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Around the Bases: Week 3
Markies in a "deal" of trouble
By Listen DePleyohs / Baseball Tri-Weekly
Sitting in front of my television getting ready for the big Weymouth and Las Vegas matchup this week, I am astounded by the trivial things pushing the Shaddupu.
I guess after winning four championships, it is easy to become complacent. Still, I don’t think Las Vegas GM Howe Dogg was looking to give his opponents bulletin board material with his admission that the team gets a bowl of Reece’s Pieces after a win. Perhaps it is an attempt by Yukon Cornelius to wake up his slumping slugger Manny Ramirez.
There are very few candies that get me hyped up. I would hope that is the same with most ball players.
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What will motivate a team, or at least the management, is a week worth of bashing at the hands of EHCC officials and critics. Biz Brown was at the head of two trades rejected by the league, with many laying the fault squarely on the Markies’ doorstep. “[Brown] is hurting the league as a whole,” said Enkidu Ishtar, the Omyoujis general manager. “He is the most unintelligent owner we have. His presence here actively hurts the league. Every action he has taken in the past two months has hurt the integrity of league.” Strong words, which were echoed throughout the league, as were calls for contraction and new policies. Yet, Brown has remained mostly silent. So what was wrong with the deals? Despite losing Carlos Lee, C.C. Sabathia and Bartolo Colon, three superstars, they were bringing in Bobby Crosby and… well, a bunch of junk. Let’s look back at Bizton’s track record. Bizton made three trades in the off-season, two with Quebec City and one with Las Vegas. Through those trades the team has given up Barry Zito and Johnny Peralta among others. He also traded away Hayden Penn when Penn was thought to be in the Baltimore starting rotation, but tried to reacquire the currently inactive pitcher in one of the recently vetoed trades. Of the last four trades called into question by the league, three have involved Bizton dating back to a 2005 deal with Quebec City which was allowed. The Bizton ownership has been accused of playing favorites when it comes to trading by Tijuana GM Peter Kantor, and clearly Quebec City and Las Vegas would be them. They haven’t made a trade with any other team. The outcry isn’t based solely on poor deals, a trait hardly unprecedented in a league shaped by shrewd trading. The fault lies with Bizton suspect management over the past few months. A recent Peer Poll by Baseball Tri-Weekly found that an overwhelming majority, 84 percent, has no faith in Markies ownership. Even less believe the team will survive off-season contraction talks. So what is the team to do? Their public perception is marred to the breaking point and if their intention is to compete, they have yet to show it. Will they bow out like Haverhill, or grind it out in the hopes that they can turn it around. Regardless of how bad the trades were received, it does mean the ownership is active. You can get brownie points for that. |
(recorded trades only) Bizton / Quebec City (vetoed) Bizton gets: Hayden Penn Bobby Crosby Jay Gibbons Quebec City gets: Chris Young Bartolo Colon C.C. Sabathia Apr '06 Bizton / Las Vegas (vetoed) Bizton gets: Shea Hillenbrand Joey Gathright Magglio Ordonez Las Vegas gets: Carlos Lee Jan '06 Bizton / Quebec City Bizton gets: Keith Foulke Quebec City gets: (1) 2006 Ma Pick [4th rd] Jan '06 Bizton / Las Vegas Bizton gets: Brad Halsey Chris Young Chris Nelson* Las Vegas gets: Barry Zito (1) 2006 Ma Pick [1st rd] Dec '05 Bizton / Quebec City Bizton gets: Jeff Weaver Jose Guillen Mark Ellis (2) 2006 Ma Picks [4th rd, 7th rd] Quebec City gets: Jhonny Peralta Hayden Penn Apr '05 Bizton / Quebec City (appealed) Bizton gets: Richie Sexson Bob Wickman Troy Percival Quebec City gets: Adam Eaton Francisco Rodriguez Jan '05 Bizton / Quebec City Bizton gets: Kevin Millwood Russ Ortiz Quebec City gets: Andruw Jones |
WEY at LV
The marquee matchup of the week pits two undefeated teams against each other.
For the Doggs, this is the start of a brutal month where they face the defending champs, then head on a road trip to face Rakeville, Golden and Winston-Salem. While some of their players are coming back, they are still hampered by injuries, with David Wells joining Mark Prior and Eric Gagne on the disabled list. Last year the Doggs struggled against Eastern Division teams, and if they want to win the Price Trophy it will start with a win against Weymouth.
Both teams have similar records through two weeks, and both have maximized their hitting. Weymouth has relied on the power of Travis Hafner, and Carlos Delgado, while the Doggs Albert Pujols and David Wright have been on a role.
Some think it is too early in the season to have a matchup of this caliber, but these are the games that define players. We’ll see who can step up.
WS at BRW
Two more undefeated face off, but not nearly as noteworthy. Winston-Salem had a bye the first week, then beat up on Peoria 8-2 while Bridgewater barely beat Rakeville and tied Golden.
If the Green Monster have turned the corner, this week will be the perfect opportunity to show it. A win against Bridgewater would open a few eyes and make them an early threat for a title.
They will have to contend with a Weasel pitching staff that is pitching well. John Lackey, Chris Carpenter and Tim Wakefield had big games for Bridgewater, and Tim Hudson should be the next to find his groove. If the Weasels hit the ball like they have the past two weeks, they are the favorites.
QC at TKO
The path to their third straight Western Division championship starts this week for Quebec City, as the head to Japan to face an unassuming Tokyo team.
While the Omyoujis pitching is still not up to EHCC level, their bats are producing. Tokyo topped 30 runs and produced almost 40 RBIs in their game against Las Vegas. The Piglets offense is nothing to scoff at, but they will have to perform this week if they want to take a lion's share of the categories.
Transaction Wire
Tokyo signed shortstop Khalil Greene. The white guy with a black name will now drive an Asian car.
Alex Rios has a home after his hot start. He will either split time with Barry Bonds or pose as Barry to draw intentional walks.
Peoria scooped Mike Lowell and Ted Lilly. “Their still good,” said the owner.
Weymouth dropped pitcher Ted Lilly. “He is no good,” said the owner. The Shaddupu replaced him with second baseman Jose Castillo.
| 1. | Weymouth | ( - ) |
| 2. | Las Vegas | ( - ) |
| 3. | Bridgewater | ( - ) |
| 4. | Rakeville | ( - ) |
| 5. | Winston-Salem | ( - ) |
| 6. | Golden | ( - ) |
| 7. | Quebec City | (+1) |
| 8. | Bizton | (-1) |
| 9. | Tijuana | ( - ) |
| 10. | Peoria | ( - ) |
| 11. | Tokyo | ( - ) |
League Notes
-- During an interview with Fox News, Quebec City slugger Adam Dunn recited the entire pledge of allegiance before bursting into tears.
-- Several Golden players signed a petition directed at team management to ban media from the Gryphons shower. The outcry comes in the wake of an incident involving Ken Griffey Jr., a microphone and a slick floor. Griffey was placed on the 15-day disabled list following the encounter.
-- Tokyo’s Prince Fielder named himself “Commander of the Infield”. He then named the bases Fort First, Fort Second and Fort Third.
Listen DePleyohs writes a column for Baseball Tri-Weekly. He was invited to attend Boston Manager Terry Francona's 47th birthday party this week, but was turned away at the door for wearing jeans and sneakers.
