Being born in 1957, I missed that era when Boston was a two team baseball town. Back in my dads days the Boston Braves were a National League entrant and Braves field where BU is now, with it’s not-hole gang was how he as a boy, learned to appreciate the finer points of the game. He then passed down to me the story’s about seeing every great ballplayer from Wally Berger to Babe Ruth who finish his career there. He also went to Fenway Park all the time to see the Sox and the American League. He took the subway to Kenmore Sq, the same way I did in the 60’s and 70’s when it was ok to be an adolescent alone in the big city, pre crime spree gang infested time. One time so the story goes, the bullpen catcher for the St Louis Browns tossed his old worn mitt to my dad who was hanging on the rail watching his heroes warm up. He used that round pre modern web mit to catch me on the front lawn and I still have it as my most cherished possession. My only real early exposure to the National League was on Saturday afternoons in the summer time in the mid 60’s when NBC broadcast the game of the week. Dropped off at my grandmothers house when my parents went to work, I spent the mornings tossing a dilapidated hardball against the stone wall foundation of her three decker in imaginary sequences of various lineups formed from my knowledge of Major Leaguers garnered from baseball cards, radio broadcasts, my dads recollections, and of course those Saturday afternoon games. I was Earl Wilson, Dave Moorehead or Jerry Stephenson then, putting the K on Kaline and breaking Killebrews bat with a fastball up and in. When I was 7 I could throw pretty good and I already knew how to work a guy in and out, make him chase it when you got ahead. I was a pee wee league ace and that wall with it’s uneven surface tearing the covers off the ball, sending it ricocheting all over that little plot of an urban back yard was my oasis, the focus of my ambition, the way I was going to get to the Major Leagues. I wonder if 43 years later the strike zone that I outlined in red paint is still there. As I recall sometimes there was a double header on, hopefully the Red Sox on the road in the first game, with the second game broadcast from the west coast. My favorite team then beside the Red Sox was the Dodgers, with Koufax, Drysdale and Maury Wills. I remember the game that Roseboro hit Marichal throwing it back to the mound triggering the infamous bat incident. The ball supposedly ticked Roseboro in the ear and obviously ticked him off as he then proceeded to club Roseboro on the noggin. Boy did the Giants hate the Dodgers or what..Yup, those were the days when I took my grandmothers dime to the drugstore for an ice cream but I always bought 2 packs of baseball cards instead and I actually chewed that stale cardboard bubble gum. I want to know where are my cards now? Who has my Yaz, my Oliva, my Rose, my Carlton, my Robinson boys, even my Mantle (probably worth a grand!)..are they in plastic, in a book on someones shelf or did someone elses mother toss that shoebox of junk out. Enough nostalgia you say? What does it have to do with today? Well the fact is that the anticipation of the season is the same for me. The grass is still green, the mound is still 60 ft 6 inches from home plate and little boys still throw the ball against the wall striking out their heroes in imaginary games. So without further ado, here is my rundown of the National League East in the order of how they will finish 162 games later. And for good tickets to all games don’t forget to go to National Ticket Agency, your wholesale ticket broker, not a ticket scalping joker!
The Mets broke the bank and signed the best lefthanded starter of our time. Johan Santana has Koufaxian numbers and if Pedro Martinez can start 25- 30 games your looking at 35-40 wins between them right there. Of course Santana did slip a notch last year and Martinez doesn’t get it up there like he used to but the whole rest of this team is pretty solid . Reyes and Wright are a dynamic All Star duo on the left side and every other position seems solid as is the staff. Note Delgado just today felt pain in his hip and the Achilles heel for this team will be injuries , that said look for them to win 92-96 games and take this division. Mets tickets.
The Phillies will challenge and that’s good news for the long suffering Philadelphia fandom. If they get some breaks maybe they’ll take take the cake. Jimmy Rollins is just the sweetest all around shortstop and Ryan Howard now that Bonds is gone is the biggest slugger in the game, an I don’t want to hear any Big Papi crap, Howards the man. Hammels is a top lefty and if Lidge performs like he has in the past we can overlook the fact that outside of Utley, Rollins, and Howard this team has a bunch of good but not great talent. Phillies tickets.
The Atlanta Braves can never , ever be discounted or counted out. For the last 25 years they have produced ballplayer after ballplayer in a never ending tribute to good scouting and a fine farm system. They mastered the art of integrating kids and veterens and it resulted in some 14 straight divisional titles going back to 1991-2005. This years club has Shmoltz , Hudson, and the ageless Tommy Glavine and if Hampton can hit the high 90’s again pitching is a strong suit. Teixeira , McCann, Francoeur are all top young players so keep your eye on the Braves, they just might slip in there. Braves tickets.
The Washington Nationals are worth watching. Thet are not going to win the pennant but they have a damn good ballclub and lots of good young talent. That equals fun and that equals dangerous. If you don’t take them serious they will hurt you. LaDuca behind the plate is a winner, who cares about the Mitchel report crap, me I care about basehits. Newly aquired Lasting Milledge and Elijah Dukes are two of the finest young athletes in the sport. Zimmerman is already a great third baseman and the meat hook Dimiti Young is a stick at first. They don’t have allot of pitching so they will finish 4th but give this group another year or two and a couple of free agent signings and it will be interesting. I liken them to Tampa Bay, a talented upstart in a loaded division. Nationals tickets.
The Florida Marlins are treading water and waiting for their stadium to be built in 2011 before committing to paying for talent. Hopefully for their fans, who don’t bother to show up now, they will keep Hanley Ramirez a super star talent at short. Generally they just develop talent , trade them before they have to pay them and stockpile young minor league talent. Twice it worked out in World Championships so go figure you Cubs and Phillies fans, maybe they know something..Scott Olsen is a fine lefty, Uggla has allot of power for a second baseman. They lost Cabrera though so it could be hard to watch..For Hard to get Marlins tickets.(jus kidding).
Next up the National League Central.
BOSTON SPORTS LOOK : Kudos to the Bruinswho I have ripped for 10 years running, as not giving a crap as long as the owner sold enough beer to turn a profit. They actually are playing superior hockey to date, getting great goaltending from Tim Thomas and Zdino Chara may be the best defenseman in hockey! To be topped only by the Celtics who weathered the loss of Kevin Garnett, made it through the dreaded treacherous west coast road trip and now are back to their winning ways. Rajon Rondo just keeps getting better and better every game and if I say that in 3 weeks from now again he’s an All Star point guard. Their bench with the addition of PJ Brown is the best in basketball period, exclamation point! And folks just chill on the Pats. The Patriots know what they are doing, let these guys walk. If someone wants to over pay them ie Stallworth, Samual etc. let them. In fact that’s why new free agents want to sign with them. Winning is good for your future paycheck! And the Pats have the depth, the money to retool. I would love to see Ty Law come back and I would love to see them trade down on the pick and get a LB and another DB. Ok I am off to see some college baseball on a scouting mission to FAU. Other stops this week include PBCC and a maybe Park Vista HS. South Florida is loaded with talent and oh ya it’s 78 degrees and sunny today . Cheers.
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