Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tim Lincecum is an unlikely baseball star. Known as "the Freak," he
stands at 5' 11" and was originally listed as 165 pounds. In his six
seasons, he has gone has won two Cy Young Awards, been selected to
four All-Star Games, and has led the National League in strikeouts
three years in a row. Also, his ERA is under three runs a game. In
2010, his team the San Francisco Giants won the World Series. This
team won in five games and was also just as known for its talent as
well as the unique cast of characters that played. On the field, aside
from his pitching dominance, one can physically see an unorthodox
pitching motion.
stands at 5' 11" and was originally listed as 165 pounds. In his six
seasons, he has gone has won two Cy Young Awards, been selected to
four All-Star Games, and has led the National League in strikeouts
three years in a row. Also, his ERA is under three runs a game. In
2010, his team the San Francisco Giants won the World Series. This
team won in five games and was also just as known for its talent as
well as the unique cast of characters that played. On the field, aside
from his pitching dominance, one can physically see an unorthodox
pitching motion.
That slight torque and dip of the body is what give his physicality
its personalty. Its funny how these "unorthodox" pitching motions have
their little quirks which is a far cry from the whirlwind of arms and
legs that hurled the little white ball. At the turn of the century,
there was no standard way of throwing off a pitching mounds; most
pitchers through from any angle the strangest of which is underhanded.
their little quirks which is a far cry from the whirlwind of arms and
legs that hurled the little white ball. At the turn of the century,
there was no standard way of throwing off a pitching mounds; most
pitchers through from any angle the strangest of which is underhanded.
Nonetheless, pitching motion was whittled down into a high leg kick
with a stretch, and now it seems that the windup is slowly being
eliminated for a more stream lined delivery. This can be exemplified by Mariano
Rivera.
This is really a shame because it kills an aesetic of the unusual
and replaces that with the conformity of efficiency. To me, its like
art which captures everyday realism, which is great, but needs styles
like surrealism, which captures more of the abstract joy in life as a
contrast and complement. It's a grand metaphor, but the point is a
strange pitching motion gives style to substance.
and replaces that with the conformity of efficiency. To me, its like
art which captures everyday realism, which is great, but needs styles
like surrealism, which captures more of the abstract joy in life as a
contrast and complement. It's a grand metaphor, but the point is a
strange pitching motion gives style to substance.
In a more practical sense, it makes pitchers stand out from the
crowd. If everyone pitches the same, who can tell who's who? This is
especially true from the stands, fans want to know its their guy on
the mound; the oppostion will know who to fear; it is a trademark of
spectacle. It is also, a benefit in distracting batters with all the
motion breaking out. The lack of a wind up or a high leg kick or
whatever exaggeration is a sad extinction of the more colorful aspects
of the early game; the business-like must be subverted by the odd.
This is a game that at one point relished in exaggertaion and
outlandish nicknames, the best of which belongs to Bob "Death to
Flying Things" Ferguson. The pitching motion is only one means of
expressing oneself that, modern baseball seems to see less of.
In recent decades, probably due with baseball's obsession with
statistics and efficiency; the flair of the game is on life support,
in its stead is cold professionalism. How baseball is being played is
changing, but what has to survive, and it's for the best, is how
baseball can keep a colorful vibe going, an aspect which must
persevere for years to come.
crowd. If everyone pitches the same, who can tell who's who? This is
especially true from the stands, fans want to know its their guy on
the mound; the oppostion will know who to fear; it is a trademark of
spectacle. It is also, a benefit in distracting batters with all the
motion breaking out. The lack of a wind up or a high leg kick or
whatever exaggeration is a sad extinction of the more colorful aspects
of the early game; the business-like must be subverted by the odd.
This is a game that at one point relished in exaggertaion and
outlandish nicknames, the best of which belongs to Bob "Death to
Flying Things" Ferguson. The pitching motion is only one means of
expressing oneself that, modern baseball seems to see less of.
In recent decades, probably due with baseball's obsession with
statistics and efficiency; the flair of the game is on life support,
in its stead is cold professionalism. How baseball is being played is
changing, but what has to survive, and it's for the best, is how
baseball can keep a colorful vibe going, an aspect which must
persevere for years to come.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Death of a Star
The inevitable had happened. The people were in shocked. Disbelief, anger and a sense of betrayal filled the void in their hearts. It had been nearly a year's worth of speculation before it culminated in such a finale. The skeptics believed they had predicted it a priori, but even so the majority had held fast to the claims that he would always be there; he had been since day one, home grown. Even as a surplus of injuries would seem to haunt his future, even as he was put aside for mediocre replacements, he would always be one of them. "Please!" They cried, "Don't let them take him away from us!" But, Management turned its head, and said, "No."
What kind of impact did Jose Reyes have? Long story short, there was a time when Met fans vigorously argued he was more than a match for the current staple of NY baseball: Derek Jeter. The abstract expressed him as a dynamic game-changer, a danger to opponents, a tried and true player who was all smiles. Cold statistics would say he was one of the game's finest one that would get better. His accolades included: four-time All-Star, led the league in triples (four times), stolen bases (3), and won last year's batting title.
It's still up to debate as to how shortstop Jose Reyes left. Reyes was a dynamic player, the best the Mets had to offer. Did he leave out of his own accord (signing a $100 million dollar contract), or did the Mets refuse to offer anything? "At least come to me and say, 'This is what we have,'" as he was recently quoted. Either way it is an injustice to the fans. After all is said and done one can only look into the future, and for a fan, it's a terrible turn of the screw.
What kind of impact did Jose Reyes have? Long story short, there was a time when Met fans vigorously argued he was more than a match for the current staple of NY baseball: Derek Jeter. The abstract expressed him as a dynamic game-changer, a danger to opponents, a tried and true player who was all smiles. Cold statistics would say he was one of the game's finest one that would get better. His accolades included: four-time All-Star, led the league in triples (four times), stolen bases (3), and won last year's batting title.
To Met fans, nine seasons have been reduced to nil with a stroke of the pen.
Now that Reyes is gone to the Miami Super Team, it is the Mets that have to fill the hole, not just the vacated position, but how they are going to reestablish hope to a dedicated fanbase. Of which, none of whom would argue for the Wilpons' authority, if they ever lost there reins to the franchise.
 |
| Ruben Tejada |
 |
| Ronny Cedeno |
As of now, there only remains to see who are the contenders, and can they bring anything substantial. The backup seems to be light hitting veteran Ronny Cedeno, who has a career batting average below the Mendoza Line (.250). Or, if everything goes "right," the everyday spot will be "championed" by the young and upcoming Ruben Tejada, who will seem to be a decent hitter, if not a solid fielder. It seems he will be indicative of the Mets future oriented progress, and there continued habit of just trying to stay afloat.
It will be intriguing to chronicle what happens at shortstop this year. There will be a lot of ups and downs, and more to the nature of the question, it is necessary to continue to document what happens when a team's most important player leaves, and if there can be any redemption left for whoever mans the position.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Understanding Baseball
I remember reading "Understanding Media" in one of my earlier college courses a few years ago. The basic premise of the book is that technology is an extension of the body. For example: a hammer is an extension of the hand, the wheel an extension of the legs, and so on. In examining the effects of TV and what qualities it is able to display, it noted that these effects would be inhibitory to the popularity of baseball.
Football, on the other hand, works much better; in fact it is the most popular sport in the country, and maybe its with a little help from TV. To paraphrase the book's idea: football is a game always in motion, there is no better medium to showcase this than television. As it can be shown, baseball is sort of a relic of a past culture, one that society today embodies less of.
In my experiences, the major problem with baseball was that it was too slow. This comes from baseball's historical roots because the game was invented around the time of the Industrial Revolution. As the book's author Marshall McLuhan implies the creation of innings reflects how back then time was segmented. This attention to details of time is quite burdensome by today's standards. Even how one goes about bases is a step-by-step process.
In order for baseball to maintain popularity, how must it sell itself? It's somewhat ironic to think about what baseball represents... history. More than any other sport, baseball will use its long sense of tradition as a point of relating to its audience. Its a generational game that connects fathers and sons. Its sort of an oral story passed from ancestor to next of kin; legends since Babe Ruth to Jackie Robinson to Hank Aaron to nowadays Albert Pujols. But its interesting to note that this nostalgic look into the past also hints at the dated mechanics of the game that some fans find off-putting.
There are also other images that have become somewhat of a burden that seems to steal from the "glory" of the old days. There is now a sense of the ludicrous when assessing how much top baseball talent gets paid. Players such as Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols are not only getting paid in millions, but in hundreds of millions.When one realizes that these contracts last seven years or more, by the time they reach their fifth year these players will be in there mid-thirties, an age where there is a precipitous decline in performance, thus making these deals an outrageous decadence. We can also lightly touch upon the steroids scandal that recently erupted and examine the arguments dissenters of MLB's current drug policy make: that the organizations stop illegal drug use with "a wink and a nod."
I believe that nostalgia is a very strong hand for baseball, but another equally valid way of identifying itself would be to highlight how tense the game can be. In baseball, it can be a struggle against fate. Whereas basketball, hockey, and football are physical sports where players have much control of their final outcome; baseball is about the quirks, the little strokes of luck that can screw a team over. This is evidenced by Game Six of last year's World Series with David Freese's game-winning home run which followed his previous game-tying at bat triple. The other sports can take action and knock the ball way from the opposition, but with baseball once the ball flies out of the park, no one can intervene, its never coming back. So much can ride on one single moment.
Major League Baseball, I think, is going in the right direction in promoting a durable image. Tradition can change over time, but with a focus on "epicness," their can be a solid future foundation albeit in a bit of a silly way.
Football, on the other hand, works much better; in fact it is the most popular sport in the country, and maybe its with a little help from TV. To paraphrase the book's idea: football is a game always in motion, there is no better medium to showcase this than television. As it can be shown, baseball is sort of a relic of a past culture, one that society today embodies less of.
In my experiences, the major problem with baseball was that it was too slow. This comes from baseball's historical roots because the game was invented around the time of the Industrial Revolution. As the book's author Marshall McLuhan implies the creation of innings reflects how back then time was segmented. This attention to details of time is quite burdensome by today's standards. Even how one goes about bases is a step-by-step process.
In order for baseball to maintain popularity, how must it sell itself? It's somewhat ironic to think about what baseball represents... history. More than any other sport, baseball will use its long sense of tradition as a point of relating to its audience. Its a generational game that connects fathers and sons. Its sort of an oral story passed from ancestor to next of kin; legends since Babe Ruth to Jackie Robinson to Hank Aaron to nowadays Albert Pujols. But its interesting to note that this nostalgic look into the past also hints at the dated mechanics of the game that some fans find off-putting.
There are also other images that have become somewhat of a burden that seems to steal from the "glory" of the old days. There is now a sense of the ludicrous when assessing how much top baseball talent gets paid. Players such as Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols are not only getting paid in millions, but in hundreds of millions.When one realizes that these contracts last seven years or more, by the time they reach their fifth year these players will be in there mid-thirties, an age where there is a precipitous decline in performance, thus making these deals an outrageous decadence. We can also lightly touch upon the steroids scandal that recently erupted and examine the arguments dissenters of MLB's current drug policy make: that the organizations stop illegal drug use with "a wink and a nod."
I believe that nostalgia is a very strong hand for baseball, but another equally valid way of identifying itself would be to highlight how tense the game can be. In baseball, it can be a struggle against fate. Whereas basketball, hockey, and football are physical sports where players have much control of their final outcome; baseball is about the quirks, the little strokes of luck that can screw a team over. This is evidenced by Game Six of last year's World Series with David Freese's game-winning home run which followed his previous game-tying at bat triple. The other sports can take action and knock the ball way from the opposition, but with baseball once the ball flies out of the park, no one can intervene, its never coming back. So much can ride on one single moment.
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