tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:53:08 +0000I'm a writer by trade. As such, I've tended to write only when someone has paid me. To break that habit, this blog serves as my personal dart board. When I'm sitting around thinking sports, now and then I turn to the computer and toss a dart — just to get a thought out without trying to find someone who will buy it.http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Chris)Blogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-5147270036479708003Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:27:00 +00002009-06-15T18:38:17.289-04:00I no longer watch video on MLB.com.Why? Because of the advertising.As a consumer, I resent being sold to twice. I'm already a customer of Major League Baseball. Their websites are:1. a service to me, to keep me apprised of goings-on with their product (baseball), and2. an opportunity to further sell their product to me.In other words, their sites are already commercial.Being hit with further http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2009/06/ads-within-ads.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-707599871579047158Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:09:00 +00002007-10-29T10:17:49.467-04:00Scott Boras says that Alex Rodriguez opted out of the final three years of his contract yesterday because the Yankees’ roster is too unsettled.Bull.If that were the real reason, A-Rod could wait ten days to see how negotiations with the other big three – Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte – work out.Rather, I see a few other more likely explanations:A-Rod is just that selfish, and http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2007/10/bomb.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-5986696085219738829Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:13:00 +00002007-10-02T12:41:28.620-04:00OK, let's take another swing at a Yankee post-season roster prediction. (The 2007 version.)Position PlayersJorge PosadaJose MolinaDoug MientkiewiczJason GiambiRobinson CanoDerek JeterAlex RodriguezWilson BetemitHideki MatsuiJohnny DamonMelky CabreraBobby AbreuShelly DuncanBronson SardinhaNote:Sardinha, a rookie, a late-season call-up rookie, on the post-season roster of the winningest team in http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2007/10/roster-redux.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-3019230662015246150Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:50:00 +00002007-04-10T00:54:15.381-04:00A-Rod this, and A-Rod that. He hits a few home runs in a few early games, and everyone's singing A-praises.Not me.I'm still mad at him for Opening Day, when he hit that home run in the eighth inning, thereby blowing Mariano's save opportunity. The f-cker.http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2007/04/over-rated.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-116196767525311666Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:45:00 +00002006-10-28T00:46:32.666-04:00In regards to the nearly undeniable evidence that Kenny Rogers cheated in several important games, including Game 2 of the World Series, you'd think that other players (especially Yanks and A's) would publicly decry being swindled away from an opportunity to win a championship.However, they're mostly silent on the matter. And so is Major League Baseball. The whole issue is — officially, anyway — http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/10/their-cheatin-hearts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115889566678277067Fri, 22 Sep 2006 03:05:00 +00002006-09-21T23:29:03.476-04:00Around this time every year we hear a little anecdote: Derek Jeter, in his eleven seasons in the Major Leagues, has always known October baseball. The yarn is often accompanied by an insuation that Jeter is a Midas, turning more to gold than just his glove — that Jeter imparts some magic that carries his team to autumnal greatness.But the streak is longer than Jeter's tenure.The tale we do not http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/09/there-is-another.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115880957931150412Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:08:00 +00002006-09-21T09:03:11.243-04:00Tonight the Yankees secured a spot in the playoffs for the 12th consecutive year. In celebration, I now list (because I know the world awaits) my predictions for the team’s 2006 playoff roster.With two weeks to prepare (I know it’s really just 10 games, but the “two week” thing will help with an alliteration later, so bear with me), Torre has tough decisions to make. But I've seen him assemble 11http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/09/playoff-roster-prophecy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115855517063802751Mon, 18 Sep 2006 04:17:00 +00002006-09-18T10:24:36.016-04:00As the last Sox/Yanks series of 2006 commenced, we were graced with a final off-field dialog between the storied rivals. This time it involved David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and the merits of the MVP award.Much hay has already been made over the quotes, so I won't add much to the harvest. But the one aspect I have not seen or heard covered is this: Ortiz was wrong not just in his conclusion, but in hishttp://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/09/most-valuable-premise.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115846689679177365Sun, 17 Sep 2006 04:13:00 +00002006-09-17T12:32:02.420-04:00I've heard talk this summer of baseball "percentage points."First, a couple months ago, when the Yankees and Red Sox were tied for wins but not losses, the media described the Yanks as being in first place "by percentage points." Last night, when Derek Jeter and Joe Mauer were tied for the league's best batting average, television announcers portrayed Jeter as being "percentage points" ahead of, http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/09/percentage-points.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115751849388235393Tue, 05 Sep 2006 23:23:00 +00002006-09-06T01:46:16.563-04:00Derek Jeter briefly overtook the lead in the American League batting race last night. For a few innings, his average was a point higher than the Twins' Joe Mauer's, which has stood atop the standings for most of the deep season.By the end of last evening, Jeter was back in second place, finishing the night at .343 to Mauer's .345. But methinks they'll soon switch again.Mauer is a rookie catcher. http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/09/most-valuable-jeter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115711892785965656Fri, 01 Sep 2006 13:53:00 +00002006-09-01T19:31:28.733-04:00I was sitting courtside at the US Open last night with other media, covering the second-round match between Andre Agassi and Marcos Baghdatis. After Agassi won the second set, I left the court, stowed my gear in my locker, packed my shoulder bag, and sat and watched a television in the media room. I awaited the last point, after which I planned to step out the door, drive home, and get a good http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/09/baghdatis-agony-saves-agassi.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115475636097992955Sat, 05 Aug 2006 04:32:00 +00002006-08-05T01:39:21.056-04:00Chase Utley's hitting streak ended last night, 35 games after it began.Whenever a baseball player runs a consecutive-game hitting streak past, say, 20, the media and fans build a bandwagon and all bound on. Every evening, that player's box score becomes the most-read item in sports reporting. (I have no data to back that up — but so what?) The daily observance is not surprising; Joe DiMaggio's 56http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/08/chases-chase.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115449034654783087Wed, 02 Aug 2006 03:28:00 +00002006-08-01T23:53:50.396-04:00As a wrap-up to my previous post, "Trade Rumor Amusement," here are the players most rumored to be traded who ended up not moving anywhere:Pat BurrellAndruw JonesBrad LidgeJon LieberScott LinebrinkRoy OswaltScott ProctorAlex RodriguezJason SchmidtAlfonso SorianoMiguel TejadaDontrelle WillisBarry ZitoCarlos Lee did get traded, but to the Rangers. Wilson Betemit also, but to the Dodgers. Greg http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/08/finally-trade-finale.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115414251285862063Sat, 29 Jul 2006 02:54:00 +00002006-07-29T11:49:59.196-04:00While eating breakfast and watching the World Series of Darts on ESPN2, I thought about ...Excuse me? ... Oh, yes, I did say “World Series of Darts.” ... Well, yes, it does seem an odd thing to see on TV ....O.K., I admit it. I was a little confounded this morning. I’d been searching the TV channels for something to melt my brain before I could start working for the day, and I’d found ... darts. http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/07/flying-pointy-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115393508402752208Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:19:00 +00002006-07-26T13:35:37.910-04:00So ... I heard that the Yankees are trading A-Rod for the Chicago White Sox.Each July, baseball trade chatter becomes the hobby of nearly every sports writer and fan. The trend probably results from all other fronts being quiet — hockey, basketball and football are all off-season, and baseball's pennant races are too embryonic to be exciting. Tennis and golf make some cameos in the headlines, buthttp://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/07/trade-rumor-amusement.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115385694976259418Tue, 25 Jul 2006 19:40:00 +00002006-07-25T15:53:02.933-04:00Andy Roddick's camp announced today that he's hired former tennis star Jimmy Connors to be his new coach. This should be interesting.Roddick's game hasn't been the same since he fired Brad Gilbert as coach. Gilbert guided Roddick to the 2003 US Open title, and Roddick hasn't won a Grand Slam event since. I don't know why Roddick fired Gilbert, but barring any truly severe conflicts of personalityhttp://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/07/hot-rod-contracts-connors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115377503666792831Mon, 24 Jul 2006 16:10:00 +00002006-07-24T17:03:56.696-04:00I was struck by an interesting stat this weekend: On Friday, July 21, Alex Rodriguez notched his 2,000th hit.Derek Jeter reached that hitting milestone on May 26, almost two months earlier. I was surprised that Jeter reached 2,000 hits so much sooner ... in fewer at-bats ... and in fewer games. Why? Because A-Rod is generally considered the more effective player.Let's count some numbers.Jeter hashttp://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/07/rod-and-jeter_24.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31526227.post-115363329866218789Sun, 23 Jul 2006 05:27:00 +00002006-07-23T21:09:35.540-04:00I've decided to launch this blog after thinking about it for a good three days.I usually ponder longer and harder about such mental transactions, but figured that this time I'll go with the impulse buy — especially because it's free.Anyway, I'm a writer by trade. What's more, I've been mostly a sports writer by trade. I've worked for national sports magazines that will, at least for the moment, http://sportswrite.blogspot.com/2006/07/what-im-doing-and-why-im-doing-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris)0