All Things Bubba

It's the championship round of Red Hot Mama's "hottest baller" tournament: Bubba Crosby vs. Brandon Phillips. Vote early, vote often. ;-)

I am back home, safe and sound, if rather tired of driving. (It took me two 11-hour days behind the wheel to get from Florida to New York. Next time, I'm bringing a friend to share the driving. I thought none of my friends was interested. Turns out, one of them was, but she thought I was flying, and didn't want to shell out for plane tickets. If she'd known I was driving, she'd have come.)

Though I have to say, I enjoy vacationing by myself once in awhile. You can do exactly what you want, when you want, without worrying about whether everyone else is having fun. No arguing over which restaurant to go to, what to do, etc. I went to six baseball games in six days. And stayed to the very end of all of them, despite blistering heat and freezing cold. Dunno how many of my friends and family would be up for that.

Of course, the Reds made all kinds of moves today, while I was offline, battling traffic on I-95. They returned their other Rule 5 pick, optioned Bill Bray to the minors...and reassigned Andy Phillips to minor league camp.

Even more shocking, they are cutting Mike Stanton. Holy guacamole, I didn't see this coming. I thought he'd be given at least a couple of months to prove himself, if only because of his $3 million salary. The Reds are going to have to eat that now.

I confess, I didn't think Andy Phillips had much of a chance of making the big league roster when he signed with Cincinnati. Nothing against him; the Reds were just very well-stocked with infielders already. But the way he played the last few days, I was starting to think he might get the last roster spot.

I guess it's not to be. Jerry Hairston and Jolbert Cabrera have not been cut yet. They more versatile players (defensively) than Andy; they've both played SS and CF, as well as the corner OFer and infield positions that Andy plays. And they are veterans with years of experience. Dusty said earlier this season that that's what he was looking for in a utility player: a veteran who wouldn't be bothered by failure.

Bubba had a major league deal last year, and was on the roster, so he had to clear waivers and accept assignment to the minors before they could send him to Louisville. I don't think that's the case with Andy. Andy was signed to a minor league deal, and was not on the roster. So I don't think he has a choice. He's a Louisville Bat now; he cannot refuse the assignment and become a free agent.

Of course, the Reds might call him up if someone gets injured. Or they could trade him to a team that needs him more than they do.

At least he'll be playing somewhere. I'd be thrilled if Bubba was playing for Louisville this year.

Andy Phillips warming up before the game

I was at the Reds-Jays game last night. Andy started at 3B and had a pretty good night, on offense and defense. I'm packing up the car to go back to NY now, but I'll post more details (and photos, of course!) when I have time. For now, here's one to tide you over. ;-)

Well, I had an awesome seat at yesterday's Reds game...but Andy Phillips didn't play. That's the first game this spring he hasn't played in at all. Maybe they just wanted to give him a rest. Also, most of the starters stayed in the whole game yesterday. Getting ready for the regular season to begin, I guess. However, I do have a few photos from Monday's game for you Andy fans.

Jerry Gil was reassigned to minor league camp yesterday, so that's one less infielder/outfielder in competition for the 25th roster spot.

I tried to go to Mote Aquarium on Monday, but there was no parking. None at all. Cars were double-parked, jammed along the sides of the road and on the grass, and some were idling in the parking lot, just waiting for a space to open up. None did. And there was a really long line, mostly of little kids, waiting to get into the aquarium. I decided I had better ways to spend a hot, sunny Monday.

So I went back the way I came, and stopped at that beach park across from Bird Key. There's a bridge with pedestrian walkways that I've been wanting to walk over every time I drive by. And there are little parks on either end. People were windsurfing at one end, fishing at the other. (I have no idea what they were fishing for, though the bait they were using was pretty big. I saw one guy get a bite, but the fish slipped the hook before he could haul it in.)

Me, I took photos. The locals thought it was hilarious that I was trying to take pictures of a bird that was flying by. They kept laughing at me and telling me I wasn't going to succeed. Hah! Once you've tried tracking speeding outfielders, a mere bird is a piece of cake:


I think it's a pelican. There are a lot of seabirds around here that you just don't see in upstate NY.

I was surprised that once I was out of the car, it was no longer a hot day. The wind was incredible. Once I was moving it was okay, but it was surprisingly cold.

That should have been a warning to me. It was freezing at the game that night. I brought a jacket, but it wasn't warm enough. The wind just blew right through you.

The game was sold out, but I bought a bleacher ticket for face value from someone who was trying to get rid of it. I chose the right field bleachers, because there's usually more action along the first base line. And I figured if Andy entered the game, it would likely be at 1B.

Bad choice. The view is pretty lousy from the right field bleachers. You can't even see the plate from many of the bleacher seats.

By the sixth inning, it was so cold that people began leaving en masse. I moved up a little, to get a better view of the middle infield (though it meant I couldn't see the plate or first base at all). It was a mistake. One of the stadium ushers noticed me and told me I couldn't use a camera. WTF? Even the Nazis at Yankee Stadium allow cameras. My bag was searched, I told them it was camera gear, they looked at it, and said it was okay. If cameras are forbidden in the stadium, wouldn't someone have said something? The rules say no food or drink; they don't say no cameras. Almost everyone in the place had a camera.

I asked why, and he just said, "Because no cameras are allowed anywhere here. Put it away now."

So I did what any law-abiding fan would do. I packed away the camera...and decamped to the left field bleachers, where I took out the camera again.

It was a blessing in disguise. The view was much better from left field. It was warmer, too. And Andy ended up coming in at 3B, not 1B. I tried to blend in with the crowd, but by then, there wasn't any. However, none of the stadium employees on that side of the field had a problem with my camera.



Andy got one at-bat. He grounded into a double play. Guess you can't hit a home run every time.


Andy waits for the throw at third base, but there isn't one. It's a triple.


But it was too little, too late. Reds win, 5-3.


Good night, Andy!

Labels: game photos, spring break

Andy's on the front page of Reds.com. It's a photo for this article:

Tough decisions looming for Reds

As for the battle for the final bench spot, Jolbert Cabrera, Andy Phillips, Andy Green, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Jerry Gil remain in the mix. Cabrera and Phillips seem to have the best shot, but this battle is too close to call.

...Andy Phillips, the only Reds player to play in every game this spring, entered Monday's game against the Blue Jays batting .262 (11-for-42) with one home run and eight RBIs. Both Cabrera and Phillips have played multiple positions around the infield and outfield.

"You always stay positive," Phillips said of the final week. "You have to keep a positive frame of mind."

I did go to the game last night. My seat wasn't very good, and being night time, the light wasn't great, either. But I did get some pics and will post them later.

Andy Phillips in the on-deck circle

Yesterday was my first game at Ed Smith Stadium, and my first time sitting on the box seats anywhere.

It's not really that I'm cheap. It's more that I'm a last-minute Louie when it comes to baseball. I never order tickets ahead of time; I just walk up to the box office on game day. Even for minor league games, this usually means the box seats are sold out. Yesterday, however, there was one box seat available, and I took it.

It was kind of cool to be so close. But all in all, I didn't like it. You got a great view of the batter, but the view down the first base line and to the mound was often obstructed by umpires and players. And it was hard to see what was going on in the outfield. I think I prefer being a little higher up.

It was very cloudy in the morning. (I went to Lido Beach, taking photos and gathering shells, and it was very pleasant.) The clouds were gone by game time, though, and it was sweltering. A lot of people left early because of the heat. Which was good for me. I was able to move around a little and get better spots to take photos from.

The Easter Bunny threw out the first pitch.


Phenom Johnny Cueto had a rough outing, retiring only two of ten batters and getting the hook after only 2/3 of an inning. He even walked the pitcher. On four pitches.

Carlos Pena hit a three run homer off Cueto. It was 5-0 Rays after only one inning. Things didn't look good for our heroes.


Jim Brower, who was with the Yankees last year, came in in relief.


One good thing about my seat was that it offered a great view into the Reds dugout. Here's Andy shoveling sunflower seeds into his mouth.


He spent most of the game sitting by the water coolers, drinking water. (It was a very hot day.) He went into the clubhouse briefly (probably to go to the bathroom after drinking all that water!), then returned to his spot by the water coolers.

Late in the game, he started playing with someone else's bat. Trying to give Dusty a hint?


Finally, one of the coaches came over to talk to him. They spent some time looking at a book (probably a scouting report). I figured they were going to put him in, and sure enough, he went into the clubhouse again and came out with his gear. He brought his glove, too, so he wasn't just pinch-hitting. Yay.


Andy came in in the 7th, and got things going in a big inning for the Reds, hitting a two-run homer off Troy Percival.


He hustled out of the box, not sure it was going out, but it kept going until it cleared the wall in left-center.



It ended up being a 7-run inning for the Reds, capped by Javy Valentin's 3-run go-ahead homer.


Andy took over first base for the rest of the game.


He had a nice play on defense, scooping it out of the dirt on a 6-4-3 double play.


Two Andys: Andy Phillips chats with Andy Cannizaro at first base. Both became free agents this season after years in the Yankees system. (Cannizaro got on base when Justin James hit him with a pitch.)


Andy was pretty bubbly after hitting that dinger.



He struck out his second time up.


He was still all smiles in the dugout, though. I guess hitting a homer like that makes your day.



The Reds bullpen could not hold the lead they were given, alas. The Rays tied the game in the 8th, and won it in the 9th.

The final score: Rays 10, Reds 9, in a roller coaster of a game.

Labels: game photos, spring break

No baseball for me today. The weather forecast was dreadful - rain and thunder. The Reds were playing the Astros, a two-hour drive away. The Yankees were playing at home, which means they were sold out for sure. If the weather forecast weren't so bad, I might have driven two hours to see the Astros, or taken my chances with a scalper for the Yankees, or hung around Ed Smith to see if the Bats were playing at home. But it wasn't worth it when the games were likely to be rained out.

The good news is that the rest of the week is supposed to be nice. I might stay an extra day. The day I was planning to leave, the Yankees play at Philly during the day, and the Reds play at Toronto at night. The stadiums are close to each other. If I'm not all baseballed out by then, I could go to both games that day.

As it turned out, while the Yankees were rained out today, the Reds did play. They lost a squeaker to the Astros, 6-5. Andy Phillips came in at 1B in the bottom of the 8th, and got one at-bat in the ninth. He hit a single to center. (Too bad I missed it!)

Instead, I went to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. It's a garden and nature preserve, a two-hour drive away from Sarasota. Not one of the better-known Florida attractions, which is nice, because it's not crowded. It's in the middle of a huge orange grove; you drive through acres of orange trees to get there. The scent of orange blossoms fills the air.

I left fairly early this morning, and stopped for breakfast along the way. (Chicken-fried steak, eggs, and grits. Hey, why eat food you can get at home while you're on vacation? ;-)

On the way, I accidentally pulled into the wrong driveway while stopping to get gas. I thought it connected to the gas station next door, but it didn't. Instead, it was an office building that was pretty deserted, since it was Saturday. I pulled around in back to turn around, and found a drainage canal. Hoping to see an alligator, I looked in. No alligators, but there was a flock of peacocks. They were eating garbage out of the dumpster in back of the building.




I got to Bok Tower a little after ten, and it was almost empty. It was beautiful, in a sort of Jurassic Park, tropical way. There's a web of paths through the garden, and most of the time I was all alone. The smell of flowers is everywhere, as is the sound of birds. (That was very Jurassic Park-like, too.) And you can hear the carillon bells, even when you can't see the tower. (In fact, I had a hard time finding the tower at first. My tendency to choose the road less traveled, I think. If you choose the more obvious paths, you get there quickly.)

The sight of the tower looming through the trees is quite impressive.


Spanish moss drips from the trees in this part of Florida. I haven't seen Spanish moss since a childhood trip to coastal North Carolina.


There are a lot of animals in the park. They feed the birds, so there are a lot of those. I saw one lone swan, who kept rushing excitedly toward me, obviously expecting to be fed. Alas, I didn't have any food on me.


There are alligators in the park, but I didn't see any. I did see a green heron, some little lizards, and a lot of squirrels.




The squirrels were tiny things. At first I thought they were babies (it's the right time of year, I guess). But I never saw any "adults" - gray squirrels the size of the ones you see in the northeast everywhere. I think these Florida squirrels might be a different species. Cute little critters.

Tomorrow, the Reds play Tampa at home. I will be there, camera in tow.

Andy Phillips during the singing of the national anthem

I arrived in Sarasota way too late to go to the Twins game last night, so I was looking forward to the Reds-Pirates game today. I was a little unnerved when I checked Pirates.com and found the game listed as sold out. Sold out? The Pirates?

(This is what they call bachi in Hawai`i. It's from a Japanese word that means bad luck that you brought on yourself. Karma, if you will. I was making fun of the Pirates' low attendance, saying that the reason they don't have any parking is that they don't need it. So of course, the game I want to go is sold out!)

McKechnie Field is only 7 miles away from my hotel, so I decided to go anyway and see if it was a mistake, or if I could get a ticket from a scalper.

There really is no stadium parking at McKechnie Field. The spring training guides say that fans park on the street in the neighborhood. Maybe some do, but most seem to pay for parking at the various businesses in the area, who make good money by charging to park in their lots. (I have no idea what happens to their normal customers. I guess they're out of luck on game day.) Prices ranged from $5 to $15 or so. It pays to shop around. I parked in the lot of an auto body shop in the shadow of the stadium and paid $5.

I was grateful they gave me a spot where I wouldn't be blocked in, because I wasn't sure I would be able to get a ticket. I was also a little nervous at all the rules they had posted outside the stadium. Among them, that you were only allowed to bring in one bag, and it had to be soft-sided and 16" or smaller. I had a backpack much larger than the posted dimensions, with all my camera gear in it.

There was only one ticket window open, and it had a sign in the window that said the game was sold out. I was disappointed, and wondered where the scalpers were. But I noticed a lot of people seemingly buying tickets, and couldn't believe they were all buying tickets for future games. Especially since some of them were wearing Reds gear. So I got in line and asked if there were any tickets for today's game, feeling stupid since the sign right in front of my face said there weren't. But lo and behold, they had six $9 tickets left.

Some people bought tickets from the scalpers on the corner for $20 because they wanted seats for a group together. Waste of money. Though the game was sold out, a lot of people didn't show up. There were plenty of empty seats.

A lot of the people there were Reds fans. There were also a lot of Yankees fans. Not sure why the game was sold out, though. Maybe just because it's Good Friday, and lot of kids were out of school.

And they didn't give me any hassle about my bag or my camera gear. The security guy was supposed to search it, but took one look and said, "Good lord, girl!" and let me in.

My seat was in the assigned bleachers. In the hot sun (I think I'm a bit burnt, even though I was slathered with sunscreen), but pretty good otherwise. In the third row above the concourse, on the aisle, along the first base line. The Reds were warming up on the field when I got there. Andy Phillips was in the batting cage taking BP.




Andy spent a lot of time signing autographs. He stopped for the national anthem, and went back to signing as soon as it was over. He'd walk a few feet, and stop to sign again. I think everyone who asked him got a signature.


Quite a few familiar faces in today's game. Kevin Thompson was subbed in at left field. He got one plate appearance, and worked a walk.



Did someone order an eyechart? Oops, it's just Doug Mientkiewicz's jersey.


Mike Stanton gave up the only run the Pirates scored today.


Andy Phillips pinch-hit for Stanton, and grounded out to 2B. He did not play except for that one plate appearance. I was disappointed; I was hoping he'd play some first base, since I was sitting on the first base line.



Final score: Reds 5, Pirates 1.

Labels: game photos, spring break

Sarasota at night

Of course, I haven't actually seen much of Sarasota, because it was almost 10pm when I got here. It took a lot longer than Mapquest predicted. There was a lot of construction and some really bad traffic. I forgot that construction would be going on down south. In the northeast, they shut down the asphalt plants over the winter. (Asphalt and concrete don't set right if it's too cold.) The plants don't re-open until April, so there's very little construction going on now up there.

At least the weather was nicer today. Very warm and sunny.

Needless to say, I didn't make it to the Reds-Twins game tonight. Apparently, I didn't miss much. The Twins blanked the Reds 4-0. Andy was subbed into left field, and was 0 for 1 at the plate.

More interesting is the roster moves the Reds made today. Jay Bruce was reassigned to minor league camp. Many fans are upset, but this was pretty much expected. He may be called up as soon as June. Drew Anderson was optioned to Louisville.

Nothing really shocking so far. The Reds have cut young players they still have control of, and who weren't really expected to make the team to begin with. Basically, they haven't lost anyone, they just stashed them in the minors for awhile longer.

Last year, Bubba was not cut until the last week, and it was probably that soon only because he asked to be cut as early as possible if he was going to be cut. He was hoping to sign with another team if the Reds didn't keep him on the roster.

This doesn't enter into it with Andy, since he has a minor league contract, not a major league deal like Bubba had. As I understand it, this means Andy plays for the Bats if he doesn't make the big league team - no need to pass through waivers, and no refusing the assignment to the minors. (Unless Andy has a clause in his contract that allows him to opt out if he's not called up in a certain amount of time. Carlos Pena had one, which is how he was able to leave the Yankees for the Sox. Ron Villone had one last year, and Nick Green has one this year.) So we might not know Andy's fate until the deadline. Last year, the Reds didn't announce the 25th roster spot until the very last minute.

Scranton, PA this morning
I am in Raleigh, North Carolina, roughly halfway to Florida. It was a pretty awful drive. Not as awful as driving overnight from Vero Beach to Houston in a straight shot, but pretty awful. No snow or ice, luckily, but torrential rains and fog so thick you couldn't read the overhead signs even when you were right under them. It was really creepy, in a Stephen King kind of way. I almost expected pterodactyls to emerge from the mist.

It was very tiring, since it was so darned hard to see, between the fog and rain and mist thrown up by other vehicles. Every once in awhile, it would clear just a little, and it would be like, "Wow! It's actually kind of fun to drive when you can see where you're going."

The scenic lookouts were a joke. You couldn't see anything except fog. I had planned to stop and take pictures along the way, but there was really no point. Hopefully the weather will be nicer on the way back. This must have been a really big weather system. I don't think I've ever driven all day and not gotten out of the rain. I kept expecting it to stop...but it never did.

The hardest part of the drive was the last bit. I thought I was home free...but I couldn't find the hotel. I overshot it, and had to turn around. Only it was one of those roads you can't turn around on. I ended up driving around in circles in strange neighborhoods. It got dark, and the rain got really heavy. I stopped and got directions at a Walgreens and a gas station. The first person I asked was no help. She said she had just moved to Raleigh from New York!

John Fay has posted a projected Reds roster. He says Andy Green, Jolbert Cabrera, Jerry Gil, Drew Anderson, Jerry Hairston and Andy Phillips "all have made strong cases for the 25th man spot." But he picked Andy Green to get the job. Andy Green?!

Nyjer Morgan slides into Andy Phillips, breaking up the double play
The Reds lost to the Pirates today. Andy Phillips was subbed in at 2B and went 1 for 3 with a double.

John Fay reports that the Reds want an upgrade at catcher and are hoping to trade Ryan Freel to get it. Freel is a right-handed utility infielder/outfielder, so if he's traded, that would open up a slot for Andy.

MLB Trade Rumors has an interesting article on why GMs make the decisions they make. Looking at the list, I have to think Bubba has a lot to offer a major league baseball team...when he's healthy, anyway.

I am mostly packed up to head to Florida tomorrow. The weather is not looking good. There's supposed to be an ice storm tonight and tomorrow morning. I'm hoping it will be mostly rain by the time I leave.

Also, I-95 has been closed near Philadelphia for emergency repairs. Wonderful. I guess I'll go around it, through Scranton-Wilkes Barre. It will add a few miles to my trip, but I'll avoid the congestion around NYC and Philadelphia.

The Reds played the Tiggers yesterday. Johnny Quest did pretty well and made an impression on Jim Leyland. Andy was subbed in at 3B and went 0 for 1.

The Reds roster is starting to take shape. I suspect the starting lineup yesterday was pretty much what the starting lineup on opening day will be. Patterson in CF, Castro at SS, Bako catching. Starting catcher David Ross and starting SS Alex Gonzalez will likely start the season on the DL. Patterson may just be keeping CF warm for Jay Bruce. For clock reasons, the Reds may prefer to start Bruce in Louisville, and call him up in June (as they did with Homer Bailey last year).

Looks like the starting rotation is pretty much set, too. Dusty's as good as said it will be Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, Volquez, and Fogg. Pretty exciting that there will be two kids like Cueto and Volquez in the rotation.

Perhaps most interesting is the fate of the two players who were the Reds' hottest prospects last year: Homer Bailey and Joey Votto. Bailey's star has dimmed a bit this year. Not so much because he's been bad, but because other players have emerged and are overshadowing him. The feeling seems to be that Bailey is not quite ready for prime time. He will likely start the season in Louisville. Votto has had a pretty terrible spring so far. Spring training doesn't really mean anything, but Votto's given the Reds no reason to choose him over Hatteberg. He, too, may start in Louisville and be called up later.

Barring trade or injury, there's only one spot left on the roster for a position player. There are five utility spots, and four are already filled: Freel, Hopper, Valentine, and Keppinger (or Castro, if Kep is the starting SS in A-Gon's absence).

The Reds probably want a right-handed hitter off the bench, to platoon with Hatteberg and be a power bat off the bench, as Jeff Conine was last year. If Andy makes the roster, it will be in this role.

However, all the utility guys are right-handed except Valentine. And he's a catcher, so they might be reluctant to use him as a pinch-hitter. They might prefer a lefty bat. OTOH, there is no lefty bat in camp who is likely to make the team as a utility guy. (They aren't going to use a player like Votto as a bench player. Young players need to play every day.)

I guess Andy has as good a chance as any.

It's round three of Red Hot Mama's "Who's hotter?" tournament, and the current matchup is Bubba Crosby vs. Brad Ausmus. Vote early, vote often!

The mighty Voltron was pretty impressive today, striking out 6 in five innings, and giving up only 3 hits, 1 walk, and no runs. He got in a bit of trouble at the end, on an error by Brandon Phillips and walk, but got out of it.

But just as last year, the pen was a problem. Gary Majewski coughed up three runs, and Brad Salmon coughed up three more. Phillies won, 6-2.

Andy Phillips was subbed in at 1B, but not until the 8th inning. He didn't get any at-bats. However, he has played in every game this spring so far.

The Reds made another cut today. Infielder Adam Rosales, who some thought might be a dark horse to make the roster, was reassigned to minor league camp.

I am busy getting ready for my trip. I'm a little nervous, because I've never driven this far by myself. But I'm also excited. I've been living on the mainland for awhile now, but there's a part of me that is still amazed that you can actually drive to another state. (In Hawai`i, you can't even drive to another county!) And there's so much I want to see and do in Sarasota that a week probably isn't enough.

I didn't realize that Easter is next weekend already. Hopefully I'm traveling early enough that there won't be a lot of holiday traffic.

And of course, with my luck, I'm going on this road trip when gas prices are at record highs. Maybe Kunstler is right, and we're facing the end of the "happy motoring" lifestyle.

What's going on right now in the financial world is just crazy. The federal reserve just announced an emergency rate cut. (Yup, on a Sunday night!)

Most ordinary people haven't really noticed the global credit crisis. They may have noticed that it's harder to get a mortgage, or that their credit card limit has been lowered. But on Wall St., people are worried. If you talk to people who are in the financial field...they've never seen anything like what's going on now. They're not really sure what to do. And while most think everything's going to be okay, there is some fear that things could get really bad, really fast. Like, massive bank failures, to the point that the FDIC can't cover all the losses. Some even fear we might be headed into another Great Depression - maybe worse than the Great Depression.

(Dear Bubba: I know you got a nice signing bonus ten years ago. I hope you invested it, instead blowing it all on fast cars and fast women. You're young, and your broker has probably encouraged you to invest aggressively. Given the storm on the financial horizon, a more conservative and diversified portfolio might be a good idea. Cash, bonds, commodities, TIPs, etc. Real estate is probably not a great idea right now.)

Of course, I might be a little paranoid, since my bank went belly up last fall due to the mortgage crisis.

Yeah, I know. Given the turmoil on Wall St. and $110/barrel oil, I should probably save my money rather than blowing it on a vacation. But I guess I want to party while I can. If gas ends up $10 or $20 a gallon, I'll be glad I took this road trip while I could.

I hope.

Labels: The Greater Depression

Did you know Bubba has a page at IMDb? He's got only one credit: playing "himself" in History Rings True: Red Sox Opening Day Ring Ceremony. (Andy is also credited.)

The interesting bit is that Bubba's "STARmeter rating" is up 178% since last week. Admittedly, the traffic is probably so low - he's a baseball player, not a movie star - that even a few hits make a big difference. Still, it matches what I'm seeing at Bubba-Crosby.com. Traffic is way up - more than double what it was last month. Judging from the search strings leading them in (bubba crosby 2008, bubba crosby bio 2008, bubba crosby failed physical), people are wondering what's going on with Bubba. Wish I had more info for youse guys, but I don't.

I don't know what I'm going to do about the picture on the sidebar, either. I've gotten various suggestions: use a photo of Bubba in a Yankees uniform instead, or a photo of him in civvies, or in a Rice Owls uniform.

I'm leaning toward going with the Yankees uniform idea, but for now, I'm going to leave it as is. I like the photo I have up now. It's a nice picture of him. And he took it himself. I'll wait until I get back from my vacation before I make any changes.

If all goes as planned, I will be heading south to Florida at the crack of dawn on Wednesday, March 19 (coincidentally, an off day for the Reds). It will take two days to drive down. I should arrive in Sarasota the evening of March 20.

The Reds play an away game against the Twins on the 20th. Ft. Myers is about a hour away from Sarasota. It's a night game, so I could go. After driving ten hours a day for two days, I'll probably just want to crawl into bed, but if I get there in time and have the energy, I'll be there.

I'll be bringing my laptop, and expect to do some blogging from Florida.

The Red Sox beat the Reds like a red-headed stepchild in Ft. Myers today. Homer Bailey, who is the Reds' Phil Hughes, gave up 7 hits, 6 runs, 2 walks, and one home run, and is now the proud owner of a 0-2 record and an 8.44 ERA. I suspect he's punching his ticket to Louisville. Yes, it's early yet. But pitching prospects Edinson Volquez ("Voltron") and Johnny Cueto ("Johnny Quest") are really impressing. Doesn't mean Homer won't one day be better than they are, but they're closer to being big-league ready right now.

Andy Phillips had a pretty good day. He was subbed in at 2B and hit a double off Javier Lopez. His line for the day: 1 for 1 with a run scored.

The final score: Red Sox 16, Reds 6.

The Yanks lost to Tampa today. There was no round 2 of the base brawl. Both teams played split squad games today, and Tampa made sure Jonny Gomes didn't play in the Yankees game. Duncan did play, but Tampa was very careful to pitch outside when he came to the plate.

Michael Kay thinks Melky Cabrera and Shelley Duncan might start the season in the minors, so the Yankees won't have to go with a 23 man roster while the two serve their suspensions. (Melky is accused of taking a cheap shot, hitting one of the Rays from behind. He denies it.)

I guess they could stagger the callups so only one was suspended at a time. Kay thinks Brett Gardner might be the opening day CFer. Gardner had a good day, going 2 for 3. He's one of those speedy little guys, and watching him beat the throw to 1B on raw speed and the advantage of starting from the lefty side of the plate reminded me a lot of Bubba.

I hadn't heard about this: Bobby Murcer had a biopsy because doctors were afraid his brain tumor had recurred. Good news, though: it was just scar tissue. There were "no signs of cancer."

The article also mentions that Colter Bean pitched in a Braves spring training game (and ruined a no-hitter in the 9th). I never saw Bean's name on the transaction lists, but he must have signed with Atlanta. However, he's not listed on their roster, or as a non-roster invite. Nor did I see his name on the transaction lists as reassigned to minor league camp. The only thing I can figure is that he was signed to a minor league contract without an invitation to spring training, but was asked to play in a big league spring training game anyway.

I did see Matt DeSalvo's name on the transation lists. The Braves reassigned him to minor league camp.

And Tyler Clippard was optioned to Triple-A by the Nats. I must say, that's a surprise. I thought he would likely get a shot in the big leagues this year with Nats. Or at least last longer than a week in spring training.

The Reds played two split-squad games. The home game was against the Yankees. The away game was against the Pirates.

Andy didn't get to play against his former team. He had to get on the bus to play against Pittsburgh. Bummer. I'm sure the Yankees fans who traveled to Sarasota would have liked to see him.

Andy was the DH today, batting ninth. He stayed in the whole game, getting four ABs. He was 0 for 3, but got on base via a throwing error and eventually scored. He also had 1 RBI on a sac fly.

Janish played in the Yankees game. He was 0 for 1.

It was a pretty crazy game. Matt Belisle has been awful so far this spring, and didn't improve today. However, Phil Hughes had a pretty rough day at the office, too, and the game ended tied. It started to rain, so they called it in the 10th inning.

Punishment was handed out for Wednesday's brawl between the Yanks and the Rays. Melky Cabrera and Shelley Duncan were suspended for three games each. Jonny Gomes was suspended for two games. The three were also fined, along with Girardi, third base coach Bobby Meacham, and hitting coach Kevin Long.

The Reds made some cuts today. Paul Janish and Chris Dickerson were optioned to Louisville. Pitcher Justin Lehr was reassigned to minor league camp.

Janish turns a double play, March 5, 2008
Looks like they've pretty much decided that Keppinger will be the starting SS (until A-Gon is healthy). Could be good news for Andy, since Kep was probably his main rival for the role of right-handed utility infielder/corner outfielder.

This one is at MLB.com:

Phillips relies on his versatility

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Andy Phillips realized early on that versatility would be a key to him having a chance at career longevity.

That could serve him well as he fights for a spot on the Cincinnati bench. Phillips is one of three Reds in camp to have played every game this spring, and he's rarely in the same position two days in a row.

"If he's going to make this club, it's in his best interests to be versatile," manager Dusty Baker said. "We're pretty deep at first, pretty deep in the outfield. There's not a whole bunch of spots for him to play out there."

..."There are a couple of spots there that have pretty good competition," Baker said. "A lot depends on Gonzalez. His injury opened up a spot. I'm still weighing out the options. [Phillips] is in the mix, big time."

At least they didn't use that goofy photo of him with the towel on his head.

And it's nice to hear that his wife Bethany is doing well.

The Red Sox have put Curt Schilling on the 60-day DL. Not surprising; he's not expected to be back until July at the earliest.

They haven't officially said what Schilling's injury is, but it's rumored to be a torn rotator cuff. Schilling and the Red Sox disagreed about his treatment. Schilling wanted surgery; the Red Sox wanted rest and rehabilitation. Schilling finally agreed to do it their way.

The media coverage implied that the reason the Sox didn't want him to have surgery is because it would mean his season was over, and they're hoping he'll be able to help out down the stretch. But given the odds, I wonder if they're just hoping to save his career. If that study is correct, rotator cuff surgery is something most pitchers don't come back from. And I suspect the Red Sox know that. They've got a lot of stat-heads in their organization, and stats guys pay attention to injury statistics, too.

Meanwhile, in Sarasota...the Reds traveled to Clearwater to play the Phillies yesterday. It's a long trip - two hours by bus, though they may have gotten a charter plane instead. The veterans probably didn't want to go that far; there certainly weren't very many of them in the lineup. Andy Phillips started at 3B. He was 0 for 3, with a groundout to SS, a flyout to center, and a groundout to 3B. He was pulled in the 7th inning.

Janish came in the 7th inning, at SS. He was 0 for 1.

The Reds won, 6-1.

The Phillies got their revenge tonight, winning 10-7. The Reds mounted a ninth-inning rally, but fell short.

It wasn't a great night for Andy. He was subbed in at 2B, and went 0-for-2...including grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in the ninth. Janish had the night off.

The Reds made some cuts - almost all pitchers. Mostly kids who weren't expected to be playing in the big leagues this year anyway.

And Seattle reassigned Bronson Sardinha to minor league camp. He wasn't on the roster, so didn't have to clear waivers. Looks like he'll be playing for the Tacoma Rainiers this year.

Yesterday, there was a bench-clearing brawl during the Yankees-Rays game. In an earlier game, Tampa's Elliot Johnson flattened New York's Francisco Cervelli in collision at home plate. The Yankees were irate, since it's only a spring training game. Cervelli's wrist was broken, and Shelley Duncan had hinted that he would find a way to retaliate.


Sure enough, he slid hard into 2B, spikes high. He ended up stabbing Akinori Iwamura in the thigh. Jonny Gomes ran in and tackled him, and the benches emptied.



Duncan was ejected. He said he didn't do anything wrong, and that his spikes weren't that high. Uh, right. Let's take another look:


Yankees coaches Bobby Meacham and Kevin Long were also ejected. Pitcher Heath Phillips was ejected for pitching inside.

The Yanks play Tampa again on Saturday. And about a million times during the regular season.

Girardi is getting some criticism, for complaining about the collision at the plate, and implying there would be retaliation. I hope he's not this hot-tempered all the time. While many fans want the Yankees to retaliate more often, in this case, it didn't deserve retaliation.

Last year during spring training, Bubba broke up a double play by sliding hard into 2B. Brendan Harris wasn't happy about it, but everyone understood that Bubba was "playing the game right." He wasn't trying to hurt anyone; he was just trying to make the roster, and his baserunning is a big part of what he has to offer. He had to show what he can do.

Similarly, Elliot Johnson is a kid hoping to break into the big leagues by virtue of his speed. You can't expect him to not knock the catcher over - any more than you can expect a young catcher to not block the plate. And Girardi, of all people, should understand that.

I just hope no one gets hurt. It would be monumentally stupid if someone gets seriously injured because of a spring training feud...with the Rays.

Labels: Yankees

From Science Daily:

Comeback To A Pre-injury Level Disappointing For Professional Baseball Players

Only 45 percent of baseball players were able to return to the game at the same or higher level after shoulder or elbow surgery, according to new research released March 8 during the 2008 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Specialty Day at The Moscone Center.

"In an ideal world, of course, we would get 100 percent of the players back to their pre-injury level or higher," says Steven B. Cohen, MD, assistant team physician for the Philadelphia Phillies and director of Sports Medicine Research at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia. "But the fact of the matter is at this elite level of the sport, the physical demands of throwing have much higher requirements than the regular person on the street. The average person who has shoulder or elbow surgery can return to their regular activities. Throwing a baseball at the professional level puts a significant amount of stress on the shoulder and the elbow."

Over a four-season period, Cohen and colleagues studied 44 players from one professional baseball club (major league, AAA, AA and A) who underwent 50 shoulder and elbow operations by a variety of surgeons. There were 27 shoulder surgeries performed on 26 players and 23 elbow surgeries performed on 21 players. A key finding of the study was that players returning after elbow surgery were more likely to comeback to the same or higher playing level than those who had shoulder surgery. Thirty-five of the players were pitchers with 43 percent returning to the same or higher playing level.

The researchers found that overall, only 20 of the 44 players (45 percent) returned to the same or higher level of professional baseball. For ballplayers at the major league, AAA, or AA level, the study found only 4 of 22 (18 percent) were able to return to the same or higher level.

"As a surgeon, obviously these statistics were disappointing and somewhat lower than what we would like them to be," said Cohen. "This may give us cause, however, to look at how we evaluate and treat these injuries to the throwing arm. Our goal is to get these elite athletes back to their premier pre-injury health. This is important both to the player who is making a living off his athletic ability and the organization that wants its players in top shape. We may need to examine if there is a way to 'fine-tune' these procedures to customize them for the demands of a professional baseball player."

At first blush, that's extremely alarming. Only 20 out of 44 players (45 percent) had successful comebacks from shoulder or elbow surgery. For players at the higher levels (AA to major leagues), only 4 of 22 (18 percent) had successful comebacks. And players who had shoulder surgery fared worse than players who had elbow surgery.

There's more data from the study here:

Twenty-six players had shoulder surgeries -- one of them had two shoulder surgeries. Eighteen of these players were pitchers. Four were in the major league, three were in AAA, four were in AA and 15 were in the A league. After surgery, just seven players returned to their pre-surgery level of play, and two advanced to a higher level. Five players returned to a lower level of play, one has not returned from his injury, and 11 retired from baseball. Only one player from the high professional level of AA or above returned to the same level of play.

There were 23 elbow surgeries performed on 21 players, and 20 of them were pitchers. Six were in the major league, three were in AAA, three in AA and nine in A league. Of the 12 players at a high professional level, just four returned to the same or higher level.

"Just 45 percent of injured players needing surgery returned to the same or higher level, and if you look specifically at pitchers, 43 percent returned to the same or higher level," Cohen said.

He said those with elbow injuries were more likely to return to the same level of play, with 52 percent in this study attaining their previous or an even higher level. For shoulder injuries, however, that number was just 35 percent.

Yikes.

So, does this study mean Bubba - and Craig Wilson - would be bucking the odds to return to playing at their former levels? Not quite. Most of the players in the study were pitchers, and it's harder for pitchers to bounce back from arm surgery. Crunching the numbers thrown about in the article...nine of the players studied were position players, and five out of those nine came back to play as well or better than they had before. That's 55.5% - still not great, but better than even odds. Almost all of the position players in the study (8 out of 9) had shoulder surgery, so this study doesn't really have anything to say about shoulder vs. elbow surgery for a position player.

Also, the study didn't say what kind of surgery. I suspect there's a big difference between relatively minor impingement surgery, and more complicated procedures like repairing a torn rotator cuff or labrum. (Though position players are less likely to suffer those more serious injuries.)

In any case, it's a very small sample size. You can't read too much into it. Especially since it was done over a period of four years - which means many of the players involved didn't get the advantage of the latest advances in medical knowledge.

Still...it's rather sobering. Shoulder surgery is almost routine for an ordinary person. But for a baseball player, it's a last shot at saving your career.

And I guess this puts paid to the idea that Tommy John surgery will make you a better pitcher.

The Reds played two split-squad games today. One was away, against the Tiggers, and one was home, against the Astros. The Astros game had the stronger squad, as you might expect. (Players don't like to go on road trips if they don't have to, and the higher up on the totem pole you are, the less likely you'll be asked to get on that bus.)

Andy Phillips had to get on the bus. He came in in the 6th at 2B. He was 2 for 2 with a walk, a RBI, and a run scored.

He's hitting a respectable .292 now, and slugging .417. His OBP could use some improvement...but I suspect that doesn't matter to the Reds. They're kind of old school. Dusty likes players to be aggressive at the plate.

Janish got to stay home. He came in at 2B, and was 0 for 1 with a walk and a run scored. It was a crazy game. Houston led throughout, and was ahead 4-0 going into the bottom of the 9th. The Reds scored all 5 of their runs in the 9th inning, winning the game on a walkoff double by Alvin Colina.

Jason Guarente is coveting Bubba for the Lancaster Barnstormers. The Barnstormers are an Atlantic League team. These days, a lot of good players use the independent leagues as a way into (or back into) MLB. The MLB teams do send scouts to independent league games. (The Yankees signed Edwar Ramirez out of the independent leagues.) The Atlantic League in particular has had some pretty big names.

Dunno if Bubba would consider it, but I'd be happy to see him play anywhere. (If he's healthy enough.) And Lancaster would be pretty good for my personal convenience. ;-)

I think I've pretty much decided to go to Florida next week. I will probably drive, unless a really good airfare appears. It's a long drive, but it will be cheaper, even given the price of gas and a hotel room on the way, since I won't have to rent a car.

And I'm in the mood for the spontaneity that driving allows. Life has been rather rigidly scheduled lately, and I like the idea of wandering around without having to be anywhere in particular. I might stop for awhile in Raleigh, NC. Though I was born and mostly raised in Hawai`i, a few years of my childhood were spent in Raleigh. (While my dad got his PhD from NC State - Go Pack!) I'm curious about what it looks like now, compared to my memories. I know Raleigh's grown like crazy. Will I even recognize it?

In Florida, I'm hoping to see Bok Tower. It's supposed to be stunningly beautiful and otherworldly, with the tower's carillon bells sounding through the mist.

Today's Cincinnati Enquirer has an article about Andy Phillips by Reds beat reporter John Fay.

Former Yankee looking for new start with Reds

He talks a little about why he left the Yankees and chose the Reds.

The Yankees were willing to bring him back under a minor league contract.

"Being it was the second time I'd been designated by these guys, I thought it was time to explore other options," he said.

The Reds came after him hard as soon as the free agency season began.

"They showed a lot of interest as soon as I became available," Phillips said. "I was impressed with the organization. That was basically it."

Nice article. But did they have to use that goofy photo?

The Reds came to Legends Field for the first and only time this year. I was surprised it wasn't on TV in NY. It was in Cincinnati. Which is weird, since it was a NY "home" game.

Great pitching matchups tonight. It started out Homer Bailey vs. Joba Chamberlain. Joba looked better, but he wasn't very efficient. Threw something like 50 pitches to get through two innings. That's not going to get him very far as a starter.

Bailey struggled. Maybe he was intimidated by the Yankees. He gave up three walks and two runs, and put the Reds in a hole they never climbed out of.

Ian Kennedy looked very good in relief. He did better than Joba. And Edinson Volquez, the pitcher the Reds got for Josh Hamilton, thrilled Reds fans with 8 strikeouts in only four innings. The much-maligned Majewski and Stanton pitched very well tonight. Majewski came into a bases-loaded jam, and pulled Bailey's bacon out of the fire with a double play. Stanton walked Abreu, then picked him off first base. (Gotta watch those lefties.)

Andy Phillips came in at 1B in the sixth inning. He was 0 for 2 (and made the last out of the game). I imagine he got a warm welcome from Yankees fans, though I was only following the game on Gameday.

Janish started at SS, batting ninth, and was 0 for 1. He's really impressing people with his glove. Trent thinks that if Gonzalez is out for a long time, Janish may get the starting job. They love Keppinger's bat, but they don't think he has the range to play SS for more than a few weeks.

Final score: Yankees 4, Reds 0.

Amanda and her husband, AKA as Red Hot Mama and her Crack Technical Staff, are in Florida for a long weekend of Reds spring training baseball. She's posted a small gallery of Andy Phillips photos. There's even a short video.

Thanks, Amanda!

For those who have asked...no, I don't have any more info on what Bubba's doing. Other than he's returned to Houston. He is a free agent again, and so could sign with another team. But since the problem is a failed physical, it's probably not likely, at least right now.

The Mariners did not say why Bubba failed his physical; I don't think they're allowed to say, under the medical confidentiality rules. However, it's probably a safe guess that the issue is his shoulder.

Bubba had surgery on July 20, 2007. I'm not sure what kind, but given that his problem was shoulder tendinitis (according to the Bats announcers), and they thought he could be ready to play by spring training, it was probably impingement surgery. Also known as acromioplasty or subacromial decompression. Basically, they go in and roto-rooter the shoulder, smoothing things out and allowing the tendons to move more freely. It may also involve removing bone spurs (which was reportedly Craig Wilson's problem).

Acromioplasty is relatively mild, as shoulder surgery goes, but any kind of shoulder surgery takes time to recover from. Yes, the Bats trainer said last year that Bubba would be 100% by spring training. But I think he was being a little over-optimistic. As Pete Abe often points out: "Injuries are always worse than what the team or athlete says."

I did a little Googling, and judging from both scientific studies and the personal experience of people who have had acromioplasties, it's not surprising Bubba's not ready to play. The median time for return to competition for a baseball player is over eight months; Bubba's surgery was seven months ago. And "median" means half the patients took longer than eight months. People who have had the surgery say it was a full year before they felt 100%.

So, is it possible he could be ready to play later this season? I guess. I hope he doesn't push himself too hard, though. The people who run into trouble after acromioplasties are the ones who don't exercise enough, and the ones who try to do too much, too soon. I don't think there's any risk he'll be in the first category.

As for what I'm doing...I haven't made up my mind. Yes, my tickets to Phoenix are non-refundable. But non-refundable doesn't really mean non-refundable. It just means you have to pay a hefty fee to cancel or make changes. Probably about $150. Pretty steep on a $400 fare, but it won't break me. I would have had to take the vacation time, anyway; it's use it or lose it time.

I might just go to Phoenix anyway. Baseball is baseball, and there's a lot of other things to do in Arizona, especially for a photo buff like me. Or I could go to Florida instead, and stalk Andy Phillips. Or just stay home and pull the covers over my head for a couple of weeks.

I'll give myself another day or two to decide.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati beat the D-Rays, 6-4. Andy was subbed in at 1B. He went 0 for 1. Janish was subbed in at SS, and was 0 for 2.

It sounds like Keppinger is almost a lock for starting SS, with A-Gon likely to be the DL opening day. Both the scouts and the stat-heads like really Kepp. That being the case, Janish will probably start in Triple-A. They won't want a player like him sitting on the bench when he could be getting at-bats in Louisville.

The first cut is coming up soon. Last year, it was on March 12. Don't worry, though; I doubt a veteran like Andy will be cut this early.

The press seems to think Andy has a good chance of making the 25-man roster. Even if he doesn't...I will just be happy he's playing, wherever it is.

My friend D. bought me a bouquet of flowers today. He knew I was kinda bummed out, and wanted to cheer me up. He apparently remembered that I once told him about a scientific study that showed that giving someone flowers can make them happier for a week or more. Other small gifts don't have this effect. The researchers speculated that flowers hold a special attraction because because in our stone age past, vegetation would have meant food and water. (Yes, I was off on a science neepery tangent again.) I can't believe he remembered that. Very sweet of him.

Anyway, photo geek that I am, I took a picture of one of the flowers (posted up top). I figure we can all use some cheering up today.

I used a flash to take the photo. Ordinarily I would go out on the deck to use natural light, but drenching rain made that impossible. The weather has been horrible here the past few days. Flood warnings and constant rain. Almost all the snow has been washed away. The lawn is a lake of mud. Thousands of drowned worms are scattered over the sidewalks and driveways. Manholes and catch basins are spouting water like fountains.

And tonight, the wind is howling. It's unreal. Sounds like the audio track of a horror movie. I feel I like should be running around the house wearing a negligee and holding a candle.

The weather hasn't been much better in Florida. Last night's Reds game was rained out. There were even tornados.

For the first time since spring training came to Bradenton, Florida 85 years ago, a night game was scheduled. (They only recently installed lights.) And it was rained out.


However, the day game was played. Pirates won, 13-8. Richie Gardner was the goat, giving up seven runs in only a third of an inning.

Andy Phillips was subbed into left field and went 0 for 2. Paul Janish was subbed in at 2B and was also 0 for 2.

Today's game was also high-scoring. The Reds won, 13-8. Paul Janish was subbed in at SS and led off in the 6th. He singled to 3B. Andy Phillips, subbed in at right field, followed with another single, a line drive to single. It ended up a pretty big inning for the Reds, with four runs scored, and pretty much put the game away.

Andy was 1 for 2 with a run scored; so was Janish.

Interesting that they used Andy in right field. The Yankees never used him in the outfield at all (except one game in left field, early in his career). Left field is supposed to be the easiest of the outfield positions to play, and that's where the Reds have been using him. But today, they used him in right. Maybe center field is next...

From the Seattle Times Mariners Blog:

Attention Bubba Crosby fans: Crosby reported to minor-league camp but failed his physical, so his contract was voided and he's been released.

Poor Bubba.

And as you may have noticed, Blogger is having serious problems today. Everyone's getting error messages trying to access blogs, or even the Blogger front page. If you keep trying, you eventually get through, but it's a right pain. They say they're working on it.

Bubba has been released by the Mariners. Not sure why, but given the timing - the day after minor league camp started - I suspect he didn't pass his physical.

I've been kind of afraid of this since the Reds released Craig Wilson last month. He had shoulder surgery, too, a month before Bubba.

Not sure what this means for Bubba's future. He could sign with another team, but I don't know if any other teams would be interested if his shoulder isn't 100%. He might end up sitting out this season.

Shoulder surgery is tricky. Elbow surgery is almost routine these days, but shoulder surgery is still a last resort. It's just a lot more complicated.

Giambi and Griffey embrace before the game

The Yankees came to Ed Smith Stadium today to play the Reds. It was the first time Andy Phillips played his former team. He didn't get the kind of attention Bubba got last year, but I suspect that's because Bubba's first game against the Yankees was at Legends Field. Andy will probably get his turn when the Reds play at Legends on March 10.

Pete Abe did mention Andy:

Had a chance to speak to Andy Phillips before the game. The Reds are using him at 1B, 2B, 3B and LF and he hopes to make the team as a utility player. He said he was surprised when the Yankees DFA’d him but has no ill feelings to the organization.

(Wow, was Andy really surprised he was DFA'd?)

It was Chien-Ming Wang vs. Aaron Harang - theoretically a terrific matchup. Didn't quite work out that way. Wang had a bad day at the office. Everything was up, and the Reds made him pay. He gave up six hits, six runs, and two walks. His ERA is now on the wrong side of 20, and he didn't even make it out of the first inning.

So the Yanks were down 0-6 in the first inning. In the 4th inning, Darrell Rasner gave up a grand slam. 10-0 Reds. Then 12-0 Reds, when Sean Henn gave up a couple of runs in the 6th. The game seemed hopelessly one-sided. But the Yanks got back in it in the 7th and 8th, scoring four runs in each inning. In the 9th, Marcus McBeth, who came from Oakland via the Denorfia trade, held the Yanks scoreless. Final score: Cincinnati 12, Yankees 8.

Well, sort of. The Yankees wanted to play the bottom of the 9th anyway, to give Steven Jackson some work. The Reds and the umpires agreed, so they played on. It doesn't count in the official stats...luckily for Jackson. He gave up four runs, including a three-run homer to Chris Dickerson (a cousin of football star Eric Dickerson). The game was called (apparently at the Yankees' request) after only one out in the (unofficial) bottom of the ninth. The unofficial score: Reds 16, Yankees 8.

Andy came in in the top of the 6th. He was 0 for 2, moving the runner over with a fly out in the 6th and reaching on an error in the 8th. Janish came in as a pinch runner, and was 0 for 1.

Seattle beat Milwaukee, 5-2. Miguel Cairo led off, played SS, and was 1 for 3. Sardinha was also in the starting lineup, playing CF and going 0 for 4.

Mariners minor leaguers reported to spring training camp today. Haven't heard any other news. Maybe I just don't know where to look.

UPDATE: There is some mention of Andy in the press coverage of today's game. See here and here.

Andy Phillips hits a triple off Javier Lopez
The Reds played the Red Sox today. Andy Phillips was the hero of the day. Well, in my opinion, anyway.

Andy came in as a pinch-hitter in the top of the 6th. The score was 2-1 Boston. Bases loaded, two outs. He hit a three-RBI triple, a fly ball to center field. The Reds would never trail again, though the Sox got close. The game ended when the other Andy, Andy Green, nailed the runner at the plate in the bottom of the 9th. Final score: Reds 7, Red Sox 6.

Andy cruising into third
Andy Phillips stayed in the game and played left field. His line for the day: 1 for 2, 3 RBI, 1 run scored.

Paul Janish entered the game in the 6th as a pinch-runner. He was 1 for 1 with 1 RBI and a run scored. The hit was a seeing-eye single. He stayed in the game and played SS.

Tomorrow is March 6 - the day when Seattle's minor leaguers officially report for spring training. Dunno if they'll do anything except check in on the first day.

No, I'm not talking about the Texas and Ohio primaries. I'm talking about NLC’s Hottest Baller - Round 2. Tonight's matchup: Matt Belisle vs. Bubba Crosby.

Our final match of the quarterfinal round is going to be a doozy. Matt Belisle, hottie starting rotation candidate for the Reds goes up against cult hero Bubba Crosby. Belisle has been a fan favorite at Red Hot Mama since he came up, but Crosby brought down 78% of the vote in the first round against Bronson Arroyo is the most heavily voted-in contest of the tournament so far.

RHM started this tournament before Bubba signed with an AL team. I expected him to be disqualified, but she let him stay in.

I really am astonished that Bubba beat Arroyo. Er, not that I have any doubts about Bubba's hotness, but Red Hot Mama is a Reds site, and Arroyo is their stud ace and golden-boy heartthrob. I can only assume there were a lot of Bubba Crosby fans lurking or wandering through.

Keep up the good work!

Well, I guess I'm committed. I bought my plane tickets to Phoenix tonight. It's not real convenient, getting from upstate NY to Phoenix. I have a 36-minute layover in Charlotte, NC. Yes, I know. That short a layover is trouble. But there was no way to avoid it, without a lot more expense and inconvenience.

I rented a car, too, but still have not booked a hotel. There are lots of hotels in the Phoenix area, and I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to get something, somewhere. Right now I'm leaning toward a Super-8. Older, not fancy, but clean and with free high speed Internet access.

Of course it would be nice to stay in a better hotel. I'll wait a few days, and see if any deals appear. When I went to Providence, I got a room in a five-star hotel for less than the Comfort Inn in Pawtucket (which was sold out anyway).

Though Phoenix hotel prices really aren't that bad. The Four Points Sheraton, where the Mariners stay, is only $127 a night. Somehow, I always envisioned major league baseball players staying at more luxurious digs.

I'm also surprised that the team hotel isn't sold out. You'd think the lure of possibly running into Ichiro in the elevator or at the ice machine would be irresistible to fans. (Though they probably have a secure floor for their celebrity guests. And I bet they never have to wander the hotel in search of a working ice machine, either.)

Anyways, I hope I don't regret this. No, it's not going to bankrupt me. But all signs are pointing to a downturn in the economy. It could be bad. Like, Great Depression bad. I can't help wondering if maybe I should be saving more money instead. From what I've heard from people in the banking/finance business...what's going on now with the mortgage crisis is like nothing anyone has ever seen. They honestly have no clue how it's going to turn out, and they're a lot more worried than the media is reporting.

OTOH, if my future will involve sleeping on a piece of cardboard on a sidewalk grate, maybe that's all the more reason to live it up now.

Well, I said I didn't want any more snow. I guess I should be careful what I wish for. No snow today. Instead, we got pouring rain. Which turned all the mountains of snow into lakes of slush. Ugh. Early mud season...

It's been pretty wet in Florida, too. Lots of rain-shortened games today. The Reds-Indians game was called after 4-1/2 innings. Andy Phillips was 0 for 1 as a pinch-hitter. Paul Janish was 1 for 1 with a RBI. Reds won, 7-4.

Meanwhile, in the desert, Seattle played Oakland. Once again, Miguel Cairo led off. He stayed in for the whole game, too - rather odd for spring training. He was 2 for 5 with a run scored. Sardinha entered the game as a pinch runner, and didn't get any at-bats. Final score: Oakland 9, Seattle 6.

In other dugout were former Reds outfielders Chris Denorfia and Jeff Fiorentino. Deno's struggling - a .083 batting average. IIRC, he got off to a really slow start last year, too. Fiorentino was 1 for 2 with a walk. He's batting .400. Many thought the Reds should have kept him and gotten rid of Drew Anderson instead.

On the subject of former Reds players...according to the Baseball America minor league transaction report, Enrique Cruz, AKA "the gay porn star," signed with the Mets.

The big news today is MLB's new restrictions on Internet use of their content. It's pretty draconian. No more live-blogging of games. Limitations on photos, audio, and video. Pretty ridiculous, IMO. Do they really think that blog descriptions or a few photos can take the place of going to a game or watching it on TV? I thought their blackout rules were bad, but this is really too much.

And just when I thought I'd heard it all...Lisa sent me this link:

Marlins looking for tubby men for cheerleading squad

MIAMI - The Florida Marlins are looking for some footloose fat men.

The Major League Baseball team is creating an all-male, plus-size cheerleading squad to be dubbed the Manatees. Tryouts were scheduled for Sunday.

The team hopes to recruit seven to 10 tubby men to dance, cheer and jiggle during Friday and Saturday home games this season.

March 3 (3/3) is celebrated as Girl's Day in Hawai`i. It was originally a Japanese holiday. Boy's Day was May 5 (5/5). I hear nowadays May 5 is celebrated as Children's Day in Japan. But in Hawai`i, it's still Girl's Day and Boy's Day.

Anyway, Girl's Day is a day when families celebrate their daughters. Little girls would be given dolls by their parents and other relatives. My mom usually gave me and my sister small gifts on Girl's Day. We'd get up and find a little box of candy or a small toy on our breakfast plates. Or she'd make us something special, like waffles and cocoa.

The Reds played the Twinkies today. Andy Phillips started at 2B, batting ninth. Yes, it was really him. Amusingly, many didn't believe it, suspecting it was really Brandon Phillips. He went 1 for 2 with a double. Janish was subbed in at SS, and went 0 for 2. The game was tied into the 9th, when the Twins won it with a walkoff homer. The guy who hit the winning home run was a familiar face: Chris Basak.

Final score: Min 8, Cin 6.

Meanwhile, out in the desert, Seattle mounted a 3-run rally in the ninth, but fell just short. Cubs 6, Mariners 5. Cairo was subbed in at SS and was 2 for 2 with a stolen base and a RBI. He's batting .400. Sardinha was subbed in at LF, and was 1 for 2. He's batting .300.

The Reds signed two more players today: outfielder Corey Patterson and infielder Jerry Hairston, Jr. I would guess they're hoping Patterson can take over center field, and Hairston can play SS while A-Gon's knee heals.

The number of players the Reds have in camp now is ridiculous. It's going to be really tough to whittle it down to 25.

Rookies to watch: Vote for Votto, Buchholz is from a fantasy baseball perspective, but interesting. Buchholz is the top pick (for fantasy purposes). The Reds' Joey Votto is #2. MLB Trade Rumors thinks Scott Hatteberg, the Reds' first baseman and the most productive player on the team last year, may be traded to the Yankees.

I don't buy it. Yes, Giambi at 1B is a scary thought. But the Yanks don't need any more aging veterans. They've already got more than they know what to do with. Not to mention Hatteberg's a lefty, and they're already overstocked with those.

Plus, Hatteberg really only hits well at Great American Ball Park. Yankee fans have noticed this, and I have to assume Cashman has, too.

Now Batting, the Best Deal the Yankees Never Made is about Robby Cano's improbable success. The only reason he wasn't traded is that other teams didn't want him. His minor league numbers are actually much worse than his big league numbers - the opposite of the usual situation. Not really sure why that is. Except maybe that those projections should be taken with some NaCl. And Robby was very young, and apparently immature for his age.

Hall of Fame talents in unemployment line suggests that 2013 will be a bumper year for Hall of Fame candidates...because of all the veterans who still don't have jobs. They will likely retire rather than sign minor league contracts or sign with teams that aren't to their liking.

Jayson Stark's Some familiar faces back chasing their dreams is a silly piece about the hope that springs eternal in spring training. The article includes a roster for an "All-Invited To Spring Team." Bubba is listed on the "Reincarnation Taxi Squad" (bench). Except he wasn't even given an NRI, mutter, grumble.

And here's the 2008 Tacoma Rainiers schedule. If Bubba's still with the Rainiers in mid-summer, I might fly out to catch a few games. Maybe when they play in Las Vegas. Lots of cheap flights to Las Vegas from NY.

Though I'm really wondering if he'll still be in the Mariners system by then. Seattle is well-stocked with lefty outfielders. If Bubba does well, they may prefer to trade him. Or he may opt out, if he signed a contract that allows him to do that.

Not a pretty game for the Reds. Their #1 prospect, lefty outfielder Jay Bruce, gave them a 2-0 lead with double...but pulled his quad rounding first. It's a very mild strain; he's day to day. Kind of a disappointment, though, because he was playing CF and leading off today: what many fans hope he'll do on opening day.

Buck Coats, the lefty-hitting outfielder the Reds picked up in August to replace Bubba, was traded to the Jays in the off-season and apparently had something to prove today. He homered off Mike Stanton, then singled and stole a base off Cordero. He was 2 for 2, with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. A one-man wrecking crew.

Andy Phillips didn't have a very good day. Though Gameday and the Canadian announcers said he was in the starting lineup, he wasn't. It was Brandon Phillips who was in the starting lineup. Gameday had it wrong, and apparently the Jays announcers were taking their info from there.

Gameday didn't fix it until the real Andy Phillips was subbed into the game as a pinch-hitter. He came with the bases loaded and two outs...and struck out on three pitches. Swinging strike, swinging strike, down looking. His second at-bat was remarkably similar. Men on first and second, two outs. Once again, two swing and misses, and then down looking. Which means he was 0 for 2, with two strikeouts and 5 left on base. Ugh.

Interestingly, he played left field today. I looked it up, and the Yankees only used him in one game in left field, back in 2005.

Janish was subbed in at 2B. He also went 0 for 2. It was that kind of day. Final score: Toronto 8, Cincinnati 4.

Seattle had a better day. They prevailed over San Diego, 6-2. Cairo started at 3B and led off, but went 0 for 3. Sardinha started in the two-hole, and was 1 for 2.

Andy is safe at 3rd.
Exciting game at Ed Smith Stadium today. The wind was blowing out, making for lots of big hits. Cincinnati jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. The Pirates eventually took the lead, then the Reds tied it. The Redlegs pulled ahead again in the 7th, then added a couple of insurance runs in the 8th. They looked like they had it in the bag. But Pittsburgh had a 4-run ninth, taking the lead again. Cincinnati eventually prevailed in the bottom of the ninth on doubles by Jolbert Cabrera and young catcher Craig Tatum, and a walkoff single by Scott Hatteberg. Final score: Reds 12, Bucs 11.

Andy Phillips started at 1B, batting seventh. He went 1 for 2 with a run scored. The hit was a single, a line drive up the middle. He left the game in the 6th inning, when Jeff Keppinger was subbed in for him with the bases loaded and two outs. (Kepp grounded into an inning-ending force out. They should have left Andy in. ;-)

Janish did not play today. John Fay reports that Dusty Baker was surprisingly blunt on the shortstop situation. A-Gon is not going to be ready to play on opening day. The candidates to replace him include "Jeff Keppinger, Juan Castro, Paul Janish and Adam Rosales - probably in that order." He's not going to move Brandon Phillips to SS, as many fans want.

Meanwhile, in the opposite dugout...Kevin Thompson is playing well. He went 2 for 2, and both hits were doubles. He's batting .500.

Minky got only one plate appearance, as a pinch hitter. He got on base via a walk. Figures. His OBP is probably the best part of his game these days.

Seattle lost a very similar high-scoring squeaker. The Mariners started out with an early lead, lost it, then chiseled their way back. They tied it in the top of the ninth, on a Miguel Cairo double and a Balentien homer (Balentien's second of the game). But the Padres came back in bottom of the 9th, winning the game with a walkoff single by some kid named Sinisi. Final score: Seattle 10, San Diego 11.

Miggy came in for Beltre at 3B, and went 1 for 2. Sardinha came in for Morse in LF, and was 1 for 3.

Well, so far Punxatawney Phil is proving correct. More so than human meteorologists. This is something like the third or fourth time in the past few weeks that a snow event has turned out to be much worse than predicted. It was supposed to be only a inch or so. I wake up this morning, and it's at least five inches, maybe more.

Spring training is looking more and more appealing all the time. Forbes ran an article about "luxury spring training" travel a couple of days ago. Here's what it says about the Yankees:

It makes sense that the team with the highest payroll in professional sports should have some of the most posh VIP seats in the Grapefruit League. The Yankees' Legends Field in Tampa offers 12 air-conditioned luxury suites behind home plate. Featuring a full wet bar and 12 cushioned seats on the terrace, the suites cost $3,000 per game, which includes 20 tickets and private catering.

Maybe if I win the lottery one day...

And for Red Sox fans:

The reigning World Series Champions have been training in Fort Myers since the early '90s. Lucky for devoted fans, the team's home away from home, City of Palms Park, is just minutes from Fort Myers Beach. The 85-acre seaside Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa offers a Sox-affiliated spring training "Champions Package" that includes two night's accommodations for two, two game tickets, Homerun brewskis at Charley's Cabana Bar; Teddy Baseball breakfast buffet; Cracker Jack snacks and keepsake baseball caps in every room; and a Big Papi three-course steak dinner for two at Courtside Steakhouse. Starts at $640 per night.

No word on whether the hotel room also comes with a supply of Elevex...

For the Mariners, it says this:

Phoenix has a reputation for circus-like tailgate parties in March, when both Mariners and Padres fans flock to watch their teams share the four-field sports complex. In nearby Scottsdale, nine miles from the sports complex, the elegant Embassy Suites offers special spring training rates for five- and seven-night stays. Because two teams train here, that means twice the competition for rooms and tickets—the earlier you book, the better.

I like Embassy Suites, but I never really thought of it as particularly "elegant."

The article also has this map of Cactus League spring training sites. I didn't realize there were that many teams in the Phoenix area. Apparently, a lot of fans pick a hotel midway between Surprise and Peoria, so they can attend both the Rangers and the Mariners/Padres games.

I have pretty much decided to head out to Peoria on or about March 19. Still haven't made my reservations or picked a hotel yet, though.

The worst hotel I ever stayed in was across the street from LaGuardia Airport. It was really cheap for NY, which should have been a warning. But a lot of flight crews were staying there, so I thought it would be okay.

The first thing I noticed was the restaurant on the first floor. It had a big sign in the window that read, "The best hamburger on the block!" Um, on the block? That's not exactly aiming high, is it?

At least they weren't lying. After checking in, I went for a walk around the block, and found there were no other stores or restaurants. They were the only hamburgers on the block!

(OTOH, the hotel I once stayed in in Atlanta was lying when they claimed on their sign that they had the "best salad in Atlanta." I ordered a salad, and it was probably the worst I'd ever seen. A few leaves of brown, soggy iceberg, an unripe tomato wedge, and some shreds of carrot. With French dressing that had a distinct chemical flavor. That horrible salad is still a running joke whenever I see the friends I was traveling with that time. Somehow, the sheer audacity of serving something that awful while claiming it's the best in the city just boggles the mind.)

That hotel in Atlanta was pretty bad. People's room service trays sat in the hallway for days; in the southern summer heat, it soon smelled like a garbage dump. But the hotel across from LaGuardia was worse. As I walked to my room, I noticed the interior walls were being painted. Apparently to cover up a heavy mold infestation. The whole place smelled funny. At least there were no room service trays in the hallway. Probably because people were afraid to eat there, best hamburger on the block or no.

The worst was yet to come. When I pulled down the bed covers, I saw there were roaches between the sheets.

Today, I would probably have marched down to the front desk and demanded my money back, even if it meant spending the night in the airport. But I was young and clueless, and I didn't have a car or anywhere else to go, so I spent the night with the lights on, sitting in a chair and keeping a wary eye open for six-legged roommates. I left for the airport early, and it was so nice get there, where it was (relatively) clean.

Well, I figure no matter which hotel I pick in Arizona, it won't be worse than that one. (Nevada may be another story.)

The Reds play the Pirates today. Andy's in the starting lineup, batting seventh and playing 1B. Gameday link is here.