High Heels On The Field

Floodlights On: Washington Nationals Minor Leaguer Erik Arnesen

Harrisburg Senators righty Erik Arnesen has a tendency to be aggressive and it can hurt him. But it's a lesson he's already got a jump-start on.

"I believe the one thing I struggle with the most is being too aggressive," Arnesen said by e-mail. "I do not like to give in, but I know there are times when it really is the right thing to do."

This also led to changes in his repertoire. While he's comfortable mixing things up, he's now throwing a combination of a curveball and slider. He's also nixed the changeup and is now developing a splitter.

"I feel good about how far I have come with this pitch. but it is probably the pitch that still needs the most work."

In July the 25 year old was 6-3 with a 2.96 ERA when I first got to see him pitch for the Senators- the Washington Nationals Double A affiliate- in 2009. In August he led all starters on the Eastern League squad, with a 3.48 ERA. He finished the season 8-6 with a 3.87 ERA and surrendered only 11 home runs.

When the Senators played the Trenton Thunder at Waterfront Park, I got to see a lot of them. They had tremendous success against the Thunder, a team that had produced several Yankees players on this year's World Championship roster.

He attributes his personal success to being open to coaches advice as having a huge impact on how quickly and effectively he's learning.

"I try to keep an open mind to whatever the coaching staff is telling me. In terms of things I still need to learn, I know I need to continue developing reading swings and different hitters approaches," he said.

Arnesen is also relaxed about how the Nationals might use him in the future.

"I enjoy being a starter. I like the routine and I like the idea of always having a chance to win every start," he says. "However, I have no issues with being a reliever if it's decided that is where I can help the most."

With the winter cold about to settle in, it helps keep his arm strong when he can catch a break in the weather.

"I look forward to the random warm day during the winter, because it is nice to throw outside," he said. "We do receive an off season throwing program from our pitching coordinator."

In the meantime he works a winter job like so many minor league players. Arnesen, however, holds down a few: he works as an office engineer on water main and sewer installation projects in Staten Island for HAKS, but also works as a handyman; painting and doing lawn work. He keeps close to baseball as well, giving pitching lessons at Extra Innings.

Cliff Lee A Symbol Of Phillies Cool Demeanor

In the post-game press conference, you all but expected Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee to ask for a martini. Shaken, not stirred.

His performance as the Game 1 starter for the Phillies seemed a breezy, effortless victory over a powerful New York Yankees lineup. The Phillies came out on top 6-1, in what was also a two-run home run night for Chase Utley.

But despite the baffling numbers- no walks, 10 strikeouts- it was Lee's unfazed disposition that seemed unbelievable. Guys just don't do that. Pitchers don't just come along everyday and post a 0.53 ERA in the postseason. Lee now ranks seventh in the post-season in ERA. And when accomplishing such a thing, do you act like you just took a stroll through the park? If you're Cliff Lee you do. He told reporters, no, he wasn't nervous before the game. This is what he does.

Lee has only been a Phillie since August, but he's exactly the kind of Phillie that fits in with the current crop.

This is not your Macho Row of 1993.

This is Macho Row on ice.

They don't get emotional, they don't get too upset or too pumped up. Every player tends to stay within themselves, no one gives too much away. Jimmy Rollins gave the media a good bit to chew on, but that's been it. The proof is in the actions. It's how that team operates.

Cliff Lee was the Game 1 top smooth operator, every pitch appeared to have good movement, even when he wasn't locating. He was working both sides of the plate, doing different things. He had to. Those Yankees hitters will make you pay for small mistakes.

The Phillies may not have a clear leader, but in Cliff Lee they have a shining symbol of everything they stand for.

Phillies, Yankees: Tops At Short In Their Own Way

There are a number of exciting variables about the Yankees Phillies World Series, but when you look at the middle of the infield, behold the skill.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins and Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter may have decidedly different personalities, but they are a show unto themselves.

Their role on their teams is also very defined, though Jeter stands as the designated captain. Still, it's no secret that the Phillies is Rollins team, his status not only due to his being a farm grown Phillie, but also for his ability to rile the teammates and the masses.

Not every player wants to put themselves out there in the media the way Rollins will. His fearless proclamations have angered or inspired a roll of the eyes, but you have to appreciate his confidence. If the Phillies were "the team to beat", he must've known it. Or at least he wanted to believe it and hoped his teammates did, too.

Rollins appears to be the flashier player. Has Jeter been more celebrated because of the uniform? Perhaps. But that shouldn't be a problem for any baseball fan when the fact is, the teams he helped lead to the World Series three years in a row were the best in the game. He made his name doing extraordinary things in October and November, when players must be better than they have all season. He proved his ability in high pressure situations early on. Rollins didn't get that chance until 2007.

As the all-time hits leader at his position, it's hard to argue who the better hitting shortstop is. 

But Jeter's defensive abilities have been a major debate for years. No one questions Rollins skill level at short. Jeter's range has been questioned, to the point that the University of Pennsylvania released a study finding him to be the worst defensive player in baseball. In 2009 he finished the regular season with a .985 fielding percentage. And in an interesting statistic created by John Dewan, Jeter was first in "Revised Zone Rating." The stat counts how many times a player gets a ball into his zone and converts it to an out.

Rollins in comparison, finished with an only slightly better fielding percentage of .990. In his 10 year career he has an overall fielding percentage of .983. Jeter? In fifteen years, he's posted a fielding percentage of .976.

Some glaring differences exist, though. Rollins has made just 41 career throwing errors, while Jeter has made 99. Still, it's a difficult comparison, considering Jeter has played five years longer. But with a 99 career total in errors, Rollins trumps Jeter who has made 213 overall errors thus far. As an aside, Barry Larkin made 235 in his nineteen year career.

Jeter may not be the best defensive shortstop, but he's the best hitting shortstop and that's the meat, the stuff fans sink their teeth into. It's why he's the leader of his ball club. It's why he's "Mr. November." 

Rollins has stood firm in his leadership. He's never backed down. Also the stuff of leaders. He's a five-tool player, with 20 bases stolen in every season of his career since 2001. In 2003 he hit 42 doubles. He broke a franchise record in 2005, when he went on a 36-game hitting streak, breaking Ed Delahanty's 1899 record.

What it all boils down to is October and November. Jeter has been there. A lot. Rollins has now been there, and been all the way, and he has another chance to prove his abilities in the Fall Classic.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriquez was asked about both men and he put it like this:

“...Two Hall of Fame shortstops, and two great leaders.”

There can be no debating that statement. (Oh, go ahead if you must...)

FUNNY FACT: Did you know that Rollins statement in 2007 about being "The Team To Beat" in the NLE, was followed by, "But, that's only on paper"?

Both Rollins and Jeter were named Rookie of The Year: Jeter in 1997, Rollins in 2001

Rollins is a three-time All Star, while Jeter has been voted in ten times.

Phillies And Yankees Fans Taste Their Destiny And Their Pasts

And so they meet again.

After 59 years.

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees will face each other in the ultimate east coast Fall Classic.

If you're a passionate baseball fan, this is a contest for the ages. Inevitably ugliness will rear it's head. This is not a World Series for the faint of heart, the weak in the stomach, the half-interested fan. This is a series for two of the most notorious and fiery fan bases in sports. 

These are fans with different complexions, different complexities. They each have their identities.

The Yankees fight to get their glory back, while the Phillies keep the all-time losers history at a safe, but still too close of a distance. Both clubs have something specific to tell their fans and the message has to be clear.

Yankees fans: We're back.

Phillies fans: We ain't going back.

It's not just about baseball, but the very rich history in both cities, in sports, and in general.

Philadelphia may be the birthplace of freedom, but New York knows it's the birthplace of nearly everything cool and exciting.

Devotion to sports isn't just about the sport itself, but how it defines families, neighborhoods and childhood memories. When I think of key moments as a baseball fan, I recall where I was and who I was with. You might have had a difficult relationship with a parent or sibling, but sports was where you bonded. Or maybe the friends you made for life, were made through a shared passion for a team. 

The identity of Phillies fans and Yankees fans is tied up in the identity of the cities and the lifestyle.

No athlete cares to live in the past, but fans stay mired in it and forever influenced by it, down to their core.

The identity of a Yankees fan has always been tied to it's past: Gehrig and DiMaggio, Ruth and Berra.

For Phillies fans this goes a bit different: 10,000 losses notched, 1964, Joe Carter...then there's 1980, Tug, Pete, Schmidty. And, well, last year.

Fans don't want to live in the past either, but they live there because it becomes part of who they are. The losses aren't about a career, but a direct line to their hearts. The heart doesn't forget. They don't switch uniforms. They live and die with that team.

The Pinstripes Series arrives and so do fans who know who they are and, also, who they want to be.

You aren't just going to be watching a World Series, but two cities with their hearts on the line.

2009 NLCS: The Wolf Pack Speaks Volumes About Phillies Fans

When a favorite player goes to a new team, he stops being a favorite player.

But in the case of Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf and his Philadelphia fan club, the Wolf Pack, it's a lot trickier.

In Game 4 of the NLCS, Randy Wolf's faithful friends were the very definition of class and dedication.

The Dodgers originally drafted Wolf in 1994, but he didn't sign with them. The Phillies drafted him in 1997. Wolf pitched for the Phillies his entire career until the Dodgers signed "Wolfie" as a Free Agent. The Wolf Pack includes brothers Patrick and John Wood. Along the way Wolf's former and current teammate Vicente Padilla's "Padilla Flotilla" also became part of the Phillies vernacular. Wolf became friends with the pack and formed a bond with his devotees. They were Philly guys, proud and passionate. Randy Wolf, while never an emotional sort, embraced the experience.

When he left, the Wolf Pack didn't stop being Randy Wolf fans, but they were first and foremost Phillies fans.

Monday night their loyalties were tested.

"Not until the game started did we realize there would be some mixed emotions," Patrick told Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

While one Los Angeles Times writer called Phillies fans ugly, Tommy Lasorda expresses hate for a green furry monster and says his hometown is Los Angeles (Norristown , PA, actually), and legions of Phillies fans feel trashed by TBS and FOX announcers, the Wolf Pack walked the line and took no side easily. They faced a tough situation emotionally. Their team was in the contest. Their friend was the opposition.

While no one can agree if Phillies fans are lowly losers or mistreated champions, it's undeniable that the Wolf Pack are the kind of baseball fans a player doesn't attract everyday. And players don't form friendships with fans very often. Wolf, however, made sure that the Wolf Pack had tickets to Game 4.

Randy Wolf and his pack get a tip of the cap.

And hopefully from those with a P and an LA on it.

2009 NLCS: Heart Wins...And Loses

A 99 mph fastball is hard to hit.

But if you put it right in the middle of the plate, nice and fat, well, someone good is bound to hit it.

Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton served one up to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

And the Dodgers, a team that finished the regular season with the best record in the National League, lost 5-4 to the reigning World Champion Phillies.

What team has more heart?

Neither.

Which team has an unflappable bullpen?

Neither.

What hitter did Broxton want to avoid after a 2008 home run for the ages incident?

Matt Stairs.

And so...

One of those teams with heart, called on their unpredictable bullpen, holding the other team to a one run lead. This led to the man with the unforgettable bomb of the 2008 NLCS. Which led to a walk. Which led to a hit batter...double...over...

You could have gambled on either team. And it would have nothing to do with either having more or less heart.

Did the Dodgers have less heart when they cleanly swept the Cardinals in the NLDS?

No. 

The Phillies do not have more heart because they got to the Dodgers closer last night.

You've been watching the two best teams in the National League duke it out.

Phils first baseman Ryan Howard just tied Lou Gehrig's record for most home runs in the post-season.

Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez just happens to hold the record for most RBI in the post-season.

Who has more heart?

Neither.

We don't need to question players and teams and managers heart when they lose. Because, no, they do not want to find ways to lose.

But, inevitably, at some point, every team finds those ways.

On Monday night, Citizen's Bank Park shook beneath the press box after a thrilling comeback win by the Phillies.

The Dodgers left the field stunned, disappointed, and defeated. 

Heart didn't win.

Baseball at it's finest did.

It's just how it works.

2009 ALCS: Angels Tragic Inspiration Familiar To Yankees Fans

Baseball, despite it being a competition, is a family.

There are friends who play against each other, actual brothers on opposing teams or on the same team, and former teammates who look across the field and see a guy they came through the system with. Now he may pitch against him or get a big hit off of him.

They're still family. They're just doing their jobs.

Fans also understand each other, despite being on opposite sides. Fans of rival teams are married to one another. Kids don't always love the teams their parents love. The friend you have dinner with one week, could be on the enemy side a few weeks later if their favorite teams go to a World Series.

We're still friends. We're just fans.

While Yankees fans root for their team to defeat the Anaheim Angels and advance to the World Series, many of those same fans know about watching their team take the field after a tragic loss.

They understand what the Angels and their fans are inspired by right now, because they remember Thurman Munson.

Nick Adenhart was 23. He'd just made his Major League debut a year before, while the Yankees catcher had many years (and two World Series rings) as the leader of his ball club. Both were taken by the cruel hand of fate: Adenhart by a drunk driver, Munson as pilot of a doomed flight.

But tragedy doesn't have a measure. Though Munson had been in the big leagues for ten years, he was still a young man himself, dying at 33 in 1979. Adenhart made his Angels debut in May of 2008. He was the starting pitcher against the Oakland A's on April 8th, 2009. Several hours later, he was gone.

Perhaps Munson, long retired, would've thrown out the first pitch at today's Yankees game. A game Nick Adenhart may have started, as the third guy in the rotation.

The Yankees might come out the winner, or maybe the Angels will hold on for another chance.

But wouldn't it be wonderful if those two were still here to take part?

Yes, as fans we have our sworn enemies.

But, in the end, the truth is,  we know each other well.

The Darren Daulton Clever Joke Fest Goes On Another Tour

In 1993 the Phillies went to the World Series and lost in six games. The Toronto Blue Jays won their second in a row. Joe Carter became part of baseball history. And Phillies fans decades long nightmare continued.

There were a lot of factors in the Phillies making it there and one of them was the offense, defense and leadership of catcher Darren Daulton.

Over the past few years he's made headlines with his religious beliefs.

Some of them are likely people with religious beliefs. But Daulton's faith in things unseen and unexplainable has been the stuff of a million mediocre jokes.

The script is now in. We all have it. If you mention Daulton's name, we know you're going to attempt to impress yourself with some withering remark about how insane he is. 

When I read about athletes, I don't care what their religious beliefs are. I also don't need them to be humiliated for my reading pleasure.

Here's a story I always liked:

Darren Daulton was a catcher with the Phillies for more than a decade, the greatest clubhouse presence Curt Schilling says he's ever been around. Daulton resided on Macho Row in the Philadelphia clubhouse, whose other occupants were guys such as John Kruk and Mitch Williams and Lenny Dykstra, guys who played and lived hard. Schilling, who prides himself on going home every night, was cut from a different cloth, but always felt he had Macho Row's respect for how he went about his business.

Until the night Daulton called him out after a poor outing in St. Louis.

"I'd gotten my butt kicked," Schilling said, "and Darren called me out in the paper. He said we had a lot of young guys doing stupid stuff. He was basically letting everyone know I was an idiot."

The reporters couldn't wait to see how Schilling would react.

"I told them, 'I'd love to say some nasty stuff, but he's right. I was stupid. I'm absolutely embarrassed by everything that happened.' We were on a plane that night, we always played cards on every flight, and Darren turned around and said to me, 'I want to kick your butt right now.' I said, 'You know what, I deserve it.'

"He was a tremendous leader. He knew what he needed from me. He knew how to push my buttons."

Chase Utley Is Not Chuck Knoblauch

Ok, so everyone had a good laugh.

There was a fun line being thrown around yesterday and that was that Chase Utley was looking a bit too much like Chuck Knoblauch, the much maligned former second baseman.

Hopefully we got our fill and can get back to reality: Chase Utley had a horrible game defensively, and it hurt the Phillies chances of winning. He's also one of the best second baseman in baseball.

In Game 2 of the Phillies and Dodgers NLCS, the Phils All-Star second baseman made a throwing error that helped lead the Dodgers to a 2-1 victory. After Utley's error allowed the tying run to score, J.A. Happ entered the game with the bases loaded and walked in what proved to be the winning run. Pedro Martinez pitched beautiful, shutout ball through seven innings.

Utley's errors in the series could be chalked up to nerves or human failure, but they can't be blown out of proportion. Or, well, they can be. But there should be little worry about a man who takes such pride in preparation and learning from his mistakes. A player who's steely focus and respect for his living and his teammates cannot be, should not be, questioned....

...Cole Hamels is certainly not having a good career moment. But he's also the kind of player most teams would love to count among their problems. 

The 2008 World Series MVP's display of raw emotion in Thursday night's Game 1 win over Los Angeles, seemed suggestive of a few things: youth, passion, youth, frustration, youth...

His response, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer by Andy Martino, was a mixture of defiance and self-reflection.

"I could have gone about it less obvious," he said. "You're so wrapped up in being perfect and you want things to go right so bad."

I'd guess everyone on the team is wrapped up in wanting things to go right. And badly. 

When told that manager Charlie Manuel commented that he thought Hamels is more professional than that display, Hamels had this to say:

"He can say that all he wants, but I'm not going to change my emotions."

I don't think anyone wants him to change his emotions.

I also think his teammates respect him for trying so hard to be perfect, when all he really had to do was pitch well.

Today's Young Major League Stars Can Restore Baseball's Soul

If you fell in love with baseball in the nineties, you were probably impressed (or disgusted) by the offensive powers of Mark Mcgwire and Barry Bonds.

You watched Roger Clemens pitch his way toward a seemingly inevitable place in Cooperstown. You saw future New York Yankees stars Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez (then with Seattle) developing. You might have been watching, and even rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1993 World Series.

You were also watching players who would later be accused of using performance enhancers. Some of them would admit to using. Some, well, they'd say they were misheard. Who's telling the truth? It doesn't matter right now.

Because in the 2009 post-season, baseball seems to be renewing itself. Starting over, in a sense.

Maybe it's just me, but the slate seems to be cleaned- or at least less dirty- in regard to Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte's past steroid use. Admitting an error in judgment goes a long way with people. You know what else helps?

Playing really, really well. 

But mixed into the 2009 playoffs, are a number of young superstar players who can be a tremendous help in restoring fans faith in baseball.

Young players such as the Los Angeles Dodgers Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw, Phillie Ryan Howard, and the Yankees Phil Hughes, as well as veterans Derek Jeter and Jim Thome, are all part of an exciting post-season, that includes the New York Yankees once again.

Baseball's been on a long, strange trip lately. Manny Ramirez was suspended due to testing positive for a banned substance, and there was the Clemens debacle over what he did or didn't say to former teammate Pettitte about his steroid use.

In the age of much stricter testing and consequences, what baseball needs is a crop of young players  to emerge with force and make a statement with their abilities: This is what can be done without all that. They can remind wayward fans that awesome natural talent does exist.

But seeing the rebirth of players who've been outed for their decisions to use performance enhancers, is also important in the process. If they can be successful after proving they're on the straight and narrow, they make a point.

The 2009 Fall Classic is the stage for all that to begin. 

Perhaps the next decade sees America falling in love with baseball again.