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Alex Rodriguez is probably the most despised player in baseball history. Rodriguez’ contract is considered among the worst in baseball. Alex Rodriguez has vehemently denied reports he was flirting with two Australian models after getting benched during Game 1 of the ALCS. “So is it fair to accuse him of everything but the Kennedy assassination? No, it’s not fair, but we’ll see what happens from this point on.” The numbers support a player who has expanded the strike zone, which I believe suggests a player “cheating” to catch up to pitches, and is losing plate discipline in the process. And if he cannot play, he’s going to be as easy to live with as a nest of bedbugs for the next five years. He has been degraded, dominated, made to feel insignificant. All that remains is to strip the few final threads from his pride. Brian Cashman refuted a report that the team has spoken with the Miami Marlins about a potential trade of the polarizing third baseman. Alex Rodriguez said that if it is up to him — and it is — he will be a Yankee in 2013, and beyond. Alex Rodriguez’s friend Kobe Bryant has some advice for the struggling slugger. “I just say to him, ‘You’re Alex Rodriguez,’”

[Photo: Giant Albatross]

If Tim Lincecum were a Paramount film he’d have been pulled from their release schedule for “reshoots” by now.

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Congratulations to the Detroit Free Press.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.

Sometimes it doesn’t even rain.

Max Scherzer stood in the Tigers’ locker room, looking all-too refreshed. He was supposed to pitch Game 4 on Wednesday night at Comerica Park. Now he was pulling on a sweatshirt. His dream deferred, he was going home — even though he was yet to see a raindrop.

“Have you ever been rained out of a game when it didn’t rain?” someone asked him

“Yeah. Last year in the ALCS, actually. We were in Texas. They called it at 3 o’clock. It never rained.”

He smirked.

“And I was supposed to pitch.”

Deja plu.

(OK. That was a French reference. Either you got it or you didn’t. It’s a rainout column. We use what we can.)

Baseball allows for more expression of individual style than many team sports. A player can wear high socks or baggy pants that cover his shoes; he can have all manner of hair hanging out of his helmets/hat; he can (if he doesn’t play for the Yankees) rock some pretty awesome facial hair. There’s lots of time to be silly in the dugout, bullpen, and clubhouse and build a reputation for being a “character.”

Ichiro Suzuki has a unique style, that’s for sure. But as far as I can tell, Ichiro is the only player to wear a non-standard fielder’s cap. Consider this image, which is from Game 1 of the ALCS:

You see how it’s spherical, right? Form-fitting? Let’s compare Ichiro’s cap to some of his former Mariners teammates. Read the rest of this entry »

As your playoff teams get eliminated, you need something to read. This is not an exhaustive list. That’s why we have a comments section. These are the best pieces I read (thanks, Instapaper!) since January. Share yours!

(listed chronologically)

Q&A: Ben Cherington, Red Sox GM
David Laurila / FanGraphs / January 13, 2012

Will Cholesterol Kill Baseball?
Matthew Futterman / WSJ / January 27, 2012

Managing Expectations: Baseball’s Next Big Inefficiency
Ben Lindbergh / Baseball Prospectus / January 31, 2012

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We all know, thanks to his NotGraphs bio, that Carson Cistulli “says terrible things at The New Enthusiast.” In fact, thanks to a revelatory anecdote recently posted by Mr. Dayn Perry, we know that Carson Cistulli says ridiculous and terrible things just about any time he pleases.

What you might not know is that, via The New Enthusiast, Carson Cistulli is also infecting your computer with terrible things. AND/OR Carson Cistulli is a big old con-man, a builder of pyramid schemes, a purveyor of identity theft, a cuckolder of man-avatars and lady-avatars alike. Behold:

It could give your Internets Inter-AIDS and steal your baby’s breath.

I think I speak for several Internets when I say, Boo, Mr. Cistulli. Verily: Boo.

Hat-tippery to my colleague Karl Saffran, who would rather I not acknowledge him — which is precisely why I am doing so.

Dear Mr. NotGraphs:

Winner.

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Those of us who don’t have cable TV — or even MLB.tv — often resort to MLB GameDay for pitch-by-pitch updates. (The way we sit with baited breath waiting for that next red or green or blue dot to appear is pathetic, really.)

GameDay uses a stock avatar for all batters — the avatar varies only based on the batter’s handedness. This can lead to confusion as to who is batting, especially if GameDay updates some info more quickly that it updates other bits, which it often does.

Enbiggenable.

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This post is for those of you who happened to be trapped under unwieldy objects for the past week and a half and missed the playoffs up to this point. Don’t worry! I can catch you right up to speed, with this informative summary of recent events — in the players’ and coaches’ own words! As for those of you who saw it all unfold — relive the drama!

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Konnichiwa,

Now that the Kansas City Royals have been eliminated from postseason contention, I find myself longing to root for a likable team that actually has a chance. Rather than divide my MLB loyalties, I would like to select a team from the NPB to support. Any ideas?

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