What the Game is All About

November 2009 Taken from St. John's Stormfront Student Newspaper

It is every young little league baseball player's dream to play for a Major League team. The ambition to play professionally drives young children to do great things in any sport. The only problem is that the odds of making a professional baseball team are not just slim, they are nearly impossible. This past summer, Staten Island has a loval team compete in the Little League World Series. The boys from South Shore Little League advanced all the way to the semifinals before losing to the Southwest Regional Champions from San Antonio. According to a study done by the NCAA, only 0.5 percent of high school senior baseball players are drafted by a Major League Baseball team. Being drafted by a professional team doesn't necessarily mean you will play for the team because you must work your way through the team's minor league system and eventually graduate to the Major Leagues. The same study found that 0.015 percent of high school senior players actually get to play in the Major Leagues.

This past July, while on vacation in Mexico, my grandmother mentioned that one of the workers are the resort was a professional baseball player in Mexico. We arranged a meeting so I could learn about his life as a baseball player. I sat down with Abraham and I didn't have to ask many questions because he was eager to tell me about his playing days. Abraham has been playing since he was a young boy. From what he told me, I determined that he was a speedy centerfielder with a strong arm who hit for average rather than power. He explained to me that he would rather hit for average than for power, like Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter do. Abraham told me about his ratty glove and unstable cleats. He said that at the time he was drafted by a Mexican team at sixteen years old, he was still using the same glove and cleats as when he was a little kid. Abraham had to make a decision whether to leave home and pursue his dream, or stay home with his family. As his mother cried and begged him to stay, Abraham knew that he had a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The first team Abraham played for was called Plataneros de Tabasco, which was located in Southern Mexico. Abraham played for four different teams in his eleven years as a professional ballplayer. The most famous team he played for was called Diablos Rojos de Mexico. This team from Mexico City has had players such as Rodrigo Lopez, Esteban Loaiza, and Joakim Soria go on to play in America for Major League teams. Before Fernando Valenzuela had tremendous success with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Abraham had the chance to face him in Mexico. Abraham was able to get hits off of Fernando, but he laughed while describing Fernando's curveball. He told me that it was the toughest pitch he has ever faced. Four of Abraham's close friends went on to play professionally in America. Some famous players from Mexico that are currently in the MLB are Alfredo Aceves, Jorge Cantu, and Yovani Gallardo. It is easy to wonder how many other great talents are hiding somewhere in Mexico, just waiting to be discovered.

In 1988, Abraham played his last season because both of his knees were worn out and it was tough to stay in shape and run. When I asked Abraham what he missed most about playing, he told me that he misses the friends he made throughout his career. He told me that he loves to see MLB players having fun because having fun is what the game is all about. Abraham had fun and enjoyed playing the game the same way the Little League team from Staten Island did. They are two separate teams from two different countries, but the game is played for the same reason. The game is played for the right reason.

The Curious Case of Derek Jeter

October 2010 Taken from St. John's Stormfront Student Newspaper

If you've watched any Yankee game in the month of September, you would clearly see that they haven't been the same team as they were all season. All year, the Yanks and Tampa Bay Rays have been neck-and-neck for first place in the AL East. For the most part, the Yankees have had the best record in the entire league but on September 24th, the Rays knocked them out of first place.

After losing two in a row to the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees had the chance to gain some ground on the Rays. The Rays lost on Sunday, so the Yankees could get within a half game of them with a win Sunday night. Going into the 9th inning, they were up by one run with the great Mariano Rivera closing. Mariano blew the save and almost lost the game for his team. But, a walk-off walk in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Yankees a crucial win. This game was extremely crucial for two reasons. The first is that the Rays keep winning and if the Yanks want to win the division, they need to win every one of their final seven games. The secondf reason is that the Red Sox were still mathematically alive coming into Sunday night. After leading the MLB in wins most of the season, there was a chance the Yankees could have missed the playoffs if they lost the rest of their games. But, with Sunday night's win, the Yankees guaranteed themselves a tie for the Wild Card at worst. You still have to be concerned with this team with the way they have recently played. But who can you blame for this month? There has to be a reason. Rookies like Colin Curtis and Ramiro Pena starting games every few days show that the Yankees are lacking in depth. They miss guys like Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Melky Cabrera. A weak bench makes it tough to rest your players and limits your options in regards to pinch hitters and runners. Brett Gardner has his moments of making things happen, but hasn't produced enough. Andy Pettite has been hurt and gave up seven runs in his second start back from the disabled list. Even Yankees' ace C.C. Sabathia got knocked around in his last start. Javier Vasquez has been coming out of the bullpen and recently hit three batters in a row. I won't even get started with A.J. Burnett's recent performances. Phil Hughes has been inconsistent, but shows glimpses of greatness.

There has actually been some great play from a select few in the last few weeks. Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Curtis Granderson have all been hot at the plate. And what can you say about Robinson Cano that hasn't already been said? He's been hitting excellent all seasons and is definitely an MVP candidate. But, the most unusual part of the Yankees season, by far, has been the play of Derek Jeter. In Jeter's fourteen seasons, he has never batted below .292 and has never hit less than 10 home runs. With seven games left in the season, Derek is batting .267 with 10 home runs. Not only are his statistics "O.K.", but he has been anything other than the clutch guy we've grown to love. It has become routine for Jeter to groundout in big situations as he is leading the league with most groundout double plays. Many thought that his fielding abilities would diminish sooner than his hitting, but he has actually been pretty good at shortstop this season. Sure, his range isn't what it used to be. But, Jeter only has 6 errors this year, which would be a career best if the season ended today. It truly is puzzling as to why Derek is struggling so much this year. After the season, he will be a free agent and it will be interesting to see how much longer he wants to play. All you could hope for, as a Yankee fan, is that Jeter forgets his regular season and comes to life in the postseason.

The Yankees have a lot of things to smooth-out before the playoffs start. Their pitching needs to be more consistent and they need their bench to play better when needed. If the Yankees can get hot at the right time, they can still be the best team in the league. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy October baseball.

There's Nothing We Can Do Now

In only a few short days after Sports Illustrated revealed that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003, Alex came out from the shadows and spoke in an interview with Peter Gammons about the situation. I didn't think much when I first heard this because I figured it would be a quick apology by A-Rod without sincerity. How wrong I was... I watched a good eight minutes of A-Rod apologizing for his actions and explaining why he used steroids and why he stopped using them. The pressure of signing a $250 million contract with the Texas Rangers got to Alex and therefore, he felt he had to exceed all expectations. He definitely did by averaging 51 home runs a year in his three Texas years. Alex claimed that he didn't exactly know what substances he was taking and I believe him. You know why? It has to do with what he kept calling "the culture." He kept referring to the years baseball players were known to have used steroids as the culture of that time. If someone said take this and you will be stronger and a better baseball player, who isn't going to take it? Alex took something that he knew would make him better. He didn't care what it was called or what it actually was. They weren't even testing for steroids at the time, so Alex figured fans wouldn't care about his huge contract if he put up monster numbers.

A-Rod had an epiphany in spring training of 2003 when he hurt his neck and was out for a few weeks before the season started. He said that he woke up one morning and decided he had to take control of himself and stop taking these substances. Alex felt that he didn't need to use them anymore. And this was the best thing he could have ever done. He never even needed steroids to be a great player. Do you need proof of that? Well, in A-Rod's rookie year he hit 36 home runs and batted .358 with 123 RBI. I think those statistics show a good amount of promise in a 1st year player, back in 1996.

Throughout the entire interview, Alex repeatedly apologized and knew that his career will always be tainted in some way. He acknowledged that fans may not look up to him anymore, but what's in the past is the past. There's no way of changing it now. All he can do is apologize and be regretful now. If he didn't get caught, we would have never known. But, all we can do is deal with what we have been dealt and I think Alex Rodriguez is being sincere in his apology. He said he was doing this so he could help bring baseball back to where it needs to be.

I wish everyone would get off of A-Rod's case, finally... What about the other 103 players on that list who tested positive for steroids in 2003? Why don't we hear any of their names? The answer, of course, is because Alex Rodriguez is the best baseball player in the world. He is also the highest paid player. It would be ridiculous if people continue to give Alex a hard time. He came out and apologized for something hundreds of other players didn't have the guts to do. Can't we appreciate honesty in our society anymore? No one is perfect and all we can do now is make amends for our past mistakes. This steroid business is far from over because I can see players like Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez being linked to steroids. It really wouldn't surprise me. But, until that day comes, all we will hear about is how Alex Rodriguez is a bum and he shouldn't be paid what he is paid. I will be rooting for Alex this year and I think if he has a great season, it won't matter that he used steroids. Every time someone has a great season, people will be saying it is because of steroids. Why? Can't their be great baseball players anymore? I think we will find out in the 2009 season who the legitimate baseball players are.

Say it Ain't So

New York Yankee fans now have another reason to hate Alex Rodriguez. Sports Illustrated reported that A-Rod tested positive for two different anabolic steroids in 2003. Back in '03, Alex won the MVP award in his last year with the Rangers as he led the league in homers. In 2003, Major League Baseball tested players for steroids to determine if a policy was needed to battle steroids for the 2004 season. Ultimately, 104 players tested positive for a banned substance and apparently, Alex Rodriguez was one of the names in the report. Sports Illustrated got their information from multiple sources close to the sealed document.

Reportedly, Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan. Primobolan is even more expensive than steroids and also provides less side-effects than your average steroid. This drug is supposed to improve strength and helps to keep more lean muscle than bulkiness. What I don't understand is how this information took six years to get out. After everything we've already been through with the steroids nightmare, you would think we saw the worst of it. But now, baseball's most prized possession, Alex Rodriguez, is a known steroid user. A-Rod is now going to be known as a cheater along with Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire. It almost hurts me to even write about this story because it is so shocking. We knew that it wasn't just one group of players using steroids, but the entire league. But, not A-ROD! Nobody wanted it to be A-Rod, or at least, I didn't. The question now is, what happens next? If it was a positive test in 2003, the league can't do anything because there weren't any policies against steroids then. They need to clean up the league and they seem like they are trying, but every time the MLB gets closer to improving the game's integrity, a story like this one breaks out.

I always thought that it was ridiculous to continue looking for past steroid users. It was in the past and there's nothing we can do about it now. The best the league can do is repair the game in it's present state and continue into the future. There's no way of repairing the past, but that's what it seems like the MLB is trying to do. I don't understand why we need to keep lingering in the past with these steroids. Let's move on and make the game better than ever right now! Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this continuous cycle of exposing players who did steroids helps to prevent them presently. Maybe players will really stop using performance-enhancing drugs when they realize they can't escape the misery the drugs bring to them.

You almost have to feel bad for A-Rod with everything he's gone through in the last few years. But then again, how bad can you feel for someone who is making almost thirty million dollars a year? He is a person, you know. He has feelings... All we can know for sure is that Yankee fans have a new nickname for Alex...I think you can figure that one out. Get ready for a long year of "A-Roid" chants.

MLB First Half Review

Being that today's Home Run Derby marks the beginning of this year's All-Star break, I thought it would be fitting to review the first half of the season.

Divisional Leaders

AL East- Boston Red Sox by 0.5 games
AL Central- Chicago White Sox by 1.5 games

AL West- L.A. Angels by 6 games

NL East- Philadelphia Phillies by 0.5 games
NL Central- Chicago Cubs by 4.5 games

NL West- Arizona Diamondbacks by 1 game

It looks like very division is wide open for 2-4 teams. In the AL East, you have to take the Tampa Bay Rays seriously. All of that young talent is finally translating into wins. And you can never count out the Yankees in that division.

In the AL Central, the White Sox and Twins could battle to the end for the division, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Tigers made a surge in the second half and stole the division.

In the AL West, the Angels will be tough to beat, especially since their pitching has been top-notch. The Athletics and Rangers are still in this race though, but their offense is all they have going for them.

In the NL East, Philadelphia is the best team right now, but look out for the Mets. Since Willie Randolph left, the Mets have a winning record and I wouldn't be surprised to see them run away with this division. The Marlins are another young team like the Rays, but I don't think they have the pitching to make the playoffs.

In the Central, the Cubs have been the best all year, so far. St. Louis and Milwaukee have a chance to make a run for the division, but if the Cubs continue to do what they are doing, I don't know if any NL team can beat them.

The NL West is the worst division in the league right now, with the Diamondbacks in 1st place- with a record of 47-48... The Dodgers aren't far behind and San Diego is last in that division, 10 games back. Your guess is as good as mine as to who will win this division.

The Angels and the Cubs have the best records at the break, but the Red Sox have the same amount of wins as the Angels, just two more losses in two more games played.

Top Hitters

Chipper Jones leads the league in batting average with an average of .376

Ryan Howard leads the league in home runs with 28

Josh Hamilton leads the league in RBI with 95

Top Pitchers

Brandon Webb leads the league in wins with 13

Tim Lincecum leads the league in strikeouts with 135

Justin Duchscherer leads the league in ERA with an ERA of 1.82

Players to Watch Out For

In the AL, you have to keep an eye on A-Rod. He missed a few weeks with an injury at the beginning of the season, but is quietly having another great season. He's batting .312 with 19 homers and 53 RBI. If Josh Hamilton continues to hit the way he has, he has to get the MVP. Another big surprise for that Texas team is Milton Bradley, who is having the best season of his career with 19 homers and 57 RBI. Rookie Evan Longoria of the Rays is having an amazing season and will probably win Rookie of the Year with his 16 home runs and 53 RBI. Ian Kinsler is another Ranger who is having a career year. He's leading the AL in average with an average of .337 and he's hit 14 homers and doubled 34 times. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are probably the two front runners for Cy Young honors.

In the NL, it's all about pitching. Rookie Edinson Volquez is having a phenomenal year with 12 wins and a 2.29 ERA. The Cy Young can go to about 8 pitchers in the NL. Guys like Volquez, Tim Lincecum, Dan Haren, Ben Sheets, Carlos Zambrano, Brandon Webb, Cole Hamels, and Chad Billingsley are all having career years. And now that C.C. Sabathia is a Brewer, you could add him to that list because moving him to the NL could be scary for NL teams. Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Chase Utley and Chipper Jones are all having amazing seasons at the plate. There are two players that I think are the most underrated players in the whole league...

1. Florida Marlins SS- Hanley Ramirez- In his third season, Ramirez is batting .311 with 23 home runs and 45 RBI. Not to mention, 23 stolen bases and a great glove and arm at shortstop.

2. Milwaukee Brewers OF- Ryan Braun- Last year was Braun's first year. He only had 451 at-bats, but he made the most of them with a whopping 34 home runs and 97 RBI. This year, he already has 377 at-bats with 23 homers and 66 RBI. This guy is going to be the next A-Rod, if not, better.

Predictions

AL Winner- N.Y. Yankees (You watch and see)

NL Winner- Chicago Cubs (The curse is over)

AL MVP- Alex Rodriguez

NL MVP- Ryan Braun

AL Cy Young- Roy Halladay

NL Cy Young- Tim Lincecum

AL Rookie of the Year- Evan Longoria

NL Rookie of the Year- Edinson Volquez

2008 World Series Champs- New York Yankees

The End of an Era? I Hope Not

Have you ever seen the statistics of an athlete, but never saw that athlete perform? For instance, you can find anywhere that Alex Rodriguez hit 52 home runs last year. But, what does this do for you if you didn't see him hit the home runs? A-Rod's homers could have been balls that just made it over the wall, or inside-the-park home runs that weren't really monster shots. That was just an example. To clarify that, A-Rod earns every home run he hits.

What I was trying to accomplish by that example was to illustrate what it's like to hear or read about an athlete, but not actually see the real thing. Just like the game telephone- there is an original message, but the story changes after it's been told by a few people. This leads me to my main topic- Tiger Woods. Since 1996, I've heard how this kid Tiger Woods was the most amazing golfer you will ever see. I was never really into golf. I don't know why, but it just never interested me. As twelve years passed, I never watched a single golf tournament, but keep in mind, I knew of a few golf pros. Tiger, Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player were just about the only golfers I knew of. Until, this past U.S. Open. For the last year I watched a little bit of golf here and there, but I never really understood all the rules. I decided to watch the 2008 U.S. Open out of curiosity. Let me tell you, the 2008 Open made me a golf fan for life.

We all know how Tiger and Rocco Mediate went to a sudden-death playoff, in which Tiger won. I've always admired Tiger Woods...I've admired him for his accomplishments. I knew of his accomplishments, but I never lived through them. I never saw him accomplish these feats. I've seen the Yankees win 4 World Series from 1996-2000, which made me appreciate the wins more. It would be different if I read in the papers about the Yankees winning, but didn't witness it. If you're wondering where I am going with this, here's your answer. Tiger Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open in one of the best golf tournaments in history. (The announcers in the event and media have confirmed this!) I witnessed this event! I can honestly say that the only golf event I watched from beginning to end was Tiger Woods' last Major win...

Yes, I said last Major win. Just yesterday, Tiger addressed the issues on his knee injury. He said his left knee has been sore for the last 10-12 years. This would mean that his knee was sore for almost his whole professional career. Now, we aren't going to take this into account to his playing, because anyone could have health problems that contribute to their play. Tiger played how he played in his career, regardless of his injuries. He played through them. I don't think he was making an excuse, he was just being honest. Mickey Mantle was hurt for most of his career and the guy is one of the best baseball players we've ever seen. Not that I've seen the Mick play live...

So, Tiger just had the ACL in his left knee completely rebuilt and the doctors said he should have the leg healthier than it's been in 12 years. But, the million-dollar question is, when will Tiger be back? Tiger said it could be 6 months it could be 2 years... Some are saying that Tiger will retire after his knee recovers because he will have been out of the game so long that he won't want to return. There's no financial reason for tiger to return...he's the highest money-making athlete of all-time. Tiger has a wife and a child. He could enjoy his family if he wanted to. The question I ask is does Tiger have enough love for the game to come back after this injury? Tiger's biggest inspiration is his late father...we all know the story...Tiger was coached by his dad all of his life. And Tiger gets all of his inspiration after his dad's passing in 2006. I think Tiger will be back. After seeing him play for the first time in my life, I would be deeply saddened if Tiger was gone forever. I want to see him win a few more championships and pass Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 Major Championships. Tiger made it 14 Major wins with this past U.S. Open. Some people look at Tiger as the chosen one, or the golden boy of golf. But, I don't look at him that way. You know why? Because Tiger earned everything he has. He plays his heart out every time he steps on the golf course and that is what I respect and love most about him. I give everything my all and so does Tiger. Most of all, I know Tiger isn't playing for fame or money...Tiger is playing for you...and me...and his dad...

Anything is Possible

I've never seen a player with as much emotion as Kevin Garnett in a long time. After the Celtics beat the Lakers in blowout fashion in Game 6 to win the NBA Championship, Garnett just exploded. After the game, Michelle Tafoya interviewed him and it was like Garnett didn't know what to say. He was speechless, before saying that he was so hyped. But the best part was when Garnett said, "Anything is possible." Then he repeated it by screaming at the top of his lungs, "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!" It's awesome to see a guy with that much passion for winning because it's rare to find that in a player these days. The Celtics definitely deserved to win the Championship. A true team is made up of unselfish players who play well together, and that was exactly what the Celtics were this year. They had to be the funnest team to watch all year because they just play so well together.

You had to feel bad for Kobe after the game...or at least, I did. He has no help at all. Pau Gasol looked good when he came to the Lakers, but his play was absolutely disgusting in the Finals. Whether it was dropping every pinpoint pass from Kobe, or not playing defense and letting anyone score on him, Gasol had a horrible series. Derek Fisher has been amazing all playoffs, but he didn't have the same stuff in the Finals. Kobe is going to need a lot of help next year if he wants to get back to this point. But, Kobe already said that he isn't going to play General Manager, which is what he tried doing last year. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds. Could Kobe be traded? Will he stay in L.A. and get another star to play with?

The Celtics made the biggest turnaround of any team in NBA history from last year to this year. What I mean is last year the Celtics were 24-58. But this year the Celtics went 66-16 and won the Championship. No other team has ever done this before, proving that anything is possible.