Picture evidence:

Holliday is borderline within an arm's length of the base, cleating Castro, and to boot, flying an elbow in his gut.  Dempster's starting tomorrow under the lights on ESPN, and we're shooting for 100+ losses.  What do we have left to cheer for?  Quade, Dempster, & Co. issuing some good ol' fashioned retaliation against Matt Holliday.  I vote for a Ryan Dempster split-fingered fastball to the ribs.  This isn't the first time he's tried this stunt against the Cubs, but it should be the last time Holliday tries to take out our all-star.  What's to lose?  LaRussa pussyfooting around the fact that he's got a dirty player on his hands?  A lil' chin music for one of our batters?  

In the words of Omar Little, "You come at the king, you best not miss" (ignore the fact we're far from kings.)  What says you, BCB?  Vote below.

Dan

Sam Fuld

--ANNOUNCEMENT--

PRESS RELEASE, JULY 4, 2011

SBNATION (SportsBlog Nation, founded 2003) a network of 300+ "high-quality grassroots sports sites on the Web", today (doesn't) announces the new SWL button, SWL-It!

Continue reading this post »

Tonight is the 2010 All-Star Home Run Derby.  I like this competition, because it's about doing one thing, and doing it well: hitting the ball really damn hard.  

The first home run derby was played in the Giant Inflatable Toilet, known to us Minnesotans as The Metrodome:

and our own Ryne Sandberg hit a grand total of two homers.  The AL beat the NL in the inaugural year of 1985, 17-16.  Rules have fluctuated year to year, including two rounds or "innings", five outs versus ten outs, carry-over rounds versus resetting scores, as well as the number of contestants.  If there's one thing MLB does well, it's being ambiguous and having no sense of direction (for further reading, see: MLB media expansion, blackout rules, replay).  

Two years ago Josh Hamilton hit 28 homers in the first round, but failed to win the crown as more silly rules handed Justin Morneau the title.  Last year, Prince Fielder won because he can eat a lot.  And some times he imagines CC Sabathia as a hamburger.  

Other times Prince has nearly died from running too far.  Perhaps we should go back to the days of five outs, or only two rounds?  That would help with the so-called "fatigue" factor, and keep it quick and interesting for fans.  I've included homers, OPS, and flyball percentage.  Angel Stadium of Anaheim is 25th overall in park factors, and 20th in HR, so it may be a bit harder to hit here than last year's Busch Stadium.  Anyway, onward to tonight's contestants:

American League

Miguel Cabrera – Detroit Tigers

***22 HR, 1.074 OPS, 39.9% FB

David Ortiz – Boston Red Sox

***18 HR, .945 OPS, 47.8% FB

Nick Swisher – New York Yankees

***15 HR, .901 OPS, 45.9% FB

Vernon Wells – Toronto Blue Jays

***19 HR, .844 OPS, 39.0% FB

National League

Corey Hart – Milwaukee Brewers

***21 HR, .918 OPS, 47.5% FB

Matt Holliday – St. Louis Cardinals

***16 HR, .902 OPS, 39.6% FB

Hanley Ramirez – Florida Marlins

***13 HR, .865 OPS, 30.7% FB

Chris Young – Arizona Diamondbacks

***15 HR, .798 OPS, 48.8% FB

Odds have 5/2 favorites for Cabrera and Ortiz, with Holliday and Swish 5/1 odds.  Hart and Wells are next (13/2), followed by Young and Hanley (8/1).  I'm not really sure why Chris Young is in this derby; he broke spring training not even sure if he'd make the team.  Vernon Wells used to look like the worst contract in baseball, now I think the Cubs own 2-3 of those.  My money?  It's on Ortiz and Hart.  And here's MLB's stats on the derby, if you're interested.

Dan

PS - Also, this:

Below is my 2010 All-Star ballot.  My criteria: The best thus far in 2010 at said position in the respective league.  Sidenote: Fans shouldn't be able to vote.  Players should be voting.  Onward!

AL

1B - Justin Morenau.  Leads in AVG, and high in others.  Alternates--Cabrera, but my clubhouse favorite is Butler, because let's be honest--he looks like a big teddy bear.  

2B - Robinson Cano.  Incredible stats for any player, not just a middle infielder.  Alternates--none.

SS - Derek Jeter.  Consistent as always.  Alternates--Andrus, Gonzalez.  

3B - Evan Longoria.  Excellent slash stats, and a nude shot making its way through the internetz to boot!  Alternates--Beltre.  

C - Joe Mauer, because he's the second best player in baseball, leading his team.  Alternates--Jason Kendall.  Wait, that's a joke.  Posada.  

DH - Vlad Guerrero.  Who knew he wasn't washed up?  What a great half season!  Alternates--Guillen (Jose).  

OF - Nelson Cruz, Alex Rios, Vernon Wells.  Rios is having a great year, and Soriano's contract nor Wells contract looks that bad in 2010, does it?  Alternates--Bautista, Ordonez, Ichiro.  

AL

Morenau

Cano

Jeter

Longoria

Mauer

Guerrero

Cruz

Rios

Wells

NL

1B - Albert Pujols.  Much closer than it would appear at first glance--Votto is having just as good a season, but thanks to his 3-homer game against us the other day, King Albert Reigns.  Alternates--Votto.  

2B - Kelly Johnson.  Probably the closest of the actual races, Johnson, Uggla, and Utley have stats that are neck & neck.  Alternates--Uggla, Utley.

SS - Troy Tulowitzki.  Another very close race in the NL, Hanley is also having a comparable year.  Alternate--Hanley.

3B - Scott Rolen.  Scott f***ing Rolen?  Yeah.  Alternate--Zimmerman, McGehee.  

C - Rod Barajas.  Who?  I dunno.  Alternates--Pudge, Molina.  

OF - Ryan Braun, Matt Kemp, Jason Heyward.  I vote for Braun, my least-favorite-player-of-all-time, Kemp (because Ethier has been injured), and the ROY, Heyward.  Alternates--Willingham, Soriano, McCutchen.  

NL

Pujols

Johnson

Tulo

Rolen

Barajas

Braun

Heyward

Kemp

Comparing the two rosters, AL owns.  A weak infield and young outfield give the advantage to the AL.  What says you?

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!  Let's vote on a few pitchers--let's say 3 SP and 2 RP:

AL

SP - Clay Buchholz, Andy Pettitte, David Price.  High in ERA+, WAR, etc.  Alternates--Fister, Marcum, Niemann.

RP - Rafel Soriano, Jon Raunch.  Alternate--Gregg.  Yes, Kevin f***ing Gregg.  

NL

SP - Ubaldo Jimenez, Roy Halladay, Jaime Garcia.  Alternates--Livan, Josh Johnson, Wainwright.

RP - Matt Capps, Heath Bell.  Alternates--Cordero, Broxton.

After evaluating the pitching staffs, this looks like a much more evenly-matched game.  The NL has quite the edge in starters, and I would even say relievers.  Don't screw this one up, Bud; oh, too late.

Dan

I did a tour of Coors Field Monday and they had a few old media guides for free.  I took last year's LDS/LCS playoff guide.  After tonight's game I decided I hadn't endured enough suffering, so I took a gander at some stats.  

Do you realize that in game 6 in 2003 we were up 3-0 in the top of the 8th with one out before all hell broke loose?  

Or in 2008, with the team that won 97 regular season games, had 6/8 starters with OPS+ 108 or greater, and 9/10 pitchers had ERA+ 102 or greater?  

The team of 2003 felt like a team of destiny--I thought we'd ride a foursome of Wood/Prior/Zambrano/Clement to the Series.  The 2007 team had no weaknesses--from top to bottom, bench to bullpen, we dominated the regular season.  

How would your life be different if we had won it all in 2003 or 2007?  Me, I know I'd be wearing my championship gear all the time, always, no matter what.  I could always say "I was there in 2003/2007 when we won it all; I can die happy."

Here's to that feeling.

Dan

I don't like either of these teams.  I don't care for Nick Saban at all, and "Hook 'Em" is just about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.  Oh, wait, no, that's "Roll Tide", which doesn't even make sense.  Boise State & TCU got screwed, Florida looked like it could murder any team in the country, and the Big 10 became the first conference to beat 4 top 15 teams in bowl games.  OSU, PSU, Iowa, and Wisconsin fans, rejoice.  The big 4 just brought respectability back to the midwest.  Thanks, dudes.  Oh, and thanks a lot Northwestern for sneaking a bowl game from the Badgers and looking bad in a completely ugly (albeit, fun) game.  Almost the entire OSU/Iowa/Wisco teams return next year, so prepare for a three-headed monster in the Big 10 next year.  Also, John Clay for Heisman.  

Okay, onto the silly game tonight.  Erin Andrews will be reporting from the sidelines, but probably off-camera, which pisses me off.  Nick Saban is one of the best coaches in the country, but Mack Brown is one of the best coaches in the country and seems like a genuinely nice guy.  Mark Ingram, 2009 Heisman winner, is just about the worst Heisman winner I can remember in my days.  Talk about winning by default.  Ndamukong Suh, anybody?  Don't get me wrong, the guy had a good season...but look at the last few RB winners:

Reggie Bush - 18 TDs, 2600 yards

Ron Dayne - 19 TDs, 1800 yards

Ricky Williams - 30 TDs, 2600 yards

Eddie George - 23 TDs, 1900 yards

Rashaan Salaam - 24 TDs, 2000 yards

And Mark Ingram - 18 TDs, 1900 yards

Something just doesn't match up, no?  The closest comparable is Dayne, and Dayne averaged 1000+ each of his four seasons and murdered Williams' rushing record the year before.  He deserved the award.  Ingram, no.  He's on the #1 team in the country at the moment, so he wins by default.  That, and the fact that voters are afraid to give the award to a DT.  

Prediction:

Texas: 27

Alabama: 17

McCoy MVP

Dan