MLB Post Season Viewing Options

During the Division Series, TBS gave viewers four different play-by-play & analyst combinations, one for each series it was broadcasting. This meant that viewers were only forced to listen to Chip Carey once every four games. Now that the playoffs have reached the League Championship Series level, Fox (Big Fox) has picked up the AL Series and TBS brings us the NL Series. Now viewers are forced EVERY game to listen to HORRIBLE play-by-play broadcasters who live on their family names (Jack Buck of Cardinal's lore paved the way for Joe while Harry, who was a drunken, slobbering fool, and Skip, who was excellent, have made Chip Carey's path resistance free).

Do you know who Joe Buck's biggest fan is? I do. Its Joe Buck. On Sundays when I have a choice of two NFL games to watch at the same time, I will most likely choose the CBS game because their is no Joe Buck. Fox Baseball also makes viewers suffer through Tim McCarver. I never saw McCarver play catcher, but I understand he was very good. Its too bad that the same is not true for his analyst work.

Chip Carey is fantastic... at over-sensationalizing EVERY play. He often botches his play-by-play as well. Many a time I have heard him have to correct himself in the middle of a play where he first called the play completely incorrectly. Just this evening I was watching Game Two of the NLCS. The Dodgers executed a sacrifice bunt with a man on first. Carey called the play saying that the Phillies' pitcher, Pedro Martinez, had only one play which was to first. Before the next batter, as the crew was recapping the bunt on video, both Ron Darling and Buck Martinez, who were working with Carey, pointed out that Pedro likely had a legitimate play at second, but with one out already, he chose to take the safe play at first.

Poor broadcasting makes me sad. Being given no alternative makes me sadder. Maybe I am spoiled by growing up listening to Pete Van Wieren, SKIP Carey, Joe Simpson, Don Sutton, and Ernie Johnson SENIOR. Jon Sciambi proved the last two years to be quite proficient himself. He also proved to be outstanding with factual knowledge, even of baseball that was before his time (He is only 39 or 40). He is an outstanding study of the game. Fox Sports Net in Atlanta definitely lost a good one. ESPN has won a victory for its viewers here.

Great Sports TV Day

These are the type of Saturdays I live for. This evening there are two Major League Baseball Playoff games on TV (Neither of which will have Chip Carey on the broadcast team). Likewise, all day has good college football match ups. Here in Atlanta we can watch:

#17 and undefeated Auburn at Arkansas
Surprising Boston College at #5 and ACC favorite Virginia Tech
Close to good Tennessee hosting 'how good is this team, really?' U[sic]GA
#3 Alabama (featuring former Georgia Tech TE Colin Peek) at trendy early season pick #20 Ole Miss.
Wisconsin at #9 Ohio State

and then the 'trifecta' at 8pm:
Tebow-less #1 Florida at a very suspect #4 LSU
Tate Forcier led Michigan at 5-0 #12 Iowa (only the 4th night kick-off at Kinnick Stadium where temperatures will get down to the 20's).
and my beloved Yellow Jackets will be playing in Tallahassee (where it will be significantly warmer than the 20's) to go for a 2nd consecutive win against beleaguered Florida State.

Matt Diaz' Season Much Better Than Playoff Eliminating Blunder

Braves fans,

It has been a week since the frustrating end to the local nine's playoff aspirations. By now, every Atlanta baseball fan has undoubtedly seen Diaz' critical baserunning mistake that ended the Braves comeback in the ninth.

For those who may be inclined to criticize Diaz be aware that Bobby Cox, and a large plurality of the Braves' clubhouse, consider Matty D. to be the team's best baserunner. Diaz also had one of the team's highest, if not the highest (I need to check the official stats) batting averages all year. Diaz said after the game that he was trying to be aggressive, even anticipating a hard slider in the dirt on which he might be able to tie the game on a pass ball/wild pitch.

Without Matty D. the Braves most likely would not have even been playing in a meaningful game that night. Let me be among those who say to Diaz, "Thanks for all your effort and unselfish play this year and before."

Go Braves!!

Hockey is Coming

So, I started getting excited about hockey today. At a recent (hockey) draft party I won a pair of lower bowl tickets for the Thrashers. Also, I work where many of the local Fox Sports guys are my customers and we have been talking about their upcoming coverage of the boys and the new rookie, Evander Kane. So today I was doing some hockey reading, prompted by an email from the Blueland Outsider.

So, here's what my excitement has found:

Evander Kane should be a stud. If not now, then soon.

Last year we grew to be fans of #47, Rich Peverly. Here's hoping that The Pevs Dispenser (credit to whoever coined the name and to the Blueland Outsider for the pic) is able to build on last year's success.

Kovy is getting better every day. He transformed himself after Pevs arrived and the Thrashers put the "C" on his chest. It pains me to say this but there was a good article in the Atlanta Liberal Daily today about Kovy. Check is out here: http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2009/08/21/thrashers-good-fortune-kovalchuks-here-heatleys-gone/

Season and Home Opener is October 3rd. Are you ready?

Injuries

Injuries stink. I know that they are a part of baseball, but they still stink. The Amazin' Mess in New York has suffered from the injury bug worse than any I can recall. Here's a quick run down of what the Mess have been missing this year:

J.J. Putz (The eighth inning man acquired to help bolster the bullpen, especially in the absence of the next guy)
Billy Wagner (He was traded this week and they knew he was out this year, but still?)
Carlos Beltran
Carlos Delgado
Jose Reyes
and most recently, the team's leader, David Wright

Each of these six guys are perennial All-Stars and capable of carrying a team that has decent starting pitching.

Back here in Atlanta, the home team is facing a sudden rush of health problems. Today's starting center fielder is Reid Gorecki - he was last night's center fielder as well. Reid was playing in Buford just last week (I know, I was there to see him). I would say that he is no higher than third or fourth as far as the choice in Braves optimal decision for center field behind McLouth, Church, and Infante. If McLouth were not on the DL, Gorecki would still be with the G-Braves.
Here is today's key injury listing:

Nate McLouth
Ryan Church
Garret Anderson
Martin Prado

I realize that this is only four guys and one is actually on the DL, but consider that the Braves carry 13 position players. Eight start leaving five bench players. Three are likely unavailable (Prado is uncertain, but likely out today), that leaves two reserves for today, one of which is the back-up catcher, you know he is staying on the bench for an emergency. That makes Greg Norton our lone bench option for today. Yikes.

Go get 'em boys, but don't get hurt, there isn't anybody available to play behind you except maybe Kris Medlin.

Something to Get You Pumped Up

I found this today. Only two weeks 'til kickoff.

Favre, Strasburg, and Bertuzzi

So.. Favre is back....again. First he screws the Packers last year (And blames the team for how they handled the situation). Now, after insisting that he is retired for good, he signs a $25 Million contract for tow years with the Vikings. But he screwed them too. He waited until after training camp and after the first two pre-season games because he doesn't like camp. He claimed a rotator cuff problem, but I don't buy it. Favre has become the latest poster boy for lack of class.

In baseball...
Number one overall pick, Stephen Strasburg signed a $15 Million deal last night for four years with the Nationals. Strasburg has never pitched a single inning above college ball yet he is signing a deal like this. This entitlement syndrome (Like I mentioned previously) is catching on and it's not a good thing. Kansas City draft pick (#12 overall) Aaron Crow was drafted ninth overall last year by the Nationals, but failed to sign a deal and played in an independent league last year then re-entered the draft this year. He is exempt from the deadline this year and has until one week from next years draft to sign. The deal he turned down from Washington was worth $3.5 Million. Why do these agents keep filling these kids' heads with nonsense?! The first contract is not the important one. If they are any good, they will get to the show and make their dough. At this pace these kids are just making everyone mad.

And in hockey...
The Wings, who have seen several forwards leave for various destinations this offseason, just signed thug Todd Bertuzzi to a $1.5 Million deal. Yes, that Bertuzzi. I love the Wings, but I still don't know whether Bertuzzi deserves to be in the league. His victim, Steve Moore, who was in the middle of his first full season, still hasn't played another NHL game since the suckerpunch. Is it fair that Bertuzzi has played several seasons since?

Entitlement Syndrome

San Francisco 49ers #1 Draft pick is a prime example of one of the major flaws impacting America today. The former Texas Tech University star wide receiver, Michael Crabtree, is yet to sign a contract with the 49ers, who have the exclusive rights to sign him. Crabtree is threatening to hold out all year and re-enter the NFL draft next year if the Niners fail to offer him the money that he says he "deserves." Crabtree is yet to prove a thing about himself and his ability to compete in the NFL except that he has a star sized ego. The since of entitlement displayed in the sentiment that he is "owed" a certain exorbitant amount before having earned anything is, unfortunately not unique to Crabtree. We each see it everyday in the people we interact with. Most everyone seems to think that they are entitled to certain privileges and prizes. Sometimes they believe the government owes them, other times it is their employer, or some other party. None of these people have done anything to deserve these rewards, in fact the Bible tells us that what we deserve is eternal damnation. I believe this entitlement sentiment is getting us further into trouble. Where is personal responsibility?

If I were the 49ers, I would hold Crabtree to his word and make him sit out all year. They will have greater success without him and he is ruining his own chances for finding a team that will welcome him in the future.

Hot Braves Pitching

Since the Base-on-Strikes on Friday night, the Braves pitching staff has worked 25 2/3 innings. In that span they have allowed three runs to the NL's top team by record. That is a 1.05 ERA. One of those three runs occured in the bottom of the ninth in Sunday afternoon's game when the local nine held an 8 to 1 lead and were working Manny Acosta, who in 2/3 of an inning allowed a run before being removed in favor of Peter Moylan. These guys are H-O-T. The problem is that we have ... ready ... the Nationals for two games on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Nats? you say. Yes the Nats have won eight straight at the time of this post. 4 1/2 half out as of Sunday night. Go Braves.

Strike... now take your base?!

Garret Anderson and the rest of the Braves lineup, including Nate McLouth, Yunel Escobar, and Ryan Church, saved Eric Cooper from having his blown call (among the worst I have seen, and we have seen some bad ones) decide the game.

With no outs and a man on first, Jurrjens threw a strike on the outside corner. With Rafael Furcal attempting to steal second on the pitch, home plate umpire Eric Cooper signaled a called strike two, witch second base umpire Chuck Meriwether observed before turning to see the play at second, on which he called the would be base stealer out. One out, two strikes, nobody on base. Except that Ethier was awarded first base on a mystery walk, making Furcal safe at second. After striking out Manny Ramirez, Jurrjens mist his target by a foot and a half to Casey Blake who sent a three run homer to left. That mystery walk cost the Braves one run for sure, and possibly two or three, as well as their starting pitcher in the game.

Since the boys from the A-T-L managed to come back and win in the 12th, all Cooper's botched call cost was some extra work by the 'pen, which did an excellent job (7 2/3 socreless innings). However, I went to sleep thinking we had lost this one and wondering how serious the no doubt ensuing appeal would be taken by Major League Baseball.

Yanks v Sox

Tonight's marquee game (as proclaimed by the Northeastern media juggernauts) is the Yankees versus the Red Sox. The Evil Empire versus the "Nation." Just what we need, another nationally televised (MLB Network's game of choice) Yankees-Sox game. On the mound is Joba Chamberlain, who I am sick of hearing about, and John Smoltz, who claimed Atlanta's offer of $2M guaranteed with incentives of up to $10M if he pitched enough innings (which he could do if he was/is as healthy as he claimed to be over the offseason) was not good enough for someone who had given what he had to the franchise. I want to see both pitchers get lit up, maybe see the Yanks' youngster David Robertson get the win, and Mo get another save to add to his amazing career (I currently prefer the "Empire" to the "Nation").

The State of Baseball

The Okra Blogs wishes to apologize for the 2-3 days of silence recently. I was returning home with not enough time before I had to get up the next morning. Still, I have two new posts for your perusing.

There has been some serious shake-ups in the world of baseball this week. Here's a quick look:

Roy Halladay, still a Blue Jay (I called that one).

Jake Peavy is now a member of the White Sox. I forgot all about Peavy as nobody had made offers since the spring that came close to what the Padres wanted for him. The Sox gave up four young pitchers. Clayton Richard, who is 25 years old, has appeared in 26 games this year (14 of which were starts) and put up a 4 and 3 record with a 4.65 ERA. Aaron Poreda, who is 22, was sent back to the minors July 21. Before that this year he was 1 and 0 with a 2.45 ERA in 10 appearances out of the pen. He was a first round pick by the Sox in '07. Dexter Carter has been pitching at A-ball. The 4th pitcher is Adam Russell who made 22 relief appearances for the Sox last year with a 5.19 ERA. This year has has pitched at Triple A.

Cliff Lee is now a Philly. The Phils got him for a steal, but I have doubts about his effectiveness.

The Pirates shipped Ian Snell, Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, and Adam LaRoche. Earlier they sent Nate McLouth to the Braves. Quick, name another pirate player. waiting.....waiting..... that's what I thought. What is this team's plan?

By trading a younger shortstop for Orlando Cabrera, the Twinkies showed they want to win. He wins everywhere.

Scott Rolen goes from the Jays to the Reds. When healthy and in the N.L., he is fantastic. He is older now that before.

The Red Sox made lots of news. In trades, the acquired Victor Martinez. He can give the captain, Varitek some time off behind the plate, He can DH, and he can play first. Big win for the BoSox. They also traded for Casey Kotchman, who I believe is as good as anyone at first with the glove. Move Yukilis over to third and these Sox are right back in it with the Yanks.

Kotchman was traded for Adam LaRoche, who returns to the Braves. If LaRoche has a typical second half, this is a decent move for the Braves. If he hits .250 which is less than we get from Kotchman and costs us even a little with the glove I will be unhappy with the deal.

There was a little bit of other news surrounding the BoSox this week. More of the notorious 2003 list was revealed. On the list was Manny Ramirez (no real surprise considering his suspension this year), and David Ortiz. I really thought Ortiz was clean and that his decline was due to Dominican age tricks. I guess I was wrong. This whole list is a shame. Performance enhancing drugs are bad for baseball. I hope the MLBPA figures out how to fix things.

Trade particulars from ESPN.com

Three Yellow Jackets Named Pre-Season All Conference

So today the Atlanta Liberal Daily (a.k.a. Atlanta Journal-Constitution) reported that three Georgia Tech players were named pre-season All-ACC. Jonathan Dwyer is no shock to anyone and actually received the most votes of any player (41 of a possible 44) to go along with being the pre-season pick for conference player of the year.

Another pick that many Tech fans might have been expecting is the selection of Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett who received 34 of a possible 41. Burnett finished his sophomore season last year tied for the NCAA lead in interceptions with 7. In 2007, the entire Georgia Tech team had 5. Jon Tenuta who?

The less obvious and slightly surprising pick for pre-season all conference is that of WR Damaryius Thomas. In a run-happy offense Thomas finished last year with 627 yards on 39 receptions. I am surprised to see any GT wideout selected due to Coach Johnson's style of offense (which I constantly believe in more and more).

I am a little surprised that DE Derrick Morgan was not a part of the list. Morgan is the only returnee from a stellar defensive line from 2008.

Is anyone else excited?

Jonathan Dwyer is Named ACC Preseason Pick for Player of the Year

This should come as no surprise, and is hardly newsworthy, but I need a positive talking point after hearing about you-know-what. Dwyer was last year's ACC player of the year after amassing over 1600 all purpose yards as the B-Back in GT's triple option offense. Some local reporters are suggesting that Jon is a Jeisman candidate. With the past two Heisman Trophy winners both still playing college ball and another very popular Big-12 QB also gunning for the trophy, I consider Dwyer's candidacy purely wishful thinking. Still, it would be nice to see a Georgia Tech player in New York for the celebration, even if only as a finalist.

Here's to the upcoming football season and all the possibilities it holds.