Tag Archives: 2013

Florida Gulf Coast University Basketball vs. Fresno State Baseball: What’s the bigger Cinderella?

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Florida Gulf Coast University is the darling of the NCAA basketball tournament, becoming the first 15-seed to advance to the Sweet 16. It is already being called one of the greatest Cinderella stories in college history. But I had to wonder: how does it compare to perhaps the greatest Cinderella story in baseball, the 2008 Fresno State baseball team?

If you aren’t familiar with it, I can’t blame you, as I’ve mentioned before, not many people pay attention to college baseball, especially outside of the College World Series. So I’ll refresh your memory: in 2008, the Fresno State Bulldogs, who only was able to qualify for the baseball tournament thanks to winning the Western Athletic Conference tournament. They were placed into their initial pool as a 4-seed (early rounds of NCAA baseball tournament are double-elimination pools), the equivalent of being a 13 seed or lower in March Madness.

But, a funny thing happened, not only did they advance through their regional and then super-regional pool, but they ended up winning the College World Series, defeating Georgia. They became the lowest seed ever to win a NCAA championship.

So, is FGCU more impressive than that?

Well, no. Mainly, this is because FGCU hasn’t won the tournament, and it probably won’t. However, should they continue on, that answer could change. The reason for this is because of the differences between baseball and basketball.

You see, unlike baseball, basketball doesn’t have any real “equalizer” position. While having a dominant player like a Lebron James or Kevin Durant definitely can help, there is no pitcher who can shut down the opposing offense or hockey goalie who can stand on his head. That means that, usually, the entire team more or less has to play above expectations if they intend to pull off an upset, or have their opponent have a bad day on the same day they have a few players have a good day. So to pull an upset in basketball is far more impressive and rare than an upset in baseball.

However, as I said, FGCU still has a long way to go. Fresno State, after all, won the whole thing- and that means that the Gulf Coast players will have to win four more games if they aim to take the overall crown of the greatest Cinderella in college sports history.

WBC Semi-Final Preview: Dominican Republic vs. Kingdom of the Netherlands

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It’s a showdown tonight, a grudge match four years in the making. In one corner, the mighty Dominican, now by far the biggest fish in the increasingly small WBC pond. In the other corner, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the upstart amalgamation of the Netherlands, Curacao and Aruba. Four years ago, the Dutch upset the Dominican twice, and now the Dominican has a chance for revenge. They probably will get it, but as we saw in Puerto Rico-Japan (and Puerto Rico-USA, and Netherlands-Cuba, and… you get the idea), there are no guarantees in baseball.

Go below the jump for the tale of the tape:

Continue reading →

Picture of the day: WBC Trophy

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The first two World Baseball Classic trophies went to Japan, where will this one go?

This picture was taken by Geoff Livingston, and is under a creative commons license.

Games aren’t played on paper

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With Team USA’s 4-3 loss to Puerto Rico and elimination from the World Baseball Classic, there are certain to be many theories as to why, once again, the Americans failed. Some are legitimate (lack of conditioning compared to teams from Asia and Latin America, the various dropouts from the event), some aren’t (the claim that the American players “didn’t care” about the games or their outcomes is easily disproved by Vinnie Pestano‘s post-game Tweet), and some are probably somewhere in between. But, ultimately, the fact that Team USA fell can be brought down to this:

It’s baseball, and in baseball, games aren’t played on paper. And that means weird things can happen, and even small mistakes can doom giants, especially in settings such as tournaments where the margin of error is small.

Consider: Who could have expected that the Team USA lineup would be so anemic (sans David Wright, now resting from his wounds in a S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier until he is needed in 2017, and Joe Mauer, who reminded the world about how beautiful a swing he has) for much of the tournament? On paper, you wouldn’t have expected it, but the games aren’t played on paper.

Or consider Nelson Figueroa, who hadn’t thrown a pitch in the Majors since 2011. Who could have expected him to have the night of his life? Or that the umpiring would have had such a… unusual strike zone? Nobody. There are countless other variables that determine this tournament and any given game. And tonight, those variables helped put Puerto Rico on top.

So, before you go ripping into Team USA, or calling for the WBC to be cancelled (it won’t be), just remember: this is baseball. The best team doesn’t always win. Some of the greatest teams in baseball history* haven’t won. It’s what makes the sport great. It’s why we watch. And sometimes, it can be very cruel and fickle game.

So enjoy the rest of the World Baseball Classic, people, because, like all baseball, we have no idea what’s going to happen.

*The 1906 Cubs, the 1954 Indians, the 1969 Orioles, the 2001 Mariners…

The WBC-is-fine Update

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A few days ago, I wrote about why the World Baseball Classic probably isn’t going anywhere, despite the doom-sayers. So, here are some things that further back up my that the World Baseball Classic is going to continue:

The ratings for MLB Network have been very good

The USA-Canada game was the most watched non-postseason game ever shown on MLB Network, and last weekend was the most watched weekend in MLB Network’s history. While the TV audience is down from previous WBCs that had games on ESPN, this was almost certainly expected when they moved the games to MLB Network, which, of course, isn’t on as many TVs as ESPN.

Attendance broke the previous record for the first round

463,017 people attended WBC games in round one, almost 10 thousand more than the previous record in 2009.

The ratings elsewhere in the world have continued to be high

As I and others elsewhere have pointed out, this event isn’t really about the United States, it’s about the rest of the world and how MLB can spread baseball in it, leading to more players and, even more importantly, more profit. And, guess what? The WBC still is getting record ratings in other parts of the world.

Add that to the big social media buzz (“#WBC” and similar things are trending during nearly every game, it seems), and the picture is becoming further clear: The WBC is here to stay.

Four reasons why the WBC (probably) isn’t going anywhere

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If you were to believe the internet, whether it be one of those good professional articles that sort of hint at it or an ignorant person in the comments section of some other blog, then you’d think the WBC is doomed, and that the current World Baseball Classic will be the last, especially if Team USA doesn’t advance far- a true possibility, given that it’s a win or go home game against Canada today.

To which I say: WRONG! Here are four reasons why the World Baseball Classic isn’t going anywhere. Why four reasons? Because the next World Baseball Classic will be the fourth WBC!

1. They’ve already scheduled, made certain plans, and made business deals regarding the 2017 Classic.

When it was announced that MLB Network would broadcast the World Baseball Classic, it was also mentioned that they had the rights to the 2017 tournament. Now, the cynic would say that doing that would allow MLB to easily kill the tournament if they wanted to, since MLB Network is part of Major League Baseball and thus wouldn’t be suing for breach of contract or anything. And while that is true for MLB Network, it is not true for ESPN Deportes acquisition of the WBC rights through the 2017 tournament or for the radio rights, acquired by ESPN and ESPN Deportes, again through the 2017 tournament, not to mention any deals that have been made with other sponsors or international broadcasters.

In addition, you’ll notice how they have mentioned the 2017 WBC in coverage as well. When China beat Brazil, for example, it was mentioned that it was important for China because it meant they would qualify for the 2017 WBC, while Brazil was now going to have to go through qualifying. While it has not been announced yet how the qualifiers will work, with some cynically- but probably rightly- noting that it’s unlikely Team USA would have to qualify even if they do finish last in the pool, it’s obvious that there will be some sort of qualifying.

So it is probably safe to say that at the very least there will be a WBC in 2017.

2. It is doing well overseas.

Although some focused on the small crowds for the games that didn’t involve the home teams in the Asian pools, the fact is that the WBC is a big hit overseas. One in three televisions in Japan, for example, were tuned into the first round games featuring Samurai Japan. In Italy, baseball was in the sports pages for the first time in recent memory- still merely a footnote compared to soccer, but far more prominent than it otherwise would have been. The going-ons of the national team were front page news in Taiwan, where baseball had been battered by scandals the last decade. Canada’s fight with Mexico was something of a matter of pride to some Canadians, with flamboyant hockey commentator Don Cherry taking some time out of his Hockey Night in Canada gig to talk about it.

This, by the way, ties with reason number four… but I’ll get there.

3. It’s Bud Selig’s baby.

It has been said that Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame fate was sealed when A. Bartlett Giamatti passed away not long after Rose agreed to be permanently ineligible from baseball. Had Giamatti lived, perhaps he would have eventually negated- or at least lessened- the penalty, or at the very least had his opinion asked about it. But Giamatti passed away, and so it is said that nobody has decided to do anything about Rose, as it is thought it would, in a way, go against his memory.

The WBC is much the same way- it’s Bud Selig’s baby. Having (amazingly) made MLB the toughest drug-tester of the big four leagues, he’s set his legacy on making baseball a more international game, perhaps, one day in the more distant future, even having a “true” World Series.

And, just as poor Pete Rose probably won’t be getting into the Hall of Fame until those who knew Commissioner Giamatti are long dead, it’s unlikely anybody is going to go after the WBC until Selig is long gone, by which point, it should be noted, it could be an unassailable part of a baseball that is truly international.

4. Baseball is ultimately a business, and business side of the WBC is good and getting better.

In the Sports Business Journal, an article before the start of this WBC’s games included this sentence, which basically shows the disconnect between the perception of the WBC and how it really is:

Two successful tournaments already in the books and a third on the cusp, and the World Baseball Classic is still fighting for mainstream acceptance, even within the game itself.

Wait, did they say that there were two successful tournaments, and that a third was “on the cusp”, as if it was an inevitability?

Well, that’s because the WBC is a good business venture. It has 60 or more sponsors- which is nearly twice as many as the original tournament. Merchandise sales, if they are anything like in previous tournaments, are probably great. Attendance could be better, but is still pretty good, especially in games where the home team or a team of local interest (such as Mexico in Arizona) is playing.

And, ultimately, baseball is a business, and has been for a long time. It’s meant to make money, and for all the complaining by some team partisans, they certainly aren’t complaining when the checks arrive in the mail. And as long as the WBC continues to create that extra money and open up new markets such as Europe, Brazil and perhaps even China, it will stay. It’s just good business.

…

There are, of course, plenty of flaws to the WBC. The timing isn’t right (and probably never will be, as the only other times that would be possible, such as during the All-Star break or in November, both also have plenty of issues with them), the tickets are too expensive (especially for games that have little interest to local fans, which led to the small crowds in Asia for games where the home team wasn’t playing), the front offices have found plenty loopholes and ways around rules that are meant to keep them from blocking players, and the TV and online coverage could be much better…. but none of these, whether together or separately, are enough to negate the four points I made… especially the fourth one.

Late World Baseball Classic news for January 13, 2013 (Part 3 of probably 3)

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Okay, last update for the night… I hope.

    • In his article on the latest round of players to commit to Team USA, Jon Heyman mentions that Troy Tulowitzki will be held back from Team USA do to injury concerns. I had read elsewhere that Tulowitzki wanted to play in the WBC almost specifically to show how healthy he was, but maybe the Rockies are stopping him.
    • Adam Wainwright won’t be pitching in the WBC… but then again, he wasn’t even invited.
    • Barry M. Boom’s list of players who have committed to Team USA includes Jimmy Rollins, the first confirmation in recent days that he’ll be on the roster.
    • And, perhaps the biggest news:

Okay, so there you go: Justin Verlander will take part if he feels up to it. And there is still room for one more catcher on the roster (Posey? Wieters? Ellis?).

More WBC news as we get closer to roster day on Thursday.

New Year’s Resolutions

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So, what resolutions do people in baseball have this year? I have some thoughts…

Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals… play the whole season, and not be shut down during the stretch run.

Toronto Blue Jays… party like it’s the early 1990s.

Houston Astros… try not to lose 105 or more games.

Justin Verlander… throw a perfect game. For any other pitcher, that resolution would seem ridiculous.

Mike Trout… avoid any sort of sophomore jinx.

Albert Pujols… don’t take a month to get going this season.

R.A. Dickey… keep throwing that knuckler.

Cubs fans… be patient.

The Phillies… try to go on one last run.

The Orioles… try to keep the magic going.

The Yankees… it doesn’t matter what I say, I know your resolution is to win the World Series.

The Red Sox… finally make that Mike Napoli signing official. Seriously, what is taking so long?

EA Sports… resurrect MVP Baseball!

Brandon McCarthy… get this fixed.

The Seattle Mariners… try to get Felix Hernandez signed long-term.

Everybody… have a Happy New Year!

A detailed look at the BBWAA HoF ballot, Part 1: The Unquestionable and the guys who may have been HoF before alleged drug use and so may make it anyway

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In a world without steroids, where all of the magic numbers of the 1990s and early 2000s were just because of superhuman ability and extremely hard work, this is how this article would start:

“Bonds, Clemens, Piazza, Sosa, Biggio, and perhaps Schilling. That’s five, maybe six sure-fire HoFers coming onto the ballot this year, and Kenny Lofton, while not a Hall of Famer in my opinion, should certainly be expected to stick around the ballot for awhile. Not to mention this could be the year Jack Morris gets in. The biggest worry, really, is whether it’s possible to get more than three or four of them in this year and whether the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce can handle the pilgrimage that will besiege the village, likely the largest group since Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn and Mark McGwire were inducted in 2007…”

Of course, steroids did and do exist, so instead of having five or six sure-fire Hall of Famers on the ballot, it’s a picture that is far less clear. Oh, and Mark McGwire? He wasn’t inducted in 2007. In fact, he’s still on the ballot right now, and likely will remain. Same goes for Rafael Palmeiro, who has even less of a chance than McGwire of one day having a plaque up in Cooperstown’s halls. Both of them would have already been inducted, probably in their first year, had it not been for steroids.

So, instead, we have many categories and shades of grey. Over the next few days, I’ll take a look at those categories.

Unquestionably Hall of Fame, Probably First Ballot:

Craig Biggio: Only three men have had 3000+ hits, 200+ home runs, and 400+ stolen bases. Two of them are Paul Molitor and Rickey Henderson. The third is Craig Biggio. Add in his defensive flexibility (he played 2B, C and OF during his career) and the fact that there isn’t a whiff of steroid scandal around him, and he’s a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.

Mike Piazza: Piazza has had some steroid stuff around him, but it’s generally been hearsay (he had back acne, according to some people) and general innuendo about the fact that he played during the steroid era. That’s not enough for me, and I don’t think it’ll be enough for the voters. Piazza was, quite simply, the best power-hitting catcher in history. He had more home runs than any other catcher, had a career .308 BA, and made 12 all-star teams.

(Alleged) Steroid-users that may make the Hall of Fame anyway:

Barry Bonds: Without the steroid allegations, Bonds would be so much a slam dunk first-ballot Hall of Famer that the only question would be whether his prickly reputation with the media would keep him from getting 97% or more of the vote. In fact, had he retired after the 1998 season (he allegedly began taking steroids shortly after 1998, partially because of his envy of the attention that Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were getting), he would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer. After all, he’d have retired with 411 HRs, 1216 RBIs, eight All-Star wins, three MVPs, eight Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers, and an OPS of .966 that would be 15th all-time today, ahead of such immortals as Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Ty Cobb and Duke Snider. Had he kept going after 1998 without (alleged) steroid-use, he still likely would have gotten to 500 HRs, possibly even 600.

Of course, he did end up (allegedly) using steroids, and as a result he grew from being “merely” the best baseball player since Frank Robinson to being the best baseball player since Ted Williams or Babe Ruth. The question is: does the fact he would have been a HoF before his alleged use of PEDs make up for the fact that, well, he allegedly used PEDs? And… I don’t know.

Roger Clemens: Much like Bonds, the question of Clemens will depend on whether voters consider him as having been good enough of a player before his (alleged) drug use. Clemens (allegedly) began using during his time in Toronto, so let’s just question what would have happened if he had had a career-ending injury in a freak accident shortly after the 1996 season ended in. He would have ended his career with a 192-111 record, a 3.06 ERA, 2590 strikeouts and 100 complete games. He also would have three Cy Youngs to his name, as well as an MVP and five All-Star Games. He almost certainly would be elected to the Hall of Fame.

But, once again, his career didn’t stop there. He went on, and (allegedly) made some bad decisions. So the question is far more difficult.

 

Come back tomorrow for more.