The High Court

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MLB Notes with UT Volunteer

The High Court sat down with UT Volunteer to get his take on some of the early hot stove developments around Major League Baseball.  UT weighs in on the Red Sox and Yankees, his beloved Braves, Leo Mazzone, and the managerial hirings around the big leagues.

October 27, 2005

 

More perplexing postseason flameout, A-Rod or Vlad? And is it possible that A-Rod will never be able to live up to the enormous expectations that come with his huge contract and the mantle of "best player in the game"?

UT Vol: Does it ever fail that every postseason there's always one big star that flames out when the lights are the brightest? The two biggest flameouts this fall, no doubt, have been reserved for Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Angels' right fielder Vladimir Guerrero. How does one explain perhaps the two best hitters in the game not showing up when it counts the most? They were pressing. That's the only way you can explain it. Let's face it: It's not as if the Yankees and Angels were offensive juggernauts during their postseason stays. And the first person everybody looks toward when a team is struggling is the star player. They always say that hitting is contagious. Well, not hitting is contagious, too. Every major league player goes through a slump. Their slumps just happened to be magnified by the postseason. It's not as if these guys forgot how to hit. Remember, good pitching always beats good hitting in the playoffs, and it's not as if those two guys were facing any slouches on the mound, either. Will A-Rod ever live up to his contract? Certainly not. No one can live up to $252 million. Will he ever live up to the expectations of Yankee fans? Probably not. That's just a product of playing in New York. One minute you're a hero, and the next you're a bum. It's what have you done for me lately. Besides, the struggles of the Yankees in the last two postseasons can hardly be laid entirely at the feet of A-Rod. How could Brian Cashman and Joe Torre possibly think they could win a World Series with that pitching staff? Will A-Rod ever win a world championship in the Bronx? It depends on if the Yankees spend their money wisely. One man does not make a team.

 

Joe Torre and Brian Cashman are back on board in the Bronx.  Theo Epstein will likely still be in the GM’s chair in Boston.  Leo Mazzone has brought his special brand of magic to help his old friend Sam Perlozzo in Baltimore.  Any chance somebody other than the Yankees or Red Sox win the AL East next season?

 

UT Vol: Will anyone win the AL East other than the Yankees and Red Sox in 2006? It just depends on what moves are made in the offseason. Baltimore has the resources to get the job done. But we all know the Orioles haven't exactly made the right personnel moves. The Blue Jays have a nice up-and-coming team, but the payroll is going to have to be increased quite a bit if they are to seriously contend. If Boston and New York were to stay the same in the offseason, then another team might have a shot. But we all know that won't happen. The guess here is that the Yanks and Sox will make even more big moves and duke it out again on the field for the AL East title.  As for Mazzone in Baltimore…Whoa! There are more than a few problems with that staff. There's a lot of work to be done and some new arms to go and get if the Orioles are going to contend in 2006. My personal opinion is that it was a mistake to make Sam Perlozzo the permanent manager. As much money as Peter Angelos has, he should have made a run at Lou Pinella. I know Leo's going back home to Maryland, but it's not going to be easy. There will be some struggles. But if anybody can turn around a pitching staff, he can. Patience will be the key, though, in Baltimore.

Will the Braves win the NL East again in '06?   Will Mazzone’s departure make it impossible for the Braves to repeat?  Is it time for the Chipper Jones era to end in Hotlanta?

UT Vol: Will the Braves win their 15th straight NL East division title? Conventional wisdom suggests that the streak will eventually come to an end. But Atlanta is the pick to win the East until somebody knocks them off.  I do think the hiring of Joe Girardi in Florida makes a talented group of Marlins very dangerous, but with all of the young talent on board for the Braves, it's easy to see this thing continuing for quite a while. But Bobby Cox and John Schuerholz must find some answers for the bullpen and for the back of the rotation if No. 15 is to come in 2006.

 

It's an interesting time in Atlanta as the Braves organization faces a critical decision about how to replace Leo Mazzone. It goes without saying that he did a fabulous job with the Braves' pitching staff. My guess is that Atlanta will stay within the organization and promote someone from the minor leagues. But one name to look out for is Randy St. Claire. He pitched for the Braves in the early 1990s and is well thought of by Bobby Cox. An interesting twist would be to bring Don Sutton out of the broadcasting booth, although I doubt that would happen. Whoever winds up being the pitching coach will have some work to do. He must be able to advance the development of promising starter Kyle Davies while also trying to find the cure for Horacio Ramirez's frequent gopher balls. There's also much work to be done in a bullpen that, little doubt, proved costly to the Braves during the season and in the postseason. Can Kyle Farnsworth be the long-term answer at closer, or do they go in another direction? I'm not a person that likes change very much, but sometimes it can be a good thing. Maybe this will work out for the best.

 

I think Chipper Jones stays for at least another year, although he could be attractive trade bait to shore up the pitching staff. But I wouldn't throw him overboard just yet.

 

Is Dusty Baker still managing the Cubs in '06? Or does he return to Dodgertown?  If not Baker, how about Orel Hershiser in La-La Land?  Which managerial hiring do you like best...Jim Leyland in Detroit or Jim Tracy in Pittsburgh? And what the hell was going on in Oakland with Ken Macha?

 

UT Vol: Dusty Baker will return as Cubs manager in 2006. While we're on the subject, I just don't understand why Cubs' fans don't like Baker. I think he's a good manager who's gotten a bad rap. He got the Giants to the World Series, and he came within a few outs of getting the Cubs that far in 2003. What other manager in recent Cubs history can make that claim? It's all about players, no matter what sport you are talking about. And the Cubs simply didn't have those players in 2005. Plus, they can't keep Kerry Wood and Mark Prior healthy. How is that Baker's fault? I don't get it.  Hershiser is an intriguing choice for Los Angeles.  He is a heroic figure for both the fans and the organization.  As Arte Moreno tries to make Los Angeles a fan base for his Angels, the Ol’ Bulldog might make Dodger fans remember their glory days and help provide stability for what has been a shaky organization of late.  And you know he would get the endorsement of his old skipper, Tommy Lasorda.

I like the move by Pittsburgh to bring in Jim Tracy. The Pirates have several good, young players who need some guidance. If they can just hold on to that talent, they're going to be good. I think Tracy is a good manager. He just didn't have a chance in Los Angeles because the Dodgers' front office has been so dysfunctional.  Jim Leyland was absolutely fantastic in Pittsburgh and Florida, and despite a lengthy layoff, I am sure he will still be one of the best managers in the game.  I just don’t think it will matter much in Detroit, a team that seems to be looking way up at Chicago, Cleveland, and Minnesota.  I'm not sure what's going on in Oakland. The story circulating before Macha agreed to return is that sometimes he was not allowed to make out his own lineup. What's up with that? I'm not sure why he agreed to return if things like that are going on there, but I do think he's a decent manager.  But it’s all about the money-ball in Oaktown, you know…

 

 

To read Darth Reagan’s take on A-Rod, Joe Torre, and Leo Mazzone, click here…

 

Contact UT Volunteer at utvolunteer@thehighcourtofsports.com.