February 26th: A Fallen Angel

The report was that the offense was “worse” than Performance Enhancing Drugs. Most baseball players can’t commit an act worse than PEDs. Most players aren’t Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, had a relapse. The incident occurred a few months ago, according to reports, and while Hamilton did not fail any drug tests, he self-reported his crime against himself to Major League Baseball. He met with MLB executives yesterday to discuss course of action going forward, including a possible suspension.

Upon hearing the news, my heart broke. I read Hamilton’s biography. I have followed his career closely. I am a big fan of his, not because of his identity as a baseball player, but as his identity as a man. As I write this post, I’m wearing my Josh Hamilton jersey.

It is easy to be a role model when life is easy. It is so hard to work against your inner demons and be the best that you can be. Josh Hamilton is a man of faith. Josh Hamilton is a man of family. But Josh Hamilton is only a man.

Everyone is jumping to try to write down the sentiment that most baseball fans are feeling: this sucks. It sucks that a good guy got swept up in a bad thing. It sucks that so much hard work deteriorates because of a period of weakness. When Josh Hamilton fails to remain sober, the entire baseball community, players, coaches, and fans, fail right with him.

And baseball media hasn’t done him any favors. After two mediocre and injury laced years, the press has called him one of the biggest bust contracts in baseball history. They have put endless pressure on him to perform up to the dollar value that the Angels gave him. He has been the recipient of near-constant criticism. No wonder he was having a tough time.

We can’t go too easy on him, just because he has a tough history. He’s playing a game against the best in the world, and needs to be judged accordingly. But his strife reminds us that we aren’t dealing with robots who perform at our will. He is a real person, an honest to goodness human being, who can have his feelings hurt, which can lead to some tough stuff. In Josh’s case, really tough stuff.

While I understand that rules are rules, and the Hamilton will need to be penalized in some way, the baseball community owes it to Josh Hamilton to help guide him in the right direction, rather than cutting him loose. He self-reported his "incident." He came forward and did what he knew was right, even though it meant bringing upon himself a world of trouble. He needs to be commended for that. If I were in charge, his suspension would start immediately, regardless of his pre-existing injury. That way, when Josh is healthy, both physically and mentally, he can return to the game that he needs, and that needs him.

Josh Hamilton is an important part of the baseball community, and everyone involved needs to be there to support him. He had one of the greatest seasons in Major League Baseball history, and we owe it to him to get him back there, with a healthy dose of love, support, and guidance.

Americans love a comeback. Josh Hamilton was one of our favorite stories, especially in 2010. To see a man rise from the ashes and turn his life around gives you that great feeling, knowing that you just witnessed something special. While a relapse is a terrible thing for Hamilton to go through, it gives him, and all Americans, the opportunity to work toward and to look forward to his next big comeback. It’s about baseball, but it’s also about so much more.

February 24th: ""Welcoming" Back A-Roid*

For the first time in over a year, Alex Rodriguez has reported to the Yankees. He arrived at Spring Training this year in the hopes of reclaiming his spot in the lineup, after a full-season ban that kept him away from any and all baseball-related activities, at least as they pertained to the Yankees and Major League Baseball.

Meanwhile, the Bronx Bombers have purchased some insurance policies that render A-Rod’s services nearly useless. The signing of Chase Headley in free agency and the acquisition of Garrett Jones from the Marlins allow for options at both third base and DH, potentially leaving the former MVP and current Baseball Anti-Christ without a position to play.

This works out perfectly for the team, as they are able to use the best excuse in sports: compete at the highest level, or get lost. See, for the Yankees, they have the opportunity to compete with whoever brings the least drama and the most production. If that is Rodriguez, than great. They have the option of inserting one of the game’s best players (historically speaking), assuming he can re-learn to hit big league pitching after a year out of the league and, of course, assuming he can keep hitting without his steroids.

I have been a big advocate for a life ban for Alex Rodriguez. He is the epitome of everything that is wrong with baseball. He used steroids, cheated, bastardized the statistics of an entire generation of ballplayers who went about the game in the right way. He then proceeded to sue everyone in his path, throwing anyone and everyone he could find under the bus. He was classless. He was cruel. And he deserved to have his ability to play the game taken away.

To clarify, it isn’t the cheating I have the biggest problem with (although I will publicly shame anyone who degrades the game in that way). Jason Giambi cheated, and the fans accepted his apology and moved on. Andy Pettitte cheated, and everyone got over it, because he admitted his mistake. A-Rod’s biggest crime is that he cheated, THEN lied about it. When he was caught, he refused to admit he was wrong until the absolute latest opportunity, continually choosing to point fingers, rather than own his decisions.

Legally, you can’t take away someone’s career for being an ass, though, so here he is. The Yankees have too much money wrapped up in him not to bring him to camp, and he now has the chance to show whether or not he can keep playing the game that he so thoroughly jeopardized with his behavior.

Upon arrival at camp, Rodriguez subjected himself to about eight minutes of questioning from reporters. Many of the questions were various articulations of the same question: You’re a real jerk, aren’t you? Of course, they couldn’t ask in exactly those terms, but reporters struggled to find ways to articulate questions to which the answer could be anything more than “Yup. I’m a scumbag.”

But, of course, Alex Rodriguez will never truly admit he’s wrong without looking for a way to come out looking like the good guy (ain’t working so far, Alex). So he tiptoed almost as daintily around answering the questions as the reports did asking them.

There is a very simple solution that will solve all of these dilemmas, though. The simple answer is that we need to ignore anything and everything A-Rod does that doesn’t involve a baseball bat. He should be subjected to daily drug tests, and then judged strictly by his numbers. Reporters shouldn’t ask him questions. That right is reserved for players who can handle their business with some decorum.

The worst punishment Major League Baseball can give an egomaniac like Alex is to ignore him altogether. His entire identity should be reduced to a box score. No headlines. No interviews. No special reports. Just complete and total objectification of his skills as a ballplayer.

For someone who was willing to sacrifice his entire identity to hit a few more home runs, that is exactly what he deserves.

February 19th: Getting an Invitation

Contrary to what the thermometer may be telling you, today is the first day of spring! Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training, kicking off the beginning of the 2015 baseball season.

As the hot stove cools off and the season approaches, teams prepare to prove that the off-season buzz can turn into regular season success. To beef up their chances, though, each team invites Non-Roster Invitees to take a crack at joining the Major League roster. Each year, you see youngsters making their first attempt at the league alongside older veterans who will have to prove that they still have what it takes to contribute at the highest level. Teams have, in past years, found major contributors hidden in their NRI list.

This year in particular, there are a litany of diamonds in the rough, especially those with prior years of ML service. Some will pan out, while others will be sent to the minors, maybe never to be seen again.

The Zoot Perspective: Left Fielder looks at 10 Non-Roster Invitees who could make a significant impact on their new ball club:

1. 

   Ryan Ludwick, OF - Rangers
   Ludwick spent most of his time with the Reds either looking over his shoulder waiting to be replaced, or on the DL. Now that he’s free of that contract, he has the chance to go to the relatively depleted Rangers and stake a claim on the left field gig currently held by...well, nobody.
   
2. Wandy Rodriguez, SP - Braves
   After coming into the league as a highly anticipated prospect with the Astros, Rodriguez’s time with the Pirates was relatively lackluster. He has the chance to fight his way into the Braves rotation, and could return to form. This is a great example of a player with nothing to lose, fighting for a spot that actually does exist.
   
3. Franklin Gutierrez, OF - Mariners
   After a pair of years in 2009-2010 that left Mariners fan with cautious optimism about the young Gutierrez, he caught the injury bug and has struggled to be a major contributor. He sat out the 2014 season, and the Mariners have the chance to buy low on a player who, if healthy, could put back together the pieces of his career.
   
4. Jeff Francoeur, OF - Phillies
   Frenchy is a long-time fan favorite, and a journeyman, having spent time on six different teams. He now has the chance to maybe add some excitement to a Phillies team that otherwise looks like it will experience a long summer. Famous for treating the fans in the bleachers to pizza and beer, Francoeur better provide some off-field fun to combat the on-field disaster.
   
5. Ryan Madson, RP - Royals
   Madson is another former star who was hampered by injury. He spent time with the Reds and Angels, never having thrown a pitch for either Major League squad. The Royals don’t need a closer, so Madson doesn’t have the same degree of pressure. He can, however, fill the role of swing man, getting the ball from the starting pitchers to the stout Three-Headed Monster. This could be a great chance for him.
   
6. Andrew Bailey, RP - Yankees
   Every year, a former Rookie of the Year makes himself known on this list. This time around, it’s Andrew Bailey, who couldn’t keep up his Oakland magic after he was shipped off by Billy Beane. Bailey can play a supporting role as Dellin Betances inserts himself into the closer role. You can never have too many good late-inning arms.
   
7. Reed Johnson, OF - Marlins
   The Marlins are trying to add to the success of last year, and need some veteran guidance to get them there. Enter Reed Johnson, who has been a supporting cast member of many young teams, and continues to get quality at-bats year after year. I’m a biased HUGE Reed Johnson fan, but he could be a vital supporting cast member in getting the Marlins to the next level.
   
8. Chris Parmalee, OF - Orioles
   The Orioles spent most of this off-season watching helplessly as free agents fled to greener pastures, including Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz. Chris Parmalee has an opportunity to bring the big bat and provide some of that pop that the Orioles will surely miss.
   
9. Bryan LaHair, 1B, OF - Red Sox
   As if the Red Sox needed another outfielder, LaHair came back from a year in Japan to take a crack at the Boston roster. LaHair is a former all-star who lost his job to Anthony Rizzo, leading to a sharp decline in production. He was one of the worst all-stars in recent memory, but when he gets hot, he’s a force. If the Red Sox can find a spot for him, he will be in the Majors this year.
   
10. Geovany Soto, C - White Sox
    The White Sox makeover did not extend to the catcher position, where they are trusting a newly beefed up staff to Tyler Flowers. Soto, meanwhile, caught a playoff game last year, and is another former Rookie of the Year. Could he be a major piece of the Chicago puzzle? I think so.

February 8th: Technically Foul

I watch a fair amount of basketball. Between college and the NBA, I would say I take in parts of about five or six games a week. In all of my basketball watching, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team receive 5 technical fouls in a single night. It happened to the Los Angeles Clippers, though.

On Thursday night, the Clippers were T-ed up five times in a blowout loss to the now-surging Cleveland Cavaliers. After the game, Chris Paul, the recipient of one of those foul calls, was pretty irritated. He called out the ref for the abundance of calls, and demonstrated his frustration.

This wouldn’t have been the first time a player called out a referee for questionable calls. Usually, such comments would receive about 30 seconds of Sportscenter time before everyone moved on. This is, though, the first time an NBA player has publicly called out a female ref.

Lauren Holtkamp is one of two full time
female referees in the NBA

You see, the referee for this particular game was Lauren Holtkamp, one of two full-time women serving in the NBA as officiators. In Paul’s comments, he calls out his disagreement with the call, and follows it up with “That’s ridiculous [in reference to the technical]. If that’s the case, this might not be for her.”

The NBA Referee’s union made a public statement on Friday, stating “the NBRA deplores the personal and unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul. She belongs.”

As the president of the NBA Players Association, Chris Paul is no stranger to the union in-fighting that goes on in and around the game. This is groundbreaking, though, in that it features a uniquely gender-related disagreement, and is challenging one of the game’s pioneers in gender-equality. Except that it shouldn’t.

The comments made by Paul could have been made against a man. In fact, there is nothing specifically gender related about them. He cited an example of an interaction that he found to be bothersome, and called into question whether or not a rookie was ready for the next level. The fact that she is a woman has been made to be a big deal by the rest of the world. The nature of “this might not be for her” can be called into question, but all evidence points to the fact that, in Paul’s opinion, a rookie referee who can’t get a call right doesn’t belong, regardless of his or her gender.

The sexism of sports is an oft-debated one, and one that frequently returns to the concept of a meritocracy. You find me a woman, the argument goes, who can compete in the NFL, and she can grab a jersey. Until then, it will remain a man’s game. This has gone relatively unchallenged, as it appears as though those who do demonstrate abilities have found their way into the game, most often in non-player roles. There have been increases in the number of women in front-office roles, the Spurs now have a female coach on the staff, and female referees are, as we see, hitting the hardwood. The progress has been slow, but it does appear to be moving.

All that being said, for there to be such intense backlash against Paul for his comments against a referee who happens to be a woman, there would have to be some kind of proof that his comments were based on her gender, rather than her ability to arbitrate a game. In this case, there appears no evidence that his argument would have been different if a man had gave his team an insane number of technical fouls. Paul has defended himself fiercely, repeating that his issue was with the call, not the woman behind it.

Sports have always served as a cutting-edge for the pursuit of social reform. We saw Jackie Robinson break the color barrier. Just recently, we saw Michael Sam and Jason Collins come out as openly gay athletes. Now, women are attempting to find their place in sports. And there most certainly is a place for women in sports.

But we have the challenge of creating an environment where women are welcome and also subjected to the same challenges as men. We can’t be gentle to women referees because we are afraid of hurting their feelings or looking sexist. To even the playing field, it must be completely even, in both directions. In this case, the NBA has the chance to do far more damage to the fight for women’s rights than Chris Paul.