On December 15, 2010 word was received by many that Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller had passed away at the age of 92. Immediately I heard and read opposite opinions about Bob Feller – to the point that I decided to find out more about the Heater from Van Meter. Here is what I found…

Let’s get some of the specifics out of the way. From Van Meter, Iowa , Feller made his major league debut at the ripe old age of 17.  In 1938 Feller set a then major league record, striking out 18 in a game. In 1940, Feller became the only major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter on Opening Day. In fact by the age of 23, Feller would have 107 career wins and over 1,200 strikeouts. How hard did Feller throw?  Well in a 1946 game, Feller had a pitch clocked at 107.6 mph. Dizzy Dean was once quoted as saying, ” That sounded like a strike.”

But on December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor forced Bob Feller to put his major league career on hold.  Feller became the first major league player to volunteer for active duty. An interesting note, Feller was exempt from active duty because his father was dying of brain cancer. But Feller felt “it was a war we had to win” and still volunteered for active duty. Feller served for 45 months, ultimately missing 4 major league seasons.

Feller returned the major leagues and in 1946 he finished 26-15 with 348 strikeouts. More impressive – Feller had 36 complete games during the 1946 season. Considering that current Major League players might have 36 complete games for a career – makes the number that much more impressive.  In 1948  Feller help lead the Cleveland Indians to their last World Series – sorry Pat. In 1956, Feller retired from baseball with 266 wins,  2,581 strikeouts and a lifetime ERA of 3.25.

In retirement Feller remained in the Indians organization, doing public relations work for almost 40 years. Feller was  fiercely outspoken and it wasn’t always complimentary. When recently asked about Stephen Strasburg,  Feller was qouted as saying, ” Check back with me when he’s won 100 games”.  When asked about Mark McGwire, Feller responded with ” I know a bum when I see one”.  His opinions about Muhammad Ali were less than flattering. Feller protective of the game of baseball has been relentless on Pete Rose and was a known advocate of Rose remaining banned from the game.

One thing is for sure – Feller will be widely remembered by many in a variety of different ways – a teen sensation, a patriot,  the best pitcher of his era, opinionated and possibly arrogant. In the end, the Cleveland Indians have a lost a hero and MLB has lost an ambassador.

There is often nothing funnier than capturing a facial expression or occurrence at the right time, or, should we say, the most inopportune time.

I challenge you, loyal readers, to view the picture below and provide a captivating caption that will cause “the shores a-crowding” with “people all exulting.” Should you provide the wittiest of captions, for you the flag will be flung and the bugles will trill.

This week, we have New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter looking a little worried with the hug he’s about to receive from Jennifer Steinbrenner-Swindal after reaching an agreement on a new contract:

Getty Images: Shortstop Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees gets a hug from Jennifer Steinbrenner-Swindal during a press conference to announce his new contract with the club on December 7, 2010 in Tampa, Florida.

You’ve got the context, now make like the father of free verse and create the best caption you can in the comments below.

By Aaron M Smith

If Charles Dickens was here, I think he would love the upcoming 2010 American League Championship Series.  This ALCS features a Tale of Two Cities if you will.. First you have the city/team that is excited to be here ( Texas Rangers). Then you have the city/team that expected to be here (New York Yankees).  Both teams took different routes to get here. The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins, while the Texas Rangers erased the Tampa Bay Rays in the maximum 5 games. Let’s take a look at both teams:

New York Yankees:

Let’s face it – this team was supposed to be here.   With a strong lineup led by MVP candidate – Robinson Cano, the Yankees will need to rely on its starting pitching to help them get past the Texas Rangers. CC Sabathia looked good in Game 1 vs. the Twins and will get the start in Game 1 of the ALCS. After the Sabathia, expect Andy Pettite, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett to follow. How effective will Burnett be after struggling for most of September?  Pettite looked great in Game 2, ,but how much was Pettite and how much was a struggling Minnesota Twins lineup? Kerry Wood has been a star in the Yankees bullpen – can he continue in the ALCS? If the Yankees  find themselves down 3-0 or 2-1 hole, do they skip Burnett and bring Sabathia back on short rest?

Texas Rangers:

I read an article today in which they compared the 2010 Texas Rangers to some of the recent Anaheim Angels teams. I completely agree. If Game 5 of the ALDS was any indication, expect this Rangers team to be extremely aggressive on the basepaths. Add in the fact that Jorge Posada threw out less than 18% of baserunners attempting to steal this year and it is a recipe  for disaster for Yankee pitchers.  The Rangers will send C.J. Wilson to the mound in Game 1 and they were 24-9 in games Wilson started this season. Colby Lewis will start in Game 2 and ace Cliff Lee will take the mound in Game 3.  One of the downsides to taking the Rays in 5 – Lee had to pitch twice.  With Lee starting in Game 3, Lee should be in line to pitch Game 7 – if necessary.  Josh Hamilton was 2 for the series against the Rays. Are the ribs still bothering him or is he just trying to get back in the swing of things?  Elvis Andrus wrecked havoc on the Rays in Game 5 and really set the tone for the Rangers. Will he continue to thrive in the ALCS? Will the Rangers starting pitching hold up?

Prediction: Sticking with the unexpected – the Rangers in 7 games.

Have a prediction? Let’s hear it.

By Aaron M Smith

If a lawyer was arguing that 2010 was the ” Year of the Pitcher”, they wouldn’t have to look any further than the National League Championship for Exhibit A. The 2010 National League Championship features the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants. While the runs may be limited in this series, pitching will certainly not be – as both teams feature exceptional starting pitching. Let’s take a look at both teams:

Philadelphia Phillies:

The Phillies made quick  work of the Cincinnati Reds, winning in 3 games. The starting pitching of Phillies was the star of the series, holding the high powered Reds to four runs and a .124 average in the 3 games. Roy Halladay started the playoffs off with an “are-you-freaking-kidding-me? ” moment by pitching a no-hitter in Game 1. Cole Hamels was just as dominant in Game 3 with a complete game shutout. The question remains the Phillies offense which was relatively quiet during the NLDS. Sure, the Phillies scored 7 runs in Game 2, but they were also assisted by 4 Reds errors.  The Phillies bullpen should be rested, as the starters have done most of the work. If  runs are a few, the bullpen will be called upon to get them to the World Series.  Will they answer the call?

San Francisco Giants:

Just how good is the San Francisco Giants starting pitching?  “The Freak” – Tim Lincecum was dominant in his playoff debut. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez were just as good, with Sanchez striking out 11 in Game 3. Almost as certain as Brent Musberger using the phrase, “Folks, we are watching the freshman grow up before our very eyes”, the MLB baseball playoffs is almost certain to introduce us to a new face in the game. This year it is Madison Bumgarner.  The rookie was dominant for the Giants late in the regular season and Game 4 vs. the Atlanta Braves was no different. Bumgarner allows the Giants to pitch Lincecum on normal rest – something huge over the life of the playoffs. The Giants hitters remain the key for this team’s push to the World Series. While not overpowering against Braves pitchers, they scored enough to support their pitchers during the NLDS. They will need more offense to get past the Phillies. But the Giants hit Phillies starters pretty well during the regular season, scoring 24 runs over 45 innings (4.80 era). Can they carry that success into the NLCS?

Prediction:  Runs will be few and far between, which means this series comes down to the bullpens. The Giants bullpen is better. Giants in 7. Yes, you heard it here first.

Have a Prediction? Let’s hear it.

Danny Moloshok/Reuters

by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell

It is that time again. Let’s hear from you readers. We had another week of stellar performances. Pick the ONE that stands out to you, and tell us a story.

I’m going to stray from the obvious pick here (it is, after all, the year of the pitcher) and go with a consistent plate performance. The Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista had one heck of a week swinging the bat. In total he had 5 homeruns, 13 RBIs, and struck out just once. His batting average, which started at .245 on Monday, jumped to .260.

The Jays’ right fielder now leads the Majors with 32 homeruns on the season. They finished the week 4-2 after dropping this weekend’s games to Cleveland by a total of 2 runs.

Toronto travels to New York tomorrow for a 3-game series against the Yankees. Bautista should keep his bat hot; he is hitting .348 with 3 homeruns against the AL East-leading Yanks this season.

Who gets your POTW?

The beautiful unobstructed views of Progressive Field

by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell

SATIRE – The Setting: A Cleveland Indians publicist welcomes the sparsely scattered media to an Indians’ press conference. The club’s owner Larry Dolan walks out and addresses them.

“Good afternoon everybody.

I called this press conference today to address the faithful fans of the Cleveland Indians. We are currently in the midst of another disappointing season, sitting in last place in the division and nearly 20 games from our rivals, The Detroit Tigers, and current division leaders, the Chicago White Sox.

As a result of our on field failings the past few seasons, our attendance has declined steadily since 2007. We currently risk averaging less than 20,000 fans per game for the first time since 1992, back when the team still called Cleveland Municipal Stadium home.

Contrary to popular belief, I want the Indian organization to be as successful as you do. I can only hope to someday return to the prominence we experienced in the mid and late 1990s where we became the first Major League ballclub to sell out before the season even started.

And that is why we’re here today.

I recently found myself out on Ontario Avenue when my phone rang. I answered and after about a minute of conversation, the phone call was lost. This has in fact happened on several occasions with my new iPhone 4 from AT&T.

Frustrated once again, I reached my office in Progressive Field and turned on the news. Coincidentally at that exact time, I caught a news story on the newest version of the iPhone. Dropped calls have become a common complaint amongst many consumers.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, announced a press conference to address this issue. But alas, I found out that there was a way to fix this problem in a more frugal manner (which, contrary to what some fans want to say, is not a euphemism I use for “cheap”).

Apparently, if you stick a small piece of duct tape to the lower left side of the phone, it will fix the problem of inadvertently disrupting the signal on the new antenna.

That’s why it surprised me that Steve Jobs wanted to spend money when all I have to do is find some duct tape. That’s like keeping a promising pitcher who’ll just ask for more money when his contract is up.

So for you Cleveland Indian fans, here is what I propose to fix our attendance issues: “Tribe Tape.”

A single 6-inch piece of duct tape (choose between red, blue or white) bearing the logo of your favorite team! Choose between Chief Wahoo, the fashionable cursive Indian “I,” or a throwback logo.

This will be handed to you at the gate, at which time you should immediately find your seat. Once there, place “Tribe Tape” over both of your eyes, sit back, and enjoy Cleveland Indians baseball again!

I’m sure some of you are thinking that there is a better solution; this was my exact thought when I heard about using duct tape on my $300 iPhone. However, you won’t realize the benefits until you try.

Just think: you no longer have to feel constrained by knowing the score, who’s up, or which inning it is. In fact, our public address announcer won’t even use player or team names when colorfully describing the action to you!

Anyway, your eyesight is just one of the five senses you can use at the ballpark. Plus, I saw this special on the Discovery Channel once where if you take away one of your senses, it enhances the other four to animal-like capabilities.

By June of every season, the crack of the bat will pop louder in your ears. The National Anthem and seventh inning stretch will resonate like an opera house. The hot dogs will taste juicier. The smell of peanuts and cotton candy will permeate through the air to tickle your nose. And the frosty cold beer in your hand will feel like you’re gripping an icicle.

“Tribe Tape” won’t take away from the game. No, no – it will actually intensify your baseball and Indians experience, all without having to witness the blooper reel that is our team.

Oh – before I forget – for you special fans brave enough to sit in foul ball territory, a replica Indians helmet garnished with a softball facemask will be waiting for you in your seat to prevent any visits to the dentist after your family outing to the ballpark. This, however, needs to be returned to the seat upon the game’s completion. We’re not made out of money like some companies, eh Apple?

But wait, there’s more! “Tribe Tape” will not only be to your benefit at the ballpark, but can allow you to keep that oblivious feeling at home. The next time you open up the sports page at the kitchen table, just apply “Tribe Tape” to the whole American League Central standings!

And as a precautionary measure, I’d also like to suggest purchasing an additional piece of “Tribe Tape” for a the low cost of $39.95 to apply over the “trades and transactions” portion of your sports page. That way, we will no longer crush your hopes and dreams during the trade deadline again!

So you see, Tribe fans, it will be okay to purchase tickets for the whole family for a Cleveland Indians game again. If duct tape can fix my $300 phone or affix my rear light to my car, then it’s good enough to fix our team! We don’t need to make like Steve Jobs and pour money into a misfortunate dealing.

You can come to the games without having to worry about whether or not you’ll see a catastrophe of a game. Simply put “Tribe Tape” on and cheer on the Tribe like it’s 1995!

And before I close, just in case anyone from the Pittsburgh Pirates or Baltimore Orioles is watching, “Tribe Tape” is a patent pending product.

Thank you for your time. It’s a beautiful day for a ball game! Go Tribe!”

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell

I know it’s already been said, but…

Stephen Strasburg should be playing in the MLB All-Star game tonight for the National League. There are valid arguments for both sides on why he should or shouldn’t be playing. No longer can it just be considered a “rite of passage” for players who have “served their time” in the MLB ranks for a few years proving their worthiness.

The game, after all, should not represent a lifetime achievement award in the sport but rather the best-of-the-best that particular season. All things considered, the sanctity of this game changed in 2003 anyway.

That’s when the players union and Major League baseball decided to make the all-star game outcome more than negligible. The winning side secures home-field advantage for its World Series representative. Whether or not that has had an impact on the champions since 2003, I don’t know. Since the change, the American League has won every all-star game but only holds a slight edge in the World Series 4-3 over its National League counterparts.

Still, I find it hard to believe that National League manager Charlie Manuel, whose Philadelphia Phillies trail in the National League East by 4.5 games and 1.5 in the wild card, isn’t thinking about playing a potential World Series game 7 at home.

Hypothetically speaking, what if the National League finds itself in a close game in the late innings? Having Strasburg in the bullpen has to be a tantalizing choice for a manager potentially looking to secure home-field advantage. In addition to that, Strasburg remains in that baseball analyst range of “players-haven’t-seen-him-enough” advantage.

And if the all-star game is still a playful, fan-enticing exhibition, then who else deems himself more worthy of participating than Stephen Strasburg this season? He single-handedly sold thousands of additional tickets in Cleveland when he started there on June 13. The attendance that game was 32,876. The other two games in that series recorded 10,000 less for each. Let’s also not forget that it was his appearance that brought the President to Nationals Park for a game this season.

I suppose baseball purists still see the all-star game in a sacred, “pay your dues,” “earn your stripes,” kind of way. But just like landlines, personal computers and home security, things change. The all-star game is also a fan experience, so why not give fans the hottest commodity in the baseball market right now?

Baseball decided that this game matters and now has consequences. What manager doesn’t want the best players in place for a must win situation? Sure, Strasburg is a rookie and hasn’t played half the season thus far, but few have dominated on the mound as he has.

Please excuse me if I don’t get all that excited when Charlie Manuel calls Chris Carpenter from the bullpen tonight.

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

Wednesday afternoon, Aaron Boone gave new meaning to the phrase – ‘warning track power.’

Yeah, Boone went 0-3 against the Chicago Cubs, and when the game was over his average stood at .000, but the Houston Astro first baseman grabs my POTW.

On March 26th of this year Boone had open-heart surgery to repair a cogenital defect in his aortic valve. Five months later, Boone returned to Major League Baseball.

The Astros organization deserves credit. “I’ve been blown away by how much they have been behind me, how much they supported me, how much they made this completely about me, I feel forever grateful to them by the way they have treated me,” Boone said. (ESPN)

Boone made a diving stop in the third to rob Jeff Baker of a possible double.  He gave the ball a ride in the fifth, but it landed just inside the fence. Five months after open-heart surgery – ‘warning track power’ earns my POTW.

Who gets your POTW?

         It is a deadly syndrome that is starting to sweep Major League baseball. There has been only one case known until recently and that case has existed only in Canada. But now rumors are circulating , that the syndrome is slowly spreading across the United States.  It is the Roy Halladay Syndrome.

Possibly the best pitcher in all of Major League Baseball – the Toronto Blue Jays are rumored to have Halladay on the trading block. Check that – the rumor is no longer fiction, as General Manager J.P. Riccardi is fact dangling Halladay in front of all the General Managers throughout baseball. With the likely scenario that the Blue Jays will not be able to re-sign Halladay after the 2010 season – Riccardi is left with the only option left available – trade him for prospects After all – who wouldn’t want to add a pitcher like Roy Halladay? Let’s look at his resume:

 2002-2008:

Wins: 113

Loses: 49

Complete Game: 37

Avg. Innings Pitched: 210

Avg. ERA: 2.50

 Clearly, Halladay has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the game over the past 7 years. Averaging 210 innings, Halladay is almost a day off for your bullpen – eating up innings with quality starts. The 37 complete games is especially impressive considering teams use of pitch counts and specialized bullpens

 But what will it take to get Halladay? Certainly a player of this caliber will not come cheap. Expect Riccardi and the Blue Jays to demand a king’s ransom. Players that are major league ready will be in the discussion. So will the phrase – “Top Prospects”. It will be the internal struggle that teams will undergo – are you willing to sacrifice your future for the present? Trading for Halladay could amount to no more then a year and a half rental. So a team would have to ask itself if this trade would put them over the top and bring a World Series championship home. And they will have to answer honestly to that question as well.

 But who has the Halladay Syndrome? Some teams have it already (see Philadelphia Phillies). Some teams wish their location could allow the Syndrome to exist (see Pittsburgh Pirates).  Some teams probably want it, but can’t because they are in the same division (New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox). But be very careful, as the Halladay Syndrome can be deadly. If applied correctly by the right General Manager, the trade could go down in history as one of the best. But if the Syndrome sets in on the wrong team – well – a silver platter will be delivered shortly after.

 Let’s hear your thoughts:

Okay, it is not exactly Tuesday, but this class and the reading involved is killing me – so bear with me.  This past week has been a tough week for Major League Baseball fans. First with the death of Angel’s pitcher Nick Adenhart in a tragic car crash, followed by the deaths of legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas and pitcher Mark “The Bird” Fidrych.  So much has been written about Nick Adenhart and Harry Kalas, that I am not sure I can add anything additional. But this week at lunch, younger co-workers and I were discussing recent news items at lunch – when we started to talk about Mark Fidrych. To my surprise – neither knew who he was and I consider both to be avid baseball fans.

That is when I decided to set out and do additional research on the man. To my surprise, I was shocked to see that Fidrych was born and raised Worchester, MA area – about an hour from Boston. In 1974  he was taken in the 10th round by the Detroit Tigers.  It wasn’t until 1976 that Fidrych made the Tigers roster and didn’t start his first game until May of that year. But in that game, Fidrych pitched 7 innings of no hit ball as an emergency starter- winning  2-1. Immediately he was thrust in the starting rotation where he went on to win 19 games that year, earning American League Rookie of the Year award and finishing second in the Cy Young voting.

But Mark’s attraction wasn’t so much his pitching – it was his antics on the mound. Nicknamed “The Bird” by a minor league coach because of his resemblance to Big Bird on Sesame Street, Fidrych was known for his oddball behavior on the mound.  During the game, “The Bird” was known for manicuring the mound and cleaning off cleat marks.  He was known for both talking to himself and the ball. He was even known to throw balls back to the umpire – because they still had hits in them. His antics caught the imagination of fans and he became a hit – pardon the pun.  In fact Fidrych became the first athlete to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Unfortunately before the 1977 season, Mark injured his knee in spring training. After he returned from the knee injury, he complained about a dead arm. Unfortunately, that dead arm turned out to be torn rotator cuff.  To make matter worse, it would be 8 years before the injury was finally diagnosed by Dr. James Andrews.  Fidrych didn’t last long in the majors after that and was released by the Tigers in 1980. In 1981, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and played for their minor league team. Unsuccessful – he quickly retired and returned to Massachusetts. It was over.  As quick  as his rise to stardom, his crash was as equally great.

Since then he has lived in Massachusetts, living on a farm, managing his gravel business. As a kid – I was fascinated by the man. I mean anyone that talked to the ball and to himself on the mound – had to capture the attention of a young baseball fan. Right? I am trying to confirm this with my Dad, but I believe we had the opportunity to see  him pitch during one of those unsuccessful comebacks at Silver Stadium. Actually,  I am hoping that Casey can help with this.

On Monday, Fidrych died in a trucking accident on his farm – almost as strange and surreal as his rise to fame.  Had I known that he lived so close to Boston, I might have tried to get his autograph. To me, Fidrych represents everything that “coulda” and “shoulda”  happen with Major League baseball. Mark Fidrych “coulda” been great and for one brief season – he was.  “The Bird” shoulda  been around for a few more years for fans to enjoy and he isn’t.  Too bad – in light of the recent dark days of  Major League Baseball – they could use him.