You know I am really bored when I do a post on bicycle racing and IRL in the same day.
ESPN did a story today where they quoted former IRL champion and current IRL points leader Scott Dixon as saying that Danica Patrick "is a menace." The story also went on to say that several other drivers have privately expressed concern over Danica's blocking tactics and inconsistent lines on the track. These unnamed drivers also apparently expressed the belief that Danica gets special treatment from the IRL officials during races. The drivers feel the IRL is often slow in blue flagging Danica (telling her to move over and let faster cars pass) because they believe the League officials want to give Danica every chance possible to stay in contention. The feeling is that other drivers get the blue flag much quicker when they use the same kind of dangerous tactics that Danica is rapidly becoming famous (or infamous) for making.
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First off, I'd like to say that I don't watch a whole lot of IRL racing. But, I do feel that I have watched enough of it to form an opinion of Danica and her racing abilities. And I have to honestly say that I do not have very much respect for her as a driver, or as a person for that matter. In case you haven't noticed, nothing is ever her fault. There is no doubt in my mind that she is capable of driving her car very fast. But, she does appear to be pretty reckless at times. There is a difference between being a good driver and being a fast driver. Danica is fast, but she isn't very good. Open wheel racing is about more than just speed. The drivers have to trust each other and know that the idiot beside them is competent enough behind the wheel not to send them both into the wall at 200 mph. That trust has to be earned, and so far I don't think Danica has earned anybody's trust. I'm starting to think that she will never earn it.
You could make the argument that the other drivers in IRL just don't like Danica because they feel she gets more attention than the rest of them get. But if you actually watch the races you will see that there is a lot of truth in what the other drivers are saying about her driving. She consistently drives her car into the corners too fast and drifts up the track. She constantly pulls down on the track to block faster cars that are attempting to pass. You very seldom ever see the IRL officials wave the blue flag at her when she does that manoeuvre. And I don't think I have ever watched an IRL race where Danica ran any kind of a consistent line around the track. But I can hardly blame the League for trying to give her a competitive advantage. Let's face it, Danica is the best thing the IRL has going. Is there anybody out there that really thinks the IRL and CART merged for any other reason than both racing leagues were slowly dying? Having an attractive young female driver is good for business. And its even better for business if she just happens to win a race or two along the way.
I think the other drivers in the IRL are just going to have to get used to racing with Danica, whether they like it or not. She's not going anywhere anytime soon. I have to laugh every time I hear somebody say that Danica will soon be making the jump to NASCAR. All you have to do is look at the limited success that other former IRL drivers are having in NASCAR to see that there is no place for Danica on the "big boys" circuit. If guys like Montoya, Hornish, and Franchitti can't win in NASCAR there is no way that Danica could even come close.
No NASCAR owner in his/her right mind would offer Danica a ride because they know she is nothing more than a novelty that sells tickets. NASCAR doesn't need the novelty of having a female driver to sell tickets, but the IRL certainly does need all the help they can get to sell tickets. So, the IRL is where Danica will stay (at least until she kills somebody with her erratic driving).
Friday, June 27, 2008
Landis Finds Out On Monday
Floyd Landis will find out just how far the conspiracy against him goes on Monday, June 30th. That is when the Court of Arbitration for Sport will announce their decision regarding Floyd's appeal hearing that was held back in March. The Arbitration Panel apparently heard 35 hours of testimony from 24 different witnesses during the hearing.
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I honestly don't know if Floyd Landis is guilty or innocent. But, I do know the French lab (LNDD) that performed the tests on Floyd's samples appears to be completely incompetent. Failure to follow accepted procedures and huge gaps of time in chain of custody appear to be the norm for LNDD. I guarantee you that if this was a criminal trial being conducted in the American legal system all of the evidence that was processed at LNDD would have already been thrown out of court. From what I have read, LNDD broke virtually every rule and regulation regarding drug testing on an international level when they handled Floyd's samples for the Tour de Farce.
Whether Floyd is found guilty or innocent, I hope the arbitration panel finds some way to make mention of the phenomenal ineptitude that was exhibited by the French laboratory (LNDD) who conducted the testing. The Lab's blatant disregard for chain of custody requirements alone should have voided any testing results in this case. What is the point of having certified labs if the labs don't follow any of the rules required for certification? In my opinion, LNDD should be publicly reprimanded and monetarily fined for their misconduct. If the panel does rule in Floyd's favor, then I think it would only be fair for LNDD to pay for ALL of Floyd's legal expenses to date.
The Tour de Farce is (and always will be) a complete joke.
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I honestly don't know if Floyd Landis is guilty or innocent. But, I do know the French lab (LNDD) that performed the tests on Floyd's samples appears to be completely incompetent. Failure to follow accepted procedures and huge gaps of time in chain of custody appear to be the norm for LNDD. I guarantee you that if this was a criminal trial being conducted in the American legal system all of the evidence that was processed at LNDD would have already been thrown out of court. From what I have read, LNDD broke virtually every rule and regulation regarding drug testing on an international level when they handled Floyd's samples for the Tour de Farce.
Whether Floyd is found guilty or innocent, I hope the arbitration panel finds some way to make mention of the phenomenal ineptitude that was exhibited by the French laboratory (LNDD) who conducted the testing. The Lab's blatant disregard for chain of custody requirements alone should have voided any testing results in this case. What is the point of having certified labs if the labs don't follow any of the rules required for certification? In my opinion, LNDD should be publicly reprimanded and monetarily fined for their misconduct. If the panel does rule in Floyd's favor, then I think it would only be fair for LNDD to pay for ALL of Floyd's legal expenses to date.
The Tour de Farce is (and always will be) a complete joke.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Sean Woods Named Head Coach
The unforgettable Sean Woods was named Head Basketball Coach at Mississippi Valley State yesterday. Sean had previously spent one year as an assistant at Texas A & M Corpus Christi and then two years as an assistant at TCU.
Congratulations to Sean. I'm sure he will do just fine.
Its good to see the "Unforgettables" doing so well. John Pelphrey is now the Head Basketball Coach at Arkansas, Richie Farmer is the current Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and Deron Feldhaus is the Co-Owner/Golf Professional at Kenton Station Golf Course in Maysville, KY.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
If I Were Bob Castellini
Well Reds fans, here we are 78 games into the season and the Cincinnati Reds are in last place (again). I have to admit that I didn't see this coming. I honestly thought the Reds had done enough in the off season to be a legitimate contender in the NL Central. But, I'm now convinced that the Reds are now playing for next season.
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So, where did the Reds go wrong?
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I think the Reds first mistake was replacing Pete Mackanin with Dusty Baker. I'm not sure why Castellini decided to get rid of Mackanin, but Dusty has obviously been a failure. I predicted Dusty would be a failure in Cincinnati right after the Reds hired him. Unfortunately it looks like I was right. In my opinion Mackanin earned the right to manage the team this year. From what I've read, Pete might have lost his job because he had some personality conflicts with some people in the Reds front office. I guess that is reasonable, but if I was Bob Castellini I would have given Mackanin one more year. Pete did an amazing job last year with a very fragile pitching staff. And if you are gonna get rid of Mackanin, at least look for a guy who has a decent reputation of handling a pitching staff.
Which brings us to Castellini's second mistake. Getting rid of Wayne Krivsky as the General Manager in favor of Walt Jocketty doesn't make any sense to me. Wayne may have made some mistakes in his tenure with the Reds (hiring Dusty Baker), but he hit some real home runs as well. Let's not forget that Krivsky is the guy that brought in Brandon Phillips, Alex Gonzalez, Jerry Hairston JR, Scott Hatteberg, Jared Burton, Francisco Cordero, Josh Hamilton, Jeff Keppinger, and Edinson Volquez. Not too shabby if you ask me. If I were Bob Castellini, I would have given Wayne at least one more year. Four GMs in six years is never a good thing. I'm just hoping that Jocketty doesn't give away Cincinnati's farm system like he did in St. Louis.
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So, where do the Reds go from here?
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First off, I think it is time to start shopping Ken Griffey JR. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Griffey fan. But, you have to ask yourself, "What has Griffey done for the Reds lately?" Ken is definitely starting to slow down in the field and at the plate. Even in a best case scenario the guy only has a few semi productive seasons left on his engine. I say it is time to put Jay Bruce in right field on an everyday basis and see what we can get for Griffey. Ultimately, I just think there is a better way to spend the $8 million per season that Castellini is currently paying Junior.
Next, I would get rid of Corey Patterson. I never understood signing this guy in the first place. And at $3 million dollars? Corey started off kind of hot at the plate this season, but then he came back down to reality. I do not understand why Dusty keeps putting this guy in the lineup. I would take Norris Hopper or Ryan Freel over this guy in a heartbeat. Give me a break.
Next up, I'd start shopping Bronson Arroyo. From what I've been reading, there might be some interest out there. Bronson started out great in Cincinnati, but he has steadily declined since he has been here. The guy has good stuff and every once in awhile he turns in a fantastic outing, but those starts seem to be getting farther and farther apart. I'm not sure if it is mental or physical, but I'm done with the guy. Trade him and get what you can. Surely somebody will want a guy who can give you mega innings of work.
Next, I'd test the market for Alex Gonzalez. I wouldn't be upset if the Reds end up keeping Alex, but I think $4.6 million might be a little too much to pay for the guy. Especially when you think about how well his replacements have done this year while Alex was on the DL. Keppinger may not be a long term replacement for Gonzalez at SS, but Jeff has given the Reds more this year than Alex did all of last year. And Keppinger has done it at a fraction of the cost. Keppinger only makes around $400,000 per year.
Next, I'd do my best to re sign Adam Dunn. I know a lot of people think Dunn is overrated, but Adam is the only consistent big bat the Reds currently have on the roster. Say what you want to about him, but his last 4 years look like this: 46 HR 102 RBI, 40 HR 101 RBI, 40 HR 92 RBI, and 40 HR 106 RBI. I just don't think it will be too easy to replace those kinds of numbers. He may be a bit of a liability in the outfield, but the guy is still under 30 years old and has a lot of baseball left in him. I can live with his lumbering around in the field as long as he consistently gives me 40 HR a year at the plate.
Next, I would do everything in my power to keep Brandon Phillips on the team. This guy is one of the top two or three second baseman at the plate in baseball. And, I think he is the best fielding second baseman in all of baseball. Brandon is the type of player that you build a team around. So, start building. If Jockety gets rid of Phillips I swear I will switch my 30 odd years of fan allegiance over to the Cleveland Indians or Chicago Cubs. I'm not just saying that.
Along with Brandon Phillips, I would also try my best to keep Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Jerry Hairston JR. I know it is still early in the careers of Votto and Bruce, but I just have a good feeling about them. I think Bruce will develop into a consistent .300 and 25 HR guy if he gets to play everyday. Votto has been solid at first base and looks to probably be a .280, 25 HR guy. I think Hairston has been playing above his head this season, but I think he is the Reds best option in center field and in the lead-off position. Jerry has brought an energy with him to Cincinnati that nobody else seems to have. But, we all need to remember that Jerry has been around the Majors for 10 years and has never been much more than a backup. That's why I keep Hopper and Freel on the roster just in case.
I've gone back and forth on Edwin Encarnacion since he has been with the Reds. His inconsistency has absolutely driven me nuts. But, I still lean toward keeping him. He is decent in the field and he seems to have a knack for getting the big hit when the Reds need it. Plus, he is another of those low salary guys ($450,000 per year). I just don't see how the Reds could upgrade at 3rd base without spending a fortune.
Besides the pitching staff, I think the catcher position might be where the Reds need the most improvement. David Ross is a fine defensive catcher, but I don't think Ross will ever be more than a .250 hitter at the plate. Paul Bako has been in the Bigs for 10 years and has never been anything more than a backup. And although Javier Valentin has shown some improvement at the plate over the last few years, he may be the worst defensive catcher I have ever seen. Nope, I think it is time to start looking for a new catcher. Preferably a switch or right handed hitting guy. Cincinnati already has too many left handed bats in the lineup.
And now to the pitching staff.
I honestly think Wayne Krivsky did a fairly decent job putting together the bullpen over the last 2 years. He didn't have a lot of money to spend, but he still managed to make some decent upgrades. Wayne is pretty much responsible for every relief pitcher the Reds currently have on the roster. I could be wrong, but I think Weathers and Mercker are the only 2 guys currently in the bullpen that Wayne didn't bring to Cincy. I know the bullpen isn't fantastic from top to bottom, but its certainly better than what Krivsky inherited when he took over from Jim Bowden. I feel pretty good about Cordero, Weathers, Burton, and Bray.
I'm not sure what to think about the Reds starting rotation. The only guys I feel pretty good about are Harang and Volquez. And I think it is still too early to determine if this season has just been some kind of an anomaly for Volquez, or if this is what we can expect to see from him next season as well. This is Edinson's 4th year in the Bigs and he has never put up numbers anywhere close to what he is doing for the Reds this season. Harang's numbers have slipped this year, but he is still a horse. He is giving the Reds his best effort game in and game out, but for some reason the Reds simply can't score any runs when Aaron is on the mound.
I think Harang, Volquez, and Cueto will probably be in the rotation next season. If the Reds don't come to their senses and get rid of Arroyo, he too will probably make the rotation. So then the question becomes, "Will the Reds make a trade or add a free agent pitcher to the roster?" If they get rid of Griffey and/or Arroyo they should have some money available to pay a starting pitcher. But will they pull the trigger if they get the chance? If Jocketty does pull the trigger, will he give away the Reds future like he did in St. Louis?
If they don't make any changes, they should still have Matt Belisle, Josh Fogg, Bobby Livingston, Homer Bailey, and Daryl Thompson around to compete for any remaining spots in the rotation next season.
Maybe the Reds will just stay put and enter next season with basically the same roster they have now. Let's face it, I thought this roster was good enough to compete this year. If it hadn't been for Dusty Baker, the Reds might be in first place right now. You never know. Which brings me back to what I would do if I was Bob Castellini.
I would start by firing Dusty Baker. Now!
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So, where did the Reds go wrong?
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I think the Reds first mistake was replacing Pete Mackanin with Dusty Baker. I'm not sure why Castellini decided to get rid of Mackanin, but Dusty has obviously been a failure. I predicted Dusty would be a failure in Cincinnati right after the Reds hired him. Unfortunately it looks like I was right. In my opinion Mackanin earned the right to manage the team this year. From what I've read, Pete might have lost his job because he had some personality conflicts with some people in the Reds front office. I guess that is reasonable, but if I was Bob Castellini I would have given Mackanin one more year. Pete did an amazing job last year with a very fragile pitching staff. And if you are gonna get rid of Mackanin, at least look for a guy who has a decent reputation of handling a pitching staff.
Which brings us to Castellini's second mistake. Getting rid of Wayne Krivsky as the General Manager in favor of Walt Jocketty doesn't make any sense to me. Wayne may have made some mistakes in his tenure with the Reds (hiring Dusty Baker), but he hit some real home runs as well. Let's not forget that Krivsky is the guy that brought in Brandon Phillips, Alex Gonzalez, Jerry Hairston JR, Scott Hatteberg, Jared Burton, Francisco Cordero, Josh Hamilton, Jeff Keppinger, and Edinson Volquez. Not too shabby if you ask me. If I were Bob Castellini, I would have given Wayne at least one more year. Four GMs in six years is never a good thing. I'm just hoping that Jocketty doesn't give away Cincinnati's farm system like he did in St. Louis.
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So, where do the Reds go from here?
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First off, I think it is time to start shopping Ken Griffey JR. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Griffey fan. But, you have to ask yourself, "What has Griffey done for the Reds lately?" Ken is definitely starting to slow down in the field and at the plate. Even in a best case scenario the guy only has a few semi productive seasons left on his engine. I say it is time to put Jay Bruce in right field on an everyday basis and see what we can get for Griffey. Ultimately, I just think there is a better way to spend the $8 million per season that Castellini is currently paying Junior.
Next, I would get rid of Corey Patterson. I never understood signing this guy in the first place. And at $3 million dollars? Corey started off kind of hot at the plate this season, but then he came back down to reality. I do not understand why Dusty keeps putting this guy in the lineup. I would take Norris Hopper or Ryan Freel over this guy in a heartbeat. Give me a break.
Next up, I'd start shopping Bronson Arroyo. From what I've been reading, there might be some interest out there. Bronson started out great in Cincinnati, but he has steadily declined since he has been here. The guy has good stuff and every once in awhile he turns in a fantastic outing, but those starts seem to be getting farther and farther apart. I'm not sure if it is mental or physical, but I'm done with the guy. Trade him and get what you can. Surely somebody will want a guy who can give you mega innings of work.
Next, I'd test the market for Alex Gonzalez. I wouldn't be upset if the Reds end up keeping Alex, but I think $4.6 million might be a little too much to pay for the guy. Especially when you think about how well his replacements have done this year while Alex was on the DL. Keppinger may not be a long term replacement for Gonzalez at SS, but Jeff has given the Reds more this year than Alex did all of last year. And Keppinger has done it at a fraction of the cost. Keppinger only makes around $400,000 per year.
Next, I'd do my best to re sign Adam Dunn. I know a lot of people think Dunn is overrated, but Adam is the only consistent big bat the Reds currently have on the roster. Say what you want to about him, but his last 4 years look like this: 46 HR 102 RBI, 40 HR 101 RBI, 40 HR 92 RBI, and 40 HR 106 RBI. I just don't think it will be too easy to replace those kinds of numbers. He may be a bit of a liability in the outfield, but the guy is still under 30 years old and has a lot of baseball left in him. I can live with his lumbering around in the field as long as he consistently gives me 40 HR a year at the plate.
Next, I would do everything in my power to keep Brandon Phillips on the team. This guy is one of the top two or three second baseman at the plate in baseball. And, I think he is the best fielding second baseman in all of baseball. Brandon is the type of player that you build a team around. So, start building. If Jockety gets rid of Phillips I swear I will switch my 30 odd years of fan allegiance over to the Cleveland Indians or Chicago Cubs. I'm not just saying that.
Along with Brandon Phillips, I would also try my best to keep Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Jerry Hairston JR. I know it is still early in the careers of Votto and Bruce, but I just have a good feeling about them. I think Bruce will develop into a consistent .300 and 25 HR guy if he gets to play everyday. Votto has been solid at first base and looks to probably be a .280, 25 HR guy. I think Hairston has been playing above his head this season, but I think he is the Reds best option in center field and in the lead-off position. Jerry has brought an energy with him to Cincinnati that nobody else seems to have. But, we all need to remember that Jerry has been around the Majors for 10 years and has never been much more than a backup. That's why I keep Hopper and Freel on the roster just in case.
I've gone back and forth on Edwin Encarnacion since he has been with the Reds. His inconsistency has absolutely driven me nuts. But, I still lean toward keeping him. He is decent in the field and he seems to have a knack for getting the big hit when the Reds need it. Plus, he is another of those low salary guys ($450,000 per year). I just don't see how the Reds could upgrade at 3rd base without spending a fortune.
Besides the pitching staff, I think the catcher position might be where the Reds need the most improvement. David Ross is a fine defensive catcher, but I don't think Ross will ever be more than a .250 hitter at the plate. Paul Bako has been in the Bigs for 10 years and has never been anything more than a backup. And although Javier Valentin has shown some improvement at the plate over the last few years, he may be the worst defensive catcher I have ever seen. Nope, I think it is time to start looking for a new catcher. Preferably a switch or right handed hitting guy. Cincinnati already has too many left handed bats in the lineup.
And now to the pitching staff.
I honestly think Wayne Krivsky did a fairly decent job putting together the bullpen over the last 2 years. He didn't have a lot of money to spend, but he still managed to make some decent upgrades. Wayne is pretty much responsible for every relief pitcher the Reds currently have on the roster. I could be wrong, but I think Weathers and Mercker are the only 2 guys currently in the bullpen that Wayne didn't bring to Cincy. I know the bullpen isn't fantastic from top to bottom, but its certainly better than what Krivsky inherited when he took over from Jim Bowden. I feel pretty good about Cordero, Weathers, Burton, and Bray.
I'm not sure what to think about the Reds starting rotation. The only guys I feel pretty good about are Harang and Volquez. And I think it is still too early to determine if this season has just been some kind of an anomaly for Volquez, or if this is what we can expect to see from him next season as well. This is Edinson's 4th year in the Bigs and he has never put up numbers anywhere close to what he is doing for the Reds this season. Harang's numbers have slipped this year, but he is still a horse. He is giving the Reds his best effort game in and game out, but for some reason the Reds simply can't score any runs when Aaron is on the mound.
I think Harang, Volquez, and Cueto will probably be in the rotation next season. If the Reds don't come to their senses and get rid of Arroyo, he too will probably make the rotation. So then the question becomes, "Will the Reds make a trade or add a free agent pitcher to the roster?" If they get rid of Griffey and/or Arroyo they should have some money available to pay a starting pitcher. But will they pull the trigger if they get the chance? If Jocketty does pull the trigger, will he give away the Reds future like he did in St. Louis?
If they don't make any changes, they should still have Matt Belisle, Josh Fogg, Bobby Livingston, Homer Bailey, and Daryl Thompson around to compete for any remaining spots in the rotation next season.
Maybe the Reds will just stay put and enter next season with basically the same roster they have now. Let's face it, I thought this roster was good enough to compete this year. If it hadn't been for Dusty Baker, the Reds might be in first place right now. You never know. Which brings me back to what I would do if I was Bob Castellini.
I would start by firing Dusty Baker. Now!
Friday, June 13, 2008
I'm Back!
Those of you that know me in real life know that my one true love (besides my wife) is fishing. And, if you have been wondering where I have been lately, the answer to that question is Canada!
I just got back from my annual fishing trip to the Great White North. If you like to fish, and you have never been to Canada, you are really missing out. My friends and I do a fly-in every year for a little rest and relaxation. We always go to an outpost cabin up in the middle of nowhere and do nothing but fish and drink for a solid week. I look forward to it every year, and this year was one of the best trips we have ever had. The walleye fishing was a little slow, but we caught tons of smallies and quite a few really nice Northerns.
The picture you see above is the 44 inch, 20 pound monster I caught this year. I pulled her out just below a beautiful little waterfall. She was up there feeding on the suckers that were trying to work their way upstream. I had been throwing various crankbaits up in the falls for about an hour before I finally switched over to a little Chatter Shad. She chased the lure down on my third cast and the fight was on. My buddy Chris managed to net the behemoth the third time I brought her past the boat. But, that was just the beginning of the fight.
Once we got her in the boat she was none too happy. She started rolling like an alligator in the bottom of the boat and wrapped my line so tight around her head that she actually snapped the tip off my Pro Qualifier rod. It was my own fault for laying the rod down over the benches in the 16 foot Aquamarine. I should have known better, but I was trying to secure the fish before she managed to wriggle free of the net. A 44 inch Northern doesn't fit too well in a net! In the end, I won the fight.
In case you were wondering, the Northern is now sitting in the freezer at the taxidermist and the rod has been sent to Bass Pro for repair. It was all worth it as far as I'm concerned.
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