The Who Should the Yankees Sign Debate Verdict

November 8, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer.

While the post-season celebration in the City by the Bay may finally start cooling off, the old Hot Stove is just heating up. Mere days removed from the San Francisco Giants World Series championship, some 29 other teams are already thinking about how to unseat the Giants during the 2011 season.

With huge contracts and blockbuster deals in the works, the baseball landscape as we know it could be in for a major overall. The actions in the days to come serves as a crucial indicator for the upcoming season as teams make statements about their willingness to compete or rebuild by being buyers or sellers on the off-season market. It is during this pivotal time that championship contenders are made. This is a very exciting time for a baseball obsessed seam-heads like myself, but especially so for Yankees’ fans in particular.

The Yanks are already making waves with high profile drama about the anxiety ridden task of finding an appropriate deal for the Yankees captain, Derek Jeter. But the Bombers will not be content to just sit on their laurels and re-sign core players. This season is about reloading. Now, deciding which free agents and players on the trading block are worth the asking price, and which players are the next overpaid (yeah I’m talking to you Javier Vasquez and Carl Pavano), is the necessity of the time.

There has been much speculation that the Yankees will make a run at acquiring Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford. While the Yankees have the economic resources to sign both players (not to mention pay off a good portion of the national deficit while they are at it), today’s debate explores the hypothetical scenario of: If the Yankees could only sign one person between free agent pitcher Cliff Lee and free agent outfielder Carl Crawford, who should the team sign?

Bleacher Fan provided what can be aptly called a thorough argument for the Yankees to sign free agent left fielder Carl Crawford. His main premise hinged on the fact that while the addition of Lee would be nice, it was not necessary. I have to admit that I wasn’t completely convinced that the need for another top tier pitcher would be entirely superfluous, but his description of the advantages of adding Crawford to the Yankees’ lineup were undeniable.

The Yankees have clearly been moving towards a more all around athletic club. This ascension of players, like Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson, are proof enough of that, and Crawford fits that mold perfectly. He brings the speed of the former with the power of the latter. Not to mention the best fielding in the AL. It is tough to argue with the attractiveness of adding a player like that, but Loyal Homer was more than willing to give it a try.

Loyal Homer made a strong case for the New York Yankees to acquire free agent pitching phenom Cliff Lee. As is often the case in Yankee Universe, the team has become enamored with a player that has dominating success against the Yankees. As Loyal Homer adeptly points out, Lee nearly single handedly eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs, and if that doesn’t qualify as success against a given team then I don’t know what does. This has no doubt made him an all the more attractive option for the Bombers. Add to that the fact that the Yankees made a huge push for Lee and failed to land him before the trade deadline, and we are talking about team wants Lee more than Brett Favre wants attention.

Aside from C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees’ rotation is about as stable as a Milton Bradley meltdown. Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett are both hot and cold pitchers that cannot be counted on during the post-season. As Loyal Homer’s observes, Andy Pettite’s Brett Favre-esque “will he or won’t he” retirement melodrama only serves to further undermine the stability of the rotation. So it’s clear that acquiring Lee would be a great first step in shoring up a beleaguered rotation, not to mention providing them with a great one-two punch in the post-season.

What ultimately determined the outcome of this debate was a statement Loyal Homer made about what might have been if the Yankees acquired Lee in July, rather than see him slip to the Rangers.

We all know that scenario actually played out – with Texas beating the Yankees in six games and going on to their first World Series in franchise history – but Loyal Homer’s hypothetical scenario got me thinking about how the 2010 post-season would have played out with Lee in pinstripes. The Yankees probably would still have beaten the Twins, and would probably handled a Lee-less Rangers rotation with relative ease. But would the World Series have proven any better for the Yankees than it did for the Rangers?

I have to believe it would not.

Lee proved less effective in the World Series, and that was with a much hotter offense than the Yankees displayed this October. Although Lee’s presence would undeniably make the Yankees a better team, there is no proof that it would have made the Yankees into World Series champs. In fact, the evidence points to the contrary. Crawford, on the other hand, packs more potential. Based off of the numbers that Bleacher Fan presented, it seems likely that Crawford’s potent bat behind Derek Jeter would certainly prove more effective. It could even have a trickledown effect providing relief to the rest of the lineup by bumping a bigger bat like Nick Swisher further back in the order and removing questionable DHs like Marcus Thames altogether. While Crawford isn’t a sure thing (because really, who is besides Mariano Rivera) he has more potential upside given his track record. That’s why I’m awarding this debate win to the Bleacher Fan. While I don’t have a fat contract offer for you, you have my congratulations and another notch in the victory column.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Resigning Derek Jeter Debate Verdict

October 26, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Babe Ruthless.

Although I don’t live in New York, I can only imagine that the wind tunnel of New York sports talk radio is directing its gale-force winds directly at Yankee Stadium and the Yankees’ brain trust. New York sports fans are famously outspoken, and in my experience, Yankees fans take that to heights beyond the fans of other NYC-area franchises. We decided, though, we’d help out Brian Cashman and make his decision for him. So, Mr. Cashman, read our decision for you and feel free to send our tiny consulting fee whenever it’s appropriate. Thanks… and now to the verdict.

Loyal Homer made a very compelling statistical argument that Jeter is certainly not the player he was at the beginning of his 10-year contract. Indeed, he may not be the same player he was just last season. He also, at least in my mind, successfully parried the point made by many Jeter aficionados that he is well worth the money and a lengthy contract because he could eventually become a DH for the Yankees. Loyal Homer points out that Jeter’s declining statistics may not portend the kind of offense the Yankees would like to see out of the DH spot when Jeter gives up his spot at shortstop.

Where Loyal Homer began to lose me, however, was when he stated that financial considerations may enter into the equation for the Yankees. While I could see the two parties squabbling over the length of the contract and things of that nature, I cannot imagine the Yankees playing the “Hey Derek, we don’t have the money” card. Even facing an off-season with some moves to be made, I cannot imagine the money machine that is the New York Yankees and YES Network running out and forcing the club to kick Mr. November to the curb.

After wiping the slobber off my copy of Babe Ruthless’ argument I began to examine some of the points he made. He writes, “Derek Jeter is worth every penny the Yankees shell out for him and more.” While I don’t disagree that he was, I’m not convinced that he is. Loyal Homer brought some statistical analysis to the table that seemed, in my mind, to be superior to Babe Ruthless’ breathless opinion. Later in his post, Babe refuted a semi-scientific fielding effectiveness study by implying the originators of the study brought some undisclosed bias to the table. While I’m not saying that’s impossible, I needed more than Babe’s opinion to counteract the statistics brought to the table by Loyal Homer.

When Babe Ruthless started talking about Jeter’s legendary status, however, I began to tilt my verdict in his favor. While I am not sure that Jeter’s legend is quite as bright outside New York as it is inside New York, there is no doubt that he is one of the greatest Yankees of all time. More importantly, the Yankees deal in legends – it is the backbone of the organization. They are rightly regarded as the greatest franchise in baseball and, simply put, they are not going to kick a guy to the curb who is going to have a plaque in Monument Park. While there may be some public sniping, I truly believe the Yankees will do what it takes to put Jeter in pinstripes for the rest of his career – and they should.

While I would regard Babe’s victory here as more of a scorecard win than a knockout, a W is a W and an L is an L. Congrats, Babe, and watch in the mail for your victory prize – three free therapy sessions with 30 Rock’s Dr. Leo Spaceman to cure the man crush you have on Derek Jeter. Enjoy!

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The Resigning Derek Jeter Debate… Jeter Deserves a Captain’s Bounty

October 25, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Loyal Homer.

After a less than stellar 2010 season it would be exceedingly easy to make an argument against rewarding Derek Jeter with a huge contract. Although Jeter was selected to his eleventh All-Star game and managed to lead his team to within two games of the World Series, 2010 was considered a down year for the Yankees Captain. With Jeter posting the lowest season totals of his career, it seems counterintuitive that he should be rewarded with a massive contract extension or even a raise, but that is exactly what should happen this off-season.

Were it any other team or any other player in baseball, I would agree that a 36-year old shortstop with a .270 batting average should not make $22,600,000, and that number certainly should not increase moving forward. But the truth of the matter is we are not just talking about any other player in baseball. We are talking about Mr. November here… Captain Clutch.

Derek Jeter is worth every penny the Yankees shell out for him and more. Not only is he still a more than capable batter and fielder, he is a marketing force and arguably the face of baseball. That is something you quite simply can’t put a price tag on. So if the Yankees don’t decide to make him the most richly compensated player in baseball for whatever the length of his next contract is, then Bud Selig should pass around a hat to every club in MLB to pay the difference, because without Derek Jeter, baseball wouldn’t be the same.

Legendary Price

When Brian Cashman and company finally get around to making an offer, the Yankees are sure to overpay for Jeter, at least by the going market standard. That much is a given. To expect less would be to expect the Yankees not to be… well, the Yankees. But this debate isn’t really about whether the Yankees are going to spend too much money, as much as it is about whether Jeter is worth the price. Which, he is.

Since he entered the league as Rookie of the Year in 1996 he has been winning awards and breaking records. He holds enough World Series hardware to occupy a whole hand. Jeter is both a former All-Star Game and World Series MVP, and he holds a list of franchise and post-season records too numerous to mention. His impressive resume is proof enough of his value.

Derek Jeter is an icon. He is a charismatic figure who attracts people to both the Yankees and baseball. I’ve met more than a few people who didn’t like baseball but were Derek Jeter fans. In this regard he is easily comparable to Michael Jordan or Brett Favre, and I dare say those guys were worth the money their ability and legacy command, above perhaps what most teams would pay for them in the latter part of their career.

The two most important things to remember about this debate are first, that Derek Jeter is no ordinary player and second that this is no ordinary contract situation.

Jeter commands the respect of his peers and his rivals. The expression “living legend” is often overused in sports, but it is never more appropriate than in Derek Jeter’s case. His name is held in the same company as names like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Lou Gehrig, so at contract time that name comes with a price. As Andrew March of ESPN.com points out, any offer the Yankees make to Jeter will have to include paying the “legend tax” associated with him. He goes on to explain how one former GM described the situation by saying, “It is the exception to the rule… it is not a rational contract. He is Derek Jeter.” I could not agree more with that assessment. It is because Jeter’s legacy eclipses his rather sizeable on-field value that the Yankees will bring the house, but even still he is worth the Yankees investment.

Still Clutch After All These Years

Again, it would be very easy to dismiss my argument as the ravings of a biased Yankees fan that views the world through pin striped glasses, but to do so would be a fallacy. Derek Jeter is still a remarkable athlete.

Despite criticisms of his fielding, Jeter is far from being ineffective. In 2008 a statistical study of fielders’ effectiveness named Derek Jeter the least effective fielder in MLB. As outrageous as that claim was, some people still put stock into the notion because it was purported as indisputable scientific fact, and of course any baseball fan would be a fool not to put their faith in statistics right? Wrong!

Like most things in life, the statistics and research can be used to prove or disprove a notion depending on the researcher’s bias. As with all research, it is a matter of validity, reliability, and bias. While I still question whether that study was an accurate measurement of a fielders worth, at least I am forthcoming about my pro-Yankees bias. I find it hard to believe that Derek Jeter was the worst fielder at shortstop, let alone the worst fielder at any position in baseball as the study asserted, and believe that there was certainly some bias in the researchers’ calls. Regardless, the mere fact that people were alleging he was ineffective drove him to go out and win a Gold Glove award the following season (2009) as he had done thrice before (2004,2005, and 2006).

Derek Jeter is clearly getting the job done well enough to hold his position. A former shortstop, one of the best of his generation, happens to play about 90 feet away, from Jeter yet he retains the job. That is certainly saying something in the sometimes hostile, always unforgiving New York market. This is a city that booed the most dominant closer in post-season history after a couple of ill-timed blown saves. If club management or the New York fans had even an inkling of doubt about Jeter’s ability his tenure at short would already be over. Rest assured, there is no hole in his glove, and Jeter can still make plays like the best to play the game.

Clutch When It Counts

Despite his 2010 numbers there is still a great deal of life in Derek Jeter’s bat. His value isn’t in the long ball, but in his uncanny ability to work counts, see pitches, and make well-placed hits when his team needs it most. Even more remarkable is Jeter’s uncanny ability to do this during the post-season year after year. It is well known that the Yankees’ the season doesn’t start until October, and that seems to be when Captain Clutch is at his best. Even this season Jeter seemed to be better in the post-season. Although his numbers weren’t on par with the lofty standards he has established, he still hit well. When the big bats of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira seem to cool, the Captain’s bat seems to heat up. That’s a value that drives Jeter to the top of the salary charts and supersedes any apparent regression he made this season.

Still, there are mountains to be climbed for Jeter. He could potentially be one of the few individuals in baseball to see 3,000 hits, and even 4,000 hits is a mark not beyond the realm of the possible. Just as A-Rod’s chase of the homerun record makes him even more valuable in terms of ticket sales and television ratings for the YES Network, so too is Jeter’s chase of Pete Rose’s all time hits record. That alone makes him among the most valuable asset in baseball.

Bottom line, Derek Jeter is worth the investment. It doesn’t matter what I think or what Loyal Homer thinks as much as what Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenners believe. If history repeats itself, number two will be paid like the Prince of New York.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Resigning Derek Jeter Debate… Time to Move on From the Jeter Era

October 25, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Babe Ruthless.

Much to the dismay of Fox executives (but to the delight of a lot of fans), the New York Yankees were eliminated by the Texas Rangers Friday night in the ALCS. That quick dismissal brought to the forefront a lot of questions that many Yankees fans have been debating amongst themselves all season long.

Today, we’re tackling that big elephant in the room that has been hovering pretty much all season. What to do with Yankees captain and franchise face Derek Jeter, whose ten year, $189M contract has just expired? The Yankees organization has an extremely difficult and sensitive decision to make regarding the face of the Yankees. But in the interests of putting the best team on the field, the team must move on and cut ties with Derek Jeter.

No one, least of all me, is diminishing what Jeter has accomplished in his time in pinstripes. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer and when history looks back on this era of the Yankees, #2 will be the number that is remembered first. Heck, looking back at the steroid era, he’s one of the “clean” faces of baseball during that time, he of the Velcro-strap gloves. But let’s look at what’s happened in 2010, his contract year.

He finished the regular season hitting .270 with 10 home runs and 67 RBI. No, those numbers don’t belong to Marco Scutaro. They belong to Derek Jeter. Keep in mind that Jeter plays 81 games a season in the boom box known as Yankee Stadium. His slugging percentage of .370 was near the bottom of the team for much of the season. Both the average and the slugging percentage were easily the lowest of his career as a starter. Is that what you want from your leadoff hitter? Is that what you want to throw big time dollars at?

It should also be noted that Jeter is 36-years old, which makes him the oldest starting shortstop in baseball. He still has a solid glove, as he made only six errors this season, but you have to wonder how long his body will hold up to play such a physically demanding position. Will his legs allow him to cover the ground and be the shortstop that we’ve grown up seeing since he broke in as a rookie in 1996? Or will he be forced to move into a DH position two to three years down the road and play out the string in a designated hitter with the Yankees… or some other team? Is he the guy you really want as a designated hitter? In theory, you’d like to have your designated hitter to be a big popper. Jeter doesn’t fit that description.

While I know the word “budget” rarely enters the equation when discussing the Yankees, the Yankees did prove in the 2010 ALCS that they have some holes on the team. With the exception of basically one inning they were thoroughly dominated for much of the series. The bats were quieted as the team only hit .201 in the ALCS. Money will be obligated to go get another hitter, surely. And you can bet they are going to throw BIG time money at Cliff Lee. At some point, even the Yankees have to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.

No one is dismissing what Jeter is accomplishing, least of all me. But in this “win at all costs era,” the cost is Jeter’s time in the Bronx. It’s time to go.

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Is LRMR Good For the NBA Debate… LRMR Spells Collaborative Empowerment

August 3, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Bleacher Fan.

This whole LRMR thing is getting out of hand.

The problem is people don’t know what LRMR is and what it is here to do. So please allow me to clarify. Contrary to popular belief, it is not an enemy of the state. It’s not a seedy crime syndicate. And it’s not an evil force out to destroy the world.

So now that we know what LRMR isn’t – the Taliban, the mafia, or Justin Beiber – let us try to establish what LRMR is.

It is a marketing agency, plain and simple. A marketing agency that is trying to strengthen the brand of those it represents through collaborative endorsement, not undermine basketball.

Think about the Michael Jordan brand. On his own MJ is one of the most marketable sports stars in history, but somewhere along the lines he discovered that his brand was stronger and more valuable when it was supported by a broad network of stars. Today, names like Derek Jeter, Jason Taylor, and Carmelo Anthony all represent the Jordan brand in different sports and cities, now the Jordan symbol is truly iconic and transcends basketball. That’s similar to the approach that LRMR is implementing, but it is not just limited to a player’s brand. Now players seek to establish control over their careers and where they will play by working together. This collaborative empowerment is not a threat to basketball, but is simply the next logical step in the progression of the game. LRMR is leading the way though the journey is not without its fair share of struggles.

At the very heart of the issue is the simple fact that LRMR is a marketing agency that is ironically experiencing a bit of bad publicity. The focal figure of the agency is the talented and controversial LeBron James. The company was built by, for, and around King James and his brand. That means as goes the public perception of James, so goes that of LRMR. Despite being nearly a month removed from “The Decision” there is still a significant backlash against James, and not surprisingly the negative feelings carry over to LRMR.

But what has the company actually done wrong? I say, “nothing!” LRMR has put its clients in the driver’s seat to their future. It has driven up value through collaboration with other stars. Nowhere is that more apparent than with James’ decision to join with stars and friend Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Clearly James and his agency believed that his worth as part of a super team was even greater than being the biggest fish in a small pond. The fact that it wasn’t just LeBron choosing, but James and Co. deciding where the best opportunities exist for everyone speaks volumes of this new collective player empowerment.

Some critics may attack this strategy and decry it as collusion, but that’s far from accurate. Collusion refers to a secretive agreement, which James decision to consult with other free agents certainly wasn’t. Near the end of the playoffs James seemed to be telling anyone that would listen that he felt that he and other free agent stars could reshape the NBA landscape by collaborating on where to go and how that could impact the NBA for the better.

This is somewhat of a paradigm shift for the NBA and sports in general. It demonstrates how owner’s control over players and the league is continually eroding as players demand more control. James’ decision was so shocking in part because it was one of the few times in sports where a player decided something besides money – owners’ biggest bargaining chip – was their biggest priority. Make no mistake, this was no fluke. It was a benchmark in the evolution of player empowerment.

It has been happening for a while. From free agency to no-trade clauses, players have slowly been assuming more control over their own careers. This is yet another milestone in that journey. Just as factory workers demanding more money, better conditions, and a shorter work day was once unfathomable it became a reality through cooperation and worker unity. So, too, is the case for modern athletes. By no means am I saying they are underpaid or ill-treated, but they have discovered that they are stronger together than they are apart.

My opponent for this debate, Bleacher Fan, will no doubt point to the actions of New Orleans guard Chris Paul. Despite two years remaining on his contract with the Hornets, he has attempted to force a trade since signing with LRMR. I will concede the point that it is neither ethical nor wise for players to try to void their legal commitments with a team in order to further their worth and brand. But Paul is an extreme case which really hasn’t worked out. If anything, his attempts at forcing a trade illustrate an isolated incident of the growing pains the league faces as players attempt to test the boundaries of their new found power.

Right now LRMR may not be liked. It is certainly not like by those who stand to lose the most when players gain power – the owners. But it is just part of inevitable progress. No one is asking the owners or media to like it… just accept it. I would be foolish to think I could persuade today’s judge, Sports Geek, into thinking LRMR is the greatest thing to hit basketball since the three point shot, but it is progress. It is an undeniable example of athletes taking ownership of their career, just as any worker would want to do in their respective field. Professional athletes are some of the most handsomely rewarded workers in the world, but they are workers nonetheless. We should not be surprised that they are following a historical path to progress. The LRMR is not the enemy. It is the future.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The MLB 2010 Best First Half Player Debate… Robinson Cano is A Triple Threat

July 5, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan.

Robinson Cano is the best first half player in baseball, and I have 4,135,305 reasons to back it up.

That, of course, is the number of votes he received during this year’s All-Star Game selection voting. Cano’s 2010 performance impressed the fans so much that he dominated the voting throughout the entire process, never losing his lead for the starting second base position. His 4,135,305 votes were the third largest number of votes received by a player in the AL, finishing behind Joe Mauer of the Twins and Cano’s teammate and Yankees Captain, Derek Jeter. In total, he finished fourth in MLB, trailing only Albert Pujols in the National League, no doubt an impressive feat unrivaled in the list of accomplishments for the 27 year old slugger.

Since breaking into the big leagues in 2005, Robinson Cano has struggled with consistency. He has been somewhat of a hot and cold player, tearing the cover off the ball one month only to turn ice cold and slump the next. But so far 2010 has been a different story entirely.

After working all Spring Training with his hitting coach, Kevin Long, to develop better plate discipline, his efforts are paying off big time. He leads New York in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, slugging percentage, and batting average. This is incredible, considering this world championship lineup boasts names like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixiera, and Jorge Posada. Leading the Yankees in one of these categories is an accomplishment in itself, let alone all of them. His achievements, however, are not limited to his ball club.

Cano ranks among the best in baseball in terms the Triple Crown categories. While his 55 RBI lag behind the rest of the pack – ranking 18th in MLB – his batting average and home run totals more than make up for it. Cano has hit for a .343 average in the first half, ranking second in the majors. His 17 homeruns are nothing to scoff at either. Cano’s round trippers rank as the fifth largest in baseball.

To me, the evidence that Cano is the having the best first half in baseball comes from his hits, slugging percentage, and run totals. Cano has accumulated 109 hits so far this season. That ties him for second in baseball with Ichiro Suzuki. That’s right, I said Ichiro! He is absolutely raking the ball, and what makes this even more impressive is that Cano’s hits are coming from the second base position, a spot usually not known for its offensive dominance. As Sports Illustrated writer Tom Verducci points out, “Cano has become a rare gem in baseball: a second baseman with game-changing slugging ability.” Verducci illustrates his point by explaining that the greater than .600 slugging percentage that Cano held as recently as June was last duplicated at the second base position in 1929 by Rogers Hornsby. I would say that’s pretty elite company. His 59 runs are just as impressive, tying him for fourth in the majors. That gives him numbers usually reserved for leadoff batters. Even more astonishing is that Cano is getting the job done on the base paths the hard way. He is scoring these runs largely without the assistance of thievery, only stealing two bases all season.

While my competition for this debate mistakenly think that Joe Mauer and Josh Hamilton are having the best seasons in baseball, only Mauer’s number remotely compare. While Hamilton is a great power hitter, his game is more one dimensional. Mauer on the other hand has a well rounded hitting game like Cano and even bests him – although microscopically – in a few categories. The biggest difference that, for me, makes Cano so much better is the fact that he is carrying the New York Yankees this season in the cut-throat AL East. It is inarguable that the AL East is one of, if not the most competitive divisions in baseball. Cano has become one of the most instrumental players to the Yankees success. Day in and day out Cano has succeeded in a Yankees lineup that has been missing the punch of its biggest bats, A-Rod and Teixeira, and again he is doing this as a second baseman. The fact that Cano manages this elite offensive play while providing ample defense at a more challenging position to field than Mauer makes him my pick for the best player of 2010, and well deserving of his All-Star nod. For those who aren’t believers in Cano’s staying power, the second half will surely tell the story. But I am betting he will be around the top of the statistical leader boards for a while to come.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The 2010 Summer’s Best Event Debate… Two Perfect Summer Days

May 10, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

Summer has always held a special place in the hearts and minds of Americans. When we were children it offered a retreat from teachers, homework, and the annoyance of school. In our adulthood it provides a similar escape from the stress and rigors of dealing with work, bills, and, in general, adult responsibilities. The magical moments made possible by more daylight and warmer temperatures may not be measureable, but they are very real. For a sports fanatic like me, summer comes to a fevered pitch for two days in July with the pinnacle of all Summer sporting events.

With the patriotism of the Fourth of July still fresh on our minds, Americans turn to their national pastime to be treated to one of the most grandiose displays in all of sports. Two days of clutch hits, eye-popping Web Gems, and jaw dropping long ball blasts that reward the baseball faithful, and convert the nonbelievers. It is two days of, unequivocally, the most anticipated and greatest sporting event of the summer. The two days are the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

The marquee event itself, the MLB All-Star Game, is truly fantasy baseball in the real world. Fans get to see what an N.L. infield of Albert Pujols, Chase Utley, David Wright, and Hanley Ramirez is capable of, or the A.L. lineup containing the potent fire power of Ichiro Suzuki, Derek Jeter, Manny Ramirez, and Alex Rodriguez. But, the All-Star Game is not just a glorified batting practice. Elite level pitching gets its chance to shine as well. Fans are treated to watching many of their favorites and frontrunners for the Cy Young Award engage in matchups against the best hitters in the game. In the same respect, All-Star rosters contain mind-blowing bullpens that include shutdown closers like Joakim Soria, Jonathan Papelbon, and Mariano Rivera in the AL. and Jonathan Broxton, Francisco Rodriguez, and Trevor Hoffman in the N.L. The All-Star Game is a virtual cavalcade of the best players in baseball. The greatest pitchers and batters converge on that one night creating lasting memories of one unforgettable experience.

Like baseball itself, the All-Star Game has a rich history. The game isn’t just about what might happen, but what already happened. The Great Bambino hit the first home run in All-Star Game history during the 1933 game. Just 16 years later, number 42 continued to break barriers as he and three other African American players integrated the All-Star roster. Some 50 years after the tradition of the All-Star Game began there had never been a grand slam, but the California Angel’s Fred Lynn hit the game’s first. And he did it in Comiskey Park, the same place the game began, and where Babe went yard half a Century before. Even in the modern millennia the game reaches new heights. In 2007 Ichiro hit the first inside the park homerun in the game’s impressive history. As records get broken and history gets written, fans are treated to one of the greatest displays in all of sports. The All-Star game is simply a can’t-miss event.

As exciting as the All-Star Game is, it is preceded by an event of equal magnitude – The Home Run Derby. The Derby is pure excitement. What do people like about baseball more than a home run? Absolutely nothing! The home run is the most exciting aspect of baseball, and the derby puts it on center stage. The shock and awe display of batting firepower leaves fans breath-taken. Players don’t just hit homers at the derby; they perform superhuman feats, smashing balls into the Summer night. In 2002 “Slammin” Sammy Sosa mashed the longest dinger in the history of the Home Run Derby, sending the ball on a 524 foot one way trip. In 2005 Bobby Abreu surprised the fans at Comerica Park in Detroit by shattering records hitting a massive total of 41 homeruns into the Detroit night. It turns players and casual fans alike into children again. Little boys that marvel at the greatest hitters in the game doing what they do best. Grown ball players ask each other to pose for pictures and sign autographs. They even overlook team and divisional rivalries to represent baseball and their league. It is one great night for baseball, and one great night to be a fan.

The best part of the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are the unexpected storylines. In 2008 the All-Star Game and Derby returned to New York for Yankee Stadium’s swan song. Everyone expected Yankee Stadium itself to steal the show as the Yankees spared no expense to give Baseball’s Cathedral the type of send off the hallowed grounds deserved. But another story dwarfed any story the baseball world was pushing. Josh Hamilton did something special during the 2008 Home Run Derby.

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who was once banned from baseball and struggled through multiple stints in rehab, seemed to be living his dream, and America was there to witness every emotional minute of it. On that one night in Yankee Stadium Hamilton let the world see how far he had come. Hamilton’s fight against substance abuse nearly cost him his baseball career, and more importantly, his life. But the world saw him overcome his personal demons one swing at a time. With his old (and I mean old) BP pitcher Claybon Council throwing to him, Hamilton established himself as one of the premier sluggers in the game. He hit an astonishing 28 homers… in one round. Hamilton’s historic shots surpassed the previous benchmark of 24 established by Bobby Abreu in 2005. Hamilton also hit the third longest home run in derby history, a 518 foot blast. The big story of the night was not the incredible number of home runs Hamilton hit, but the unforgettable tale of redemption that it represented.

Completely spent from the first two rounds, and his 71-year-old pitcher Council still somehow hanging on, Hamilton finished in second place overall, but walked away as the peoples champ and clear winner on the night.

Each year’s All-Star Game and Home Run Derby bring the opportunity for stories like these to be written. This year, when the greatest players in baseball converge on Anaheim California, another unscripted, miraculous story will develop. You don’t want to miss it.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Bad Team with an MVP Player Debate – MVP… No Matter What

October 1, 2009

Read the debate intro and Bleacher Fan’s argument that the MVP shouldn’t come from a losing team.



As the 2009 MLB regular season winds down, the Sports Debates is taking a look at postseason awards. Hey, we have to with all of the playoff berths all but clinched! We are not declaring who we think should win various awards, though. Next week, stay tuned for a debate on whether or not a reliever should be eligible to win the Cy Young Award. For today, as Sports Geek stated in the intro, we are debating whether or not the Most Valuable Player can come from a losing team. I believe that an MVP can come from a losing team.

There have been examples other than the one Sports Geek used in the intro. In 2006, Ryan Howard, who played on a Philadelphia Phillies team that did not make it to the playoffs, won the MVP award over St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, who played on a team that made the playoffs and eventually won the World Series. It caused quite a stir at the time when Pujols said, “I see it this way… someone who doesn’t take his team to the playoffs doesn’t deserve to win the MVP.”

Pujols has since recanted that statement.

When voters are filling out their ballot, they are told on the ballot to consider the following:

  • Actual value of a player to his team, that is, strength of offense and defense
  • Number of games played
  • General character, disposition, loyalty, and effort

Nowhere does it say that the record of the team should come into play.

“Valuable” means, in the context of this situation, that player has “considerable use, service, or importance.” Voters obviously agreed that Andre Dawson was of “considerable use, service, or importance” in 1987, much the same way voters agreed that Howard met the same requirements in 2006. The record of the team had no relevance then, and it should not now.

Let me give an example from a different industry… the movie industry. When Academy Award voters are voting for Best Actor, they do not vote for the best actor of the top grossing movie of the year. They vote for whom they think had the best acting performance of the year. This is often why Oscar winners often come from smaller, independent movies rather than large, major studio films. It is obviously a different industry, but I use the example to portray that the thinking is along the same lines.

Using 2009 as an example, is Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer any less valuable to his team than someone like Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter just because the Twins are likely not going to make the playoffs and the Yankees are going to make it? I do not think so!

Playoffs? Playoffs? Are You kidding me? You wanna talk to me about playoffs? No, talk to me about individual performance. Talk about how valuable a player is to a team. Talk about that, and then decide who the Most Valuable Player in the league is every year!

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Rooting For Your Archrival Debate – Winning is The Only Thing That Matters

September 10, 2009

Read the debate intro, Sports Geek’s argument, and Bleacher Fan’s argument.



My verdict for this debate is sure to aggravate the loser. I make this statement because I can feel the passion in every line of Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan’s argument. Perhaps even more in Bleacher Fan’s.

Bleacher Fan obviously refuses to root for any archrival. Bleacher Fan, under no circumstances, can come to grips with rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Baltimore Ravens. There is obviously a lot of built up anger toward both organizations, making it impossible to pull for them under any circumstances. As a fan, I can appreciate that. I also appreciated the He-Man reference. That was admittedly the first time in quite awhile I devoted any thought to the Masters of the Universe!

Sports Geek breaks down the counter argument into three different segments, effectively portraying the opposing side by saying, “the duty of fans is to root for the best possible outcomes for their favorite teams.”

Look, I have teams I hate. As someone who lives in Georgia and supports all Atlanta pro teams, I have a lot of hate for teams like the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Florida State Seminoles. I despise them! Mention names like shortstop Derek Jeter, pitcher Andy Pettitte, and former Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks and I get rather agitated (much like Bleacher Fan does with Art Modell).

That being said, if one of those teams can do something that benefits one of my teams, I can put aside my anger and put aside my pride. I will root for them. Maybe not PUBLICLY. But, I will root for them.

The bottom line is winning. I have a hard time believing that anyone would be okay with sitting at home during playoff time when a situation arose where a sworn enemy could help the team make the playoffs. The goal in every team sport to make postseason play, right? It certainly is. Winning matters… and if those bad guys on the other side help me out, then so be it! I am going to the playoffs, and if I win the championship, I am going to Disney World!!!

Therefore, I declare Sports Geek the winner.

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Boxing Schedule Debate – What Did Klitschko Gain? Zip!

June 23, 2009

Read the debate intro and Loyal Homer’s opinion.



For anyone reading who doesn’t follow boxing, the scheduling is very similar to college football. (No, it’s not a boxer taking on a college football team. But, that would be interesting.) Some boxers schedule weak fighters, some boxers schedule tough fighters. Like the elite college football teams who refuse to schedule the Sisters of the Poor, some boxers refuse an opponent that doesn’t match their capabilities for a variety of reasons. One, it’s beneath them. Two, it’s not challenging and does not showcase their ability. Three, to be considered the best, they must beat the best. Then… there’s Wladimir Klitschko. He’d rather play the Sisters of the Poor.

It’s obvious that Klitschko refuses to fight the best fighters. If he was welcoming of that type of fight he would agree to fight his brother, Vitali, a current heavyweight title-holder and the closest thing Wladimir has to a legitimate opponent since their strength and technical attention to detail is similar. In other words, THAT would be a fair fight.

Instead, Wladimir patently rebuffed any attempt to preserve the respectability of himself and his sport when he refused to postpone his planned fight with potentially interesting opponent David Haye and take on a much less exciting, undertrained and therefore weakened, Ruslan Chagaev. What did Klitschko gain by forcing Chagaev to train in two weeks time, when it was only an additional 3 weeks to face Haye? Zip! Rather than continue training to reach the peak of performance readiness (though Loyal Homer would have you believe extra training is a BAD thing), Klitschko chose to have a lesser fight. That’s a bad approach to sports, no matter what sport an athlete is in. The objective is always to beat the best to prove you’re the best. Not take on a weakened opponent just to preserve some ridiculous notion that “it’d be cool to fight in front of a lot of people.” Those same people would have shown up for Haye (in fact, that’s who they originally paid to see) – and, they probably would have stayed for an entire fight, unlike the snooze fest Klitschko apparently preferred.

It’s not just athletic logic to “be the best you must beat the best” – it’s also good business. Who are the most famous athletes in sports? Across the board, they are all champions. Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter… the list is lengthy. But, as long as that list is, it does not include Wladimir Klitschko. He blew his chance to beat the best fighter that was willing to fight him, and continually refuses to box the only other fighter who could legitimize him as a true boxing great. To prove he is the best he must agree to meet the best whenever he can. He proves nothing by fighting a weaker opponent. If anything, he just wastes everyone’s time.

It boils down to ego. Klitschko wanted to fight in front of a large crowd, and nothing was going to prevent that – even if the fans were to be unwittingly subjected to a one-sided, borderline unfair fight due to Chagaev’s insufficient training. If Klitschko was truly interested in proving himself in a fair fight while angling to fight a challenging opponent, he would have accepted the postponed date. Instead, he decided to go with a big crowd he would lull to sleep before they finally awoke in the ninth round, saw that Klitschko was jabbing the ever-loving crap out of Chagaev, and would make their way to the exits. How is this a good decision? He’s managed to alienate fans trying to get into boxing, and bore the ones who are intensely loyal to the sport. Perhaps one of the 1,534,634,345,234 governing bodies should have stepped in and diplomatically forced Klitschko to wait for the better fight. Perhaps it is this situation that proves, yet again, why boxing needs to have a unified system capable of exerting the leverage necessary to preserve the sanctity of the sport. With a divided ruling class, boxing will never have the accountability and marketing horsepower necessary to return it to worldwide glory. But, maybe that’s a debate for another day.

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Posted by Sports Geek

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