Home Run Derby

Yesterday, there were 26 Home Runs in the Majors including 2 grand slams hit by teammates (thank Joe Crede and Paul Konerko) and the first of the season hit by my countryman, Nick Markakis.

Gabe Kapler continues his improbable comeback with #4 and the Deadman hits his third for the team from Queens.  Gee, there are just so many great Home Runs to choose from, but here at Home Run Derby, we like to take the road less travelled (not to mention beating a dead horse to “death”).

So today, in honor of team WeisOne, we select Clint Barmes as the recipient of Home Run of the Day. 

Good thing the only stairs Clint had to negotiate yesterday were in the three steps into the dugout.  It was Clint’s first Home Run since July 24, 2006 when he hit one off St. Louis Cardinal Josh Hancock at Coors Field. 

Welcome Back.

To those of you lost in the tongue in cheek nature of this selection, Clint Barmes is our HRD whipping boy all at the expense of the team owner of WeisOne in our contest.  Back a few years ago, before Richie created this site, we were a dozen or so guys who all worked together, having some fun with the excel sheet managed contest. 

Back then, a lot of smack talk was engaged through email threads and Mr. WeisOne went on record that Clint Barmes (as a rookie) was a better all-around shortstop than Derek Jeter (this explains this site’s focus on Jeter who clearly is not a Home Run Hitter).  It lead the Greek, who can not stand the Yankees, to take up Jeter as his team mascot and subject of many posts, not to mention years of ridicule for the WeisOne by Yankee and non-Yankee fans alike. 

So, Clint, welcome back to the team.  Enjoy the highlight and the honor.  I don’t think it means we will let go of the whipping boy status, but hey, what do you expect from a juvenile 36 year old baseball fan?

Update:  Here is the email that started it all.

—–Original Message—–

From: WeisOne 

Sent:   Thursday, April 21, 2005 11:12 AM

To:      HRD

Subject:           RE: HRD News – 4/21/05  

Come on guys. Look at the stats the Best SS in baseball right now is Barmes from Colorado. Jeter doesn’t even measure up to this guy

The funny thing the original thread was about Nomar’s groin injury when he was with the Cubs.  But hey, it gets even better:

(more…)

OK, it has been a long time since I have graced the pages of Homerun Derby (a subject to be addressed in a subsequent post), but as the resident Pale Hose fan (and by default Cub hater) on this site, I thought it would be nice to take Richie’s post on 99 years of North Side futility a bit farther.

First, let me start off by saying I am really rooting for a Rockies World Series title.  Think about it.  The Chicago Cubs haven’t even sniffed the World Series since 1945 (2003 – 5 outs away, nonwithstanding). However, 3 of the last 4 expansion teams will have won a World Series (Arizona, Florida twice, and hopefully now the Rockies). 

Let take a look at the list of expansion teams that came into existence after the Cubs last appeared in the Fall Classic and have won the World Series:

• The Marlins (expansion year 1993 & Series winner 1997, 2003 *ouch*)
• The Diamondbacks (exp 1998 & Series winner 2001)
• The Royals (exp 1969 & Series winner in 1985)
• The Angels (exp 1961 & Series winner in 2002)
• The Mets (exp 1962 & Series winner in 1969 (ouch) and 1986)
• The Blue Jays (exp 1977 & Series winner in 1992 and 1993)

Also 21 different teams (Yankees (16), Cardinals (5), Dodgers (5), A’s (4), Orioles (3), Tigers (3), Reds (3), Pirates (3), Twins (2), Mets (2), Marlins (2), Blue Jays (2), Diamondbacks, Royals, Red Sox, Phillies, Giants, Braves, Angels, Indians, and White Sox) have won the World Series since 1945, meaning over two-thirds of the 30 teams in baseball have won a World Series since the Cubs last played in one (12 of 30 have won multiple times).  The Rockies could make that 22 of 30 teams.  To add insult to injury, the Astros, Brewers and Padres, while not winning the title, have made it to the Series since then meaning that 25 of 30 teams have at least been to the world series since 1945. 

That brings me to the other club of MLB, the losers.  So who hasn’t been there since 1945? The unfortunate five are made up of the Texas Rangers (exp 1961), Seattle Mariners (exp 1977), Tampa Bay Rays (exp 1998), Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos (exp 1969), and the Cubs (founded 1876).  Meaning the other 4 teams weren’t even in existence in 1945.  Nice company for the Cubs.  One might even argue that Cubs are in a league of their own given that they are the only non-expansion team on that list, adding at least 16 more years of futility to any of the other teams in the loser club.

Of course, there is one more upside to the Colorado Rockies winning the World Series, the HRD conversation that will follow on how the hell they did it with Clint Barmes down in the minors?

Especially after Rookie SS Troy Tulowitski completed only the 13th Unassisted Triple Play in Major Freaking League Baseball history …

Kali Speta!!  Just in case you are wondering what raw Gyros looks like, this is it on the left. Now that your appetite is going, let’s take a look at what’s on the plate.

Ding: Apparently Man-Ram did not like his appearance in Gyros Thursday last week, because he has responded with a couple of dingers. Now if he could only hit a cut-off man.

Ding: It seems like some of the Home Run hitters (Pujols, Ortiz, Hafner, Thome) are starting to find their stroke. Maybe they can help Mark Teixeira find his. Two years in a row with a crappy start … maybe he isn’t holding the Rangers hostage after all.  Careful Mark, Boras may drop you.

Ding: I called out the Komodos last week and they came back with a “oh yeah, well just you wait…” I give them credit, it is hard to talk smack when your firmly cemented in 39th place. Bad News for the Komodos, 38th place (3 back) is farther away than DFL (2 ahead). Worse News: Mike Piazza is still on your team.

Ding: David Wright Watch: 76 at bats and still no homers. JACKASS!!  I think we should rename the Stonecutters … David Wrights.

Ding: Best team name: Morneau’s BS MVP.  I could not agree more.  That bastard (along with the aforementioned David Wright) are the biggest reasons for my fall from 1st Place to 3rd Place in the second half last year.  Morneau hit just 11 HR after the all-star break, and a pathetic two HR in 115 September At-Bats.  That’s right, our AL MVP saw 63 other AL’ers hit more home runs in September than him, including the likes of Corey Patterson (3 in 44 at bats), Bengie Molina (5 in 72) and Greg Norton (5 in 83).

Ding: OK, this is a little off topic, but people who play Wheel of Fortune have to be the stupidest people on the earth.   It seems anytime I accidentally come across this show flipping channels, I inevitably see a contestant have the following type of board: TH_  P_OPL_’S  _OU_T , and show out “I would like to buy an E, Pat.” To which I shout out … way to waste $250 you dumbass!  Spin the wheel and call out C or R and then solve the damn puzzle.

Ding: Derek Jeter vs Clint Barmes Watch. Since the Barmes call-up Jeter 15 hits – Barmes 2. I think I will keep my money on Jeter.

Ding:  Speaking of Derek Jeter, I would like to introduce a new feature to Gyros Thursday (that’s right three weeks in and we are already introducing new features).  Since Richie is dedicating time to profile baseball cheerleaders to shamelessly find ways to pimp traffic, I figure I can help the cause with looking a player’s girlfriends/wives/etc.  And what a better way to start that with one of the many ladies in the Derek Jeter Fan Club, Ms. Jessica Biel.

Until next week my friends, Yasso!!  And for a little more Ooopa (aka Jessica Biel) check out some pics after the jump.

Show Me Jessica!

(more…)

Time for a Home Run Derby whipping boy update …

Guess who’s back in the major leagues?

Rockies infielder Kaz Matsui and right-handed pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim, both former Sky Sox, were both placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Infielder Clint Barmes and right-handed reliever Zach McClellan have both been called up to the Rockies

Derek Jeter better watch out. Barmes who was batting .200 with two Home Runs at Triple A Colorado Springs is back in the bigs.

He’ll be gunning for the Rockies starting SS, Rookie Troy Tulowitski, who’s batting .209 with no power and two RBI.

(In case you’re wondering, back in 2005 a Home Run Derby member touted Barmes as being better than Derek Jeter. We haven’t let up since.)