What Exactly Are We Witnessing?

What Exactly Are We Witnessing?

Transcendent- extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience

Otherworldly- of, relating to, or resembling that of a world other than the actual world

Superhero- a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers

 

Miguel Cabrera has always been one of the best hitters in baseball since his arrival on the scene with the Florida Marlins. However, since the start of last season, he has done things that are unexplainable, supernatural, mythical, etc. Unless you’ve been living under a rock you won’t even read that last sentence and think its hyperbole. The man is not human and does things that others are incapable of.

It all started last season. Cabrera began the year slow by his standards (stats most players would dream of through that point in the season), but then something happened. Cabrera’s abilities shifted into another gear and he went on a tear not seen by mere mortals in ages. Cabrera finished the year with a .330 average, 44 home runs, and 139 RBI, good for both the MVP Award and the first Triple Crown since 1967.

Summer is synonymous with a lot of things but two that stick out for the purposes of this writing are baseball and blockbusters. See, summer is when the movie studios release their big money making movies, and baseball is all about the boys of summer.

Last season the script was simple. Our hero (Cabrera) was faced with a challenge from a rookie the likes of which no one had ever seen. Like our hero, he did things others were incapable of. He also had speed and defensive abilities which no one could argue our protagonist was lacking. This aquatic nemesis known as Trout was not only a threat to the Triple Crown but there were some who felt that he deserved the MVP over our hero. The battle was intense but like all good summer movies, our hero can’t lose in the first installment. He needs to narrowly persevere and face challenges in the sequels.

Now we fast forward to this summer. Blockbuster season and baseball season are upon us again, and believe it or not our hero is on a mission to win the Triple Crown for a second consecutive year. Accomplishing this feat would put our already mythical hero into a stratosphere all his own, but what good is a hero without a villain. This year in the sequel our hero has to take down the powerful Oriole that goes by the name Davis.

The movie is just starting and there’s no telling how it will end, but I will have my popcorn ready, my feet up, and will be enjoying the ride. I recommend all of you do the same because this will be an epic fight with history at stake. My only question is, if our hero succeeds, how the hell are they going to top all of this for the third installment?

Aces Wild in 2013

Aces Wild in 2013

Coming into the 2013 season no one would have batted an eye if guys like Justin Verlander, Matt Cain, and CC Sabathia put up great numbers and led their teams on deep postseason runs. They’ve done it consistently for years now, why would this year be any different? Well, thus far in 2013, all three men are having seasons they would like to forget.

C.C. Sabathia has been an innings horse for the Yankees, and as the ace of the staff that’s exactly what he should be. Coming into this year there was a lot of pressure on Sabathia and the pitching staff because of all the injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Sabathia’s rotation mates, especially Hiroki Kuroda, have answered that call and performed well. The same cannot be said for Sabathia. He is 4-4 with a 3.96 ERA and only has 61 strikeouts. Sabathia has also seen a dip in velocity on his normally overpowering fastball, turning it into less of a weapon.

Matt Cain, while not facing a dip in velocity is also not the same pitcher he was in years past. More contact is being made and hits are finding their way through thanks to a defense that has not played well at all. Marco Scutaro and Brandon Crawford are among the league leaders in errors, coupled with the Kung Fu Panda playing third base with the grace and swiftness of an actual panda. It also doesn’t help that San Francisco doesn’t have an offense the caliber of teams like Texas or Detroit, who can never be counted out of a game.

Justin Verlander to this point in the season has a very un-Verlander like 6-4 record along with an ERA of 3.68. Recently he has been shelled by the powerful Rangers lineup and also hit around some by the pedestrian lineup of the Pirates. Having the Tigers lineup behind him and their ability to provide run support will help as the season wears on, even if Verlander continues to struggle but he, like Sabathia and Cain faces an even bigger problem than dips in velocity or bad defense.

All three of these pitchers, as stated above, are the number one guys in their respective rotations, and these are rotations that have had continued success and made deep postseason runs. The innings being pitched, along with being one year older is taking its toll on their arms. Consistently pitching between 200-300 innings a year catches up with even the best arms in the game. The overpowering nature of their career may very well be over, and only time will tell if their intelligence and ability to adapt can make up for it and allow them to have the continued success they’re used to.

The Seattle Mariners: Where Promise and Offense Go to Die

The Seattle Mariners: Where Promise and Offense Go to Die

Since the 2004 season, the Seattle Mariners have continually been one of the most disappointing franchises in baseball. In that time they have only compiled two winning seasons, and have starved a rabid fan base of a product to get behind. When trying to figure out the reasons behind such dismal performances, many come to mind, but the overall conclusion is that this organization needs a complete overhaul.

 

1.      Development

 

The Seattle Mariners have had the unfortunate honor of drafting at or near the top of the board most years. They’ve gotten to pick from the top players available year in and year out so there should be no reason why these top prospects don’t pan out for them. Also, the team has acquired some top notch prospects in trades when dumping off salary or above average players that they can get something in return for. Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak were supposed to be franchise building blocks, along with Jesus Montero who came over to the club this season. All three guys however have been absolutely abysmal. Ackley is one of the worst hitters among everyday players in baseball, Smoak has never been consistent with the bat, and Montero has been sent down to Triple A because of his inability to handle right handed pitching, along with a poor work ethic and being one of the slowest people to call themselves a professional athlete. Swinging and missing on so much young talent speaks volumes to the team’s ability to develop players. Guys like Mike Zunino, Taijuan Walker, Nick Franklin, and Danny Hultzen wait in the wings for their opportunity, and for the sake of the franchise I hope the results are a lot different from what’s become the custom.

 

 

2.      Manager

 

I don’t know Eric Wedge personally, he’s probably a very nice guy, but based on his managerial track record he’s not the guy I want leading my team. Aside from one good year in 2007 when the Indians won the division and made it to the ALCS, Wedge has not been a very good manager. He does not seem like the guy who will hold players accountable and lights a fire under them to get the best results. Now, at the same token, it’s not to say that most other managers would miraculously turn this team around. There’s too much wrong here for that to happen, but a managerial change, preferably to someone who has never managed in the big leagues and has that fire to succeed and get the most out of his players could bring about some positive change for the present and then in turn the future. There’s an old adage that coaches or managers are doing their best with what was given to them, and that rings true here to an extent, but in this instance the players are doing their best with what was given to them also.

 

3.      Front Office

 

In an effort to add more power to his lineup, GM Jack Zduriencik signed Mike Morse and Kendrys Morales in the offseason. This was a huge mistake on his part as these two guys are not the type of players who can succeed at Safeco Field. Yes, Safeco Field is a cavernous desert of a ballpark, so why go about signing guys who are strictly home run hitters? Morse or Morales are never going consistently hit doubles or extra base hits, they can’t hit gap to gap, and there’s too much of a home run or bust mentality with both guys. Add in the fact that Morales has not been the same player since breaking his ankle, and you have a recipe for disaster. The team has to build its roster around the stadium in which it plays and they have done a bad job doing so. The Mariners since 2004 have compiled a .500 record at Safeco Field. While that’s not exactly something to write home about and get excited over, considering the circumstances and the talk of Safeco Field and its dimensions, they should consider themselves lucky. Also, another questionable move was the signing of Jason Bay. This is a guy whose confidence has been shot more times than 50 Cent, there’s probably no situation where he would thrive and provide results. Having watched him in New York he is nowhere near the player he used to be, and shown no signs of being able to shake off that experience and move on.

 

Despite all these problems all hope is not lost in Seattle. It’s a wonderful city that can attract free agents, they have one of the best fan bases in the game, and there are guys who can be built around in Kyle Seager, Michael Saunders, and the best one-two punch in baseball King Felix and Hisashi Iwakuma. There is talent in the minors also, as described above, but with a GM who cannot construct a team to succeed and a manager who isn’t the right fit, all these positives are moot. Change needs to happen, and quickly, if this franchise wants to return to glory.