The Magic Carpet

'We decided that we weren't going to obsess over our competitors, but we were obsessed with our CUSTOMERS.'

Jeff Bezos, CEO - Amazon

I'm guessing that Los Angeles Dodgers Owner, Frank McCourt, hasn't been watching 'Charlie Rose'.

I'm guessing that Dodgers General Manager, Ned Colletti, is more of an 'American Idol' kind of guy.

Reading the commentary here on TSN, its pretty clear that the Staff and the bulk of the blogosphere are a lot like Ned. Who is a lot like them. This is not for those folks, like Ned, and perhaps, Frank...

It's too much for them.

You see, Guru knows about some things.

Economics, Business and Baseball are at the top of the list.

I know more Economics than Baseball writers, and more than most Baseball executives.

I know more Baseball than Business writers, and more than most Baseball writers.

Here is what I know.

Business is built around these basics.

* Paying Customers
* Brand
* Product
* Service

Baseball is built around these basics.

* Offense
* Defense
* Pitching
* Base Running

The most important 'asset' from a Business standpoint is a player who has Superstar name recognition, Hits for Power (Pitchers play every five days, or for a few innings at a time) and, it would be nice if the player was:

1.) An FBHOF (First Ballot Hall of Fame) Player, denoting one of the greatest to ever PLAY.

2.) A proven resume of winning and bringing winning to places that hadn't won in awhile.

3.) A built-in Supplementary fan-base.

If a business requires ready access to its customers, as Baseball Clubs do, and Real Estate, then the old maxim holds.

Location...Location...Location.

The kind of Location that would make an organization that was the 2nd Best Brand in MLB in 1958, playing in the United States Biggest City decide to leave for the 2nd Largest City and convince their NYC neighbors to leave as well, for San Francisco - providing a ready-made rivalry and a chance to go from being #2 and #3 in NYC to being #1 and #2 on an entire COAST.

Los Angeles, California is the Dodgers location.

4 Million People live in Los Angeles, 13 Million live in the Metropolitan region.

Split the surrounding regions with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (13M x .5 = 6.5M) and split the city residents 80/20% for the Dodgers (4M x .8 = 3.2M). 6.5M + 3.2M =

9.7M Potential Paying Customers.

Let's say that 1 in 3 of these customers is at least a potential paying customer for Dodger Baseball.

Drop the extra 100,000 and call the 'Pool' - 3.2 Million Customers.

It is from this pool that the revenue for your baseball club will predominantly derive.

An extension of the Dodger brand, however, is an easy extrapolation. No other franchise has a built in audience on both coasts, in the first and second largest cities. Nobody this side of the Yankees has placed as many Hats on heads that have no interest in Baseball than the ubiquitous 'LA' white on Dodger blue. It's practically a stylist requirement for the latest LA hottie...

Or it was.

In their first 30 years in Los Angeles (1959-1988), the Dodgers went to the World Series N-I-N-E times.

9 times in 30 years - 30% of National League Pennants.

5 Rings in 30 years - 16.66% of World Championships.

In the preceding 41 years, in Brooklyn, the Dodgers won 12 Pennants, but only the 1955 'Holy Grail' Title, usually at the hands of their neighbors, be they NL (Giants) or AL (Yankees).

21 Pennants overall. 6 Championships.

All of them between 1890-1988. 99 years, 21 pennants.

In the last 20 years?

Z-E-R-O Pennants.

No rings.

Starlets wear Laker Caps.

Oh, one more important bit. Los Angeles is 48% HIspanic, in the City alone, that equals 1.9 Million People, and that is those who make the Census, which means the actual numbers cannot be calculated, but the anecdotal evidence, the PREPONDERANCE of it, suggests that number is likely closer to 2.5M.

Not in the surrounding suburbs, where there are millions of more, but in the CITY.

For contrast, lets choose another American City, say....Boston.

600,000 People live in Boston. 7.5 Million in the extended area.

There are 14 Million in New England, but at distances that, if we were to include the same range for LA, would bring the discussion into tens of millions.

In Boston, the population is 16% Hispanic (600,000 x .16 = 96,000), lets add for those who are not census-friendly - another 24,000?, which makes 120,000 people.

The rest of New England? New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont? Not Hispanic hotspots. Rhode Island is urban and WOULD BE a magnet, except that the Manufacturing collapse and Economic crisis have killed ALL the jobs. Let's say the rest of Massachusetts is 10% Hispanic and call it, generously, 500,000 Hispanics who might have been potential Red Sox fans.

Got all that?

Manny Ramirez came to Los Angeles from Boston last August, fortuitous circumstances that cost the Dodgers Z-E-R-O dollars.

His Manager, Joe Torre, the most universally respected in the game, spoke glowingly of Manny's impact on his clubhouse. Don Mattingly, another instantly respected figure, who played with HOF players (Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson) and coached others (Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez), said he had never seen a player make the impact with young teammates, work harder on the business of hitting or transform a clubhouse like Manny did.

ON the field? .396/17/53 in 53 Games. Slugging a surrealistic .743, On-Base of .489.

A talent so vast that in his last month in Boston, where the chattering class has agreed by acclamation to brand him with the label of 'Jaking It', he hit .347, slugged .587 and had an on-base of .473.

Ignore the numbers in LA, if ANY team in Baseball could have the 'Bad' Manny numbers from July in Boston, they'd be printing playoff tickets.

Speaking of which...

Manny came to Cleveland in 1993, and became a starter for good in 1995. That was the 41st Season since the Indians had last been to the World Series.

They went to 2 of the next 3.

In his last 3 seasons in Cleveland, he hit 127 HR's and drove in 432 Runs. The Indians were a powerhouse, playing to packed Jacobs Field Crowds, in a place that had been baseball dead for DECADES.

Indian management decided they didn't NEED an HGFBHOF (Home Grown First Ballot Hall of Famer) in his prime and let him go to Free Agency.

Needless to say, the Indians lost for awhile, nibbled in '07 and now have sent away their latest HGFBHOF type, charismatic minority and hope to find a way to win without retaining any of the game changing talent they develop. Good luck with that.

Manny, of course, signed in Boston.

When he arrived, the team had not won a Championship in 83 years, or been to the World Series in 15 and a guy named David Ortiz was a stiff who the Minnesota Twins would unload for nothing.

When he left, they'd won Two Championships in two tries and were eliminated from another on an extra-inning/7th Game HR (probably not Manny's fault, but you never know...oh wait, it was Pedro's fault...or Grady Little's...it always has to be someone's FAULT). Oh, and Ortiz is now 'Big Papi' after feasting on his buddy Manny's work ethic, hitting advice and presence behind him in the lineup.

Then he went to LA, singlehandedly lifting the Dodgers to a Division Title.

In the playoffs? Manny Hit .533, On-Base 682 and Slugged 1.067. His OPS was 1.749.

Beyond Belief. And THAT was against a Pitching Staff that went on to Win the World Series and KNEW Manny was the key to the Dodgers.

Knowledge doesn't help you get Manny out. Ask Mike Mussina!

The best in every business eventually get to dictate WHERE they play and dictate how MUCH they will be paid. Ask Jennifer Aniston, who got paid $1M an episode and got each of her cast mates the same money just so NBC could hold onto 'Friends'.

Do you think NBC suddenly believed that Matt 'Joey' Leblanc, was worth 6M MORE than Alex Rodriguez makes? Or were willing to throw nearly 200M at six sitcom actors?

They did it because their CUSTOMERS wanted that talent, and their ADVERTISERS wanted to see those customers before ponying up their cash. In simple terms, they PAID money to MAKE money.

Business is like that.

Manny is a franchise player who has been badly mishandled by two successive organizations who were more interested in bending him to the local marketplace than making him the centerpiece. In Cleveland and Boston, General Managers, Mark Shapiro and Theo Epstein, barely disguised their contempt for Manny. Shapiro shipped him out, Theo TRIED to in 2003, which would have precluded either championship, but if you ask Theo and Larry Lucchino, you'd think Manny was a bit player in all that.

Whatever...

In Los Angeles, with Torre, in a big market (a REAL one, not a media construct) where people live-and-let-live and celebrities are about as novel as mini-vans, a place with roughly 20 times as many Hispanic fans who LIKE his style, appreciate his look...on a team that announced in the fall, would carry a payroll of 120M but are sitting with less than 80M today...

They offered Manny Ramirez two years, with deferred money over a course of five years PAST the two years of the deal.

Do you think the Dodgers have offered their fans a full REFUND if they do NOT sign Manny?

Do you think the young Dodgers who REVERE Manny won't miss him? Russell Martin says they'll win anyway, so do the Red Sox. Nobody ever has so far, but I suppose it might happen.

But isn't this all just smoke and mirrors and spin?

The numbers and the arguments make Scott Boras point for him. They are inarguable, which is why the arguments you read are of three types;

1.) From people who believe that players should be treated like employees.

2.) From people who believe that he should have been GRATEFUL to be in Boston, humbled himself, cut his hair and ignored the things that he disliked. In other words, put the Boston ownership, who he gave championships and who tried to cut him, the Boston players, who went from an urban/ethnic mix to a redneck/frat boy one during his time in Red Sox and the Boston fans, who forgot Pedro the MOMENT Schilling got to town and began giving the finger to New Yorkers (like Manny) and immigrants (like Manny) ABOVE his own needs and the needs of his family.

3.) From people who think players should suffer along with the rest of us, regardless of the underlying economics.

All of these arguments are EMOTIONAL.

Emotions have no place in business.

All of you who call Scott Boras names? He is a WINNER. Ask Alex. Ask Teixeira. Ask Derek Lowe.

His job is to cut through the GARBAGE that the Clubs and the Media and the Fans are spreading, and make no mistake, that is EXACTLY what it all is (see above) and, calmly, demonstrate to the team, the media and the fans that IF the Team was serious about winning and making money, they would not only sign Manny but they would start PROMOTING him for all the reasons listed here and as a positive role model, a guy married to his HS Sweetheart who lives for his family and to hit baseballs, instead of devaluing the brand they depend upon.

Just because the Dodgers are stupid, doesn't mean YOU have to be.

Posted by Matthew at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

...sigh...

The endless peace and quiet of another Manhattan Winter begins to fade...

The subtle inaction of another Yankee offseason is all but lost...

The limitless calm of Big City life and Yankee fandom are about to be swallowed up by the clamor and tumult of endless Florida sunshine, Tampa Bay Golf Courses and Stripper Bars, fresh cut grass, 20,000 adoring Yankee fans, the feel of tapered wood, of stitched hide...

Or something like that!

Of course, the City NEVER sleeps and neither do the Yankees. They've retained Damaso Marte and Andy Pettitte, signed Free Agent Pitchers, CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett and 1B Mark Teixeira, traded Utility Infielder Wilson Betemit for 1B/OF Nick Swisher and taken a flyer on 2003 Rookie of the Year, Angel Berroa, to compete with incumbent Cody Ransom for the Utility IF job that belonged to Betemit.

They also bring back a bevy of critical performers in varying states of rehab, after 2008 injuries or maintenance procedures during the offseason. Of those, #3 starter, Chien-MIng Wang, has been handled with suitably delicate care and given an entire Winter to rest an injury that Brian Bruney returned from in three months - he will be ready. Similarly, Closer - Mariano Rivera, who had an effortlessly dominant 2008, had a straightforward procedure on calcified bone in his shoulder, not impacting on structure - he should be ready to go.

Not as assured, but with a strong track record for healing, being honest with everyone about his health and finding a way to contribute is DH Hideki Matsui, who carried the moribund Yankee offense until injuring his knee in June, while leading the AL in hitting at .323. Matsui will be what he says he can be and the depth at corner OF makes it of little concern, if he can go - he will, if not Damon slides to DH and Swisher is in LF.

But the one critical and irreplaceable Yankee part is the injury that causes the most uncertainty. Unlike Mariano, C, Jorge Posada's shoulder injury was serious and his surgery a major procedure. Despite optimism around his devotion and diligence, the Yankees will not know about Posada for two months and cannot realistically replace what he brings Offensively if he cannot go. In no other area do the Yankees hold as large an edge over their AL rivals as they do with a healthy Posada, anything less than a legitimate Posada year cannot be accounted for and will narrow whatever Yankee advantages exist.

Oh, and this year?

The big, bad press corps is reallyreallyREALLY going to make those Yankees sweat over 'this year's steroid drama' (stop me if you've heard this one before!)...

Those mean, tough vocal fans in opponent ballparks are reallyreallyREALLY going to rattle the Yankees...

Those crafty, worldly, economic geniuses who own and run other MLB clubs are reallyreallyREALLY going to get serious about a Salary Cap that will reallyreallyREALLY help the game...

blah...blah...blah

In other words, or better still, let's use Jason Giambi's words, the former Yankee and former Steroid accusee/center of the circus/source of predicted fan/media ire had this to say about all the 'difficulties' of being a Yankee;

"All 25 guys got along in New York, that was what we had to do. I had a great time and a lot of fun there. In New York, there was always something going on. There were 55,000 fans in the stands every night and it was fun to be a rock star. That's what it felt like."

Like Manny's glowing reviews in LA or Damon's unabashed love for all things 'Yankee', positive reviews from former Yankees are about as welcome in the Yankee-hating Universe as naked photos of Barney Frank (and escort)! So lets not expect these remarks to penetrate what 'everybody knows'. I loves me some Jason, always did, still do. Wish you well Big G!

So much for excitement from THAT angle, lets stick to what we know...the GAME!

Catcher

Jorge Posada
Jose Molina
Francisco Cervelli

We discussed Posada. He is the critical Yankee, and shall remain an unknown hanging over this team. Molina is a brilliant Defender with a rocket arm, but an anemic Offensive player who killed the back end of the lineup in '08. Cervelli will get some exposure as one of the few MLB level players on the Italian World Baseball Classic team. He is one year removed from the horrific, and wholly unnecessary Broken Wrist he suffered in Spring '08 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He played in September and in Winter and he is ready, if Posada cannot go - Cervelli will play a lot.

First Base

Mark Teixeira
Nick Swisher

Both guys are under 30, have big power from both sides of the plate and can handle the leather.

Enough said.

Teixeira, will play 150 games and Swisher will spell him, while getting serious AB's in LF, RF and DH.

Giambi gave the Yankee serious thump and OBP, but Tex is younger and infinitely more agile with the glove and arm. Swisher is three seasons removed from 35 HR and stardom. As solid as any position on any team in MLB.

Second Base

Robinson Cano

Cano had a down year in '08, but its been overblown. He still hit .307 in the second half and finished with .271/14/72, while handling SIXTY ONE more chances at 2B than his nearest AL competitor. He has the sweet swing, the power, the rocket arm and endless range you dream about at 2B and is only 25.

Short Stop

Derek Jeter suffered two nasty beanings on his left hand on 95 MPH darts from former Oriole starter, Daniel Cabrera that interrupted and then finished his season. Outside of those periods, he was his typical .317 self, spraying the ball, avoiding rally-killing, reliable Defense (I know, I know...one of these years, the Bill James smears are reallyreallyREALLY going to stick!). Just not this year, even with the hand, Derek hit .300 and was an AL Silver Slugger, he turns 35 in June and looks the same as ever.

A rock.

Third Base

The Anti-Christ, Destroyer of Worlds, Devourer of Virgins, Rationalizing, Needy, Awkward...he may be all those things (hey, it worked for Bill Clinton!), but Alex Rodriguez is also a 3B with unrivaled SS range, with a rocket arm, who made only T-E-N errors all season, led the AL in Slugging % (.573), hit .302/35/103 while undergoing constant scrutiny (even I am yawning...).

Like him. DON'T like him. But you cannot get away from his game, which is H-U-G-E.

Left Field

Johnny Damon had a big-time year for the Yankees last year, he was dynamic at Leadoff, hit for power (.461 slugging) and speed (29 SB's), was typical clutch (6-6 game with a walkoff hit!) and did a decent job tracking balls and scaling walls in LF. What he didn't do, what he CANNOT do is throw, and that makes him a liability anytime he has to play the field. Swisher is a solid OF with a decent arm who would be an upgrade Defensively and offer OBP and power from a Switch Hitter. Anytime the Yankees can keep Damon and Matsui OFF the field, it is a plus for the team and with Hideki's knee, it is likely Damon will get lots of DH AB's and allow Swisher to play in LF.

The loser of the CF battle will get innings as a Defensive stopper here at times.

Center Field

The battle is ON!

Speedster Brett Gardner (think Juan Pierre, Joey Gathright....) can run like the wind and steal bases at will...but his bat has little thump. He's an excellent ball tracker with those legs, showed the ability to climb walls and has a solid arm. If he can hit .270, his legs make him an asset, but his Offensive limitations make him a part-time player.

Gardner will compete with deposed incumbent/fan favorite, Melky Cabrera, a wall scaling Defender with a rocket arm who switch hits and has shown promise Offensively, but who bottomed out in the latter months of '08 with terrible mechanics and slothful habits. Like Cano, he had the fear of Yankee banishment put into him and has worked feverishly to retain his job, declining to be the starting CF for the loaded Dominican WBC team in order to compete for CF. If Guru gets a vote, he starts, on a short leash and looks to reproduce his hot April of '08 when he slugged 5 HR and hit .299. With the Yankee offense as strong as it appears on paper, no reason not to carry Melky's arm AND Brett's legs - both are weapons that winning teams need.

Swisher and Damon have both played CF in MLB, if needed.

Right Field

Xavier Nady is simply a solid MLB player. He hits for serious power, 2B's from line to line and HR thump. He plays a better OF than deposed RF Bobby Abreu, but will not hit for as high an average. He should be good to replicate his '08 numbers and the Yankees will sign on for them (25/97).

Swisher and Melky may see time in RF as well.

Designated Hitter

Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher, Johnny Damon and Jorge Posada all figure to get plenty of AB's in this catch-all slot for the Yankees. Each is capable Offensively, for reasons we've already discussed.

Utility Infielder

Cody Ransom has good thump and plays reliable Defense anywhere in the IF, but is weakest at SS.

Angel Berroa was once a promising SS but has lost the ability to hit in recent years. Ransom is the sort of reliable reserve Girardi likes and relies upon, seemingly his job to lose.

Starting Pitching

CC Sabathia
AJ Burnett
Chien-Ming Wang
Andy Pettitte
Joba Chamberlain

The #1 is an Ace who is used to carrying his team on his prodigious back and throwing an obscene number of innings in so doing. The Yankees will not push him that way, they have plenty of pitching depth and an ample bullpen, they will seek to limit him to 7 innings per start and hope to have a fresher, more representative CC in the playoffs then he was able to be after brutal workloads in '07 (Cleveland) and '08 (Milwaukee). His larger than life persona was MADE for the big stage and it is tough to imagine him NOT thriving. He will bring 98 MPH from the LH side every five days.

The #2 is a dominant thrower, he has the 98 MPH heat from the RH side and the backbreaking curveball and can make lineups fold up. He is also not a strong instinctive thinker on the mound and can overthrow or encounter stretches of wildness at times. Like CC, he will not be asked to work any miracles or carry the club, just to show up every five days, take the ball, take care of his health and give the team a chance to win. If he does that, with his stuff, they will win more than lose.

The #3 is an Ace who has been pitching his whole career against opponent #1's and has gone 54-20 in that slot. Presumably, facing #3's, he should be similarly effective. He brings 96 MPH sinkers from the RH side, has extensive Yankee experience and has thrown shutout 2-hitters at Fenway and outdueled new teammates CC and AJ on numerous occasions.

The #4 is a veteran LH winner, whose cutter/slider/sinker mix contrasts beautifully with the power arms around him in the rotation. He gives the Yankees veteran poise, presence, 200 Inning consistency and, like Wang, will be pitching against the weakest opposing starters of his career in the #4 slot. He's proven and a beloved team leader for his former catcher/Manager Joe Girardi, his teammates and the fans and can counsel the big baby at 3B on the 'horrors' of the Scarlet 'S'!

The #5 has the best stuff of them all. Throws 101 RH heat with 4 plus pitches to accompany that, command of the strike zone, poise...the whole package. Joba Chamberlain against #5 starters is practically unfair.

Phil Hughes, 22 and Alfredo Alceves, 26, are both capable MLB ready RH starters who will absorb the bulk of spot starts and injury starts as well as play a role in long-relief.

Relief Pitching

LH specialist, Damaso Marte is dominant when left in that role and struggled when the Yankees tried to expand it last season after joining New York.

Lesson learned. Girardi spoke honestly about the misuse and the Yankees went out and retained him. meaning they intend to use him in an optimum, specialist role.

LH, Phil Coke, was originally part of the Marte deal but instead came up to the Yankees in late Summer and was Mike Stanton reborn, whistling 96 MPH past AL hitters like they were tied-up. If he can be ANYTHING like that guy, he will be the LH answer at set-up.

RH David Robertson, Jonathan Albaledejo, Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras all have strikeout stuff and complimentary styles, expect each to get serious innings in the Yankee pen. Robertson is a 4 pitch artist, Albaladejo a grinding strike thrower, Ramirez a power-changeup strikeout machine (better K's per 9 innings than Joba) and Vera brings 98 MPH low heat with a wild windup that unsettles hitters.

RH set-up man, Brian Bruney, showed up from Arizona three years ago with a 98 MPH heater, a chip on his shoulder and fat belly. He followed up a sizzling 0.87 ERA debut in late '06 with a mediocre, overweight '07 and you wondered if that was why an arm like his was available in the first place.

Then he showed up last spring, 25 pounds lighter, focused like a laser beam and dominating to the tune of 1.59 ERA in the early going, before suffering the freakish injury to his Lisfranc that Wang suffered a month later. The old Bruney would have been surly and gotten fat while rehabbing, the new Bruney worked his ASS off, showed up late season and dominated again (1.96) while clearly establishing himself as the primary setup guy. In 2009, he claims that he is even fitter and more focused, a new dad who 'gets it' and is fully healthy. His stuff is as good as any closer and if his head is where it appears to be, the Yankees are set in the bullpen.

Mariano Rivera, can be 20% less effective than he was in '08 and still be a huge plus at Closer. No human being should be able to Strike out 77 to 6 walks and surrender only 47 total base runners in 70+ innings, blowing only ONE save along the way... Mo does it so casually and with such quiet grace...it's hard to overstate. The best player, at his role, I've ever seen in Baseball. If his performance DOES decrease by 20%, his ERA would 'balloon' to 1.68!

Coaches

Former Manager of the Year and Yankee World Series hero, Joe Girardi is back for his second go-around. Last Spring, the Yankees left camp loaded for bear, only to spend a month in the rain, watch the never-before-hurt Posada blow out his shoulder in Game 2 and miss the first couple of games in his office under quarantine with the flu! He's been a Yankee, so the circus is as second-nature to him as it is to the rest of us and the experiences of '08 and seeing Sydney Ponson and Darell Rasner trot out for 25% of his team's starts HAVE to make any 'problems' he is facing now seem miniscule. He knows what he has and knows, if he keeps them healthy and avoids fueling the distraction machine - his team will win 100 games and return to the postseason.

Former Manager of the Year, Tony Pena slides over to bench coach, providing the team with more of a players perspective and a second Spanish speaker (Girardi) as well. Rob Thomson moves from the bench, where he was miscast, to 3B. Newcomer Mick Kelleher, takes over for Pena at 1B and Kevin Long (hitting), Dave Eiland (Pitching) and Mike Harkey (Bullpen) return to their roles.

Ownership

GM Brian Cashman has done everything humanly possible to stock this team and its farm system (AAA Scranton-Wilkes/Barre won its league and finished Second overall for the level, AA Trenton repeated as league Champion, AA Champion and MiLB Organization of the Year) and should be able to concentrate on the draft and international signings, that is IF nobody makes a pitch for one of the Yankee corner OF's and brings the specter of Manny back into his ear!

Hal Steinbrenner seems to have taken the reins as the public voice of the Steinbrenner family, after Hank's boozy bluster. Hank's outbursts were often distractions, but he was right about Moose and right about Joba, if he has something else to say - let him say it and lets see if he's right again.

The Yard

We'll find out on April 16...the moment it opens its gates, the clamor, the nonsense, the haters will...poof...disappear and perhaps, if the WBC doesn't get anyone hurt and the calamities of early seasons recent don't rear their ugly heads - the Yankees can avoid spotting their rivals the first two months of the season and get off strong early. If they do, and are well positioned on June 1, it should be a magical first season in the new Palace in the Bronx.

Guru will be there for every one of the 162 games with Game reports that go in-depth, pitch by pitch, to bring you the best Yankee coverage possible...with NO Gossip, NO Payroll and NO Drug Tests.

If you like the G-A-M-E, and only the game - I'll catch you here on The Magic Carpet!

Posted by Matthew at 09:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As most of you realize by now...that OTHER stuff that has the Baseball media and SAH* twisting to keep their VG booty-shorts from getting all twisted up (hint: Let 'em ride up the hips, they stay better and look wonderful~!~!~!) isn't going to get much air here on The Magic Carpet, but I will post that old quote which explains why...written by the best dialogue guy ALIVE, David Milch, for his 'Deadwood' character, Al Swearengen, who was immortalized by the incomparable, Ian McShane;

"I'm a purveyor of spirits, dope included, and when chance affords, a thief, but I ain't no fucking hypocrite"

Whatever Guru's flaws may be, and they are too numerous to catalog - they do NOT include judging people I do not know for behavior that does not offend me. Bill can spend his days turning young things into humidors and ballplayers can do whatever it is they do to prepare, we're cool.

Oh, and to this observer, the hard-body workaholic who treats his job and body like a finely tuned tool-of-the-trade is no concern - as opposed to the talented schlub who reports 20 lbs. overweight, sheds 10 and proclaims himself 'ready' - he is screwing me AND his team far more.

Guru is a SS/3B and the difference is WEIGHT...fit and trim are what you need to play baseball at whatever YOUR best is. That mattered to me when I was in my athletic prime and the most I ever got paid was $400 a month and a monkey-free room in Costa Rica...today, in my mid-'40s and relegated to only Softball, my skills will always separate me from the modest competition and the belly isn't going to change that. But every step on the field is not what it can be because of the weight and the impact it makes on a players center of gravity. Moves that have been second-nature since little league are altered when you aren't trim, you risk injury and you cannot achieve excellence (unless you're Babe Ruth or Tony Gwynn!).

Bottom line? Spring Training is Boot Camp, try and shut out the noise about gossip, drugs and paychecks and focus on what really matters about this process - all are FIT and stay HEALTHY.

Let's hope that the World Baseball Classic and the SAH* do not take any important players out due to health or stupidity, let's see HEALTHY rosters doing their fighting on the field, in the GAME. I cannot remember the last season the Yankees didn't have serious injuries change the season before June and with 4 Starters playing big innings in the WBC.

1.) Yankees in the World Baseball Classic

13 Yankees will be on WBC rosters.

Jeter is the lone USA player (more in a minute)

2 - Mexico (Alfredo Alceves, Jorge Vasquez)
2 - China (Zhenwang Zhang, Kai Liu)
1 - Panama (Jahdiel Santamaria)
1 - Italy (Francisco Cervelli)
6 - Dominican Republic (Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Damaso Marte, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez)

I will be watching warily...happily (for health reasons), Chien-Ming Wang (Taepei's Ace), Jorge Posada (Puerto Rico's Catcher), Hideki Matsui (Japan's LF) and Mariano Rivera (Panama's, well really the WORLD's Closer) will all remain safe in the Tampa Sunshine with their trainers.

What is SO amazing about the game and the way it has changed, is the Yankees have a team that actually looks like the City they play in...with players on 6 of the 16, representatives from 3 others kept out and have also had players who would have been eligible to play for Australia (Graeme Lloyd, '96 World Series hero), Cuba (current 1B/DH backup, Juan Miranda COMES from the national team, but his defection precludes him playing..., and of course, El Duque!) and Venezuelan Bobby Abreu was a terrific Yankee who we wish well (LOSE THE WEIGHT, Bobby...love ya, but if you want to know why Bobby struggles at the wall - check above his belt).

They've had 4 Canadian Players, the first in '05 and the last in '06, that's 1905- Jim Cockman (hmmm...stop it!) and 2006 - Aaron Guiel. Guru cannot find any Korean-born Yankees, but certainly Byung-hyum Kim has carved out a memorable place in their history.

So that is 14 of the 16 Countries who've been represented in Pinstripes. Cannot find any from The Netherlands, and no player has yet come to MLB from South Africa.

2.) The Mighty Dominican Republic

While we are talking about the WBC...how about the Dominican Team?

Vladimir Guerrerro is out. Carlos Pena can't play. David Ortiz may not play.

That's a T-O-N of offense to lose, right?

This is how they might roll with such debilitating losses:

LF Alfonso Soriano
2B Robinson Cano
1B Abert Pujols
3B Alex Rodriguez
DH Manny Ramirez
SS Hanley Ramirez
RF Jose Guillen
C MIguel Olivo
CF Melky Cabrera

Not to mention 2B Placido Polanco, SS Jose Reyes, 3B Aramis Ramirez, 3B Adrian Beltre...

They don't scare you with Offense at C and CF, but Olivo and Melky will provide Defense. They are overwhelmingly RH offensively (that is where they need Papi and Pena...) and the USA will try and give them a steady diet of Oswalt, Peavy and Verlander to take advantage of the lack of balance...

Still, Pujols, Rodriguez, Ramirez at 3-4-5 is a historic assemblage of lumber.

The story on the Hill is just as impressive...Fausto Carmona, Edinson Volquez, Francisco Liriano, Ubaldo Jimenez, Johnny Cueto in the rotation mix with a FEAST of power arm relievers.

The DR is loaded and likable.

3.) So Gu, WhoYaRootinFer?

Didn't I just give it away?

I love my Captain, but #2 is in deep with a cast of creeps on the USA roster.

Guru don't root for the likes of Roy Oswalt, Jake Peavy, AJ Pierzynski, Chipper Jones, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis...can't hide those boys behind Red, White and Blue...

I must commend Youkilis, for his remarkably adult and sensible comments re: Affair d'Alex, but did you hear Oswalt? That guy is a piece of shit from the bottom of the pits of hell.

How perfect that he and Houston found one another!

Anyway, with Alex, Cano and Melky in the lineup, joining Alfonso and Manny and Pujols and Marte, Veras and Edwar in the pen...make this Yankee fan's WBC cap read;

'DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - 2009 WBC CHAMPIONS'

* Society of American Hypocrites (no, no, no..this is NOT another name for the 'Cato Institute!)

Posted by Matthew at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

February 12.

The Second Anniversary of The Magic Carpet.

The 400th Column.

Cool!

What a ride it has been.

Guru didn't actually start WRITING the column until April 23, but I joined TSN and began meeting many of you in the Topic areas on 2/12/07 and began to think about what I wanted to say.

It didn't take Guru long to determine that the perspective he has on Sports and Life was SERIOUSLY under-represented at TSN, in fact, in the entire Sports Media - which is certainly odd, given that Guru lives in America's largest city, roots for America's most popular Baseball Team and most popular Football team, has mainstream tastes in most of life and knows his stuff.

So I decided, from column O-N-E that I was going to take the matter on DIRECTLY...

There are two resources I've recently used in Columns for my website (with our friend Malvolio)...

VagabondGuru.com

The first one, a quote from legendary comedian, Lenny Bruce, captures my approach to the world perfectly...



The second one, a quote from Rabbi Sherwin Wine, explains why we do so much fighting...here on The Magic Carpet, on TSN, in our lives and in American society...

'There are two visions of America. One precedes our founding fathers and finds its roots in the harshness of our puritan past. It is very suspicious of freedom, uncomfortable with diversity, hostile to science, unfriendly to reason, contemptuous of personal autonomy. It sees America as a religious nation. It views patriotism as allegiance to God. It secretly adores coercion and conformity. Despite our constitution, despite the legacy of the Enlightenment, it appeals to millions of Americans and threatens our freedom.

The other vision finds its roots in the spirit of our founding revolution and in the leaders of this nation who embraced the age of reason. It loves freedom, encourages diversity, embraces science and affirms the dignity and rights of every individual. It sees America as a moral nation, neither completely religious nor completely secular. It defines patriotism as love of country and of the people who make it strong. It defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.

This second vision is our vision. It is the vision of a free society. We must be bold enough to proclaim it and strong enough to defend it against all its enemies.'

- Rabbi Sherwin Wine


That first column pretty much says what NEEDS to be understood by the legions of Fans and contributors here on TSN (and elsewhere) whose approach to NYC and Sports is based upon 'Fantasy'...

NYC aint a Fantasy, its R-E-A-L-I-T-Y.

And that pisses a lot of people off.

New York City Sports: Money & Reality...

So has Guru in his two years here. A LOT of people!

Some of those angry confrontations I regret, seriously. I've written here often of my mistake in being harsh and creepy with a thoughtful young man named 'Blake Street Bomber' in my early writing and I've tried to learn the lesson of my mishandling of that conversation ever since.

'But Guru, you still go OFF on other people all the time and say nasty things...what gives?'

Guru is a thinker, and a gentleman and does not believe in EVER throwing the first punch.

But, if someone self-identifies as a 'Hater', of my teams, my city, my viewpoint...they are going to take a 2 X 4 upside the head on The Magic Carpet - I don't throw the first punch, but once you get in my face, I will RAIN DOWN on your (expletive). Without fail. I know it can be ugly, but there is a lesson in the madness...

It's this...if you tell someone to 'Go (expletive) Yourself' - you need to know they are going to respond, forcefully.

You see, there are a lot of 'givens' out there in the Site readership...belief systems that many of you take as GOSPEL, but that are really just OPINIONS and BIASES - this mythology is something Guru has observed all his 45 years and, in my view, it is the single biggest cause of American decline in my lifetime.

Many of you spend your energy HOPING...agitating, conniving, arguing for a world that looks like your fantasy...its why when Steroids were pumping up gritty white guys like Lenny Dykstra, boy-next-door white guys like Mark McGwire and pretty-boy white guys like Brady Anderson, the clamor was pretty tame. But when the target is surly, cocky, black Barry Bonds or arrogant, graceless Alex Rodriguez, many of you are desperately concerned with the 'integrity of the game'.

I've yet to hear a call for the Phillies of '93 to return their Steroid addled NL Pennant, but I've read so much nonsense and outright stupidity about Bonds and Rodriguez, it makes me sick. If you say you're about 'rules', then they have to apply to ALL and, by allowing it to have been an open-secret for decades, a slap-on-the-wrist in the NFL, we've all acknowledged that is allowable.

The O-N-L-Y reason that we hear it about Bonds and Alex is that many of you HATE THEM and would use any excuse to go after them. Same reason Manny hears it about nonsense, while providing HOF performances, winning teams and a work ethic that is unrivaled. Same reason Terrell Owens is treated like a freak show and never appreciated for what he IS, the 2nd Best Wide Receiver in NFL history.

It's all there is Rabbi Wine's quote.

And it isn't just YOU.

Sports figures like Curt Schilling, Mark Attanasio, Tom Hicks...Announcers like Joe Buck, Peter Gammons, Bob Costas (a guy from Queens who lives in St. Louis - you know we are going to struggle!)...Sports media and TSN are vast oceans of White Conservatives talking to one another and reinforcing their own biases. You can almost taste the idea of the world they desire...

Scrappy white ballplayers (Dustin Pedroia)...respectful, QUIET minorities (Garret Anderson) and immigrants (Albert Pujols)...Salary caps for ALL, with no guaranteed contracts, loads of small-market winners and small-market values. Nobody having sex with anyone but their spouse, overt Christianity, no Gays, no chatty 'look-at-me' types, no rich, big-city owners paying H-U-G-E dollars for top talent, no drug use - recreational or performance-enhancing...

If some of that hits home with you, chances are you are going to be offended by Guru.

Guru likes EXCELLENCE. Guru would rather see Barry Bonds hit than Sean Casey, Guru doesn't care that Pujols is a quiet guy - he knows that the numbers point to Albert as one of the greatest to ever play and the best hitter in the game since Bonds. Guru would rather watch Alex Rodriguez play 3B for the Yankees - a cat-quick, 6'3" stud with a booming bat, rocket arm, fast legs, lightning reflexes than nice-guy, former Yankee 3B Scott Brosius, who was undeniably CLUTCH but possessed pedestrian gifts.

I am interested in the best athletes, not the overachieving little guy - I barely notice those types. The reason I am a Sports fan is to see the biggest, the fastest, the BEST. I'm a fan of anyone who is GREAT, I may despise Schilling, probably more than any other American - but that is for his POLITICS and personality, both of which are pure human garbage...but I greatly admire his work on a Hill, he is a stud. 25 years ago I came up with something called the 'Dwight Gooden Rule', which simply means that even if a guy is Met (or Red Sox...), if he is undeniably GREAT - I want to see him play and respect him as a player. You won't here Guru ripping on those types here on The Magic Carpet.

Guru doesn't 'hate' places, every place has its own merit and flavor.

Guru doesn't 'hate' teams, every team has its fans and its history.

Guru DOES 'hate' individuals, if you are an outspoken bigot, evangelical, homophobe, small-minded, xenophobe, jingoist...you are not going to like what I say here, best to avoid it and we won't have to have a 'go'.

Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra...they all were Red Sox and they beat the Yankees again and again, but their greatness was undeniable AND their respect for the Opponent was never in doubt. Men like those consider Yankees like Jeter to be COLLEAGUES and conducted themselves accordingly. When Manny or Pedro are 'stylin', they are celebrating themselves but not going at the opponent - unless the opponent has been in their face. I used to LOVE those Red Sox teams, when they were built upon those types of players.

When the Red Sox got Schilling, Millar, Papelbon, Youkilis, Pedroia...they changed, instead of Manny, Pedro, Nomar, the leader was Jason Varitek - sort of the Anti-Guru, and his trogolodyte moron friend, Trot Nixon. Guys like Varitek think the Yankees and NYC are their 'enemies', they resent having to hear so much about them and get angry when the Red Sox WIN and the talk is still about...the Yankees.

Thing is, Jason...Derek Jeter doesn't need to wear a 'C' for everyone to know who the Captain is.

It's no coincidence that Red Necks like Red Sox. Guru knows Red Necks, he's got a trailer-park living, beer swilling, pickup truck driving Cousin named John William Hines whose sitting in a Limestone County hospital right now who he loves to pieces and is praying he recovers. John is a Red Neck and we're cool, because John is NOT a bigot, NOT a homophobe, NOT an evangelical, NOT anti-immigrant.

Nothing to fight about.

Besides, JW is 6'5", 280 - so fighting with him would just not be smart.

Guru is smart.

An old High School Baseball buddy who I recently discovered on 'Facebook' and I had an argument about politics (he is FAR to the Left of Guru) and he called me a 'Self-righteous, know-it-all'.

I liked that so much, and found it so accurate that I've placed it on my TSN Profile and I might have a T-Shirt made!.

Being on Facebook and getting pounded by those on the Left and being on TSN and hearing it from the right tells me something...

I must be getting it correct. Driving down the middle of the road, between the two force that are driving us off the cliff...and I expect to be doing it for a long time. Those of you who enjoy the ride, strap in your Carpet-belts...the ride is going to continue to be bumpy, but I hope you'll agree...

It's worth it.

Posted by Matthew at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ahhhh....Spring is here and that means the Sports media bring us talk of...

Steroids!

The now annual rite of 'Blockbuster' revelations (that are years old!) and the ensuing witch-hunt...

A cynic might say, it almost seems like a ploy to sell media products!

Still, this is The Magic Carpet, where we observe our promise to you..

'5. NO Gossip

6. NO Payroll

7. NO Urine Tests, NO Blood Tests'

Guru doesn't care about what is in ANYONE's bloodstream and doesn't find 'evidence' in the form of a computer file of names relevant (as I suspect any Judge would agree).

In fact, I've developed a theory over the years listening to more and more of the talk time that used to go towards things like Pitching, Hitting and Fielding wasted on Gossip, Salaries and Drug Tests...the Theory is that ANYONE who is;

a.) Male

b.) Heated up about these topics

Clearly has one (or more) of the following deficiencies;

a.) Insufficiently sized apparatus between the Ears.

b.) Insufficiently sized apparatus between the Legs.

This is easy to test for, IF you are one of the aforementioned types who get exercised about such things, pull down your pants...IF the object you find there is of sufficient length and girth...

THEN you know you are a Moron!

If, however it is extremely small, you might STILL be a moron.

Going through life with a small brain AND a small cock must be trying. I suppose your tired act is somewhat understandable!

Now, while Guru cannot and WILL NOT speak on this topic yet AGAIN, he has invited the 'Great Weitz', Herbie the Bookbinder, who will begin a regular column on The Ice Flow called 'From the Right...' on next Mondays pages, has written a brief missive relating to these allegations. The sentiments, as will soon be clear, are HIS and HIS alone.

Enjoy!

So A Rod tested positive in 03 ..Whatever he took at whatever risk to himself he did it to provide a better show for the fans.

Why do we all act as if we expect him to be the Virgin Mary

Let him drink jet fuel and hit a ball 900 feet.

One has to take some risks to earn $ 27,000,000

I go to watch the game

Everybody remembers Alzado.

Everybody knows what can happen with steroids.

I sort of admire a guy who risks death for my entertainment

Wouldn't it be great if amphetamines were MANDATORY before a game

Players might not last as long ..but that should be their own choice.

Performance enhancing drugs are here to stay

Let the fans benefit by great performances

Ballet dancers now jump lots higher , trapese artists accomplish feats

Why the puritanical crap from the lushed up pot heads who write our sports columns

And let the crooked scum in Congress have hearings about economy, foreign policy, public health, etc

750 people (25 players on 30 teams) don't need government oversight