The 5.5 Hole

The smell of brats and beer wafted gently through the concourse, through the stands, and into the Milwaukee sun.  The sound of children laughing, men reminiscing, and line-drives flying pulsed through a near sellout crowd.  The thrill of the Brewers sixth straight win was not lost on anyone in Milwaukee, but it was lost on the rest of the world.

As the chirping of Blackberries and iPhone's drowned out the sounds of baseball with the sounds of trade rumors, as the news on the hot stove simmered so loud people couldn't hear the games, the Brewers quietly built themselves a 2-game lead in the central, stole Pittsburgh's magic slipper, and all but delivered a knock out punch to a punch-less Reds team.  Quietly, without fanfare (except those Brew Crew faithful), they swept the Cubs and they swept the Astros.

Now, two games better than the Cardinals and four and a half games better than the Pirates, the Brewers must contend with results.  They must contend with being 11-games over .500 for the first time this season, with leading the division once again after squandering it away and finding themselves in a three-team race, and they must contend with the trades.  As the Brewers have been doing a crazy little thing called winning, other teams were wheeling a dealing.

The Pirates, in the midst of being punished by Philly over the course of three games, picked up some offensive help in Derek Lee and Ryan Ludwick.  Both hope to reinvent themselves in a hitter's park.  The Cardinals added five players in July trades including Rafael Furcal from the Dodgers.  In a move designed to increase on-base percentage and generate offense ahead of Pujols and Berkman, the Cardinals sent Double-A player Alex Castellanos to the Dodgers.  And so the puzzle pieces have been laid out.  It's up to the teams to make them fit.  It's up to the players to make it stick.

The Brewers in the mean time will continue to rely on Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, monster home runs and come from behind wins.  They will continue to kick, scratch, and bite their way towards a National League Central Championship.  The other teams may get the headlines, but the Brewers will let their wins do the talking and go quietly into the night (or day in today's case).



 

Every year around this time there's a run on boxes and packing tape. As teams in the hunt wheel and deal with those shedding payroll, the moving industry gets a temporary bump. With less than 24 hours left before the non-waiver deadline, I'll examine the winners and losers so far.

Let's take a look at the winners and losers, top to bottom:

1) Giants. Carlos Beltran provides a much needed bump to the San Francisco offense. For more tha half the year, they have relied on their pitching staff to carry them along in a mild National League West. With this move, they prove their plan is repeat or bust. No longer satisfied with coasting along, the Giants almost instantly put distance between themselves and the Diamondbacks.

2) Indians. By picking up Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland looks to secure a positive run differential in the American League Central. With the White Sox as the only team giving up less runs than they score (barely), it was clear that the Indians needed pitching help if they were going to continued to compete.

3) Pirates. Just announced, the Pirates pulled of a deal for a sweet swinging left handed bat in Derek Lee. While Lee's numbers have clearly been on the decline, he should see a minor statistical resurgence playing at PNC Park the rest of the season. The park plays smaller than Camden and should allow Lee to help the Pirates challenge for the division crown. More importantly, it signals to Pirates fans that this team is actually in it to win, not just to create the warm and fuzzy feel good story of its first winning season in 18 years.

4) Phillies. Hunter Pence should help Philly in two important areas; Offense and youth. The Phillies should have control over Pence for the next two years without even having to work a new deal. They get a proven contact hitter with a little pop, and they get some youth infused into an ever-increasingly older team. Already the clear National League favorite, the Phillies may be able to force the Braves to forget about a division win and focus on the Wild Card.

5) Red Sox. Rich Harden should help, but probably not enough to justify the trade. This move feels like a move made simply for the sake of the trade deadline. Over his career, Harden has proven himself successful, but he is injury prone. The Red Sox should do fine with this deal, but most likely could have done fine without it.

6) Diamondbacks. Already 3 games back in the division, the Dbacks were faced with the prospect of dealing with the Giants AND Carlos Beltran the rest of the season. Their counter-move? Trading for Jason Marquis. Arizona gave up a 21 year old prospect for a 33 year old pitcher with only 7 wins more than he has loses. Marquis is a decent player, but in comparison to the Beltran deal, it's like a boxer countering an upper-cut with a weak side jab.

7) Yankees. They will likely take the Wild Card, but by standing idly by, they seem to be willing to allow the Red Sox to take the division. New York is a good team that could have been better. With such a head start earlier in the season over a struggling Sox team, it would seem the Yankees would dread giving up not only the division lead but the eventual crown. Yet, their lack of action during the trade season would indicate otherwise.

There will probably be more trades to come, but based on what we know so far, these are the winners and losers. Now, it's the time for teams to take these puzzle pieces, put them in place, and charge toward the finish line. Races will intensify, rivalries will renew, and the play-offs will take center-stage.

What is the reward for pledging yourself to a team that plays more losing ball than good?  Heartache maybe?  Frustration?  Anger?

All might be good descriptions of the emotions felt by many Padres fans, but I feel something else.  Pride.  To live and die with a team that is more apt to lose 90 games than win 90 takes patience and heart.  To suffer through the years of play-off drought takes dedication.  And to live and breath the success takes nothing but an acknowledgement that you were there all along.

After digging out from losing season after losing season, I got my first taste of Padres success in 1998.  I watched that team come dangerously close to winning 100 games.  I watched Andy Ashby throw a 75-pitch complete game.  I watched Greg Vaughn slug 50 home runs.  And through it all, I imagined the feeling was much more special than say a Yankees fan feels watching his team win, night in and night out.  When you've been deprived of something so long, you savor it to the fullest when it is reached.  After years without sunshine, a man wouldn't complain about the heat on a beautiful summer day.  After weeks without water, a dehydrated person doesn't take the water and ask for lemon.  And after years without winning, a Padres fan doesn't take it for granted.

The Padres made it all the way to the World Series in 1998 only to be swept by the (damn) Yankees.  I found myself bearing witness to my first fire sale as a Padres fan after that season, and I had to wait seven long years to taste the thirst quenching beauty of play-off baseball again.

I can remember being glued to the TV screen every game of the 2005 season, wondering if it was all going to fall apart, wondering if some team would step up, knock the Padres off their perch, and reclaim their place as rightful N.L. West Champions.  But it didn't happen.  The Padres worked a tepid 82-80 record to a division crown, and I loved every second of it.  I relished every win, every play, and every second.  I bought my play-off tickets the minute they went on sale, and cheered down to the final out.  The whole time, I soaked in the moments.  Standing outside Petco Park before the very first play-off game ever played in that stadium was magical.  The frenzy of the fans around me was palpable.  The Padres were swept, but it didn't matter.  They had shown signs of success and rewarded my faith with a play-off berth.

The 2006 season saw the Padres post back-to-back division titles for the first time in team history, and I was back at the park for games one and two, both losses.  I spent the entire season not sure I was watching the same club I had grown to know and love.  This was a decent team that could clearly compete.  As they reached the stretch run of the season, I felt my heart beating in my throat every second of every play.  I felt the sweat at the tips of my fingertips, the anticipation building with every out.  I felt the joys of the wins and the pains of the losses, and I loved every bit of it.

With two winning seasons under their belts, I came into the 2007 season expecting success.  Not necessarily a division win, but I expected a competitive team.  And that's what I got.  As the season drew on, it became obvious the Padres were not going to win the division, but the Wild Card looked to be within their sights.  Yet, I watched as the Padres squandered a two game lead in the Wild Card standings with two to play.  And then I watched the most amazing, heartbreaking game I've ever seen in my life.

Trailing 6-5 in the top of the 8th, the Padres managed a run to tie the game.  It went into to extra innings and I remember watching the game in the bedroom of my rented house.  My roommates were focused on other things like drinking beer and chasing girls.  I was focused on every pitch, swing, hit, and run.  In the top of the 13th, Scott Hairston blasted a no-doubter of a home run and I was off my feet leaping for joy before the ball even made it to the stands.  Trevor Hoffman in the bullpen, a two-run lead, game over.  The goosebumps on my arms felt like they were literally going to blast off my skin and dance around the room with me.

Then the bottom of the 13th happened.  Trevor came in, got one out, gave up three hits and one walk, and allowed the Rockies to score 3 and win the game.  Like it was yesterday, I can still feel the pain of that game in my gut.  I fell to my knees when the winning run scored.  I lowered my head, and I felt like I was going to throw up.  It took hours for me to fall asleep that night and the depression carried over to the next day.  The pain I felt lasted long into the play-offs that year as I watched the Rockies march their way to a World Series berth.

But I can't help but feel that passion and heartache and joy and pain came only because I had endured.  I had endured the losses, endured the fire sales, endured the "small-market" tag, and endured the payroll constraints.  My dedication and continued belief in a team that loses more than it wins allows me to appreciate the good things that much more.

So I think about this nearly unbearable season and the impending trade of Heath Bell, and I remember it was just last year that the Padres again flashed brilliance and rewarded my faith with their first 90-win season since 1998.  I can struggle through this year's season with the belief and understanding that success will come again.  I don't know when that will be, but I know it will come.

After 17 straight losses, the Seattle Mariners avoided an 18th straight yesterday by beating the Yankees 9-2. But the damage-no the destruction was done. 18 games ago, the Mariners were sitting on a .500 record, not completely out of the A.L. West race. They were one of the feel good stories of the year as they seemed to come from nowhere to field a competitive team. Now, they're back where they finished last season. Dead last.

The Mariners never became what I thought they would as I watched them growing up. When you see a team with talent such as Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Tino Martinez, and Edgar Martinez, you expect big things. They won the division in 1995 and 1997. They grabbed a Wild Card berth in 2000. Then, they unleashed a magical 2001 season that still saw them fall short of the World Series.

Since then, it has been such an uphill battle they've needed Sherpas and climbing equipment to lead them. The Mariners teams since that 116-win '01 club, have combined to go 735-827. They are almost 100 games under .500 for the decade following their record-setting 2001 campaign and there's still 58 more games to be played this year.

Seattle could be a great baseball town. The Pacific-Northwest has some great sports enthusiasts (they can even cause an earthquake) But even the most loyal Pacific-Northwesterner can't be blamed for sitting at home and watching something else besides another Mariners loss.

The Mariners rank in the bottom fourth in attendance this year and are averaging only half-capacity per game. Maybe if they handed out free Starbucks at the gate rather than bobble heads, more fans would come. If you brew it, they will come.

The Mariners are rebuilding, but maybe they need to rebuild their rebuilding plans.

Already working to extend their current 3.5 game lead in the terribly uncompetitive National League West, the Giants may have just delivered the knock out blow.  After Carlos Beltran agreed to waive his no trade clause, the Mets shipped him off to the Giants for a Minor League starter with an ERA hovering near 4.00 and a $2.5 million salary dump. 

Beltran is in the final year of his contract and will likely become a free-agent next season unless the Giants re-work the deal (unlikely).  However, the contract probably doesn't matter much to San Francisco right now.  This looks to be a 3-month rental trade for the play-off push.

And it's the smartest move they could have made.  Aaron Rowand, who will most-likely be going to the bench to make room for Beltran, has been a serviceable Major League outfielder throughout his career.  However, he is sitting on a .244 average with 4 home runs and 20 RBI's.  Beltran on the other hand is hitting .289 with 15 home runs and 66 RBI's. The adjustment shouldn't be too tough for Beltran either.  The Mets' Citi Field play similar to AT&T Park in San Francisco. 

For 3 months and $4 million, the Giants have acquired a player with 60.9 WAR for his career, 616.5 RAR (Runs Above Replacement), and a career walk-to-strikout ratio of 1.38.  After losing Buster Posey for the year, Freddy Sanchez for a good chunk, and dealing with an anemic offense, the Giants may have just moved themselves from World Series hopeful to legitimate World Series contender.

As for the team in their rear-view, the Diamondbacks sat idly by while their competition got better.  Stephen Drew is lost for the season, their bullpen is showing signs of reverting back to last year's travesty, and their offense is inconsistent.  Without a big move before the deadline (and really who's out there?), there is little chance of the Dbacks catching the Giants.

Carlos Beltran may only be a rental, but he is a Lamborghini-type rental, rented by a teenager during spring break to pick up girls. 

We left off last time with proof that, while Major League attendance has not increased drastically since expanding to 30 teams in 1998, attendance has not decreased significantly either. Averaged out, attendance has remained about the same.

Now, we'll take a look at another important figure in gauging popularity; World Series television ratings. Now, I've always had a problem with television ratings because I don't trust them. They are essentially educated guesses, whereas attendance is a concrete number based on ticket sales. But we're going to look at ratings anyway. The table below, courtesy of Baseball-Almanac, provides viewership averages and ratings averages for the World Series dating back to 1973:

Year	Network	Rating	Viewers
1973	NBC	30.7	34750000
1974	NBC	25.6	29080000
1975	NBC	28.7	35960000
1976	NBC	27.5	34720000
1977	ABC	29.8	37150000
1978	NBC	32.8	44278950
1979	ABC	28.5	37960000
1980	NBC	32.8	42300000
1981	ABC	30	41370000
1982	NBC	27.9	38070000
1983	ABC	23.3	29540000
1984	NBC	22.9	28010000
1985	ABC	25.3	34510000
1986	NBC	28.6	36370000
1987	ABC	24	35340000
1988	NBC	23.9	34490000
1989	ABC	16.4	24550000
1990	CBS	20.8	30240000
1991	CBS	24	35680000
1992	CBS	20.2	30010000
1993	CBS	17.3	24700000
1995	ABC/NBC	19.5	28970000
1996	Fox	17.4	22220000
1997	NBC	16.7	24790000
1998	Fox	14.1	20340000
1999	NBC	16	23731000
2000	Fox	12.4	18081000
2001	Fox	15.7	24528000
2002	Fox	11.9	19261000
2003	Fox	12.8	20143000
2004	Fox	15.8	25390000
2005	Fox	11.1	17162000
2006	Fox	10.1	15812000
2007	Fox	10.6	17123000
2008	Fox	8.4	13635000
2009	Fox	11.7	19333333
2010	Fox	8.3	14019250

Because I know tables are no fun, I've created a chart to show the drastic decline in viewers during the World Series.






My first inclination was to blame Fox for the ratings. Since they signed their long term deal, there have only been three times the viewers totaled more than 20,000,000. However, the graph shows the decline actually started after the 1992 season.

Keep in mind, these figures are for the World Series only. Baseball's premiere event. It goes without saying, that an average broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest or Comcast Sportsnet is not going to draw the same viewership the World Series draws.

Below are the three biggest perception issues facing baseball:

No one watches baseball on TV. Setting aside the World Series ratings, people do not want to sit and watch a 3-hour game on a weekday on a channel that, when not showing baseball, shows women's gymnastics.

Baseball is boring. That's the other big problem many people have with the sport. Many times the games are low scoring and you can go multiple innings without any action.

The games don't mean anything. With a 162-game schedule, the games don't matter. A 7:00 game on April 21st doesn't matter to the average fan, because he knows there will be 150 more games to be played.

Perception is reality and it is killing baseball. Sure, Major League Baseball is making money, players are getting paid more than ever, and attendance is holding strong, but go ask any of your football buddies. Go ask them about baseball. Pick up a paper in August (or July this year). NFL is the main topic.

Like a little brother starved for attention, baseball is struggling to keep up. The perception issues can be changed with a little work. But can baseball regain its footing as America's favorite sport?

In the final installment, we will examine potential solutions and how they may improve the game.

Anyone who has seen the highlights of last night's Braves/Pirates 19-inning affair will agree, the game ended in horrific fashion. Unless, of course, you're a Braves fan. In that case, the call at home plate in the bottom of the 19th inning was a thing of beauty and no visual evidence to the contrary can change your mind.

That's baseball. Depending on allegiances, people see different things when looking at the same replay. I have no stake in either team except to say that I enjoy watching both play. This is the first year I can say that about the Pirates in a long time, but that does not effect my opinion of either team. I enjoy tight play-off races and winning baseball. And I enjoy magnificent games that defy odds and teeter on the edge of torture for the players and managers.

Last night, the Braves and Pirates were locked in a 3-3 tie through the bottom of the 19th. Each team's bullpen was fantastic, pitching a combined 26 scoreless inning. Relievers were forced to pitch full-game type innings, the managers were forced to substitute position players in strange locations, and the home plate umpire was forced to make a ridiculous call to end the game.

Maybe he was not forced, but he made the call nonetheless. With one out in the bottom of the 19th inning, Julio Lugo of the Braves was on third. He raced home on a soft bouncer to third that was cleanly-fielded and the play at the plate ensued. With a solid two to three feet between himself and the plate, Julio Lugo was tagged out. The call was so obvious, Julio Lugo looked ready to head back to the bench. He then saw home plate umpire Jerry Meals' arms wave him safe, so he stepped on home plate just for good measure and began his celebration.

America's Pastime is exactly that.  A thing of the past.  This is not to say that the game has completely faded from relevancy, but it has faded.  Once the prominent sport in American society, dominated by suit-clad men shuffling through the gates after a long day's work, baseball has been replaced by football as the most popular sport.

The subtleties of the suicide squeeze, the heroics of late-inning home runs, and the mystique of a 1-0 pitcher's duel no longer seems to quench the American appetite for sport.  Instead, hard-hitting tackles, 50-yard passes, and kick returns are now America's sweetheart.  Football is a great game, wildly entertaining and exciting from start to finish, but it's not baseball.  And it's a shame that the Boys of Summer have been replaced. 

What makes the slide even more frustrating is that Major League Baseball attendance doesn't seem to be the problem.  Teams are still drawing fans.  Rather than an actual problem attracting fans to the ballparks, Major League Baseball has not marketed itself very well.  For those of you who think attendance is dropping drastically in baseball, think again.  Below is and chart with attendance figures from 1998-2010 (1998 is the first year the league went to 30 teams).







As you can see, after a significant decline in attendance in 2002 and 2003, baseball recovered and has consistently hovered around 72 million fans.  Many news outlets will take the 2009 and 2010 figures and point to the declines, but the fact is  2007 and 2008 were extraordinary years. 

So with baseball's attendance actually higher than when the league first expanded to 30 teams, drawing fans does not seem to be a problem.

In the next part of this three part series, we will examine the perception problem faced by Major League Baseball. 

There has long been a belief in baseball that players who mash monster home run totals but strike out so much even Nolan Ryan would feel the strikeout was cheapened are worth the cost as long as they continue smacking bombs. Names like Adam Dunn, Mark Reynolds, and Carlos Pena come to mind. Yet, when production numbers are actually analyzed, teams would be better off spending money on a contact hitter who gets on base.

Let's take a look at some of the career numbers for these strikeout "kings." The numbers below are through 2010.

Mark Reynolds: 767 strikeouts in 1,982 at-bats (strikeout ratio of .387), career batting average of .240.
Adam Dunn: 1,632 strikeouts in 4,975 at-bats (strikeout ratio of .328), career batting average of .246.
Ryan Howard: 1,035 strikeouts in 3,237 at-bats (strikeout ratio of .320), career batting average of .275.
Carlos Pena: 1,131 strikeouts in 3,620 at-bats (strikeout ratio of .312), career batting average of .239.
B.J. Upton: 690 strikeouts in 2,435 at-bats (strikeout ratio of .283), career batting average of .256.
Rickie Weeks: 648 strikeouts in 2,413 at-bats (strikeout ratio of .268), career batting average of .256.

When your strikeout average is higher than your batting average, things can't be going too well right? Well considering the contracts some of these players have signed, maybe things are going just fine. Below is what each player has made in his career through 2010.


Adam Dunn: $56,695,000
Ryan Howard: $42,255,000
Carlos Pena: $28,342,000
Rickie Weeks: $8,796,000
B.J. Upton: $4,234,000
Mark Reynold: $1,652,333


Based on these career earnings and career at-bats, we will next look at what each player made per at-bat through: 2010:

Ryan Howard: $ 13,054 per at-bat
Adam Dunn: $11,396 per at-bat
Carlos Pena: $7,829 per at-bat
Rickie Weeks: $3,645 per at-bat
B.J. Upton: $1,739 per at-bat
Mark Reynolds: $834 per at-bat

For our next analysis, we will only look at the top-three salaries per at-bat. Rickie Weeks, B.J. Upton, and Mark Reynolds have not yet been paid in the same realm as the top-three sluggers. While overly simplistic and probably unfair, let's now look at what each of these top-three players made for unproductive strikeout outs in their careers through 2010.

Adam Dunn: $18,598,272
Ryan Howard: $13,510,890
Carlos Pena: $8,854,599

Maybe it's just me, but that's a lot to be paid for doing something any average Joe can do. So in fairness, let's take a look at what each player was paid for productive at-bats (hits + walks + HBP + SF + SH).

Adam Dunn: $26,621,056
Ryan Howard: $18,667,220
Carlos Pena: $12,103,634

So there you have it, not much separation between what these power-hitters are being paid to strike out compared to what they are being paid for production. Historically, 33% of Adam Dunn's contract, 32% of Ryan Howard's contract, and 31% of Carlos Pena's contract is wasted on strikeouts.

I already admitted this analysis is overly simplistic, but sometimes simple is all it takes. If I'm spending money on big name players, and each of these three players are big name, I'd like to get a little more production. But just to take the analysis a bit further, we'll wrap up by looking at these players' WAR (Wins Above Replacement) for their careers through 2010.


Ryan Howard: 20.8 (7 years, average WAR of 2.97)
Adam Dunn: 27.1 (11 years, average WAR of 2.46)
Carlos Pena: 13.1 (11 years, average WAR of 1.19)

Finally, I'll leave you with this; an MVP season is estimated to be 8+ WAR, an All-Star season is estimated to be 5+ WAR, a starter should be 2+ WAR, and a substitute should be 0-2 WAR. Carlos Pena is getting paid $10 million in 2011 to produce the WAR that a substitute could produce. Adam Dunn is getting paid $14,000,000 with an average WAR that barely puts him at starter level. Ryan Howard is being paid $20,000,000 and if you believe the WAR estimates, fans were right in not voting him to the 2011 All-Star Game.

Money well-spent?

As fans of baseball, we often look towards the easiest culprit for our team's failure. This goes for all baseball fans, even those whose allegiance lies with perennial World Series champions. We glaze over the true problems, flip on our talk radio and our Sportscenter, and we vent. We cry for change, but we cry for the wrong change.

Chicago Cubs fans are in the midst of one such misguided call to arms. A few words during a press conference, a simple, honest observation from a hard-working manager is all it takes to turn the fans against you for good.

After another deflating loss to the Phillies, Cubs manager Mike Quade laid some of the blame on his young double-play combo up the middle, Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney. "We've got to stop. Ball's in the sun, we've got to communicate. Cassie thought he had that all the way. I look back at this whole game to that play. The sun's been in the same damn spot for however long Wrigley Field's been here."

This came after Castro waved off his teammates for a pop-up, then promptly missed it after losing the ball in the sun. To the frustrated north-side faithful, this indictment on their future star, their perceived savior, was too much. But there lies the problem. The Cubs front office has not empowered its managers enough to actually lead. Quade can enter the clubhouse, give the most fiery, spirited speech in history, and still not have an effect on his under performing team.

Money leads to so many bad decisions. In baseball and in life. Because the Cubs have invested so much money in so many washed-up players, they feel they are hand-cuffed. They're not. The key is right in General Manager Jim Hendry's hand. He just needs to release the lock and break the binds. Give Mike Quade the power to make decisions based on performance. Publicly support him when he calls out his players. Make it clear that Quade is in charge and over-inflated contracts will not get in the way of him making the moves he needs to make.

It's a shame that Quade has lost the support of Cubs fans, but it's not his fault. Jim Hendry lost their support long before. Calls for a managerial change will only fuel a merry-go-round of misguided anger and false expectations. Constant change at the manager position rarely leads to success.

Success starts from the top down. The Ricketts family has a choice. They can open their wallets and pursue some more large contracts, or they can start over and allow their GM to make smart, baseball-minded moves. The Ricketts need to make sure Jim Hendry knows it's OK to stand behind his manager. It's OK to say you'll start a guy making under a million a year over a guy making $10 million a year because performance warrants it. It's OK to keep Mike Quade off the merry-go-round and give him some power to change things in the clubhouse.

Stephen Drew literally had to flop his fractured ankle back into place while writhing around on the ground by home plate, and I couldn't help but think in that moment, the Giants just won the division. 

In an attempted feet-first slide into home plate, Drew's right ankle bent a way that ankles are not supposed to bend.  It was obvious the second it happened, he would be done for the season.  The news was confirmed after the game, and the loss means so much more than just replacing a short-stop on the surprisingly competitive Diamondbacks roster. 

Stephen Drew, through 86 games, was batting .252 with a .317 on-base percentage.  He had 5 home runs, 45 RBI's, and 44 runs scored.  His average ranked him 7th among starting shortstops in the National League.  His OBP ranked him 8th.  No, Drew was not an offensive juggernaut, but he carried the weight of that team on his shoulders and provided so much more than the box score can ever show.

Like Matt Williams during his days with the Giants and later the Diamondbacks, Stephen Drew just quietly went about his business. He wasn't a showboat, he didn't complain. Simply, he was and is a professional. And he is the consummate teammate.

Any questions about how well-liked he is in the clubhouse could be put to bed just by looking at the Dbacks dugout anytime they were up to bat after Drew's injury. Any chance the players got, they were down in the trainer's room, checking on Drew.

Even with his injury, Drew can provide support from the bench, but it's not the same as the leadership he provides out on the field, as the captain of the infield. Without him out there, the Diamondbacks are going to struggle. His business-like approach kept players grounded. He acted as a glue for clubhouse morale. When a player like him goes down, it affects everyone.

Now, the Giants have their opportunity to create some distance. They lost their star player earlier in the year, but Buster Posey was not yet a leader. Stephen Drew on the other hand has the experience and is no longer a boy among men in the league.

If the Diamondbacks want to continue to challenge for the National League West, they need a leader step up. They need someone to keep them together. They need to keep from breaking down.

Just a quick reminder, the true home run champion hit his final home run on this day in 1976. While mainstream media can't (or won't) discredit Barry Bonds and his steroid induced "record," I have no such issue.

From beneath a pile of hate mail, behind a curtain of racism, Hank Aaron quietly hit home run after home run. A soft-spoken man born in Mobile, Alabama, Hank Aaron was no stranger to hatred. From his time in the Negro League to minor league stints in the south, Hank Aaron shouldered the load and just kept hitting. He hit so well the Braves chose him to replace Bobby Thomson in 1954.

The rest as they say is history. Hammerin' Hank broke Babe Ruth's home run record on April 8, 1974. And in the midst of his take-down of the greatest record in sports history, he had to deal with letters like this one:

"Dear Nigger,
You are not goIng to break this record established by the great Babe Ruth if I can help it. Whites are far more superior than jungle bunnies. My gun is watching your black move."

To say that Barry Bonds is the home run king is an insult and a disservice to a great man who battled racism on his way to the top. To say that Barry Bonds broke any record that the great Hank Aaron set is a blasphemous statement against baseball and history. An admission from Bonds is unnecessary to substantiate the claims of steroid use. He used, he knew, and he soiled the game.

On this day in history, remember Hank Aaron not just for his accomplishments on the field, but his bravery off. Celebrate then true home run champion for all he has done.



*Thanks to ESPN and Basball Almanac for information on the racism Aaron experienced

While it would be nice if the Astros could keep Hunter Pence as a piece of the puzzle for the eventual new owner, the bottom line is they can't. Pence is only signed through this year with two more arbitration-eligible years remaining. And if this last off-season's arbitration process with Pence is any indication, he will probably get exactly what he is asking for. Which is more than Houston can realistically afford to pay.

Pence is currently making $6.9 million per year. With his performance over the last couple seasons and his numbers this season, he will be too expensive for the Astros and may end up being one of the hottest commodities this trade season. But is it necessarily a bad thing for the Astros to lose him?

Pence plays in an admittedly hitter-friendly park, but his stats are enough to raise a few eyebrows. He is currently batting .318 which ranks him fourth in the National League. He has hit over 100 home runs in his four plus years in the bigs. And he plays an above-average right field.

Yet even with the career-high batting average, Pence still ranks only 20th in OBP and 21st in slugging. What this tells me is that Pence is striking out far too often and potentially killing momentum. Granted, he does produce very well for the most part, but batting average doesn't always give a clear picture of production.

Hunter Pence doesn't even rank in the top 15 of outfielders league wide for WAR. However, many of the outfielders ahead of him come with pricey contracts. While Pence's contract will be a little to rich for the Astros blood (regardless of what ownership is saying publicly), his contract would rate on the low end for a larger market club. This could be a win-win trade situation.

Because of the lack of true talent available on the trading blocks, Pence is pushed toward the top by default. Yet, even if he is not a top-tier talent yet, he still represents 3 Wins Above Replacement and is projected to have a season WAR greater than 4. Hunter Pence also represents youth. He is 28 years old and hitting his stride as a Major Leaguer. For a team looking for a right-handed bat with some pop, Pence could be a golden ticket to the post-season (I'm looking at you Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland).

On the other hand, the Astros have an opportunity to cash in on a desirable trade prospect that strikes out 20.5% of the time, good for 14th highest among all MLB outfielders and 8th highest among NL outfielders. They have a chance to avoid arbitration that could end up costing them upwards of $10 million for the 2012 season. They also have a chance to pick up prospects to help them in their continued rebuilding. A trade for speed and defense would go a long way towards rebuilding.

No, Hunter Pence is not the greatest outfielder to be mentioned in trade rumors, but he's the best this season. His productivity outweighs his costs for many teams, just not the Astros. If Houston keeps Pence, they may be missing out on a golden opportunity to make their team better in the future.

Sell high as the traders on Wall Street alway say. Hunter Pence's value likely won't get higher than it is right now.

Chuck Norris would be proud. These Rangers are dominating the Wild West, hanging with the Evil Empire, and giving Red Sox Nation a run.

The Texas Rangers were clinging to first in the American League West just two weeks ago. One month ago the Rangers had fallen out of first place and were struggling to remain above .500. The AL West was looking like its winner may not need a very good record.

But that all changed 11 games ago. The Rangers are suddenly the hottest, if not best, team in baseball. Their combination of power, aggressiveness on the base paths, and pitching has completely gelled during the win streak, and the Rangers are sitting on a four game lead over the Angels.

The Rangers have done all this while staring down perhaps the biggest question facing the team at the start of the season: Pitching. With Cliff Lee's departure, there was concern as to whether Texas could maintain their hold on the AL West. They had the hitting. They rank 2nd in runs scored, 2nd in slugging percentage, and 2nd in batting average. But if they didn't have the pitching, could they continue to compete?

The Rangers are about middle of the pack in wins, opponent batting average, and WHIP. Where they shine though is in quality starts. A by-product of Nolan Ryan's ownership philosophy of letting pitchers go deeper into the game, the Rangers currently rank 3rd in quality starts (starts where a pitcher goes at least 6 innings and give up 3 runs or less).

Letting their pitchers go longer in the games and working through jams has led to more confidence among the staff. And it's not just the pitchers noticing the change. In an article on MLB.com, Ian Kinsler said, "These guys in the rotation that didn't realize their potential are realizing it now and understanding what they are capable of doing."

With a continued pitching focus in Texas, expect the Rangers to add a bullpen arm or two and continue to push towards another AL West crown. The torch has been passed once again in the West. The A's had their run. Then the Angels. Now, the Rangers are proving it's not how you start the season, it's how you finish.

When selling a product, you have to have a hook. Something that sinks deep into the consumer, reels them in, then keeps them coming back. In baseball that can be a winning season, a nightly gimmick (usually pretty ineffective), or a player that simply puts butts in the seats.

As I sat at the Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers game last night, I couldn't help but think how little I cared about either team. Sure the Dodgers are a circus side show of off-the-field issues, and the Dbacks are in contention after a terrible 2010 campaign. But still, I didn't care about any of that as I sat among the 28,000 other fans.

What made this game so interesting to me were the players. I came to the park excited to see Matt Kemp and Andre Either. I was excited to see Justin Upton swing the bat and Chris Young play the outfield. These players may not be superstars (Matt Kemp is sure on his way though), but they are definitely stars. They are the types of players that help sell tickets and bring casual fans to the park. And Matt Kemp didn't disappoint as he blasted a laser shot off the middle of the center field hitter's backdrop.

As I watched these players and the reactions they drew from fans, I thought about the star power of other teams. Or lack thereof. The Yankees have plenty of players who could probably draw on their own. The Red Sox have Big Papi and Adrian Gonzalez. The Phillies have Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee among others. The Rangers have Josh Hamilton. Most teams have someone they can call their star, but what do the Padres have?

Heath Bell is the biggest star for San Diego, but he is a reliever. His child-like love of the game, his playful attitude, and his intensity on the mound make him a fan favorite. The problem is in the unpredictability of his appearances. With most stars, fans know day in and day out they can come to the park and see that player. The Padres don't have that.

Adrian Gonzalez was that player last year. Jake Peavy before that. Now though, Ryan Ludwick is arguably the best player on the roster. And he will be gone soon if all reports are accurate. Even still, I don't see Ludwick as that seat filling star. Not like his former teammate Albert Pujols.

How has this lack of true star power translated to attendance? Last year, the Padres finished 11th out of 16 NL teams in attendance, and that was with Adrian Gonzalez. This year, they are currently ranked 12th in attendance. Not much of a change for losing their biggest star.

Yet, when I think of an average fan, not someone like me who would sit through a 1-0 pitchers duel between the Royals and A's, going to a game, I wonder if a lack of stars is going to fill the seats. With the price of tickets, concessions, and parking, it's no wonder why some teams struggle to fill the seats.

While I'll always enjoy going to ball games, give the fans some star power so spending an arm and a leg is a little more justifiable.

Up to the time of his injury, Jose Reyes was the hands down, stop even debating, foregone conclusion, lock for the National League MVP. Now though, Andrew McCutchen is giving him a run for his money. And here's the biggest difference; McCutchen is playing for a first place team (as of end of play on Friday).

Let's take a quick look at their stats coming into Saturday, then we will jump into the meat and potatoes of our discussion.

Jose Reyes:

Andrew McCutchen:




Jose Reyes' batting average blows McCutchen out of the water, but how about the on-base percentages?  McCutchen is sitting on a .390 OBP while Reyes has a similar .398.  Reyes has more hits and more stolen bases, but McCutchen has more walks and more home runs.  But here's the kicker, McCutchen has 24 more RBI's than Reyes.  Jose Reyes has accounted for 97 runs between RBI's and runs scored.  McCutchen has accounted for 110. 

Really, these two players are so evenly matched, the normal stat line doesn't do this debate justice.  It's like picking between scrambled eggs or an omlet.  It's like choosing curly fires or straight cut.  Forget about the large gap in batting averages for a minute and just look at those stat lines.  Reyes and McCutchen have the exact same amount of doubles.  Reyes has 11 more triples, but McCutchen has 11 more home runs.  The difference between slugging percentage is only .021.  And the difference between OPS (slugging percentage plus on-base percentage) is just .030.

Let's take a look at Fangraph's WAR rating for each of these two.  Not suprisingly, they both rate at a 5.2 WAR for the 2011 season.

So what distinguishes these two talents.  Their position in the field?  Maybe.  Andrew McCutchen's defense in the outfield has given him an 8.3 Ultimate Zone Rating by Fangraphs.  This rating measures the runs above the MLB average saved by defense.  (The MLB average used for the purpose of this stat is 0).  Jose Reyes is currently rated 1.0.  However, this stat can be somewhat misleading.  If we use career averages, McCutchen's three years and Reyes' eight years, we get a much different picture.  Jose Reyes' UZR for his career is 17.6.  However, McCutchen's is only -6.7.

The true test of an MVP candidate's impact on the game are not just the statistics he puts up.  They are the intangibles.  Andrew McCutchen is leading a Pittsburgh Pirates team that lost 105 games last season to first place coming into Saturday.  Jose Reyes is the best player on a Mets team that is so deep in financial problems some might consider them the Junior Varsity version of the Dodgers.  McCutchen is 24 years old with many more productive years ahead of him.  Jose Reyes is often viewed as injury-prone and at 28 years old, likely has about six good years at shortstop left.

McCutchen hits for power and average.  He draws walks.  He is well-liked.  While Jose Reyes is having a great season, is well-liked himself, and has had a productive major league career to date, the very definition of Most Valuable Player precludes him from consideration in my book.  The Most Valuable Player is the player that contributes the most to his team and provides the most value.  Jose Reyes is absolutely the MVP of the Mets.  Hands down.  But, Andrew McCutchen is the MVP of the league.

History tells us a team's record has little to do with the MVP voting, but in this case preference points need to be awarded.  The Pirates have, for eighteen years, been a team so deep in disappointment, their opponents could almost guarantee themselves a series win each and every time out.  Andrew McCutchen has helped turn that around.  He has helped the Pirates climb to the top.  Whether they stay there or not is up in the air, but 91 games is a pretty good sample size when gauging success.

Jose Reyes may be earning himself a fat paycheck after this season, but McCutchen may be earning much more; Success and pride for a team that's been missing those two things for almost two decades.

There are two very unique sounds in baseball. These sounds are readily distinguishable by any baseball fan, and depending on the circumstances, can be music to their ears. The smack of hard rawhide against soft leather can echo through even the most packed stadium. And the distinct crack of a solid wooden bat sending that little white ball into oblivion plays off the ear drums unlike any sound in the world.

These sounds got me thinking about what was more exciting in baseball, a home run or a strike out?

Home runs have their own derby, a nationally televised event every year. They rocket through crisp night air and through sultry summer days. Home runs bring people to their feet and knock them to their knees.

Carlos Beltran slugged eight home runs in the 2004 post-season and, much like an old high school athlete reliving the glory days, has been living off those home runs ever since. Those eight home runs bought him a large contract in New York, to which he has underperformed. But they got him there.

Home runs are famous. Carlton Fisk kept his famous home run shot fair with a few waves of his arm and a lot of hope. Kirk Gibson, with two bad knees, sent the Dodgers to a Game 1 win in the 1988 World Series with his blast. Bobby Thompson's shot heard 'round the world capped a come back from 12 1/2 games down to allow the Giants to win the pennant. These home runs instantly burn into our memories and are forever written in baseball history.

But then there's the strikeout.

Strikeouts are powerful. Only the best pitchers can rear back and send a batter to the bench with a blazing fastball or a knee-buckling curve. With a leg kick so high you might think the pitcher is going to fall, or a delivery so quick the ball literally disappears, pitchers can dazzle with their talent.

Strikeouts can invigorate a crowd or demoralize an opponent. Kerry Wood's 20 strikeout performance redefined what young pitchers could accomplish. Nolan Ryan struck out so many batters, outs of any other kind were something to talk about. Stephen Strausburg blew away any doubt about his hype by striking out 14 batters in his Major League debut.

Home runs happen in almost every game, but great strikeout performances may only come once every five days. Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez, and Tim Lincecum can shine on any given start. They can lock in and dominate batters with change-ups that seem like they have a string attached, cutters that defy physics, and fastballs that touch that magical triple digit range.

But does the relative rarity of a great strikeout performance make it more entertaining than a monster home run. Or do those majestic blasts into the outfield bleachers far outweigh the momentary excitement a singular strikeout can bring?

You tell me.

With Robinson Cano's leap into the arms of his father after he hit the winning home run in the Home Run Derby, he fulfilled a dream almost every boy has. A father-son celebration on the biggest stage. Cano's historic Derby championship was all the more special because his father, Jose Cano, was throwing to him.

The moment has been an exclamation point on a young career filled with accomplishment. Only one other second baseman has won the Home Run Derby (Ryne Sandberg won in 1990 in front of his hometown Wrigley Field crowd). In his seven years so far in the big leagues, he is hitting .308. He has over 1,100 hits and 131 home runs. He strikes out only 12% of the time. He finished third in AL MVP voting last year. Basically, he's real good.

At 28 year old, Cano has probably nine to ten more productive seasons ahead of him if he remains healthy. He's averaging 167 hits per season, so he'll likely finish his career with close to 2700. Cano has a real shot at a career average greater than .300 and a career on-base percentage greater than .330.

Only time will tell where Cano ultimately finds himself when he hangs up his cleats and stops turning double plays at second base. In the mean time, Cano can settle in as the new face of the New York Yankees. With Alex Rodriguez's shine continually diminishing in his post-steroid career and Derek Jeter stepping towards retirement, Cano is poised to be the next Yankee superstar.

For now though, Robinson Cano can celebrate a record 12 home run performance in the final round of the Home Run Derby to propel himself past Adrian Gonzalez. He can celebrate an up and coming career. And he can celebrate alongside his dad.

6 hits, zero runs, and a missed no-hitter later the Padres find themselves gripping the ledge of the National League West. They are one bead of sweat away from losing their grip and slipping into the basement. One more shut-out away from closing in on the inaugural season's record of 18 shut-outs.

The Padres attempt at a franchise first no-hitter was broken up by the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth Saturday. This is the same Dodgers team that has been trying to dig out of the McCourt's nasty divorce and the basement of the NL West all season.

Yet, the San Diego Padres are not as bad as they seem. Or are they?

Out of 30 teams, they rank 29th in runs scored, 29th in batting average, 29th in slugging percentage, and 28th in on-base percentage. A quick look at the team's statistical leaders reveals only one player hitting over .265, one player with more than 5 home runs, and one player with more than 35 RBI's.

Let's compare this to some of the other cellar-dwellers this year.

Florida has three players hitting better than .265, five players with more than 5 home runs, And four players with more than 35 RBI's.

Houston has three players hitting .265 or better, five players with more than 5 home runs, and five players with more than 35 RBI's.

Baltimore has four players hitting better than .265, eight players with more than 5 home runs, and three players with 35 or more RBI's.

Kansas City has four players hitting .265 or better, six players with 5 home runs or more, and four players with more than 35 RBI's.

Finally, Oakland has no player hitting over .265, four players with 5 or more home runs, and only one player with more than 35 RBI's.

The Padres offense is so far gone, you may think it ran off with the A's. Maybe they're sharing Piña Coladas on some distant beach together. Maybe they traveled to a baseball-friendly jurisdiction, got married, and spawned a bunch of offense-deficient minor league teams. Wherever the offense went, at least we can rest assured the A's are just about as bad.

This will be a defining moment in Jed Hoyer's career. Does he follow in the footsteps of Kevin Towers and get more with less, or does he fall flat on his face, dragging the club down with him for years to come?

Padres fans like myself will continue to keep the faith, we will hope for another breakout 90-win season, and we will push through the losses. But all we can do is hope for a little more offense.

There's a defining moment in every baseball fan's life when they realize they're no longer just a casual fan. They realize they have graduated to something more than the occasional glance at the score in passing or knowing only the "household" names. This moment sometimes passes without notice. Sometimes it happens so quickly no one could possibly catch. But on a rare occasion the escalation to fan can be traced back to the exact moment when baseball stopped being a game and started being an art form.

Goosebumps often define this moment.

My wife and I were talking about Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit, and I showed her the video online. After watching it, she told me, "I got goosebumps." And there it was. After years of bombarding her with stats, facts, useless knowledge and baseball on TV, my wife made the leap from casual fan to true fan. And I was there to point it out to her in all its glory.Now don't get me wrong, she had come a long way from when I first met her. But she was still teetering on the edge of casual fan and true fan.

Her goosebumps moment got me thinking about some of the goosebumps moments I have experienced in my life. Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit of course was the most recent, but baseball is a game of milestones. It's a game within a game on any given night.

Roy Halladay's no-hitter in the play-offs last year, Josh Hamilton's resurrection, Jon Lester's post-cancer no-hitter, and David Ortiz's walk-off home run in game four of the 2004 ALCS. The moments are abundant, but there has to be just one that converted me to the maniacal baseball fan I am today.

As best I can figure, the 1998 season as a whole converted me completely. I watched quite a bit of baseball before that, and played quite a bit more with friends. But that season defined baseball greatness for me. While I feel dirty about it now, I was glued to the television screen during each of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's at-bats. And when McGwire broke Roger Maris's home run record and was greeted by his family in the stands, I had the very goosebumps we talk about today. This was the season my Padres went to the World Series. It was the season the Diamondbacks and the (then) Devils Rays entered the league. It was the year that Trevor Hoffman tied the consecutive saves record. It was the year Cal Ripken Jr. finally took himself out of a game to snap his record-long 2,632 consecutive games played streak.

These were all great moments, but not my goosebump-inducing, fan-defining moment. As a Padres fan it would stand to reason my moment came during a Padres game. With the Padres trailing by two in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Steve Finley drove an 0-1 pitch into the stands for a walk-off grand slam. And I was there. It was one of the greatest baseball moments I had ever experienced.

Baseball, unlike any other sport, can elicit emotion you never knew existed. The stories, the moments, and the milestones all act as the canvas to which the game's story is painted. When you stop flipping right past the game on to the next reality television show, when you sit down and watch with intensity, when you can cheer the accomplishments of players not on "your team," you have become a true fan.

I'd like to welcome my wife to the club.

I'm tired of hearing that baseball is the sport in which the coach (manager) means the least to success. Dick Williams proves this flawed belief to be absolutely false. His passing got me thinking of some of baseball's great managers and their contributions to the game.

Who was Dick Williams you ask? Well, he was a miracle worker. Rumor has it Pope Benedict is already considering Williams for sainthood. He performed miracles in Boston, Oakland, and San Diego.

Williams put together the "Impossible Dream" season with the Red Sox in 1967. He took that team, a team that hadn't finished better than 6th out of the 10-team American League in six years, and led them to an American League Pennant while pushing the Cardinals to the brink in the World Series.

Williams then took over an Athletics team that was so far removed from the play-offs, you'd think they were no longer in the league. The A's hadn't made the play-offs since they were in Philadelphia, in 1931. Williams took them over in '71 and made the post-season. He then led them to back-to-back World Series titles in '72 and '73.

And then there was the Padres. No manager before or since has finished his time in San Diego with a winning record. But Dick Williams did. In 1984, Williams led the Padres to their first World Series appearance.

Williams should not have had to wait until 2008 to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His style of managing yielded success. He took otherwise bad teams and made them good. Managers matter in baseball, and Dick Williams was important to the game.

My list of top five managers is as follows:

5. Dick Williams
My criteria may be a little different as I'm sure Dick Williams isn't on most people's top-five list. But his ability to take losers and turn them into winners makes him top-five in my book.

4. Sparky Anderson
Part of what makes Sparky so great was he excelled in both leagues. He took over a Reds team in 1970 that had one play-off appearance in the previous 30 years. He then promptly won the National League Pennant and went on to win 4 pennants with the Reds and 2 World Series.

With the Tigers, Sparky won One pennant, one Series, and made the play-offs twice. He finished his time in Detroit with a .516 winning percentage.

3. John McGraw
McGraw is often considered the greatest manager in baseball history. His winning percentage is unprecedented. As a symbol of a type of baseball long since gone, McGraw started as a player/manager. He won three titles and 10 pennants.

2. Connie Mack
He finished his career under .500, so how can he be number 2 on this list? I'll tell you why. He managed one team for 50 years. No one does that. And to be honest, if you manage a team that long, you're asking for a losing record. But Mack has the hardware. He led the Philadelphia Athetics to 9 pennants and 5 World Series championships.

1. Casey Stengel
No one was better. He led the Bronx Bombers to 7 World Titles and 10 pennants. He won more World Series than anyone (Joe McCarthy has 7 as well), and is the only manager to win five straight titles. He took over a good Yankees team, one that had experienced success before him. However, he managed some of the largest egos of his time and took the Yankees from good to great.

So there you have it. Critics can dispute their necessity all they want, but you'll never convince me the teams these five men managed would have had the same success without them.

Now back to the man that spawned this discussion. Dick Williams lived a long life and he will be missed.

Dick Williams - May 7, 1929 to July 7, 2011

I read an article on ESPN by David Schoenfield about the rise in strikeouts in the league. He made a great point in the article that players generally do not try to put the ball in play anymore. "They’d rather hit .235 with 12 home runs as opposed to .300 with five home runs and a ton fewer strikeouts," he said. And he's absolutely right. Hitting for average no longer gets rewarded.

I grew up watching Tony Gwynn. He was a large, imposing force at the plate, but he didn't hit many home runs. He also didn't strike out very much. In his career, Tony Gwynn had 9,288 at-bats. He struck out 434 times. That's 4% of the time. His approach at the plate was one of beauty and the reason behind the title of this blog. He could hit just as well with two strikes as he could with none. What did he sacrifice in always trying to put the ball in play? He sacrificed home runs. He hit 135 in his career. But he knocked in 1,138 runs and scored 1,383 runs himself. Combined he accounted for 2,386 runs (subtracting the 135 home runs so we don't count those RBI's and runs twice) in his career. That means a Tony Gwynn at-bat resulted in a run, one way or another, 26% of the time. He also hit .338 for his career.

So let's re-cap; Tony Gwynn struck out 4% of the time while his at-bats resulted in runs 26% of the time. Who has the better approach, a guy hitting .235 with 15 home runs per year, or a guy hitting .310 with 5 home runs and 80 runs scored?

This brings me to my next point. Hitting for average is not appreciated anymore. Chase Headley was tapped to be the Padres power-hitting third baseman of the future. At a detriment to himself and the club he tried to fulfill that prophecy. Below are his numbers prior to 2011:

2007: 18 at-bats, 0 home runs, 4 strike-outs, and a .222 batting average.
2008: 331 at-bats, 9 home runs, 104 strike-outs, and a .269 batting average.
2009: 543 at-bats, 12 home runs, 133 strike-outs, and a .262 batting average.
2010: 610 at-bats, 11 home runs, 139 strike-outs, and a .264 batting average.

In 2011, Chase Headley has taken a new approach at the plate. He has stopped trying to pull the ball and tried putting more balls in play. This has led to a reduction in home run totals, but an increase in production overall.

In 85 games so far this year, Headley has had 292 at-bats. His strike-outs are only at 67. And he's batting .305. Between runs and RBI's, Headley is accounting for a run scored 22% of the time.

Headley is on pace to reduce his strike-out totals from the previous year. He's more productive than ever. And he's forgotten. He probably should have been an All-Star this year, but his meager 2 home runs likely precluded him from real consideration.

Following in Tony Gwynn's footsteps is not often done. Home runs dazzle, but lead to strike-outs and lower batting averages. There are not many pure hitters left, so when a player works on becoming one, he should be celebrated. Keep it up Chase, you have at least one fan not concerned with your home run totals.

With another season of interleague play in the books and the All-Star Game just around the corner (both of which have the commissioner's handiwork ingrained), I began thinking about Bud Selig's career and legacy.

I've always been a major critic of Selig's performance as commissioner, but decided to take a closer look at his resume. Was this villain and devious master-mind behind baseball's destruction really as bad as I had built him up to be? Has his post lead to the disintegration of the game I love?

The short answer to those questions is no. Bud Selig is far from perfect, but he has navigated the game through a strike and a steroids scandal without losing too many fans forever. More on the steroids issue in a bit.

Selig's biggest claim to fame is the introduction of interleague play. No matter what the skeptics say, no matter how many people cry foul due to the unbalanced schedule, fans love interleague games. Every year most ballparks see a spike in attendance during interleague series. Selig's brainchild has brought more fans to the game, led to increased revenue, and led to an overall increase in interest.

Selig is also responsible for the introduction of the Wild Card. This move was heavily criticized by baseball purists when it happened, but the result speaks for itself. Since its introduction in 1995, there have been nine Wild Card winners that have made the World Series, and four of them won the World Series.

Selig is also responsible for making the All-Star Game count for home-field advantage in the World Series. It was an interesting concept, but has led to a reduction in the spirit of the ASG. It used to be that fans would be virtually guaranteed to see their favorite player get some playing time in the game. Now, managers manage the lineups to win (rightly so). Players who would have seen some action previously, no longer do as each league jockeys for a chance at home field advantage.

A quick glance at Selig's resume would lead you to believe he's been a fantastic commissioner. The positives far outweigh the negatives, right? They do until you remember Selig essentially turned a blind eye to steroid use in baseball.

Lack of testing and repercussions until 2005 is a travesty. There had been plenty of players who were busted for steroids prior to that. There were plenty of suspicions. Players trying to play the game clean were faced with an un-level playing field. Many turned to steroids just to keep up. The famous home run race of 1998 was nothing more than a showcase of performance enhancement.

This all happened under Selig's watch. And for that, he cannot be forgiven. The good he has done for the game gets lost beneath the endless pile of steroids, HGH, and other performance enhancing drugs that Selig ignored. His legacy is now written in stone. Unfortunately, potential accolades for a career well-done have forever been replaced with criticism of his complacency and disregard.

Only after Selig steps down (supposedly after the 2012 season, we'll see) will baseball be able to fully heal. One day, we can sit back and enjoy the benefits of Selig's time as commissioner, but that day will not come with him still at his post.

Who is Kevin Correia? How about Alex Presley? Or Josh Harrison? And Joel Hanrahan? These are members of the best Prates team since 1992. They made not be household names like those on the '92 team (Barry Bonds anyone?), but they make up part of a team that is winning on heart, desire, will power, and faith in themselves.

Correia is currently tied for the Major League lead in wins with 11. This is his first year in Pittsburgh after coming over from the Padres. In his career leading up to this year, his record was 36-43. He's not exactly lighting up the stat boards this year either, but he's winning.

Alex Presley is an up-and-coming outfielder. He's played in 7 games this year and collected 9 hits, 5 RBI's, 4 walks, and two stolen bases. That's called making the most out of your time in the lineup, and is an example of the young talent pulsing through this Pirates organization.

Josh Harrison is the Pirates 23 year-old third baseman of the future. During yesterday's game, he tried to score from second on a single and plowed into the Astros catcher Carlos Corporan. He was thrown out, but he suffered a busted lip, bloody nose and eventually dizziness. However, he came out in the bottom of the inning and manned his position at third. Not only that, but he made a fantastic bared-handed play to get a runner at first during the inning. He exhibits some of the heart that's lead toward the Pirates first half run.

Joel Hanrahan is leading the league in saves and has converted 27 straight. He was also just recently named to his first All-Star Game. Wins that may have slipped away in the later innings are now safe. When Hanrahan gets the ball, it's about as close to a sure thing as there is in baseball.

These are just four of the players that make up the soul of this team that has brought baseball back to Pittsburgh. The city of Pittsburgh is a great baseball city, and their fans have stuck with this team through 18 losing seasons. Now, with the Pirates playing competitive baseball and actualy challenging for the division lead, we have been given a glimpse into how good baseball in the Steel City can be.

The fans are passionate. They love this team. With each game they lead going into the bottom of the ninth, the atmosphere seems like Game 7 of the World Series. These fans deserve this, and in turn they reward baseball with their energy and fire.

With the Allegheny River flowing behind center field, the skyline rising up in the distance, and the fans packing the stands, this historic team is on the verge of breaking a new historic trend. Losing.

The Pirates have been a baseball club since 1882 and have 5 World Championships. They celebrate players like Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargel, Bill Mazeroski, and Honus Wagner. They have nine retired numbers. They have 36 Hall of Famers. Winning baseball is good for the Bucs, it's good for the fans and it's good for baseball.

With 85 games under their belt and trailing the Brewers by a half-game and Cardinals by just one and a half games, the Pittsburgh Pirates are legitimate contenders. So tune in, read all about it, and celebrate with the city of Pittsburgh as these Bucs have a shot at a winning record and even a division crown.

When I think of the 4th of July, I think back to a time of neighborhood block parties, kids running down the street with sparklers, fireworks after burgers, and baseball.  These are all images made up from television or movies to me.  The concepts are generally foreign when you live in the desert.

I've always felt like the 4th of July in the southwest desert was a little more bland.  It's too hot to go out and barbeque.  It's too dry for there to be many fireworks shows.  And baseball in 110 degree heat?  Forget about it.

This is how I felt until I really thought about it.  We may not have block parties, but we do cook-out.  Our version of a barbeque is usually a quick run to the grill to flip the burgers then back into the house.  But we hang out with family and friends.  We celebrate the sacrifices others have made to make this country so great.  We remember that we are free because of this date in 1776.  And then there's baseball.

My memory gets altered as I get older, but when I really think back, I was out playing baseball in the heat all the time.  Especially on the 4th of July.  It wasn't always easy to get nine players together, and I didn't always have the equipment, but my friends and I managed to play.  I would grab and empty two liter soda bottle and have my friends throw rocks.  We would play our own backyard version of the Home Run Derby and watch those little rocks rocket off the plastic bat through the sun drenched sky.  When we didn't have a bat, we would play pickle (if you don't know the game, look it up.  It's great) until we were ready to throw up from heat exhaustion or dehydration.  We would imagine we were Derek Jeter or Omar Visquel throwing down a swipe tag on the runner in the middle.  And then there were the actual games.

All we needed were nine players.  Ghost runners would hold their positions on the base paths anytime there was a hit, and the batter would then replace someone out in the field.  There were no teams.  There was just fun.  Swinging the bat, running to first, throwing fastballs, and tracking lazy fly balls made up the essence of the game.  There were no steals, no singles stretched to doubles, no arguments over a play at second base.  If you got a hit, the ghost runner would advance one base.  If the hit found the gap, the ghost runner advanced two bases.  And a home run was, well, a home run.

I think back on those scorching summer days and even when I had no one to play with I'd find a way.  Give me a ball, a glove, and a wall and I could work on my infield game.  I could work on snaring line-drives.  Constantly throwing the baseball against a brick wall usually ruined it, but I didn't care.  It was summer and I was having fun.

On those 4th of July's long ago, when it was all said and done, when the night pushed away the heat and the stars began to wink, we would all go home to our burgers and hot dogs.  We would wash the food down with a cold soda and ice cream.  With a Major League game on the television, we would dream of summers on the diamond.  And when the first crack of fireworks peeled us away from the game, we would run outside and watch the show.

The 4th of July in the desert is not much different than anywhere else.  It's just a little hotter.

I'm an adult now and as the spirit and imagination I had as a kid fades, I look forward to the next generation.  To those new kids who will fill the streets with games of pickle, ghost runners, and home run derby, I say enjoy the ride.  And to the parents of this new generation, I say remember your childhood and Independence Days of the past.

No matter where you are, enjoy yourselves and Happy 4th!