Mets and Sox Showing Signs of Life

New York Mets' third baseman David Wright, stroking a double in the second inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, becoming the Mets' all-time leader in doubles, Wednesday, April 28, 2010

(photo courtesy Getty Images)

A cold, blustery afternoon in Flushing Meadows was not enough to cool off the bats and arms of the New York Mets. With John Maine pitching into the seventh inning, and timely hits by Angel Pagan and Jeff Franceour, the Mets completed their sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-3, and ending their homestand at 9-1. With their recent hot play, the Mets are now sitting atop the AL East, a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies. It was their best homestand in over 21 years, and manager Jerry Manuel is pleased with what he sees. “I’m kind of anxious to see when we’re hot, the opposition is hot and kind of see where that falls and see how we manage to play in that type of setting,” Manuel said. Heading into a weekend series at NL defending champion Philadelphia, the Mets start a stretch of 18 of their next 30 games on the road, so Manuel will certainly get a chance to see what he's looking for...

Jimenez Continues Dominance, Extends Scoreless Streak

Is Ubaldo Jimenez the hottest pitcher in baseball right now?

His last 3 opponents would certainly agree. (photo courtesy MSNBC)

The day didn't start out very well for the Colorado Rockies. Before yesterday's game, they placed two of their starting pitchers, Jorge De La Rosa and Jason Hammel on the 15-day disabled list, and were scrambling to reset their rotation for at least the next two weeks. The good news is that they don't have to worry about one of the starting pitchers, Ubaldo Jimenez.

Sox Survive Slugfest in Toronto

Boston Red Sox captain and backup catcher Jason Varitek provided the spark for the Sox

last night with 4 RBI's (courtesy USPresswire)

Throughout the offseason, Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein preached the need for pitching and defense, insisting that with that combination, the Sox would be primed for success in 2010. After signing John Lackey, Mario Scutaro and Mike Cameron, it certainly looked like those needs were addressed. Pundits insisted that the Sox would be challenged offensively, however, and given the slow start out of the gate for the Sox, that point was given validity. But, considering the poor start to both areas that were addressed during the offseason, the  Sox' offense is actually starting to click.

Are the Rays for Real?

Tampa Bay Rays' pitcher David Price, who first received attention during the Rays' magical

playoff run in 2008, is maturing and showing the promise of further success. (courtesy SI)

The Tampa Bay Rays are slowly learning how to win. After toiling at or near the bottom of the American League East division for ten years, suffering through growing pains, cutting their teeth and developing their young talent, they finally broke through in 2008, winning 97 games and the AL East crown. Continuing their magical run, they disposed of both the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox before bowing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. After slipping to third in the AL East in 2009, but still finishing with their second straight winning season, the Rays shopped smart during the offseason, their biggest acquisition being closer Rafael Soriano, signed to a one year, $7.25 million contract. 

Back to the Future...Is Barry Zito Reborn?

San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito, delivering a pitch to the

St. Louis Cardinals on April 24, 2010 (courtesy AP)

On December 29, 2006, San Francisco Giants fans were thrilled, and excited. Their general manager, Brian Sabean, has just inked star pitcher Barry Zito to a 7-year, $126 million contract, the largest contract ever rewarded to a pitcher at that time. After winning the AL Cy Young award in 2002 and being selected to three All-Star teams ('02, '03 & '06), Giants fans had every reason to expect great things from their new ace.

The Growth of a Great Pitcher

Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez delivers a pitch in the first innning

against the Washington Nationals, Thurday, April 22. (courtesy AP)

The superlatives continue to flow, and comparisons continue to abound. On Thursday afternoon, everyone was waiting to see the encore. And the kid delivered. Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, coming off the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies' history, gave another stellar performance in beating the Washington Nationals, 2-0, going 7 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just five hits while striking out five.

Wednesday's Tidbits, News & Views

Keli McGregor, President of the Colorado Rockies, was found dead in a Salt Lake City

motel room early Tuesday morning. He was 48.

The Colorado Rockies played a baseball game on Tuesday night. They played that game with a very heavy heart. Their president, Keli McGregor, was found dead on Tuesday morning in a Salt Lake City motel, apparently of natural causes. McGregor had been with the Rockies since 1993, and president since 2001. McGregor is survived by his wife, Lori, and his 4 children.

We Like Ike...

New York Mets rookie first baseman Ike Davis, given the infamous shaving cream

in your face routine after his impressive debut.

In mid-1951, the United States was mired in turmoil. Upset by the stalemated Korean War, and with no end in sight, the general population was looking for a new leader. They found a reluctant and unwilling participant: Dwight David Eisenhower. Wildly popular at the end of World War II, Eisenhower had not delcared any political affiliation, nor was he seeking office. However, after soundly defeating Sen. Robert Taft in the New Hampshire primary in March, 1952, Eisenhower finally declared his candidacy for President, and went on to become the 34th President of the United States. In 2010, the New York Mets were clearly struggling to find offense after a sluggish 4-8 start. They too turned to an Ike...

Correction of Earlier Post & Other Tidbits

Here at The Passion of Baseball, we endeavor to bring you thoughtful insight, intelligent discourse and responsible journalism, and to that end we also strive to bring you the facts. In a post that I published on April 2nd, I stated that the 2004 Boston Red Sox were the only team in professional team sport history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. I was wrong. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, behind the legendary Conn Smythe as team manager, also came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Detroit Red Wings and win the Stanley Cup. I strive to bring you the facts, and I sincerely regret this error, and offer my apologies to the fine fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Breaking News: Jiminez No-Hits Braves

Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jiminez, delivering a pitch against the 

Atlanta Braves, Saturday, April 17, 2010

He was effectively wild. He threw 128 pitches. He walked six batters. And yet, the Atlanta Braves were unable to figure him out. Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jiminez stymied the Braves' hitters en route to the first no-hitter in the history of the Rockies' franchise, leading Colorado to a 4-0 victory. Jiminez, who is now 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA to start the season, was off the mark early, walking 6 within the first five innings. He settled down later, still reaching the high 90's with his fastball late in the game. He was helped by a sterling defensive play by center fielder Dexter Fowler, with a diving catch in left-center in the seventh.

Henderson Mentoring Young A's a Win-Win

Rickey Henderson, MLB's all-time stolen base leader, says "it’s time for me to give the knowledge to the young kids and let them go out and do it and still get the glory and thrill out of it.”

You're a young prospect for a major league organization, and you're trying to do everything you can to make it to the big club and help them win. You've got some speed and good hitting skills. Who better to help you get there? None other than Rickey Henderson, of course.

The Nomadic Life of a Closer

New York Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera has baffled hitters with his

trademark cutter for over 15 seasons.

Is there a more pressure packed situation in all of baseball? Bottom of the ninth, two outs, runners on second and third, your team winning by a run. In the batters' box is the opposing team's most feared hitter. You've trained your entire life for exactly this type of situation. Or have you?

Rollins, Fuentes and Gonzalez All Straight to DL Hell

       Philadelphia Phillies star SS Jimmy Rollins is headed to DL with strained calf muscle.

 

I'm beginning to think that MLB actually stands for Medical Leave Bureau. With the news today, maybe it ought to be. The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Jimmy Rollins, out for the last several games, is now on the 15 day disabled list due to a strained calf muscle, and will be out of action for at least 2-4 weeks. The Phillies, who lost Rollins last year for a month due to an ankle injury, were just 23-17 without him in the lineup, and they will be hard-pressed to replace his spark at the top of the lineup. 37-year old Juan Castro will replace Rollins at shortstop, however the Phillies will have to come up with Plan B to replace Rollins' offense.

Tidbits, News & Views

 

Are David Ortiz' days as a productive hitter numbered?

The folks in Beantown are getting very antsy about one of their hometown heroes. David Ortiz, just 3 of 22 thus far in the young 2010 season, is getting skewered in local publications and talk radio shows regarding his slow start. Granted, it's only seven games into the season, however fans remember the '09 season in which Ortiz didn't hit his first homer until May 20th, and didn't raise his average above .200 until mid-June. With a healthy Mike Lowell waiting in the wings, Sox manager Terry Francona probably won't wait quite as long as he did last season in making a move if necessary...

Camden Yards Now a Ghost Town

Oriole Park at Camden Yards, built in 1992, replaced the old Memorial Stadium.

In April, 1992, the Baltimore Orioles were riding a high. Coming off a disastrous 1991 campaign in which they lost 95 games, the Orioles were hopeful, and looking for a new start. On April 6, they hosted their opening game of the season, against the Cleveland Indians, in their brand new stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It was a glorious ballpark, set in the middle of the famed Baltimore waterfront area, and hailed by many in baseball as the preeminent park of its time. The design of Camden Yards would serve as the catalyst for other teams to follow its lead, with fifteen other stadiums being designed and constructed in downtown areas of major cities.

Strasburg & Chapman, Other Odds & Ends

Cincinnati Reds' prospect Aroldis Chapman makes his US professional debut

today with the Louisville Bats.

The Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals are both playing today. However, their eyes will also be focused on the outcomes of their future hopes, Aroldis Chapman and Steven Strasburg. Chapman is making his U.S. professional debut today with the Reds' AAA affiliate, the Louisville Bats, while Strasburg is making his debut with the Harrisburg Senators, the Nationals' AA affiliate.

Twins Win 5th in Row, CC Loses No-Hit Bid

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Scott Baker goes seven strong innings,
allowing one run on 5 hits...

After dropping their opening game, the Minnesota Twins have served notice that they are in fact the team to beat in the AL Central. Behind 7 strong innings by Scott Baker, and the go ahead home run by Jason Kubel in the top of the seventh, the Twins won their fifth consecutive game, defeating the Chicago White Sox, 2-1.

Gallardo's Signing No-Brainer For Brewers

Yovani Gallardo's contract keeps him in Milwaukee until 2014,
with a club option for 2015.

There is now one less hole that the Milwaukee Brewers will have to worry about plugging for at least the next 5 years. Starting pitcher and budding ace Yovani Gallardo and the Brewers agreed in principle to a $30.1 M, 5-year contract, essentially locking in Gallardo through his arbitration years and the first year of free agency eligibility.

Wednesday's MLB Wrapup-Bonus Baseball

Kansas City Royals' Willie Bloomquist celebrates after scoring winning run on a
double by Rick Ankiel and an error by Scott Sizemore in the bottom of the 11th.

Yesterday's action in the Major Leagues brought a lot of drama, angst & euphoria all rolled into one. Seven one-run games. Four extra inning affairs. There was no shortage of stories in Day 4 of the 2010 season. So let's recap:

Thoughts After Three Days...

The first games of baseball are now in the books, and as we look forward to the next 160 games or so, let's take a look at what we've seen so far:

Did Barry Zito actually look like an All-Star last night? Wolf in sheep's clothing? Granted, it was against an anemic Houston Astro lineup already missing Lance Berkman, but if Zito can actually look like the Zito of old, the front 3 for the Giants will scare a whole lot of people.

Can Heyward Be the Panacea? Aaron Thinks So

Atlanta Braves rookie Jason Heyward rounding the bases after hitting a home run in his
first Major League at-bat on Monday, April 5, 2010

Once every few years, a player comes along that makes you stand up and notice. That same player comes with comparisons to the great players of the past, and is viewed as a player who can elevate the popularity of the sport itself. Hank Aaron is convinced that Jason Heyward can be that next player.

Buehrle's Brilliance

Mark Buehrle threw seven scoreless innings to seal the Opening Day victory for the Chicago White Sox

For those of you who may have doubted the competitive fire of Mark Buehrle, look no further than the fantastic play he made during the fifth inning of yesterday's win by the Chicago White Sox over the Cleveland Indians. Buehrle, a Gold Glove winner last season, and a four time All-Star, took his left leg and deflected a hard comebacker by Lou Marson toward first base. He then raced over to the ball, and without so much as a glance, flipped the ball with his glove between his legs to first baseman Paul Konerko to nab Marson by a half step. This was a bang-bang play, and Buehrle wasn't quite sure what he needed to do. “You see the play happening, you run over there saying, ‘Do I slide and spin, or do I grab the ball and throw it?”’ Buehrle said. “I think every thought went through my head. It just happened the way it did.”

Konerko, for his part, just tried to guide Buehrle through the play. Konerko said, “I was just trying to be loud and let him know where I was because I knew he would be kind of blind. With nobody on base, you can kind of go for broke. It’s not like you have to worry about the ball getting away from you. He put it right on the money.”

Plays just like this are the reasons why I live for this game...

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Sox Brass Show Their Class on Opening Night

Former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, acknowledging the fans prior to throwing out the first pitch on Opening Night

They pulled out all the stops...Keri Hilson with her stirring rendition of the National Anthem. A flyover by two F-16 Fighter Falcon jets. 5 year old Joshua Sacco, who has become an internet phenomenon with his YouTube pregame speech, giving a Red Sox version of the same. If that wasn't enough, they pulled another rabbit from their hat...Pedro Martinez.

The Boston Red Sox ownership team of John Henry, Tom Werner & Larry Lucchino went to great lengths to make this Opening Night a memorable affair, although most Sox fans shouldn't be surprised. Since taking the reins of the Red Sox in 2002, Henry, Werner & Lucchino have spent millions in renovating and expanding Fenway Park, rebuilding and developing the farm system, and are constantly looking for ways to improve the "Fenway Experience". This has resulted in selling out every home game since May 15, 2003, an all-time major league record. They have welcomed back former star players to be a part of the overall experience, including Carlton Fisk, Nomar Garciaparra, and now, Pedro Martinez. Although none from the ownership group are actually from Boston, they realize and appreciate the culture and history of the city itself, and the part that the Boston Red Sox have played in that history. Last night's Opening Night festivities was a prime example.

Oh yeah, there was a ballgame played, too. "It's exciting," said Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. "First game of the year, first day at home, playing against the Yankees -- there's a lot coming at us at once." This story won't be about the game itself, there are enough people writing about that. For this writer and fan, watching the game from my new home in Palm Springs, sitting with family and friends on an Easter Sunday, this was about watching a class act by a group of owners who get it: They get the fact that the experience is as important to the fans as the game itself. They get the fact that Boston fans want and deserve a world class operation, and they are committed to that achievement. They get the fact that Red Sox fans are among the most vocal, and the most critical, in all of professional sports, and they answer to them, never backing away. And, most important, they get the fact that the Red Sox are in fact an institution in Boston, and they will not let that die on their watch.

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Disabled List All-Star Team

Have you noticed the recently updated team injury reports? Based on what I'm seeing, you could actually put together a team of injured players throughout MLB that would rival that of any healthy team in the league. Here are my DL All-Star selections:

C- Chris Coste, Nationals
C- Ramon Castro, White Sox
OK, admittedly a weak position here...

1B- Lance Berkman, Astros
1B- Russell Branyan, Indians

2B- Freddy Sanchez, Giants

3B- Alex Gordon, Royals
3B- Josh Fields, Royals
Again, a little weak here as well, but Fields did hit 23 homers in '07...

SS- Jose Reyes, Mets
SS- Jed Lowrie, Red Sox

LF- Fred Lewis, Giants
LF- Reggie Willits, Angels

CF- Carlos Beltran, Mets
CF- Coco Crisp, Athletics

RF- Jordan Schafer, Braves
OK, he's a natural center fielder, but could plug him in here, as well as Berkman or Crisp.

SP- Cliff Lee, Mariners
SP- Jeff Suppan, Brewers
SP- Scott Kazmir, Angels
SP- Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox
SP- Ted Lilly, Cubs
SP- Edison Volquez, Reds
SP- Chien Ming-Wang, Nationals

RP- Huston Street, Rockies
RP- Kerry Wood, Indians
RP- Joe Nathan, Twins
RP- Brad Lidge, Phillies

Can't speak for anyone else, but I'd take my chances fielding this team of dinged up players, and take anyone on !!

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Schilling Hired by ESPN

How many times do you think Schilling's bloody sock will be discussed on air?

Curt Schilling, never one to back away from a camera or a microphone, has been hired by ESPN as an analyst for both "Baseball Tonight" and ESPN Radio. Schilling will also contribute to ESPN Boston and write columns for the company's main site. Famous for helping carry the Red Sox to its first World Series victory in 86 years in 2004, Schilling has also been famous for his blog, 38 Pitches, and has been frequently heard on the radio sports talk circuit in the Boston area.

Schilling will debut tonight on ESPN, during their pre-game coverage of Opening Night. While he has definitely been a polarizing figure in terms of his views, there is no mistaking his knowledge of baseball. Schilling was famous for keeping detailed notes on every hitter in the major leagues, having better notes than most of his pitching coaches. ESPN will be banking on this knowledge for Schilling to provide valuable insight, as they have certainly seen a dip in their ratings since the birth of MLB Network...

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Random Thoughts About Opening Day

Waiting for that blessed event... Opening Day!

It happens every year. As spring training winds down and teams pack up and head north, the adrenaline starts to pump. An unmistakable feeling of restlessness washes over me as I wait rather impatiently for that blessed event: Opening Day! Seeing the starting pitcher complete his warm-up tosses, the home plate umpire throwing him a fresh ball, and then bending to dust off the plate before he utters those magical words..."Play ball!"

So, what to do in the meantime? Conjure up memories, ramble about the past, doing everything one can to put their game face on....

• Garret Anderson in the visitors' dugout at Angel Stadium- Does anyone else look at this sight as just plain wrong? Anderson, who is the Angels' all time leader in hits, runs scored, RBI's & games played, is one of the first names that rolls off the tongue when thinking about the Halos.
  
• As much as I love the fact that my beloved Red Sox will open the 2010 Major League season against the New York Yankees, the purist in me still pines for the long time tradition of the opener being held involving the Cincinnati Reds. Each year, from at least 1874-1989, the Reds hosted opening day for MLB, and they are still the only team to open each season at home. However, times have changed, and Opening Day now officially starts on Sunday night, with a nationally televised affair on ESPN.
  
• I still remember Dwight Evans smacking the first pitch of the 1986 season into the center field seats in Detroit. No player had ever done that before, or since.
• I also remember Hank Aaron hitting his 714th home run off Reds' starter Jack Billingham in 1974, tying Babe Ruth for the all-time HR record. The Atlanta Braves had wanted to hold Aaron from the starting lineup for the opening series against the Reds, so that he could tie Ruth's record on home turf, but then commissioner Bowie Kuhn intervened, ordering the Braves to play Aaron, or face harsh penalties.
• April, 1993- I was in attendance for the first game in Florida Marlins' history, a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the first Opening Day I had ever attended, and to be there for the birth of a franchise was special indeed.
• In 1967, on Opening Day, at my father's urging, I started a scrapbook to chronicle the events of the season for the Boston Red Sox. I was 8 years old at the time, and little did I know what significance that special season would hold in the minds of Sox fans everywhere. In today's day and age, I'm reasonably confident in saying that scrapbooks are probably obsolete.
• The greatest quote about Opening Day came from Hall of Fame pitcher Early Winn. Winn, who starred for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians & Chicago White Sox, once said, "An opener is not like any other game. There's that little extra excitement, a faster beating of the heart. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one, you can't lose 'em all."
• Opening Day is the one day each year that fans across the country can realistically say, "this is our year." It's usually the next day that many of those same hopes get deflated...

And so, as I breathlessly await the opening pitch of 2010, I say to baseball fans across the globe: "Look forward to it like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen." (Joe DiMaggio)

Play ball!

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Sox-Yanks: My Fave Top 5 Memories

One of the greatest rivalries in North American team sports history resumes
Sunday night, Opening Day of 2010.

"Let's Play Ball!" Undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite phrases in life, and we will get to hear it this Sunday evening, 8:05 PM EDT, broadcast on ESPN2 and MLB Network. The resumption of the storied rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the defending champion New York Yankees kicks off our 2010 Major League baseball season, and there were a number of off-season moves and stories that certainly added to this already tempestuous tug-of-war between these two teams.

But, I digress...Having been a huge fan of the Boston Red Sox since 1967, I have certainly witnessed my share of unbelievable games, stories, fights, plays, etc., between these teams over the past 40 years, and I will share my five all-time favorite moments.


#5- Bucky F___ing Dent- In 1978, the Boston Red Sox held a comfortable 14 1/2 game lead over the Yankees in mid-July. The Yankees mounted an incredible charge, and on September 10th, completed a 4 game sweep of the Sox, also known as the "Boston Massacre", to tie for the divisional lead. The two teams would duke it out over the last 3 weeks of the season, and ended up tied for the division lead at 99-63, with the Sox ending their season with an 8 game winning streak, forcing a one game playoff. Red Sox manager Don Zimmer trotted veteran SP Mike Torrez to the mound, opposed by eventual Cy Young award winner Ron Guidry. Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski started off the scoring with a home run off Guidry in the second, which was the only homer Guidry allowed to a left handed batter all season. The Sox tacked on a run in the sixth, and headed into the seventh inning with a 2-0 lead. In the top of the seventh, following singles by Roy White and Chris Chambliss, Bucky Dent, a weak hitting shortstop, strode to the plate. After fouling a ball off his leg, Dent took a 1-1 offering from Torrez and blasted the ball deep to left field, just barely making it over the Green Monster, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. Reggie Jackson hit a solo homer in the 8th to give the Yanks a 5-2 lead, and the Sox rallied with 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it a 5-4 affair. The Sox fell short in the bottom of the ninth, when Yaz popped out with a man on third, ending their season. Dent, who later went on to win the MVP of the '78 World Series, will forever be remembered in Boston as "Bucky Bleeping Dent."

#4- Aaron Boone walk-off - In 2003, the Sox and Yankees were again locked up in a fierce battle, this time in the 2003 ALCS. Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens, who battled in game 3, were the starters for this one. In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the Sox up 5-2, a tiring Martinez gave up 3 runs to tie it at 5-5. Sox manager Grady Little will forever be vilified in Boston for his decision to leave Martinez in the game at that point in time. In the bottom of the 11th, Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who had pitched a scoreless 10th, served up an un-knuckling knuckleball to Aaron Boone, who promptly launched it into the left field stands for the game and series winning run.

#3- 1973 Fisk-Munson brawl- Sox and Yankees catchers Carlton Fisk and Thurman Munson, who were clearly not the best of friends, were involved in a home plate collision that triggered one of the nastiest brawls in Sox-Yankees history. Munson, trying to score on a botched bunt attempt, barreled into Fisk at the plate. Fisk, never one to back down from a challenge, immediately put his dukes up, prompting the brawl. Munson got in the first shot, with a clean right to the jaw of Fisk.

#2- Varitek's beat-down of A-Rod- On July 24, 2004, Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek showed that not only was he was the backstop, he was the backbone as well. With the Sox trailing 3-0 in the third inning, Sox starter Bronson Arroyo plunked Yankees' slugger Alex Rodriguez in the left arm with a pitch. As A-Rod was walking slowly to first, he had a few choice words for Arroyo. Varitek planted himself between A-Rod and Arroyo, and after a few barbs were exchanged, Varitek gave A-Rod a fist-full of mitt, prompting a benches-clearing incident. Order was eventually restored, and the incident served to spark the Sox, who went on to win in dramatic fashion, with Bill Mueller taking a Mariano Rivera offering into the bullpen in the ninth inning for an 11-10 walk-off win. Many believe this game turned the season around for the Sox, who went on to win their first World Series in 86 years. Which brings me to:

#1- Of course this would be Numero Uno! The Sox' incredible come from behind victory over the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. The Sox, down 3-0 and facing certain elimination, became the first team in professional sports history to rally from a 3-0 deficit and win a series, defeating the Yankees, and going on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic. While many historians and pundits consider this one of the greatest team feats in history, it only served as additional fodder for what is Boston/New York.

So, as we wait patiently (well, for some anyway) for Sunday evening, we sit and wonder: What will be the storylines in 2010 that add to this already dynamic rivalry?

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Lowell's Situation a High Class Problem for Sox

Can Mike Lowell retain his professionalism while working through a solution that serves both the player and the team? (Photo courtesy Wire Services)

Have you ever had an instance where your wife or girlfriend wants to make love to you two or three times a day, and you complain to your buddies that she won't leave you alone? Or, your BMW has a flat tire, and you're "forced" to take the Benz to work? Your friend invites you to play a round of golf at Pebble Beach, but you had already booked a round at Torrey Pines? I'm relatively sure that not many of us have those types of "high class" problems. That is precisely what the Boston Red Sox are facing right now with Mike Lowell.

When the Sox pulled off the deal in November, 2005 that sent young phenom Hanley Ramirez and prospect Anibel Sanchez to the Florida Marlins in return for Josh Beckett & Lowell, the Sox literally considered Lowell a throw-in in the deal. The Marlins were happy, ridding themselves of Lowell's contract (at the time over 8 mil) and reaping the benefits of the talents of Ramirez (last year's NL batting champ). The Sox, on the other hand, viewed Beckett as the centerpiece of their starting rotation, and Lowell as a fill-in at 3rd base to replace the services of the departed Bill Mueller. In 2007, the Sox were rewarded in a major way, with Lowell having a career year, and Beckett being nearly unhittable in postseason play, carrying the Red Sox to their second World Series triumph in 4 years. Lowell, in fact, placed fifth in voting for AL MVP, and was in fact the MVP of the Series. The Sox rewarded him in kind with a 3 year, $37.5 million contract.

Now, fast forward 2 1/2 years. Lowell, coming off major hip surgery in late 2008, has clearly lost a few steps. A stellar defensive third baseman throughout most of his career, Lowell has lost that quick first step mobility that allowed him such great range at his position, and, to compound matters even further, required surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb this offseason. This revelation itself nixed a potential trade that would have sent Lowell to the Texas Rangers for young catching prospect Max Ramirez. So now, just 3 days before Opening Day, the Sox are faced with an interesting dilemna. What to do with Mike Lowell.

There are several options here for the Sox, and most of them are not palatable for Lowell, who still views himself as an everyday player who can contribute if given the chance:

1) Platoon at DH with David Ortiz- Ortiz' numbers against left-handed pitching has clearly gone downhill over the past several seasons, and coming off his horrendous start to the 2009 season, Sox manager Terry Francona won't hesitate to insert Lowell in the lineup to boost production against lefties.
2) Rest options for Adrian Beltre/Kevin Youkilis- Lowell has donned the first baseman's mitt during ST and could be used to spell both Beltre and Youkilis at the corner positions.
3) Continue exploring trade options- The Texas Rangers are still looking for a utility corner infielder, but are obviously hesitant to pull a deal on Lowell at this point, until Lowell proves he has fully recovered from offseason surgery. The Florida Marlins were reportedly interested, according to several published reports, but later said they were never really interested. Whoever the Sox may choose as a trading partner, they will have to eat most, if not all, of his $12 million salary, so they would be better served by waiting at this point, possibly until the trading deadline. At that point they would only be into around $4.5 million of his salary, a bit more palatable for Sox ownership.

Not many teams in baseball have this kind of problem facing them. A Gold Glove winner, past All-Star, past World Series MVP on the bench. That certainly qualifies as a high class problem. Only time will tell if Lowell will handle his situation as a professional, and Lowell has always been regarded as a classy professional.

I do believe that there will be a market for Lowell at some point in 2010, but he may have to bite the bullet for the time being and show prospective buyers that he is worth the risk. In the meantime, his presence on the bench will certainly help the Red Sox in the short term, and if he chooses to handle his current situation in a positive manner, will only serve to boost his marketability in the near future.

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