Gimmie Back My Pennant!

With today's news that a Miami anti-aging clinic has linked several MLB players with using HGH or other performance enhancing drugs, I find myself asking:

Can we have a re-do of the 2011 American League Championship Series?

Okay, I don't really want a re-do, but since Nelson Cruz is among those on the list of players newly accused, it stands to reason that he might have been a little sauced during the Rangers 4-2 series win vs the Detroit Tigers.

I have zero proof of this, of course, and the article linked above merely mentions his involvement in performance enhancing in 2012. But it's fun to speculate: During the 6 games vs Detroit, he hit a robust .364, hit 6 HRs and drove in 13. His OPS was an incredible 1.713. Tigers fans will recall that this offensive demonstration was rather offensive. He was a key cog (along with anyone who pitched to him) in the Rangers success in the ALCS.

(If you ignore the rest of his postseason offensive numbers, he was really killer in 2011!)

Naturally, if the rumors are true, who know how far the (alleged PED) goes for Cruz, or anyone for that matter.

Though to be sure, if Cruz doesn't have that performance vs the Tigers, we wouldn't have been treated to this wonderful display of defense:

 

Almost!

In all seriousness, we should stop pretending that we'll ever get past the steroid era, because it seems that players will always look for that way to get an edge. Players are still doing it because they want the prestige that comes with their big offensive numbers, and of course - they want to get paid. Back to Cruz for the money: in 2010 he was drawing a $440K salary. In 2011, it bumped up to $3.65MM, based on his solid numbers for the '10 season, batting .318, with 22 HRs and 78 RBIs in 108 games. Cruz saw a drop-off in batting average the following season, but saw his power numbers stay relatively level while still earning him a raise that saw him get paid $5MM last season.

Again, nothing has been proven - yet, that is - but this nonsense of players trying to dodge the system will continue to be irritating for those who love the game. I know that the numbers posted by those who have used PEDs won't get erased, much like I know I can't talk MLB into giving the Tigers another shot at the 2011 Pennant. But where does it end? Will the players ever respect the game, or will they continue to try and juice it up?

In reality, I have as much faith in the players to stop trying to cheat as I have for Bud Selig to come forward and apologize for this mess. After all, he let it happen for so many years, and it'll take 2 or 3 times as long to clean it up. If that ever happens.

Delmon To The Phillies Funny, But A Bargain

Picture, if you will, Delmon Young playing left field. It probably looks a little like this:

Guh!

Yep, it's all fun and games until the ball comes your way.

However, it's not nearly as bad as it seems for the Philadelphia Phillies, who signed the "left fielder" today.

Delmon's contract with the Phillies is for only 1 year, at a base salary of $750,000. A giant pay cut for a guy hauling in a base salary of $6.75MM last season. Not to mention, for much of the prior season, Young had his glove taken away from him (largely after his arrest in New York) and was limited to DH duties outside of National League ballparks. Quite a contrast in salary coming off a season that included being the MVP of the American League Championship Series.

But that off-the-field trouble he had last season, coupled with his seemingly wasted talent has cost him perhaps a more lucrative contract during the offseason. Aside from being a bad person,* Delmon's modest .267 batting average, his .296 on base percentage (only 20 walks last season, though that's 15 more than he had in 2011) probably prevented him from fielding more offers, maybe even from the Tigers. But this deal for the Phillies could actually work heavily in their favor.

At this rather minimal salary, Philly could hit the proverbial jackpot should he have an even miniscule improvement from the numbers he posted with the Tigers last season. If Young can keep his head in the game, post some better numbers, and even play some marginal defense, this will become the steal of the offseason for the Phillies. Sure, the "if" factor comes in here, but this is clearly a low risk/high reward signing for the team. Let's face it: if DY doesn't work out for whatever reason, it would be 100 times easier to release him at his new current salary vs the Tigers cutting him loose at his old salary. In baseball terms, $750,000 is chump change. This will be a good deal for Philly no matter what kind of year (on or off the field) Delmon has.

(*I don't REALLY know if Delmon Young is a bad person, I just go ahead and assume as much.)

Blog Resurrected

I had to dig out this blog and wipe the layers of dust off of it, but for the time being... it's back.

About a year and a half ago, I started blogging in full force for Motor City Bengals. It was today that I decided to step away from the Fansided site to refocus on my blog here... more importantly, refocus on my life; in the sense that I could program my own musings at my own leisure. Lately, my own leisure and free time has been either limited by work, family, stress, and the off-chance I get my Friday afternoons to spend blowing off steam at my local watering hole.

Ultimately though, I still love writing and talking baseball, and my Detroit Tigers are still my number one vice outside of said work, family, and stress. I will still write about the Tigers, but maybe not as often as I even want to. I'm thankful that John Parent saw enough in my previous writings to consider me for even writing for MCB, and it's helped me launch new connections via the blogs and Twitter that I still enjoy to this day.

I still look forward to some easy blogging, some baseball conversing, and the occasional wise-assing (I'm pretty sure that's not a word, but for now, that'll do). Also still looking forward to what should be an exciting 2013 Detroit Tigers season, and looking forward to all of you being excited (or miserable) with me.