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O.K., preseason is in full swing, meaning more meaningless baseball for us to watch and get our hopes up. There are some things brewing around home plate though, and those need to be discussed.
First, back to the World Baseball challenge and how I still hate it, but for different reasons.
Second, Curt Schilling retired Monday. Will he be a hall of famer and why?
And last but not least, Manny Ramirez going on the disabled list for a week then coming back and swatting flies.
The WBC has definitely made me cheer for the old Red, White and Blue, while booing some of my favorite players because they had the nerve to play for their home teams. Team USA faced off with Japan last week in a classic rivalry going back to the Little League World Series. Though the outcome was different, our men on the diamond gave it their all to get to the semi finals. They were defeated by the feisty bats of Japan, 9-4.
The mix of the our beloved American Major League Baseball players couldn’t defeat the one man I have started to refer to as the Jacki Chan of Baseball, Daisuke Matsuzaka. You can see him until he moves, but by then it’s already too late.
The Japan team played Korea Monday in the final game of the championship and won in the 10th inning thanks to a two-run single from the great Ichiro.
Speaking about Monday, Curt Schilling, one of the best pitchers to ever hit the field, retired. Over his 569 game career, he had a record of 216 wins, 146 loses, 22 saves and a nice earned run average of 3.46. He has been in four World Series and won three rings, two with the Red Sox.
His probably most-remembered moment was the bloody sock incident during the 2004 American League Championship series. After coming back from surgery, he pitched in game six against the New York Yankees in a must- win situation and performed like only Schilling would — seven strong innings and one earned run.
There’s been a debate in Cooperstown over his place on the beloved wall there. Though he never won a Cy Young award, I believe Schilling’s career has proven that he has earned a spot in the Hall of Fame. His dominant career was highlighted with his post season record of 11-2, with a 2.33 ERA.
His career was nothing but remarkable. His place in Cooperstown should already be saved.
Manny Ramirez is one of the most entertaining characters in baseball. He has had his ups and downs, usually on his command. He came back to be the designated hitter for the Dodgers against the Angels. In his three at bats, he struck out twice swinging and grounded into a double play.
Not the best performance of his life, but it will be disappointing to me to see him come back and not produce. Ramirez is one of the best batters in the game and is very entertaining to watch. I for one can’t wait to see him back on the field, hitting the ball deep and knocking his helmet off as he jogs into second.
The preseason has brought us some good times and there’s more to come. So go get the leather mitt, the Louisville Slugger and 17 of your closest friends, and go play in the sandlot.
Batter up.
