Game of Chance

The Mets are not going to make the playoffs this year, but Omar Minaya will probably trade young talent for mercenary veterans anyway, destroying next year’s team in the process. Mets fans watch this happen year after year, while the team continues to neglect their long-standing starting pitching problem (and last-ditch mid-season moves cannot solve a problem this deep).

It seems instant replay review is destined to be a part of baseball at some point. How will it affect the game? Schuyler Dunlap weighs in on how instant replay could be implemented. I remain skeptical that it’s a good thing for the sport.

Rick Ankiel is on a very short list of players (which includes Babe Ruth) who have been legitimate pitchers and position players at the major league level. Because of his talent, his persistence, and the hardships he’s faced, I consider him one of the most important players in the game today.

The Texas Rangers averaged over 7 runs per game in June, led by Vladimir Guerrero who is destroying baseballs the way he has for the past 14 years, and still not getting the recognition he deserves. The exciting and colorful bad ball hitter is a sure-fire Hall of Famer and one of the all-time greats, yet he is often placed in the same category as good-but-not-great players like David Wright, Grady Sizemore, and Jason Bay.

Carlos Beltran returns to centerfield for the New York Mets tonight while Jose Reyes sits out. The Mets injury management over the past two seasons has been abysmal.

Also: the “get it right” argument in support of instant replay is based on a misunderstanding about the role of umpires and how the rules are enforced. Is instant replay more for the fans than for the game?