The Drawback of the Small Market Team

Currently, the Arizona Diamondbacks are 6.0 Games up in the National League West Division at the start of the last month of the regular season.  They are entering a three games series with the 2nd place team, the San Francisco Giants, tomorrow which can have a direct and major impact on the way the remainder of the month will play out.  Yet who will even know it happened?

If anything we've learned from the Great Quake of 2011 it's that nothing is media worthy if it doesn't affect New York or Boston.  A measly earthquake that caused next to no damage dominates the news for days on end is only an example of the bias news coverage that directly translates right into sports.  If you are not an East Coast team, don't expect National Coverage.  If it didn't happen to New York it didn't happen.

Even when the Pirates and Indians were doing well half way through the season it was just a blip on the national scene before coverage diverged back to the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies.  It's understood that their fan bases are nationally huge.  Their tv ratings are some of the highest in baseball.  Their ticket prices are the highest so therefore their gross revenues are the largest.  Which in turn brings in the big name free agents they all swoop up and secure before the little guy gets his fair chance.

Yet on September 1st, for the baseball fan in all of us, isn't a Division Series game with the playoffs on the line worth noting on ESPN?  The Diamondbacks have proven themselves over the course of this season as more than just a team on a hot streak.  They've proven themselves at this point to be a formidable opponent regardless of their opponent.  Yet still, September 1st, no national recognition.  No mention of their stellar starting pitching.  Their MLB best come from behind victories.  Feel good stories about their turnaround in the bullpen which at this time last year was holding an ERA north of 6.00.  They haven't blown a save since the All Star break.  Only team in baseball to hold that claim.

They play in the National League.  They play in the National League West.  I understand yet if this was the AL West is that any better?  If this is the AL Central is that any better?  I've never been convinced that because you play in the AL you are somehow superior to an NL player.  NL teams are not inferior to the AL teams or leagues as the World Series titles can attest to.  Take out the Yankees and Red Sox and their combined $400 million dollar payrolls and see where that leaves the standings since 1990.  The DH is an offensive advantage and a pitching disadvantage yet pitchers still don't go to the NL and suddenly start dominating.  So why all the NL disrespect?

Aside from the NL East and AL East there are not many divisions that have much for stacked teams.  As well as you don't only play the teams in your own division.  You have to play everyone in the league and every team is still a professional baseball team.  The Rockies for instance are struggling this year but have a #3 Tulowitski, #4 Helton and #5 Gonzalez.  As formidable as anything the AL has going for them.

If the division you played in was really all that mattered then why did the San Francisco Giants win the World Series last year?  Why are the Colorado Rockies (at least in recent years) consistently knocking off major opponents in the playoffs.  Why did the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees in 2001?  The Division argument to me is moot when you reach the playoffs as anything can happen and everyone has an equal chance at winning.  What division you played in is not relevant beyond reaching the playoffs and what seed you end up with.

So when the Diamondbacks reach 90+ wins this season are they somehow less impressive than if the Angels get 90+ wins?  Are they somehow less worthy of recognition as a team to be reckoned with?  Nine straight wins and the starting staff has a 1.05 ERA?  I don't know if it matters what teams you are playing in the league, that's just plain impressive.

What will it take for these Diamondbacks to make it to ESPN, magazines and the like?  100 wins?  A sweep of the Phillies in the Playoffs?  A win against an AL East team in the World Series?  Given how the Giants are given little credit I don't know if even that will make a difference.

Maybe the Diamondbacks haven't earned the coverage?  Considering they only won 67 games last year with a near MLB worst ever team ERA and now almost 80 wins, division lead in September and one of the best pitching staffs in baseball??  Seems odd that I can't find coverage of this turnaround outside of the Arizona Republic and www.dbacks.com.

It'll be interesting to see how this weekend's series pans out against the Giants.  As well as the rest of the month.  I for one look forward to this time of the year, the close games, following opponents scores as close as your own, every at bat, hit, homerun, web gem, big k.  All meaningful in a way that they were not in April, May or June.  I hope the Diamondbacks come through this month and prove to the media world, and the national fans out there, that they are not a fluke, they are not going away and they are here to stay.

Diamondback Nation

It's happening.

Here's an email to my friend Eric I play baseball with from February.

From: Jeremy Dougherty [mailto:jdougherty@hotelvalleyho.com]
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 3:14 PM
To: Groen, Eric (10300)
Subject: RE: Dbacks Season Tickets

Kind of but not really.  $364 for 28 games.  Tuesday and Saturday games so you see a game from every series.  Plus it gets you in for the All Star Package.  I went to 14 games last year, not sure I could do more than that so I’m not doing it.  Plus as you mentioned they are rough to watch but I’m still thinking they will be better (predicting 84 ambitious wins). 


Blind faith.  It's what sports are all about.  With the tough choices they made in getting rid of mainstays in Mark Reynolds and Adam Laroche they've changed the dynamic of this team.  They have 61 wins right now and 84 is well within reach.  Heck, they could win 90 and probably need at least that to be the Giants this year.  Carlos Beltran?  That hurts.  Nice move.  But it hurts seeing that happen to a Division Rival.  


Watching Parra-Young-Upton do a three man chest bump after beating the Giants last night with Shaw blowing away the last two guys on 6 fastballs?  That's what makes baseball great.  The games going head to head for first place, every hit matters, every walk is big and every strikeout is stand up and yell excitement.    I've followed every game, watched so much dbacks, read recap, story, website.  I feel like this team is made up of all those components that get you somewhere at the end of the season.  Upton is taking on the league right now.  I feel like he's Griffey in '95 just mashing the ball, diving for balls, going all out.  The Kid is incredible. I had my doubts with his regression the last year but this season he has been 100% STUD.  He's on a 14 game hit streak, hitting .456 in that stretch. 


They finally have a legitimate first baseman in the phenom Paul Goldschmidt.  I don't put too much in it that he hit a dinger last night as we all saw Willy Mo and Brandon Allen hit a few shots but hit .145 after a couple weeks.  With the team they have now they are all contributing and every night it's someone else knocking in the win.  Somehow Kelly Johnson is hitting .215 but seems like he has 2 doubles and a triple every night.  Weird.  


My point is...how can you NOT be a Dbacks fan right now?  Facebook, in all it's social flaws, is abound with loyal die-hards with so much enthusiasm it's refreshing to see.  For so long this city has been a melting pot of team loyalty.  It may not have fully converted but I think it's rounding the corner.  Nothing will change it more than another playoff appearance and another championship banner.  


Jason Marquis on the mound today.  Debut trade deadline pickup.  Kevin Towers for GM of the Year?  He had my vote in May.  


Possibly the most interesting thing in all of this is that I grew up a Yankees fan, watched and followed and obsessed over them for years and years yet I couldn't tell you if they are in first place, if Arod is playing or hurt or if Jeter is still being a giant pansy with another pathetic finger injury.  (seriously...what's his deal?)  Wait..Arod had surgery right?  I think I did know that.  Anyway, if someone were to ask me what's my favorite team in baseball...hands down.  Arizona Diamondbacks.  Doesn't mean I don't still root for the Yankees, but they are just not my main focus.  My passion is definitely for the Dbacks.  I root for the Yankees more now just so the Red Sox and their horrible fans don't have more crap to talk smack about.  2001 was painful but in the ten years I've lived in Arizona...I'm a full convert.  


Go Diamondbacks!


Go Dbacks!!!

Viva los dbacks!!

Most Overrated Players in Baseball

Can't wait to hear rebuttles on this one.  Fair warning:  I've had 32 oz. of Coke, ran 13 miles this morning and it's 75 degrees outside and I'm NOT at work on a Friday afternoon.  Laptop on the patio outside with a nice breeze on March 25th?  Freaking LOVE Arizona. 

Ryan Howard is a slopply mess of waste.  Check this out.  .279 career average.  Ok, thats decent for a power hitting first basemen.  No complaints there.  But lets put out there that he just signed a 7 year deal at $25 million a year.  He'll be 31 this year.  Another contract signed at the peak of a players prime that will take them well past their crappy years.  So why is he overrated?  I'd even go so far as saying the MOST overrated player in baseball.  The overall scope of it is the $25 million a year.  If you are making THAT much money you better be putting up some serious stats.  Quick look at 2010:

.276 AVG in 152 games.  87 Runs, 23 2B, 31 HR, 108 RBI, 157 K, 59 BB, .353 OBP, .505 SLG, .859 OPS

Solid right?  Until you look at Adam LaRoche from the Dbacks in 2010 and realize they had almost the same year.  Or that Dan Uggla had the same year or that David Ortiz had a better year or that Votto, Pujols, Cabrera, Dunn and about 30 other players had a much better year.  Down year?  Sure, but he's had a down year every year since his 2006 MONSTER MVP season.  He's still great, but when you are not having a better year than Jayson Werth and are the 3rd-4th best hitter on your team I think you should stop doing commericals and maybe take a little less money in arbitration every year.

Here's the whammy though.  Someone actually gave him a 1st place MVP vote for 2010.  That means someone voted for Howard for MVP over Votto or Pujols last year.  What in the freaking hell??  Flawed system for sure but thats another post. 

Most telling stat is up Arod's alley.  2010 Postseason?  0 RBI's in 9 Games.  Also, 30 of his last 52 Postseason at bats dating back to 2009 World Series have been strikeouts....!!!!!!  And if it weren't for Mark Reynolds every year topping 200 k's Howard would be all over the news with his 199 K's in 2007 and 2008.  And he's rated below average defensively. 

$25 million. 

Almost as bad as Jeters contract.