Month: May 2010

MLB Review – 2 Month Edition

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Below are the standings as of today May 31,2010

AL East
1. Tampa Bay
2. New York
3. Toronto
4. Boston
5. Baltimore

AL Central

1. Minnesota
2. Detroit
3. White Sox
4. Kansas City
5. Cleveland

AL West

1. Oakland
2. Texas
3. LA Angels
4. Seattle

NL East

1. Atlanta
2. Philadelphia
3. NY Mets
4. Florida
5. Washington

NL Central

1. Cincinnati
2. St. Louis
3. Cubs
4. Milwaukee
5. Pittsburgh
6. Houston

NL West

1. San Diego
2. LA Dodgers
3. San Francisco
4. Colorado
5. Arizona

You will notice a few surprises.  Mainly in the National League.  The Reds and Padres in first through two months?  Yes it’s true.  The Reds are riding on a good young staff that has a good closer to help protect their leads.  The Padres are finally taking advantage of their pitcher friendly ballpark.  Jon Garland, Mat Latos and Kevin Correia are having fantastic seasons. 

In the American League the Toronto Blue Jays are leading all of baseball in home runs by almost twenty of the second place team in that category.  Tampa Bay record wise is the best team in baseball, but I do think they are the best team regardless of record right now.  The Twins are starting to run away with the AL Central with only the Detroit Tigers as the lone threat.  The West is still up for grabs as neither Oakland, Texas or the Angels want it right now.

The biggest thing I think we can take away from the first two months though, is pitching.  The year started with a no-hitter from Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.  Since, Jimenez’s record is 9-1 with a 0.88 ERA in 10 starts.  Kind of reminds you of what 2009 AL Cy Young winner Zach Greinke did for the Royals last year.  Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden threw a perfect game on Mothers Day this year against the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays in Oakland.  Just a few weeks later, Phillies ace Roy Halladay tosses a perfect game against the Florida Marlins in Miami.  The last time you had two perfect games in the same season was, wait for it, 1880.  Crazy how rare it is.  If you count Mark Buehrle’s perfect game last year (also against Tampa Bay) that’s three perfecto’s in a calendar year. 

One thing I’ve noticed this year is that there are quite a few more instances than normal of pitchers going at least 7 innings with a no-hitter or a perfect game.  There have only been three so far, but something tells me that we will probably have two more before the year is over.  How’s that for a prediction.  Just remember where you heard it first.  I’ve always wondered this though.  If a pitcher has a perfect game going in the All-Star game, do you still keep him in?  That game is just around the corner.  It will be interesting if it happens there.

10 Memorable Moments

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In no particular order, here are my ten most memorable moments in my life that involve sports or me being at sporting events.  This was inspired by my radio co-host JR Reed who wrote a list of his own.  You can see his list and many other great posts at http://www.sexandthesingledad.com.

Hockey Returns

I don’t remember the exact date, but it was right around when the Staples Center first opened for the Lakers, Clippers and Kings.  My uncle being in town on leave from Saudi Arabia is a hockey fan and invited me to a game at Staples between the Kings and Coyotes.  Just being in Downtown LA was a new experience, but being inside Staples Center was phenomenal.  The seats were around mid-ice in the middle level of Staples Center.  The game went to overtime in which the Coyotes beat the Kings, but it was the first hockey game I witnessed in person and I got hooked.

Yes the strike of 2004-05 did rub me the wrong way about the sport of Hockey and their TV contract with Versus and NBC is puzzling to this day, but the game is still what brought me back.  The players, atmosphere and that wonderful trophy.  The second time I attended a game was at Honda Center the home of the Anaheim Ducks.  Thanks to JR, I was brought in as a member of the media (KLBC).  Pre-game meal, great view and access to the “Great One” yeah, Wayne Gretzky.  A day I will never forget.

Being Sick at a Lakers Game

April 19, 1999.  I was home sick from school.  Really, I was, but when Dad comes home from work early and says he has tickets to the Lakers game that day, I say I’m okay to go.  The seats were located a few rows above one of the tunnels looking diagonally at one of the baskets.  This was at the Great Western Forum mind you.  The Lakers were playing the Vancouver Grizzlies.  Yeah, a crappy opponent, but what was I to say no to going to a Lakers game.  The Grizzlies were actually beating the Lakers early, but thanks to a little 12 year old sick boy yelling, “Defense” the Lakers started a nice comeback thanks to Shaq’s 35 points.  Tyronn Lue and Ruben Patterson combining for 26 points the Lakers did beat the Grizzlies.  I felt that I should have received some credit for that win, but I let the players have it that day.

My Team Wins

If you don’t know by now I am a huge San Francisco 49ers fan.  Not old enough to see Joe Montana in Niner red, but rather in Chiefs red.  January 29, 1995 was Super Bowl 29 with my Niners against the San Diego Chargers.  My aunt who lives near San Diego asked me if I wanted to take a bet on who would win.  I took her on that bet and the game got serious.  Of course the Niners won thanks to Steve Young’s six touchdown passes and San Diego no showing on offense.  Final 49-26.  Fittingly they score their nickname.  Not only did my team win, I won five bucks in the process.  I stopped rubbing it in about five years later, but I guess I broke that streak today.  San Diego, Chokin’ Chargers!

KLBC

I had already spent a semester at Long Beach City College learning about different careers I could be doing in Radio or Television.  I wanted to get some hands on experience and not find out about it in a book.  Hello KLBC.  The college had a freaking radio station.  I stepped in as the lone sports guy at the station in January 2007 and left in May 2010 with a tremendous sense of accomplishment.  I met some great people and will take advantage of my experiences there to better myself in the very near future in radio.  That first day on the air I was a nervous wreck, but it was definitely one of the best days ever.

Season Tickets

My oldest brother decided to buy season tickets in 2002 for the Anaheim Angels (that was their name).  The season started off as bad as it could.  The team went 6-14 in April its worst start ever.  We both thought, crap just our luck.  We buy season tickets and they’ll finish with the worst record in baseball.  To the contrary.  They started May with a bang.  Comeback victories and great pitching propelled the Angels to winning 99 games, a franchise record at the time.  Playoff tickets were a tad too expensive, but we didn’t miss a game on television.  They went on to win the first World Series in franchise history.  Unfortunately as I’ve joked since, the Angels haven’t been to a World Series since purchasing season tickets.  Some day I will Halos.  Some day I will.

April 14, 2009

The debut of the wesandjr blog.  Since then there have been playoff breakdowns, columns and previews of almost every sport.  It all couldn’t have happened without your continued support and for that I do thank you all.  Bigger things are planned as I speak.  Stay tuned.

History at KLBC

Thanks to these four people, Ken Borgers, John Doss, Nathan Fineman and JR Reed, history was made on March 20, 2008.  It was the first time an athletic game of any kind was broadcasted at Long Beach City College.  That game was baseball at Joe Hurst Memorial Field as the Long Beach Vikings hosted the Desert Roadrunners, a non-conference game.  The Vikings won the game 7-3 in what was a dream come true for myself being the play-by-play voice of Viking Atletics.  Me and JR teamed up to do Baseball and Football broadcasts in 2008.  I was by myself for the 2009 season in baseball and softball.  Every second of those broadcasts was truly special.

Summer of 2008

Thanks in large part to those historical broadcasts at Long Beach City College, me an JR were brought on to broadcast for the Long Beach Armada.  2008 was a special summer as my dream of doing play-by-play for a professional baseball team seemed so much closer.  The Armada made it to the postseason, but were knocked out in the first series against the Orange County Flyers.  However, former Major Leaguer Steve Yeager being the manager of the Armada was all I needed as he shared some funny and memorable stories on the road with me and JR.  We also saw the Armada win four in a row via the walk-off celebration.  Once in a lifetime summer.

Chick and Vin

I don’t remember when I first heard or saw them on radio/television, but when I did, the light bulb went off.  They make it look so easy and fun to be a broadcaster.  Seeing Chick in person at the Forum was great.  As he signed my oldest brother’s sign which said this:

“Cure for the Lakers: Elden Campbell’s Game and a serving of Chick’ N Stu on Prime Ticket!”

Chick chuckled signed it and handed it to Stu so he could sign it.  Seeing him up there with his headphones was the coolest thing ever.  I’ve never seen Vin in person, but I’m sure it would be the same.  His stories during the games are the best.  You will learn something new every time you watch a Dodgers game.  I guarantee it.  Two icons that I’m truly grateful I’ve had the opportunity of hearing and seeing.

October 3, 2009

This was the day as a family we celebrated the 100th birthday of our Father, Grandfather, Uncle, Great Uncle and Friend.  My Great Uncle Joe Komjathy was and always will be a huge part of my life.  I saw so many great sport moments with him since I returned to the states after my Dad retired from the Marines Corps in 1994.  Monday Night Football was a tradition me and my Dad started with Uncle Joe when we returned.  We didn’t just watch Football either.  We would watch Baseball, Basketball, Golf, you name it we saw it.  Joe cared not only about you, but what you were doing as well.  To this day what he said to me before I graduated from High School, when I had no clue as to what I wanted to do, I will never forget.

“No matter what you do, you will be good at it.” – Great Uncle Joe Komjathy

NBA Finals

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It is officially back to the good old days where the two best teams in the NBA are from Los Angeles and Boston.  2008 saw both the Celtics and Lakers in the NBA Finals with Boston’s “Big Three” in Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce win their first NBA title.  The only knock was coming Lakers fans saying that the outcome would’ve been different had Andrew Bynum been healthy at the time.  Boston, however, was the better team.  Sure Bynum could have helped protect the paint from the undersized lineup the Lakers had put out there.  That is purely speculation though.  What we do know is that the Lakers were branded a soft team that still resonates in the back of their minds today.

2009 could have easily been another Lakers vs. Celtics matchup.  Boston was bounced in the semifinals by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic.  The Lakers had a healthy, but mostly ineffective Andrew Bynum last year.  It wouldn’t matter much as Kobe Bryant was his usual self and Pau Gasol put to rest the “soft” label by almost everyone, including Lakers fans, with his brilliant play throughout the playoffs.  The Lakers easily beat the Magic in 5 games to win number 15 only two behind Boston as a franchise.

The point being made about Boston was that they were finally healthy (no KG in 2009) going into 2010.  There were rumblings that if Garnett had been healthy, the Celtics would have made it to the 2009 Finals.  Maybe so, but you can’t dwell on the past.  The Celtics breezed by the Miami Heat in 5 games in the first round.  Cleveland was taken out of their game early and lost in 6 games to the Celtics in the semifinals.  Orlando had the same problem losing in 6 to a resurgent Celtic squad.

The Lakers were the unanimous selection to repeat as Western Conference champs before the playoffs and still were going in.  The youngest team in the league in Oklahoma City took the Lakers to 6 games and thanks to a game winning tip in by Pau Gasol finished the series in Oklahoma.  Los Angeles wasted no time in sweeping the Utah Jazz in the semifinals.  Phoenix, however, was not going down without a fight as they nearly stole a game in LA, but Ron Artest’s buzzer beating bank shot in Game 5 gave the Lakers the momentum to finish the Suns in 6 games. 

Both teams have new identities now.  The Lakers are seen now as the better team.  Boston is seen as the underdog.  Boston doesn’t have James Posey or Leon Powe on their bench anymore.  Two important pieces to their title run in 2008.  The Lakers have Andrew Bynum healthy, sort of.  And Ron Artest as a defensive stopper to try and disrupt Paul Pierce.  Also it pits two of the games best coaches in Phil Jackson, who will be after his 11th title as a coach and Doc Rivers who is one of the best at making on the fly adjustments during a series. 

There’s no doubt it will be a tough, hard fought series.  As predicted in this post back in October, “NBA Preview 2009-10” the Lakers would meet the Celtics in the NBA Finals.  Sure I had my doubts going into the playoffs.  I figured Cleveland and Orlando would meet in the Conference Finals, but what I didn’t figure is that the Celtics would prove myself and everyone else wrong about who they were.  A championship caliber team that might well be trying to win their third title in a row.  It was quite possible, but it isn’t 2008.  It’s 2010.  Different time and the Celtics are playing a different team.  Lakers to win in 6 games.

Stanley Cup Final

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This is the kind of Stanley Cup Final the NHL has wanted for a long time.  Two cities with a lot of hockey tradition between them.  Chicago has been without a winning NHL team since 1961.  Philadelphia has waited just as long 1975.  Both of these teams have had different routes to achieving their ultimate goal of hoisting the greatest trophy in professional sports.

The Underdog

The Philadelphia Flyers were the last team to clinch a playoff spot.  Of all the ways to get in they had to beat a rival, New York Rangers, in a shootout in Game number 82.  Riding that momentum, they blew threw the number 2 seeded New Jersey Devils in 5 games.  Another rival, the Boston Bruins, had a 3-0 series lead on the Flyers.  Only 3 other times had a NHL team come from behind down 3-0 to win the series.  Philadelphia made themselves the fourth.  The Montreal Canadiens had a great run too.  They knocked out the Washington Capitals and defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins before meeting up with the Flyers.  Philadelphia didn’t let up by finishing the Canadiens quickly in 5 games. 

The Flyers have talent.  They have grit.  They have the hot goaltender.  Daniel Briere, Mike Richards, Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter provide enough offense for a team that really doesn’t rely a whole lot on it.  Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn and Scott Hartnell are reminding those fans who were witnesses to the Bobby Clarke, Andre Dupont and Dave Schultz days of the 1970s.  Michael Leighton after filling in for the veteran Brian Boucher against Boston has been nothing short of spectacular.  Was not on the roster at the beginning of the season, but he sure will be going into next year whether the Flyers win or not.

The Favorite

The Chicago Blackhawks have been near the top of every ones list to win the Stanley Cup.  Their road to the Cup hasn’t been as rocky as Philadelphia’s, but it has been an impressive run.  Chicago was given a bit of a scare when Nashville took them to 6 games, but Chicago finally got on track against Vancouver when the Canucks were considered to be title contenders as well.  The Blackhawks finally showed how great they can be against the number 1 seeded San Jose Sharks by sweeping them in 4 games in the Western Conference Finals.

Chicago is one of the best scoring teams in the NHL.  Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg are a hard bunch to slow down.  Dustin Byfuglien, Tomas Kopecky and John Madden provide the toughness that most teams in their stature don’t have.  Just look at the Washington Capitals and what happened to them.  Chicago has built itself a great offensive unit, but they do need defense and it’s provided with Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell.  Goalie Antti Niemi was considered a liability going into the playoffs, but has turned into a strength getting Chicago to this point.

All in all you have to like the fact that there is one team that is the true underdog and one that is the clear favorite.  Both have great history and both haven’t won in a long time.  My original pick in the Stanley Cup was Chicago vs. Pittsburgh.  I now have only Chicago to pick and I’m sticking with that pick.  However, Philadelphia would be a great championship team that has a great story with it.  You can’t go wrong with either one.

There’s No Slacking-Off in Baseball

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Just like the saying “there’s no crying in baseball” the same can be said for what Hanley Ramirez was benched for this past Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Going after a blooper in shallow left that could have been caught, he preceded to kick the ball into the side wall in left field at Sun Life Stadium (thank you Jimmy Buffet).  With that soccer like kick, the Diamondbacks scored two runs in the third inning that would eventually help them beat Florida 5-1.

After the top of the third, manager Fredi Gonzalez went over to Hanley.  They were seen talking to which Fredi was none too pleased and it resulted in Hanley sitting the rest of the game.  One would imagine that a player of Hanley’s caliber would be pretty upset about being benched, but would understand where the manager was coming from and wouldn’t take this any further.  Wrong answer.

“It’s his team.  He can do whatever he bleeping wants.  There’s nothing I can do about it.  That’s OK.  He doesn’t understand that.  He never played in the big leagues.” – Hanley Ramirez

With that manager Fredi Gonzalez shot back with this great come back.

“He’s right, but I know how to play the game.  I played six years in the minor leagues and I know what it takes to play this game and I know the effort it takes to play this game.” – Fredi Gonzalez

Now Hanley should realize that he’s in a lose-lose situation.  Public persona sees that you dogged that play.  Especially the way you were going after the ball after kicking it to left field.  However, to put in proper perspective.  In the previous inning, Hanley did foul a ball of his left shin.  To which one would understand why he couldn’t run down the blooper in the air.

“I wasn’t trying to give up.  That was the hardest I could go after the ball.” – Hanley Ramirez

But, why were you still in the game then?  I can understand you not diving for it like it’s Game 7 of the World Series, but when the ball hits the ground you don’t react to it by kicking it.  If you see anything other than a baseball, by all means kick it.  Mr. Ramirez still doesn’t get it though.  A cry by the media and fans for an apology resulted in this last gem.

“We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls.  They don’t apologize.” – Hanley Ramirez

Not only have you alienated your manager.  Now your teammates have been thrown under the bus.  It’s not the first time he’s gotten into hot water with his teammates.  Last September Hanley and All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla got into a verbal confrontation when Hanley had left a game early due to a hamstring injury.  Now this could be connected to that.  Hanley not wanting to be seen as soft and deciding to play through injuries.  It also seems to me that Uggla is willing to give Hanley another chance.

“I think Skip needed to do what he needed to do, which was take Hanley out of the game at that time.  Does that mean we love Hanley any less?  No, we have all made mistakes.  We’ve all done things like, ‘Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’ But you move on, you move forward you get past it.”

Now hopefully this dies down quickly for this young, but very talented team.  Hanley is in the second year of a six year 70 million dollar deal.  He has to live up to it and the expectations of being a 30-30 hitter and gold glove defender at short.  The Marlins shutout the Diamondbacks today 8-0 without Ramirez in the lineup.  That’s a good start with Florida only 4 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place.  Hanley doesn’t have to apologize publicly, but he still needs to in private to his team.  Whether he likes it or not, he is considered a team leader and it must show if he is to be successful in this game.