Chicago Dogs

What’s your favorite Chicago Dog?  A hot dog with mustard (yes), ketchup (oh my gosh, no!) and how about real Chicago style, grilled with peppers and onions (now we’re talking)!  At Wrigley Field that of course means a stop at the Marquee Grill.  But today I’m putting the MLB focus gently aside for a week.   In its place, let’s pay a visit to minor league baseball and my new favorite dog delight, the Chicago Dogs, a professional, independent baseball club that will feed your baseball hunger for sure.

The Dogs play at fan-friendly Impact Field, a brand new 6,300 seat stadium near O’Hare Airport, voted the Best of Ballparks 2018 in its first year of existence.  Impact Field is intimate and beautiful with easy to access covered parking adjacent to the field (always a Chicago must!) and affordable concessions.  It’s a go to for young families and certainly baseball junkies like me.

The baseball Dogs are in the American Association, a league of twelve teams in the central corridor, as far north as Winnipeg and as far south as Texas. The Dogs compete in the six-team North Division. By American Association rules, rosters are limited to 23 players, of which a maximum of five may be veterans (a player with 6 or more years of service) and a minimum of five may be rookies. As such, rosters turn over year-to-year, and so hopes run high for each team as the 100-game season begins.

Butch Hobson, a former big league third baseman whose MLB playing career spanned three teams, the Red Sox, Angels, and Yankees, over eight seasons (1975-1982), is the Dogs’ manager.  In Hobson’s post-playing career he managed Boston for three seasons.   A South Division opponent, the Texas AirHogs, is managed by a former major league catcher, Chris Bando (1981-1989).  The AirHogs’ roster is the only one in the league that is expanded, providing spots for the Chinese national team players.  Hobson and Bando not only give credence to the league, but hope for the players to make it to the Show someday.

2019 is just the second year for the Dogs in the American Association. The Association was actually founded fifteen years ago, providing opportunities for players on the way up. Among its success stories is a current Cub, relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler. Kintzler played for the North Division’s Winnipeg Goldeyes in 2007-2008 and St. Paul Saints in 2009, and was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009. Kintzler has played on four major league teams since 2010. Indeed, Kintzler, as a Washington National, made the NL All-Star team in 2017.

The Dogs’ current roster features a former Cub great, Carlos Zambrano, a 3-time All-Star pitcher over his 12 MLB seasons.  Zambrano’s lifetime MLB statistics are impressive, a 132-91 win-loss record as a starter with an ERA of 3.66.  The Big Z was also a big-time hitter for a pitcher with a lifetime average of .238.  Zambrano is on the other side of the Association ladder, attempting a big league comeback at the age of 38 as a relief pitcher.  Zambrano’s early days as a Chicago Dog have been successful, giving up just 3 runs in 6 relief appearances and even serving as the Dogs’ designated hitter in one game!

In my recent visit to a Dogs’ game, three rising stars stood out.   Starting pitcher Luke Westphal began his season with no-hit ball and continued his mastery from the mound a start later, also giving up no hits!  Westphal has pounced on the 2019 scene with 17 2/3 innings, 0 runs, three hits and 23 K’s!   On the field the spotlight shines brightly on second baseman, Edwin Arroyo, for his stick (currently batting .302) and stellar defense.  Arroyo last year was sixth in the Association in hitting at .325! Slugging outfielder Victor Roache has been pounding the ball too with a .357 average in the early season.

And have I mentioned that going to a Chicago Dogs game is just plain FUN!  Like many minor league ballparks, the between inning activities for fans make it even more enjoyable to be at the ballpark.  Led by Nikki Huber, who is energy personified on the field, student interns stage all sorts of events through the evening, such as Sumo wrestling and a race between mascots Squeeze and Ketchup.  A nice touch is when the crowd sings Happy Birthday to those celebrants at the game.

My night at Impact Field a few weeks ago was a wonderful success as the Dogs downed the Gary Southshore Railcats 5-1. The Dogs came within one out of recording their first combined no-hitter.   The post-game celebration featured fireworks and the raising of Impact Field’s version of the “W” at Wrigley, a “V” flag (standing for “Victory”) in the outfield.   Before I left for the parking lot, I checked the schedule for my next visit, and quickly selected those Texas AirHogs visiting next week.  Join me for winning baseball (the Dogs’ 10-5 record currently leads the Association) and fun at the old (I mean new!) ballpark soon!

Special thanks to Sam Brief, Broadcast and Media Relations Manager, and Chuck Heftman, statistician, for allowing me this inside look at my new favorite Chicago Dogs! 

Until next Monday,

Your Baseball Bench Coach

Pennant Races

Flags are a tradition in baseball.  MLB teams fly flags of players whose numbers have been retired by the team or those of the elite few who have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Key moments in a team’s history are also depicted by special flags of player names or nicknames and achievements.   And historically, teams have received a pennant from the league office when they won the league championship so they could proudly display it at their home ballpark.

Flying flags and pennants have played a large part in the history of Wrigley Field. P.K. Wrigley, who owned the Cubs from 1932 to 1977, brought his family’s love of sailing to the ballpark.  White or blue flags were used to show wins and losses. The Friendly Confines also kept the current NL standings with team flags flying outside the bleacher seats. This is how the term “pennant race” was coined. Today, the practice at Wrigley is to show the updated standings in each of the three NL division races.  The pennant “race” up the pole is now a tradition in most MLB ballparks.

Now that it’s Memorial Day, it’s time to check those races. Teams have played about one-third of the 162 game schedule and have had a chance to play at least one series or two with each of their divisional opponents. Which teams have their pennants flying high and steady above their division foes? Which of the others are trying to withstand the battle for the top spot? Let’s take a look at the three divisional races in both the AL and NL.

The surprise team of the American League is undoubtedly the Minnesota Twins of the AL Central.  The team’s power burst has been the incredible story.  On Friday Eddie Rosario’s blast was the Twins 100th HR of the season, making Minnesota only the second team in MLB history to reach that mark in the first 50 games of the season.  The Twins have a commanding 10-game lead over the Indians, who were everyone’s preseason favorite, including mine.  It may be that Cleveland may have to soon just start thinking Wild Card as the season progresses.

Another pennant flying high and maybe even more steady is out west, the Houston Astros and their control of the AL West.  Astros hitters George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Michael Brantley are dominating the offensive stat lines in the AL, while starting pitchers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are putting up impressive numbers in ERA and strikeouts.  It’s difficult to see another AL West team stepping up to contend for the division title. The Rangers and Athletics have been surging lately and may make Wild Card bids of their own.  Interestingly, that Seattle Mariners team featured earlier in the season for their Strong Start, now finds itself in last place 9 games under .500.

While the Yankees were favorites to contend for the AL East before the season began, no one would have thought they could withstand the numerous injuries to their star players (Stanton, Frazier, Gregorius, Sabathia, etc.) and be in first place on Memorial Day.  The fun stat belongs to infielder Gleyber Torres, who this past week hit his tenth home run against the same team, the Orioles!  Tampa will challenge the Yankees based on the Rays’ starting staff led by Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell.  And don’t forget about the Red Sox who have officially rebounded from a slow start.  Two or all three of these AL East teams will be playoff bound in October.

The National League has just one team pennant flying high and strong, that of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.  Cody Bellinger will be in the NL MVP discussion all year and currently leads in such categories as batting average, RBIs, hits, and on-base percentage.   Despite spending some time on the IL, Clayton Kershaw is again shining with a 4-0 record.  His cohort, Hyun-Jin Ryu, is leading NL pitchers with a 1.52 ERA.  The other NL West teams need to rally to stay in the race.  The Padres have won 5 of the last 6 games at week’s end.

The NL East is a two-team race between the Phillies and the Braves.  Philadelphia’s star-studded everyday lineup seemed to be their strong point in preseason discussions, yet Bryce Harper has gotten off to less than an impressive start (.227 batting average).  The Phillies have been led by first baseman Rhys Hoskins and starting pitcher Zach Eflin.  The Braves won the division last year yet no one really talks about them.  They are one of those teams in the top half of most team statistics, yet nothing stands out.  Atlanta will indeed contend again this year.

Since the Cubs 1-6 start, Chicago has turned it around and has been in first place in the NL Central much of the past few weeks.  There is not another team in baseball with a more talented starting pitching group than the Cubs.  And when you have a nucleus of position players like Bryant, Rizzo, and Baez, it’s hard to see them do anything but raise the “W” flag much of the season.   Yet, the Brewers (Christian Yelich and Josh Hader), Cardinals (Paul Goldschmidt and Jordan Hicks), Pirates (Josh Bell and Jordan Lyles) and Reds (Eugenio Suarez and Luis Castillo) all have offensive studs and pitching flame-throwers to make the division race and possible Wild Card spot wide open and fun to the finish!

There are numerous stories of great late season comebacks to win divisions and championships, so finding your team’s pennant only halfway up the pole at Memorial Day should not be alarming.  Anything can indeed happen.   Let’s check back on Labor Day on the pennant races.  There’s a lot of baseball to be played between now and then.

Until next Monday,

Your Baseball Bench Coach

Batting Second

My favorite page in a newspaper is the baseball today sheet that provides the current MLB standings, some updated player and team statistics, and the box scores.  Whether I have just enough time to glance at the standings or perhaps 30 minutes to devour the page with my morning coffee, it’s my version of a perfect start to the day!

As promised, next week’s Memorial Day edition will focus on the MLB standings.  This week I took a quick look at the National League and American League updated statistics at the quarter mark of the 2019 season   What stood out is that not one NL player has stolen 10 bases so far, yet 17 sluggers have 10 or more home runs.  In the AL, there are actually 4 players who have 10 or more stolen bases, yet 19 have 10 or more homers. Baseball today is indeed a power game.

My real love though is the box scores. From pitch counts to the playing times of the games, I’m kind of a junkie. Recently I caught up with a mentor of mine and the topic quickly turned to baseball. I recalled he told me years ago that he began each morning by checking the box score of the Yankees game the prior day. Our conversation inspired me to explore today’s box scores and review baseball’s new power theme.

What strikes me most is that many teams are now batting their power hitters second in the lineup.   Teams used to employ a lineup of a leadoff man with speed, a number 2 hitter with good bat control to hit behind the runner or lay down a bunt, a third batter as its best pure hitter, and the #4 cleanup hitter to drive in runs.  The prototypical examples of a #2 hitter from the past are Glenn Beckert and Bill Russell, both solid hitters who saw their roles in the Cubs and Dodgers lineups as more of set-up guys.  Beckert hit 22 home runs in his 11 seasons (1965-1975), while Russell hit just 17 in his 18-year career (1969-1986).  The role began to change more recently with Derek Jerek batting second in the Yankees lineup.  Yet again, Jeter only averaged 13 home runs a season in his 20-season career (1995-2014).

The role of the #2 hitter in the lineup has now clearly pivoted to a hitter with big-time power.  One theory behind this is that the team wants to see the power hitter get as many at-bats as possible in a game.  Also, managers (and bench coaches!) now realize that the leadoff batter may only bat first one time in a game.  Beginning with former Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa’s creativity in lineups about ten years ago, it is now common to bat the pitcher eighth with a speed guy in the ninth slot.  Traditional lineups don’t seem to be that important anymore.

Just take a look at some of today’s players batting second, baseball’s royalty. In the AL, Mike Trout, who many believe is the best in baseball, wreaks havoc from that slot in the Angels lineup. Mookie Betts, last year’s reigning AL MVP, bats second for the World Champion Red Sox. In the senior circuit, Christian Yelich, last year’s NL MVP and current major league leader with 19 home runs, is Brewers manager Craig Counsell’s everyday #2 guy. And of course there is Kris Bryant of the Cubs, the 2016 NL MVP, who on Friday hit home runs in three consecutive innings as the second batter in the lineup.

We also find some rising stars in the two slot, especially in the American League.  How about Yoan Moncada of the White Sox, who has 9 home runs to date after connecting for 17 HRs last year?  If you haven’t seen the first place Twins play this year, you are missing out on Minnesota’s number two hitter, shortstop Jorge Polanco. He may be one of the most complete players in the game with a league leading batting average of .329 and 8 home runs.  Vlad Guerrero, Jr. of the Blue Jays has just now rocketed into our baseball world, and hit four home runs in the past week while batting second for the Blue Jays.  The incredible statistic about these young stars is that they have a combined five stolen bases this year. 

Some of baseball’s established veterans are also now penciled in each game as the second hitter.  Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals, who was acquired in the off season from the Diamondbacks, now finds himself as the #2 batter in St. Louis after eight seasons as Arizona’s cleanup hitter.  Joey Votto, one of baseball’s best and most knowledgeable hitters over the past ten seasons, has relinquished his customary three slot in the Reds lineup and is now batting second. The Dodgers, who lead the MLB in home runs, employs Justin Turner, their slugging third baseman, as the #2 batter.

The tradition of “raising the W” after a Cubs win at the top of the centerfield bleachers began years ago so that commuters coming from downtown Chicago did not have to wait until the next morning to check the box scores and see if the Cubs won.  While the “W” tradition continues, the traditional number 2 hitter in the box score has indeed changed.  For today’s sluggers, the message is “Put Me in the Two Slot Coach, I’m Ready to Play the Game!”

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Numbers Game

James Holzhauer, the current “Jeopardy” contestant who is on the second longest winning streak in the game show’s history, remarked recently that he always wanted to be a baseball executive because he loves the game and is a “math guy”.  While I promised in my opening message not to provide modern day analysis of “launch angles” and “WAR”, I too do have an affinity to numbers.  Baseball, more than any other sport, is full of comparative statistics.  I also like player uniform numbers, especially those players who have provided special memories.  So this week, just for fun, let’s tackle my all-time favorites wearing uniform numbers 1-10 (all of whom, with one BIG exception, I have met or seen play):

Ozzie Smith.  The “Wizard of Oz” graced the position of shortstop to the tune of 13 consecutive Gold Gloves.  His acrobatic approach to the position was something we hadn’t seen previously.  He came into the league struggling at the plate but finished his career as an offensive force, settling into a lifetime batting average of .262.  Ozzie led the Cardinals to the 1982 World Series Championship, but might be most famous for his game-winning home run in the 1985 NLCS against the Dodgers, causing HOF announcer Jack Buck to famously proclaim, “Go crazy fans, go crazy!”

Derek Jeter.  The “Captain” was the steady hand behind the Yankees’ five World Series wins in the 1990s and 2000s. He batted .310 lifetime, and garnered over 3,000 hits in his career.  I saw him play in 1998 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, and marveled at his pre-game routine.  From his throwing warm-up, batting practice and fielding routines, everything about Jeter was consistency and precision.

Babe Ruth.  Here’s the BIG exception, the greatest player ever.  Obviously I never saw the “Sultan of Swat” play, but I don’t know of any player in sports I think of more often than the Babe.  He came to the big leagues as a pitcher for the Red Sox, and twice won 23 games in a season.  Of course, his bigger contribution was as a slugger for the Yankees, highlighted by four world titles and 714 career HRs in an era where the home run ball was not prevalent.  To put his dominance in perspective, in 1927 when he hit 60 HRs, the runner-up Lou Gehrig hit 47 and the third-place finisher had 18.  He was a personality on and off the field, famous for his “Called Shot” in the 1932 World Series at Wrigley Field, an historic moment in baseball.

Yadier Malina.  “Yadi” has revolutionized catching over the last decade.  Winner of 9 Gold Gloves, Molina’s throwing to the bases from various angles and body positions has set the standard for catchers in baseball.  He is a two-time World Champion (2006 and 2011) with a lifetime batting average of .282.  Molina for many years has become the hitter in the Cardinals lineup you don’t want to face in clutch situations.

Johnny Bench.  The best catcher, ever.  He combined his defensive mastery and hitting prowess in leading the Reds to World Series triumphs in ’75 and ’76.  Bench was the first one-handed catcher in baseball, protecting his throwing hand from harm.  To illustrate his defensive skills, during Lou Brock’s record-breaking 118 steals in 1974, Brock made four attempts against Bench, only one successful one!   A two-time NL MVP, he started the Big Red Machine era in 1970 when he hit 40 HRs and 125 RBIs.  Bench was the 1976 World Series MVP with a .533 batting average.  And in one of the highlights of my life, he hit a game-tying home run off Dave Giusti of the Pirates in the ninth-inning of Game 5 of the 1972 NLCS into the green seats at Riverfront Stadium 12 rows in front of me.

Stan Musial.   I never saw “Stan the Man” play, but met him on two occasions in St. Louis.  He was truly the toast of the town during his playing years and into his baseball retirement.  Musial was a 3-time World Series Champion, and many call him the greatest hitter in the history of the National League.  He had a lifetime batting average of .331 and was the NL MVP three times.  Every game played in the MLB today we can think of Stan when you look out to the solid-colored dark area beyond the centerfield fence.  It was Stan’s insistence to baseball authorities in 1952 which led to a  “Batter’s Eye” in every ballpark.

Mickey Mantle.  I saw “Mick” play in my first game ever, a summer night in 1964 at Cleveland Stadium when my uncle treated my Dad, brother and me to a Yankees vs. Indians game.  All I actually remember was the buzz about Mantle playing in the game.  He was an AL MVP three times and his Yankees won the World Series seven times under his leadership.  What set him apart was his power hitting from both sides of the plate coupled with his base running skills.  At the time of his retirement in 1968 this 536 career HR power hitter held the highest stolen base percentage in MLB history.

Joe Morgan.  “Little Joe” was the fuel that powered the Big Red Machine.  He revolutionized the second base position by his combination of hitting, power, fielding, and base stealing.  Just like Bench, he was a two-time World Champion and two-time NL MVP.  In his ’75 and ’76 MVP years, he hit .327 and .320, 17 and 27 HRs, 94 and 111 RBIs, and an unbelievable on-base percentage of .466 and .444, respectively.  Morgan did not have the strongest throwing arm, but more than made up for it with his quick release. Morgan also had 689 career stolen bases.  And in the spirit of this blog, he more often than not was the “bench coach” during the game, sitting alongside HOF manager Sparky Anderson.

Javier Baez.  You might see higher offensive statistics being put up in baseball this season from the likes of Bellinger and Yelich, but there is no better and certainly no more exciting player in the game today than “Javi”.  He truly does it all, playing the shortstop position with elegance and determination.  Baez’ power to the opposite field is remarkable.  On the base paths he combines speed, hustle and craftiness, almost every game.  I don’t have to offer statistics to back up his play, just see him in action.  One stat though stands out; on 0-2 counts, MLB batters on average are hitting .163 this season.  Javi on 0-2 counts this year is hitting at a .370 clip.

Ron Santo.  When I watched the Cubs as a little boy, Santo was my favorite player among the likes of Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ferguson Jenkins.   He was a 9-time All-Star who played solid defense and hit with power.  Santo was a 5-time Gold Glover and the only NL player with 90 RBIs over 8 straight seasons as his career ended.  In his post-playing days he graced the Cubs broadcasting booth for 20 seasons between 1990 and 2010. 

So now it’s your turn.  Who is your favorite baseball player, past or present, wearing uniform numbers 1-10?   As one of Ron Santo’s radio broadcast partners, Harry Caray, would say:  “Let me hear ‘ya.” 

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Extra Innings

When you sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch, how much more ballgame do you really want?  Saturday’s 18-inning game between the Brewers and Mets and last Sunday’s 15-inning affair between the Cubs and Diamondbacks, both games lasting close to six hours, sparked a controversy between old school traditionalists and new school realists.  Should we look for ways to resolve a deadlocked game before many fans have moved on to do other things?

From an historical perspective we need to go back 100 years to the longest game ever played measured by innings.  It was a 26-inning game in May 1920 between the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers, ending in a 1-1 tie due to darkness.  Playing time was only 3 hours, 50 minutes, and just two pitchers appeared in the game.  During that era a game could indeed end in a tie.

The longest game by time was more recent, an 8 hour, 6 minutes contest played in May 1984 at Comiskey Park in Chicago between the White Sox and the then American League Milwaukee Brewers. It was a night game suspended due to curfew at 1:00 a.m. after 17 innings tied at 3-3. Play resumed the next day and ended finally in the 25th inning with the White Sox winning 7-6.

Today, with attendance down (2018 saw lower numbers at the turnstiles and the trend is continuing in 2019) and attention spans diminishing, baseball is looking for ways to create more interest from casual fans.  Should one of those ways be to address extra inning games?  Interestingly, an NBC Sports Chicago Twitter poll taken after the Cubs vs. Diamondbacks game indicated that 73% of fans like it just the way it is, play as many innings as necessary to decide a result.

Let’s take a look though at two options that received commentary over the past week.  One is to shorten the games to 12 innings at a maximum and accept a tie, just like we did 100 years ago!  The NFL’s version of that is to have a ten-minute overtime period in regular season play and if the game is not decided, a tie results.  That actually makes sense in the NFL, since a tie game might be the deciding factor to get into the playoffs as opposed to the messy tie-breaking rules.  But in baseball?  Just going back to last year, two of the National League divisions ended in a deadlock after 162 games of play.  We might have missed out on some incredibly exciting playoff games if tie games during the season were permitted in baseball.

Another option discussed would be to begin each extra inning with a runner on second base, creating more scoring opportunities. This is a popular tournament rule in women’s fast-pitch softball where pitching tends to dominate. Indeed, minor league baseball adopted this rule in 2018, much of the reason being to lessen the burden on pitching staffs. The parallel in professional sports is to the NHL’s five minute overtime period followed by a shootout. Adopting the runner on base rule in MLB would change the way the game is pIayed, and frankly it’s hokey (sorry, had to say it).

MLB though does have planned a rule to go in effect next year that will speed up the game and indirectly impact the extra innings dilemma.  Beginning in 2020, barring injury or the end of an inning, a pitcher must pitch to three batters in an inning.  The rule change is an obvious attempt to cut down on those tedious late innings of a game when managers (and bench coaches!) opt for the best matchup, RH power pitcher vs. RH batter and even more so, LH power pitcher vs. LH batter, batter after batter. 

The number of pitchers used in a game is spiraling upward (in 1998 both teams combined averaged 6.1 per game and in 2018 it was up to 8.7), too much time spent making pitching changes with no action on the field.   In one of the classic games ever played at Wrigley Field, the Phillies defeated the Cubs 23-22 in May 1979 in ten innings.  The game was played in just over four hours (4:03), and while both starters went only 1/3 of an inning, the Phillies used just five pitchers and the Cubs six!  Contrast that to a low-scoring 3-2 Giants win over the Dodgers played this past Monday in nine, long innings (3:14), when both teams each used five pitchers. 

The more indirect impact of the 2020 rule change though might be on the makeup of the pitching staff.  We might see less of a need for one of the many left-handed relief pitching specialists on a staff (the Angels are the only team in baseball without a left-handed reliever), thus opening up a spot (or two) for a long reliever, a pitcher who can eat up in innings in extra inning games.  Last Tuesday, the Reds in a 10-inning loss to the Mets, opted for their closer, Raisel Iglesias, to pitch the 10th, just one day after he had pitched two innings.   Maybe staffs with long reliever options might change the extra innings approach beginning next season.

As a baseball traditionalist, I tend to object to rule changes that “mess with the game”, but I do realize that the game needs the casual fan and must find ways to address the speed of play. 

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Dodgers Blues

The Dodgers were in Chicago this past week, ugh.  Every baseball fan has a right to be a fanatic, someone who passionately roots for his or her favorite team.   Sometimes that passion carries over to dislike for your team’s rival or your least favorite team.  The team of my disdain is the Los Angeles Dodgers, plain and simple.  I clearly have the Dodgers Blues.

I grew up as a fan of the Big Red Machine of the 1970s.  Cincinnati’s nemesis during that era was the Dodgers, and the two teams dominated National League play.  I would stay up late listening to every game between the Reds and Dodgers on my transistor radio.  It was us (Rose, Morgan, Bench, and Perez) against them (Garvey, Cey, Lopes, and Russell) with the gentlemanly Sparky Anderson matching wits against the arrogant Tommy Lasorda.  For me, it was my hometown heroes against their bitter rivals, good vs. evil.

Okay Coach, take a deep breath. Do you dislike the Dodgers that much? Yes, it carries over to rooting against the Dodgers in World Series play, even though I am a lifelong National League fan. In the classic Yankees vs. Dodgers matchups (there have been a record 11 World Series between the two teams), I would even don a New York cap. I cheered when Reggie Jackson and the Yankees won titles in ’77 and ’78. In the last two World Series I became Astros and Red Sox fans as they won the World Series against LA. Take that, Dodger Blue!

Ironically, two storied players in baseball who I revere wore Dodger Blue.  Jackie Robinson is one of them.  I have always marveled at watching film clips of Jackie gracefully stealing bases.  Over a 10-year career, Jackie Robinson had a lifetime batting average of .311.  His number, 42, is retired throughout baseball.  On April 15 each year all players wear his jersey number in memory.   His number flies on the right field foul pole at Wrigley Field, the only MLB park that exists today where Jackie played.

One of my all-time favorite pitchers is Sandy Koufax.  His pinpoint control and biting curve ball were his trademarks.  With a lifetime ERA of 2.76, he led a Dodgers team in the 1960s featuring pitching and team defense.  While his career was shortened due to arthritis in his left elbow, Koufax won the Cy Young award in the ’63, ’65 and ’66 seasons.  Also, of significance, on an October day in 1965, he did not take the mound in a World Series game against the Twins due to observance of Yom Kippur.

With Robinson and Koufax wearing the Dodgers script proudly across their uniform fronts, how can I possibly justify such an intense dislike for the Dodgers team? An easy answer is that they played prior to the 1970s Reds-Dodgers rivalry. But more to the heart of the point, they played before the height of my baseball passion. Good or bad, each of us is grounded in the baseball era we found our love for the game.

The Dodger Blue invaded Wrigley Field this past week for a three-game series against the Cubs.  The Dodgers of today are an offensive force, boasting a lineup with two 10 + home run sluggers, Cody Bellinger (14) and Joc Pederson (10).  Together with Max Muncy and shortstop sensation Cory Seager, the Dodgers’ everyday lineup is as formidable as you face from the left side of the plate.   

One chink in the Dodgers’ armor though is this left-handed hitting predominance.  Since 2016, the Dodgers have struggled against left-handed pitching, especially on the road.   The trend has continued this season.  While the Dodgers are league leaders against right-handing pitching in 2019, they are in the middle of the pack against lefties. 

Much to my delight, the Cubs are one of the few teams in baseball who can roll out three lefty starters in a series.  With a little pre-series tinkering by Joe Maddon (and his bench coach!), they did just that with Quintana, Hamels, and Lester pitching in the 2-1 series win for the Cubs.  Take that (again), Dodger Blue!

Will my Dodgers Blues ever go away?  Never, and never will my love for the game.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Happy Place

Yesterday afternoon I was in my “Happy Place”, attending my first baseball game of the season at the ballpark.  It was the Cubs and the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field, but for me it could have been two teams playing at any major or minor league park in professional baseball.  It is time to relax at my home away from home and take in the intricacies of the game I love.

As a baseball fan I’ve been fortunate to have resided in cities with great second homes, Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and now Wrigley.  There is always that special excitement in the air as you enter the ballpark.  While presenting to the gate attendant your ticket stub from your wallet has been replaced by the “ping” of acceptance of your electronic ticket from your iPhone wallet, the message is the same.  “Welcome to the Ballpark”.   Walking down the concourse I see the bustle of fans and smell hot dogs on the grill.  I am indeed home.

A first stop before settling into my seat is always to grab a hot dog. It just so happens at Wrigley that spot is the Marquee Grill, famous for its grilled hot dogs. Unbelievably delicious! And of course while I add a little mustard to the hot dog at the stand, I take a moment to appreciate the back of the historic Marquee sign that has welcomed fans to Wrigley for 85 years.

I love traditional ballpark foods, except maybe one, Cracker Jacks, that has never made it to my Happy Place checklist!  You see, at Wrigley over 40 years ago, my date was attending her first baseball game and immediately asked to “buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks”, sadly the only thing she knew about baseball.   I said I would get them, but I missed the first inning doing so.  And when she took a paperback book from her purse to read in the fourth, I knew it was the last date!

With a hot dog in one hand, you certainly need a beverage in the other.   For me, that is usually a beer.  As an 18-year old (of age) kid, my first ballpark beer was a Hudepohl (“Get Moody with Hudey”) at Riverfront.  In college I was in Wrigley’s bleachers and enjoyed Old Style in paper cups with plastic lids.  My adult life took me to Busch where you always had to have a Budweiser (“King of Beers”).  These later years I must admit I’ve attained a more refined taste and find myself at the Goose Island stand at Wrigley.   I hear Guaranteed Rate Field now has its own Goose Island premium seating!

Finally, I’ve arrived at my seat and it’s time to Play Ball! There’s so much to enjoy watching a game. Early on, it’s good to clue in on whether the starting pitchers are in command of their respective games. Whether there is early scoring or not, you get the sense of how the game will go based on how hard balls are hit the first time through the lineup. There is the ultimate excitement for the average fan, the home team’s home run ball. For me though, I want something else, a batter sacrificing an at bat by moving a runner over with no outs, a stolen base, or the most exciting play in the game, a triple hit in one of the gaps or down the right field line.

And then there’s the part of the game that I also appreciate, the lull.  Sometime in the middle innings there may be an inning or two when both sides are out in order, a time to sit back and just plain relax.  I usually take that time to reflect a little or maybe check in with whom I am attending the game.  I remember fondly those days when we were raising our daughters and it was my tradition to do a one-on-one weeklong baseball trip with each of them.  You find out a lot about each other during those quiet times in baseball.

As we reach the middle of the seventh inning, it is time to sing!  I don’t sing much in public (many are very thankful for that), but I do love to belt out “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”.  There’s probably no better tradition in all of sports!  No matter what ballpark I’m in, I have to admit that when it comes to the lyrics, “and it’s root, root for the . . . “, I reach back to my childhood days and think to myself  “Redlegs”.  It’s good to be young at heart.

The game is ending now, and oh by the way, the Cubs won, 2-1, in thrilling walk-off fashion. It’s time to sing “Go Cubs Go” and raise the “W” in centerfield, but also time to check the schedule for the next game I plan to attend. I can never get enough of my Happy Place!

Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach

April Power

As a pitcher growing up, I was intrigued by the notion that early in the season the “pitchers were ahead of the hitters”.    The mindset was that cold weather in the Midwest made batting uncomfortable.  A pitcher could pour fastballs inside on a hitter’s hands and have great success.  It was April Power pitching!

Although there are some differing views, much of the commentary prior to 2000 suggests lower run production in April MLB play.  Cold weather certainly played a role given that MLB schedulers, until recently, refused to stay away from early home stands in northern cities.  More than that, science did, and still does, come into play since a baseball does not “carry” as well in colder weather and hence, long drives are less likely to reach at or beyond the outfield walls.

Other factors played a part.In spring training, starting pitchers went deep into the game in their last two starts so they were in ready form when the season started. April schedules provided for many open dates that allowed managers to utilize four-man (and in some earlier days, three-man) starting pitching staffs through much of April, so that teams would more often than not see your top end starting pitching.Also, opposing team hitting coaches and players would in many cases not have a scouting book (and clearly no video) on any new pitchers.

April MLB baseball has now changed and is just like any other month.  A review of FanGraphs information during the 2009-2013 MLB seasons shows no statistical difference in run production or pitching performance in April vs. other months. 

Indeed, it seems that in 2019 it is now April Power hitting!  Prior blog entries have referenced the Dodgers’ early home run prowess.  Seattle has more than matched that by hitting a home run in each of its first 18 games, 41 HRs in total.  Last Monday Edwin Encarnacion of the Mariners hit two home runs in the same inning.   Tim Anderson of the White Sox leads the majors with a .429 batting average after 14 games.  Whit Merrifield of the Royals continued from last September his consecutive games with hits streak into this season at 31 games before it ended on Thursday.  It’s a regular batting barrage in the MLB!

I know what jumps to your mind; the ball is more lively now!That is an easy out, so to speak, and does not give credence to some other key factors.Putting the April analysis aside for the moment, the game of baseball is just a different game nowadays with so much emphasis on offensive production.No longer is it a station to station game (taking one base at a time), but rather managers (and bench coaches, of course!) play for the big hit and the big inning. Players up and down the lineup are not able to execute a bunt.And frankly, in traditional situations where a sacrifice is the right strategy, batters aren’t being asked to do it.

But let’s get back to the April analysis and pitching.   Managers in spring training now seem to ease the starting pitchers into form.  In fact, ESPN’s Buster Olney mused this week that one reason that the Red Sox are off to a slow start is that its starting staff was taxed due to the long postseason run last year.  As such, they were allowed to back off from the usual spring training rigors. 

While MLB schedules still have more open dates in April than other months (teams average six in April and two in September), pitching staffs are being deployed differently.  It is now uncommon to go with a short rotation in April.  Managers simply don’t want starting pitchers to start more than 30-32 games a year. 

Finally, April Power pitching meant owning the inside part of the plate for a pitcher.  You weren’t afraid to get inside on the hitter because backing hitters off the plate was just playing the game.  Now, hitters come to the plate adorned with so much padding that they appear ready for the Game of Thrones.  The effective, inside pitch and April Power pitching are now relics of the past.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Strong Start

What do the 1927 Yankees, 1955 Dodgers, 1984 Tigers, 1990 Reds, and 2005 White Sox teams have in common?  They all went “wire to wire”, in first place in their league (or division after 1968) after every game of the entire season and capping the season off with a World Series Championship.  Just 5 teams in the history of Major League Baseball have done this!

Just about 10 games into the 2019 season, and we do have a team in the American League that is in the position at least to accomplish the feat.  The Seattle Mariners, buoyed by the two early wins over Oakland in Japan before the rest of MLB opened the season, have led the AL West from the first pitch and are sitting at 9-2 after yesterday’s win against the White Sox, 3 1/2 games in first place.  Will the magic continue wire to wire for the Mariners? The odds are heavily against it.

Both leagues have other teams off to some hot starts, the Brewers and Dodgers in the NL and the Rays in the AL.  Milwaukee and L.A. are no secrets, given that they met in the NLCS last year.  The Brewers’ 8-2 record after yesterday’s play has other NL Central contenders scrambling.  The Dodgers have started the season with an identical record and bats booming, a home run in each of its 10 games and 24 HRs in total.

Tampa though was somewhat of an afterthought by the experts as the Rays compete in the AL East with the media darlings Yankees and Red Sox.  Beware of the division-leading Rays!  They are pitching deep with a team ERA of 2.09 during the first 10 games of the season.

And what about the NL East with the best win-loss division record in baseball.  The Phillies jumped off to a 4-0 start (their best since 1915!) and lead the competitive division with a 6-2 record.   Have the 2019 Amazin’ Mets returned for a 50-year reunion of the ’69 title?  Perhaps so with starters Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, reminiscent of the Seaver-led staff days. One of the Mets players you need to watch play is rookie first baseman Pete Alonso who is batting .382 at the end of week’s play.  The Nationals, despite the loss of Bryce Harvey, will contend with its own ace pitchers, Scherzer, Strasburg, and Corbin.  Certainly don’t count out the Braves, who won the division crown last year, and are 5-1 in the last six games.

This April, like any April in baseball, the standings look somewhat upside down in other divisions.  The Red Sox  (3-8) and Cubs (2-7), winners of two of the last three World Series, are off to slow starts.  Has the panic button been pushed in Boston or the north side of Chicago?  I don’t think so, especially since they are the only remaining teams yet to play a home game. It will be interesting to see this week if home stands at Fenway and Wrigley will right their ships.

Other not so strong starts belong to the Marlins, Reds, Giants, Rockies, Blue Jays, Royals, and Angels. But there is so much baseball to be played in the 162-game marathon. Think of it this way; playing your first 10 games of a season in baseball is the equivalent of playing one game in the 16-game NFL season.

There’s an old adage that baseball standings do not matter until Memorial Day.   By that point each team has played about one-third of its games and seen the other teams in the league at least once.  (Yes, I know, with the odd scheduling in baseball nowadays, there are exceptions to that.)  For those of us attending a game at the ballpark in the next several weeks, we can ignore the pennant race flags flying beyond the outfield fence for now.  But of course pay attention on Monday, May 27, to see which teams are leading the divisions in the Memorial Day edition of this blog!  There is so much to cover between now and then.

Until Next Monday, 
your Baseball Bench Coach

Opening Day

Opening Day, my favorite day in sports!  Your Baseball Bench Coach was raised in a baseball town, Cincinnati, where, until most recently, the National League would officially open its season.  Opening Day is a holiday there, featuring half-empty schools in the area and the Findlay Market Parade downtown. My strongest memory was actually watching the opener in 1970 on my family’s brand new color television set purchased for the occasion.  The Reds beat the Montreal Expos 5-1 in the last home opener at Crosley Field. Yes, I remember the score (only a baseball nut would understand).

The 1970 Reds home opener was also memorable because you came away with the belief that something big was about to happen that season.  Indeed, it was the first game of the Big Red Machine era. Maybe that same feeling was in the air on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.  The Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 10-4 with the help of its new, powerful top of the lineup, Andrew McCutcheon, Jean Segura, Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, and J.T. Realmuto. Led by veterans McCutcheon and Harper with 2 home runs apiece during the series Philadelphia completed the only sweep of Opening Weekend last night. Philly is certainly primed to be a contender this year.

This past weekend ESPN and MLB TV allowed me to tune in for some other home openers throughout baseball.  It’s your ace against their ace, and interestingly we saw match-ups featuring the best pitchers in each league from last year.  Both Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, 1-2 in the 2018 National League Cy Young race, threw gems as the Mets squeaked by the Nationals, 2-0.  DeGrom’s 10 Ks and Scherzer’s 12 was the first time since 1970 that the starting pitchers both recorded 10 or more strikeouts in an opener.

In the American League duel between last year’s Cy Young winner, Tampa’s Blake Snell, and runner-up, Justin Verlander of the Astros, the veteran Verlander stole the show in Houston’s 5-1 win.   Blake Snell though is a wonderful stylist on the mound. Make a point of catching one or more of his starts this year.

Home runs, all 46 of them on Opening Day throughout the big leagues (most since 1999), was the highlight reel story.  The Dodgers actually hit 8 of them on Opening Day. Beyond the arm raising and fireworks of today’s HR celebrations, there is the art of hitting the ball with power where it is pitched.  That was so evident in Arlington, Texas, where the Cubs saw two of its right-handed sluggers, Baez and Bryant, launch home runs to right center field. Ask any hitting instructor; hitting the ball with authority to the opposite field power alley is a sign of good things to come.

The series of the Opening Weekend had to be in Milwaukee.   You have probably seen by now Lorenzo Cain’s ninth-inning, leaping catch over the center field wall to close out the Brewers’ 5-4 Opening Day win over St. Louis. On Friday night, Lorenzo Cain could not keep Paul Goldschmidt’s three long blasts in the park as the Cardinals rebounded with a win. Speaking of three’s, how about Josh Hader’s 3-pitch, 3-batters, 3-strikeout save in game 3 of the series! Then yesterday, the reigning NL MVP, Christian Yelich, tied the major league record by hitting a home run in each of the first four games and added a walk-off double in the ninth inning to win the series. It was a wild weekend in Milwaukee, and it promises to be an exciting NL Central race this year.

I have to give the Baseball Bench Coach nod to the most interesting managerial move made this weekend. It comes back to the place where this story began, Opening Day in Cincinnati. It’s not something you would notice unless you saw the game or devour box scores each morning.  In the seventh inning of the Reds 5-3 win over the Pirates, new Reds manager, David Bell, brought in one of his top relief pitchers, Michael Lorenzen, as a pinch runner. (I guess this blog should give credit as well to Freddie Benavides, Bell’s bench coach!)  Lorenzen, who also happens to be a great athlete and good stick, finished the game as the Reds centerfielder. It’s one of those creative ways to make use of today’s pitcher-laden player rosters, a story we are going to follow throughout the season.

I hope you are as excited about this season as I am.  What’s your fondest Opening Day memory?

Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach.

Opening Pitch

All 30 MLB teams will be in action on Thursday, March 28, with a full slate of games throughout that weekend.  And so on Monday, April 1st, we will be ready with the opening pitch of the Baseball Bench Coach.   I hope you find your baseball home here. Click here to read my welcome message.