Instant Replay Used On A-Rod Hit For First Time!

Mark September 3rd, 2008 down in the Major League history books as the night instant replay was baptized to the game of baseball. The ball in question was hit by no one other than Yankees 3rd baseman, Alex Rodriguez, in the ninth inning against the Rays. The Yankees were leading 6 to 3 in the top of the ninth with Bobby Abreu standing on second base as A-Rod came to the plate.

The 2-2 pitch was delivered by Tampa Bay Rays reliever Troy Perciva and was driven over the left field foul pole giving the Yanks the lead 8-3. Rays catcher Dioner Navarro immediately protested the call and asked for the play to be reviewed. Rays manager Joe Maddon also gave his two cents worth demanding that the play be reviewed.

And there you have it. After a quick meeting around home plate, the umpires decided to uphold the A-Rod homerun and review the call on the field. The replay showed that the ball was hit inches above the foul pole but tailed right at the last possible second landing in fair territory. The call on the field stood and the Yankees went on to beat the Rays 8-4 in this historical game. 

Not only was the game historical for  Major League baseball, A-Rod also picked up his own chunk of MLB history.  A-Rod’s 31st homerun surpassed Mike Schmidt on the all-time homerun list breaking Mike’s record of 549 all-time jacks.

One shot, two broken records. Not too bad for the Yank they call A-Rod.

Sabathia Screwed By One Scorer?

When you compare the NFL’s scoring and record keeping process against the MLB’s process we infact notice huge differences. The most obvious difference besides the two games being complete different from one another is that the MLB only allows instant replay to be used when a homerun ball is in question. So why doesn’t Major League baseball allow other plays, such as the play that may have cost C.C. Sabathia a no-hitter this past Sunday to be reviewed? Who knows! 

Scoring decisions are tough to make. However, it occured to RBI Magazine that only ONE, yes I said ONE, scorer is incharge of the official scoring process at each Major League baseball game. Interesting huh? Keep this in mind as you read the rest of the article.

The play occured in the fifth inning when a ground ball was hit sharply at Sabathia. He bobbled the ball not once, but a few times, dropped it again, and then made no attempt to throw it to first. Pirates’ Andy LaRoche was awarded an infield SINGLE crushing Sabathia’s chance at a no-hit game. Ok, not a big deal,  it is only the 5th inning right? The odds of a no hitter are still not on any pitcher’s side at this stage in a game.

So let’s put this into perspective. If Milwaukee manager Ned Yost had a red challenge flag in his posession, would he have thrown it challenging the call on the field? Hell no.  At this stage in the game it was a routine play that virtually meant nothing. The killer is; Sabathia finished the game throwing a now questionable one hit shut out.

The shocking part of the story is that the Milwaukee Brewers are asking Major League Baseball to turn CC Sabathia’s one-hitter into a no-hitter. Could a play like this be a candidate for instant replay? Can’t that one scorer take a few minutes or seconds to review the play instead of making a questionable scoring decision. In most cases similar to this situation using instant replay will not even affect the play on the field.

Not only does the Brewers GM want Sabathia to be awarded a no-hitter, he is sick of  the entire scoring decision process!

According to CBSsports.com, GM Doug Melvin said he thought there should be a committee to decide scoring decisions like the one that may have cost Sabathia a no-hitter in the Brewers’ 7-0 victory over the Pirates on Sunday. One official scorer is used in all baseball games until the World Series, where a three-person panel reviews scoring plays.

If you ask me, that’s alot of pressure on one guy and too much room for mistakes to be made. Taking the spotlight off the umps and focusing the use of instant replay on scoring decisions or adding a few more “joe shmoes” to the scorers table might be a smooth move on the MLB’s part.

Whether or not C.C. Sabathia got screwed by one scorer or not, this issue needs to be addressed to alievate such incidents in the future. Is Doug Melvin on to something?

Pythagorean Win/Loss, Luck, and Why the Rays Will Lose the Division

Like most baseball fans this year, I’m captivated by the surge of the Tampa Bay Rays. How can you not be? Coming into this season their highest win total in history was 70 games. They’ve already surpassed that and we haven’t even finished August yet! It’s become pretty evident that Joe Madden’s young team filled with quality starting pitching and exceptional young bats is here to stay.

But will they win the division? Will they make the playoffs? No and yes respectively, and here’s why.

As of this writing (August 20), the Rays are 77-48, 4.5 games ahead of the Red Sox, and appear to be cruising to a division title with a little less than a quarter of the season remaining. Both have comparable remaining schedules - each team’s remaining opponents have the exact same average record of 66-58. So what would lead one to conclude that the Rays are going to choke lose the division lead? A little known statistic to casual baseball fans called Pythagorean Win/Loss.

Coined by Bill James, Pythagorean Win/Loss (also pythW-L) is an estimate of what a teams win/loss record should be based upon the runs they’ve scored and the runs they’ve given up. If a team has a better win/loss record than their pythW-L, they’ve likely been getting “lucky” and are likely to become “less lucky” for the remainder of the season in order for both records to match up accordingly. At the end of a season, Pythagorean Win/Loss is surprisingly accurate (usually within a few games) so in most instances a team winning more games than their pythW-L is likely to incur a losing streak to regress them back to the mean.

Unfortunately the Rays seem to be one of those “lucky” teams. Their pythW-L is 70-55, 7 games worse than their true record (this is often referred to as a luck of +7). The Red Sox, on the other hand, have a pythW-L of 75-51, 2 games better than their record of 73-53 (luck of -2). That 9 game swing would flip the Rays 4.5 game lead around to the Sox, putting them firmly in control. Couple that with untimely injuries to Carl Crawford, Troy Percival, and Evan Longoria, and it seems likely that the Rays magical season could end without a division crown.

The good news? Their pythW-L still puts them 3 games ahead of the Twins for the wild card, so there’s a good chance we’ll see the Rays in the playoffs regardless. And so what may appear to be a collapse in the eyes of many will simply be two very good teams playing exactly as they should be.

Of course, the pythW-L isn’t a perfect predictor of the future and has definitely been wrong from time to time, even over the course of a full 162 game schedule. For instance, last years Diamondbacks finished a whopping 11 games better than their pythW-L. The 2006 Indians were a -12 in the luck category, finishing with a record of 78-84 despite a pythW-L of 90-72. Talk about bad luck!

One thing IS for sure: numbers and predictions are fun, but they’re no replacement for real thing. This stretch run in the AL East should be fun to watch!

 

About the Author

Adam McFarland is the founder and co-owner of TastefullyDriven.com - a contemporary e-commerce site that sells premium home gym equipment, shaving & personal care products, home care products, nutritional supplements, and other products to help improve your everyday life. He also writes for the Tastefully Driven Lifestyle Blog, a blog that covers sports, politics, technology, health & fitness, personal improvement, and more.

11 Baseball Legends Who Were Legendary Assholes

A few bat worthy stories have made themselves present on Digg.com lately involving the true ‘ole timers of America’s favorite pastime.  On Friday, August 18th, 2008 a story hit the popular charts with the title “11 Baseball Legends Who Were Legendary Assholes”, written by Chris Morgan of Cracked.com.

The article breaks down each quote-un-quote Legendary Asshole including a summary of each player-who, how, and when they acted like an ass. Suprisingly, Ty Cobb is number 1 on the list with Barry Bonds floating with cup on too tight in second. RBI Magazine gives this article an A+ in research and the information presented in this fantastic blog post. Check out Cracked.com’s Article….

Now if only RBI Magazine could get them to write a few articles for us…heh!

Is The MLB Ready For Another Scandal?

In the past few years, there has been numerous scandals involving almost every professional sport, some worse than others, others worse than some.  Athletes like Michael Vick, Roger Clemens, and Tim Donaghy do not need their stories retold as the dark cloud above their heads called “the media” hasn’t left any details unsung.

Steroids in baseball, referees betting on games they officiate, and killing dogs were suppose to take the cake right? I thought so, until I came across a few baseball news sites early this morning, that paint the picture of the MLB trying to hang themselves.  Reports are now beginning to surface about another possible scandal in Major League Baseball that has potentially equal or more “fire power” than the steroid scuttlebutt. However in this case, it seems as though Major League Baseball is the one being scammed.

 According to the Bleacher Report, it was reported in March that White Sox Director of Scouting, David Wilder, was caught by United States Customs attempting to smuggle $40,000 cash into Miami. Since then, Wilder has been cooperating with FBI and MLB officials and has been fired by the White Sox.

Why the smuggling? Fortunately for investigators, Wilder has sung like a canary. Apparently, many scouts have been scouting players in Latin America and other surrounding territories. If the scouts see an ounce of star potential in a player’s performance, the player is bribed with huge dollar salaries and signed with inflated bonuses. I’m not sure what the best part is; the fact that the players suck or the fact that the scouts then force the players to give them a cut of their own offer. Now that’s hot stuff!

The Bleacher Report is not the only source of information on this shocking story. Wait! Was that really shocking? According to Market Place Public Radio, last week, the top Dominican scout for the Boston Red Sox was fired over accusations involved in the skinny dipping of bonuses. Tough one buddy! You won’t have to ask Arizona catcher Chris Snyder about what it feels like to shatter a nut! ESPN has reported that as many as 20 people could be implicated in this scandal involving more than a dozen ball clubs.

Controversy is also surrounding the fate of Yankees Prospect OF Kelvin DeLeon. Kelv “the man” is only 17-years old and from the Dominican Republic. He signed a deal in July of ‘07 for 1.1 million total watermelons. The problem is-the salary and bonus contracted does not match his talent or ability. SCAM!

Scouts are reportedly up to no good. I stress the word “reportedly” because in America you are innocent until proven guilty. For all we know the media could have it backwards, sideways, upside-down or out when its suppose to be in. However, if these reports are correct, the MLB is going to take another shot to its image, and have a few more problems other than steroids.

Steroid Suspensions Begin In Minors At Record Shattering Clip

 According to Biz Of Baseball.com and MLB.com, Minor League players are being suspended for using Performance Enhancing Drugs at a record shattering clip. On August 1st, 2008, Major League Baseball suspended two Minor League players for using performance enhancing drugs and again On August 2nd, 2008, during  afternoon hours, the MLB decided to suspend Florida Marlins Minor League pitcher Daniel Gil.  

The players suspended on Friday included Cincinnati Reds minor league pitcher Renny Amador and Arizona Diamondbacks minor league shortstop Bernardino Jimenez. Both players have been suspended for 50 games after they tested positive for steroids.

Amador tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone, that has been approved by the FDA for human medical treatment.  Jimenez tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use, mostly used in the treatment of horses. Jimenez has proven himself dumber than a horse!

Florida Marlins minor league pitcher Daniel Gil has also recieved a 50-game suspension for also testing positive for Boldenone. All suspensions have been ordered effective immediately.

Since the All-Star break 12 players have been caught with 4 different types of substances.  You would think players would get the picture by now!

MLB May Soon Allow Players in Future Olympics

When you think of the Olympic Games very few people associated Olympic competitions with baseball. Maybe it has to do with regulations by the MLB not allowing their players to participate in one of the ultimate sports experiences in the history of man-kind. Foreign players and players who are not associated with the MLB are responsible for keeping the game of baseball in session during the summers that host the events.

The reason Major League Baseball does not allow players to participate is because of the games taking place just about mid-season during the All-Star break. So the options now lie on the table. Take a longer All-Star break with the addition of a few extra days, or scratch the idea of seeing the Major League players we all love or love to hate and baseball all together from the Olympic agenda.

Already, the International Olympic Committee has dropped baseball and softball from the 2012 Summer Games in London, and the sports would have to be voted back into a future Olympics.

This focus on baseball in the Olympics is now gaining more attention than ever, since it has been excluded in 2012. Many are blaming the MLB for ruining a world tradition.

Major League Baseball, the IBAF (International Baseball Federation) and the IOC are working diligently to have a system where our big leaguers are playing,” said MLB vice-president and Team USA general manager Bob Watson during the naming of the Beijing squad on Wednesday. “I think if Chicago or Tokyo would win Olympics for 2016, those countries are baseball countries, and they have venues.

“I believe they are trying to work up something, you have a few years to get a plan. There are a lot of moving parts but don’t rule it out.

Now that baseball and softball has been dropped from the Olympic Games the MLB is trying to avoid taking the heat for the games removal. Right?

Ken Griffey Jr. Traded To The White Sox

The decision now remains in the hands of the Griftster himself. The Reds have traded Griffey to the White Sox, pending his approval.

During Ken Griffey’s 10 year career, the slugger has never made it into a World Series game. The current standings in the AL Central shows the White Sox on top by a game and a half, giving Griffey the perfect opportunity to jump on the band wagon and finally make it to post season play for once. Can you blame him? Will Griffey make it to the World Series for the first time in his career in 2008 with the White Sox? He sure deserves it.

The Sox are now set at the corners with Carlos Quentin in left and Jermaine Dye in right. They could play Nick Swisher at first to open center for Griffey, a move that would reduce the playing time of first baseman Paul Konerko. But Griffey has not played center regularly since 2006. Would they consider trying Griffey at first base?

The Reds will not confirm the transaction details of the trade according to Fox Sports.

Griffey, 38, is batting .245 this season with a .355 on-base percentage, 15 home runs and 53 RBIs in 359 at-bats. Earlier this season, he hit his 600th home run.

MLB.com: One Lucky Fan To Guest Host “The Dish”

Producer’s with MLB.com’s “The Dish” are searching for a guest-host to do a spot on their web series which is a short, light-hearted show that covers the convergence of baseball and pop culture. 

An “Entertainment Tonight” for baseball fans, “The Dish” focuses on how baseball and ballplayers interact with movies, television, music and video games. The show features reports from around the big leagues and exclusive interviews with the biggest sports and entertainment stars.

Recent Webisodes have featured stars such as:
  - Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman
  - Rock bands Daughtry & Counting Crows 
  - Yankees captain Derek Jeter
  - Yankees Johnny Damon and A-Rod
  - The “Piano Man” Billy Joel
  - Actor Matthew Broderick
  - Pop star KT Tunstall
  - Dodgers manager Joe Torre
  - Super Bowl winning champion Eli Manning
  - music artist John Legend
  - Actor/comedian Judah Friedlander
  - Track athlete Bruce Jenner
  - Writer/director Ron Shelton
  - Mets shortstop Jose Reyes
  - Former MLB manager Bobby Valentine
  - Actress/ Model Molly Simms
  - Tennis Superstar Martina Navratilova
  - Hall of Famer Bob Cousy
  - countless baseball professionals and many many others.

Show details:
  - New Webisodes run every Monday, Wednesday and Friday 
  - On rotation on Baseball TV
  - Length is three to five minutes
  - The entire season is available on-demand on MLB.com/Entertainment and via a free 
    video podcast subscription

MLB.com is currently casting…click here to enroll!  Casting ends: 8/21/2008 11:59:59 PM. You must be 18 or older to participate. Good luck!

Chris Snyder To Rejoin Diamondbacks This Weekend

You’ll certainly recall the story two weeks ago of Arizona catcher Chris Snyder and his fractured testicle. That’s not the kind of thing that you can forget hearing about. However, we do have good news to report! Chris will play in Tucson Friday night (July 18th,) in a Triple-A game in hopes of returning to D’backs line-up this weekend.

This story brought many to their knees on first read.  The play occurred in the fourth inning when Milwaukee’s Cory Hart swung at a low pitch during a Monday Night game on July 1st, 2008. Snyder was immediately placed on the 15 day-DL with talks about surgery pending. As it turns out, Chris did not have surgery and his injury is healing properly, more than anticipated.

“The goal right now is to catch seven innings, but maybe I can weasel my way into a couple more”, said Snyder.

Many doctors and fans are asking if it is possible that Snyder’s injury may have resulted in PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). It is certainly possible, but with his positive attitude the disorder has not yet made itself present.

Here is a link to a news broadcast featuring the video of Snyder getting beaned. It is amazing that he has recovered so quickly. Video

RBI Mag wishes Snyder well in his return after such a horrific injury!

 

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