I have had the honor of working with some of the brightest minds in sports over the past 23 years. From head trainer Jeff Cooper in Philly, to Phil Donnelly (member of the PTC HOF), to Dr. Craig Morgan. Chris Correnti, and Dr. Bill Morgan, along with the gang at API …These past eight years I’ve run across one awesome strength coach, and head trainer, and my newest friend, in Eric Cressey. Eric’s web site I linked earlier, and here it is click to see.

I don’t do this stuff for reasons past the obvious. These are some of the brightest minds on the planet when it comes to the throwing athlete and the throwing shoulder. My last strength and conditioning coach, Dave Page (who’s been a close friend for the last 8 years), is one of the most passionate people alive when it comes to his athletes. Notice I said ‘his athletes’ because that’s the thing that sets these people apart from the rest of the world.

That’s the main reason guys like Paul Lessard are people you befriend for life. They come to the park, work incredibly insane hours and dedicate their lives to making their players feel better. Paulie (Shrek as he’s known around here) and Pager are two of the best guys you’d ever want to meet.

These guys (and gals, such as Sue Falsone, and yes Craig Friedman and Mark V!) are in it for the athlete. They care ABOUT YOU, and what happens to you. They aren’t in this thing to make a name for themselves, they are in it to make you healthier, and a better performer. Well Pagey is part of a new video that I can assure young throwers will help. You can find it here.

The key though is to do the work, as it’s stated and to understand your arm and body as it relates to the work.

Great stuff.

The ‘Tek talk heats up, and rightfully so as we near spring training. I asked for some assistance in researching the stats on catching and how it affects teams and Gary from Chapel Hill (he of ‘Nuggetpalooza’) was more than willing to provide the sweat equity needed to get this done.

Gary went back to 1980 and looked at every team (what a trooper) and based on my earlier assumptions this was the data that came back.

By the way, that’s a total of 864 teams to start with.

The first stat is one that tells a story in and of itself. Only 35 teams went from having 80 percent-plus of the innings caught by a catcher that’s been with the team for three or more seasons to a next year of less than 40 percent of their innings caught by a catcher that’s been with the team for three or more seasons.

That so few teams have done it only reinforces my belief that they realize how vital this is to a staff’s stability. That’s less than 4 percent of the teams during that period.

Of those 35 teams they breakdown as follows:

- Four showed very little ERA change from Year 1 to Year 2 (less than .10 either way);

- Nine had their ERA decrease by at least 0.10 (two of those by 0.50 or more);

- Twenty-two had their ERA jump by at least 0.10 (10 of those by 0.50 or more).

That so few teams did it is an indicator in and of itself. That 22 of 35 had an increase of a tenth of a run or more, 10 teams by more than a half a run, is telling and really not surprising. There are so many variables that are just impossible to factor in —  health, injuries, new signings, free agents leaving, rookies that impact both ways, but overall it’s to be expected that a team featuring a new catcher would see ERA problems a majority of time due to the staggering work a catcher needs to do to handle 12-20 pitchers in a season.

Add to that the fact that so few catchers actually do it anyway, and I can only feel the argument to have ‘Tek back is even stronger.

The other X Factor is the Red Sox themselves. This team is way outside the box in terms of scouting and preparation. I know for a fact in the past five years we’ve beaten teams before a series started simply by talking to other pitchers and hearing what they do as a staff to prepare.

Throw out what’s happened, it’s meaningless at this point. ‘Tek declined arbitration, the Sox walked away, Boras f’d this up in about 50 different ways. But the facts are that ‘Tek wants to play here, he hasn’t signed yet, and this team doesn’t have it’s starting catcher for the 2009 season.

I’m hoping the past weekend was a good sign in that Jason has taken this on himself and met with Mr Henry to try and make that happen. I can’t imagine him wearing another uniform, I can’t imagine him not being the captain on this team and retiring here.

Here’s to hoping it happens.

P.S. Go Steelers!

There have been huge volumes of discussion this winter about someone I’m very close to and care a lot about. There is much division in Sox Nation about bringing – or not bringing – Jason Varitek back and what he really means to a staff, and a team.

It’s simpler than some might think if you reverse engineer this.

Let’s take the “No Tek” approach. There are three (for simplicity sake) possible outcomes.

1) The staff gets better with two new catchers and excels and they win a ton of games.
2) The staff stays somewhat similar and no one excels or declines to any serious degree
3) The staff is worse, some guys stay somewhat the same, a bunch of guys have inconsistent seasons.

The “X factor” in all this is John Farrell. Were it not for John I don’t think this discussion would be happening, Tek would be signed and he’d be tasked with bringing along the next catcher for this franchise. John is the best pitching coach alive (though Dick Bosman and Mark Connor rank right up there, and Bob Welch was awesome). John brings a ton of things to the table that few others do and if Tek is not back his workload will triple (at least) and he’ll have much more coaching to do and preparation as well. I think John makes outcome No. 3 less likely but he alone will be hard pressed to make No. 1 happen without major contributions from behind the plate. Any staff will/would/does have issues making No. 1 happen without a catcher behind the plate that knows lineups and prepares to the degree Tek does. I’d be interested, and my inclination is to make a bet, that in the last 15 years the amount of teams that have won World Series with a brand new No. 1 starting catcher, or a duo that splits catching duties, both new to the team, is minimal.

Actually I’ll check that out right now…

1995
Atlanta: Javy Lopez (after 80 some odd games in 1994) and Charlie O’Brien (VERY veteran presence).
Cleveland: Sandy Alomar (veteran who had been there) and Tony Pena (Vet).

1996
Atlanta: Javy Lopez and Eddie Perez.
New York: Joe Girardi (AH! First year with team, but a very game-oriented veteran catcher, known for commanding a staff) and a young, very young Posada. I think Leyritz might have caught some games.

1997
Florida: Charles Johnson (third year with the team) and a young Greg Zaun.
Cleveland: Sandy Alomar (Vet).

1998
San Diego: Carlos Hernandez (Second year with team) and Greg Myers (Vet).
New York: Jorge Posada with Girardi now backing him up

1999
Atlanta: Eddie Perez/Lopez and Greg Myers (Perez and Lopez had been there a few years at this point).
New York: Posada with Girardi

2000
New York: Posada caught about every frickin’ game.
New York Mets: Piazza, in his third year with the team, backed up by Todd Pratt (veteran who was very well known for his game calling. Having known him since 1988 I can promise you he was into handling a pitching staff).

2001
Arizona: Damien Miller in his third year backed up by Rod Barajas.
New York: Posada backed up with some Joe Oliver and Bobby Estellela.

2002
Anaheim: Bengie Molina in his first year, backed up by Shawn Wooten.
San Francisco: Benito Santiago (his second year with SF), with Yorvit Torrealba.

2003
Florida Pudge Rodriguez in his first year backed up by Mike Redmond, who had been there a long time.
New York: Posada (shocker!) backed up by Flaherty.

2004
Boston: Tek and Dougie
St Louis: Matheny in his fifth year backed up by a Molina brother.

2005
Chicago: AJP in his first year, backed up by Widger.
Houston: Ausmus in his 5th year.

2006
St Louis: Molina now starting after a few years, backed by Bennett.
Detroit: Pudge in his second year, backed by Vance Wilson

2007
Boston: Tek and Doug again.
Colorado: Y Torrealba in his second season.

2008
Philadelphia: Ruiz and Costa both in their third years
Tampa: Navarro in his third season.

It’s not exactly the best study, but in the past 14 years, of the 28 World Series teams, three have made it with their starting catcher being a first-year to the organization guy, none with rookies as starters and no team with two new catchers to the organization.

And make no mistake about it, this team is about winning the World Series. Can it be done without Tek? Sure it can.

But in my opinion it’s going to be far harder to win without him than with him. I don’t care if the new guy hit .350, the issue is behind the plate.

This staff can win, it has immense talent but three are so many factors that are going to be thrown into the mix that a guy like Tek can help smooth out.

Dice is spending most of the spring away from the team. Penny, Smoltz, both will be on different schedules. You’ve got a stable of young arms that have matured under Farrell AND Tek that having Tek back there would, again, in my opinion ONLY, only continue that progression.

There are quite a few new arms here that will take some getting used to, and no one that I have ever thrown to gets into a pitcher and his rhythms better than Jason. Add to that his reputation – which is not a myth, guys around baseball know Tek is good and know how much the staff loves throwing to him – and how many other catchers get talked about in that sense? Few.

The thing I can speak from experience to is getting to know your new catcher, and getting comfortable. They are two very different things. I put a ton of time and effort into getting comfortable with a new catcher more so than anything. Rhythm is such a huge part of the game to many pitchers, me included, that I needed to be in a flow and did not want to be out there shaking off and calling time outs during games.

Could Josh win 20 without Tek? Absolutely. Could Lester continue to get better? I bet he will. But that, and so many other things are much easier roads to travel WITH him catching as opposed to him not catching.

If a month into camp there is trouble with the staff synching up and getting comfortable with the catcher, then what? I know that questions been asked and answered internally and I am 100 percent sure they know what they want to do, but I am just speculating and hoping to see Tek back here.

So then you go the other route, with Tek …

1) The staff gets better, Tek hits .220 again.
2) The staff gets better, Tek hits .250.
3) The staff gets better, Tek has another 2004 like season.

That’s the only three outcomes I can see happening. Obviously much hinges on health and some things outside the teams control, but this staff WILL NOT get worse with Jason catching, it just won’t. There is too much time, effort and preparation on his part to become ‘worse’ as a game caller and staff-handler. Oh, and another thing, all of you defensive folks talking about base stealing and runners being caught, that’s a horsecrap stat because stolen bases are taken off pitchers, not catchers. Baserunners steal because pitchers don’t hold, or don’t pay attention, or aren’t quick to home. With the rare exception catchers throw out baserunners when given enough time. Tek’s times to second base weren’t down last year, or the year before. Runners stole off the staff, they almost always do.

My bet is Jason does NOT hit .220, maybe not .290 but I would take any bet that has me with him hitting closer to .290 than .220. After talking to him and hearing him talk about his body, his swing and his mind-set, I’d be real comfortable saying he’s a guy much more likely to hit .265 with 20 HR than .220 with 10.

In my mind it’s going to be the piece that finishes the puzzle for this team. Thinking of an October rotation consisting of a healthy Beckett, Smoltz, Lester, Penny and Dice with Paps at the back end and Tek running the show is going to make ANY team – ANY team – in the post season hope for another match up until they absolutely HAVE to meet Boston.

Addendum Something that went unmentioned, and probably shouldn’t have. Scott Boras is the reason this situation exists, of that there can be no mistake. He obviously advised his client to refuse arbitration, believing he was going to work his magic, and that failed. I don’t think for a second Tek would absolve himself of blame here either, ultimately it’s his decision.
I am past that part of it, because it is meaningless at this point. He refused arbitration, Scott failed to get a multi-year deal, it’s January 16th, he hasn’t signed, the Sox don’t have their #1 catcher. I just was making the observation that I think both sides want this to happen, Boston for the ‘right price’, Tek for ‘a price’ that isn’t league minimum and !!!!WARNING THIS IS A PERSONAL OPINION ONLY!!!!! maybe a shot at a 2nd year if he performs well. He wants to be here, they want him to be here and they have been able to take significant money off the books. It’s a win-win for both sides if you get Tek and Theo in the same room imo.

Related Links:

Speier: Can Varitek Escape His Predicament?

How Arbitration Effects The Captains’ Future

Red Sox and Varitek Reach A Crossroads

Baseball has never been a game to me, regardless of what anyone outside the profession may think. It wasn’t a game to me before I was a player, and certainly wasn’t a game when I was a player. It was always more than that to me and this story below nails it in so many ways.

SHADOW GAMES: Baseball and Me
Posted on Dec 22, 2008 10:29 am
By Todd Drew

Cancer can’t change the way it will always be between baseball and me.

I was informed that Todd passed away today and I would like to send my thoughts, prayers and condolences to this Yankee fan, who I have immense admiration and respect for, and his family. I hope you find comfort in the Lord in this trying time.

That letter was posted at Alex Belth’s Yankee Banter Blog

I get messages from a lot of guys that play baseball, from little league to college. I wanted to pass along a website that is run by the man working me out right now. The man I love to cuss at right now really. This guy is one of the new breed of trainers, much like Dave Page (Red Sox Strength Coach), Paul Lessard (Head Trainer for the Red Sox) and the folks over at Athletes Performance (Still the best facility with the smartest staff I’ve ever been around)that understand baseball and the work needed to train the right way to get into baseball shape.

Check out some of the stuff he talks about for pitchers. Some fascinating new stuff coming to light the past few years that many young pitchers would do well to read up on.

Sabermetric guys will laugh, stat guys will moan, but the Rays signing of Gabe Kapler will have an impact on this division next year. Gabe is not only a nice addition as an extra bat and OF, but his clubhouse presence is beyond measure. One of my all time favorite teammates, and people, this guy is a rock in the clubhouse.

He brings a ton of veteran qualities but beyond that he’s a stabilizer. He is one of the guys that never allows a clubhouse, or team, to go too high, or too low. He’s much more unique than many think or believe, just ask the guys that were here with him, ask the Brewers teammates he played with last year.

The only fear for a team like Tampa is a letdown in my opinion, not having guys in that clubhouse to push and make them understand that going out this year and being mediocore makes last year a fluke. I never wanted to be on a team or thought of as a fluke, since that denotes luck beyond skill. Gabe, and Pat Burrell, are going to help that team be good again next year. Not to mention Joe Maddon is a truly good guy. I’ve known him for 20-plus years and he’s a major reason I was even discovered. I don’t know what kind of manager he is but I’ve heard nothing that would make me not want to play for him or think it wouldn’t be a blast.

If they can stay healthy and compete again they can truly turn this division into a three-team show, and that would be a good thing.

Oh and another thing. This is why it’s now different here. These guys just do things right, professionally and players pay attention and notice.

“In November, Smoltz sent a video to teams he was interested in playing for, throwing in a bullpen and chucking a football. The Red Sox were impressed, so they sent front office representative Ben Cherington, trainer Mike Reinold, and pitching coach John Farrell to Atlanta to watch him pitch. “Even for a guy who’s been in the big leagues for 21 years,” Smoltz said, “That really impressed me.”

You have to understand how big that is. Laugh it off but it’s real and few teams put that personal of a touch to things. I promise after John talked to John Farrell Boston became a much more realistic option. Meeting and talking to him you get real fast that this guy is wired so differently than pretty much any coach, front office person you’ve ever been around.

Also this:

“Smoltz attended the Celtics game last night, and in the third quarter, they flashed his face on the Jumbotron. “It blew me away,” Smoltz said.”

It happens in other places I know, but it’s special and things like that make memories for a lifetime. 1993 at a Flyers game it happened to me and I’ll never forget it. Fans make moments like these in rare places, but they impact players.

Congrats to Jim Rice and Rickey Henderson. Well deserved. Following Part 1, here is Part 2 of our Hall of Fame talk …

Tommy John - Discussion: Wow, how do you win 288 games and strikeout less than 5 per 9? Never realized his career was that long and he threw that many innings. Explains the Tommy John Surgery! Even more, didn’t have a 2-1 BB/K ratio, more hits than IP, and still managed to win 55 percent of his games. That’s pretty impressive. Another pitcher who was really really good.

Jay Bell - Discussion: First  Jay Bell memory … I think it was 1986, instructional league in Florida and this shortstop for the Indians is supposedly really good. We play them one day, the next day he gets called up from IL to the big leagues and hits a HR. That got me to thinking I was always one day away from being in the show. A great teammate and all around great guy. I loved Jay because I thought he was a position player that might actually run slower than me:) Jay played fundamental baseball as well as anyone I ever played with.

Don Mattingly - Discussion: Faced him two times, to the tune of about 1000 feet worth of home runs. Gets my vote! Kidding. I always remembered this guy as a pure force on offense. Looking at his career I think it’s clear that he’s a first ballot lock HOF’er if he wouldn’t have had the back injury. He was a nightmare to watch. I never liked the Yanks growing up (due to being a Pirate fan) but I loved to watch Donnie Baseball hit. Seemed like a very quiet guy who just showed up and played his ass off. Even with the back problems the latter half of his career he put up awesome numbers for the time he was healthy.

Mark McGwire - Discussion: Dreaded this one. Mark is one of the kindest and nicest men I’ve ever known. Both he and Sammy put baseball back on the map after the ugliness of 1994-95. That being said I couldn’t do it. Had he stood in front of Congress and flat out denied ever using steroids/HGH then I think I’d feel vastly different. The fact that he didn’t gave me an answer in and of itself. I think the world of the guy and his massive amounts of work off the field speak as much about him as anything else.

For the rest of the list - Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Lee Smith, and Mo Vaughn – I’ll have to get back to you on. Until then I’ll refer you to WEEI.com’s Kirk Minihane’s list for a pretty good reference.

Rob suggested this topic and I figured I’d give it a whirl. The players listed on the 2009 HOF Ballots are:

Rickey Henderson - Discussion: There is none. Greatest leadoff hitter of all time and if there is any justice we’ll get to hear Rickey say “Rickey” in the third person about 132 times when he’s unanimously elected. Should receive every vote. YES

Alan Trammell - Discussion: A six-time all star with a World Series MVP, four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers and 3 Top 10 MVP finishes. A hell of a shortstop and along with Ripken was one of the new mold breaking offensive guys at this position when I was growing up. A guy I remember being a stud (monster ‘87 season) but from what I gather HOF standards like to look at your best collective seasons. I guess he didn’t dominate for long enough to be a HOF’er, but a stud none the less.

Tim Raines - Discussion: Let’s see, a leadoff hitter who finished in the top 10 in OBP seven times, batting average four times, OPS four times, Runs scored six times (6 STRAIGHT YEARS btw), hits six times, total bases four times, walks six times, stolen bases nine times (led the league from 81-84), runs created six times … ALL of that in a 10-year period (1981-1990). He’s going to get overlooked because of Rickey but in my opinion the second greatest leadoff hitter of the modern era. He did EVERYTHING you ask of a leadoff hitter and more, and he did it in Montreal. If he’d played in LA, NY or Boston he’d be a lock. YES.

Andre Dawson - Discussion: I just remember this guy OWNING the 80’s in right field in the NL. His ‘open contract’ and subsequent MVP season for the Cubs seemed to sum him up in a nutshell. Another player that will see Montreal continue to hurt his chances in my opinion. ROY, MVP, eight Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, four Top 10 MVP finishes, including two second-place finishes (which I think often times means MVP season in many other years). Add eight Top 10 SLG percentage finishes to the eight gold gloves and he was a RF that mashed and played HOF type defense for a decade. He dominated for a decade in the NL, and a decade worth of seasons like that is HOF material in my opinion. Add to all this that he was just a phenomenal guy and it’s an easy one for me. YES.

Bert Blyleven - Discussion: How on God’s green earth is this guy not on a plaque already? What the hell? Nineteen years after posting a WHIP of 1.159 — in 1970 btw — he posts a 1.116 WHIP (a truer standard of a pitchers effectiveness I have yet to see). NINETEEN YEARS LATER!! Oh, and he finished in the Top 10 nine times in between those two years. This guy played on CRAPPY teams!!!!!! CRAPPY! His HOF worthy stats are too numerous to mention so I link them here . Writers do us a favor and put a true HOF’er in the HOF. YES.

Jim Rice - Discussion: See Bert Blyleven … I mean come on. Does it strike anyone as odd that players increase their vote totals as the years go by, AFTER THEY RETIRE???? Look, I know it’s not easy, and I know mistakes are made, some by sheer accident, some by stupidity (see Dustin Pedroia being LEFT OFF the MVP ballot of one dolt this year), but how on earth do vote totals fluctuate for guys AFTER they are done? Does that mean voters are doing MORE work and MORE research as the years go by? Less? Shouldn’t this be taken dead serious by ALL writers afforded the honor of being allowed to vote? Should the process change? This guy finished in the Top 5 in MVP voting SIX TIMES in an 11-year period. Six times people considered him the best player in the AL in an 11-year period! I was more of an NL fan growing up but I’ve been around long enough, talked to enough pitchers from that era in the AL and to a man they are all pretty emphatic that he was without a doubt one of the 2-3 most feared hitters in the game. If he’s reading this he knows I can kick his ass in golf but I’m saying here and now this man deserves to be in the HOF. YES.

Dan Plesac - Discussion: My first “Sack” memory came in Milwaukee in the late ’80’s. He was throwing a pen coming off an injury and they had a gun on him. He was throwing his fastball from 96-99 and mixing in a 92 mph slider … He didn’t remain a closer long enough to merit HOF votes I don’t think but if there was a HOF for awesome teammates with great senses of humor this guy is a first ballot HOF’er. Sack could make you laugh until you cried, funny as hell and a fantastic teammate who I wish I’d been able to play longer with. I still remember walking into the bathroom in Arizona and I hear “GO TO THE WHIP! GO TO THE WHIP!!” and I’m thinking “What the hell?” only to see him come out of the stall. He is HUGE into Horse racing and breeding and has been for a long time.

Harold Baines - Discussion: First Harold Baines memory … Standing on the mound in Texas in 1989 and thinking “Man this guys standing WAY too far off the plate to hit MY fastball, he’s got no chance.” About 15 seconds later the ball bounces off the top of the center field fence and into the bleachers. A consistent producer at a tough spot to be one, this guy did nothing but produce. I think his post season numbers will be underrated but in the end this is the HOF, for baseball’s greatest, not baseballs very, very good.
Also a fantastic guy and from everything I heard an awesome teammate.

David Cone - Discussion: Didn’t win 200, or strikeout 3,000 but this guy was damn good for a long time. A post season monster who had three bad games to spoil his ERA but a 12-3 lifetime record is money, and he was. I remember him being the first real ‘hired gun’ guy in the mid-to-late 90’s. I only knew him a little but he was a great guy and everyone from Lenny D to a few others that played with him swear by him as a teammate. Should get more votes than he likely will but another VERY good player who might be just short of being considered great.

Ron Gant - Discussion: Had he not broken his leg I think Ronnie would have been a 500 HR 500 SB guy, and a lock. One of my all-time favorite teammates. He played the game as hard as it could be played and he played hurt. Fantastic teammate and fantastic person.

Mark Grace - Discussion: Only guy I played with that talked more than me, which in and of itself merits some sort of Hall of Fame. One hundred and seventy-four HR, and more than 2,400 hits don’t get you into the Hall of Fame, but, this guy could flat out play. Was literally a Gold Glove SS playing first base. Four Gold Gloves (and he should have won more) and no one had more hits than Gracie in the 90’s. An OB and Doubles machine, I don’t think Mark will get the votes he should but he never did the ’sexy’ stuff like hit HR’s and drive in boatloads, he was the guy getting on base in front of those guys and if you don’t hit 350 or steal 75 bases people seem to downplay how good you could have been.

I’ll finish the rest tomorrow …

Related link:

Minihane: Who Belongs In 2009?

Q-What impresses you most about Smoltz?

A-The entire body of work. In addition to being a #1 starter the guy was a HOF closer, who else can make that claim short of Eck? This guy was a stopper as a starter, and a closer. That he’s still a dominant power pitcher at his age, with that many innings is incredible. I’d trust the Sox to have done the medical homework and given the arms they now have they’ll be able to mix and match with the back end of their rotation (which could feature 2 front end guys) as the schedule and their health permits.
Fast forward to October, damn, how would you like to start a series facing Beckett, Smoltz, Lester and Dice?

Q-What’s your favorite moment competing against Smoltz?

A-Guys like John don’t elicit favorite moments, at least not for me. I always wanted Glavine or Maddux, but never because they weren’t as good, but because I knew my offense wanted no part of Smoltz. Glavine/Maddux were frustrating but ‘comfortable’ 0-4’s, John was a painful one and I know of some guys that got “Smotzitis” quite often.

Q-Were you surprised that Smoltz left the Braves to sign with the Sox?

A-Nothing surprises me anymore. I’m surprised at the amount of untruth’s being spewed by someone, but nothing surprises me anymore. The club put a value on him and that value didn’t match what John wanted. After almost 20 years with a team, doing what he did, as a player you always hope for and sometimes expect more loyalty, but that’s just not what teams do anymore, if they ever did.

Q-What is the value of approaching the 2009 season with more than 5 viable starting rotation candidates?

A-Too numerous to list. If you can avoid “accumulation” incentives like starts and IP, and you can get the staff to buy into the process of keeping everyone fresh for August to September, which is not as easy as it sounds, it’s huge. Like I said earlier, you enter October with a healthy fresh Beckett, Smoltz, I don’t care who paid what for whom, you are favorites in any series, 4 or 7 games, no matter who you are playing.

Q-What is your impression of Baldelli as a hitter when healthy?

A-Another great sign in my opinion. First off the big piece is he’s a kid that was raised understanding what baseball means to the New England area and that he really wanted to come here says something about his makeup. That’s a big deal to me. As a hitter? Rocco is one of the 2-3 best high fastball hitters in baseball, bar none. He has the rare ability to go up waaaay out of the zone high, and hammer balls. Very few guys can do that. Many are aggressive up there but few produce in that area. It’s not a great strength to have since good pitchers don’t live up there, but you can KILL mediocre pitching which consistently makes mistakes up in the zone. He’s incredibly aggressive. I liked that facing him because I felt I could get more chase than normal. He’s a superstar athlete, run, throw, smart player. I always felt he was an exceptional baserunner and a ’smart’ player. Didn’t miss cut off men, never a base behind where he should be, always in the right spot. Little things, little things that will come into play in the role he’s going to be asked to fill. I hope he’s healthy because I’d really like to see him put together all the stuff people have raved about since he signed.

I am not sure some people are seeing or realizing how this whole blog thing works. At the top of this page it says “38 Pitches”, not “39 Pitches” or “Yoda’s Blog”, this is 38 Pitches, my blog.

Now that doesn’t mean anything other than this is a blog where I post my opinions and thoughts. Don’t take this personally but there is literally nothing in the history of my blog I have ever posted to please you, or meet your expectations. If something I say, or an opinion of mine is something you agree with, cool. If not, that’s fine too.

I don’t, and never will, post for either of those reasons. I post what I think, I post what I believe. Neither of those makes me right or just, they make me, me.

If you don’t like me, or you disagree with me, or you are so bent on the fact that I voted for John McCain you can’t sleep, don’t come here. Why on earth would you?

I am 100% positive I’ve made more than 1 mistake on this blog in the past. I am more than 100% positive I’ve said something that offended someone and I had no intention of offending when I said it.

Case in point. Ya it might be trivial to some, but my epileptic frog jog apparently offended some readers who suffer from epilepsy. That or someone who doesn’t like me posted as such to make the comments. Either way this is not a forum for that and if anyone was offended I apologize, that was obviously not my intent.

Many of you have commented “Stay above the fray”, “Don’t sink to his level” and more, and you’re pretty much spot on. However that’s not what I chose to do. I am flawed, just like every single one of you and speaking my mind and talking ‘off the cuff’ are somehow deemed great qualities and nasty traits at the same time by different people.

I can’t stand someone who makes a big deal about ‘telling it like it is’ or ’saying what’s on their mind’ to emphasize their assertiveness or toughness. Neither of those is a ‘tough’ quality to me.

I do say what I think, I do tell it like I think it is. Neither of those makes me right, they make me, me.

It’s not that hard and sure as hell shouldn’t be that disturbing to people. Not to mention be that big of a deal.

If you don’t want to hear me, can’t stand my opinion, why the hell are you clicking on this link? Better yet, not only are you clicking on the link, you’re signing up for a Wordpress account to leave a comment on a persons blog you can’t stand?? Who does that speak more about?

I don’t care if my opinions popular or unpopular, it’s mine. I do enjoy the back and forth here especially when someone calls me out and I learn something I didn’t know or my opinion changes upon further research, that’s cool.

CHB doesn’t permeate my thoughts or bother me. I get annoyed from time to time and to be honest I laugh like hell at you people talking about “Let him be” and “Why do you care?” when you cannot imagine what it’s like to have someone you have no respect for write demeaning and false things about you or your teammates publicly, most especially when you know them to be untrue.

You learn to deal with it, but there are times when you don’t feel like just ‘dealing with it’ and that’s the times when I say something. That’s certainly not been the best course of action over time for me and I’ve learned a little in the past 23 years.

The thing is, we don’t know each other. Short of meeting me in person, shaking my hand and talking, we never will. What you know about me, my thoughts, my family, my faith in the Lord, my love of the game, all of that, you know because people I don’t know told you.

This blog was a way for me to change that, and I like that. I can write what I want, when I want. Under the blog banner what I write is what I want and how I want. I don’t ‘work in the media’ as a few would like to think. The stuff I do for the column is writing on topics Rob and I think are relevant to sports but I’ve been given complete freedom to write whatever I choose to.

That’s what’s going to make EEI and this site so unique as the writers get more into the flow and the content gets fresher.

So in short, if you are interested in something I say, cool, if not, fine, go to someone’s blog you do like, or better yet start your own. I have no problems with people liking or disliking me, being human I’d prefer people didn’t dislike me but hey, that’s life.

38 Pitches will be blog posts of my thoughts, my opinions, my family and my career. If none of those are of interest to you then by all means please delete that bookmark.