World Series Ratings Soar

From Maury Brown:

Fueled by outstanding individual and team performances, dramatic come-from-behind wins and the most one-run games in a single postseason, each round of the 2009 MLB Postseason generated double-digit percentage year-to-year increases in average viewership as compared to 2008, capped by the 2009 World Series averaging 19.4 million viewers, a +42% increase over last year and the largest-ever year-to-year gain in viewership (previous high was 36% from 2000-2001, which followed a low viewership showing for the Subway Series).

...

The 2009 World Series will go down in history as the fouth highest viewed World Series of the last decade following 2003, 1999, 2001, and 2004.

Once again, this just proves that the Yankees are great for baseball.

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-soar.html

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Saturday Rockpile: Options are all a guy really
wants

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Yorvit hopes to be diving face first into a pile of cash this offseason.

Browse more photos »

Rockies decline options on Torrealba, Embree | All Things Rockies
No surprises here, as both players have filed for free agency. Yorvit Torrealba could return to the Rockies for less money, but there's also a decent chance that he will find more money elsewhere. Meanwhile, Alan Embree could catch on somewhere with a minor league deal, but probably won't command much more than that. But, what do I know?

Eleven Option Decisions Made Today: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Option decisions of note that were made yesterday (in addition to the ones mentioned above: The White Sox declined Jermaine Dye's $12MM option, while the Phillies and D-Backs picked up their options on Cliff Lee and Brandon Webb. There are sitll a whole slew of options remaining.

Texas Rangers Blog | Sports News | News from Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News
Evan Grant takes a close look at the Rockies' offensive numbers with Clint Hurdle as their hitting coach.

Report: San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum has deal to settle drug charge - ESPN
Tim Lincecum will likely pay a $250 fine for possessing a marijuana pipe. Apparently, the charge for possessing the actual marijuana will be dismissed. According to a Clark County prosecutor, the situation with Lincecum doesn't differ from that of any first-time offender for something of this matter.

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http://www.purplerow.com/2009/11/7/1120386/saturday-rockpile-options-are-all

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Angels Figure out Long-Term is Key in GM Deal

As I have written about time and time again, one of the big keys in any business deal is figuring[...]

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al/

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Preview: Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game

Here is what I wrote back in June after I had just done a recap of the major league draft:“Here is my suggestion for Bud Selig in order to give the draft some juice. Unless you are a real die hard baseball, other than Stephen Strasburg, you don’t know 99 percent of the players drafted [...]

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http://theghostofmoonlightgraham.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/preview-arizona-fall-le
ague-rising-stars-game/

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On Belcher, Rest of the Staff and Free Agents

"As I mentioned, I think it was just a matter of him making the commitment to be on the field. It was not just the Cleveland Indians, but the whole baseball industry waiting for the moment to have a guy like him because we think he is a special guy."

That was Manny Acta on Tim Belcher, the newest pitching coach of the Cleveland Indians.

According to Mark Shapiro and Acta, Belcher comes well recommended, well respected, well known and well equipped.

Just read some of those quotes courtesy of Prospect Insider.

Let's tackle some questions though. I raised the concern about him having experience as a coach.. Well even though he was a special assistant, he did plenty of teaching as Shapiro will explain in this one.

"He was a pitching coach at I want to say at almost every level in the minors. He filled in at Triple-A, Double-A and A-ball, but throughout the eight years being here he has been a pitching coach both at Instructional League and spring training and filled in at almost every level throughout the farm system."

So yeah, he's done it before. Not in a full-time role, but he isn't walking into something blindly.

Alright so let's here from the man himself.. How is he going to help?

"I am familiar with this staff. I have been involved heavily in spring training with the big league side each of the last eight years. In varying degrees I have a relationship with really every pitcher in our organization from Kinston up, and some significant relationships."

And what is his philosophy as far as the position is concerned?

"I am not a guru. I think one of the things that too many people make the mistake about is I think that coaches at all levels in all sports get way too much credit when things go well and way too much blame when things don't. It is essentially the players on the field that have to perform and to have success in order for your team to be successful. Coaches in all sports in my mind are there to facilitate. If there are changes that need to be made you facilitate by providing the right information, enough information, and timely information for a particular player to get better."

I'm big on the hire so far. I'm reading nothing but good things. Of course it is all from the Indians, but with all the talk of how other teams wanted him at different points, you know there is mroe than just the Indians liking him there. This is someone who's patiently waited for the right situation as well. He's not just some guy who is getting thrown into the fire and taking the first good job that came his way.

Look at John Farrell. He was in a front office-type position before taking the job in Boston and now look at him.

Let's see if Belcher can follow down that path.

What's next though?

Well according to Mark Shapiro and Manny Acta, they're closer to names on the rest of their staff than "We all think." And as for the bullpen coach goes, it sounds like they're aiming for someone who's had experience in the pen... Which fits Scott Radinsky.

481 innings all out of the pen in Radinsky's career. Scott would be a nice guy to have in the pen as it would essentially be two pitching coaches on one staff as, this guy was in consideration for the pitching coach job and some believe he'll be there one day.

That's still unknown though, so we'll back off.

Acta is a busy man lately. He's everywhere... It sounds like he'll be in Cleveland soon and that's probably when they'll finalize the rest of the staff in that period.

"I am going to spend a couple of days here at home and will interview some more people and then I will fly up to Cleveland and spend about a week over there. Then I have to fly to some other places. I will probably go see some of our players in Venezuela, probably go see Jake Westbrook in Puerto Rico, and some of our players in the Dominican, so it is non-stop until Goodyear."

I'm sure a lot of his travels has to do with him getting to know his players now that he's their new manager, but I don't even know if there is another manager that would take this much initiative this quickly.

For the next three months, the guy is going to be going everywhere, it's amazing.

The Indians made another move yesterday that went by the wayside with the hiring of Tim Belcher.

They hired Ramon Pena as their new Director of Latin American Operations, replacing Lino Diaz.

?We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Ramon?s experience, track record and influence join our organization,? said John Mirabelli, Indians director of scouting, in a statement. "We are excited to add Ramon and feel he could impact our organization in a very positive way.?

Pena has been with the Mets, under GM Omar Minaya and you can bet with Shapiro's relationship with him, he comes well recommended and Shapiro respects that. Before his three years as special assistant to Minaya, Pena spent many many years in the Tigers organization and he has a track record.

He's signed studs such as Jair Jurrjens and Francsico Cordero. This guy has some good influences.

As for the guy he's replacing, Lino Diaz, brother of former Tribe catcher Einar Diaz, he's still in the organization. He will be, what is being described as someone who is "helping transition the Latin Players to playing in the United States."

Finally....

This happened yesterday... With it being really the first big day of the offseason, trades happening, free agents filing, all sorts of fun stuff.. The Indians had two players file for such.

One is Jamey Carroll, who we all know and the other is Tomo Ohka. Bahaha.

Shapiro says that Carroll will be under consideration for that open utility role the Indians have, but they seem to be fixed on going internal and young with that.

However, I don't think Carroll will come as expensive was we originally thought.

Let's remember this economy sucks and last year, baseball felt that.

Players like Orlando Hudson and Orlando Cabrera signing late and for one year deals. What is Jamey Carroll going to garner? Certainly not the millions he would have a few years ago. If the Indians did want to get Carroll back, I don't think he'd come at a steep price. However I don't think the Indians are in a position to bring back a veteran at that spot.

While this team needs a veteran, one like Carroll may not be the answer.


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"The bottom line," he said, "is it hasnt worked
here. It hasnt worked. We have to do what we have ...

"The bottom line," he said, "is it hasn?t worked here. It hasn?t worked. We have to do what we have to do to shake up our team and generate as much competition as we can. We have to put the pressure on (players) to go out and perform."

-Dayton Moore on the trade

Is the process being altered?

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http://www.royalsreview.com/2009/11/7/1120341/the-bottom-line-he-said-is-it

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Around the League

While my twitter account was filling up with announcements that players like Kevin Barker had filed[...]

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http://blog.lovemyteam.com/2009/11/07/around-the-league-2/

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Weekend Chum Bucket

Ah, the offseason, I know it so well.  It is a time when Marlins Crap becomes a legitimate post and a movie, book or music review is actually golden.  When you bask in paradise and I try to keep from freezing to death. Fortunately this year I don't have to go it alone.

Welcome to the first Weekend Chum Bucket of the offseason.  For those of you who are new, we don't work on the weekends in the offseason unless something of importance breaks.  However, that doesn't mean the site goes dark.  For you see, we have the Weekend Chum Bucket where everything is fair game.  If college football is your thing, comment away. Or if you like the pro sports, get after it.  Perhaps you would like discussing the underlying meanings in Dickens "Great Expectations", this is the place.  It really doesn't matter what the topic is, comment away and maybe someone will chime in.  I will say this, historically, the topic of baseball normally gets the best response.  Which is completely understandable.  The Weekend Chum Bucket often turns into a very fun social experience, and that really is the point.

But whatever you decided to do, Have a Great Weekend!

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http://www.fishstripes.com/2009/11/7/1120255/weekend-chum-bucket

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Why Not Both

In the wake of the euphoria over the Yankees World Series victory, the one question that seems to be on everybody's mind is this: Damon or Matsui? Both of them contributed hugely to both the Yankees regular and postseason success. Both also came up huge in the World Series. Both are also getting older though, and neither have shown any indications that they may be the least bit interested in retirement.

Damon hit well over .300 and his heads up double steal in Game Four was huge in a series that felt like it could have gone either way. He had a major regular season resurgence at the plate, taking advantage of a short porch in rightfield that seemed to be made specifically for him. The only flaw in his 2009 season was that his traditionally excellent range completely vanished.

Matsui's Game Six heroics earned him a well deserved World Series MVP. He essentially won the clincher for the Yanks and its tough to tell him to pack his bags after a series like that. Besides that, he had a monster year at the plate. His typically quiet excellence was largely overlooked and as long as he doesn't have to play the field, their's no reason he can't repeat his performance in 2010.

Their's a perception in Yankeeland that the Yankees need at least one of these guys. Their are valid reasons for this argument, as well. Obviously this team is good enough to win without splurging on a massive Matt Holliday contract. Besides that, it would be foolish to go and gamble millions on a guy who is an unknown when it comes to New York with the ever clutch Damon and Matsui readily available. Overpaying for the vastly overrated Jason Bay would be an even bigger mistake and nobody else on the free agent or trade market really jumps out at you. So, its clear that it would be prudent to re-sign at least one of them.

Why though, do the fans and Yankees brass believe we only have room for one of the two?

I know all the arguments for getting younger and giving Austin Jackson a chance to break into the majors. I also understand why people are tempted to leave that DH spot open so it can be used to rest our aging stars. In an ideal world where the lineup on Opening Day is that same as that of Game Six of the World Series, it sounds like a great idea. However, we don't live in that perfect world and players will get hurt.

Remember last year when everybody wanted to trade either Nick Swisher or Xavier Nady for starting pitching? We all had the perfect plan to pluck Jonathan Sanchez from the Giants or to add Aaron Harang to the back of an already imposing preseason rotation. None of that came to fruition though and Cashman correctly decided to hang onto both for depth. Because of that depth, when Nady went down the Yankees were ready to simply name Nick Swisher the starting right fielder and absorb the loss. Instead of being forced to look outside the organization for help and having to give up prospects at the trade deadline for an aging corner outfielder, it was an easy fix. Perhaps even an upgrade.

Looking ahead to the potential 2010 outfield configuration, we will probably have Swisher in right, Gardner/Melky in center, probably Damon in left, and a rotating cast of characters at DH. Then you have Austin Jackson waiting in the wings, still probably unready for the big leagues. All in all, a pretty solid cast. Nothing to write home about but its a solid crew out there.

Now, what happens when somebody goes down? If Swisher goes down and you decide you want to give Jeter or A-Rod a half of a day off at DH you're looking at a lineup that boasts the likes of Melky, Gardner, and Ramiro Pena at its back end on some days. If Posada goes down your seven, eight, and nine hitters will become Cervelli or Molina, Gardner, or Melky, and, if he's even brought back, Eric Hinske at DH. That's not worst case scenario folks, that's the reality of what you're going to have to watch if just one guy gets hurt for an extended period of time and they go into the year lacking a strong DH or leftfielder.

The reason they won over 100 regular season games was because of the offense. Sure, the pitching was vastly improved but what got the Yankees into the playoffs was their incredibly deep lineup. It was a group where anybody could beat you on a given day and if somebody fell into a little slump, you could count on somebody else picking them up with a big day. If they go into the season one injury away from losing that edge, its going to be a very different regular season from that of 2009.

I know I might get some flak for this and their's some sentimentality to my desire to see both of these guys back in pinstripes. After all, it was only yesterday that I saw these guys march down to the Canyon of Heroes to be given a key to the city of New York. However, this is also the logical move to make.

They're two guys who put up with OBA's of .376 and .378 in the regular season. That kind of production simply can't be replaced by an Austin Jackson or a Melky Cabrera. Sure, Damon's a liability in the field but we're only looking for his legs to hold out another year or two. Both of them could probably be had on a one year deal, although Damon will probably get two. These guys are really clutch, professional hitters who probably have another year or two left in them before they're finished with baseball. The Yankees need depth and these two can offer it for a relatively low price.

What do you guys think?

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Players From The Past: Lew Burdette

Lew Burdette is one of thirteen pitchers to have won three games in the World Series.

Selva Lewis “Lew” Burdette

Born: November 22, 1926 in Nitro, West Virginia

Died: February 6, 2007 in Winter Garden, Florida

Major League Debut: September 26, 1950

Final Game: July 16, 1967

Lew Burdette was signed by the New York Yankees in 1947 but pitched only one inning for them. It was ironic that Burdette would beat the Yankees three times in the 1957 World Series while winning the MVP award.

He was traded to the Boston Braves along with $50,000 cash while the Yankees acquired Johnny Sain in the trade on August 29, 1951.

Posted 15-5 Record In First Milwaukee Season

He compiled a 6-11 record in the last two years the Braves were in Boston and then posted a 15-5 record in his first year as a Milwaukee Brave.

In 1959 he led the NL in wins with a 21-15 record. That same year he defeated Harvey Haddix of the Pirates in the famous 12 inning perfect game on May 26 of that year.

While Haddix was pitching perfect baseball Burdette was giving up 12 hits in 13 innings but didn’t walk a batter while striking out only two batters.

Pitch Counts No Concern In Game

The Braves would win the game 1-0 leaving Haddix the losing pitcher of what may be the greatest baseball game during a regular season. There is no record of how many pitches he threw in that game at baseball-reference.com but it is safe to say he far exceeded the pitch count limit used by any manager today.

Burdette said after the game:

“I’m the greatest pitcher that ever lived. The greatest game that was ever pitched in baseball wasn’t good enough to beat me, so I’ve got to be the greatest!”

Burdette gave up a lot of hits and led the NL in hits in the 1959, 1960 and 1961 seasons allowing 312, 277 and 295 hits. However he walked only 38, 35 and 33 batters in those seasons.

Very Few Strikeouts

He wasn’t a strikeout pitcher and he struck out only 113 batters in his highest strikeout season of 1958. He struck out only 1004 batters in his 18 year career which didn’t help his Hall of Fame chances.

His 203-144 lifetime record gave him a +59 wins over losses. He won the 1956 NL earned run crown with a 2.70 mark.

He is third on the all time least walks per nine innings list with 1.84 walks per nine innings. He is behind Robin  Roberts with a 1.73 mark and Carl Hubbell and Juan Marichal with identical 1.82 marks.

Burdette hit 12 home runs and drove in 75 runs as a batter.

1957 World Series

Burdette has the second best ERA of any of the 13 three game winners in the World Series as the Braves defeated the Yankees that year. Only Christy Matthewson with a 0.00 ERA was better than Burdette and Stan Coveleski who both compiled ERA’s of 0.67.

He only allowed two earned runs in 27 innings in the 1957 World Series. Only Bob Gibson in 1967, Mickey Lolich in 1968 and Randy Johnson in 2001 have won three games in a World Series in the last 52 years after Burdette accomplished the feat.

He pitched three complete games and two shutouts which probably will never be accomplished again in this pitch count era.

1958 World Series

Burdette did not fare nearly as well in the 1958 World Series. He posted a 1-2 record with a 5.64 ERA as the Yankees came back from a three games to one deficit to win the World Series.

Traded To The Cardinals

The Braves traded Burdette on June 15, 1963 to the St. Louis Cardinals for Gene Oliver and Bob Sadowski ending 13 years with the Braves and prohibiting him from playing for the Braves in three different cities since they would move to Atlanta a couple of years later.

He was traded again on June 2, 1964 to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Glen Hobbie. Burdette pitched his last three major league seasons for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and the California Angels.

Burdette may not have been elected to the Hall of Fame but he pitched better than some pitchers in the Hall of Fame. Bringing a World Series championship to Milwaukee was the greatest achievement of his career.

Read The Full Article:
http://niteowl049.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/players-from-the-past-lew-burdette/

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