estrada.

So, while this is not a perfect team, this is a team that knows how to win. And judging from the fact that Roberto Osuna already has 5 saves, this team is winning a ton when it shouldn't be. A ton of clutch aspects here. So yes, while the Yankees were able to put the Jays away tonight, they might not be as lucky. The Blue Jays aren't...nominally what I'd call 'good' per se, but they're sneaky, and they can hide the fact that they're not wall-to-wall amazing by stealing games and walking off. This is what they did towards the last half of 2015 and 2016, so it's worrying me a great deal that they're looking to be good at this now.

Things will even out, but...the Blue Jays could still remain a figure in the division. So I'll be hoping that they don't.

Coming Today: One of the more impressive veterans still producing right now, suiting up for a red-hot NL East team.

Speechless

Three Rack Packs of 2017 Topps Update

I was mad...but not deterred.

I promised to refrain from dropping 60 or so dollars on a hobby box of a set that had pissed me off by its sheer existence, in not having any cards of trade-deadline dealt stars, and having weird specifications for rookies. This set isn't really updating people on the year, they're just updating themselves on solvable mistakes they made with their first two flagship releases.

Today, they had some in Target...and I got some. Mainly because this might be all I get of the stuff all year, and I wanted to just get it all out of my system at once. I got 3 rack packs and a hanger box. I'll reveal the hanger box tomorrow, and today I'll bust the rack packs. 

Pack 1-

211- Rookie Davis, one of the many disappointing Reds starters

279- Franklin Barreto. Highly touted, but had a disappointing 2017

167- Drew Smyley. Why do people still think this guy is good???

228- Wade Davis. At long last, someone who's relevant this year.

71- Junichi Tazawa

126- Austin Slater, who had a good enough debut in SanFran.

182- Jaime Garcia. Again, this is TWO TEAMS AGO for him.

264- Boog Powell. Now on the A's, thanks to the Yonder Alonso trade. Finally playing well, too

12- Lisalverto Bonilla

289- Sam Travis, potentially impressive future Red Sox infielder

25- Christian Arroyo. Another prospect that didn't fare well in 2017.

37- Ian Happ RD

250- Daniel Robertson

204- Chris Heston, who's probably not gonna be trusted with a starting spot anytime soon.

109- Ben Revere. Marginally better year, but still worrying.

200- Yoan Moncada, one of the best rookies in baseball

48- Ariel Hernandez

600- Yoenis Cespedes PHOTO VARIATION. Not a bad one, either.

Untouchables Insert of Roger Clemens. Wonder why he's untouchable..

Postseason Celebrations of the A's...BLUE BORDERED, #D to 500

Postseason Celebrations of, of course, the YANKEES

251- Daniel Descalso

'287- Mark Leiter Jr. rookie. Could be a good starter for Philly

19- Eric Skoglung

7- ChiSox combo

8- Yuli Gurriel RD

174- Brandon Moss, who had a less than perfect season in KC.

168- Michael Conforto AS. Nice photo, there.

269- Craig Kimbrel AS

76- Miguel Montero

162- Sean Newcomb

55- Luis Severino AS. Hell of a season, Sevy. Rooting for you tonight.

141- BRYCE HARPER AS

9- George Springer AS

1- AARON JUDGE AS. Yeah, even as a Yankee fan, I'm still happy to get cards of this guy.

161- Justin Haley

Pack 2-

256- Mike Ohlman

210- Sammy Solis

281- Luke Volt, one of the many pesky Cardinals infielders from this year.

138- Logan Verrett

127- Antonio Senzatela, one of the more prominent fireballers for the Rockies this year.

170- Cameron Maybin. I'd say 'now playing for the Astros', but...well, they're not really *PLAYING* him, are they?

199- Brett Cecil. [hollers] OVERPAAAAAIIIIIDD

74- Ryne Stanek

238- Chris Bostick

29- Drew Streckenrider. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY OF THESE ROOKIES!!!!

184- Jean Segura, looking great in teal.

16- Rafael Bautista

221- Mark Zagunis.

38- Cody Bellinger ASG. THERE'S a rookie I've heard of.

64- Corey Kluber AS. Hopeful Cy Young candidate.

33- Salvador Perez AS. Great hair, too.

214- Cody Bellinger RD. TWOOOOO BELLINGERS, AH-AH-AAAHHHH!

105- John Brebbia

259-....oh, crap, this is a LOU GEHRIG VARIATION SP! This is pretty freaking awesome, especially for the Yankees fan.

Untouchables of...Roger...Clemens. I JUST GOT THAT ONE, THOUGH. This version has him on the Yankees. Did this insert set really need 2 Roger Clemenses??? AND DID I HAVE TO PULL BOTH OF THEM????

42- Seth Smith...PINK PARALLEL...NUMBERED TO 50. HOLY CRAP. A relevant player for a team I enjoy...and a pretty low number. This is awesome.

Superstar Celebrations of my beloved Phillies

DISCOVER TOPPS BUYBACK OF...A 1988 Harold Baines. I have like a dozen of these at home.

160- Phils rookie combo

81- Clay Buchholz. Hey, remember when people thought THIS deal would go well???

294- Bobby Wahl

57- Blue Jays combo ft. a dabbing Roberto Osuna. Uuuuuggghhhh.

60- Kyle Freeland, another rookie Rockie.

134- Justin Bour AS

209- Josh Hader.

249- Alex Reyes RD

159- JT Riddle

15- Kyle Higashioka. WE...DID NOT...NEED A CARD OF HIM. He never even got a HIT.

208- Randy Rosario

112- Ryan Zimmerman AS

268- Miguel Sano HRD

31- Danny Santana

Pack 3-

59- Matt Joyce

10-....IAN HAPP ROOKIE CARD. OKAY THEN.

188- Trevor Plouffe

231- Reynaldo Lopez RC

217- HOWIE KENDRICK AS A PHILLIE. Even if it was short-lived, I'm happy this card exists.

50- CODY BELLINGER RC. ALRIGHT THEN. THIS IS NICE.

189- Chad Bell

212- Jose Quintana as a Cub, the only deadline deal that actually made it into this f--king set...

115- Combo card

253- Matt Belisle

35- Dinelson Lamet

4- Matt Chapman, who had an AWESOME rookie season.

132- Dallas Keuchel AS and his epic comeback...just, like, not against the Yankees.

43- Joey Votto AS, still one of the best 1st Baseman in the game, even 10 years after his debut.

47- Yadier Molina AS

34- Nelson Cruz AS

36- Adam Lind, who did well as a bench player for Washington.

281- Luke Volt GOLD #D TO 2017

Topps Salute of Andrew Benintendi

180- Shiny Parallel of Mike Moustakas HRD

Postseason Celebrations of the Pirates

186- Jose DeLeon

75- Jake Buchanan

121- Daniel Murphy AS

58- AWESOME ERVIN SANTANA Checklist PHOTO

130- Zack Greinke AS

158- Philip Ervin

63- Andrew Cashner

129- Brooks Pounders

92- Anthony Alford

280- Brett Anderson

156- Yu Darvish AS

164- Carlos Martinez AS

237- Buster Posey AS

232- Marcell Ozuna AS

22- Hunter Renfroe RD

So, those were some rack packs. I just got a bit tired towards the end. Tomorrow, I'll post the hanger box.

The 2017 All Star Game Rosters: Where There's Smoak, There's Fire

Okay, so before we get to the usual, yearly, 'let's have Jordan go ballistic over the ASG rosters because it's a weak month' coverage, I've got a little mini-rant to get over with.

So I was watching the Yankees-Astros game today, because I'm a glutton for punishment. And I'm listening to the atonal announcers going over how overhyped the Yankees are, and blah blah blah. And they're talking about a mid-year meeting AJ Hinch held today, where he brought the whole roster over and talked about finishing the half strong.

At which point the announcer mentions that Hinch also took the opportunity to celebrate the umpteen finalists for the All-Star Game.

So...let's back the hell up for a second.

AJ Hinch knows the All Star rosters, pre-game today. So that means...at like 11 AM today, AJ Hinch knows the ASG rosters. He's also meeting with a room of Houston Astros, who ALSO know the ASG rosters. Hell, throughout the game, Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve were excited running the basepaths, as THEY knew the ASG rosters. So all of the Astros know the ASG rosters. And if you wanna play if and only if, then ALL OF THE MLB KNOWS THE ASG ROSTERS.

So let's back up even FURTHER. Every single active member of all 30 teams knows who is going to be named to the All Star Teams. HOWEVER, the baseball fans, the viewing public, the common folk who voted for the All Star Game, and who the All Star Game is DIRECTLY FOR...DON'T GET TO KNOW THE ROSTERS UNTIL ESPN ANNOUNCES THEM (WITH COMMERCIALS) AT 7 PM.

So the fans essentially have to wait 8 or 9 hours to find out the rosters that are basically FOR THEM, during a telecast made FOR PROFIT by ESPN and Tim Kurkjian's summer home fund. And I'll remind you all yet again: about 7 or 8 years ago, everyone would find out the All Star Rosters when the managers simply posted them online, middle of the afternoon. It still BAFFLES me that the roster announcements have become needlessly bastardized, and needlessly dragged out.

Right. Mini-rant over. Onto the actual ASG rosters. We'll start with the American League.

1B: Justin Smoak, Blue Jays.

Okay, hold on, hold on. We're literally one name into the ASG rosters and I have to go on another rant. Because Justin Smoak is having a very lucky, very fluke-y season for a last place team, and he's only a starting 1st Baseman for the All Star Team because the Blue Jays fans WILLED IT SO. By definition, if we're going for an ALL STAR pick, I'd say Eric Hosmer deserved it more. I don't think Smoak deserves this spot.

Let's keep going.

2B: Jose Altuve, Astros. Would have gone with Castro or Cano, but can't necessarily be unhappy with Altuve. Which means...
SS: Carlos Correa, Astros. Yes, this is definitely a thing that makes sense.
3B: Jose Ramirez, Indians. Yeah, this season he's outdoing that whole lineup, and I'm glad he got this spot. Again, I'd partially question Ramirez' 'star power', but he's proven himself a TON more than someone like Smoak. Also, I kinda would have gone with Miguel Sano.
C: Salvador Perez, Royals. Again, this is kind of a no-brainer.
OF: AARON JUDGE. THERE WE FRIGGING GO. This is so well-deserved, and I'm so happy to see it realized.
OF: Mike Trout. Well, duh.
OF: George Springer, Astros. Happy for him, though I would have gone with either Brett Gardner or Mookie Betts.
DH: Corey Dickerson, Rays. Like Smoak, a really odd choice for an ALL STAR GAME, even if he is hitting pretty well. Should have been Nelson Cruz,...fine, or Matt Holliday.

Pitchers:
Chris Sale, Red Sox. Yeah, if he didn't make it, there'd be riots. Chances are he's starting, too.
Dallas Keuchel, Astros. I think he's healthy now, but I sincerely hope he gets to pitch in this.
Ervin Santana, Twins. Yeah, with his season it'd be hard to ignore him.
Jason Vargas, Royals. Of frigging course. He's having a tour de force season.
LUIS SEVERINO, Yankees. LOVE THIS PICK. Glad it's happening.
Yu Darvish, Rangers. ONLY RANGERS REP. WOWWW...
Michael Fulmer, Tigers. Insanely well deserved.
Corey Kluber, Indians. Yes, with his dominance, it's a deserved nod, but I would have also added Carlos Carrasco.
Lance McCullers, Astros. I feel like he's still injured, and there might be a hastily-pegged replacement coming here.
Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox. Yeah, he's kinda the best closer in the AL.
Dellin Betances, Yankees. This makes his 4th or 5th ASG nod, which is awesome.
Andrew Miller, Indians. Another DESERVING reliever. It's a breath of fresh air that we don't get a manager that adds 7 or 8 unnecessary relievers.

Reserves:
C: Gary Sanchez. Well, yeah. Of frigging course.
1B: Yonder Alonso, A's. A slight bit skeptical of this being a fluke, but as the A's only nod, it's a bit more understandable than a Sean Manaea appearance.
2B: STARLIN CASTRO, YANKEES. Only thing is he's been on the DL as of late, and they'd probably need to replace him. To which I might suggest...ROBINSON CANO. I actually would have suggested Jonathan Schoop, but:
2B: Jonathan Schoop, Orioles. Y'see? They're one step ahead of me. Sad that Schoop's the only Baltimore rep.
3B: Miguel Sano, Twins. Should be starting, but good.
SS: Francisco Lindor, Indians. Not as good as last year, but he still deserves the nod.
OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox. Should be starting.
OF: Avisail Garcia, White Sox. Only Southsider on the roster, and a foregone conclusion.
OF: Michael Brantley, Indians. Deserves it. Hopefully he'll be off the DL by that point.
DH: Nelson Cruz, Mariners. Should be starting.

NL ROSTERS:

1B: Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals. Jeez, he's been around this long and this is his FIRST starting role? Wow. Good for him.
2B: Daniel Murphy, Nationals. Another well-deserved Nat starter.
SS: Zack Cozart. WOW. Did not expect this one. To be honest, the NL SS crowd was pretty weak, so as much as I voted for Corey Seager, this is a nice enough choice.
3B: Nolan Arenado, Rockies. As much as I'm pissed that this isn't Kris Bryant, he's still a good pick.
C: Buster Posey, Giants. Yeah, another obvious one.
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals. YEAH, NO DUH.
OF: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies. With the season he's having, it's well-deserved.
OF: Marcell Ozuna, starting in the outfield for the SECOND YEAR IN A ROW. Good for him.

Pitchers:
Clayton Kershaw, obviously.
Max Scherzer, also pretty obviously.
Robbie Ray AND Zack Greinke. So far so good.
Carlos Martinez, Cardinals. Don't exactly agree, but alright.
Stephen Strasburg, Nationals. YES INDEED.
Kenley Jansen, Dodgers. Of course, one of the best closers in baseball.
Greg Holland, Rockies, having an AMAZING season.
Wade Davis, Cubs. Surprisingly the ONLY Cubs addition, after a WS season. This is a problem.
Brad Hand, Corey Knebel, Pat Neshek- Yeah, Joe Maddon was a bit more Yost-like in picking this staff, and while Hand and Neshek aren't exactly ASG caliber, they're the only reps, and they're the only ones doing any positive progress. Knebel should NOT be the Brewers' only rep, as somebody like Eric Thames should be there.

Reserves:
C: Yadier Molina. Honestly, I fear like they're doing this for the legend, and not for his 2017 season. Though there aren't many better options for catcher in the NL.
1B: Paul Goldschmidt. Arguably should be starting. Man, this guy's just had terrible luck.
1B: Joey Votto. Uh, yeah.
2B: DJ LaMahieu, Rockies. Again, deserved, but feels slightly obligatory.
2B: Josh Harrison. Only Pirate, which sucks for Nova and Cutch.
3B: Jake Lamb, Diamondbacks. Yeah, makes sense.
SS: Corey Seager, Dodgers. Of course.
OF: Cody Bellinger Dodgers. Yeah, the NL needs their own version of Judge to fight.
OF: Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins. Arguably should be starting over Ozuna.
OF: Michael Conforto, Mets. Only Met, and a nice one.
OF: Ender Inciarte, the only Brave, because...apparently Joe Maddon forgot that Freddie Freeman exists?

So, those are some rosters. Neither are perfect. A few picks infuriated me.

And THESE:

Are the final man nods.

...crosses fingers for Didi and Bryant.

Aftermath

As if this year couldn't get any worse for the Giants, their ace had a bad run-in with a dirt-bike. Absolutely dreadful.

MadBum's a fantastic pitcher, great athlete, and I'm really fearing that his throwing shoulder's gonna be affected by this biking accident. Of all people to fall into 'never the same after the accident' category, Madison Bumgarner was in the category of 'NO NO PLEASE NOT HIM'. Jose Fernandez was in the same category, and he had an even worse fate.

MLB pitchers need to be far-more careful operating extreme modes of transportation. Hopefully MadBum will heal properly from this, and be back to his old, fireballing self rather soon.

Overpriced

It's like a nightmare. I mean, no matter where I go, what I do, no matter how much time passes...David Price always ends up being stuck in my division having to play my Yankees seven or eight times a year.

It was bad enough seeing him as a Ray, on winning Rays teams, or as a Blue Jay when they had their mega-ultra-come-up. This is worse, now. This is David Price on the Red Sox. This is the thing we thought would never happen, the thing that seemed so scary, so intimidating that it might only be an anxiety, a figment of our tired Yankee imaginations. This was the monster waiting in the closet and disappearing whenever our parents came in the room, only to pop back out the second we closed our eyes.

David Price as a Red Sock. That right there, is the accurate depiction of the Boogeyman in New York. And it's a fear that's being realized. I don't know if I can take it.

Craig Kimbrel as a Sock is scary enough, because that's one inning of shutout ball, but Price can give you SEVEN. SEVEN INNINGS of pitches that a distance-heavy Yankee team might not be able to hit. Seven innings of bamboozlement.

I mean, this can only work if the Red Sox end up being completely great next year, and it's looking like that might happen. They're retooling their outfield, they're working on the youth movement in the infield, and they just need to work a bit on pitching and they can outdo the Rays and O's next year. And that's bad for the Yankees, because we don't have anyone that can make us into a playoff team yet. We're still borderline. Price can get the Sox over borderline, and this is BAD.

It's gonna take another month or so to see the rest of the picture develop, but this could potentially be a dangerous AL East formation, as far as the Red Sox are concerned. One pitcher doesn't make an amazing roster, that's true, but this could be the start of something big.

This is Not The End

You're only gonna get bigger. And better. And stronger.

With this core, it's gonna happen. It just isn't gonna be 2015. But...it could be very soon.

Hell of a run, Cubbies. Made your city proud and everything. Let's work on having an even bigger 2016.



Now...as for me...given the prospect of a Mets-Royals series, I have no idea who to root for.

If it's Mets-Jays, then yeah, go Mets. But the Royals and Mets are both very fun teams, and I could root for either one. Yeah, I wish the Cubs were in on it, but...I guess we're all gonna have to deal.

I can't.

I...I have no words.

This custom is just too depressing. Like...I don't think I can take it.

I mean it's, you know, well done and all, well lit, but...it's too much for the squeamish, or the Phils fans, or both. I can barely take any of this.

Just....move along, I guess. This is clearly very tough for me.

(Though not as tough as seeing Chase Utley as a Dodger.)

(or Jimmy Rollins as a Dodger.)

(Man, the Phillies fans have had some really shitty luck with their favorite players this season, haven't they?)

Fitting, I guess.

I remember, in 2012, I went to Chase Utley's first game after being on the DL for most of the season. He got up to a standing ovation and had a monster hit that redeemed him from all those games with Freddy Galvis at second.

And now, tonight, I'll be at the first Phillies game after Chase Utley's departure for Los Angeles. It all sort of fits, in a way.

I mean, of course I'm gonna miss Utley. I'm gonna miss him more than I miss Rollins. He was a perfect fit for the Phillies for all of those twelve seasons he was here. And it's gonna suck seeing somebody like Cesar Hernandez playing second for the Phils.

I guess we'll just have to move on. And so, sadly, will the Phillies.

Custom Card of the Day: Tulo Edition

I'd like to talk about the NL West for a moment.

You see, the NL West, on a few different fronts, is a very disappointing division. There are TWO disappointments going on in that division. There's the Giants, who were expected, like every odd year, to do well enough to stay afloat, and they're currently in second, falling out of that divisional race every day.

There's the Padres, who were expected to conquer the world with their newly imported lineup, but now they're likely gonna be trading away James Shields, Andrew Cashner and Justin Upton, because it didn't quite work.

In addition to those two disappointments, there's the Diamondbacks, a team that is basically being carried by Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock. And those are TWO GUYS. They aren't even pitchers.

So I just listed three teams that would be last in any other division. Yet, because this is the NL West, the most disappointing division in baseball, they are all listed higher in the standings than the Colorado Rockies.

NOT THAT I AM PROUD SHARING THIS INFORMATION. I still think the Rockies have a ton of huge pieces that require attention. Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez a little bit. But the fact of the matter is that it's such a crappy park for pitchers that it's impossible to sustain a stellar core rotation. Even Ubaldo Jimenez was getting chewed up by the thinner air at the end of his Rockies run. So, even with great hitting, and great fielding from Tulo, it can't happen if they don't have a great pitching staff, and this season they definitely don't. You can argue that Jorge de la Rosa is lifting his weight, but...he always does. He's Jorge de la Rosa.

So really, I am not saying all of this as a 'ha, ha, this team stinks' kind of thing (you know, the kind of thing that alienated 50% of my Baltimore audience last year, which I still haven't recovered from no matter how many times I apologize). I'm very sad for Rockies fans. A lot of offensive pieces are working this season. DJ LeMahieu started the All-Star game this year. But, again, it's not coming together for the Rockies because they have no pitching whatsoever.

It's sad how a team like the Rockies can consistently outweigh these bigger disappointments.

Coming Tonight: Hopefully, a much happier post. The catcher for a team that I literally just got done apologizing to.

As if the All Star Ballot Announcements Couldn't Get Any Worse...

As I've explained multiple times on the blog, I'm not especially happy with what the All Star Game has become this year. For a game that doesn't especially count for anything (except home field advantage in the World Series), there sure is a lot of nonsense swirling about, what with the roster-pumping that the Royals fans have been doing, and the new complicating formula for the Home Run Derby. You guys are forgetting how this is supposed to be fun for the fans, not infuriating.

Last year, I made several 'shame on you's at MLB and ESPN for turning the Roster Announcements, which used to just be both managers posting the rosters online on a Sunday without too much pomp, into a one-hour television spectacle, where Kurkjian and co flaunted their prior knowledge of the rosters to the audience, teasing snippets like 'this is the first of six Athletics on the list. You'll find out the other five later'. As if to say, 'oh, you'll get there soon, audience. It's not like you're the whole reason this event exists or anything.'

And so I defiantly watched that special last year, and dissected every one of its flaws, and there were many, including wasting blocks of time interviewing managers and players when they should simply be GIVING THE DAMNED ROSTERS. It was annoying, and pathetic.

This year, I spent a couple days looking for a date when the rosters would be announced, because it's usually end of June. And I couldn't find one. Better yet, I didn't find a telecast date for the bullshit results show. So I was content. I thought, maybe they learned their lesson, and are going back to just posting them online.

Oh, how naive was I. How stupid. Because today, with the final voting update, MLB.com announced that the results would be revealed on NOT ONE...BUT TWO NIGHTS OF ESPN PROGRAMMING.

That's right. On Sunday the 5th, about a week later than the results are usually announced, ESPN will dedicate THIRTY MINUTES to a special announcing the starting rosters for the NL and AL teams. Just the starting rosters. Padded out by thirty minutes of stalling, interviews with clearly uninterested players, and Tim Kurkjian twirling his eyebrows, going "NANANANANA, I KNOW THE ROSTERS AND YOU DON'T!"

But on Sunday the 6th, ESPN will give an HOUR block to unveiling the rest of the rosters, including pitchers, reserve members, and the candidates for the final man vote. Which means that one and a half hours, over the course of two days, WITH COMMERCIALS...will be used to announce information that could have just been put online.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but MLB has thought of something worse than what they did last year. This means that all the excited baseball fans who want to see the rosters...have to wait through 22 minutes of Esurance ads, and commercials pushing a new taco made entirely from a cow's spleen, just to see the sportscasters run through the rosters in one breath and then ending the telecast before you have time to process it. Or, as Ryan Seacrest calls it, the daily source of his income.

This is not okay. None of this is remotely okay. Now, you could argue that the easiest way to get these rosters is to just...wait until the broadcast is over, and wait for everybody to post the stuff online, so that you don't have to wait for Tim Kurkjian, who I swear is becoming worse than Joe Buck at this point, to shut the hell up. I could do that, but I feel like torturing myself this year.

So I'll watch the damn programs, because obviously that's what MLB wants me to do, and I'll riff the specials, and I'll comment on the rosters. But there is no way in hell that I'll be happy about it. And there is no way in hell I'm gonna be pleased if they decide to go this route again next year, only with a different sponsor, and an even more disgusting Pizza Hut dish to flaunt.

Spring Training Custom of the Day: OH WOE IS ME Edition

I can't.

I can't do this.

Just looking at that custom makes me cry a little bit. I can't take it.

It's bad enough that I lost one of my favorite shortstops last year. It's even worse that my 2nd favorite shortstop got traded to the Dodgers. I mean, I don't have any ill will towards the Dodgers. They're a great team, and I love a ton of their players. This is just...hard to look at. I can't stomach it.

It's like seeing Craig Biggio in an Oakland Athletics uniform. Or seeing Cal Ripken in a Colorado Rockies jersey. Or seeing Ichiro Suzuki in a Marlins uniform...OH WAIT. THAT'S HAPPENING. DAMN.

It's just unnatural. Jimmy Rollins is supposed to always wear red. Any other color looks...wrong. Seeing him in Dodger blue is weird, and I don't know if I'll get used to it. I mean, this is his only way of getting back to the playoffs, because he likely wouldn't have with the Phillies. But...Rollins will always be a Phillie in my mind, and when he retires he's going on the Phillies' Wall of Fame. I just...it's a lot.

I still want him to have a great season. The Dodgers are probably going to do very well, and Rollins needed some rejuvenation. I just...I want him to come back to Philly when all of this is over, like what Torii Hunter is doing. He took some time, made a bunch of playoff runs, then came back home for one last hurrah. Jimmy Rollins should do that. It would make me very happy.

But for now, I'll just have to sit through seeing this a couple hundred times. It'll be alright. I have to keep telling myself that. It'll be alright.

GOT TO WALK...OUT OF HERE...I CCCAAAAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE...

Sorry, I don't usually start singing Peter Gabriel. I'm just very emotional. Don't mind me.

Coming Tomorrow- A much happier post. With a much happier player. Probably a wonderful sophomore talent in Cincinnati.