Memorial Stadium

First I'd like to acknowledge two of my small coterie of faithful readers: Phil, whose fretting over my prolonged absence from this arena prompted a concerned phone call; and Terry, my baseball fan fan from Texas, whom I don't know at all but whose literary taste is obviously impeccable. Since I actually spoke to Phil, I've decided to address this blog to Terry's interests.

My theme is Memorial Day, but since the closest connection I have to the military is a brother who broke his wrist during basic training with the National Guard, I will eschew commenting on the tragedy of lives lost in foreign wars, justified or ridiculous like the present one. For me Memorial Day has always been less about the goings-on at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier than of the battles on-field in the baseball stadiums of America. Before Camden Yards was contructed in Baltimore's warehouse district near Eutaw Street (did I spell that right?), the Orioles would play their games in Memorial Stadium. Arenas of course are no longer named after heroes, baseball managers or patriotic concepts but after whichever corporation shells out the cash for the foundation.

The last weekend of May, climaxed by Memorial Day, thus became more of a seasonal demarcation point from the onset of spring to the arrival of the summer months. It is at this juncture in the year when baseball standings are first to be taken "seriously," with a third of the season gone and a good cross-section of opponents faced so that a reliable pattern begin to emerge.

This year's season has borne out--so far--a lot of my expectations (except, unfortunately, for the woebegone Bronx Cheers, still cursed by their confrontation last year with Jesus). To no one's surprise the Yanks and Red Sox are At It Again, though the advantage for the rest of the season goes to Boston, whose players are maintaining their helath unlike the Yanks with all their pesky wrist problems. Also, Toronto is entering the trio and functioning rather like Ross Perot in 1992. Toronto is not likely to win this season but their strength will handicap either the Yanks or Sox for the post-season, as the seasonal record of the second place team is likely to be diminished by the competition from the East.

The AL wild card, at this juncture, appears probable from the AL Central, with Chicago maintaining their strength (actually improving themselves with the resurgent Jim Thome), and the startling surge of Detroit. The Tigers unaccountably have the best record in baseball, thanks to a healthy blend of talented young-uns and seasoned vets like Magglio Ordonnez and Pudge Rodriguez. They also have added two excellent starters to their rotation, Justin Verlander and Kenny Rogers. (Rogers will help buttress them for the season, but beware when the playoffs come, Tigerland!). In their unbalanced schedule, Chicago and Detroit will be able to amass a cornucopia of wins from the crud in the division, which means a listless Twins team and an appalling bunch from Kansas City, likely to lose at least as many as the Tigers did a short three years ago (119). KC has won 11 games so far this year, which when tripled comes to 33. That would mean 129 losses. Mama Mia!

The AL west contains the most disappointing team so far, the Los Angeles Angels Whom Los Angeles Might Give Back to Anaheim. Disappointing production from a slew of highly-touted rookies has kicked them down to the cellar, but they have a chance to recover because all the AL West teams are flawed. Seattle's expensive free agents have been huge busts; Texas still has that good line-up but lousy pitching that will melt by July; and the A's are always scrambling for runs. I'll still opt for the As to win the division once their young pitchers get untracked.

Now, my friend Terry seems to be a National League fan. As a proponent of the Phils and Diamondbacks he is in for an interesting if ultimately frustrating year. I am following both teams closely this season because players from these teams compose a quarter of my Rotisserie Team. So I cheer for the peppy Chase Utley of the Phils, a talented second baseman; and from Arizona, starters Juan Cruz and Claudio Vargas, closer Jose Valverde, and center fielder Erick Byrnes. Byrnes is my replacement for the tragically disabled Hideki Matsui, and if Erick can give me two-thirds the production of the Yankee I'll feel fortunate. Cruz gave me a seven-inning shut-out yesterday, but also gave up nine runs in less than an inning last week. So it goes.

But both teams have shots at their respective divisional titles, since there are no shoo-ins this year with the possible exception of the Cardinals. Arizona could finish anywhere in the NL West, as could all the otherteams; never have I seen a division so balanced and so, well, mediocre. The Dodgers, despite physical problems and awful relief, are making waves as I thought they would, and Colorado has moved into contention with some good wood in their line-up. San Diego has that pitching, the cooperative ball park, and Khalil Greene hitting homers. And the Jints are never far out of it.

The Phils wil be fighting in a three-way scrum with the Mets and Braves for ther NL East crown, but the runner-up here may survive into the Wild Card because they can feast on the lowly Nationals and Marlins. The Mets have the most rounded team and good karma; adding El Duque, a seasoned winner, may put them over. The Phils need for Cole Hamels and one of their other pitchers to become stoppers, for their relief corp is not as strong with Billy Wagner now hurling in Queens. The Braves always seem to figure things out in the end, but after 14 straight division championships, the odds begin to favor a down year. I think the Mets and Phils will both advance.

I'm not all that impressed with the Cardinals, but with Rolen, Edmonds and super Albert in that line-up it's hard not to favor them over upstart Cincinnati and a less fortunate Houston Astro team, suffering from Clemens' departure and Pettitte's disappointing start. I still like the Brewers as an up-and-comer but there may not be sufficient pop in their line-up. And they require more consistency from Doug Davis and something, anything, from Ben Sheets.
The Cubs are spiralling downward and Pittsburgh at least has Kansas City around so that no one will notice how consistently lame they have become.

Everything will change, of course, once Roger Clemens decides whose ten million dollars he's willing to take for two months of mercenary work.