TheLounge
06-05-2007, 03:57 PM
Normally, I’m not a big proponent of ballot stuffing when it comes to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game. There are some people — and you know who you are — that just vote for all the players on their favorite team instead of players that truly deserve to be recognized as an all star.
That being said, I implore all San Francisco Giants fans to vote early and often for catcher Bengie Molina. Sure, it helps that he plays for your favorite team but his numbers say he should on the team —*at least compared to the numbers of the top five catchers leading the voting right now.
New York Mets Paul Lo Duca, Dodger Russell Martin, Atlanta’s Brian McCann, Milwaukee’s Johnny Estrada and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina (Benjie’s brother) are the top five in the fan voting right now.
Bengie Molina has some of the best numbers of any catcher in the National League. He has the top batting average, slugging percentage, tied for home runs (six, with Martin), second in RBI (behind Martin) and total bases (Martin) and third in doubles. He is one of the best clutch players in the game this season, time and again coming up with the big hit when needed the most. Molina is also the catcher for one of the best starting rotations in the league.
Besides, if we don’t vote Molina in, a Dodger (Martin) or a former Dodger (Lo Duca) will end up starting and we definitely don’t want to encourage Dodger love.
***
Congratulations to the Giants for finally waking up and realizing Armando Benitez was not going to get the job done. It comes about two months too late, but better late than never.
Hopefully, the Giants don’t think this is the end of the moves. Benitez was a disaster as a closer but he was far from the team’s only problems. Lack of offensive production at key positions in the batting order is a glaring problem to address but the next target should be the bullpen. With all their eggs in the starting rotation basket, San Francisco needs to make sure those 2-1, 3-2, 4-2 leads turn into wins. The starting pitching is the team’s biggest strength. Make sure they don’t get gun-shy with a shaky ’pen.
I’m saying right now, Kevin Correia does not have it. Neither does Vinnie Chulk. Jack Taschner has been gas this season, blowing up more often than not. Right now, the only guys worth a damn in the bullpen are Brad Hennessey and Russ Ortiz — who apparently suffered some kind of elbow tweak.
So here is the Giants’ plan of attack: The starters need to get into the seventh inning with a lead and then turn it over to Ortiz and Hennessey the last two innings. Or Hennessey and Ortiz.
***
So, whose idea was it for Roger Clemens to come up lame with a lame injury excuse — his or the Yankees? It would make sense from either side. Clemens begged out because he was scheduled to face a tough Chicago White Sox team. No sense starting the season on the wrong foot. Just wait until the next scheduled start against that powerhouse team from Pittsburgh.
If you’re the Yankees, it’s all psychological. You can’t have your pitcher, who is being paid about a million dollars a start, to start his season 0-1 against a tough White Sox squad. A team wants to ease their selfish star into the 2007 season —*one that is already two months old.
Isn’t it great to see the like of Clemens and Yankees squirming? By the way, I mentioned in my column last week that Clemens would pull up lame at some point this season. I didn’t expect it to be this early.
***
If the Oakland A’s finish at .500 or above this season, manager Bob Geren should be the American League Manager of the Year. To have nearly your entire starting lineup — along with two-fifths of the starting rotation, set-up guy and closer — all go on the disabled list before the All-Star Break and still be hovering around .500 is a miracle.
***
In the weekend story, “Sequoia legend dies at 58,” Ed Nordness was misidentified. He is the sports chair for the Sequoia Alumni Association.
Also, San Mateo High baseball player Lee Shaffer was named to the Peninsula Athletic League’s Ocean Division first-team all-league squad.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.
That being said, I implore all San Francisco Giants fans to vote early and often for catcher Bengie Molina. Sure, it helps that he plays for your favorite team but his numbers say he should on the team —*at least compared to the numbers of the top five catchers leading the voting right now.
New York Mets Paul Lo Duca, Dodger Russell Martin, Atlanta’s Brian McCann, Milwaukee’s Johnny Estrada and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina (Benjie’s brother) are the top five in the fan voting right now.
Bengie Molina has some of the best numbers of any catcher in the National League. He has the top batting average, slugging percentage, tied for home runs (six, with Martin), second in RBI (behind Martin) and total bases (Martin) and third in doubles. He is one of the best clutch players in the game this season, time and again coming up with the big hit when needed the most. Molina is also the catcher for one of the best starting rotations in the league.
Besides, if we don’t vote Molina in, a Dodger (Martin) or a former Dodger (Lo Duca) will end up starting and we definitely don’t want to encourage Dodger love.
***
Congratulations to the Giants for finally waking up and realizing Armando Benitez was not going to get the job done. It comes about two months too late, but better late than never.
Hopefully, the Giants don’t think this is the end of the moves. Benitez was a disaster as a closer but he was far from the team’s only problems. Lack of offensive production at key positions in the batting order is a glaring problem to address but the next target should be the bullpen. With all their eggs in the starting rotation basket, San Francisco needs to make sure those 2-1, 3-2, 4-2 leads turn into wins. The starting pitching is the team’s biggest strength. Make sure they don’t get gun-shy with a shaky ’pen.
I’m saying right now, Kevin Correia does not have it. Neither does Vinnie Chulk. Jack Taschner has been gas this season, blowing up more often than not. Right now, the only guys worth a damn in the bullpen are Brad Hennessey and Russ Ortiz — who apparently suffered some kind of elbow tweak.
So here is the Giants’ plan of attack: The starters need to get into the seventh inning with a lead and then turn it over to Ortiz and Hennessey the last two innings. Or Hennessey and Ortiz.
***
So, whose idea was it for Roger Clemens to come up lame with a lame injury excuse — his or the Yankees? It would make sense from either side. Clemens begged out because he was scheduled to face a tough Chicago White Sox team. No sense starting the season on the wrong foot. Just wait until the next scheduled start against that powerhouse team from Pittsburgh.
If you’re the Yankees, it’s all psychological. You can’t have your pitcher, who is being paid about a million dollars a start, to start his season 0-1 against a tough White Sox squad. A team wants to ease their selfish star into the 2007 season —*one that is already two months old.
Isn’t it great to see the like of Clemens and Yankees squirming? By the way, I mentioned in my column last week that Clemens would pull up lame at some point this season. I didn’t expect it to be this early.
***
If the Oakland A’s finish at .500 or above this season, manager Bob Geren should be the American League Manager of the Year. To have nearly your entire starting lineup — along with two-fifths of the starting rotation, set-up guy and closer — all go on the disabled list before the All-Star Break and still be hovering around .500 is a miracle.
***
In the weekend story, “Sequoia legend dies at 58,” Ed Nordness was misidentified. He is the sports chair for the Sequoia Alumni Association.
Also, San Mateo High baseball player Lee Shaffer was named to the Peninsula Athletic League’s Ocean Division first-team all-league squad.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.