A Night in with MLB TV and My Thoughts

One of the best investments I've made the last couple of years regarding technology has been MLB's MLB TV. If you've never heard of it and you like watching a lot of baseball, travel on the road like myself, and your significant other can't stand baseball (also true for me)--it's worth it. You can watch any out-of-market baseball game on your computer live or watch any archieved game as long as you have a high-speed internet connection. The main reasons why I have purchased it the last two years are: 1) Not being able to watch the Yankees whenever I wanted unless they were on ESPN or Fox (which means having to hear Tim MacCarver or Joe Morgan or Rick Sutcliffe all of whom I detest) or having to just read the box scores everyday and 2) I could buy the MLB season subscription for my TV, but that means I would hog the TV almost everyday while my girlfriend day-by-day considers buying a sledgehammer. So it's a happy medium, I can get baseball other than on ESPN and Fox and my girlfriend can stand me a bit more. Okay, so I've pushed the product here a bit, but it is great (especially when you're bored at work, co-workers reading this please ignore that comment).

Usually on a night like tonight when I'm actually in for once, I'll catch the Yankee game and then basically game surf to see how my fantasy baseball players are doing, catch a team I don't normally watch, but generally to catch some baseball. Sometimes I catch some crazy stuff as I'm flipping through. For example tonight:

• I flipped on the Mets vs. Giants game in the 12th inning when it was tied 3-3. With one out and a man on third, a Giant grounds to first where Delgado fields, tags first, spins and throws to Lo Duca at home where Omar Vizquel gets in just ahead of the tag to put the Giants up 4-3. It wasn't the best decision on Delgado's part, he could have held the runner at third and gotten the second out at first, but instead he elected for the double play to get out of the inning. Then the Mets came up against Armando Benitez, the Mets old closer, who the crowd seemed to get at tonight. He gave up a leadoff walk to Reyes on a full count. It amazes me how quickly Reyes has developed plate discipline the last two seasons (thanks to Rickey Henderson). Anyway, this is where Benitez lost it because he got distracted and balked Reyes to second. Chavez then layed down a perfect bunt to advance Reyes to third only to be followed by another Benitez balk. Reyes scores tying the game. But it didn't end there. Delgado was up, who'd made that bad decision the half inning before and Benitez throws one in his sweet spot and Delgado rips it deep into right field to win the game. I have never seen two balks in an inning by a veteran closer who then gave up the long ball because he couldn't compose himself.

• Watching the Yankees game--I'll leave my frustrations out of here--Aaron Hill finds a weakness in Pettitte's delivery. Hill was on third and their was a runner at first base. Anyone who knows Pettitte's delivery knows when he's in the stretch, he still uses a high leg lift, which often fools runners at first. Pettitte is one of the best pitchers who can pick off a runner at first the last 10 years because of this. But what was interesting was that Hill, who has decent speed, saw Pettitte paying too much attention to the runner at first base. And just as I did many times in Colt League, he took off for home. It took Posada's yelling at Pettitte and for Pettitte himself a good couple of seconds before he made a throw. Hill was about two-thirds of the way home before Pettitte was ready to throw home and easily scored. This was the turning point in the game.
• Right now I just switched to the Rangers at Oakland where not much has happened yet, but I'm hoping something will.

Some evenings can be interesting like this while others there are little things that go on. I end up appreciating more and more about the game as I watch more and more baseball. My girlfriend will never understand but Doug and whatever loyal readers we may have right now will.

I had some thoughts on early Cy Young contenders this year. There is a good group of pitchers this year in both leagues and obviously it will come down to the stats of overall record, wins and ERA that decide who wins it.

In the AL I'd rank the top five pitchers as such: 1. Beckett, BOS; 2. John Lackey, LAA; 3. Johan Santana, MIN; 4. C.C. Sabathia, CLE and 5. Dan Haren, OAK

Beckett just came back tonight and won, he's now 8-0. Lackey also has 8 wins, Santana is always going to contend for the Cy, Sabathia keeps improving every year, and Haren currently has a 1.70 ERA leading the AL. Lackey has always been considered a contender but never won more than 15 games in a season, but given the way the Angels are playing he could do that this year. I think the Cy is between Lackey and Santana. Why do I discount Beckett--well I wouldn't be suprised if his blister injury flared up again and he had to go on the DL.

In the NL my top five pitchers are: 1. Jake Peavy, SD; 2. Brad Penny, LAD; 3. John Smoltz, ATL; 4. John Maine, NYM and 5. Time Hudson, ATL

I'm suprised I'd pick Maine and Hudson as well. Despite Hudson's last two starts, he's come back to what he knows, he needed to so that his time in Atlanta was worth it to the Braves and to Hudson himself the last two years. As for Maine, he's an underrated pitcher in my view. Last year he did well filling in and starting and this year he seems to be improving upon whatever his repetoire is. As for Penny, he was about where he is now this time a year ago only to have his shoulder wear down in the second half. Smoltz looks good, but I saw he has another hand injury and possible shoulder injury now, but when healthy the guy can still start or close a game.

But the most impressive pitcher this year has been Peavy. The ERA's under 2.00 and he's striking out 10.4/9 IP. Like Lackey in the AL, Peavy has been said to be a futher Cy Young contender and I believe this is his year to do that.