Does The Boss Belong in the Hall?

by Eddie Mayrose

As talk of George Steinbrenner’s possible induction into the Hall of Fame swirled around Old Timer’s day at  Yankee Stadium, I was asked by Cheap Seater Jim Case if the late Steinbrenner had been good for baseball.  A difficult question to answer, no matter how you felt about The Boss during his reign in the Bronx.  While most Yankeee fans  are sure to point to the many championships won since Steinbrenner bought the franchise in 1973, his detractors make note of the mockery he made of the pinstripes with his endless firings of managers and pitching coaches as well as two suspensions that resulted from a felony conviction and an extortion attempt.  However, almost all will use the phrase, “George just wants to win.”

The thing I always found interesting about the “just wants to win” theory is that the Yankees never, EVER, won a title when the impetuous Boss had the final say about the roster.  His first championships were won under the watchful eye of GM Gabe Paul, who threatened to quit whenever Steinbrenner insisted on a ridiculous player move. When Paul had had enough, he resigned, leaving the reins in George’s hands and the fans with a drought that would last eighteen years. Continue reading »

MLB Clubs Undermine Own Chances at Title

by Moonlight Graham

In 2003, in an attempt to regenerate fan interest just a year after a lack of available pitchers forced MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to declare the All Star Game a tie, Baseball’s hierarchy decreed that the Mid-Summer Classic would now determine home field advantage in the World Series. It wasn’t already bad enough that the rosters were watered down by the requirement that each team, no matter how bad, must be represented; now, a player from a second division club could have a hand in deciding the outcome of the sport’s premier event months in advance.

While the move was and is opposed by many, I never really had a problem with it.  Not because I agree with the concept; it’s completely ridiculous to think I’m staying up that late to watch Garrett Jones of the Pittsburgh Pirates face Kansas City Royals’ closer Joakim Soria because I’d like the Mets to have home field if they get that far.  However, because the old system of alternating the privilege was also completely without merit, I figured, “Who cares?”  Until I realized that the new policy actually gives mindless fans the opportunity to hurt their team’s shot at a championship; often at the prompting of it’s own front office. We’ve all been to the ballpark in the early part of the season and heard the huge pitch to vote for the hometown boys.  Actually, you don’t even have to attend a game anymore, as on-line balloting has given everyone a voice.  “Send Joe Blow to Los Angeles for the All Star Game”, blare the ads.  “Forget the stats, vote for our guys!”  On the surface, a nice marketing strategy, but one that could prove fatal to a championship run.  Continue reading »

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

by Moonlight Graham

Once upon a time, before the evolution of the internet, Fantasy Baseball information was hard to come by.  News regarding critical issues such as day-to-day injury situations, rookie callups and even trade rumors were rarely current.  Often, it was necessary to directly call the MLB club in question but, even then, it was as likely as not that you’d reach someone that didn’t already frown on the entire concept of Fantasy Baseball.  Which brings me to the kid in Milwaukee.  I  never got his name so, I couldn’t say if he’s still in baseball but, wherever he is, there’s a former, public relations intern of the Brewers that, probably, still curses ole’ Moonlight at the very mention of Dan Plesac.

Sometime in the early nineties, Plesac, the Brew Crew closer, was nursing a bad elbow while a member of Moonlight’s Master Batters.  After a few absences from the daily box scores and no mention of an injury, I placed my first call to the unsuspecting intern.  Surprisingly, he really didn’t seem all that interested in the fact that a tight Saves race might decide my league.  He was equally unsympathetic when I explained that I couldn’t pick up a replacement unless Plesac was disabled by Milwaukee.

So, I asked, “Hey, what’s up with Plesac?”  “Is he going on the DL?”  “Not to my knowledge”, came the reply and thus started a daily correspondence over the course of the next six days.  Exasperated, he finally admitted to me that Plesac was likely out for awhile but, as rosters were about to expand on September 1st, would not go on the DL.  If he’d have only told me that in the first place, I’d have had another relief pitcher and he; an enjoyable week. Continue reading »

by Eddie Mayrose

NBA Finals Dilemma

It seemed like such a simple choice.  As the NBA Finals began, I stood firmly behind the Boston Celtics as two of my favorite players, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett led Doc Rivers’ squad into another Finals matchup with the Lakers.  That Los Angeles features both Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant, a pair of NBA figures for whom I’ve never had any tolerance, made the decision to back the boys from Beantown all the easier.  Until I realized, however, that Nate Robinson, longtime headcase acquired in mid-season from the Knicks, would garner a championship ring should the Celtics triumph. Ouch. Now I’m left to pull for the impossible during tonight’s Game 7.  Can both teams lose? Continue reading »

by Moonlight Graham

It happens every spring.  MLB clubs head into the new season filled with all of the promise and excitement that a new year brings.  Injured players are healthy, dissapointing performance are forgotten and optimism rules the day. Unfortunately, many also begin the new campaign focused more on finances than the standings and thus, head into battle without a full arsenal of weaponry.

Without going into all of the legal issues surrounding the MLB arbitration process, suffice to say that the most important element is service time; specifically, days on a Major League roster.  If a rookie that would normally be eligible for arbitration after two years is held back until the end of May, he cannot be credited with the service time required for a full season.  Therefore, the big payday usually gained through arbitration is delayed by a full calendar year. Continue reading »