It’s old news to talk about what the Astros need to improve on this season. They’ve already hit triple digits in the loss column yet again (so applause?), so the only rational thing to do is focus on the off-season and 2014, right?
Right.
But in all seriousness… At the Major League level, the Astros don’t have much to brag about, but those young, fresh faces in the farm system, the ones people have been talking about for years, those are the ones the Astros are going to have to pay heavy attention to this off-season and in Kissimmee at training camp. Three #1 picks in three years has got to pay off eventually.
Of course pitching is where it hurts the most for Houston. It wasn’t that long ago that the ‘Stros relied on the arms of Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, and even Bud Norris.
The Astros are in need of, once again, a reliable and consistent pitching rotation. To be effective, Houston needs three pitchers that can consistently go 6-7 strong innings every game. Currently there isn’t even one in an Astros uniform. That shouldn’t be on your Wish List, but rather your Must-Have-To-Stay-In-The-League List. Or as @JohnReyes2013 on Twitter says, “sign an inning eating veteran.”
To date, Astros pitchers have walked 49 more batters than every other single MLB team and currently rank 30th (dead last) in the Win-Loss column and ERA. (The Cleveland Indians have the second most walks, in case you’re wondering.)
The days of the Biggio’s and Bagwell’s serving as leaders for the rookies are long gone, but the Astros need to cash in on some cheap veterans to help the team in pretty much every area, especially mentoring these younger guys.
If you’ve ever had a need to believe in a slogan, the Astros current one would be it: It’s a Whole New Ballgame. For Astros fans, lets hope that holds true in just six months.
10. Get new players
9. Pray
8. Hope other teams get worse
7. Go down to Triple A baseball
6. Better yet, go back to the National League
5. Even better, go back to 2005
4. Switch dugouts – clearly the stats heavily favor the other side. The Astros switched leagues, is a dugout swap really that far fetched?
3. No players taller than 5’4 on the roster (clearly it’s working for Jose Altuve)
2. Hire Joel Osteen as a motivational speaker
1. Add JJ Watt to the roster – he seems to make everything in Texas better
And a special thanks to my friends at the game earlier this week for helping me compile such a titillating Top 10 list.
Agree with what I had to say or think I’m the biggest, blondest idiot on the interwebs? Head over to my facebook page and tell me more. (Try to at least be polite though?)
This piece was part of The Blonde Side’s sports column on CBS Man Cave Daily. Click here to see the original article on their awesome website.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jose-altuve-astros-getty.jpg209300Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2013-09-25 08:53:572013-09-25 08:53:57Top 10 Ways the Astros Can Improve in 2014
Sugar Land Skeeters fans are no stranger to sellout crowds, long bathroom lines, or parking in far-flung dirt lots. Fifty out of the 52 home games played at the $37 million Constellation Field, just a 25-minute drive from downtown Houston, have been sellouts.
What’s new to them, however, is tickets exceeding $200 (according to StubHub, 33 of them eclipsed that mark) or the national media coverage. But that comes with the territory when Roger Clemens, a 50-year-old seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is making his Skeeters debut, five years after his last appearance on the mound with the New York Yankees.
To read the full article on Clemens’ debut with the Skeeters, visit ESPN Playbook.
Washington Nationals Third Baseman, Ryan Zimmerman
The success of The Blonde Side is due mostly in part to the off-kilter interviews with athletes in the hopes of finding a killer combo of humor, entertainment and of course, sports. Last week while the Washington Nationals were on their last regular season road trip to Houston (as Houston will join the AL West next year), I sat down with Nationals’ third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman for a quick chat.
After giving him some background and telling him I was aiming for “more fun and personable and not so much stats driven” he laughed. “So you picked one of the most boring guys in baseball to interview?” he countered, probably referencing one of his recent accolades as the “least quirky athlete in DC” courtesy of funny man Dan Steinberg and a few other media guys.
“I admit, I’m pretty boring for interviews because whether I’m playing good or bad, I’ve always been taught that you should be the same person, so that’s the way I’ve always dealt with media,” he said. I asked the Virginia Beach native why people had such a boring impression of him. The straight shooter that he is, “Well, because my interviews are pretty boring. Have you listened to them?” he joked.
Immediately, almost in defense of himself, he mentioned his commercials and you could just sense his pride. “These commercials were a chance to show fans I do have a personality, which I do. I have a lot of fun off the field. I really liked the Geico commercial I did with the caveman. I also did one with [Bruce Boudreau] the old Caps coach, and that was the most fun I’ve had with a commercial,” he said in a feeble attempt to reenact his lines before referring me to Google to look it up for myself.
The more he talked about this newfound commercial talent of his, the more excited he got. “I had fun and I think the fans liked it. It’s just so different from what they think I am, which is good I guess.”
Getting back to baseball and the game at hand, Zimmerman admitted he’s going to miss seeing Houston on a regular basis during the season. “I like playing here – it’s a good place to hit,” he said. Not taking the bait on whether he was referencing the short left field wall (315ft) and the Crawford Boxes or the subpar Astros pitching staff, he left it at that. “The stadium is nice and I’m thankful for the air conditioning. It’s a good place to hit,” he reiterated with a grin. In his last 30 at bats at Minute Maid, he’s has hit 7 long balls. Not too shabby.
These days a hot question for athletes focuses around social media, most notably Twitter. Maybe that’s a way to show your fans a bit more personality, I prompt? “No one needs to know what I do everyday – that I wake up and go to the baseball field. We do the same thing everyday. That’s boring right? And the things I do off the field I don’t think people should know. I think there’s a fine line – some complain all they want is a normal life but then they tweet where they go to dinner and you can’t really have it both ways. I think social media is great – it’s helped our game, it’s helped fans get in touch and see what it’s like to be us on a more personal level – more than ever have before. For me, it’s just too much effort. I wouldn’t have enough content to keep it entertaining,” he said.
Ryan Zimmerman, “The Face of the Nationals”
Zimmerman knows there are guys on his team that would excel at entertaining the Twitterverse, probably the same way they do on road trips, like outfielders Mark DeRosa and Michael Morse. “We’re all pretty bad, but those are the goofiest guys on the team,” Zimmerman admitted. “We just got a new music system for the bus. It obviously plays music but it has a microphone too – DeRosa is like our DJ. When you play games every single day and are constantly on the go and working so hard to win, you need guys like that to keep it loose.”
It may seem bizarre, but at 27, Zimmerman is considered one of the older guys on the team and the Nationals only remaining player from their inaugural roster back in 2005. He has rightly been coined the “face of the Nationals.” At 27, most people still need guidance, but in this D.C. clubhouse, it’s Zimmerman who offers much of it to his younger comrades like Bryce Harper, the “other” Zimmermann and a number of other guys. “I’ve definitely changed over the years. I used to go out more, but now you kind of have to pick your spots. It takes me longer to recover as I’ve gotten older and you have to be smarter. I’m also engaged now, which makes a big difference,” he says about his maturity both on and off the field.
Speaking of being engaged, it’s hard to type “Ryan Zimmerman” into Google without the Internet gods pre-populating “fiancé” prompting photos of the blonde bombshell. Blogs everywhere have taken a liking to calling her one of the hottest (soon to be) wives in MLB and Zimmerman’s smile says it all. “She’s amazing. She knew nothing about sports in the beginning which was great because the last thing we want to do when we get home from a long trip is talk baseball. It’s not easy to be a WAG [Wife and Girlfriend] in this business, obviously traveling as much as we do; it takes a special kind of woman to deal with us. I’m very lucky,” he said.
Another woman Zimmerman can’t stop gushing about? His mother Cheryl, the reason behind starting his 501(c)3, ziMS, which is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis. Cheryl, who was diagnosed with MS back in 1995, has helped shape Ryan into the man he is today, forcing him to take on responsibilities and roles most sons never do. This foundation has had such a profound impact on Ryan that even his current contract allows him to host his annual gala at the ballpark raising money and awareness for this disease that affects nearly 400,000 Americans.
No one in baseball has produced as many walk-off homers since 2006 as Zimmerman and he currently reigns as the Nationals’ all-time leader in runs (558), hits (1061), 2B (241), HR (144), RBI (564), and games (946).
Simply put, Ryan Zimmerman is a guy who appreciates things like the new reality show Duck Dynasty, surf movies like Blue Crush, the support of great family and fans and the opportunity and privilege to continue his career in a National’s uniform.
Less than animated interviews or not, having just signed a long-term contract extension through 2019, which quite possibly outfits Zimmerman in the same franchise uniform for 14 seasons, calling him the “face of the franchise” surely seems spot on and the interviews well worth it.
If you’ve ever wondered what a professional baseball player does in his offseason, it’s probably a whole lot more than you think. Especially for someone like Chris Johnson, who struggled a bit last season (hitting .251 after a .308 average in 2010), going in and out of the lineup and even back to the minor leagues at one point.
Before he headed to Kissimmee, Fla. for spring training, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Johnson, the Houston Astros third baseman. Having just finished his five-hour morning strength and conditioning routine at Minute Maid Park with a few other guys (Bud Norris, Brett Wallace, Brian Bogasevic and Wandy Rodriquez to name a few), Johnson had just enough time to grab a shower and meet me for lunch.
In most clubhouses, Johnson would still be barely lurking past his rookie season, but here in Houston things are a bit different. Entering his third full season in the big leagues (with all of 212 career games played), he’s already forced to take more of a veteran role. Probably long before he’s ready.
For most teams, a guy in his third season is nowhere near considered a vet, but here in Houston, with a team this young, Johnson understands he needs to think more in terms of leadership.
“I need to play that veteran role and be one of the guys thinking about the team, not just myself,” he says. “I’m hoping that’ll be my role this year. Last year was hard for me because I felt I had to prove I deserved to be here.
“We don’t have guys like (Lance) Berkman to look up to anymore.”
Johnson recalls his own move up from Triple A Round Rock late in the 2009 season and his prominent and strategic locker placement next to All-Stars like Berkman and Roy Oswalt.
Despite spending part of his childhood around the big leagues (Johnson’s dad Ron has been a coach for more than 20 years, most notably with the Boston Red Sox), Johnson still soaked up all the advice he could manage from guys like Oswalt, Berkman and even Geoff Blum, his favorite guy on Twitter.
Enough With The Small Talk.
After a few minutes of polite small talk about Johnson’s offseason workout regimen (where he’s focusing on speed and power) and in between bites of me shoving chicken fingers in my mouth, I blurted out rather unlady like, “People are taking bets how badly the Astros are going to suck this year. Did you know that?”
There’s no way anyone, especially one of the guys sporting the Astros uniform, can shake this question. Understandably, they hear it everyday since the rotten performance the team turned in last year ranks as the worst record in Astros history (56-106).
Laughing and shaking his head, Johnson gave a very athletically PC answer: “We have to keep it reasonable. We need to take it one game at a time. One season at a time. We have to do better than last season . . .”
He trails off trying to maintain the optimism the Astros PR team has undoubtedly instilled in each of the guys. Picking back up, he admits, “We’re a young team. There’s no denying that. As a team we need to stay away from super lofty goals and keep improving. We’re headed in a really good direction — there’s really only one way to go.
“I’m excited to get to Kissimmee and see what we can do at spring training.”
The Big Game Of Numbers.
If you read anything about Chris Johnson on the Internet or ask any sports reporter, you’re bound to hear about his near All-Star (.308, 11 HR and 52 RBI in just 341 at-bats, getting named Astros Rookie of the Year) stats from 2010 which quickly plummeted to a dismal downward spiral his sophomore season.
“Last year was tough. I came into the season thinking I was the shit. I had to get out of my own way,” Johnson admits. “Pitchers and teams started looking at me and they had a game plan of how to handle me at the plate. As a rookie, you aren’t on their radar as much.
“I hit .160 my first month and it was definitely an adjustment both mentally and physically.”
Along with those declining numbers came talk about Johnson’s patience at the plate, or lack thereof. One article with some glaring stats courtesy of Bryan Curley pointed out that Johnson “struck out more than a quarter of the time (26.7 percent to be exact), walked only 15 times (4.1 percent) and swung at an astronomical 43.1 percent of pitches thrown outside the strike zone.”
What do you have to say for yourself Chris?
“Being patient at the plate is something I have to and am working on,” he says. “I have to learn that if I don’t get my pitch to just lay off and take a walk. The aggressiveness to want that hit . . . to be a playmaker . . . . that hurts me. That’s probably the biggest thing I’m working on right now.
“Laying off pitches is the mental side of hitting — you have to have discipline. Guys like Albert Pujols and Berkman have pretty much perfected it.”
Like a well thought out chess match, Johnson had the first move, then it was the opposing pitchers turn, and now in his third season, will it be Johnson’s turn for a rebuttal? Let’s hope so.
Comparing No. 9 to No. 23.
It’s as much a part of the game as sliding into second is: Comparing players. Whether it’s their batting stances, throwing mechanics, stats, defensive abilities or simply their place in the community, comparisons are made on the regular. It seems logical that when talking about Chris Johnson and his breakout rookie season, that he’s compared to none other than Hunter Pence.
On Sept. 24, 2010, Johnson became the 11th Astros rookie to reach 50 RBI in a season and the first since Pence (back in 2007). The last Astros rookie before Johnson with as many four-hit games in a single rookie season was Pence (who had four in 2007). Both Pence and Johnson posted a 14-game hitting streak in 2010. Both guys seemingly came out of the woodwork, found their spot on the Astros roster and put up alarming good numbers. Numbers so good even SportsCenter caught wind of it.
“He’s a great player,” Johnson says of the now Philadelphia Phillie Pence. “I have no problem being compared to him — he’s a hardworker, you can’t argue that. I don’t look into comparisons too much. I just try to be me and get better everyday. The people of Houston loved Hunter. This is the only team I’ve played for, so being liked by the fans is important to me.”
As sickening as the Pence pillow talk was, thankfully we managed to get on the topic of basketball, undoubtedly rubbing in a Duke loss to my Florida State Seminoles. Johnson professed his love (read obsession) for basketball, but admits he’s terrible at it. He’s a big Blue Devils fan and when it comes to NBA, he’s only got love for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Of course we differ again as I’m a huge Miami Heat fan, which yes, includes LeBron James. Our talk of LeBron and the rest of the NBA world hating on him led Johnson to a little confession.
“I love being booed by opposing fans,” he says. “I love playing where we’re hated. It may sound weird, but playing in Chicago or St. Louis really pumps me up. The louder the fans boo, the harder I play.”
There’s A New Sheriff in Town.
Since Johnson answered those other hot-button questions so well I decided to throw more at him, this time in the form of Jim Crane. I firmly believe it was nothing more than a PR stunt when Crane attempted to get Astros fans rioting about the thought of a name change, and for good reason. That was the first time we’ve seen Astros fans up off their seats in what seems like ages — something Drayton McLane never seemed to do.
While many Houstonians are still undecided about Crane as an owner, Johnson is so far, a big fan.
“I know some folks don’t like some of the things he’s (Crane) doing, but I think he’s genuinely trying to turn things around,” Johnson says. “No matter what anyone says, he’s the boss and I listen.”
Back in November, Crane’s ownership group finally officially purchased the Astros for a whopping $680 million from grocery store maven Drayton McLane, who had owned the team for the last 19 years.
While fans are seeing lots of changes (or at least getting worked up over the possibilities), the guys on the team are still unsure.
“It’s a little too early to tell how things will be different with Crane’s interactions with us in the clubhouse and on the field,” Johnson says. “He’s a very outspoken guy — you’ll never have to worry about what he’s thinking because he’ll say it. I appreciate that kind of direct approach.”
Tweet Tweet.
Johnson is not only ready to excel at spring training and win the starting third base job for Opening Day. He’s ready to take on the Twitterverse as well. I believe he currently has thousands more followers than any other member of the Astros team (though he does have about 90,000 fewer followers than Pence).
Follow him for baseball (and of course basketball) related tweets at @cjastros23.
This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Chris_Johnson_Houston_Astros_baseball_player.525w_700h.jpg700525Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2012-02-22 11:37:062012-02-29 20:24:57Houston Astro Chris Johnson comes clean on his disappointing 2011 season
I don’t remember the exact age, but somewhere very early in life, I fell in love with baseball. Most definitely the sport itself, but also with the men who play said sport. It’s virtually the same as being an avid Jonas Brother’s trailblazing fan and holding out a little piece of your heart for Joe Jonas, yes?
Playing softball my whole life, being surrounded by baseball players’ day in and day out seemed an incestuous part of the game. When our softball team took a trip, which was sometimes overnight and/or out of state, it was usually in tandem with the baseball team. Softball games average 50 minutes less than baseball games, which meant after a full game of slap bunting and fielding grounders, we found ourselves and our freshly dirt-stained uniforms sitting on the bleachers with a pack of gummy bears cheering our boys on. So it’s shouldn’t come as a surprise that my “high school sweetheart” played third base and was a rock star, and it’s not surprising that soon after graduation he was drafted by Major League Baseball, although it wasn’t until long after we broke up that he made a name for himself on ESPN and various other sport’s frenzied media outlets.
A few years ago, shortly after moving to Houston, I had a torrid, yet closeted fling with a “co-worker” who just so happened to play right field for the professional baseball team in which I was employed which coincidentally would later cost me my job. Apparently it’s one of those seemingly unfair unwritten rules that front office staff cannot, under any circumstance date a player.
If you do the math, that’s two guys in my past that both play Major League Baseball. And I guess if you live by the old adage, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck… it should come as no surprise that in a few small circles I was branded the not-so-flattering and ever-debilitating scarlet letter, “jersey chaser.”
For years, I tried all I could to dispel that myth. Since my parents read this column, I’m not going to say exactly how many guys I’ve been “with”, but I can assure you, two is a long shot from being the majority. And for purposes of stating the obvious, in case you missed it above, the high school boy was just that during our relationship – a high school boy. No Vitamin Water or Nike endorsements, no contracts, no agent; just a high school boy that could swing a bat and play mighty fine defense at the hot corner.
Now, as a freelance sportswriter, for my column, The Blonde Side, I’m very cautious of who I tell my Major League past to, if at all. But as of this posting, it’s clear the cats out of the bag, and I’m A-ok with that. And here’s why – there’s nothing wrong with thinking a baseball player, or any athlete for that matter, is sexy. Even as someone who works in the front office of a professional team, or a blonde sportswriter like myself, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m surrounded by these guys on a regular basis, I follow their stats (which are sometimes sexy in and of itself), and a guy that can wear a baseball uniform correctly (with means having his pants iconically pushed up to his knees) is by definition, in my book, sexy.
That was a seemingly long interlude to say this; as a single girl on this soon-to-be-Hallmark-infested dampening holiday which is upon us in mere hours, I present to you the sexiest guys in baseball with a little commentary on each. I’d love to hear your feedback if you agree or you’re highly concerned that my perfect 20/20 vision has recently been compromised based on these picks.
Ian Kinsler, Second Baseman, Texas Rangers
Ian Kinsler, Second Baseman, Texas Rangers
Guys with out of control hair (or “lettuce” as I’ve recently learned) have never really turned me on. But put said lettuce on top of Ian Kinsler and I’m willing to turn all sorts of vegetarian for the dude. Not only does he rock the uniform of my favorite team, but he definitely possesses a leadership role within the club. Kinsler batted .308 last postseason and has a career batting average of .275 – not the best, but certainly in fairly good company. Not your typical 17th-rounder, Kinsler’s the kind of guy you constantly hear about from sports commentators because he’s known as a five-tool player, simply meaning he hits for power and average, and excels at baserunning, throwing and fielding. Last season he broke his own club record with 28 consecutive steals. The kind of utilitarian player every franchise needs. As a longtime sufferer of asthma, I think it’s kind of cute. Hey Ian, I’m happy to tote around your inhaler in my Louis Vuitton if need be. Call me? And 2012 is the year of the claw and antlers, yes?
Joe Mauer, Catcher, Minnesota Twins
Joe Mauer, Catcher, Minnesota Twins
This time last year, Joe Mauer was rehabbing his knee after arthroscopic surgery battling a difficult recovery, which affected much of his season hitting career lows. Any guy who can look hot rehabbing an appendage is good in my book, especially a guy blessed with those baby blues. And while any guy who’s known for playing the field is usually bad in anyone’s book, not Mauer who can play catcher, left field and first (he also played Quarterback in high school and completed 62% of his passes his senior year). An all around good athlete. Mauer is also one of those guys who has played his entire major league career in the same uniform – no wonder the ladies in Minnesota are always boasting such big smiles. The only negative I see for this hottie is the fact he turned down a football scholarship to FLORIDA STATE (Go Noles!) to enter the Major League Baseball Draft. Alas, I guess it’s worked out well for him…
Chase Utley, Second Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies
Chase Utley, Second Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies
Playing his entire career in the same Phillies uniform, it’s easy to like this guy. Utley had a rough season last year with declining stats and a troublesome head injury after getting beaned in the head with a 90-mph fastball, but there’s something endearing about a guy getting injured playing the game he loves. Something in me that wants to bring him an ice-pack and sit on the couch watching SportsCenter together making fun of his overpaid, goofy-looking right fielder. Utley finished the 2011 regular season having scored 54 runs, hitting safely 103 times (including 21 doubles, 6 triples, and 11 home runs), and with a .259 batting average. If you ever wonder why you get such a warm and fuzzy feeling watching Utley stride up to the plate at Citizens Bank Park, it’s his badass intro song “Kashmir” by one of the all time greats, Led Zeppelin. And one more thing for you animal lovers, Utley and his wife Jennifer are advocates for animals everywhere having founded The Utley Foundation, an organization established to bring awareness to the increasing epidemic of animal cruelty. Animal lovers make my heart swoon, and Chase Utley is no expectation.
Nick Markakis, Outfielder, Baltimore Orioles
Nick Markakis, Outfielder, Baltimore Orioles
Much sexier when his hat is covering that flowbee of a hairdo he sometimes sports, it’s his strong arm in the outfield that really catches my eye. That strong arm is no mystery – originally a pitcher with a fastball clocked at 96, he’s known for throwing out guys trying to score that extra base hit. It’s not only his skill in the field that adds him to my list of sexy baseball players; it’s behind the plate as well. Last season, Markakis claimed his 1,000th career hit against the Cleveland Indians. On his own, Markakis decided to donate $75,000 of his paycheck each year to deserving charities along with starting his very own organization, Right Side Foundation with his wife Christina. A man with a heart and strong arms – really, is there any question here? Talk about the ultimate playmaker.
He also has a random entry in Urban Dictionary I felt worthy to share.
Ryan Braun, Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers
Ryan Braun, Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers
Anyone who refuses to admit Braun is a rather goofy looking individual is just plain lying. But there’s something about goofy that’s a bit sexy, yes? And being the reigning (although I guess we can’t currently say undisputed) National League MVP, it’s clear his play on the field is stellar compared to hundreds of other guys. Having the chance to watch him (or stare at him really) this past season at Miller Park was definitely one of the high points of my year. Last year alone he led the NL in slugging percentage and extra-base hits, was named a starter for the All-Star game and won the NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award. Dudes been busy on the field and did I fail to mention he’s got sky-high book smarts? He attended University of Miami on an academic scholarship, which is rather rare for a record-breaking athlete. And I’m pretty sure every Brewers fan loves this guy for the simple fact it was his 450-foot bomb over the fence that clinched the Brewers’ NL-Central victory last season.
The only thing not so hot about this guy? The fact he developed his own signature t-shirt for the douchey clothing line, Affliction. Eek! Oh, and the fact he might have herpes. Eek again. But for now, Braun remains on my list of sexy ball players.
Jake Arrieta, Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles
Jake Arrieta, Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles
It’s definitely not all about money (the guy is still making the league minimum) or perfect play each time he steps on the mound (although he was good enough to start the home opener for the Orioles last season), but there’s something about Arrieta that is plain striking. Perhaps it’s a guy who knows how to take charge, and anyone on the mound in Major League Baseball should know how to take charge and be a leader. I’ve always thought well-educated guys were extremely attractive, and Arrieta turned down his initial draft by the Milwaukee Brewers to instead head off to college at TCU. Over the last few years in his career, Arrieta has learned to develop and throw an arsenal of pitches and not rely solely on his fastball as he did early on in his career. Coming off of bone spur surgery, I expect a lot out of Arrieta this season. And without question, so do the Orioles. This is a guy I wish had more TV time. You hear that ESPN? Consider that my request, in writing.
Josh Willingham, Outfielder, Minnesota Twins
Josh Willingham, Outfielder, Minnesota Twins
Recently picked up the Minnesota Twins, Josh Willingham looks good in almost any uniform (and he’s worn quite a few already in his eight year career playing for the Florida Marlins for his longest stint, the Washington Nationals, the Oakland Athletics and now the Minnesota Twins). Willingham joined the Twins less than two months ago and signed a three-year deal valued at $21mil. Last season Willingham hit his career best 29 homeruns and 98 RBIs (although also hitting his career low batting average with .246) with Oakland. A solid characteristic I look for in any man – patience. Patience is most definitely a virtue in the majors and Willingham shows quite a bit of it at the plate with a career .361 OBP due to his ability to draw walks and even take a few hits from wild pitchers. This season should be interesting for Willingham as he’s taking on the challenge of playing right field for the Twins as opposed to his comfort zone in left. The season will prove to be equally as interesting for Twins fans as they have to deal with the loss of one of their favorites, Michael Cuddyer, whose spot was recently taken over by Willingham.
Adam Wainwright, Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
Adam Wainwright, Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
I like tall guys, so AW is already off to a blazing start at 6-foot-7, not to mention those ridiculously soul-piercing eyes. But like I said, it’s not all about how he looks in his uniform, it’s how he plays the game. And last year, he didn’t play the game. At all. In February 2011, Wainwright underwent Tommy John surgery, which has since been described as “successful”, but we all know what happened to Brandon Backe (Astros) after that exact same procedure. Oh wait, no we don’t. Last I heard he was tending bar in Galveston, TX, but I digress. Some are already professing Wainwright as the comeback player of the year but that prophecy comes with a lot of weight on his shoulders without that very large staple the Cardinals have become so used to in their lineup. You know the one, starts with Albert, ends with Pujols. Wainwright placed in the top 3 for the Cy Young award from 2007-2010, so the guy’s no stranger to pressure and delivering results in the form of W’s. Wainwright also openly expresses his Christian faith, which is something I highly admire in any human.
Before I wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day, please know two things:
I never professed to have victorious taste when it comes to spotting sexy men, in particular baseball players. I typically am attracted to one type of guy: the ones that don’t like me. Wah, wah, wah.
While the above little diddy was fun to write and I stand by almost everything I said, I am in no way interested in hooking up with, dating, or starting any type of relationship with any ball players. Been there, done that. Literally.
Now, Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you, from The Blonde Side.
Which is exactly how Trevor Hoffman became a wild sensation not just in San Diego, but in the hearts and gloves of Major Leaguers everywhere. I had the distinct pleasure of witnessing one of baseball’s greatest moments this past weekend, at least in my lifetime – the San Diego Padre’s retirement ceremony for Trevor Hoffman’s #51 jersey.
Approximately seven months and ten days after announcing his retirement, PETCO Park and the City of San Diego were ready to pull out all the stops and honor closer, Trevor Hoffman with a pre-game retirement ceremony chock-full of goose bumps. As with all stadiums, I noticed a ton of “Welcome to PETCO Park” signs, but I had no idea just what kind of warm welcome I was in store for and what kind of instant Padres emotions I’d bear as a visitor.
This is no knock on Houston baseball (for once), but I’ve had the opportunity to witness some of Houston’s most recent baseball history including Craig Biggio’s 3000th career hit and Jeff Bagwell’s retirement ceremony during my stint in the Houston Astros Front Office. None of it compares to the warm and fuzzies of this piece of baseball magic at PETCO. The staff rolled out the red carpet from homeplate to the pitcher’s mound, which served as an 18-year path down memory lane as emcee Ted Leitner introduced coaches and teammates of past and present (I desperately tried to find a fitting reference to Matthew McConaughey’s Ghosts of Girlfriends Past simply for namesake but just couldn’t follow through).
A big fan of all things pop culture, one of the best parts of the ceremony had to be the video message from none other than Brian Johnson of AC/DC who had a special message for Hoffman. Hoffman had been using the AC/DC famous hit Hell’s Bells to mark his entrance dating back to ’98 – the same year he became a franchise icon. I quickly learned those dong sounds (yes, dong) had a huge heartfelt impact on San Diegans everywhere. “When we played that song at concerts we used to rock the crowd, but you rocked the mound, mate,” Johnson said during his video message.
Goose bumps may come a dime a dozen in my world, but tears definitely do not. I won’t pretend to be a Hoffman fan club leader, but the ending to this ceremony was second to none and definitely had my Maybelline Volum’ Express mascara running down my chubby little cheeks. As with all professional sporting events, the National Anthem is a part of the game. Probably the most touching gift you can give a man is the voice of his father, one he hasn’t heard since his passing in 1995. As a final “thank you” the Padres shifted attention to the video board where an extremely rare tape of Ed Hoffman, Trevor’s late father, singing the National Anthem at a Red Sox game from 1981 played. The entire Hoffman clan, friends and family alike, grabbed each other for support as they honored the late great Ed Hoffman singing from his heart. There is no money in the world that could duplicate such a feeling inside PETCO Park as this anthem did.
When Hoffman entered the Majors, the career saves record was 349 by pitching sensation Jeff Reardon. During his impressive career that lasted nearly two decades, Hoffman raised that bar by 72 percent where the record now sits at 601 saves. Of course, it’s not sports without some sort of controversy and that would come in the form of Mariano Rivera who is quickly closing in on Hoffman’s coveted MLB record. (At the time this was written, the pinstripe pitcher had 592 saves, plus a slew of post-season appearances, which Hoffman can’t match.)
Although I’m a huge fan of Major League Baseball, I’ll admit there are some teams (which in turn mean some players) I don’t follow as much as I probably should. Especially being in the sport’s writing business that I find myself. San Diego and Hoffman are one of those missing combos, where milestone saves aside; I haven’t really kept up with. It was touching to see the 40,000+ fans in attendance for Hoffman’s retirement ceremony with their cheers and occasional tears, especially when you know the start of the Hoffman|Padres relationship. He was not a very favored trade option as the front office needed to dump salary, which ultimately meant an unpopular trade sending fan-favorite Gary Sheffield to Florida, which brought Hoffman to San Diego as part of the deal in 1993. At the time people thought Gary Sheffield for Trevor Hoffman? Surely baseball operations in Southern California needed to be randomly drug tested after such a trade? Fans were outraged and took every opportunity to boo the rookie every time he took the mound. Hoffman, a rookie in everyway, who at this point had only notched 28 Major League appearances under his belt. Those were extremely small potatoes, especially when a franchise player like Sheffield was involved.
18 years of baseball. 18 years of stats. 18 years of memories. Trevor Time. The Numbers Game:
Padres General Manager, Randy Smith was on the job for 15 days before making the trade for Hoffman who has 601 total career saves with his first save dating back to April 29,1993. Hoffman started with a 95mph fastball whose signature pitch later became his hard-to-hit-changeup. Almost 16 years of his 18-year career was played in a Padres uniform where he recorded 552 of those record number saves. Hoffman was drafted in the 11th round by the Cincinnati Reds and is a 7-time All-Star and finished in the top 10 in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting twice. He became the fourth man ever with 50 saves in a season and finished in the top six in National League Cy Young Award voting four different times (finishing second in the 2006 Cy Young winners). Probably not his favorite stat, but Hoffman became the first pitcher ever not to win the trophy despite the fact he received the mostfirst-place votes. There is still a large discrepancy among the voters if a closer is worthy of such an award, and as a swift kick in the nuts, six writers left him completely off their ballot as their show of disapproval in his role on the pitching staff. Hoffman supported the Padres run to the World Series in 1998 with a club-record 53 saves, a career-best 1.48 ERA (a low 2.76 for his career) and a walloping 1.18 strikeouts per inning. His ERA in save situations was a miniscule 0.49 and the man was a complete stranger to pressure converting an astounding 89 percent of his save opportunities during his entire career wherein the ’98 season he failed just once in 54 tries. This gave him the unheard-of statistic of putting the lid on 54 percent of the Padres’ 98 victories that season. He has 4 National League West Division titles and has been quoted as saying, “the biggest and most coveted title I carried was teammate.”
During his tenure, Hoffman was only 1 of 2 pitchers with streaks of 4 straight seasons with at least 40 saves (Francisco Rodriguez the other) and overall has racked up 9 seasons of 40 or more saves which is virtually unheard of in the game. He has an impressive 1,133 strikeouts and has pitched in 1,035 games. He won the 2004 Hutch Award and was also the 2x NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year (1998, 2006). Hoffman donated $200 for every save to the National Kidney Foundation in honor of his late father, Ed Hoffman.
Hoffman’s #51 jersey now joins Steve Garvey’s #6, Randy Jones #35, Tony Gwynn’s #19 and Dave Winfield’s #31 in the batters’ eye in center-field as the only 5 numbers retired by the Padres franchise.
Trevor Time Trivia (courtesy of signonsandiego.com): Who are the 3 Padres who have entered games to Hell’s Bells at PETCO Park? Trevor Hoffman, Akinori Otsuka and Luke Gregerson.
The Blonde Side fun fact: Tracy, Hoffman’s wife, was a cheerleader for the Buffalo Jills, where he proposed to her while she was on the field during Super Bowl XXVII. Find a single guy out there on trivia night that knows this trivia tidbit. If you do find one, run, far, far away.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JLamm_HoffmanJersey_sign.jpg567401Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2011-08-23 19:52:182011-08-24 00:18:58It’s A Number’s Game
Let’s be honest. If there’s one thing worse than Heidi Montag’s 19-surgery day, it’s the Chicago Cubs. They are the epitome of the laugh factor inside the MLB and have been since their last championship in 1908. Yes, 1908 – twenty-two years after Henry Ford invented his first horseless carriage, aka car. So a long ass time ago.
Rather than dwell on the negativity of all things Cubs, because Lord knows that’s been done in overabundance, I’ve decided to take the high road or positive approach if you will, and talk about the lone admirable part of the franchise – Wrigley Field. It’s not like fans can boast about a recent pennant chase but they can sure as hell boast about their ballpark. I’ve been to my fair share of ballparks, but none do I love more than Wrigley. There’s a funny thing about Wrigley – it’s all about baseball. I hate to state the obvious, but not all ballparks are created equal. Not by any means. And it seems this one, which spews history off every baseline, was created for the truest of baseball fans.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/JLAMM_CUBBIEgirl.jpg365291Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2010-09-22 16:19:262016-10-26 10:34:51The One Thing Cubs Fans Have to Brag About
Last week I went to an Astros game and my seats were behind this cute little suburbia-esque family. The dad was sporting his bright white Reebok high-tops, Lance Berkman jersey and jean shorts, and the mom had her Ralph Lauren nautical themed polo neatly tucked into her pleated khaki slacks with their son and daughter sitting between the two of them. The little girl asked, “Daddy, when is halftime? I have to go potty!” It was kind of cute and funny until the reality of what she said sank in and I felt a pit in my stomach. It was cute and innocent that she asked when halftime was AT A BASEBALL GAME, but her dad’s response was anything but cute and innocent.
Last week I went to an Astros game and my seats were behind this cute little suburbia-esque family. The dad was sporting his bright white Reebok high-tops, Lance Berkman jersey and jean shorts, and the mom had her Ralph Lauren nautical themed polo neatly tucked into her pleated khaki slacks with their son and daughter sitting between the two of them. The little girl asked, “Daddy, when is halftime? I have to go potty!” It was kind of cute and funny until the reality of what she said sank in and I felt a pit in my stomach. It was cute and innocent that she asked when halftime was AT A BASEBALL GAME, but her dad’s response was anything but cute and innocent.
