Hey Kids! It's Baseball Bloggers Alliance Day!

As you might be able to tell, baseball means a lot to me. In my household, baseball is almost a religion. I have three children (Pat, Tyler and Alex) who all have played.

Tyler used to be the most feverish about it... he played 2nd Base and Shortstop from age five until he was eight... that was when I was forced into making him a pitcher when I coached a team that didn't have any kid who could actually make the throw from the mound to home plate. Since Ty was able to make the throw consistantly from short to 1st, I figured he'd at least be able to get the ball over the plate and stuck him in there in a desperate situation. He did more than that. For three years Ty was my most consistant pitcher. He didn't have much of a fastball, but his motion brought with it a natural flutter. Add in the fact he was usually right in the area of the strike zone, Ty got a lot of swings and misses. Other coaches started caling him "The Junkballer". The kids were stimied. If they swung, they often missed it or slammed it into the ground for a weak liner back to the box... if they didn't swing he was so close to the strike zone the umpires called it a strike moire often than not. More than once I brought him into a game with the bases loaded and no one out and he'd get out of it only giving up a single run or not any at all. He once pitched a game (a rare night game played under the lights) in his first season in pitching when he threw three and two third shutout innings of 2-hit ball with seven strikeouts and three groundouts back to the box. Becuase of a pitch count I had to take him out and the next two picthers let a mess of runs in, but I never forgot the way the crowd reacted to him coming off the mound after such a dominating performance. For a kid his age, that was remarkable, especially when you add in the fact that Tyler is autistic and was playing baseball in a regular little league with regular kids... not in a challenger league or special league.

Tyler (and I as his coach) won the AAA World Series in 2009 and at age 12 he decided that he needed a break from baseball. The other kids started to catch up to his pitching and his outings weren't always as solid as he was used to and his bat also suffered from the older kids abilities. Even in winning our first championship, his expectations for himself were so big he couldn't handle him coming back to the pack as well and he should. He took last year off but is still a fountian of knowledge of stats about the Mets.

My oldest, Pat, still plays at age 16 and is an excellent fielder both at 2nd and in the outfield. He's got a good bat and if he'd get over his adversion to sliding he'd be even a better player. He's got a great attitude though and coaching him is more than a pleasure... he knows how to make it fun and his mood towards it is always refreshing.

My youngest, Alex, has been playing for four years. He BEGGED to play T-Ball at age four since he would always see his two older brothers playing. At age eight now, Alex is in the zone that he'll either becomes a solid player or lose his taste for it. He often will remark he might not want to play, but once you get him on a field he suddenly finds his desire back to normal.

I coach all three of them (and yeah coaching THREE teams in a season is NOT an easy thing to do) when they play and as much as it's a pain in the rear sometimes, I do love it.

I've also been a Mets fan for a loooooong time. I live and die with the Mets in a way that is almost unhealthy. I actually was once a Yankees fan as a young kid in the 1970's but changed my alligence back in 1982 (for reasons I'll blog about one of these days). It wasn't even a "jumping on the bandwagon thing, since the Mets were TERRIBLE in 1982.

To this day as much as I enjoy football (Giants!) or Hockey (The pitiful Islanders) and played both sports, nothing... NOTHING gets me going like baseball does.

What does this have to do with the BBA? I'm getting to that.

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance is a unit of baseball guys and gals like myself who worship baseball. It means something to all of us and we do more than just talk about it... we support our passion with a string of blogs and radio shows that entertain, inform and project the game we love. The BBA was founded in 2009 by Daniel Shoptaw, a St. Louis Cardinals blogger. I was brought into the fold on suggestion by Frank Maniscalco when I was writing for his NYB Blogs site. When I broke out on my own and launched "It's Outta Here" I was graciously welcomed into the ranks by Steve Keane (the NY NL Chapter President and founder of the amazing Mets Blogsite The Ed Kranepool Society and host of "This Call to the Bullpen" radio show.

Not only is the BBA a group of bloggers who post about our various teams (and you'll find someone from each MLB team out there in the 230 members of the alliance) ranging from blogging about the rich history of baseball, from the analytical part of the game to general baseball news and views coverage all the way to fantasy baseball... but we also vote on season ending awards in a similar fashion of the Baseball Writers of America (who from what I understand aren't too happy about that) like the Connie Mack Award (NL Manager of the Year), the Willie Mays Award (NL ROY), the Goose Gossage Award (NL Reliever of the Year), the Walter Johnson Award (NL Cy Young Award)and the Stan Musial Award (NL MVP)... as well as others depending on the chapter of the BBA doing the voting.

Please take the time to check out the BBA Website (http://baseballbloggersalliance.com/) and the Radio Channel (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/baseball-bloggers-alliance) and make it a place you visit often. Turst me, if you love baseball half as much as the BBA it'll be time well spent.

Enough Already About Jeter

Ok, I get it. Derek Jeter is 36 years old and is coming off the worst statisic year of his career. We know. God, we know.

But do we REALLY have to be reminded of it ever damn time his name is mentioned?

Listen, the Yankees made a VERY fair offer to Jeter. We know that. Everyone knows that. However the Yankees, who pretty much tried their best to make Jeter the bad guy in the negotiations the past few weeks, really are a bunch of hypocrites.

They don't blink when it comes to throwing gobs of money at anyone and everyone... the A-Rod contract is looking worse and worse every year... but they suddenly have a budget when it comes to the biggest name in pinstrips over the last thirty years?

I think a three year, $41 million contract would have been more than fair. Jeter's made so much money the last ten years he doesn't know what to do with it all. The Yankees have been as good to Jeter as he's been to them... of that ther is no doubt.

However, you have to grin at the fact that they seem to pay players so much more above market value every year that them suddenly becoming cost conscious is beyond laughable.

Also, it seems like the media is going out of their way to label Jeter a total albatross. Every day I see another story about how only one team in history has gone to the world series with a shortstop over 36 years old (that would be the Dodgers and Pee Wee Reese in 1955) and how Jeter is slower and has less power and could hit .259 and be a total weight on the offense and have to be dropped down and I start to wonder... at what point do we give the guy the benefit of the doubt? Has Jeter ever really given the Yankees or their fans a reason to doubt him? I think it's been a little ridculous how for years he never seemed to be able to do any wrong... but one thing you have to give the guy... his head and body give 110% in every play of every inning of every game.

I think the Yankees are idiots. They throw money at players like it's confetti but they treat their most recognized player (hell, just about the most recognized player in Major League Baseball) like he's Rey Ordenez. It's a little sickening.

I don't feel bad for Derek Jeter. He's rich and famous and will be fine without my sympathy. What REALLy gets me is the pointless nature of the team he plays for.

It was pretty much the same for another Yankee great when Bernie Williams was suddenly a man without a country at the end of his career. I can bet you that if Jorge Posoda was a free agent this year he might have gotten the same treatment. I can understand when it's time to part ways with a player... but the Yankees wanted... no the Yankees NEEDED Jeter back... if only because the fans would have revolted has they let him walk... but they needed him because it's plain to see the guy is a winner and other guys in the clubhouse have to be able to look his way and say "that's how I should be..."

So, enough with the stories about his age and his lost step and his slower body. Enough about the fact he wanted to be paid like A-Rod and C.C. and (likely) Lee.

I think the guy has earned it... and dammit... if they're going to throw that money at everyone... why not a guy who is everything you claim you want your players to be?

Be consistant. That's what Jeter has been.

The Non-Tender List: Players I would be interested in

We saw a bunch of players non-tendered by their clubs back on Friday, and there are a number of them I would be interested in for the Mets. The following is the list of players I'd look at (in no particular order):

BOBBY JENKS (RHRP): This is a doubtful one, but Jenks would solve a LOT of problems for the Mets. He'd take Pedro Feliciano's place as the reliable set-up man and be able to close when K-Rod wasn't available or better yet, close in place of K-Rod enough to keep his 4th year $17.5 million option from vesting. Jenks will likely get a 2-yr $10 million offer from somebody, which is above what the Mets will spend this year.

RUSSEL MARTIN (C): He's recovering from a hip fracture and his performance hasn't been anything to write home about the last few years, but making him the backup to Jose Thole would be a good move if he would take a $1.4 million offer or so. He's another guy who will likely get a good offer from someone (think 2-yrs $5.5 million) so this is also a doubtful player for the Mets.

CHIEN-MING WANG (RHSP): Hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors since mid-season 2008. He's been pretty much injurged more often that not since 2007. He mad $2 Million last year and never pitched. This is a player who has shown he can pitch in New York and will likely be able to be had for a VERY cheap price. An Inceptive laden contract that starts about $900,000 could get this done. Is supposedly throwing pretty well in instructional league action. This is more than possible.

CHRIS CARTER (OF/1B): I understand that the mets HAD to non-tender Carter becuase of a clause in his contract that he would had to have earned $200,000 or more in Triple-A next season, plus his minor league salary. Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reported: “The Mets are now allowed to re-sign him if both sides choose, with a new split contract that calls for a far lower salary,” Well, I hope they do, because I loved Carter's bat and his attitude. He's an excellent guy off the bench as a PH or a 4th outfielder, despite his barely average defense.

I'm Back

Sorry for the unexpected break, but there was a little too many things to take care of in real life. I did miss commenting on the Mets hiring of Terry Collins as their Manager, and I will get to that at one point. However, there are other things to discuss and I'll be looking to get the ball rolling ASAP. Hopefully I didn't lose a bunch of you during my three week hiatus. Anyway, let's get to it.

The Mets' Manager Hunt Goes On... and on.... and on...

You know, I am fairly excited about the Mets' new braintrust. They actually have four guys who are well respected and knowledgable in Sandy Alderson, J.P. Ricciardi, Paul DePodesta and John Ricco. I think just by the first three of that group being hired the Mets are immediately no longer considered a front office full of clown shoes.

Having said that, just what in God's name is taking so long to choose a manager?

One of the better candidates has already been hired by the Pirates (Clint Hurdle) and the fanbase is getting a little antsy. I'm all for taking the time to make the right choice, but this does seem to be getting a little out of hand.

So rumor has it that the finalists are: Wally Backman, Chip Hale, Terry Collins and Bob Melvin. According to some sources, it's mostly a two horse race between Collins and Melvin.

Me? I'd rather see one of the two upstarts get the chance.

I'm wildly in favor of Wally Backman mainly because I like his fire and his attention to basics, which is something I think the Mets could use. His style of play is gritty: full of speed and defense, with smart and aggresive baserunning. I like that sort of play. I also think Backman is the LEAST likey of the four to get the job.

I'm a fan of Hale also. He has a lot of respect from the players and a fresh set of eyes. Everything I have heard about him is excellent.

I'm NOT a fan of Collins (who would be a disaster with the media I think as well as a guy who has a rep of pissing off his veteran players easily) and not too big a fan of Melvin.

So my hope? Is that we see a combo of Hale and Backman. Maybe one as manager and the other the third base coach. Toss Melvin the bench coach job.

I have heard that Alderson feels the team manager job is less important that most teams might think. I'm sure he wants someone who will mostly go along with the team strategy that he will detail. However, he needs someone who will be a bit of a presence, carry excellent communication skills and will handle the media well. I also think he needs someone who will let the team see that there is no longer going to be an crap in the clubhouse and on the field. That the management is on top of things and the players need to worry about playing and nothing else.

I think that describes Backman and Hale more than it does Collins and Melvin.

I have my fingers crossed.

Sparky Anderson Dies at Age 76

Sparky Anderson, a Hall of Fame manager for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers, passed away today at the age of 76.

I'm surprised to hear he was only 76. I remember him from the 1980s and he looked like an older man then. Must have been his white hair and the fact that in 1985 I was fifteen and EVERYONE looked old to me.

Anderson won 2,194 games as a manager, which was the third-highest total in major league history when he retired, trailing Connie Mack and John McGraw. He now stands sixth, also trailing Tony La Russa, Bobby Cox and Joe Torre.

Anderson was the first manager to win World Series titles in both leagues and the only manager to lead two franchises in career wins.

He led Cincinnati's Big Red Machine to World Series wins in both 1975 and 1976. He won the National League pennant four times in Cincinnati from 1970-78. He was was fired after consecutive second-place finishes in 1980.

Anderson went to the American League and won there, too, directing the Tigers to a World Series title in 1984 and a division title in 1987. He retired after the 1995 season and was added to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.

Giant Surprise

If nothing else can be said about the 2010 MLB Playoffs, I think the word "unpredictable" is the best description.

After the way the Texas Rangers cut through the New York Yankees in the ALDS, I honestly thought there was little chance the San Francisco Giants had in the World Series. Even with a fairly solid dismatling of the reigning NL Champion Phillies, I just didn't see the Giants doing much. I picked the Rangers in five games and kin of thought I was being generous to SF.

Boy was I wrong.

The Rangers just never seemed to get itself going. The Giants pitching was beyond incredible and shut the Rangers down like they were a minor league team facing a big league club. On the other side, the Giants bats hit way beyond anything you could have expected. Even Cliff Lee looked human facing them. They took advantage of every oppertunity and just flat out outplayed the Rangers.

Just goes to show you that it's impossible to predict these things. Congrats to the 2010 World Champion SF Giants.