Manny being Manny in Hollywood
Was their any real surprise that when Manny Ramirez was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trading deadline from the Red Sox that he begin to light it up again?
He was hitter near .500 before he was traded, but that was lost in all the injury and off the field issues. Still, when he steps into the batters box, only Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez rival him in terms of the best right-handed hitters in baseball.
Since his arrival, he has energized the Dodgers. They are poised down the stretch to run down the division leading Arizona Diamondbacks. From August 1 (Manny’s first game) through today (August 15), Ramirez is hitting a blistering .438 in 48 at bats, with 5 home runs and 16 runs batted in with OPS of 1.355.
Considering that he has trimmed some of his hair (took three weeks), is consistently running out of the batters box hard on home runs (as opposed to his famous “pimping”) and not sitting out games against tough pitchers, it becomes more obvious that he had “mailed it in” in his final days in Boston. Desperately looking to be traded in order to become a free agent at the end of this season rather than have the Red Sox in control of picking up the 20 million dollar option that existed on his contract over the next two years.
Now that he is in LA (it is still strange seeing him in the new uniform), the Dodgers become “ex-Red Sox West”, as he joins former teammates Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra. His bat in the lineup already deepens an order featuring Russell Martin, Jeff Kent and youngsters Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Just have a presence like him in the starting nine on a daily basis provides protection for the other hitters and allows them to shine, which they have done so far
Their pitching is a mixture of high potential youth and veterans. While Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw continue to develop into top-level pitchers, Derek Lowe and Hiroki Kuroda try to provide veteran stability.
Brad Penny is the wild card. Perhaps burned out by weight issues or simple lack of performance, he has pitched below yearly levels. If is able to rebound, they have a great chances of passing Arizona and making the postseason.
Oliver Perez’s “switch" goes on
Nothing is more infuriating than watching a pitcher who has incredible talent not being able to harness it, and be focused on his task enough to pitch to the level of his capabilities.
Enter Oliver Perez.
Since his early years as a Pittsburgh Pirate, he has had the talent be a top starting pitcher in the league. His mid 90’s fastball and great slider makes for an uncomfortable at bat.
However, over the last four seasons, getting that talent out of him has been easier said than done. Inconsistency has plagued him. So much so that in 2006, fed up with Perez and his performance, the Pirates dealt him to the New York Mets as a throw-in.
While his inconsistencies continued, injuries to other rotation members forced him to pitch Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals. Though the Mets lost the game, Perez’s performance was not forgotten.
This season, his struggles again continued. After winning 15 games with a 3.5 ERA, he was again losing focus and saw his performance dropping. Nothing signified the word “enigma” in pitching terms than Perez. How could this still be happening?
But a funny thing happened after manager Willie Randolph was fired in the middle of this past June. A new manager and a new pitching coach apparently had the key to unlock to his full potential.
The last nine weeks has seen a different Perez. His reemergence has allowed the Mets to makeup for poor start to the season and are back in the NL East race.
In nine starts, Perez is 4-2 with a 1.97 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings.
With Perez set to be a free agent at the end of this season, the Mets are going to be faced with a very difficult decision. Does the team invest significant dollars in this pitcher knowing his past? Or, do they conclude that they have finally “fixed” him and will be pitcher he has been over the last seven weeks?
Either way, Perez stands to command big dollars from a team after the year if he keeps up. For the Mets, it is a decision that they probably do not mind facing.
Random Baseball Thoughts
After seeing him in person and during numerous instances this season, it is strange to say that Daisuke Matsuzaka is the most unimpressive 14-2 (2.74 ERA) pitcher in all my years of watching baseball.
Very quietly (or not so quietly), Jon Lester is emerging as one of baseball’s best left-handed pitchers.
To open his career, Lester is a remarkable 22-6. Comparisons to a young Andy Pettitte are very valid.
Would you boo a player consistently for striking out despite the face the player leads the National League in both home runs and runs batted in?
Philadelphia Phillies fans do for Ryan Howard and I cannot understand it.
Sure, he has struck out an incredible 155 times in 460 at bats (one in three AB’s), but he is at least producing major numbers.
It is not as if he were Andruw Jones.
Speaking of Jones, he is coming in hitting a cool .161 in 205 at bats, and is booed after every out while stealing…err, earning 18 million both this season and next.
Now he is worth booing.
I wonder how Roy Halladay’s career is going to be viewed after he retires in a few years if he remains with the Blue Jays.
For a couple of seasons, he was arguably the game’s best. But pitching in Toronto has given him limited to no exposure.
He throws over 220 innings a year and would be a multiple 20 game winner if not for some better offense and relief pitching.
Makes you wonder how he would be viewed if he were on either the Yankees or the Red Sox.
Think CC Sabathia (7-0, 1.55 ERA since joining Milwaukee) is having fun pitching in the National League?
I told you this would happen.
You mean to tell me a simple position of hands on the bat is the reason Carlos Delgado has suddenly discovered his ability to hit?
Explain to me why Jason Varitek and Kosuke Fukudome were chosen as All Stars again.
Congratulations go out to Oakland Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler, who went 40 consecutive scoreless innings to begin his career.
The Washington Nationals are a sorry excuse for a baseball team, while wasting a gem of a ballpark.
Let’s be honest, the suits over at FOX Sports are not going to be excited if the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays happen to meet in the World Series.
Good to see instant replay coming at the end of the month.
Will that change several key plays that will not be reviewable such as non-tags or close plays at the bases? No.
The New York Mets have lost an incredible eight games when leading after eight innings. It appears no lead is safe with them.
If you are a Mets fan, how would enjoy this scenario:
Game 7 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field - Mets leading by a run and needing to get three outs from Billy Wagner to go to the World Series.
What percentage of confidence would you have in that situation?
The Los Angeles Angels have left no doubt in my eyes that they are the best team in baseball.
However, in a five game series, anything can still happen.
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