About 10 minutes after the conclusion of the team's 3-2 win last night, I received news that put a damper on the evening: My beloved USC Trojans would receive a two-year post-season ban from football, in addition to other, in comparison, minor punishments. In speaking to friends on the team, it was evident something was going to happen and most of them, to be honest, were fearing the worst. Give me a day or two to get over the news and some time to really construct an unbiased opinion and I will write on this, because it definitely deserves some time.
On a much brighter note: How about Nick Anderson!? In front of his hometown crowd, he retired the final 17 batters he faced, overshadowing the fact that a combination of two Rochester pitchers retired the final 13 batters that they faced. Nick was dominant, going inside and outside with ease. And T.J. Berge hit the first HR of the season at Stewart C. Mills Field. Most importantly, the team snapped out of a four game skid!
Another player, Chadd Krist, is supposed to join the team today. He is a very good defensive catcher who had a tremendous season at the plate playing for Cal this past year. His efforts earned him 1st team All-Pac 10.
Most of the media I was trying to put up today was shaky, at best, so more to come tomorrow...hopefully everyone will be allowed into the craze of the Hacky Sack, which is occupying most of the players' free time while at the park.
Yesterday's game, from an organizational standpoint, went much better than Monday's game. Without rain, setup was taking place throughout the day, as opposed to cramming everything in the final two hours leading up to the opening of the gates.
From a broadcast standpoint, I thought the game went very well. I was happy--not satisfied--with my call. Today's another day and that means an opportunity to improve.
We are getting more in-booth emails and I am loving it. Hearing from the parents is great, too. Over the last two games, I received emails from a parent or the parents of current Lunkers Ian Horkley, Kyle Teague, and Connor Mielock. Connor's dad wrote all the way from Turkey! That's dedication! Keep the emails coming!
Hot Sports Opinion of the Day: I foreshadowed this yesterday...I am going to nominate and subsequently choose the MLB team I think has the best young core. For the sake of the argument, I am looking solely at each team's 40 man roster at players 27 or younger.
I will go one division per day, picking each division's winner before selecting the overall winner. This should give me enough time to sit on the USC sanctions before writing about them. By the way, this tournament will take a break tomorrow so I can write about one of my favorite sporting events of all time: the World Cup.
AL East
Tampa Bay: They have so much youth that their bid is more of a squadron than a core. The lone problem with this team is sustainability. Unless fans start coming to Tropicana Field and help the team make money, they will start becoming a poor man's Florida Marlins (until the Marlins get their new stadium). However, they can field a four-man rotation of studs 27 and younger: Jeff Niemann, Matt Garza, Wade Davis, and arguably the American League's best pitcher so far this season, David Price. Offensively, Evan Longoria is a stud and is starting to implement his fifth tool--speed--to his game. B.J. Upton is an enigma and reminds me of Rickie Weeks. All the potential in the world but a lack of plate discipline that diminishes he speed and talent. 24 year-old Reid Brignac is having a solid year at the plate, as well, hitting nearly .300.
Youth Leader: Evan Longoria. Price is a very close second, but I will give the nod to the guy who is an everyday impact player.
New York: The only reason they are in this argument is because of 23 year-old Phil Hughes. Developing young players is just not the Yankees m.o.. But, if you want to see what their team will look like a few years down the road, it is more than likely it will be comprised of at least five players on this list. They don't develop, they take what you develop and make it theirs. Cano, a Yankee product, is 27, which is young, but on the older side of being young. Joba, much like Upton, has a world of talent but just hasn't developed.
Youth Leader: Robinson Cano. Once again, the nod goes to the position player over the pitcher, Phil Hughes. Cano has developed in a gold-glove caliber second baseman with power, speed, and the ability to hit 20+ HR.
Boston: They have some legitimacy because Pedroia is only 26. He, Jon Lester, Daniel Bard, and Clay Buccholz make up their Mt. Rushmore of youth. Yeah, I left Jacoby off of the mountain...I think he is a pretty good player, too, though I personally think he is slightly overrated. What makes Boston more appealing in this argument is that they do tend to develop their own talent (read: Tampa Bay) AND they have the money to keep them (read: New York). Bard is the closer of the future and between Lester and Buccholz, it will be tough to find a better pair of young pitchers in the bigs, but obviously they don't need to look too far to find their first argument with the Rays' young staff. Buccholz is really starting to come into his own this season, posting a 2.52 ERA through 12 starts.
Youth Leader: Dustin Pedroia. Can't argue against a guy that's won an MVP, right?
Toronto: They certainly have quantity of big names. Ricky Romero is having the best year so far and has ace potential, if he isn't one already. A lefty with impeccable control and great life on all of the pitches, he has lived up to the hype. Travis Snider, their former first rounder is 22 and therefore tough to project what his .241 average so far this year will mean in the future, but the potential is there. Marc Rzepczynski is a young lefty with good talent, but certainly not someone with ace potential like other pitchers already mentioned within the division. Brandon Morrow has the power arm, but after a few years of MLB experience, is still struggling to locate his fastball, both for strikes, and then within the zone, leaving too many balls over the plate. Adam Lind had a phenomenal year last year, and while that still holds water, he is struggling mightily and we are already in June. Plus, he is best used as a DH, possessing no true defensive versatility. At the end of the day, they have one star, a few guys with potential that still haven't developed, and a few guys that project to be good--maybe even pretty good--but not great players.
Youth Leader: Ricky Romero. Without question.
Baltimore: The All-Hype Team! For the last three years I've heard people say about the Orioles, "Just give them a year and their young players are going to carry them far and they will challenge for the division." Ummm, I am still waiting. First, let's get Jake Arrieta and Troy Patton out the way as they are two more hyped Orioles on the 40-man, but they have yet to make their debuts. Nick Markakis is a pretty good player, but hasn't developed into a great player. Outfielders that hit .290 and hit 20 bombs are a dime a dozen. I will take it easy on Brian Matusz, who, at 23, is struggling in his first full season...but beware that one year of struggling might lead to a second and a third, and a fourth, etc., as has been the case for many of their young players. That's been the case for Adam Jones, who was supposed be one of the best outfielders, now in his fourth year. Let's hope it isn't the case for the promising Matt Wieters. He is measured on a harsher scale, though, because as a college kid (Georgia Tech), he is supposed be MLB ready quicker, and at 24 (the same age as the 4-year vet, Jones), he is hitting below .250. It's his first full season, I know, but it's tough to let that slide when people have been saying that about all of Baltimore's young talent since the Red Sox supplanted them as New York's biggest competition in the late 90's. Same story for Nolen Reimold, who is flirting with the Mendoza line. Brad Bergesen, a former fourth rounder, has taken a step backwards this season, too.
Youth Leader: Nick Markakis. Who else could it be?
And the Winner Is...Tampa Bay. They have 13 players 27 or younger contributing positively to their team this season (and, as mentioned, their young studs coming up, which are all over prospect lists, are not counted at all in this argument). That's more than half of their 25-man roster and pretty tough to argue against. Their oldest player? 34 (Randy Choate and Gbe Kapler). Their oldest major contributor? 32 (Carlos Pena).
2. Boston: Might win in any other division....
3. New York: Because everyone else's young talent will be theirs, and Cano is the best 2B in the AL
4. Toronto: Not enough young studs, just good players
5. Baltimore: Tons of hype, no results.
Sports Pick of the Day: South Africa over Mexico. Emotional pick? Yeah. I am very proud of my South African heritage. You saw what they did playing in front of their home crowd in the Confederations Cup.
Record: 7-3
Streak: W1
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