Some thoughts on Derek Jeter

Today is the start of the final weekend of baseball before the All-Star break.

Derek Jeter, my favorite ever New York Yankees player, doubled in his first at bat last night against Tampa, his 2,998th big league hit.

Jeter will be headed to Phoenix next week as the starting shortstop, voted in by the fans, his 12th selection.

Jeter missed 18 games because of a foot injury, and he's not been the player he once was.

Playing baseball at age 37 isn't as easy as it was at 27.

He's hitting just .257, well under his career average of .312.

Jeter also has a .321 on base percentage, and a slugging % of just .329.

Those number aren't All-Star caliber, I get that.

I didn't vote for Jeter this year, I gave my votes to the Indians Asdrubal Cabrera.

The foot injury, combined with the low stats have been fodder for anti-Jeter fans, and have media guys debating Jeter's place in history.

Derek Jeter has been a model citizen since the day he was drafted out of Kalamazoo Central High School in 1992.

The 6th overall pick by the Yanks, Jeter has been a pillar on and off the baseball diamond, never once having been linked to any sort of bad behavior or scandals off the field, and he has never been accused of steroid use, or the use of any other performance enhancing drugs.

As far as I know, Jeter has never been arrested, the police have never gone to Jeter's house for domestic violence charges, nor have I ever heard of Jeter beating up a girlfriend.

On the field Jeter has been the cornerstone of the newest New York Yankee dynasty, the Captain of the team.

Since stepping into the big leagues since 1996, Jeter has been nothing short of the ultimate professional ball player.

The Yankees have won 5 World Series since Jeter's Rookie of the Year season of '96, and they played in two other series, 7 in all.

2,361.

That's the number of times Derek Jeter has run out onto the baseball diamond to play a game.

9,602 times Jeter has come to the plate, reaching base 3,970 times by hit or walk.

Derek Jeter is the Yankees All-Time hits leader.

Derek Jeter has scored 1.725 runs, he had 480 doubles, 62 triples, and 262 home runs.

Derek Jeter has won 5 Gold Gloves as a shortstop, he has won 4 Silver Slugger Awards, and he is the only baseball player to win both the All-Star Game and World Series MVP in the same season, 2000.


Now, I'm not going to say that Jeter is as good a player, or better, than Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joltin' Joe DiMaggio,Mickey  Mantle, or Yogi Berra.

Derek Jeter is just as deserving, however, to be listed among those great Yankee players, and he deserves to be mentioned with the best short stops the game has ever produced.

DiMaggio would probably be the Yanks All-Time hits leader had he not missed time during WWII.

Gehrig became ill, causing him to retire long before his time.

Mantle and Ruth just plain didn't take care of themselves off the field, causing them to miss many games, many at bats, and a lot more base hits.

The way some baseball fans tell it, Jeter is an average at best player.

Those fans are either anti-Yankee fans, or are simply jealous because he didn't play for their team.

Everything Derek Jeter is, was, and will be on the baseball field, has been done with the utmost class and admiration for the game of baseball.


Derek Jeter is what baseball is all about.


Derek Jeter is one of the reasons why young fans want to be baseball players.


If you don't appreciate Derek Jeter, then I feel sorry for you.


When Jeter goes into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which he will, and on the first ballot, it will be the crowning achievement of a remarkable career, from a remarkable man.

 

Happy 4th!

Today is July 4th, 2011, the 235th anniversary of our great country.

Baseball and July 4th are synonyms with one another.

Bar-B-Q, picnics, playing baseball, they all go together so well.

The 4th of July is also important in baseball lore.

Fans use to mark holidays, Memorial Day, the 4th, and Labor Day, as bench marks in the pennant race.

If your favorite team was in first place on the 4th of July, the odds of them winning the pennant were very good.

In the old days, and yes, I remember them, 162 games included real double headers, faster games, at a shorter season.

Yes, a real double header, two games for the price of one ticket, played on the same day, with the second game played about 20 minuets, or so, after game number one.

With the double headers, the season didn't last as long into the season, so a team in first place on the 4th of July would have the upper hand on going to the World Series, or, after 1968, the playoffs.

July 4th baseball is also special because it was summer time, and we were always up early to go out and play baseball on the sandlots of Portage, Michigan, where I grew up.

We'd be gone all day playing baseball, although I would always run home to catch the Detroit Tigers if they were on TV.

Most times we carried a transistor radio so we could listen to the Tigers game as described to us by Hall of Fame announcer Ernie Harwell.

Now days baseball goes all out on the 4th of July with special caps for the players to wear, and all kinds of great promotions all around the big leagues, and, of course, the minor leagues as well.

Today I was watching the Cubs game, and color commentator Bob Brenly noticed two embroidered stars on the back collar of Cubs short stop Starlin Castro's uniform.

He was assuming, he wasn't sure, that those stars were for Castro's selection to the All-Star Game next week in Arizona.

No one else on the Cubs, with the exception of manager Mike Quade, had the stars on the back of their uniform, so it's almost certain that's what they're for.

I'll be interested to watch other games tonight, including the Tigers game, to see if, indeed, those stars are on all the uniforms of other All-Stars players.

As I said, baseball and the holiday's, especially the 4th of July, are part of what makes baseball special.

I've added a new blog to the list of baseball blogs that I like to read.

It's "Murph Talks, The Official Dale Murphy Blog," written by former two time National League MVP Dale Murphy.

Go over and check out the former Braves blog at Murph Talks

If you already didn't know, the MLB Final Vote is now under way.

Five A.L. and five N.L. players are on the "Final Vote" ballot, with one winner from each league being added onto the final roster for next weeks All-Star Game.

Voting is unlimited, you may vote as many times as you like.

I've been voting since the announcement yesterday afternoon, and I'll keep voting for the Tigers Victor Martinez and the Rockies Todd Helton until the voting ends Thursday at 4 PM.

Make sure you vote for your favorite player.

If you don't have a fave player, or just don't know, help me and the other Tigers fans by voting for a very worthy candidate in Victor Martinez.

So, after Hot Dogs, baked beans, and mac & cheese, it's time to relax the rest of the day, watch some baseball, some fireworks, and, I hope, a Tigers win in Anaheim later tonight.

Until next time, Play Ball!

Thank You

Today I saw that this blog has gone to over 20,000 page views.

To all of you who have checked out the blog, and especially to those of you who keep coming back, I say thank you.

I love baseball, and I'm very blessed that you baseball fans continue to come back and read the postings of a guy who is just passionate about baseball.

I'm not a professional, and have never claimed to be.

I just write what's on my mind, or about things that led to me becoming a baseball fan.

Have a great 4th of July weekend!

Funny video from the Vancouver Canadians baseball team

Thanks to Jimmy Traina over at SI.com and his Hot Clicks.

Trying to sell tickets to minor league baseball is tough enough, so I'm sure in a city like Vancouver, a hockey crazed city, it's very tough.

The salute to the baseball movie "Major League" was what stood out to me, and the team's PR people are to be commended.

Back on Internet Radio

Back in February I went on hiatus from hosting my Internet radio show.

My wife and I were moving, and I really wasn't feeling well enough to focus on the show.

Starting this Friday, July 1st, I'll get back into the groove of talking baseball, and sports in general, starting at 12 NOON.

If you cannot listen live you can always look to the top right side of this blog and find the Blog Talk Radio player, and listen to the previous show.

With the All-Star Game voting coming to an end, great pennant races, the Dodgers debacle, and with big league managers quitting every other week, there should be plenty to talk about.

See ya next time.

Twitter Tuesday

Sorry about the lack of posts lately.

As usual, my health is mostly to blame.


When my arthritis acts up I find myself barely able to check my email and do a few things on Twitter and Facebook, but no long posts or articles.


This week I'm busy with Vacation Bible School at my church.

This years theme is NYC Big Apple Adventure.


I help out my wife with her 2nd grade boys class, and because we have a New York theme, I though we could use baseball as our theme.


Our boys class is "The Chets Mets" and I'll be writing about our experience later in the week.

As is our custom here on Tuesday, we look at baseball on Twitter.


I recently started following Pastor Paul and the guys over at the Baseball Church.


They post trivia questions about baseball, and have a lot of very cool things about baseball history at their web site, Church of Baseball.com


I received a very nice letter from Pastor Paul, and a membership card that gives me a discount for purchases on the site.


Since we last spoke I found my favorite Atlanta Braves player, Dale Murphy on Twitter, @DaleMurphy3.

I really enjoyed watching Murphy play baseball, and in my opinion, he deserves to be, and should be, in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Here's my article on Dale Murphy from September 10th of 2010.

If you want a chance at winning some free money, go to the Baseball Guys,  where you can play fantasy baseball for free and have a chance at winning $$$$$.

I love when baseball graces the covers of magazines.


Here's a look at this week's Sports Illustrated cover, courtesy of the public relations guys for the Yankees.

For you fans of the Detroit Tigers, check out the Roar of the Tigers

This is one of the more creative sites I've seen.

The thing that you'll notice from the start is the art work.

To get the vote out for Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila there are various "Vote Avila" artworks being used by Tigers players, media, the fans, all led by Tigers star pitcher Justin Verlander on his Twitter account, @JustinVerlander.

The voting for the All-Star Game ends at 11:59 ET on Thursday night.

For me, the passion over at Roar of the Tigers is another reason why baseball fans are simply the best. 


Our love of the game of baseball is what drives us to set down and write, or in the case of the Roar, to draw, about our great game, the game that surpasses all others.

Until we talk baseball again, may God Bless you.

Play Ball!

Want to win a signed Justin Verlander jersey?

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander is doing everything he can to get his catcher, Alex Avila, into the All-Star game on July 12th.

Avila has been closing the gap on Yankees catcher Russell Martin, and Verlander, Tigers plaers, fans, and media, are doing what they can to vote for Avila as the American League starter at catcher.

Go to @JustinVerlander, the Tigers pitchers Twitter account, give him some ideas on how to support Avila, and he will choose a winner tomorrow(Tuesday, June 28th.)

You can go to mlb.com and vote up to 25 times per email address, or you can vote at big league ball parks until this THURSDAY, JUNE 30TH, AT 11:59 PM ET.

Monday Mop Up

OK, it's really hot outside.


If you live here in Jacksonville you know summer had been here for 2 months, as we have been battling blistering heat and smoke from wild fires.


Tomorrow, June 21st, we will welcome the official start of summer with a 100 degree day.

Thanks to all you baseball fans who keep checking back here on my blog.

We just recently saw our 19,000th page review, and I cannot thank you fans enough.


Speaking of the heat, no pitcher in the big leagues is hotter than Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers.

Verlander shut down the Colorado Rockies yesterday at Coors Field, tossing a 4 hit complete game victory, his 4th CG this season, as the Tigers beat the Rockies, 9-1.

It was the 1st complete game by an opposing teams pitcher this year at Coors Field.

Verlander's win was his 7th in a row, and during those 7 games Verlander has an ERA of 1.73.

Not so hot are the Florida Marlins, who have lost 10 games in a row, and 18 of 19.


Manager Edwin Gonzales resigned abruptly Sunday morning.


The Marlins are reportedly making gestures toward 80 year old Jack McKeon, the former Marlins skipper who guided the team to the 2003 World Series Title after replacing Jeff Torborg in in early May that year.


As soon as I heard about this possibility, that McKeon would come back and coach at age 80, I though, who does this guy think he is, Connie Mack?

Mack was the legendary manager of the old Philadelphia A's who coached the team until he was 87, more than 50 years.

Oh yeah, Mack was also the A's owner.


The Marlins have had some injuries, most notably to started Josh Johnson, one of baseball's best pitchers, who's on the disabled list.

But the team has also struggled with their hitting.

Eduardo Perez, a former big leaguer, was hired away from  ESPN's Baseball Tonight to be the team's hitting coach earlier this month.


The Marlins are hitting just .244 as a club, ranking them 22nd out of the 30 big league clubs.


The St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols is arguably the best player in baseball.


Today the Cardinals are figuring out how they're going to win without their superstar, now out for at least a month, after injuring his left forearm while trying to make a play at 1st base yesterday.


The Milwaukee Brewers(40-33), Cincinnati Reds(38-35), and the Pittsburgh Pirates are all battling the Cards for first place in the National League Central, and had better make the most of this opportunity while Pujols is on the DL.

Only four games separates the 4th place Pirates and the first place Cards(40-33) and Brewers.

Yes, baseball fans, the Pirates are still in the race, despite a team batting average of just .238.

Only the Nationals, .236, the Padres, .232, and the Mariners, .229, are worse.
  
Remember "Moneyball," 

The best selling book by Michael Lewis in 2003, about Oakland A's GM Billy Beane and his remarkable job running the A's on a very tight small market budget is now a movie, starring Brad Pitt as Beane.

 For more info on the movie, here's the Official Web Site.


The A's developed a lot of good players by out working teams, finding guys like Eric Chavez, and the "Big Three" pitching staff of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, who were the cornerstone of the A's four straight playoff appearances in the early 2000's.


As is the case with big league clubs who have small payrolls, the club couldn't afford to keep the three pitchers, and now only Tim Hudson, now with the Atlanta Braves, is till pitching in the big leagues.


I love baseball movies, and will look forward to it's release on September 23rd.

The Red Sox host the light hitting Padres tonight at Fenway Park.

The BoSox make a huge splash when they traded for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzales, and starting tonight Gonzales will be facing his old team as inter-league baseball continues.

Gonzales is easily the leading candidate for the American League MVP, leading all of big league baseball with a .348 batting average, and 64 RBI.


Gonzales is also first in doubles, with 24, total bases, with 176,  second in hits, with 101, 4th in runs scored, with 52.


Looks like Boston fans will be enjoying the play of Gonzo for many summers to come.


Tomorrow I'll be back with Twitter Tuesday.

After missing last week I'll be back writing about baseball fans and sites that I follow on my Twitter page, @freehan11, 

Is your on Twitter, give me a shout out, or just leave a comment below.

See ya next time.

Happy Father's Day

Just a quick shout out today to all you great fathers out there on your special day.

My father passed away in 1991, but I think about him every day.

He wasn't much of a baseball fan, although he used to tell me stories about when he did play a pick up game here and there he would play catcher, because he could throw the ball right to the bag at second base.

My Dad's favorite sport was basketball, his fave team was the Celtics, and he loved Bill Russell.

My baseball heritage comes from my Uncle Bob, who would always come to play ball with me and my brothers every summer.

I hope you and your Dad are having a great day today.

Always remember to tell your Dad you love him, because one day you'll look up, and he won't be there to play catch with, to play pepper with, to hit ground balls to you, or, and most important, just to sit and talk to you.

My 2011 BBA All Star Ballot

It's baseball All-Star Game time again, and for the second consecutive year it's my proud pleasure to vote for the game as a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance.

This years contest will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

I saw my first All-Star game on TV in 1970, the year the Reds Pete Rose ran over Ray Fosse of the Indians to win the game for the National League.

The next year the American League  broke a long drought of losing All-Star games, beating the Senior Circuit at Detroit's Tiger Stadium.

The thing I remember most about the '71 game was the monster HR the A's Reggie Jackson hit off the light tower that sat atop the right center field roof.

The All-Star game is always a must see for me, and as always, I will root for the A.L. to win the game.

I've always cheered for the A.L., after all, that's were the Detroit Tigers play, and the Tigers are my favorite team.

I'll also watch to see if any of the Tigers player get into the game.

Back in 1970 there were always Tigers players in the game.

Bill Freehan started every game as the A.L. catcher from 1966-72, and Al Kaline, the Hall of Fame right fielder, was always in the game.

OK< enough of my remembarances, here's who I think should be in this years big game.

American League

Catcher...Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers

OK, so I'm a homer right from the start.

Avila is, however, the right choice here.

In 57 games Avila leads all A.L. catchers in RBI, with 38, in total bases, with 105, in slugging percentage, .505,  and in doubles, with 14.

Avila is also  second in batting average, .304, is 4th in HR's with 9.

First Base...Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

 Hey, it's another Tigers player, yes, but Cabrera is hitting .315, with 13 HR's, and 46 RBI.

The votes are going to go for the Red Sox Adrian Gonzales and the Yankees Mark Teixeira, so my 25 votes to Cabrera won't matter.

As long as he produces the way he does, he's going to be my vote every year.

Second Base...Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

Cano is the easy pick here.

Cano leads all A.L. second sackers in hits, 73, at bats, 255(tied), HR's, 14, RBI with 45, total bases, 132, and in slugging percentage, .518.

Third Base...Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

As with Cano at 2nd base, the stats back up my pick of Beltre.

Beltre leads all third baseman in RBI with 49, at bats, 263, and in hits, with 69.

Shortstop...Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians

Talk about dominating a position.

Cabrera is #1 in everything, at bats, average, slugging percentage, home runs, RBI, total bases, hits, and runs scored.

Now that's a big league All-Star.

Outfield...Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees

                  Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

                   Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers(Write in)

Granderson is tied for the HR lead with 21 dingers, he leads all OF with 52 RBI, runs scored, 58, and 155 total bases.

Bautista is arguably the best power hitting outfielder in baseball, with a league leading 21 home runs(w/ Granderson), he leads all A.L. OF in batting, .333, in slugging percentage, .686, in on base %, .489, and in walks, with 62, an astounding 20 more than the next outfielder, the Yankees Nick Swisher.

Brennan Boesch is my favorite player in baseball, and he plays for my favorite team, the Detroit Tigers.

I wrote Boesch's name as a write in candidate all 25 times on the MLB.com ballot, and I don't care who complains.

The All-Star game is for us fans, and I know Boesch will never come close to starting, or even making, the team this year.

Boesch is a tremendous young player who has established himself in the 3rd spot in the Tigers lineup, just ahead of Cabrera and Victor Martinez.

As long as he plays big league baseball, and produces the way he has, he will get every vote from me.

In 234 at bats in 63 games Boesch is 4th among all outfielders in both doubles, 16, and runs scored, with 45.

Boesch is 8th among all OF in RBI, with 36, and is 10th in total bases, with 109.

Designated Hitter...Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers

Yes, another Tigers player, so sue me.

Martinez has been everything the Tigers wanted in a #5 hitter behind Cabrera.

Big Papi, David Ortiz is having an awesome year, and Red Sox Nation should be proud, but for what Martinez has done for the 1st place Tigers, my vote goes to V-Mart.

Martinez is second among all DH in batting, hitting .322, is 3rd in slugging , .508, 6th in on base %, and Martinez has 36 doubles, 101 total bases, and his 64 hits rank him 7th.

National League

First Base...Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

Votto, the reigning N.L. MVP, is my choice among a bunch of great first baseman in the N. L.

Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, and Todd Helton all receive some of my 25 votes, it was that tough for me.

Votto leads all N.L. 1st sackers in batting average, .331, hits, 83, walks, with 56, and he's even stolen 6 bases, #1 among all N.L. first baseman.

Second Base...Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers

This is one of those players who always seems to be in his teams nightly hilights.

Weeks leads all N.L. 2nd baseman with 278 at bats, runs scored, 49, hits, 80, doubles, 18, HR's, 13, and in total bases, 141.

Third Base...Placido Polanco, Philadelphia Phillies

In voting for Polanco, the numbers are all there, a .304 batting average, 102 total bases, 80 hits, 10 doubles,38 RBI, and 30 runs scored.

Shortstop...Jose Reyes, New York Mets

The National League leader in batting average, .345, Reyes also leads all second baseman in at bats, 284, runs scored, 50, hits, 98(N.L. leader), 20 doubles, 11 triples(N.L. leader), and in total bases, 149.

Outfielders...Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

                        Hunter Pence, Houston Astros

                        Mike Stanton, Florida Marlins

I love this set of outfielders, all whom are having terrific years.

Matt Kemp is my #1 N.L. outfielder, with 85 hits, 20 home runs, 56 RBI, and a .335 batting average, and 162 total bases.

The Houston Astros are having a miserable season, but it's not because of the play of Hunter Pence.

Pence has a .321 batting average, a .500 slugging percentage, has driven in 50 runs, and a N.L. leading 90 hits.

I'm a Mike Stanton fan.

I first saw this young player while he was here in Jacksonville, playing for the AA Suns, the Marlins affiliate.

On opening Day in 2010 he crushed 2 long home runs, and he was on his way to the big leagues.

Stanton has hit 16 HR's, has 41 RBI, 15 doubles, has scored 37 runs, has a .544 slugging percentage, and 124 total bases in 228 at bats.

When the Marlins are on my TV, and Stanton is hitting, I never change the channel.

So there you have it baseball fans, my selections for baseball's All-Star Game next month.

I know not every pick is the right player, but they are the players that I think deserve recognition for their play this season.

If you noticed my statistical numbers didn't contain one of the newer stats, WAR, or BABIP, etc.

Those stats are meaningless to me, an old school guy who believes in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.

Stats alone don't always tell the whole story anyway, they can't show hustle, or heart, or how a player plays the game.

You young guys can have all the SABR numbers you want, you can create any new stat that fits your idea of what baseball is.

Baseball is a game of pitching, hitting, running, and throwing.

Watch the games, read the game stories, look at the box scores.

The game of baseball has done just fine for over a century with it's simple rules and stats.

I love the great game of baseball, and look forward to the upcoming All-Star Game.

I hope all you baseball fans will continue to show your passion, and love of baseball, regardless weather your an old school guy like me, or a young guy just learning about the greatest game ever invented.

Play Ball!