As per usual, it is time to get ready for my weekly segment on ESPN 1450’s Mike Gill Show. Today we toss around the following...
  • Do you think there should be instant replay in baseball?
  • Last years NL champion Colorado Rockies are off to a slow start as are the Indians--any worries or will they be a factor in the playoff race?
  • Red Sox - Yankees and Tigers-Indians series this week--which one is more important?
  • Is Rick Ankiel a legitimate hitter now?
  • Round 2 of Phillies - Mets this weekend--where does this rivalry rank in baseball now?
Do you think there should be instant replay in baseball?


If it is done right. Each team gets a limited number of challenges (say, two per game) with a penalty for an unsuccessful challenge. Some suggestions include--each unsuccessful challenge costs a team both challenges from the following game. Perhaps require an automatic pitching change should the challenge be fruitless. Just imagine deciding whether it’s worth challenging a call in the fifth inning of a September game between the Mets and Phillies where Johan Santana is mowing down hitters left and right in a 1-0 game. Umpires should have some discretion as well to call for a review if he’s unsure he got the call right--which should be the whole point of the exercise.

Having said that--MLB would find a way to make a colossal mess of it so it’s probably best to leave Pandora’s Box unopened.

Last years NL champion Colorado Rockies are off to a slow start as are the Indians--any worries or will they be a factor in the playoff race?

Well, the Rockies opened 2007 10-16 and that worked out O.K. I think the Snakes are the class of the division if not the National League. If the Rox want to make it back to October, it will be through the wild card. Having said that, we have to bear in mind that the Rockies’ post-season appearance last year was due to that insane 14-1 finish. The Tribe’s slow start puts the Tigers early struggles into perspective. These two clubs are among the best in the AL and will be jockeying atop the standing

Red Sox - Yankees and Tigers-Indians series this week--which one is more important?

Last year the Red Sox were 5-1 versus the Yankees after two series in 2007 and were 3-9 thereafter. In the last two series played last season, the Red Sox went 1-5 . Bottom line, it’s a two game set for both clubs. The thing is, the division is far more complicated for each team. The Blue Jays are a legitimate playoff threat and Tampa Bay is on the rise and while not ready to contend just yet--are going to make life difficult for the Yankees/Red Sox/Blue Jays. Further, both Cleveland and Detroit are both post-season threats. The Yankees/Red Sox have a much bigger minefield to navigate in 2008 than they have had to contend with in recent seasons.

I think the Tribe-Tabbies series is a little more important--especially to the Tigers. They are 4-3 after their 0-7 start and a tick ahead of Philadelphia’s 3-10 start to their post-season march. However, it will be a psychological benefit as much as anything else. The Indians didn’t have to suffer through all the media attention of an 0-7 start; after opening 2-0, they’re 3-9 since. In both cases, it is good to remember that it’s not uncommon for a team to start the year poorly only to bounce back.

Other rough starts in recent memory… in 2007, the Cubs opened 8-13, the Rockies 10-16 and the Yankees 9-14. In ’06, the Padres stumbled out of the gate at 8-15 and the Twins weren’t much better at 9-16. In 2005, the Yankees again started slow at 11-19. In ‘02, the World Champion Anaheim Angels were a miserable 6-14 after 20 games and the year before that, the Athletics started the campaign 8-18. Finally, in 2000, the San Francisco Giants looked hopeless at 4-11--in each case, the team reached the post season. Since 2000, nine teams have started as bad, and sometimes worse, than the Tigers this year and recovered. Of course, I saw the Blue Jays lose 24 of their first 36 games and reach the post season in 1989.

Is Rick Ankiel a legitimate hitter now?

He has always been a legit hitter. Had his not lost his ability to pitch he may well have become the next Wes Ferrell (.280/.351/.446) or Red Ruffing (.269/.306/.389)--both superb hitters. In 2000, Ankiel batted .286/.353/.638 with 10 HR in just 105 AB at age 21 in the minors. A little math tells you that given 525 AB, he was on pace for 50 HR. Both Babe Ruth and George Sisler started their careers as fine pitchers--indeed Ruth may well have become a Hall of Famer at that position.

Back when the minor leagues were a much bigger deal than today, a gentleman named Buzz Arlett was a promising pitcher; winning over 100 games. In 1923, an arm injury ended his pitching career. He too switched to the outfield and became on of the greatest minor league hitters in history batting .341 with 432 home runs and 1786 RBI. In 1931, he finally got his shot in the big leagues batting .313/.387/.538 with 18 home runs and 72 RBI. It was his defensive ineptitude (the D.H. was still four decades in the future) and not his bat that kept him from succeeding in the bigs.

Further, he has many years left to enjoy a superb career. Edgar Martinez, “Indian Bob” Johnson, Dolph Camilli and Minnie Minoso never received full time work at the big league level until they were about Ankiel’s age.

Round 2 of Phillies - Mets this weekend--where does this rivalry rank in baseball now?

It’s still in its fledgling stages. Since the Mets joined the NL in 1962, they have made it to the post season seven times … the Phillies--eight (times). In those 15 seasons, only once have the two clubs been involved in the same pennant race. The Phillies average record when the Mets made it to October is 73-89, the Mets record in Phillies’ playoff teams is 70-92 (the 1981 strike won-loss records extrapolated to 162 game season).

The breakdown: The Mets have been in the post season in 1969 (Phillies 63-99), 1973 (Phillies 71-91), 1986 (Phillies 86-75 … 21 GB), 1988 (Phillies 65-96), 1999 (Phillies 77-85), 2000 (Phillies 65-97) and 2006 (85-77 … 12 GB). The Phillies have been in the post season in 1976 (Mets 86-76), 1977 (Mets 64-98), 1978 (Mets 66-96), 1980 (Mets 67-95), 1981 (Mets 41-62), 1983 (Mets 68-94), 1993 (Mets 59-103), and 2007 (Mets 88-74).

Historically, there just hasn’t been much fodder where once club has denied the other a playoff berth and last season was the first time. Before then, only twice have both teams been 1-2 in the standings and in both cases, it was a runaway as the Mets won the division in 1986 by 21 games and 12 games in 2006.

The stars may have finally aligned for this to develop into a rivalry but last season was the first time any bad blood had a chance to develop between the two teams.

Best Regards

John