Playoffs?

With just over a week remaining in the regular season, things are getting pretty interesting. At this point, three teams have clinched a playoff spot. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Washington Nationals, and the Baltimore Orioles each won their respective divisions this week, with Orioles and Nationals clinching on Tuesday and the Angels clinching on Wednesday.  The Nationals are one of two franchise to never have played in a World Series, the other being the Seattle Mariners.

The Orioles have been a team to beat since their sudden insurgence in 2012. It almost seemed like fate would match up the two teams nobody saw coming in the ALCS, but both Baltimore and the Athletics were eliminated in game fives of the ALDS. Last year, many expected them to build on their success from 2012, but the Boston Red Sox fed on the energy of the Boston bombing, carrying the city on their back all the way to World Series champions. I’m excited to see what Baltimore can do in the post season this year, especially without Manny Machado, and recently suspended slugger, Chris Davis. The post season, however, is different than the regular season. You’re facing the best teams, and anything can happen. Tuesday was the Orioles first time winning the American League East division since the 1997 season, when they were eliminated in six games in the ALCS.  The Orioles last World Series appearance was in in 1983, which they won in five games.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, you sneaky bastards. I have to give the Angels props for capitalizing on the A’s woes, and not only surging from 6 games back to claim the lead in the division, but to move a whopping 11 games ahead. The Angels have played well, and got hot at the perfect time. The A’s, well, they have gotten frigidly cold at the worst possible time. After leading the division all season, the second half, which has always been the A’s strong suit, has been disappointing. Everybody is quick to blame the Cespedes trade for the woes, but that can’t be all of it. Players aren’t hitting, and with the closer, Sean Doolittle hurt, the bullpen all but collapsed, much like the season. Last night, the A’s were eliminated from back-to-back-to-back AL West Champions. The Angels are last week were winners of ten straight, which helped them pad their division lead while the A’s had won 14 of their last 33 games.

Staying in the AL West, the Seattle Mariners are surprising everybody this year. With the GM dropping money like it was hot this past off-season, the M’s have put together a good team that’s hanging tough for a shot at one of the wild card spots. Saturday night, the A’s and M’s faced off in Seattle with the first ever night court with their king on the mound, looking to leap frog the A’s in the standings. With the Royals winning, their first win against Boston this season (I guess you could say I was good luck), they were in a virtual tie with the A’s for the first wild card spot. Now, the A’s, along with every other team, have struggled against Felix Hernandez, and have yet to record a win in games he starts. Until Saturday. The sellout crowd in Seattle was looking to capitalize on the A’s struggles, and with King Felix pitching, they by all means should have won. After 12 innings, the Mariners lost 3-2, with Fernando Rodney walking in the winning run; a scene A’s fans saw themselves the weekend before. Sunday’s game was huge, as the two face off for the last time in the regular season. It would be extremely interesting if the two teams win the wild card spots and are forced to play a one game playoff for the final spot in the playoffs.

The Kansas City Royals would much rather the Mariners watch the playoffs at home and claim a wild card spot from them. After years of being the worst team in baseball, the Royals stock piled on draft picks and are making their move. Loaded with young talent, the Royals are a major threat to not only the wild card, but the AL Central. I would personally love to see the Royals beat out the Tigers for the division, and for the Tigers miss the playoffs all together, but that could be the bitter hatred I have for them after having to watch them beat us in game five at home two years in a row. Just maybe.  The Royals and Tigers face off for the final time during the regular season in Kansas City.  These three games are going to be a big piece in the playoff picture.  At the moment, the Royals are sitting just half a game behind the Tigers for first place in the division and half a game in front of the A’s for the first Wild Card spot.  The Tigers have Justin Verlander going tomorrow night, and this will be important for the Tigers to see how he performs in a playoff type game.  With all the talk around Verlander’s arm this year, the best thing he can do is go out and silence them by pitching like we all know he is capable of.  However, if he struggles, the Tigers could be in trouble.  It’s going to be rocking in KC this weekend!

To the Yankees fans, I’m sorry.  It would have been nice to see Derek Jeter go out with once last playoff appearance, but it is looking like the Yankees will miss the playoffs for the second straight year.  Congratulations to the Washington Nationals and their fans on clinching the National League East this week as well.  It’s going to be an intense next week of baseball, and I can’t wait!

Bop on the Head

As little bunny foo foo taught us all, a bop on the head is a bad thing and punishable. This is an important thing to keep in mind when it comes to baseball.

The first and third base coaches now wear helmets rather than hats to protect them from being hit in the head by a line drive. Unfortunately, that move came after the death of Mike Coolbaugh, first base coach for the Rockies Double-A team. I think that was a great decision by Major League Baseball to protect the coaches. However, we need more.

Saturday night, San Diego Padres pitcher, Alex Torres, debut the jumbo hat. It’s a baseball hat with several inches of protective padding. Good in theory, bad in execution. The hat looks beyond ridiculous. Good for him to wear it, but we need to come up with a better solution. That might help with a line drive, but it’s not the same as a hard helmet would be. It’s better than nothing, but let’s go back to the drawing board.

My main concern is for the pitchers battery mate, the catcher. Despite the different options for catchers masks, whether it be the old school style, or the hockey mask style, catchers are still getting hurt. I’m not a bad fan of the new rule this year, the Buster Posey rule as most people refer to it as, but it’s a step toward keeping the catcher safe. I love home plate collisions as much as anybody else, but it’s a little risky to everybody involved. We need to find a way to keep catchers safe.

Going along with that, there are way too many concussions in baseball. Catchers get beat up behind the plate just by catching. The abuse your body takes back there is unbelievable. Between squatting for 9 innings and blocking balls, that’s hard enough, but getting hit by foul tips or by back swings is another story. Oakland Athletics catcher, Derek Norris, has been amazing this year. I admit, I wasn’t sold on him coming into this season, but he has proven me wrong and I’ve never been so happy to be wrong. The thing about Norris is, he has had some “bad luck” behind the plate. Let me explain. Derek Norris has been hit with back swings in the head too many times this season, and even once in the hand. During the A’s infamous trip to Baltimore earlier this month, Manny Machado hit Norris twice in the head with his one handed back swing during that Sunday game (the bat throwing game) and the second blow resulted in Norris being removed from the game. The worse was today, the final game against the Boston Red Sox in the 10th inning. Red Sox shortstop, Jonathan Herrera, drilled Norris in the side of the head with his back swing. Norris went down and by the looks of it, was knocked unconscious, especially judging by the home plate umpires reaction and frantic wave to get the trainers out there. Norris laid there motionless in the silent coliseum as everybody watched in worry. Luckily, he was able to watch off the field on his own after a few minutes, but it could have been far worse. St. Louis Cardinals manager, Mike Matheny had his career cut short because of too many concussions.

We need to protect our players. I don’t care what you have to do, but nothing is no longer an option. We can’t ignore injuries to catchers anymore, and we can’t say they signed up for it when they decided to be a catcher. No, they did not sign up to get smacked in the head by a bat. MLB needs to step up and do something to protect catchers and pitchers before it’s too late. You’d think the injury to Brandon McCarthy would have done something to help speed up the process, but it’s been almost two years and nothing but a hat one pitcher wore that has some padding. Do more and do it fast.

Off-Season Blues

I have never been a fan of the off-season. It’s cold, dark early (stupid daylight savings), and there’s no baseball to fill my time.  I admit that this off-season has been highly unpleasant.  The A’s early post season exit to the Tigers, again, was hard.  I honestly thought this was going to be our year, and was met with a heartbreaking loss.  I was in a funk.  I was even spending time with a Giants fan.  Clearly I wasn’t thinking straight.

Award season has come and gone.  I was annoyed that Josh Donaldson got snubbed all across the board.  Don’t get me wrong, I think Manny Machado is a good third baseman, but Donaldson, in my opinion, was far superior this season and should have won the Gold Glove.  Heck, he wasn’t even nominated.  Slap to the face.

I am happy that Boston won the World Series though.  After all that the city went through, it was only fitting.  Remember in 2001 how everybody was saying the Yankees deserved to win the World Series?  I’m a Diamondbacks fan and had the Yankees knock my boys out of the playoffs, which I still don’t want to talk about, and I was pulling for them to win.  It’s a happy moment.  Helps with the mourning process.

Now, the other thing I spend my off-season doing to planning my trips for the next season.  I’m extremely excited for the 2014 season for two reasons.  The first is that I have only three stadiums left to see!  I still can’t believe I managed to pull it off.  Stadium 30 will be Texas to see my boys beat the Rangers.  The second reason is that the 2014 season is opening in Sydney, Australia.  I have always wanted to go to Sydney, so….. I’m going!  I’m hoping that my mommy can join me, seeing as how she’s a big Diamondbacks fan and they are playing there.  Plus, she has a big birthday milestone this year, so I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than in beautiful Sydney.  I will also be making a pit stop back at Wrigley.  Hard to believe Wrigley is going to be celebrating 100 years next season.  I made it to Fenway last year to celebrate 100 years there, so it’s only fair to go to Wrigley.

I must admit though, my off-season has perked up dramatically the past few days.  Billy Beane is working his magic and pulling off some awesome deals.  I’m still a bit iffy on the Scott Kazmir trade, but Billy tends to prove us all wrong, so I have faith!  If this week is any indication on how the rest of the month is going to go, I’m going to be one happy girl.

Side notes: I like Jacoby Ellsbury, however, going to the Yankees was a bit of a low blow.  Tim Hudson signing with the Giants hurt a little bit, but I love Huddy and wish him the best of luck.  I could care less about Robinson Cano, and we all know the Yankees aren’t going to let him leave.  They did the same thing with Jeter a couple of years ago before signing him.  While I’m on the topic of Yankees, can A-Rod just go away?

With that, I bid you a good night!

A’s at Orioles

I finally made it to a game at Orioles Park at Camden Yards!  If you’ve checked out my page from my trip last year, Baseball Trip 2012, you know that my first attempt didn’t go well.  For those that don’t know, I was walking to the game when some kid decided he wanted my phone and stole it out of my hand while I was using it.  It took an hour for the police to show up and by that point, I didn’t want to go to the game.  I vowed to make it back there, while my parents voiced their opinions to just forget about it.

When the A’s and O’s both made the playoffs last year, I said if they both moved on to the ALCS, I would find a way to go to a game, no matter the cost.  Well, that didn’t happen as both teams were eliminated from the post season in game fives of the ALDS.  So much for that plan.  I waited patiently for the 2013 schedules to come out to see when my boys were going to be in Baltimore so I could see them and the stadium.  The end of August.  And not just the end of August, but at 4pm.  Do you know that it is impossible to get from Oakland to Baltimore before 4pm?  I do.  The earliest I could get there was 4:15, which was not going to happen.  I started to think the baseball gods hated me and didn’t want me to make it to a game in Baltimore.  I needed a way to get to the game, and that’s where the Marlins game came in.  I was able to fly to Miami, go to the Marlins game, check off Marlins Park and get to Baltimore in time for the game.  Win-Win.

I admit, I was a little nervous walking to the game, even if it was the middle of the day.  Luckily, there was police everywhere and tons of other fans, so that helped.  I got to the stadium early to see the guys taking BP.  I kid you not, the outfield stands were packed with people as Yoenis Cespedes was giving balls away.  If only he did that during games more often!  I made my way to my seat to watch the end of batting practice and enjoy some relaxing time in the sun.  Once BP finished, I started walking around the stadium again, taking pictures and enjoying everything Camden Yards had to offer.  My friend is originally from the Baltimore area, I picked him up a Manny Machado bobblehead because he has a massive man crush on the kid.  As I walked around, I couldn’t help but think it was a really nice stadium.  It has the old feel and design to it, considering that it’s not that old.  Outside of the outfield gates there are all their retired numbers, with #8 right in front.  Speaking of #8, it was Cal Ripken Jr.’s birthday!  There is also a statue of Babe Ruth, who is from the Baltimore area as well.

Cal “The Iron Man” Ripken Jr.
Number 8 was retired in 2001

I left my A’s jersey at home, on purpose.  I think it used all of its magic last season.  Going into Baltimore, I had seen the A’s four times on the road this season, and had only seen one win.  Tampa Bay was a 1-0 loss to the Rays, Milwaukee was a 10-2 win over the Brewers, Seattle was an ugly 7-5 loss to the Mariners, and Anaheim (or is it LA) was a 2-0 loss to the Angels.  With the team’s recent struggles, I didn’t want to chance it, so I left the jersey at home and opted to wear my “Chicks Dig Diamonds” A’s shirt.

Pitching for the A’s was Jarrod Parker, who I saw pitch in Tampa Bay.  I am so proud of Parker.  After struggling the first month and change of the season, he has turned it around and has been lights out.  The start before this one, he had his first career complete game.  You can’t help but wonder what the standings would be like if he pitched this well all season.  The most exciting thing about this game though was the starting catcher.  Kurt Suzuki made his debut for the A’s, well his second debut, at the game!  After being traded to the Washington Nationals last season, Suzuki was traded back on Thursday night and made his first start back Saturday.  Myself and the other A’s fans all loudly cheered when they announced him, with several welcome back comments too.

The Orioles got on the board early with a solo home run by Ryan Flaherty in the bottom half of the 3rd inning.  I was having flashbacks to Tampa Bay when Parker pitched and lost 1-0 after giving up a solo home run.  Oriole’s pitcher, Chris Tillman, didn’t allow a hit until the 4th inning and was matching Parker with putting zeros on the board.  The A’s finally scored in the 6th inning with a double by Suzuki and Jed Lowrie.  Speaking of Jed, that dude is a doubles machine this season.  Both pitchers deserved a win with their pitching performances, but sadly, that’s not how the game works, and I want my team to win.  Just Win Baby!  Oh wait, I’m confusing my Oakland teams….

I love hot Coco, and I’m not referring to the drink.  Coco Crisp.  I am so happy that Billy Beane picked him up in December of 2009.  He’s such a spark in the lineup and makes some amazing plays in Center Field.  Game 3 of the ALDS robbing Prince Fielder was craze amaze, and then to walk it off in Game 4 of the ALDS.  After not playing due to an injury, it was great to have Coco back in the line up, and he was hot.  You knew he was going to make things happen when he came up in the 9th inning, and he rarely disappoints.  He hit the go ahead home run to put the A’s up 2-1.  The Aussie swear jar, Grant Balfour, came in and did his thing.  This would be the only game the A’s would win in their series against the Orioles.

Happy to say, this trip to Baltimore was far better than the last one.  I made it to the game, the A’s won, and I left with all of my belongings.  My next road game will be the end of the season to see the boys wrap the regular season in Seattle.  Hard to believe there is only 28 games left of the regular season.

Fans awaiting another souvenir from Cespedes

Babe Ruth Statue

Me at Oriole Park at Camden Yards with the A’s celebrating their win in the background

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Happy Labor Day Weekend!  Hope you are enjoying some baseball.

Machado

Thursday the Baltimore Orioles called up Manny Machado, and he has been highly impressive in his first two games.

Machado was called up from Double-A Bowie, being the third ranked prospect by MLB, and he did not disappoint in his debut.  He could be the boost that the Orioles need to make the push to the playoffs, especially since the playoff race is so tight right now.  Plus, he killed it tonight as the Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1.  Machado hit his first career home run in the 5th inning off Royals starter, Luke Hochevar, and then his second in the 6th inning off Hochevar again.  This makes Machado the youngest player in Orioles history to have a multi home run game, at the age of 20 (and 35 days).  Even more impressive, both home runs landed in the exact same spot, with both being caught by the same fan.

Between Machado, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, the future of baseball looks great.  It’s hard to believe that these guys are so young, with all of them being 21 and under.  I don’t know about you, but they make me feel old (and I’m only 26) and like I’ve done nothing with my life.  I’m pretty excited to see what these guys can do and how they do as the season starts to heat up.