FOOD. SHELTER. BASEBALL.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION: Ty Cobb to Bart Simpson in 6 moves

I've done this before, Babe Ruth to Elmo—two of the most fun loving characters who ever lived. This time out I thought I'd feature a couple of bad boys, Ty Cobb and Bart Simpson. It's really not a great comparison. Cobb was a mean-spirited racist, while Bart is more of misunderstood prankster. Cobb is the better hitter and fielder. Bart is better at stealing things (except bases, of course).

Anyway, as I explained last time, the basic theory behind "Six Degrees of Separation" is that every person in the world is connected with every other person in the world by no more than six steps. I managed to get from Babe Ruth to Elmo in 4 steps. Cobb to Bart is a little tougher:

1. Ty Cobb played with Bobby Veach on the 1915 Detroit Tigers.

2. Bobby Veach played with West Springfield's own Leo Durocher on the 1925 New York Yankees.

3. Leo Durocher played with Gil Hodges on the 1943 Brooklyn Dodgers.

4. Gil Hodges played with Willie Davis on the 1961 Los Angeles Dodgers.

5. Willie Davis appeared in the movie "Which Way To The Front?" with funnyman Jerry Lewis.

6.  Jerry Lewis did the voice of Professor John Frink Sr. on The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XIV" with Bart Simpson.

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Willie Davis is the glue to this connection. He also appeared in an episode of The Flying Nun and Mr. Ed. The Flying Nun episode was entitled "The Big Game" and also featured Don Drysdale. The Mr. Ed episode was entitled "Leo Durocher meets Mr. Ed" and also featured Durocher, Moose Skowron, Sandy Koufax, John Roseboro and long-time Dodgers' announcer Vin Scully. I'm sure you could link with Bart Simpson a bunch of different ways using these guys. 

A few other tidbits about Davis: He and Pete Rose both collected their 2000 hit on the same day, June 19, 1973. Davis finished with 2561 hits, good for 78th all-time. Rose hit a few more. Davis nickname was 3-Dog becuase he wore number three and hit a lot of triples. He was also a good fielder. I'm not saying he could catch a frisbee in his mouth, but he covered a lot of ground in the outfield. 

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George Takei, Sulu of Star Trek fame, also appeared in "Which Way ToThe Front?" and on three different Simpsons' episodes ("One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Bluefish," "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" and "A Hunka Hunka Burns In Love"). Paul Winchell also appeared in "Which Way To The Front?". Winchell is better known as the voices of Tigger and Baby Smurf. 

Ty Cobb to Baby Smurf—what a small world! 

THE GOLDEN AGE OF SWITCH-HITTING

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say today's generation of switch-hitters is the greatest in baseball history. In fact, not since the days of Tommy Tucker, Candy Lachance, John Anderson, Tom Daly and George Davis has baseball seen such an impressive group of switch-hitters. 

Who? 

Exactly.

Sure, George Davis is a Hall of Famer. And Tommy Tucker hit .372 for the Baltimore Orioles one year. But that year was 1899. In fact, all of the above mentioned players spent the majority of their careers during the 1890's. I'm not saying hitting from both sides of the plate was any different back then. But the game was definitely different. 

It's pretty much a given that Mickey Mantle is/was/always will be the greatest switch-hitter of all-time. And, if you exclude today's switch-hitters, most people would probably round out their Top-5 with Eddie Murray, Pete Rose, Frankie Frisch and Tim Raines. Coming up with a Top-10 is a bit trickier. Max Carey, Dave Bancroft, Red Schoendienst, Maury Wills, Reggie Smith, Ken Singleton, Ted Simmons, Willie Wilson, Willie McGee, Chili Davis and Bobby Bonilla all deserve consideration. As do recent retirees Roberto Alomar, Bernie Williams and Ruben Sierra. Some would also argue Martin Dihigo and Cool Papa Bell, a couple of Negro Leaguers, and Buck Weaver, banned from baseball for his part in the Black Sox scandal, belong in there somewhere. 

But, if you group the best switch-hitters by era, none of them compares with today's crop of Chipper Jones, Lance Berkman, Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltran, Victor Martinez, Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes and Jorge Posada.

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Other notable switch-hitters currently playing in the bigs: Omar Vizquel, Jose Vidro, Ray Durham, Chone Figgins, Rafael Furcal, Tony Clark and Jason Varitek. None of these guys are really elite switch-hitters, although Vidro and Varitek have both won Silver Slugger awards and a few of the others have had big seasons. Vizquel is most probably a Hall of Famer but not because of his bat.

One other current switch-hitter who has won a Silver Slugger award is pitcher Carlos Zambrano. 

Interestingly, Lance Berkman has never won a Silver Slugger award.       

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My Top-10 switch-hittters:

1. Mickey Mantle

2. Pete Rose

3. Chipper Jones

4. Eddie Murray

5. Tim Raines

6. Cool Papa Bel

7. Frankie Frisch

8. Lannce Berkman

9. Roberto Alomar

10. Martin Dihigo

Just missed: Reggie Smith, Ted Simmons, Ken Singleton, Bobby Bonilla, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Carlos Beltran, George Davis and Max Carey.

Mark Teixeira, Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes and Victor Martinez all need a few more solid seasons to warrant Top-10 consideration.

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Most people think of Reggie Smith with the Red Sox or Cardinals. But Smith's two best years were probably '77 and '78 with the Dodgers. It's especially impressive considering Dodger Stadium is such a tough hitter's park. Unfortunately, Smith did nothing both years against the Yankees in the postseason. 

FAST FACT: Mickey & Minnie

I'm off with the family to Disneyland tomorrow. I thought I'd share this tidbit before I left.

On May 1, 1951, in a game between the Yankees and the White Sox, Mickey Mantle hit his first career home run. Minnie Minoso hit his second.

It wasn't all good news that day. The Yankees won 8-3.

FAST FACT: Who Wants Chili?!

A couple of weeks ago Justin Masterson made his big league debut for the Red Sox. He was called up from Double A Portland to make an emergency start when the Sox rotation got hit hard with the flu. He pitched 6 innings, gave up 2 hits, 4 walks and one run. He deserved the win but wound up with a no decision when the Sox bullpen gave up 4 runs in the 7th inning.

At the time, I read (or heard somewhere) that Masterson was the first Jamaican to ever pitch in the Major Leagues. I even told my buddy David this. Turns out I screwed up. It's not true. Although Masterson is the first Jamaican to start a big league game, he is not the first Jamaican to ever pitch in the bigs. That honor would go to Mr. Chili Davis.

Like Masterson, Chili was born in Kingston, Jamiaca. Unlike Masterson, Chili is better known for his hitting than his pitching. Chili played 19 season in the big leagues. He hit 350 home runs (4th all-time among switch-hitters), had 1372 RBI's and a .274 career batting average. He was a 3-time All-Star. And he won three World Series with the Twins (1991) and Yankees (1998 and 1999). And Chili Davis has an earned run average of 0.00.

Chili Davis made his his one and only big league mound appearance on June 17, 1993, playing for the Angels. Chili was called into the game in the 8th inning with his team trailing the Rangers 18-1. Chili pitched two scoreless innnings and gave up no hits, although he did hit Jose Canseco with a pitch.

Maybe someday Justin Masterson will be known as the greatest pitcher in Jamaican history. But, as of now, it's still Chili.

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I just thought I'd share this since it ties in so well with my last two posts: Spa Days: Part 1 (Jamaica) and Updates III ("I screwed up.").

UPDATES III

Besides a few posts lately I really haven't tinkered with the site in a long time. I spent a little time going over it again and did notice the archives for each month and under each category only listed 10 posts. Anything written at the beginning of the month or more than 10 posts in a category was lost. I screwed up when I designed the site but it's fixed now. thank you for your patience.

SPA DAYS: Part 1

My wife and I honeymooned in Jamaica. We stayed at the San Souci Resort in Ocho Rios. It's an all-inclusive resort. You pay one price and you can eat and drink yourself silly. They even have a private nudist beach there. Just in case you eat too much and can't fit into any of your clothes.

As part of our honeymoon package we also received one free spa service every day. I got a couple of massages, a facial, a waxing, salt scrub, manicure and pedicure. By the end of the week I felt like one of those little dogs Paris Hilton carries around in her purse. It was truly wonderous, except for the manicure.

Guys don't typically get a manicure or pedicure. They should. It looks nice. Although, if they ask if you want the clear polish, say no. It's not really clear, it's more shiny, and your fingers and toes will light up like an airstrip at night.

On this particular day, I was the only guy in the room and the spa ladies, all Jamaican, spoke their native Patois and giggled and tee-heed. Maybe, I was reading into it a little, but it felt like they were goofing on me. I'm not a big fan of the small talk but sometimes it can be your only friend.

"You think my hands are too soft for a guy?"
"If somebody gets too ticklish is it okay to slap him?
"Ever refuse to touch a person's foot?"

Soon I had the whole room eating out of the palm of my smooth, callous-free hand. I was on a roll. And then...

"Do you charge extra if a person has 6 fingers?"

Suddenly, my spa lady went silent. Her smile disappeared. Her eyes narrowed. She stopped cleaning my cuticles. Slowly she lifted her hands. Next to each pinky was a little nub.

Yikes!

In life, like in baseball, you sometimes find yourself in a jam. In baseball, you can turn to your bullpen. In life, you are forced to rely on your wits. And sometimes, they turn out to be one in the same.

Antonio Alfonseca pitched 11 years in the big leagues. He played for the Marlins, Cubs, Braves, Rangers and Phillies. He won a World Series with the Marlins in 1997, his rookie year. He lead the National League in saves in 2000 (45) and won the NL Rolaids Relief Award that same year. And Antonio Alfonseca has 6 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each foot. His nickname is El Pulpo, or the Octopus.

I shared the Octopus' story with the spa lady and it wasn't long before I had her smiling again. Antonio Alfonseca saved 129 games in his big league career. But none were ever as big as the save he made that day in Jamaica.

FIRST ONE TO .200 WINS

Thanks to going 4 for 4 last night, Jack Cust (.222) beats David Ortiz (.196), Frank Thomas (.195) and Ryan Howard (.184) past the Mendoza Line.

A few other notables hitting below .200: Carlos Delgado (.198), Jose Guillen (.176), Gary Sheffield (.176), Jason Giambi (.164), Andruw Jones (.159) and Robinson Cano (.155).

Interestingly, if you move the decimal point over two spots on Frank Thomas' batting average you get his birth weight.

HALL OF LAME

Nomar Garciaparra won Rookie of the Year in 1997. He won batting titles in 1999 and 2000. He was an All-Star in 5 of his first 8 seasons. And he had more than a 190 hits in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003. At that point in his career he was a lock for the Hall of Fame.

Today, it's more likely that Nomar will be inducted into the Hall of Lame. Since 2001, Nomar has been on the 15-Day or 60-Day disabled list at least 10 times. He's suffered from wrist tendonitis, achilles tendonitis, a left groin injury, a sprained right knee ligament, a strained left calf and numerous other injuries, some even more serious than those listed. Oh, what might have been had he only stayed healthy.

This morning I drove past the Dodgers new spring training home, under construction a few miles from my house. I wasn't thinking about Nomar at the time, but then I saw another building under construction directily across the street.

Coming Soon: CVS

All the ACE Bandages, gauze, Ben Gay, ankle braces and painkillers Nomar could ever need. And it's all within hobbling distance to the Dodgers new spring training facility.

Maybe CVS could honor Nomar. Name an aisle after him. Or present him with the "Keys to the Pharmacy." Anything but a ribbon cutting. Nomar and a giant pair of scissors has 15-day disabled list written all over it.

FOOD. SHELTER. MAX.

Sorry it's been awhile. Back in September my son Max learned to walk and baseball suddenly took a backseat to trying to keep him from destroying everything in his path. Overnight I went from being his Dad to being his parole officer.

The other thing that kept me away for so long was feeling like this had become a job. I love baseball and I like to write but staying up past midnight trying to post something every day got to be too much. I'm also a notoriously slow writer and tend to obsess over every little word (not that it makes me a better writer). This was supposed to be fun. But then it wasn't.

After the World Series ended I really thought I was done. I missed it sometimes but...

...then I realized if you put your kid in front of the TV it's just like having a babysitter, only better because a TV won't tempt you with its young, perfect body. I'm kidding.

The real story is, the past couple of days I started emailing my buddy David more and more baseball nonsense and thought, "why should David be the only person I bore to tears with my musings." So, I'm back. I don't know how much I'll write or how often. And there will definitely be more typos and less proofreading. It's baseball. It's supposed to be fun.

MY VOTE: Boston Red Sox vs. Colorado Rockies

Boston Red Sox vs. Colorado Rockies
You gotta love the Rockies' story. They win 13 of their last 14 games to tie for the wild card and force a one game playoff with the Padres. Then, down by 2 to the Padres in the 13th inning, they score 3 in the bottom half of the 13th to advance to the postseason. Next, they dispatch the Phillies in 3 games. And then win the NLCS in a sweep of the D-Backs. That's 21 out of 22 wins in a row.

It's incredible. It's unbelievable. It's about to come to an end.

Prediction: Red Sox in 6 games. I actually think the Sox can win this in 4 or 5 but it would be nice to see them win at home.
Bold prediction: Game 4. Denver. Snowshoes.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE...

I used to work with a guy who said he didn't believe in "karma." However, he did believe "what goes around comes around." The dumbass made a lot more money than I did, too.

Not sure why I'm telling you that but...

A couple of weeks ago, when the Red Sox were playing the Angels in the ALDS, it was reported that Garret Anderson had pink eye (if you're one of those guys who doesn't like the DH, you probably know it better as "conjunctivitis"). It was really bad, too. Anderson even missed a few games at the end of the season and got pulled in the second inning of game 3 of the ALDS.

Hey, I like Garret Anderson. But at the time I heard it I thought to myself, "how in the hell does a grown man get pink eye?" My youngest son Max had it a few months ago. My oldest son Zach had it when he was little. And I had it when I was a kid, too. It's a kid thing, I always thought.

Wrong.

I don't know how Garret Anderson got his but I spent almost the entire day yesterday at the San Diego Zoo and woke up this morning with my left eye crusted shut. I didn't even go near the petting zoo. I did chat up an attractive older lady at a bar at a Red Lobster last night. She was a travelling nurse. Could I have contracted it from her? Is it that contagious?

Anyway, I just wanted to make a public apology to a Garret Anderson. Sorry Garret. I hope you're feeling better.

HEY NOW!

Red Sox are going back to the World Series! And I've picked the winner in every series so far this postseason. Let's hope my luck/genius continues.