Tank's Take July 18, 2003

At The Break

With the 2003 baseball season already past the midway point its time to take a look back at the first half and a look forward to what we could expect in the second half.

In the American League everything has gone according to plan the New York Yankees are in first, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are in last and the AL West is a 3-team west, oh and the Kansas City Royals have a 7 game lead?

Predicting the Yankees and the Rays and the toughness of the AL West between the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics and Anaheim Angels was easy. However, if anyone tells you that they saw the Royals who lost 100 games last year becoming a contender for the Central Division tile are either lying, or just got back from the future.

The fact that the Royals the poster child for how unfair baseball is to the small market is remarkable according to those who wanted a luxury tax and a tight cap on large market teams the struggles of the Royals were always the example given. In 1999 fans organized a protest against big market teams. Yet they are in first place. This proves any one has a chance with good scouting, player development and management. Consequently the reason why teams like the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets are in last place is because of lacking in these key areas. When was the last time some one called up by these 2 teams have had major impact anywhere? Weather or not the Royals have a chance to stay in first place remains to be seen, but the fact they are in first place means taht anyone has a chance and this whole argument about small market teams having no chance is rendered moot.

With the Royals first place surprise Tony Perez is an obvious choice for Manager of the Year, while Blue Jays could dominate several other awards with Carlos Delgado being MVP through the first half and Roy Halladay being the top pitcher in the first half. As for Rookie of the Year the answer is not clear yet, but in this writers opinion Hideki Matsui is not a rookie. He was a MVP in Japan before joining the New York Yankees, and should not even be considered for the award. So the vote here would go to Rocco Baldelli of the Devil Rays who has become a solid leadoff hitter for the Rays to build around.

While in the National League a peak at the standing don't yield many surprises, most expected, the way it got there is a bit of a surprise, with the Mets being the only disappointment. However, with every player but Rookie Ty Wigginton that was in the starting line up missing significant time due to injuries, it's too much for any team to overcome.

The bad play of the Mets did cost GM Steve Phillips his job, but truthfully he should have been axed with Manager Bobby Valentine in October. Now the Mets are heading in a new direction and have danced with the devil by sending Armando Benitez to the Yankees. If Mando does good and leads the Yanks to a World Series things could get uncomfortable fast for interim GM Jim Duquette. However, the Mets must now concentrate on the future and continue to rid themselves of dead weight, and that would include eating salaries if necessary. That means dumping Roger Cedeńo, and never allowing Mo Vaughn on the Shea Stadium field again, even in an old-timer's game.

The Atlanta Braves are in first place, again. Not a surprise, but Greg Maddux had a terrible first half and the Braves are winning with offense and not pitching. However, in the end the Braves will likely collapse in the playoffs, it seems some traditions never die.

The NL Central has been a jumble of mediocre teams and the Houston Astros are in first despite an injury to Jeff Kent and struggles for Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. Meanwhile the Cardinals have been feast or famine with Albert Pujols being a triple crown threat as ace pitcher Matt Morris, and the rest of the pitching staff have been mediocre. The Chicago Cubs remain close by, but their struggles over the last month means the cork is out of the bottle and they will fall flat and be out of the race by the middle of August.

The story of the West in the first half was the San Francisco Giants who have been in first place almost every day since opening day. However, the team to lookout for is the Arizona Diamondbacks, who fell way behind with injuries ace pitchers to Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson. However with a group of young players the D-backs have climbed back into playoff contention just in time for their aces' returns. If Schilling and Johnson are healthy and pitch their usual dominant style look for the Backs to be the most dangerous team in the second half. They may not overtake the Giants, but the Wild Card is certainly in the picture.

With Diamondbacks staying in the race, despite a rash of injuries Bob Brenley has to be recognized as the top Manager in the first half, while Cardinals star Albert Pujols has been the first half's MVP. With the NL's top starting pitchers injured, a reliever may emerge with the Cy Young, and Braves closer John Smoltz could become the first pitcher ever to win the Cy Young as a starter and reliever.

However, outshining all of them is Florida Marlins phenom Dontrelle Willis, there has not been a rookie pitcher that has brought this much excitement since Dwight Gooden in 1984. His on the mound antics remind some of another super rookie name Mark Fydrich who dazzled fans in 1976, while his delivery reminds many of Vida Blue. Either way if Willis stays healthy he could become the next dominant pitcher in the NL.

The race for the World Series should be interesting, but look for the Yankees will fall short this year as Armando Benitez chose in a big game like he did previously with the Mets and Baltimore Orioles. Look for a match up between the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants, with the Giants erasing the failures of last season.

Baseball has a few other issues ahead, that need to be worked out before the World Series namely the long tiring winding endless speculation on where the Expos will play next year.

This team needs an owner, having the league run the team was just a temporary solution, if they don't find a new owner next year will be the 3rd season they are owned by the league, which is something that can not be allowed to happen. With Vladimir Guerrero approaching free agency they will not be able to re-sign him under these circumstances. As constituted they have a decent team, but until their future is stabilized they will not be able to truly make a run for the playoffs.

Montreal fans have been through the ringer with this team, will they stay or will they go has been their theme song for 5 years now. This must end either Montreal get an ownership group together, and build a stadium, or ownership outside Montreal must be sought. If Montreal can get a good group together and offers to pay for a stadium to be built, MLB should step in and aid them, because Olympic Stadium is a major part of the problem. However, the hopes of this happening are slim and none, and the constant dangling in the wind must be ended.

San Juan is not a solution, MLB must understand this. They have had decent attendance for the games in Puerto Rico, but it would not last for an 81 game season, and their stadium is nowhere near being of Major League quality. Would a new stadium in San Juan help? That's hard to be seen, but there are many other difficulties surrounding Puerto Rico, from high taxes, to weather, to possible travel difficulties.

This leaves, MLB with 2 choices Washington DC area (DC, or Northern Virginia), or Portland, unless a last minute dark horse comes out of the blue. There are too many benefits to number by putting a team in the Washington Area, and with their natural rivalry with Orioles things could get interesting fast. True Washington has failed twice before, but things will be different this time especially if the choice is Northern Virginia. Virginia has no major professional teams, and they would embrace this team, and make it one of the hardest tickets in the league once the stadium is built. In addition a new permanent home could make the Expos or whatever they would be called a legitimate threat for winning the World Series, and by moving they will be able to keep their star players, and improve on week spots.

Tank's Take Hero of the Week: Garret Anderson of the Anaheim Angels who won both the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game MVP, becoming just the second player (Cal Ripken Jr in 1991) to win both awards in the same year. Anderson who has been one of baseball quietest stars has forced many who may have never heard of him to take notice, as he finally gets the recognition of being one of the top stars in baseball, after being one of baseball's most underrated players for the last 5 years.

Tank's Take Geek of the Week: Barry Bonds receiving the honors for his statements regarding Babe Ruth and the All-Time Home Run records. Bonds who said, "The only number I care about is Babe Ruth's. Because as a left-handed hitter, I wiped him out. That's it. And in the baseball world, Babe Ruth's everything, right? I got his slugging percentage and I'll take his home runs and that's it. Don't talk about him no more." This illustrates the lack of understanding of baseball's past by today's stars. No Matter how many Homers Bonds gets Babe Ruth is still the king of baseball. He made the sport the National Pastime, and saved it from oblivion. Its sad to think the best player in the last 30 years does not appreciate this who set the foundation for the sport. Ruth playing in today's smaller ballparks, with better weight training, and juiced baseballs, would have hit over 1,000 career Homers .If Bonds hits 1,000 then maybe he would have an argument, but until then he should just concentrate on winning a world Series, something he has yet to do. Bonds is a great player, but this is why he has never been an overwhelmingly popular players, and why is 73rd Home Run ball fetched only $450,000 at auction while Mark McGwire's 70th HR from 1998 fetched over $2 million.