Raise the Jolly Roger! The Pirates are Winners

I know most published their two cents on the Pittsburgh Pirates ending their two decade losign streak last week and there was certainly good cause for that. After twenty years, many want to jump on the first positive, enjoy the celebration as soon as possible. Perhaps that is what the Pirates did themselves, I shudder to think that last weekends sweep at the hands of St. Louis Cardinals was the start of yet another September collapse. A second reason I hesitated is that after twenty years I support celebrating winning not merely "not losing" after so long I believe it is worth the wait.

Twenty-one years can go by in a flash when things go right, it can seem like an eternity when things are going wrong. A generation of Pirates fans have grown up watching their beloved team fall short of .500 year after year after year. Twenty years of wandering the barren sub-par baseball desert is enough to make anyone thirsty, so join me, won't you, in raising a glass of rum to the Pirates who have finally ended a streak of futility just in time for a generation of fans to start drinking in joy.

Looking back on exactly how the Pirates avoided .500 for all these years is as futile an exercise as looking back at the first twenty years of your life. In hindsight, the first few years were a blur and no one really noticed the growing trend of futility. Players came and went like so many people have in your life. Aging Kirk Gibson was a bench piece the last time the Pirates were in the post-season, now he is hoping his Diamondbacks can squeak into the postseason on grit and determination. Jim Leyland is still a chimney smoking manager riding amazing talent into the postseason and taking glory for being along for the ride. Only now it is Miguel Cabrera not Barry Bonds and he exchanged the Pirate flag for Tiger stripes.

Faces of the franchise have come and gone as various general managers attempted to bring a winner to the city's beautiful gem of a stadium and start to match the success of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins. Since 1992, the Steelers and Penguins each won their league titles two times. The city is not starved for champions, like Cleveland, but the Pirates have wanted to get in on the fun and excitement of playing in front of a packed stadium all hands on deck in their finest Gold and Black.

In 2011, the losing streak looked over in the first half of the season, with a 47-43 record, until a disastrous second half 25-47 left them at 72-90. 2012 looked even more promising, starting out 48-37, however, a 31-46 second half -lowlighted by a 9-22 September/October lead to a 79-83 record. Improvement, but not enough to end the losing streak. In both those years the Pirates reached for trade upgrades, but the results did not pan out. The success of this years squad is less reliant on whatever Marlon Byrd, John Buck, or Justin Morneau can provide because this team has relied on pitching more than offense. Those Pirate teams needed offense because their pitching was mediocre at best. This year's squad boasts the #3 bullpen ERA in all of baseball to support the #3 starter's ERA. Improved pitching has been the Pirates key and will keep them going the rest of the way.

No one can say what the rest of the season will bring. Will the September collapse of the last two seasons ago sneak up and relegate them to the wild card game, or worse getting passed by the Diamondbacks or Nationals and missing October completely? Or will they ride this feel good wave through the postseason, sparked by sound pitching and timely offense all the way to world series glory? These are questions for tomorrow, or next week, and maybe even deep into next month. For now Pirates fans should drink deep in the joy of 82 wins, embrace the triumph of winning baseball and enjoy this moment a generation in the making.

How MLB Won on NFL's Opening Night

For many, this Thursday has been circled on their calendars for weeks. Drafts both real and fantasy have taken place, bold predictions and optimistic bets have been placed. For many football is finally here. However, in its never ending quest to keep football relevant 365 days a year, this article is about a story that broke way back in March, the story about how Baltimore Orioles and baseball challenged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and won. In order to beat Goodell baseball faced the three political grenades: religion, tradition, and bribes. A daunting task for even the most skilled of opponents.

At issue was the mid-March dilemma of scheduling the NFL season. The most public issue was the NFL wanting the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens to open the season at home on September 5 and kick off football with all the pageantry of a second parade on a national scale. Unfortunately for the NFL, MLB had created their schedule the previous September and the Orioles were set to fly in from the road and host the White Sox for a four game homestand beginning that night. Baltimore's layout does not allow both venues to logistically operate major events at the same time. It was here that the politicking began in earnest and ultimately we were left with a result few saw coming: the Orioles would stay in Baltimore while the Ravens would open the season in Denver. 

"Solutions" came early, often, and decidedly one-sided. Baseball should compromise, play in Chicago, play a Saturday double-header, anything so long as lord football got its way. Baseball fans pointed out the logistical nightmare of changing the schedules of the Orioles, White Sox, plus the Indians and Yankees their respective Wednesday night opponents . They next advanced the ideas that the NFL game could be changed (their schedule had not even been made) and just the year before the NFL opened on Wednesday so as not to compete with the Democratic National Convention (the one without Clint Eastwood talking to a chair).

As all good politicians do when faced with daunting logic that threatens to derail their best laid spontaneous plans, the NFL shot down the notion of changing to Wednesday by citing, wait for it, religion! The NFL stated they would not consider opening on Rosh Hashanah, never mind that they have done that in the past and revel in the opportunity to play on Christmas. Wise choice or convenient memory, by committing to play on Thursday night the NFL played the next card in the politicians handbook: tradition!

"The Ravens deserve to open the season at home because it is tradition for the Super Bowl winners to do so." If you have not heard this yet, just tune in to the NFL this weekend and you will some form of it plenty. The problem is the boy who cried wolf has more credibility than sports crying out tradition lately. Every little tournament, event or occurrence in sports these days is a classic or a tradition despite nothing being further from the truth. Notre Dame v Michigan is rivalry over 100 years old, despite most games being played only from the 1970's on. The NCAA opens up with over a dozen different basketball tournaments that are all "classics" despite most being less than 6 years old. The NFL to has fallen prey to this heritage link with opening night being reserved as a home game for last years Super Bowl winner, never mind that the last winner to open on the road was way back in 2003 way back in the pre-3D-TV ages, YIKES! Baseball had not even begun to seriously follow the Pirates ongoing futility at that point.

Religion set the date, traditions backfired, the NFL faced door number 3: bribes. This is not the NCAA where washing your car can get you into trouble, this is professional sports, the NFL the biggest, baddest sport going. More than that it is led by Sheriff Goodell slapping players with suspensions left and right for off-field infractions, rebranding "the league" into "the shield" even pushing Disney executives into stepping away from a public broadcasting documentary. This is the league that settled a massive lawsuit for $765 million dollars, without admitting doing anything wrong and all before a game that matters could bring it up as anything short of a positive.

Goodell has run a tight ship with a simple motto "what I want I get." Unfortunately for him, Bud Selig the loathable MLB commissioner has been living that motto for more than 20 years. Between Bud Selig and Orioles owner Peter Angelos, they were not going to give something away without a little kickback. Considering how rare this occurrence would be I find it hard to believe that this couldn't have been handled graciously and magnanimously in the media by all involved and somewhere around $1-2million dollars goes from a $9billion dollar sports entity to a $7billion dollar one somewhere down the line.

It was not a moral dilemma or pride that stopped Goodell from making that offer, it was shock at being told no. No, he could not simply get what he wanted. No, if he really wanted to have his way there were some wallets that needed lining first. Goodell puts on a strong face, but he is nothing more than a bully playing at expert politician. He has carved out a power vacuum for himself atop the most profitable sport in North America. Employees within and around the sport know who is in charge and he grew so used to stomping on others that it is second nature to him. That PBS documentary I mentioned earlier, Frontline, their people tried to break the story about how the NFL was trying to bury their piece on  “League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for Truth” by having ESPN back out. Goodell swooped in and rallied his followers with what really happened. (Goodell claimed to do nothing wrong and that the meetings were monthly occurrences about normal monthly matters) Goodell is back to fighting hard and grinding opponents, but the Frontline people had to feel somewhat emboldened by MLB's actions. Back in March, Goodell tried his hands at politics: he played the cards he had and he played them well, but he was no match for the elder statesman from MLB. For at least one brief moment someone stood up to the bully and the bully backed down. On this opening day the scoreboard will read NFL 0 MLB Won.



Any feedback is appreciated below, thanks for reading.

These Guys Are Professionals, Right?

Baseball is an entertaining game to watch. In a sport in which every action is met with resistance it can be taken for granted just how easy those in the major league can make the game look. This piece is dedicated to the other end of the spectrum, to the plays you only enjoy watching five year olds engage in, where the joy of playing outweighs the importance of the win/loss record. Warning these plays are not exactly pretty, but go ahead and laugh, but remember these are professionals trained to drown out crowd noise and insults.

Backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba exploits some terrible base running (8/14/13)



Juan Uribe falls for the old "hidden ball trick" and to make matters worse Angel Hernandez, one of the more controversial terrible umpires in the game today. Just ask Chipper Jones, Hawk Harrelson and the Oakland A's. (8/10/13)



It is cute when kids get so excited they can't keep their balance and fall down in a heap of joy. For Chad Qualls it was probably a bit more embarrassing, but nonetheless entertaining. (7/30/13)



Melky Cabrera shows off his powerful arm in left, if not his sure-handed grip (8/1/13)



Five days latter Melky got a sigh of relief that it can even happen to 18 year veterans like Raul Ibanez (8/6/13)



 Finally, it doesn't matter how fast or talented you are, somethings are sure outs. (6/19/13)



Yasiel Puig will likely learn that next season, because he has yet to learn it yet. It is bad when Vin Scully is calling you out. (6/26/13)



Hope you enjoyed some of the more embarrassing gaffes of the year. Did I leave any out? Let me know and I will try and tack them on.

Expanded Replay is Coming

With the clarity of Gabbo's arrival, MLB announced on Thursday that expanded replay is coming in 2014. Expanded replay has been on the table since the current home run review system come online in 2008. After today's announcement we have been given some idea of what to MLB wants in an expanded replay: coaches getting 3 challenges each (1 in the first six innings, 2 in the seventh and beyond, though umpires may seek to have discretion to review plays if challenges are exhausted), a central review office to make the final calls, balls and strikes are not reviewable. Home run reviews are to be grandfathered in. Brushed aside like so much fine print are the important details about how the owners, players association, and the umpires have yet to sign off on the expanded replay. To put it simply, this replay system could look radically different from what was announced Thursday before it is approved. With that in mind, here is a look at what I would like to see and a warning to what we may be saying goodbye to.

MLB claims "89 percent of incorrect calls made in the past will be reviewable," but did not go into specifics. I assume reviewable plays will now include fair/foul balls, trapped balls, and plays at bases. Something I am sure Armando Galarraga is behind. I can get onboard with these reviews, they shouldn't take too much time to review and it is better to get the call right in these situations. There are still some questions to iron out, including how to determine what base batters and baserunners should be awarded when a foul ball call is overturned, but that should not be too difficult for the league to iron out. 

The judgment calls are where things get a bit dicey. Judgment calls can include in/out of the basepaths, the neighborhood rule, balks, or the infield fly rule. While the neighborhood rule is among the numerous unwritten rules of baseball, the other examples all include the caveat "in the judgment of the umpire(s)" as part of the rules definition. These type of rules should remain as free of review as ball and strikes. These will not be called correctly every time, but retroactive, third-party judgments would do more to harm the situation, not to mention needlessly prolong games, than just accepting the call and moving forward. Players and managers are not perfect, neither are umpires, but they all strive to do their best and by keeping the judgment calls under the on-field umpires control they will hopefully work harder to get those non-reviewable calls correct.   

An unintended consequence for the fans could a marked decrease in manager-umpire arguments and especially managers getting tossed. Aside from the humor of watching a manager throw a tantrum, there is a tangible benefit to their actions as well. Teams win at a .550 clip in a game following an ejection versus an expected .494 clip generally, according to Sports Illustrated research. Arguing balls and strikes will remain a tossing offense, but for other calls managers will now be told to toss challenge flags instead of verbal abuse. Add to that the potential for umpires to seek reviews on close plays themselves and managers will be on their best behavior in hopes of getting such plays reviewed late in games. I hope MLB gives something back the managers and makes the challenge flag a rosin bag (look at 1:15-1:30 in the video) so they can really show their displeasure. 

Replay is just the latest in a long line of changes to the game and I would not be surprised to see them come in 2014. Bud Selig wields enough power that when he wants something done, he gets his way, for better or worse. Thus, even with a potential $40 million dollar budget to address, I expect the owners to sign off on it in November. However, what was announced today is not likely to be exactly what we will see in 2014 and the system introduced next season will undoubtedly be refined in the years ahead. On paper I congratulate MLB for embracing change and adopting further replay, now lets see if it works as well in practice. 



Is this a step in the right direction, a bridge to far, or will you not be satisfied until robots call the game? Sound off in the comments  below

A-Rod Frustrating Selig's "Clean in '14" Effort

Normally, after the trade deadline fans are supposed to stop hearing about fourth place teams and instead get to know playoff teams and start to consider offseason awards and moves. I plan to get to those soon. However, MLB announced their Biogenesis suspensions on Monday and that warrants some attention. If you are sick of hearing about PEDs, Biogenesis or other off the field issues in general, I don't blame you, I encourage you to skip the rest of  this article because I am fascinated by Bud Selig's actions in this matter and want to take a closer look into it. My upcoming articles will be as PED free as I can make them, I promise.

Disclaimers out of the way, let us look at the Biogensis fallout this past month: 12 suspensions for 50 games, 1 for 65, and one for 211 games. None of these players tested positive. The league suspended them using a "non-analytical positive," code for witnesses and a paper trail sufficient  to prove purchase, receipt or use of banned drugs. Oh and a few players were not suspended because they actually got caught last year. An odd system where those not smart enough to beat the system will receive less scrutiny than those who only may have. Most of the players are not challenging the suspensions, but that has more to do with the blatant incentive MLB put on the players to take the punishment. Incentives seemingly designed to provide Bud Selig with a clean final season as commissioner.

Despite all the evidence MLB collected and sifted through since January, the suspensions only came out when teams had 50 or so games remaining in the regular season. Players on post-season bound teams could serve out the punishment and still help their team in October. If they are allowed on the post-season roster. Free agents will not take a financial hit because they still have days, weeks, or months remaining on their suspension. More important to these players and MLB is the attempt to put Biogenesis in the 2013 season alone, to wrap it all up in a neat little package and pretend it is an isolated incident that can be mentioned as a historical footnote, an odd quirk to one season. Players who do not challenge the suspensions will start 2014 with as clean a slate as possible. Even Alex Rodriguez suspension was designed to fit the mold, the idea being to suspend him for the remainder of 2013 and all of 2014, after this season Biogenesis would be out of sight, out of mind. It is cleaner, simpler, to treat it as such, but hardly in the best long term interest of the game.

Part of the problem with this approach is that it oversimplifies the PED problem. One clinic lead to 15 suspensions (don't forget minor league pitcher Cesar Carrillo who suffered a 100 game suspension back in March for refusing to talk with MLB investigators about the case). One clinic handed this information to major league baseball, they merely had to sift through the information to get results. The league, as tough as it claims to be on testing steroids, did not find the Biogenesis clinic on their own and there is currently no indication that they actually want to investigate the potential for others. Had Tony Bosch paid his former employee, odds are the baseball loving public would have remained blissfully ignorant of Biogenesis and "anti-aging" clinics. Other clinics are out there. Shutting down the suppliers would be ideal. The appearance of investigations may even deter some players. The league can only punish the players, not the providers, unfortunately. So, rather than look ineffective, the league will keep improving its testing and attempt to increase the penalties to deter future use.

I would have preferred all those suspended to have to sit out opening day next season as well. This would keep the PED talk alive in clubhouses throughout spring training and serve as a constant reminder that there are consequences for PED use. The players would undoubtedly be asked about the issue throughout training camps and that is a very good thing. The conversation among players has changed dramatically since testing started back in 2005. No longer are players willing to turn a blind eye to a teammates use, pretending that the issue does not exist. Players are increasingly vocal about wanting a clean game, clean teammates. They want to be surrounded with the best 25 players, players who earned it with skill, dedication, and effort not through a needle, a cream, or a pill. This trend should continue as more and more players come up who have been tested from day 1 in the minors. Imagine what an offseason full of such talk could do. Tacking on an extra day would have allowed the owners to use the union against itself which would have been a powerful ally if they review the PED penalties as expected this offseason.

Burying the issue is easier than examining it. For the sake of a "clean" 2014 Selig slow played his hand until the players had to accept the suspension. The players were left in an unenviable position: serve the suspension immediately or risk it limiting their opportunities in 2014 and beyond. Pushed, prodded, or cajoled, I refuse to call this opportunity "unfair" because the players linked themselves to a questionable clinic, regardless of whether they actually took illegal substances for tummy aches or some competitive edge. This "clean in '14" campaign Selig is trying for (conveniently his last as commissioner, I hope) requires the biggest name to be stashed for the entire '14 season, with a 211 game suspension, Selig would accomplish just that.

Unfortunately for Bud Selig, A-Rod is planning to appeal his suspension. Financially it makes sense for A-Rod to appeal, he is set to make $7.96 million the rest of this season, $25 million in '14, and $21 million in 2015. Even if the suspension is upheld, A-Rod will have around another month to play and get paid this season. I actually see the suspension being shortened. Selig suspended all players under the Joint Drug Agreement rather than the vague "good of the game" clause in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. A-Rod is getting his stiff suspension for alleged PED use over several years, attempting to hide violations, and for "a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner," according to MLB. MLB's plea deals were accepted by everyone else, but when A-Rod decided to take his chances via arbitration, Selig swapped his carrot and stick for the hammer and sickle.

Selig seems hell bent on going after A-Rod because he had the audacity to try and purchase potentially incriminating evidence when this whole mess started. Just like MLB did. MLB went even further, suing Tony Bosch into cooperating with their investigation. By going so hard after one player MLB has forced the Union to step in and defend A-Rod, if only to prevent MLB from setting a dangerous precedent for future players. Any attempt to claim multiple suspensions for A-Rod based on Biogenesis documents should be greeted with a high level of skepticism. After all, 3 players who tested positive are not facing a second punishment after the league reviewed the documents. I do not see how a neutral arbitrator would buy that A-Rod is the only player linked to Biogenesis who merits multiple suspensions from the recovered documents. Given the amount of information revealed to date, I expect a 50 game suspension for PEDs and 75-100 for impeding the investigation.

A-Rod has a storied history of rubbing people the wrong way and I have no problem seeing him punished for breaking the rules. I just want to see him punished like every other player. Michael Weiner and the Player's Union agree. Selig looked the other way when steroids brought fans back to the ballpark, with his last season approaching he is once again trying to put steroids out of sight, out of mind, and away from his legacy. A legacy which will receive much more scrutiny next season, a compelling reason to push forward with a "clean in '14" campaign.

From being handed an investigation to forcing players to meekly accepting suspensions, Selig was so close to having everything Biogenesis wrapped up in a neat little package. Except for A-Rod.

At least we know what A-Rod did to frustrate the Office of the Commissioner, he refuses to be bullied, intimidated, and shut out of the league. He dares to keep Bud Selig from sweeping Biogenesis under the rug and riding into the sunset after a Clean in '14 season. And I am fine with that. 


Do you support Selig's actions? Did he do enough or not enough? Do you just want to stop hearing the name Biogenesis? Let me know in the comments below

Why PEDs Matter to Fans

Ryan Braun accepted a 65 game suspension on Tuesday, the first major league suspension issued from the ongoing Biogenesis scandal. It will not be the last suspension we see, nor is this likely to be the end of steroids in the sport. Part of the reason why is the money involved. Braun is losing around $3.2 million for his suspension this season. Yet, he is set to make $10 million next season and his $105 million dollar extension doesn't even kick in until 2016. Part of the reason is that cheaters will always find a way to stay one step ahead of the testers. As in any competition, people will seek out advantages to maximize their opportunities for success. Some are simply willing to go further than others, beyond the rules, because "winning" is more important than "fair." The uproar that Braun's suspension and subsequent pseudo apology has triggered has been shocking because of just how many people actually care. Why are PED suspensions such a big deal in MLB and barely a blip in other major North American sports?

A popular theme has centered around the idea of being lied to. Braun had a positive test suspension from the 2011 postseason overturned in 2012 based on a chain-of-custody technicality. His comments during the investigation and afterward were filled with strong denials and accusations against Dino Laurenzi Jr., the man in charge of handling Braun's sample. Mr. Laurenzi ultimately lost his job over the incident. This week, Braun brokered a deal with MLB and is out for the season, a season where Milwaukee is going nowhere and he is dealing with an injured thumb. He gets to come to the ballpark next season with no threat of suspension and plenty of years to rebuild his reputation. Unfortunately, part of his deal, apparently, is that he cannot speak about the incident until MLB's Biogenesis investigation is concluded. That makes sense, but when you leave the masses without information we will supply our own. "Braun was guilty in 2011", "Braun was using for years before that positive test", "Braun was probably using as late as last week." We don't know, but the public perception is that he lied: lied to the commissioner, his teammates, his family, but most importantly to us. Lying is being paraded as Braun's real problem. His hubris led him to use, to be the best, to try and hide the fact, to deny it loudly, publicly, and often. As if speaking louder has ever made a lie sound better when the speaker knows its a lie. This theory points out Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, and others who admitted to using PEDs, who stood on a podium, took a beating for admitting the truth. They did not try and hide behind loud denials or false websites. Wouldn't that just wrap everything up in a nice little moral package fit for Sunday School. Unfortunately, the real world is more complicated than that, for better or worse there are other reasons why PEDs in MLB matter so much to fans.

First of all Major League Baseball makes it matter. For over a decade major league has pushed for more and better testing to catch PED users and punish them. They now boast the most advanced testing policy in major sports. The testing includes baseline results to track players over time and blood testing in addition to urine analysis. The Braun Exception loophole has been closed, players are getting punished. MLB has taken a bold and unnecessary risk in their approach to combat dopers: they air their dirty laundry publicly. No other league would dare consider this option, let alone implement it. MLB is betting on fans wanting a cleaner game, on players wanting clean teammates, to win out over the negative press and they appear to be winning. Indeed the Players Union seems to want those caught doping to be exposed, separated from the good, clean majority. During the BALCO scandal players were quiet, protective, since then they have permitted increased testing, today with Biogenesis players are speaking out. It might shock you that there are NBA ties the Biogenesis clinic. In 2013 there have been 13 NFL players suspended for PEDs, that is the same total as all of MLB from 2009-13. MLB is leading the charge to clean up their game and are willing to take the mud stains that come with it. MLB knows, dovie'andi se tovya sagain.

The fans are the reason MLB is willing to toss the dice, fans care about the history and statistics of the game. Baseball, more than any other sport, has always been about the statistics. From scoreboards and boxscores to fangraphs and baseball-reference, baseball has loved data -and the fans have loved it back. 300 wins, 3000 hits, 56 hits, 2632. The numbers matter to fans. Mets fans can probably tell you Keith Hernandez batting average in 1986 before they could recall their anniversary. Andre Dawson's 1987 MVP season, a glowing highlight to this day for the Cubs, more than a few in Cubs land could tell you he led the led the league in homeruns (49) and rbi (137) without needing a smart phone. Examples exist for every team in every era. Before fantasy sports took root, baseball was the sport for the analytical mind. When MLB looked the other way and tainted sacred records by permitting PEDs, fans enjoyed it, until the reports came out. PEDs took the fun out of the game. We enjoyed watching Sosa, Bonds, and McGuire slug homeruns until it started leaking that it might not have been done "right," not "clean."

Fans have asked for asterisks, white out, or separate records for the Steroid Era. Baseball doesn't work that way, for better or worse the game changes, evolves, and some records fall. Ultimately steroid users will be in the Hall of Fame for a similar reason. The era happened, MLB let it happen, but to be fair to future fans they will be included. Part of what helped make baseball America's pastime were the stats, recorded for all time to be called up and dissected by any curious observer. The other part is the oral history of the game. Box scores don't describe when Babe Ruth called his shot, they don't explain the majesty of the "Shot heard 'round the world" or the class of Lou Gehrig or Roberto Clemente. Fans have enjoyed inviting generations of ballplayers into their homes, their stories, and their hearts. Perhaps if MLB can clean up the game, those traditions will continue and fans can continue to flock to the Church of Baseball. 

Finally, fans appreciate closure, a closure that PEDs just aren't affording us. From the midweek series on up to a whole season we can get closure in whatever dose is required. The season is long, so long in fact they break it up to have a quasi-exhibition every July. For the 29 teams that don't have a parade at the end of the year, there is closure by October. The season is over, the team can retool, heal, and go for it again next season. This reset button recharges fans batteries and allows us to get excited to see what next year has in store. PEDs don't provide that closure. From Balco to Biogenesis there is the looming specter of another suspension, another tainted athlete. It gets exhausting and depressing.

This desire for closure can be seen in the constant references fans make to Pete Rose. "PED users should be banned for life, like Pete Rose" or "Pete Rose should be in the hall of fame before these bums." Pete Rose and PEDs have very little in common, but people bring it up for a reason. Pete Rose was an example of evil with closure. Pete Rose bet on baseball, admitted it and accepted a lifetime ban to halt the investigation into his gambling. Fans could accept that there was one degenerate gambler, one man who ignored the only rule in baseball that mattered. Since Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the Black Sox for life following the 1919 World Series, gambling has been verboten. PEDs are viewed as a lesser offense in baseball, players get 3 strikes before they are out. Perhaps the punishment is not as strict as some would like it, but that is another matter. With Pete Rose fans got quick, one and done, closure that PEDs simply do not provide. Of the 1200+ players who are on 40 man rosters every year there is always going to be at least one who seeks an advantage, whatever the costs. There is no closure in that and that too is why fans care, we have been programed to seek out closure, if not in a season than in a players career. In baseball, even the brightest stars eventually fade, but PEDs twinkle on the periphery, annoying and tempting at the same time.

PEDs matter because MLB says so, but more importantly they matter because fans care about the past, the players, and the stats that encompass both. The game will never be completely clean, if it ever has been, but by demanding better testing, by taking its lumps, MLB is trying to make up for its mid-90's mistakes and let fans know that it cares because we made them care. Clean players, clean records, and dirty uniforms, doesn't that sound fun, doesn't that sound just like a kids game should.



Am I onto something or simply on something? Sound off in the comment section below. 

The Shot Callers

Whether the ball flies out to Waveland Avenue or needs a little assist, home runs are game changing moments, lighting up the scoreboard to the delight of fans everywhere. Whether the ball is "crushed", "smoked", "drilled", or "launched" the effect upon the crowd is immediate -unbridled joy for the home fans or stunned silence. This is true if the ball is "way back", a "moonshot" or "just enough" to get over the wall. For fans outside the stands it is up to the announcers to bring the excitement, to get us off our couches and dancing a little jig.

Just as every home run is unique, so is each call. Every announcer attempts to put a distinct call to the moment that lets even the casual listener know the home team has hit one out. With the 4th of July weekend upon us, I thought it would be a great time to put together a list of my favorite home run callers this season. I did not use national broadcasters so you will not hear Chris Berman, Joe Buck, or any of the others mostly because their calls are uninspired cliches honed over the years. I also do not have a clip of every team because some announcers just don't bring joy and excitement to their call. Without further ado lets take a look and a listen at some of this seasons fireworks.

Colorado where "you won't see it for long"



Vin Scully calls Yasiel Puig's first two big league home runs "viva Cuba, viva Puig"



Dick Enberg lets Padres fans know the ball was "crushed...way up and way out"



There was no doubt in San Francisco that "this is OUTTA HERE"



Meanwhile in Houston they let Chris Carter's bat do the talking



Out in Anaheim they are talking "Big Flies" --Erik Aybar knew it was gone



Oakland lets us know "that baby is gone"



Pittsburgh fans are warned to "clear the deck, cannonball coming" --really appreciate how they combine team theme into their call



Cubs and CarGo know there is no need to move when it goes on to Waveland Avenue



They enjoy Miggy's "absolute bombs" in Detroit



Hawk Harrelson, baseballs biggest homer announcer is always fun to listen to. Give him a listen when his team is getting blown out for an inning; he sounds like he needs a nap, a snack and a hug. Oh home run calls he begs the ball to stretch before excitingly telling the fans "you can PUT IT ON THE BOARD....YES!!!"



If you want some "Souvenir City" look no further than Cleveland



Nationals emphatically bid long balls together with a "SEE YOU LATER!"



A fond "SEE YA!" greets Bronx Bombs



 Finally, out in Baltimore the tandem are awestruck by the power of Adam Jones before wishing the ball farewell "Goodbye, Homerun"




Did I miss a team that should be here? Do you prefer lackluster national announcers over local "homer" announcers? Feel free to belt out your opinion in the comment section.