Bad Times Baseball

Posted by on May 6th, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

Baseball, runs-hits-errors, and the disabled list.
 
It’s baseball’s body bag count, the disabled list.  It’s just an awful thing to see names added, almost on a day-by-day basis.  It’s even worse if you are a pitcher, because the outcome is usually catastrophic.  Worst of all, no-one knows what’s causing it.
 
Sports medicine is spectacular, what they can accomplish on the surgery table.  We’ve grown callous to the injuries, the names on the list, and the long road back.  
 
Day-by-day, you get the alerts, couched in words like MRI, UCL, flexor tendon, torn ligaments, forearm discomfort.
 
Back in the day, pitchers careers ended because of a sore arm.  There was no real prognosis, no real remedy.  Then as gains were made, some surgeries helped clear problems out.  Bone chips and bone spurs were the catch-phrases of the day.
 
Then the new dreaded phrases words showed up, the ones that were likely career ending, torn rotator cuff.  
 
Now today, it’s the famed Tommy John Surgery, the ligament transplant process, that allows pitchers to get back on the mound somewhere down the road.  But we tend to forget how horrific all this is for the individual involved.  Baseball just moves on, next man up, while the pitcher moves onto the disabled list, the operating table, and then to the rehab center.
 
The first two pitchers I ever encountered who had to go thru this were big money free-agent pitcher Wayne Garland, and a promising young fireballer Cardell Camper.  The Indians had given Garland a huge 1.6M (for that time) contract, and he promptly tore his rotator cuff.  Camper tore the ulnar nerve in his elbow, and never made it back.  Careers gone, in the snap of one curve ball.
 
Greg Harris was such a promising pitcher, then tore his rotator cuff with the Padres.  The surgery failed, he never came back.  Ditto promising pitcher Marc Prior, now a front office exec with the Friars.  Injury after injury to the same shoulder, career finished with the Cubs..
 
This morning is much like a year ago this morning.  A crisis in the game.  Last year, there were 35-Tommy John surgeries from the opening of spring training camp thru Labor Day weekend.  That’s alot of major league pitchers to go down.  The 2015 count so far, 21-surgeries, and it is just the first week of May.  
 
Today, Tampa Bay is fearing they’ve lost bright young pitcher Alex Cobb with surgery likely.  Yesterday it was Reds pitcher Homer Bailey.  Over the weekend it was likely career ending surgery for Joe Nathan.  It’s just overwhelming.
 
No one has a clue.  Is it the stress put on elbows with the violent snap action from the wide variety of pitches they throw?  It is high pitch counts?  Is it too many innings at too young an age?  Is it mistakes in how you work between starts?  Is it too much in high school ball or college ball?
 
One theory not really tested is the supplement usage.  Not talking about steroids or HGH, but the legal body-building supplements.  All pitchers train year round, with a wide variety of supplement use, to get bigger and stronger, upper body and lower core.  Now the 91mph fastball, can get amped up to 96, and every scout wants velocity. 
 
The problem is while muscle and strength, body mass and power are the end result of year round training for pitchers, as the body gets bigger, the velocity higher, the tendons and ligaments don’t grow.  Bigger stress on smaller body parts, and they snap.
 
Rehab is such a long lonely road.  Padres pitcher Josh Johnson is coming back from elbow surgery first,then forearm surgery.  Corey Luebke tore the same ligament twice, and is still not back.  Casey Kelly has had elbow surgery, then a fracture reaction in the back of the elbow.  He is back, but not doing well.  The Padres had 12-surgeries to pitchers in a 17-month span, and they don’t know why.
 
Research shows 25% of the pitchers on opening day rosters have had surgery in their career.  The numbers show 85% of those who had TJ surgery, recover and resume pitching.  No one yet has stats for those who came back, whether they were better or even stronger than prior to the surgery. 
 
So enjoy the game, wait for the next piece of bad news.  And while another arm will replace the one just lost, don’t forget what the pitcher in rehab is going thru, hoping to get back up on the hill sometime in the next 12-to-16 months.
 
Baseball.  Love the big innings; hate to report on the next big pitcher breakdown.

Boxing

Posted by on May 5th, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

We had hoped for something really special.  Something we had experienced decades ago.  Instead we were left with the same old outcome.  It soiled the sport even more.
 
It’s boxing, the way it is, the way it has become.
 
Floyd Mayweather has his money, his entourage, and his own self proclaimed ideals.  Manny Pacquiao has a legendary career record, respect, no crown, and a torn labrum  The Nevada Athletic Commission has what is always seems to have, another controversy on its hand.
 
When you conjured up the words Money and Pac Man, you would get excited.  Two of the most successful boxers in a time when the sport needs credibility and quality content. 
 
I had hoped what we would see last Saturday night would be a remake of the aura-era of Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran-Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns.  It could have been, but then again, it probably could never be, for this is boxing.
 
It was a typical Mayweather fight.  Delay the bout for five years, wait till the opponent might be on the downside of a career, fight a boring defensive fight against a beatable opponent, and go to the bank and cash the check.
 
When he fights, he obviously wins, (48-0) proves that, though it sure seems his career record is against aging tomato cans.  The ledger shows Pacquiao fought anyone, anytime, any place, enroute to 8-titles in 8-different weight classes.  I think you will remember the early wars with Eric Morales , the trilogy wars with Juan Manuel Marquez, and the wars in between with people name Margarito, Cotto, Judah, Moseley, Hatton, DeLaHoya.
 
What disappoints even more than the poor fight we had to see, is the knowledge now that the Manila mauler had a torn right labrum, hurt in April, and that the fight was allowed to go on.  That and the fact the Nevada Commission was asked to allow a pain killing cocktail injection, all legal by USADA standards, but turned the Pacquiao camp down.
 
So the fight goes on, it is poor in quality, and I get the sense this was just a huge ripoff.  The MGM crowd of over 17,000.  The 2.9M subscribers on Pay-Per-View.  The $100M fight purse and the $1.5B television revenues, all gained from a bout that should have been delayed.
 
Mayweather takes his check and goes on to the next adventure in life, cars, money, women, trips, hopefully no more arrests.  Pacquiao heads home to face surgery and maybe retirement.  Boxing gets another black eye, but no problem, because there will be other championship fights.
 
The sport so badly needs an era of Ali-Frazier-Forman-Norton-Shavers-Holyfield.  It needs Sugar Ray, Hitman, Marvelous Marvin and Stone Hands Duran.  Instead we get the likes of Don King burlesque, Bob Arum arrogance, a turnoff worse than Tyson, and Money Mayweather, laughing all the way to the bank, as he was booed worse than I have  ever seen a champ treated.. 
 
The Sweet Science-boxing, as we used to know it.  Again it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, doesn’t it.

Bolts Draft 2015

Posted by on May 4th, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

It was a good San Diego Chargers draft weekend, but it could have been even better, if they had not bypassed people who could have helped them at their positions of most need.

 
The drafting of Wisconsin Badgers star running back Melvin Gordon was a pro-active GM’s move at its best.  He is a diverse talent, a vibrant personality, a quick learner, and a pretty complete player, fumbles not withstanding in the Big 10.
 
He may be more complete right now than the future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlin was when he came here out of TCU.  I am not projecting he will be a 10,000-yard rushing guy, but he has done everything, in a big time program, big time conference, and done it well.  I think he is a clone of Kansas City’s big time back Jamal Charles, slash-dash-crash.. 
 
And yes they overpaid to get access to him, and yes, I was stunned Cleveland and Miami did not take him, considering the mess they have at running back.  And the Bolts had to move quickly, because Houston was lurking out there, looking for someone to be the next guy when Arian Foster is no longer the guy.
 
Impressed early, a bit disappointed later, when the Chargers went for an undersized inside linebacker, Denzel Perryman of the Miami Hurricanes in the second round.  There is no doubt this guy is a hitter, a leader, a football junkie.  But he is neither tall, nor very big, nor very fast.  Smaller in stature than Mantei Te’o and Donald Butler, and not as fast.
 
In desperate need of help at defensive tackle, they bypassed a wide variety of D-lineman in that second round.  Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips, Iowa’s Carl Davis, and Louisville’s Lornezo Mauldin were there.  Maybe San Diego feels Ricardo Mathews and Ryan Carrethers will grow into talents at that position.
 
The third round choice choice might have been a reach too.  Bypassing a pass rusher, they went for a small college cornerback, a hitter, in Craig Mager of Texas State.  Another young DB to go with all the young DBs you are trying to develop.
 
The final couple of picks were a small college linebacker from North Dakota State and a very young defensive tackle from Arkansas.  
 
I wouldn’t have touched Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, a real package of problems, and they evidentally didn’t want to go near LSU’s OT-La’El Collins either, despite police reports that say he was not a suspect in the death of a girl friend last Friday.
 
And they looked the other way despite working out Sean Mannion of Oregon State, Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson, and even Baylor’s Bryce Petty, some think might be quarterbacks of the future other places..
 
The national media loves the running back pick, but laughed at the others.
 
“You picked 4-special teams players with all your other choices?  You’ll have to coach em up to become players in the NFL.  Is your South Dakota on your schedule” wrote the critics..
 
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and the Chargers wanted speed and toughness, and that is what they think they got.  But with a franchise is such desperate need of defensive help, you have to ask how you can pass big time players from big time programs.
 
Yes I know Rodney Harrison became a star coming out of Western Illinois, but I also know Kenny Bynum of South Carolina was a disaster of a running back.
 
They had a really good chance to add more to compliment the Badgers running back.  I gave them a letter grade “B” but they really need more A-grade players.
 
I just cannot get away from the fact, the defense gave up 4.3-yards per carry, had few interceptions, and not many sacks, and the people at the Fortress did not really address those needs.

Bolts Draft Day

Posted by on May 1st, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

I said he was the one of the best on the draft board, and I felt they had to have him.  And the Chargers GM-Tom Telesco and Coach Mike McCoy felt the same.

 
In an NFL draft they had to hit the jackpot on, the Bolts, drafting Wisconsin star running back Melvin Gordon, did just that.  They paid a price to get the right to pick him, shipping a lst, a 4th and a future 5th round choice to San Francisco to move up.
 
Expensive price to move up a couple of slots, but they got an explosive player.
 
Telesco gushed about what he saw scouting the Badgers running back.  Fast, physical, slash and dash, explosive, tough, glides and slides.
 
All that wrapped around a season in which he ran for (2,587Y), averaged a wild 7.5 YPC, caught passes, blitz blocked, and had a nose for the end zone.
 
Scout compared him to Kansas City'[s Jamal Charles, a dangerous runner, hitting people, making people miss and bursting away from tacklers once he hits the 2nd level.
 
It looked like the Chargers would never get the chance to draft him, not after the Rams took Georgia back Todd Gurley with the 10th pick.  They knew Cleveland and Miami just ahead might take him.  And they feared Houston would move on him, thus the trade to leap frog the Texans.
 
Today will be a different day for the Bolts.  They have to wait 15-more picks into the 2nd round before they can hope to get a defensive tackle, maybe Carl Davis of Iowa.  
 
Maybe in the 3rd round they take Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, the heir apparent once Philip Rivers leaves.
 
But for 24-hours, feel good about what they did, for there has been little to feel good about recently about this franchise.
 
Maybe he is the next LaDanian Tomlinson, and by the way, Gordon broken LT’s single game NCAA rushing record, when the Badger went for (408-yards) rushing in a mid-season game in just 3-quarters.
 
The Bolts offensive line is better this morning than it has been.  The running game will be even more explosive thanks to this pick. The defense remains weak however.
 
Yes they paid a high price, but if this team misses the playoffs again, Telesco and McCoy might not be around to conduct another draft.
 
Good nite at the Fortress.  We’ll see if today can be just as productive.

You be the GM!

Posted by on April 30th, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

NFL Draft Day is upon us, and your team, my Chargers, have needs everywhere.  Lucky for you, this 2015 draft board is deep in the areas your team-my team has the most needs.
 
You’re not trading quarterback Philip Rivers to get the chance at Marcus Mariota.  But you might make a trade, to jump higher into the second round of the draft.
 
With the 17th selection, you have a choice, dependent on what happens just above you.  Your Chargers definitely need a heavy duty running back, and both Todd Gurley-Georgia, and Melvin Gordon-Wisconsin are legit first rounder’s.  But Gurley may be gone, if the the rumors are right, maybe as high as pick 15-to Miami, despite the late season knee surgery.  Gordon would be there then for you at the 17th slot, and I would take him for my team..
 
But if both running backs are gone, you are going to get a shot at a pretty good offensive lineman.  There will be a run on the grunt guys probably in spots 8-thru-15.  Even if there are, you probably get a shot at nasty offensive center Cam Erving-Florida State, or Ereck Flowers, the thick tackle-guard out of Miami.  It would solidify your offensive line for years.
 
The other side of your line is woeful, and though it is not a sexy pick, your team might get an opportunity at a defensive tackle.  Florida State massive defensive tackle Eddie Goldman is not a national name, but he is a wide-body, take up space, tough to block nose tackle.  So is Arik Armstead, a very active nose tackle from Oregon, though his stock has gone up the board.  And a third one might be there, Malcom Brown, under-rated but versatile from Texas.
 
And once you get done picking a player who comes in and plays immediately, you should think about packaging your 2nd round choice (48) and your third round pick (83) tomorrow and trading higher to the top of the second round.  That second tier of players is pretty good, and you can fill a need there too.  
 
But first things, first.  What are you going to do tonite in the 7pm hour when your pick comes up?. 
 
Protecting Rivers (OL), helping Rivers (RB), and fixing a defense to go get the ball back for Rivers (DT) all seem like priorities.  At least on my team they would be.  
 
How about yours, since you are the General Manager, making the pick for the Chargers this evening.  You are on the clock.
1 … 453 454 455 456 457 … 505