Why there are no gay players in baseball

As a kid growing up in the 70’s, I probably could have named every player in the majors anytime between 1973 and 1986. There are a lot of guys who have faded from memory at this point, but give me a team and a year, and I’ll bet I could name their starting line-up and first 3 pitchers. Credit my love of baseball cards and Strat-o-Matic for learning all the names, positions, and teams, and a habit of memorizing trivial information.

One of the players I remember from that time was Glen Burke, former outfielder for the Dodgers and A’s. One of the reasons I remember him was for his World Series appearances with the Dodgers against the Yankees, and later for his time with the A’s, both archenemies from my boyhood as a Royals fan. Burke was a fairly non-descript player, posting a career line of .237/.270/.291, and leaving a legacy of having created/invented/established? the high-5.

Burke has become somewhat famous in later years, not for his playing career, but for the fact that he was the first former ballplayer to come out as openly gay. As the story goes, it was actually pretty well known in baseball that Burke was gay, but it wasn’t talked about. Sometime after that, Billy Bean, no, not that Billy Beane, also came out, but both did so after their careers were over. Sorry, but that’s a mandatory reference and I don’t have the option not to write it. Ask anyone in the mainstream media if you don’t believe me. Anyhow, since then, there has never been a known, active gay player in the majors, although there are always rumors that some are.

A lot of people think that the reason there isn’t an openly gay player today is because of the culture attitudes against homosexuality, and the belief that a player would be abused because of his lifestyle (is it really a life ‘style’, or just life --- I don’t know, someone help out). Some of that is true, no doubt; there are a lot of people in the country who still don’t accept it. I don’t that’s actually the problem, however. I think the reason there isn’t a gay player in the game isn’t because of the people against, but because of the people who are for it.

There are 3 types of fans when it comes to this issue:

1)      The homophobe --- or, as they are commonly referred to, the dumbasses who don’t have a clue. These are the guys who are going to use the slurs, make dumb gestures, and even carry signs. They are also the ones who will be ridiculed for their behavior. You’re going to get some right wing and religious types who pretend it’s the end of the world, but it will be a crusade for publicity more than an actual crusade against the player. Sure, the player will hear some derogatory stuff, but having grown up in a locker room mentality, it won’t be anything new. It might even be something the player has participated in at some point in order to fit in. Some people will act stupid, and some stupid things will be said. But that’s all. Seriously, homophobia really isn’t going to keep an active player from coming out.

2)      The fan of the game --- me, and most other fans. We really, really, really, really, don’t care. What I care about from a player is whether or not he’s going to make my team better. I don’t care about his lifestyle, his music collection, his car, his family or his activities off the field. I want my team to have good players who helps them win games.

The best possible scenario for this would be something like this:

Reporter: Now that the season is over, what are your plans?

Player: Probably going to go out west and go fishing with my partner.

Reporter: Cool. A lot of women don’t like to fish.

Player: Well (hesitating), he does.

Reporter: (perplexed) So, you’rrrrrre gay?

Player: Yeaaaaaah.

Reporter: (pausing) Yeah, whatever. So what do you guys need to do to compete next year?

And life goes how. How simple can it be?

3)      The homophile --- “advocating or supportive of the interests, civil rights, and welfare of homosexuals; gay: a homophile activist organization.”

These are the people who feel that there HAS to be a gay player, that there NEEDS to be a gay player, that INSIST there be a gay player, that DEMAND that there be a gay player, that the world isn’t RIGHT without a gay player. People who feel that the lack of a gay player is somehow an anti-gay conspiracy and an attempt to keep homosexuals out of mainstream society. Which is actually kind of funny, because major league baseball is anything but mainstream society.

Okay, the last one was probably a little harsh, but there are a lot of electrons being killed over the issue, and most of it falls into the ‘why isn’t there’ camp vs the ‘why should there be’ camp. Homosexuality has become an open issue in American society, but male sports are lagging behind, and people want that to change. Homophiles feel there should be a gay player in the bigs, and I think that is actually the problem. Because the homophiles might be forcing something on a player that he just doesn’t want.

Maybe Joe the ballplayer just wants to be Joe the ballplayer? Maybe he doesn’t want to be Joe the gay ballplayer, or Joe the gay icon, or Joe the gay hero? Maybe Joe doesn’t want to lead the gay pride parade in every city on the schedule, maybe he doesn’t want to be interviewed on every television and radio station about an issue that has nothing to do with sports? Maybe Joe the ballplayer is a private person who chooses to live his life outside the media, regardless of sexual orientation.

Outside of a few guys like Schilling, Jeter, Rodriguez, Matt Kemp and very few others, how much do you really know about the lives of the players? How many are married? How many have children, and how many do they have? Where do the live? You probably couldn’t name more than a dozen players off the top of your head that you know personal information about, and most of them have put themselves into the spotlight.

Why shouldn’t a gay player have the same right to privacy that straight players have? Shouldn’t the partners have the right to their privacy? What about their families? Is this a private issue for them also? And lets not pretend that they will get to keep any of this private. We all know the media shitstorm that will happen when the first player comes out. It will make Judgment Day look like a slow news day. Players already live their lives, unfairly in my opinion, under a large microscope. What do you think will happen to the first gay player? It’s going to be insane.

Homosexuality has become mainstream in the Untied States, regardless of the insane ramblings of a few idiots. There are politicians, actors, musicians, and even religious figures that are openly gay. The homophobe isn’t keeping a gay player out of the game. Not in today’s world. Sure, there would some mild stupidity and some minor uproar, but no one is going to pay attention to those people.

Fred Phelps, for what it’s worth, has done more to advance the cause of gay people than anyone else in the country. The outrage against him, and his church, is mostly about the rights of soldiers and their families. The issue, oddly, isn’t his stance on homosexuality; it’s about respect for others. If that hasn’t made being gay mainstream, I don’t know what can. There might still be gay people in the closet, but homosexuality had come out. 

The chances of there not being a gay ball player right now are very slim. In fact, non-existent. If you want to liken this to the military (which is an example, not the issue), there are definitely gay ballplayers. There were, and always have been, gays in the military. We knew who they were, they knew we knew, and yet they managed to survive, and even thrive.

Sure, there were some issues, but never any violence or open hostility. It might not have always been liked, but it was known and tolerated, with certain conditions. The gay ball players go through the same thing in the locker room, but in a more open environment. There’s a reason there are no openly gay players in the majors, but I don’t believe it’s the conventional wisdom that everyone wants it to be.

Seriously, the homophobe isn’t keeping a gay player out of the majors. Slurs, insults, and negative attitudes just aren’t allowed anymore.

The middle of the road fan isn’t keeping a gay player out of the game, because we really don’t care. We really don’t. Can he hit the breaking pitch, or throw one. You know, the important issues.

It’s the homophile that just might just be keeping a gay player out of the game. Because you want there to be a gay player, but you really don’t care about the player. And that’s the problem.

Because no matter how much you want it, this will never, never, never ever, be a Jackie Robinson moment.

But that’s what you’re wanting.

And that's why you’re not getting it.

Baseball writes the songs that makes the whole world sing

Since I don’t write about the games, the day-to-day stuff, or much of the off-field activities, it’s hard at times to find something to write about. I actually spend a lot of time thinking of different ideas, many of which are rejected right away as not being worth the time, or not really a good idea after all.

So I’m constantly thinking of something to write about, and things just pop in and out of my head while going through everyday activities. For example, the other day, while walking down the street to pick up my laundry, I was kind of singing (in my head, not out loud, although I’ve been known to do that) different songs, or snippets of songs.

Music is great, and baseball is usually on my mind a lot of days, but less now that I don’t have girlfriend at the moment. So I thought, kind of like an epiphany, but not quite, how could I combine the two? Baseball and music, music and baseball. What a combination. So the idea immediately popped into my head about what song fit each baseball team.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the first guy to have this idea, and I’m not trying to rip anyone off, but this is kind of the same thing as power rankings and top-10 lists. I don’t think anyone has copyrighted them, so I’m going to go ahead and do it.

The idea behind this is simple. A lot of it is, what song popped into my head while I was thinking about a certain team. For some, it was pretty easy. With others it took a little bit of time to find one that I thought fit the team. When I say fitting the team, it’s hard to describe. Some of them will be obvious, while others might seem a little mysterious, particularly if you don’t know the song. They just seem to be songs that fit, or in some occasions, the title of a song that fits. But shouldn’t the title of a song be a fair representation of that song?

A note here is that it’s not really about the lyrics of the song, but what the song represents, or the ‘theme’ of the song, for lack of a better explanation.

One thing to remember, this is my list only, and won’t agree with anyone else’s perception. But that’s okay, because you can do your own list. Anyhow, here it is:

New York Yankees --- You’re So Vain

This one was actually pretty easy. It came to me right away. To be fair, this might describe the fans more than the team.

Boston Red Sox --- Money

I think this one fits. A lot of people would pick this for the Yankees, but they already have one.

Baltimore Orioles --- Road To Nowhere

Peter Angelos is doing to baseball in Baltimore what Ty Cobb did to segregation.

Toronto Blue Jays --- In A Big Country

You try finding a song about Canada. I know there might be an obvious choice that I’m overlooking, but it didn’t really fit.

Tampa Bay Rays --- Shooting Star

I actually thought of this before Manny was Manny, but it still fits without him.

Minnesota Twins --- The Great Pretender

This will change once they get to the Series. You get a choice of two here.

Detroit Tigers --- The Lion Sleeps Tonight

If fits. You know it does. Admit it.

Cleveland Indians --- Rock And Roll Heaven

You know, the Hall of Fame? The teams of yesteryear and the glory days? Work with me.

Chicago White Sox --- The Night Chicago Died

Somehow, I just see Al taking batting practice with Ozzie standing by.

Kansas City Royals --- Just My Imagination

This is actually the song I was thinking (singing) about when I got the idea for this. Has it really been 25 years?

Oakland Athletics --- Kung Fu Fighting

Again, one of those that might reflect more on the fans than the team, but isn’t it really the same?

Los Angeles Angles --- One Is The Loneliest Number

You know, one World Series, and no more on the horizon.

Texas Rangers --- Friends In Low Places

Who thought they were going to the Series, and they still don’t get a lot of respect. I think Nolan would approve.

Seattle Mariners --- Man Of Constant Sorrow

I probably don’t need to explain this one.

Philadelphia Phillies --- What A Wonderful World

Yeah, I’m being sarcastic. I don’t care.

Atlanta Braves --- Running Down A Dream

Still chasing it after all these years. They’re there every year, but just can’t quite make it all the way. 

Florida Marlins --- Immigrant Song

I don’t know, it just seems to fit somehow, but this is kind of a fill-in. Again, maybe more about the fans.

New York Mets --- Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves

Yeah, I’m a smartass. This one came to me right away. Mets fans needs to have a sense of humor.

Washington Nationals --- The Cheap Seats

I used to live in DC. I loved it. But there is an inferiority complex about the whole place.

St Louis Cardinals --- Leader Of The Band

Because it’s all about Tony.

Cincinnati Reds --- It’s Yesterday Once More

Trying to get back to the glory years.

Houston Astros --- How Far Is Heaven

For Astros fans, it’s a long, long way away.

Chicago Cubs --- The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

My mission in life is to piss off as many Cubs fans as humanly possible. “All that’s been found is debris”

Milwaukee Brewers --- Heartbreaker

Because they just keep teasing their fan base year after year.

Pittsburgh Pirates --- Help!

The team that needs that no explanation.

San Francisco Giants --- Good Year For The Roses

Congratulations to the champions. Two choices here also. Check them both out. You’ll like them.

Los Angeles Dodgers --- Country Boy

Don’t you get the feeling most of those guys would rather be anyplace else?

Colorado Rockies --- Climb Every Mountain

Yeah, I’m stretching here. Help me out. They’re still looking for their trip to the top.

Arizona Diamondbacks --- The Cowboy Rides Away

Because none of them will be staying long

San Diego Padres --- A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada

Yeah, it’s a stretch. They’ve been there twice, which is more than some teams have, so they should be happy about it.

These things I know to be true about baseball

A knee-buckling, 12-6 curveball is the single most amazing event in baseball.

Standing at the plate and admiring your own homerun is childish and juvenile. Unless you're the one who hit it.

It's my Hall of Fame, and I can have whomever the hell I want in it. So can you. Why is this even a matter of discussion?

We still admire complete games.

Baseball is a game of tradition, and celebrates its past better than any other sport. Ignoring that will not allow you to enjoy the game in the best possible way.

Everybody, and I mean everybody, without exception, loves the play at the plate.

(as a note, this is not about collisions. This is the slide, the sweep tag, the expectation)

Life isn’t black and white, and there are unwritten rules in every aspect of it, be it dealing with a spouse, a family member, office politics, or trying to talk a police officer out of a speeding ticket. Making fun of ball players for talking about theirs does not make you a better person than them. It just means that you have failed to grasp the basic realities of life, and I’ll bet your relationships reflect that.

For all the talk of homeruns, slugging percentages, and high-powered offenses, nothing will get you to stand up and cheer with a look of awe on your face like a great defensive play.

Any player hitting their first career homerun should be allowed to stand at the plate and admire it, and then celebrate it in any manner they want without repercussion. But only for the first one.

75% of the people who write or comment on the personnel lives of players and mistakes they make do so not as a condemnation of the player's faults, but as an appeasement of their own.

Segregation is the biggest blight on the history of baseball, and nothing will ever make it right. But denigrating the accomplishments of white players who played in the environment they were given does not give the Negro League players the "respect they deserve". They already have it.

Writing about baseball has changed, because it is no longer about the game, the action on the field, or what caused the action to happen. Maybe a few fluff pieces on the players. We don't need that anymore, because now we have mass media that gives us 24-hour access to everything that happens instantaneously. We don't want to read about the game tomorrow when we can see it today. This has caused writing about baseball to move into the periphery of the game, the off the field action, and the players personal lives. Writing about baseball isn't about the game anymore. That's secondary. It's about what surrounds the game. I don't like it, I don't have to like, and you can't make me like it. But I do have to accept it, because the world moves on. But how I yearn to hear one more reference to the “ ‘ol horsehide”.

Third-string catcher on a major league roster is the greatest job in the world.

The ball is round, the bat is a cylinder, and the base paths are a square. Everything else is gravy.

Intangibles do exist, and no, you can’t measure them. The reason you can’t measure them is because they are intangibles, and therefore, immeasurable. Failing to understand this might let you solve for x, but it does mean you don’t understand the intricacies of the game, and how it is affected by them.

Lesser players do not cheapen the Hall of Fame. We over-idolize individuals in a team sport. Even the '27 Yankees and '75 Reds had utility infielders.

A straight steal of third off of the pitcher is sweeeeeeeeeeeet.

If you choose to enjoy the game using traditional statistics such as batting average, errors and pitchers wins, that is your right, and no one has the right to tell you that you're wrong. It's your game as surely as it is anyone else's, and you are free to experience it in whatever manner you decide. Anyone who disagrees is politely invited to go to hell.

Baseball is a game and a sport. Again, baseball is a game and a sport. Repeat, baseball is a game and a sport. Anyone who doesn't understand that baseball is a business and played for money, and no other reason, is living in a fantasy world. Repeat after me: baseball is a game and a sport.

My home park IS so better than your home park.

Winning your fantasy league championship does not give you the qualifications to be a major league general manager.

Pitchers that hit homeruns rock. Pitchers that hit triples are Elvis.

Pinch hit homeruns have the power to stop time.

If you are under the age of 60 and fail to grasp the basic concepts of sabermetrics and why it is important, you are allowed to be corrected at every opportunity. Politely, and without rancor. If you are under 25, you are allowed to mocked and ridiculed.

I'm scared of the wall, and so are you.

You cannot compare players across eras. Please stop. It just cheapens the accomplishments of all of them.

No matter how much in our mind we are the superstar slugger, in reality we are the fourth outfielder.

You would trade everything but your family for one game.

The season predictions

So, finally, after all this, I’m going to get down to my predictions for the year. Yeah, it’s late, but this has taken way more time than I thought it would. Time to get it done and over with and move on to other more important things to write about.

Just in case anyone thinks I’m cheating off of hot starts, or bad starts, or anything else, my picks here are exactly what I put down for the Wezen-ball predictions, which were due at the beginning of the season.

First, just a recap of my rankings:

Yankees                       + 8

Red Sox                        + 8

Blue Jays                      + 1

Rays                              - 1

Orioles                         - 3

Yankees and Red Sox will fight it out and keep it close. The Blue Jays will make a season-long run, and then fade at the end. The Rays will be a .500 team, and the Orioles will be better, but not quite there yet.

White Sox                    + 8

Tigers                            + 7

Twins                            + 6

Indians                         - 3

Royals                           - 5

It will be a three-way race, but the White Sox will win out in the end. The Indians and the Royals will suck.

Rangers                       + 14

Athletics                      + 6

Angels                          + 2

Mariners                     - 12

The Rangers show as the best team in the league, and as the defending champs, they have earned it. The Athletics will be a lot better, the Angles are fading, and the Mariners are the worst team in the majors. But no one needed me to say that.

Phillies                         + 11

Braves                         + 1

Mets                            + 1

Marlins                        - 2

Nationals                     - 9

The Phillies show as the beast of the East, by far. The Nationals are bad, and the others are all grouped together. That’s why this doesn’t really mean much, because I don’t believe this.

Reds                             + 13

Cardinals                    + 8

Brewers                      + 4

Cubs                            - 5

Astros                         - 7

Pirates                        - 8

Reds are the best, the Cardinals will be good, the Brewers will stay close and do their usual fade, and the others are fodder for the teams that win.

Rockies                       + 11

Giants                         + 8

Dodgers                     + 4

Padres                        + 3

Diamondbacks         - 2

The Rockies are better than anyone thinks, the Giants are for real, the Dodgers and Padres are middle of the road, and the Diamondbacks have a long way to go.

So what does that mean? Nothing. Just how I see the teams as a whole, but that doesn’t mean that the better teams will win, just that they are supposed to be better.

So for the actual predictions now:

Boston Red Sox                       93        69

New York Yankees                  90        72

Toronto Blue Jays                    87        75

Tampa Bay Rays                     82        80

Baltimore Orioles                   75        87

Boston’s defense, speed and pitching make the difference.

Chicago White Sox                  90        72

Detroit Tigers                           88        74

Minnesota Twins                    86        75

Cleveland Indians                   63        99

Kansas City Royals                 57        105

White Sox end up being slightly better than the rest.

Texas Rangers                         94        68

Oakland Athletics                   88        74

Los Angeles Angels                86        76

Seattle Mariners                     55        107

Ranges are still the best team in the league. Yup, better than Boston.

Atlanta Braves                        96        66

Philadelphia Phillies              90        72

Florida Marlins                       87        75

Washington Nationals         79        83

New York Mets                      63        99

Phillies age is too much for the Phillies pitching. I know people will laugh at this. I don’t mind.

Cincinnati Reds                      93        69

St Louis Cardinals                 92        70

Milwaukee Brewers            89        73

Houston Astros                    76        86

Chicago Cubs                        70        92

Pittsburgh Pirates               64        98

The Cardinals are going to be better than you think.

Colorado Rockies                89        73

San Diego Padres                86        76

Los Angeles Dodgers         85        77

San Francisco Giants         78        84

Arizona Diamondbacks    59        103

I should have flipped the Giants and Padres, but got it like this for some reason.

The playoffs:

Texas Rangers over New York Yankees

Chicago White Sox over Boston Red Sox

St Louis Cardinals over Atlanta Braves

Cincinnati Reds over Arizona Diamondbacks

The league championships:

Chicago White Sox over Texas Rangers

St Louis Cardinals over Cincinnati Reds

The World Series:

St Louis Cardinals over Chicago White Sox

The awards:

AL MVP:                      Adrian Gonzalez

NL MVP:                      Albert

AL Cy Young:               Felix Hernandez

NL Cy Young:               Matt Cain

AL Rookie:                   Mike Moustakas

NL Rookie:                   Juan Miranda


AL Breakout:               Nick Markakis – this is the guy who’s going
                                        take it up to the next level this year

NL Breakout:               Starlin Castro

That’s it. The good, the bad, the ugly and the impossible.

The San Francisco Giants preview

The defending World Series champions, but I don’t think they’ll be able to do it again. They’re older again, and the pickups they made just seem to be retreads of what they do every year. Yeah, I know they won, but they aren’t a great team and they aren’t a good team beyond the pitching. That’s always good, but they need some young guys if they want to do this again.

Catcher:

Buster Posey. The Rookie of the Year, and he deserved it. He did a little of everything well. Got on base, but more walks will come. Hit for average and power, and a good amount of doubles. He doesn’t run at all, but he’s not really expected to. His defense is okay, if not spectacular. The big question is how long he will be catching before he moves to first base.

Upside:  Thurman Munson?

Downside:  ends up with Joe Mauer’s knees

Score:  + 1

First base:

Brandon Belt. I wouldn’t have picked him before the season, but since I’m late with this, here he is. He did it all in the minors, and but there is no reason to keep him there. He’s got nothing left to prove. He has good speed and a good eye at the plate. The only issue waiting to be seen is how good his fielding is, but that won’t really be an issue here. He and Posey kind of screw up my ‘retread’ theory, but stick around.

Upside:  back to back Rookie of the Year awards for the Giants

Downside:  still better than any other option they have

Score:  + 1

Second base:

Freddy Sanchez. A former batting champ who always hits for good average but doesn’t walk at all. He doesn’t strike out much, but doesn’t do much but hit singes. He doesn’t hit for extra bases or steal base. His defense is good, so that’s an advantage. As long as he is used correctly, hitting second or eighth, the team will be okay with him out there. He just won’t give much more than that.

Upside:  is on base enough for the others to knock him around

Downside:  stops hitting for average

Score:  0

Third base:

Pablo Sandoval. A switchhitting monster who is going to be a big star, so people should stop bitching about his weight. He had a down year last year, but it doesn’t matter. He hits for average and walks a lot. He doesn’t strike out very much and has good power along with extra base hits. He doesn’t run, but he doesn’t need to. The only knock is his defense, but a position change is out now.

Upside:  does a Chipper Jones impression

Downside:  does a Terry Pendleton impression

Score:  + 1

Short stop:

Miguel Tejada. Still a starter and playing every day, but he shouldn’t be here. He should have went somewhere as a utility play. He’ll hit for some average, but not walk at all. His power is going away, but he should still hit some doubles. He doesn’t run, and never did. His defense isn’t good, but he’ll hit enough, or should, to overcome that and stay in the line-up.

Upside:  no one plays defense so it doesn’t matter

Downside:  stops hitting

Score:  0

Left field:

Pat Burrell. It’s hard to believe he’s starting his 13^th season. He’ll do what he has always done. Walk a little bit, strike out a lot, and hit a fair amount of homeruns. He’s in a good park to do that, and with the young players the team has, he just has to contribute, not be a star. His defense was actually good last year, but that was in limited time and I wouldn’t expect it to continue.

Upside:  30 homeruns from the back of the order

Downside:   becomes Rob Deer

Score:   0

Centerfield:

Andres Torres. Finally got a chance to play, and to start, and put up a good year. It will be hard to repeat it, but he has some skill. The on base percentage was okay, but way too many strikeouts. Good speed and good power, and he’ll get around the bases. His defense is excellent, which might be the most important thing, sandwiched between Burrell and Huff.

Upside:  late developer like so many pitchers are

Downside:  he’s not a pitcher

Score:  + 1

Right field:

Aubrey Huff. A great year from him last year, which he does everyone once in awhile, but not every year. Good power and the highest on base percentage of his career. He didn’t strike out too much and even stole seven bases without getting caught. He can also hit for average, and is a very underrated player. He’s actually a good defensive outfielder, and shouldn’t hurt them out there.

Upside:  has to have one more year like he just did

Downside:  has one of his down years

Score:  + 1

Pinch hitter/general utility:

Cody Ross. When he comes off of the disabled list. A starter last year, but he’s going to lose that status because of Belt. He’ll still get plenty of time around the outfield and pinch hitting, and this might suit him better. He doesn’t get on base very well, but does have some power, and will hit doubles. His defense is good on the corners. He strikes out too much and doesn’t run, but will be useful to the team.

Upside:  can fill in for Burrell if needed

Downside:  has to start in right because of problems elsewhere

Score:  0

Backup catcher:

Eli Whiteside. A career guy who doesn’t have to play too often, he has respectable numbers for a career back up, but his defense isn’t up to snuff. As long as Posey is catching, Whiteside won’t get that many opportunities. If they move Posey to another position without getting another catcher first, it would turn out to be a big issue. Lack of work will make him better.

Upside:  only starts 25 games

Downside:  Posey gets hurt

Score:  - 1

Backup first baseman:

Mark DeRosa. A versatile guy who can play all over the field, if not well, at all of them. He’s coming back from injuries that took his year away from and has to hope he can get it back. He has some decent power and no speed to go with it. He gets on base at a decent rate but strikes out too much. He’ll play everywhere and shouldn’t have to start anywhere.

Upside:  comes back from injuries with no problem

Downside:  first option to replace Tejeda

Score:  0

Back-up infielder:

Mike Fontenot. Good defensively at second base, where he’s not needed, but not at short stop, where he is. He could step in and start if needed. He gets on base and has limited power. He doesn’t run at all, but doesn’t strike out too much either. He’ll be all over the infield and fill in for everyone. He’ll be the option when Tejeda stops hitting.

Upside:  might end up hitting better than Tejeda

Downside:  won’t field better than Tejeda

Score:  + 1

Back-up outfielder:

Aaron Rowand. At least as long as he’s on the team, because he seems to be destined to be traded before too long. Not as bad as people think he is, but not as good as the contract. He’s headed to career fourth outfielder territory, and that’s not bad. He has some pop in his bat, and he plays good defense. He can, or could, run, at one time. He’ll replace Burrell a lot for defense.

Upside:  adjusts to his role

Downside:  can’t replace Burrell

Score:  0

Rotation (front 3):

Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathon Sanchez. Not exactly the front three of the Phillies, but it isn’t too far off. This is a good rotation, and they are going to be good. Lots of strikeouts, low hit totals, and Cy Young Awards and considerations. As always, I’d like to see them go a little deeper in the game, but there is no reason to push it. They almost always hand a lead over.

Upside:  the battle for the Cy Young

Downside:  they only give out one a year

Score:  + 2

Rotation (back end):

Madison Baumgarner and Barry Zito. Baumgarner had some of the best numbers on the staff last year in half a season, and Zito was merely average. Two left handers who will give the team three left handers in the rotation. Baumgarner is only 20 and only has to pitch like he did last year and not try to be a star, and Zito just needs to be adequate and eat innings. They’ll do good.

Upside: low expectations for now

Downside:  can’t quite get it done this time around

Score:  + 1

Bullpen:

Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla, Ramon Ramirez, and Javier Lopez. A great season from all of them last year, which is what you expect from a World Series bullpen. They’ll get lots of leads to work with, and shouldn’t have to do too much to hand it over to the closer. Lots of strikeouts, but a lot of one inning guys also. I guess I’ve said that about every team, but I’m not giving it up.

Upside: just have to pitch like they did last year

Downside:  they weren’t really that good

Score:  + 1

Closer:

Brian Wilson. When he’s healthy. He’s good and he’s getting better. The strikeout rates are going up, but so are his appearances and innings. He walks too many for a closer, but he doesn’t give a lot of hits or homeruns, so he’ll be okay. He’ll get a lot of leads, if the offense can hit. He’ll lead the league in being a wacko and quotes, as well as saves, so he has that going for him.

Upside:  the injury isn’t really an issue

Downside:  it is

Score:   + 1

Team speed (which includes base running):

Not really good. No one steals bases except Torres, and they don’t hit doubles or triples. Except for Torres, there is no range in the outfield, and absolutely none in the infield. The offense isn’t great, and more speed would be a big help. It won’t matter as much on defense with this pitching staff, so it isn’t a huge problem there. Still, they have a lot of station to station guys, and that includes in the field.

Upside:  anything they can do on the bases will help the offense

Downside:  they won’t do anything

Score:  - 1

Team defense:

Not really. Maybe on the right side, but not enough. Torres can really pick it, and Huff and Sanchez are okay, but neither one of them move well. Tejeda and Burrell are like the statues of angels from Doctor Who, and Sandoval can’t get to anything. The pitchers won’t need a lot of help, and they won’t get it. The biggest thing will be Torres tracking down shots to the triangle.

Upside:  pitching staff says no

Downside:  the pitching staff is only human

Score:  - 1

Team batting:

Average. About as average as it can get. They don’t strike out too much, but they don’t walk either. They don’t steal bases, or run a lot. Everything else is middle of the road on everything. The pitching staff will keep the other teams score down, but they have to get a few on offense to make it competitive. There aren’t any good offensive teams in their division, so they can still compete.

Upside:  Belt and Posey and Sandoval show the old guys how to hit

Downside:  Belt doesn’t hit, Sandoval is too big to, and Posey hits the slump

Score:  - 1

Team pitching:

Finally. Yeah, it’s good. They were in the top four in every category last year, at least the ones I looked at. The only thing they don’t do well in is the fact that they walk too many hitters, but they strike out a lot, don’t give up homeruns, and keep the hits down. It’s a premium staff, the second best in the league, and they are only getting better. If they can pitch like they did last year, they’ll make the playoffs.

Upside:  they’re all young

Downside:  so was Doc Gooden

Score:  + 1

Total score:    + 8