Duke Castiglione's Blog

This week on Sports Extra Presented by Cadillac I wanted to bring up the debate about Mike Mussina----whether or not he's a Hall of Famer.  Carl Reuter beat me to it.  We both agreed that if Mussina wins 20 games this year than the possibility goes up.  Carl pointed out every pitcher with plus 100 wins (meaning at least 100 more wins than losses) is in the Hall of Fame.  His record right now is 266-151. He has won 19 games twice, 18 games twice.  He has also taken perfect games into the 9th inning twice. His career ERA is 3.69.  His strike out to walk ratio 2769/775----- that's amazing!

What makes these numbers even more amazing is that Mussina came into MLB in 1991 not 1968.  This, without question is the age of the hitter, not the pitcher. Think about this, as Mussina was getting started in Major League Baseball hitters were getting bigger, ballparks smaller. (Mussina pitched smack dab right in the middle of the steroid era) Strike Zones much much smaller.  Managers also started going to the bullpen much more often. He also faced the Designated Hitter his entire career in the American League.

I also believe when writers sit back and examine Mussina's career they have to take into account he did it the right away.  Mussina has never been associated in any way with steroids----that we cannot say for some of his peers.  As time goes on that will factor more and more into the equation.  If it doesn't than those that vote aren't aware of what has really taken place in baseball.

Finally, with the way he has pitched this year there's a very good chance he signs another extension.  So 300 wins is still a possibility.

Major league Baseball Owners met Wednesday the 13th of August in Washington D.C.

One major topic of discussion was wether to implement instant replay this year for both the rest of the regular season games and the Playoffs/World Series.  If approved, the replay would only be used for what they are calling "boundary" type calls.  Was the ball fair or foul?  Did it make it over the fence on the fly ?  Did a Fan interfere?  i.e. 1996 playoffs Jeffery Maier interferes with that Derek Jeter fly ball.  Umpire Richie Garcia rules a home run.  Well, if this new replay system goes through that type of call could be over turned.

Here is what has already taken place.  A source directly involved in this matter tells me that MLB has already installed monitors and other equipment in some ball parks across the country.  They are now testing the equipment and checking the best way to install and physically implement an instant replay system.  They contemplating using one of two models.  The NFL type model or the NHL type model.  The same source tells me they are leaning towards the NFL type model.

NFL Model:  The Crew Chief or Head Umpire would gather the other umpires around.  They would decide wether they want to use the instant replay.  (only the umpires, not MLB, or the managers or players could decide wether or not to use the replay) The Crew Chief would go look at all available replays sent in from New York City and make his decision like a NFL referee does underneath the hood at a football game

NHL Model: Umpires would once again decide wether or not they want to use replay to check their original "boundary" call.  They would than call an official standing by in New York City watching replays of that particular game.  That official would than tell them what the correct call is.  (the NHL does this out of a league office in Toronto)

Will it happen?  And if so will it happen this year?  Stay tuned!

So I wanted get up and go watch Favre practice with the Jets.  I have been to many of these training camp practices before but this was a mob scene.  Packed with both fans and media.  Couple things about watching Favre in person---his arm really is that powerful--- a lot like watching Joba throw the ball compared to other pitchers.  The ball takes off like a rocket.  Brett is also not quite as big as I thought.  I.e. Vinny from Elmont was a huge man. . .just a physical specimen.  He was always one of biggest strongest guys on team.  He could also really throw----but not like this! The velocity of his throws is really something.

So we waited for an hour and a half, maybe 2 hrs waiting for Matt Walsh to come out of commissioner Goodell's office at 280 Park Ave---finally Walsh and his attorney come out 3.5 hrs after they entered the building.  So clearly Walsh and the commissioner had a lot to talk about.  Walsh refused to speak with media.  Now we are watching a tape Walsh shot.  Date 9/25/2000 Pats vs Dolphins.  A little boring but clearly you can see Walsh taping defensive coordinator of Dolphins and his signals.  Walsh looks to be shooting from an upper deck at Dolphin stadium so not only does he zero in on miami defensive coordinator but than he shoots the actual formation those signals put the dolphins defense in.

 

I had this conversation the other day with a person that is a professional Major League Baseball evaluator and I asked him what if Joe Torre was still managing the Yanks-----How would that affect Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy?

The talent evaluator I was speaking with agreed with me that maybe Kennedy and Hughes would perform a little better under Torre.  The reason being is I think he could make their environment a little more relaxed. The thing that made me start thinking this way is Kennedy made a comment after being sent down "now I can just pitch and not worry about every single pitch I throw being analyzed"  I just really think Torre's fatherly advice to the two and the way he deflected he always seemed to take/deflate at least some of the pressure I think would help both young pitchers.

Now having said that I also think the real reason both Kennedy and Hughes have struggled so mightly is because they aren't as great as many of the scouts thought.  Kennedy needs a better fastball and Hughes needs much more movement on his ball.  As Tom Seaver has often said the two most important pitches in baseball are first the fastball and second the fastball!

Recently I had a chance to sit down with baseball's number two in charge, MLB C.O.O. Bob Dupuy.  Dupuy is one of the smartest and most thoughtful men in sports.  Many people much smarter than me think without Dupuy, baseball wouldn't be nearly as successful as it is.

Knowing Dupuy was going to come in studio I asked some of my friends, all passionate baseball fans, what they would ask Dupuy.  My agent Alan Sanders came up with this----Four of the Top 10 hitters on the current all-time HR list are in the Mitchell Report, Palmeiro, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa were performance enhancing drug users.  So armed with that I asked Dupuy------ did he and others at MLB ever think about putting an asterisk next to these names and others in the record book.  Dupuy very candidly said yes Major League Baseball has had the conversation but in the end decided it is up to the fan to determine how they want to view that player/record.


In a way, that answer is so perfect because it actually leads to further debate.  And isn't that what baseball records are all about???  John Doe can say Hank Aaron is the true all time homerun king because Hank did it naturally.   Jane Doe can argue that Barry Bonds is because yes he may have used steriods/hgh but he was not been found guilty in a court of law.  Plus, Jane can argue even if he did use them many of the pitchers he went up against were also users.

Ian kennedy and Phil Hughes are in a real tough situation they are both going through some growing pains on the world's biggest stage on the world's most popular team.  Pitching in the Big Leagues is hard enough but when everything you do is analyzed and over analyzed in the papers, on the Internet, the radio and TV it makes it even harder.  Than throw in the fact that they're both in their early 20's and you have to worry that their struggles may also be mental.

Kennedy is 0-2 with a 7 plus era.  Hughes is 0-4 with a 9.00 era.  These numbers may also play a role in what the Yanks do with Joba Chamberlain.  See I believe if the two young pitchers continue to struggle they will need to go back to the minors.  Than who is going to pitch?  Point being Chamberlain may be forced into the rotation sooner than the Yanks really wanted

Carlos Delgado has been getting booed all season long by Mets fans.  He's also been taking tons and tons of heat in print and, on the airwaves.  Many say the very proud, soon to be 36 year old slugger, is all done. He hits two home runs Sunday and after the second round tripper the fans wanted a curtain call---Delgado refused.

Delgado is a very principled man.  He was against the U.S Navy testing bomb range in his native Puerto Rico-----Vieques Island.  He also refused to stand for the National Anthem right after the Iraq War started as a form of protest.

Was he right to refuse the curtain call?  I am not sure.  I always try to put myself in that person's shoes and ask the question---why did he do what he did????   The easy thing to do would have been to come out for the curtain call.  By not coming out and acknowledging the fans he probably made life at Shea a lot harder for himself.

I will say this:   fans that pay their hard earned money for tickets to a game have a right to boo, but do they always know who and why they are booing?  To boo Johan Santana the way they did I thought was a mistake.  Johan had nothing do do with what happened last September.  Booing Carlos, well that's a different story

Some guys lose it over night. First guy that comes to my mind when we discuss this in the office is Jim Rice. He seemed to lose it over night. At least to me he was the first guy I watched that just seemed to go from very good, to bad. Carlos Delgado looks like he's lost it. Last year i gave him the benefit of the doubt----coming off an in injury. Now he just looks old and slow.

So what do the Mets do? Do they release him and eat his $16-million-plus salary? Hard to do. Have Moises Alou play some first base? Well, remember the Mike Piazza, Gary Sheffield first base experiments---not good!

Trade for a first baseman? Who's gonna make a deal this early? What do the Mets have to give up?

While we're discussing releasing Delgado maybe we should discuss Luis Castio!!!! Nahhhhh gotta get to bed, don"t have all night! I can only say one thing about Castio.......This is the first year of a four year $32 million deal---ohhhh my!!!!!

Hank Steinbrenner comes out and tells the New York Times he wants Joba Chamberlain working as a starter. ""I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now," Steinbrenner told The New York Times. "There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a set-up guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that."

Now a couple things here.  First we in the media love this.  It's a great debate anyway ----should Joba start or relieve???----and than throw Hank stirring the pot into the mix and wow!!!

Hank fails to realize is some important things here.  It's a long-long season.  It's April 22 not September 22!  If Joba doesn't work as the set up guy last year the Yanks don't make the playoffs.  Joba won't be throwing 100 miles per hour for 9 straight innings.  Hitters will be facing Joba 3, 4 or even 5 times a game. He (Hank) publicly under minded his General Manager.  Told other potential trading partners---hey, I think we are desperate!!!!!  i.e if the Yanks were even interested in Roy Oswalt the price just went way up. 

Hank also preached patience with these young pitchers this past off season.  So now when he comes out and says these things how do you think Hughes and Kennedy---two still very young guys feel?  And what about Mussina?  He wants this borderline Hall of Fame pitcher to all the sudden start pitching like lefty Jamie Moyer???

Hank great for the media...maybe not so great for the Yankees

Back in spring training all we heard about was how much tougher Joe Girardi's camp was.  How much more running the team did.  How the players are now in so much better shape under Girardi than Joe Torre.  Legs injuries this year we were told----meaning last year's hamstring issues were all Torre's fault

So far this year Jeter, Posada and Molina have all had leg issues.  And remember Posada can't throw and Mussina can't break a window with his fastball.  Must still be Torre's fault right?

Look I like Girardi.  I think he's smart.  However, sometimes I think he outsmarts himself.  The way he didn't start Ian Kennedy in that rain game in Kansas City, than he brought him in the rain in the middle of the game.  The way he pitched to Manny in Boston with first base open.  The way he used Rivera Sunday in the rain.  Warmed him up twice, brought him in, waited out a rain delay and used him on a wet mound in a 7-1 game.  All three instances I scratch my head

Normally when a team is one game under .500 midway through April I say "plenty of season left to play"  With these Mets I say you should panic at least a little.  The Mets are playing a lot like they did at the end of last year---dead!  They get a lead and they can't hold it.  Their body language looks bad, and there is no sense of urgency.  Plus, their bullpen looks bad.

The other things you have to be worried about are the injuries.  Pedro is out until sometime in June and what will he be like when he gets back?  Duque who knows if he will ever play again?  Who is Mike Pelfrey?  A number 5, a number 4 or a kid that needs more time in minors.  Oliver Perez has awesome stuff than he just loses concentration. Luis Castio looks old and hurt

Shea Stadium takes a beating for a couple of different reasons.  Yes, it's not the prettiest place in the world, and some of the sight lines aren't the best, but the main reason it gets made fun of so much is because it's not Yankee Stadium. 

Personally I have had some great times at Shea.  The first time I was ever at Shea was Game One of the 1986 World Series.  I will never forget it.  My brother and I sat together, I was 13 and he was 11 and we couldn't believe we were actually sitting there watching the World Series.  I also remember it being freezing cold.

Other great memories I have were the 2000 Playoffs.  Bobby Jones pitching that great game against the Giants.  The NLCS against St Louis when Shea was actually shaking.  The 2000 Subway Series and the energy that was in the city at the time.

I remember Shea as a staging area after 9/11 and the way the Mets Players and coaches helped load goods and supplies.  I remember the first game back at Shea after 9/11 and Diana Ross singing God Bless America.  I will never forget that as long as I live.  It was so emotional I felt like crying.  I also remember Mike Piazza hitting a home run that game. I remember the players demanding to wear the hats of the 9/11 rescue/first responder hats  on the field and how great that was.

I also remember the press conference where Bobby V was fired.  I remember the press conferences where Tom Glavine was introduced.  The presser where Pedro was introduced and the energy that brought to the team.

I remember the times my wife and I went to Shea as fans.  She loves Shea.  I remember seeing Mo Vaughn hit the longest home run I have ever seen hit off the Budweiser sign in Right Field.

Point being sometimes it's not always the building but the memories created inside the building.

This week on the sports talk radio there was much debate about the "Joba Fist Pump"---does it show up the opposing team.? This debate has taken on a life of its own.  Some people say it does show up the opposing hitter and is not really "The Yankee Way".  I say they're looking for a problem where on does not exist

This is not the 1950s, or even the 60s.  Guys no longer hit a home run and sprint around the bases with their heads down like Mickey Mantle did.  They stand and admire it.   Guys no longer score a touchdown and hand the ball to the referee.  They spike it or come up with some kind of dance. Guys no longer lay it up and quietly go back on defense. They dunk it home and get the crowd or their own team going.  Even on the golf course guys celebrate....USA  Ryder Cup Beam Brookline in 1999 and Tiger Woods every Sunday on Tour.

Joba isn't even the first reliever to show emotion on the mound.  Jose Lima, Dennis Eckersley, Eric  Gagne, Jonathan Paplebon---they all show a ton of emotion.  What Joba does is unscripted.  The kid loves the game and wears his heart on his sleeve.  To me that's refreshing!

Thursday night the Yanks of the late 90s showed up.  Against a good pitcher in Toronto's McGowan, the Yanks got a very solid start out of 21 year old Phil Hughes.  He went 6 innings gave up 2 runs.  Than the bullpen did the rest.  The lefty Traber did his job in the top of the 7th. A much slimmer Bruney closed out the 7th.  Joba dominated the 8th.  Rivera did what he always does in the 9th and that's close out the game.

The other impressive thing about Thurday night's game is how they played small ball.  Melky started off the inning with a single. Than Damon followed with a sac bunt which the pitcher Downs couldn't handle putting men on 1st and 2nd.  Jeter than followed with another sac bunt putting men on 2nd and 3rd.  Than Abreu drove in Melky (the game winning run) with a bloop hit making it 3-2 Yanks. 

The Yanks of the last 5 or 6 years have relied to much on power.  They hardly ever played small ball.  And 'the bridge to Mariano" barley existed.