12/2 Hot Stove – Mustaches in the Majors

vasgersian.jpgWith Awards Season over, I’m a bit numb by all the financial talk.  All the zeroes at the end of paychecks really dehumanize players. At the end of Hot Stove today, we’ll take a break.

We need to recognize Clay Zavada and his masterpiece mustache being named “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached Man of the Year” by the American Mustache Institute, the only real organization promoting facial hair and mustachioed men.

Zavada.jpgZavada’s winning stash is part Rollie Fingers, part Zorro.  He could easily be mistaken for a turn-of-the-century weight lifter.

Mustaches in baseball have been kind of an on and off phenomenon.  Some people like to rip on them, but it truly is an art form.

Sometimes I rip open a pack of baseball cards from the ’70’s or ’80’s, just to remember what baseball looked like.  Bill Buckner comes to mind.  His mustache was thick and shaggy.  Sparky Lyle, Gorman Thomas and Davey Lopes are all players whose facial hair would jump off the card at you.

I’d say two out of every three players were mustached; it was part of the uniform back then.  

Then you have more guys who have the handle bar, Fu-Manchu look. Goose Gossage, Robin Yount, Luis Tiant, then Rod Beck, Sal Fasano and Jason Giambi brought it back recently.

Today there is some confusion, and I feel it’s important to address it.  The Goatee and the Vandyke have seemed to blend together and become one.  People need to be educated on this matter.  A goatee is a good hearty knob hanging off your chin.  A great example is Matt Clement, in his Red Sox days.Clement.jpg
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A great Vandyke, that’s easy, Kevin Youkilis, a la 2009.

Now that we’re clear, I am no longer angry about the confusion.

My team growing up, the A’s, are legends when it comes to facial hair.  Owner Charlie Finley actually fined players at first, but then came to his senses, and gave each player a bonus of one hundred dollars to support a mustache.

You can go down the A’s team; Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, Phil Garner, Vida Blue, and Catfish Hunter they all had great ones, but the greatest of them was the Rollie Fingers mustache.

They all hated Finley, so any extra bone they could get from him, they were all going to cash in.  Their facial hair created a stir in the World Series in those years. It was always the mustached gang of A’s vs. the clean-cut Reds.  

Now I’m hardly the Oprah Book Club, but may I recommend “Mustache Gang: The Swagger of the Oakland A’s”, written by Ron Bergman.  

A must-read to remember the glory days of the mustached ball players.
– Matt Vasgersian

Click here to watch our mustaches in baseball feature from Wednesday night.

12/1 Hot Stove – The HOT Corner with Hazel Mae

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Here’s What’s HOT……Golf in the Desert!

A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to participate in the Torii Hunter Project Celebrity Golf Event in Arizona.

The Torii Hunter Project is an effort to help youths in need.  Torii has brought his inspiring personality from the field, to help out off the field.  Through his four areas of focus-Sports, Community, Education, and Wellness-he is making a difference in kid’s lives, and not just by hitting game-winning home runs.  For more information, check out toriihunterproject.com.

It was a two day extravaganza!

What struck me most about the gathering was the number of former, current and Hall of Fame players that came out to support Torii’s worthy cause. 

As David Ortiz told me, “you don’t say no to Torii.” 

Along with guest host Justin Upton teammates Mike Napoli, Howie Kendrick and Scott Kazmir showed up with current players, Derrek Lee, Dustin Pedroia, Chris Young, Orlando Hudson, and B.J. Upton.  There were also some former players including Kenny Lofton, Carl Everett, as well as Hall of Famer  Vida Blue.

The outpouring of support is really a reflection of the type of person Torii Hunter is, not only as a talented ballplayer, but also as a compassionate human being.
 
Hunter.T.JPGHe goes above and beyond for the underprivileged.

Our very own Harold Reynolds emceed the gala dinner on day one.  He also presided over the live auction.  There were more than 400 people seated in the ballroom to show their support.

The highlight of my night was emceeing the evening portion of day one, when I got to introduce an “old school band” Smooth Grooves, a Phoenix based group that warmed up the crowd.

Then a surprise performance by Carvin Winans, a five-time Grammy Award winning artist from the talented Winans family.   

To top the evening off, I had the privilege to introduce the feature performer, Grammy Award-nominated singer, Brian McKnight.

People would kill for an intimate and private concert with this multi-platinum singer.

That takes us to day two, which was a serious competition to see who would claim the trophy for the 1st Annual Torii Hunter Golf Tournament. 

Want to see how it went? Check it out right here.

Sink that putt! – Hazel Mae

11/30 Hot Stove – Winter Meetings Preview

amsinger.jpgTonight’s show will open with the top free agents available this offseason as we get ready for the Winter Meetings, which begin next Monday.  We’ll be live from Indianapolis next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with Hot Stove from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET, so make sure you tune-in.

We’ll explore quite a few free agents tonight and I’ll give you our top five for this blog:

holliday.jpg1) Matt Holliday
2) Jason Bay
3) Chone Figgins
4) John Lackey
5) Aroldis Chapman

We’ll discuss some of the possible places these players may land.

Later in the show our own Baseball Insider Jon Heyman will talk about where Roy Halladay could end up.  The Yankees are now in the mix since Halladay waived his no-trade clause for them.

Also, as most of you know already, Yankees PA announcer Bob Sheppard retired over the weekend.  We’ll take a look back at his glorious career.

There’s plenty to talk about this offseason.  Make sure you watch Hot Stove tonight at 6:00 p.m. ET.-Greg Amsinger

Click here to watch our Bob Sheppard feature from Monday night.

 

11/24 Hot Stove – A Legend Among Us

amsinger.jpgAlbert Pujols winning his third MVP is no surprise to anyone, but where Albert ranks at age 29 among the legends of this game, now that’s a story.

In seven of his nine years in the big leagues, he’s been in the top three of the MVP voting, and six of those years, in the top two!  He lost out to Barry Bonds, who was on another planet, and Ryan Howard, who had a career year with 58 HR’s.   

If you look at the baseball cards of the legends, you’ll see that age 29-32 is when they put up their untouchable numbers. Albert is 29.  I don’t know what to expect from him next season.  Maybe the best is yet to come with this guy.
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I always hear Barry Larkin and Harold Reynolds say that power comes with age.  As a rookie, Albert came in and banged 37 bombs and had 47 this year with a 21-game drought to finish the season.

This season wasn’t even his best year.  If he didn’t hit a slump at the end of the season, he could have had a career year.

Albert is getting better and better with age, and now after nine years, his status is becoming legendary.

There are so many numbers to look at on the show today.  To me, the most telling number is the number of at-bats Albert has, compared to Hank Aaron.  It’s scary how much better Albert’s career numbers not just stack up, but overshadow Aaron’s numbers.

Ruth.jpgYesterday Joe Mauer won the AL MVP, and at 26 to have that and three batting titles is a great feat.  But Aaron.jpgAlbert Pujols can’t even be compared to the best of the AL.  

Forget putting him on a level with Mauer and Bonds, he’s creating his own level, which is spoiling it for the great fans who loves baseball today.

Albert no longer compares to players of the modern era – only guys like Babe Ruth and Ted Williams can be in a conversation with him.

Since day one, his offensive consistency has been astonishing.  They put him at third base and in the outfield until he finally found a home at first, but his offensive potency has never wavered.  Power, average, RBI’s, OBP, rarely strikes out, plus he is always on the field.  There’s been no learning curve for Albert; he’s just been smarter than everyone.

He is a baseball-hitting genius, and people need to start realizing what they are seeing in the Cardinals first baseman.

Today’s show should be called MLB Hitting History Lesson: Albert Pujols and the rest of the baseball world.  That’s a conversation, and we’ll have it tonight.  – Greg Amsinger

11/23 Hot Stove – The Left Wing

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The AL MVP winner was not much of a surprise; Joe Mauer had a terrific season, and he deserves this award.

He hit against lefties and he hit against righties while playing arguably the most demanding position on the field and winning a Gold Glove.

He had a dynamic year.

The Twins were a team decimated by injuries, and Joe was no exception, missing all of April with an injured back.  He came back with a bang, blasting a home run in his first at bat, and he carried the Twins from that point on.  The Twins pulled off something special in the AL Central, and Mauer was a key component in that charge to the playoffs. 

Greg, Al, Mitch and I will be talking to Joe at 6pm ET, on Hot Stove. 

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The runners up had terrific years, but Mauer Power was just too much. 

Derek Jeter silenced his critics this season, proving he his can still play the shortstop position at a high level for a World Championship team.  He also hit the ball pretty well too.

Mark Teixeira was everything the Yankees hoped he would be when the opened the bank for him.  He performed under the pressure of New York, had a great year at the plate and is also the best defensive first baseman out there right now.

Speaking of first baseman, there is no doubt that Albert Pujols is going to win the NL MVP tomorrow.  As long as he’s breathing, in uniform, and at the ballpark, he’s the best player in the NL. No question he is the total package.  

Tony La Russa called him the best player he’s ever managed  He’s managed a cluster of great players, including Rickey Henderson, Mark McGwire, and Jose Canseco, but Albert is a once in a lifetime kind of player. 

And just in case you’re wondering, Pujols is 0-1 against my change-up. Got him to pop up.  – Dan Plesac

Click here to watch the interview with Joe Mauer from Monday night.

 

11/19 Hot Stove – MVP Predictions

mae.jpgWith the MVP Awards being handed out next week, I went around the MLB Network Studio to see who the favorites are in our halls.

Now Al and Victor agree that it’s going to be Albert Pujols in the NL and Joe Mauer in the AL.  They seem to be strong favorites.   

Harold agrees on Pujols, but he believes that Derek Jeter will take home the title in the AL.  For Jeter, an MVP would really top a busy award season.  He’s already won the Hank Aaron Award, Roberto Clemente Award, Silver Slugger Award, Gold Glove Award, and another one of those World Series rings. 

As for my picks, I’ll have to agree with Al and Victor: Pujols and Mauer Power all the way.

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Don’t forget to tune in to Hot Stove tonight at 6pm ET.  Harold, Victor, and Al will be talking to now 2-time Cy Young winner, Tim Lincecum. – Hazel Mae

Click Here to watch the interview with Tim Lincecum from Thursday night.

11/18 Hot Stove – The HOT Corner with Hazel Mae

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Here’s What’s HOT……Doc on the Block.

Congratulations to Mike Scioscia and Jim Tracy, two skippers who lead their teams through difficult situations to a great and successful season.  Hats off to you gentlemen.  

Hope you’ll tune in at 6pm Eastern, where in the Insider Segment, I’ll be sitting down with Sports Illustrated Senior Writer, and MLB Network’s own Jon Heyman to discuss some potential trades.

The biggest trade commodity out there is Roy Halladay, from my hometown Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto’s rookie GM Alex Anthopoulos said he was open to the idea of trading Halladay in the AL East, something former GM J.P. Ricciardi was adamant about averting.   

The interesting twist in this development is that the biggest suitors out there for the former CY Young winner are the Yankees and Red Sox.  Halladay has always been a “Yankee Killer,” and would do wonders for a Red Sox team that has lost their starting pitching depth due to injuries and trades.

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For the Yankees, the addition of Halladay to a stacked staff that already includes C.C. and A.J. could potentially be lethal to all of baseball.

The tug-of-war over Halladay might just be another chapter in the already heated Red Sox/Yankees rivalry.  And you know the MLB Network will be there as this battle unfolds.

Halladay is a fierce competitor and his timeline for winning a championship might not be aligned with the Blue Jays plans for building a championship team.

Do I want Roy Halladay, possibly the best player ever to wear a Toronto uniform, to win a championship elsewhere?  

NO, but can a trade for Halladay help this young Jays team be more competitive when they’re ready to put up a fight against the heavyweights in the AL East?  

I don’t know, but I do know growing up a Jays’ fan, I’d hate to face Doc in Game 7 of the ALCS, that would be painful…especially in anything other than a Toronto uniform.

Till next time, eh? – Hazel Mae

Click here to watch our segment on Roy Halladay from Wednesday night.

11/17 Hot Stove – The Leiter Side

leiter.jpgKudos to Zack Greinke for putting it all together this year and wining the CY Young Award.

His numbers speak for themselves, but what I’m most impressed with is the adversity he’s overcome to reach this point.  

Zack has always had the talent and the stuff to go out there and dominate on the mound, but until 2009 he hasn’t been able to really show it.

His ability to stay focused on a struggling team is just one of the many obstacles he faced.  Standing out in the center of the diamond can be a tough place for someone battling clinical depression and social anxiety, so today is really a particularly special day and a special year for him.   

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What really impressed me about Zack this season was his drive to win, because being on a bad team with no chance can be mentally draining.  But with Zack, the opposite happened, and he continued to dominate.

This is also the first year of a multi-year deal, which for some players proved to be a letdown year.  Not having that carrot in front of him didn’t change his concentration, nothing fell off, and he just got better. The lack of a carrot really shows how mentally tough Zack has become.

Being considered one of the best really vindicates all the hard work, strenuous routines, and dedication that we put in to go out there every fifth day to compete.  To win the CY Young is the pinnacle in our area of the game.  In 1998 I was 6th, and just to be considered one of the best pitchers in the game is a great feeling.  

Make sure to tune in at 6 for Hot Stove, where the man of the hour, Zack Greinke, will join us. – Al Leiter 

 

11/16 Hot Stove – 2009 Rookie of the Year Award

vasgersian.jpgTo all you Tigers fans out there, I know you might feel Rick Porcello got hosed out of winning the Rookie of the Year, I get that.  He had an awesome year.  But being an A’s fan, I’m pumped that Andrew Bailey is taking home the hardware for Rookie of the Year.  He may not have pitched his team to the brink of the playoffs, but he had a fantastic year for his club.

He was the only rookie in the All-Star game, and looking at his stats, only Mariano Rivera had a better statistical season in the closer role.  Entering the season, the A’s were going to have Brad Ziegler take care of most of the closing duties, with Bailey filling in, but after Ziegler battled some health problems, Bailey took over.  Bailey is a guy who was turned into a reliever in the minors, but got really comfortable in that role this year in the big leagues.

Hopefully with the A’s history of ripping ROY Awards off in chunks, this is a sign for good things to come.  They had Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and Walt Weiss, from ’86- ’88.  And another ROY chunk with Bobby Crosby and Houston Street in ’04 -’05, with Ben Grieve thrown in there in ’98.  

We know the A’s are awesome at evaluating and developing young talent, but they need to fix market inequalities.  Time and time again, it’s so frustrating to see these young players fly out the door once the time comes around to paying them.  Like the Expos of the early 90’s, we don’t want to be a farm team for the teams with holes in their line-ups and in their pockets.

Until the A’s prove they have what it takes to keep their young stars, I’ll put off buying any jerseys with their names on it.

In the National League, Chris Coghlan won the NL ROY in another tight race.  J.A. Happ had a pretty good year, and the Braves wouldn’t have been in the race in September without Tommy Hanson.

There were so many outstanding rookies this season, and it really made it a cool race.  In years past it seemed like some rookies won almost by default, but with great breakout seasons by Elvis Andrus, Andrew McCutchen, and Gordon Beckham, there was a lot to discuss around the water cooler today.

Tune in at 6 to Hot Stove because we’re going to be hearing from Chris Coghlan who will join us from Tampa, and Andrew Bailey is going to call in, so you know what, it’s time I break out the Andrew Bailey T-shirt poster.  After a rough season, it’s time the A’s got some love. – Matt Vasgersian

Click here to watch the interview with Chris Coghlan from Monday night.

 

11/12 Hot Stove – Billy Ripken’s Take

ripken.jpgHot Stove is back on the air.  MLB Network is the one place you can get baseball 24/7 365.  There is no real offseason as we gear up for what free agents will sign where. 

The topic I want to talk about today is who is the best position player available this offseason.  Last year it was clearly Mark Teixeira.  This year I think you have 2 choices and while most people think Matt Holliday is the #1 choice I’m here to tell you that I’d sign Jason Bay if I were a GM of a baseball team.

Bay had more HRs and more RBIs in 5 fewer games and he played in the toughest division in baseball in the AL East.  He also is a better fielder.  Let’s also keep in mind that Holliday enjoyed great success while joining forces with Albert Pujols.  He may want to keep that in mind as St. Louis could be a perfect long term fit.

Listen Holliday is a top free agent, but I like the guy that was able to replace Manny Ramirez rather seamlessly and deal with the pressure cooker of Boston.  St. Louis isn’t the easiest place to play either, but it’s nothing like Boston. 

Again, if I were looking to sign an outfielder this offseason Bay would be my first choice.  Make sure you watch Hot Stove weeknights at 6 eastern.-Billy Ripken