LLWS & Some Other Thoughts

WOW! Warner Robins, GA wins the Little League World Series with a walk-off homerun in extra innings. This was probably the best game of baseball at any level I have seen all year long.

I have to say one of the highlights of my summer every year is the Little League World Series. It's just a week of great baseball with no agendas like contracts, endorsement deals, or who's getting the most playing time. It's about baseball and nothing else.

I absolutely love the new 85 pitch count rule which basically says no pitcher can throw more than 85 pitches in any given outing. This is probably the smartest thing the LLWS has done in its existence. So many of these kids, especially the pitchers, are never heard from again because they have completely destroyed their arms by the time they are able to drive a car. Great move by the higher-ups of the LLWS to put a limit on these kids to try and save some arms.

Despite getting sent home relatively early, the boys from Walpole deserve a ton of credit. They had an amazing year. And I can tell you right now, the highlight of the Walpole CF robbing a homerun to end the game will be in LLWS highlight reels for years to come. That kid has become a legend at age 12. Unbelievable.

Garrett Williams from Lubbock, Texas had the most dominant LLWS I have ever seen (well at least most dominant and LEGAL as Danny Almonte was just ridiculous 6 years ago). This kid would have ended up with 2 no-hitters if it wasn't for the new 85-pitch limit. He was throwing in the mid-to-high 70s, which is the MLB equivalent of high 90s. This kid was untouchable throughout the LLWS. He finished with 42 K's, two shy of the LLWS record which was set before the pitch limit was put in place. He gave up 0 earned runs all week. His 17 strikeout performance was undoubtedly the most impressive performance of the entire LLWS. I think it's safe to say that if the limit wasn't set this year, Garrett Williams would have shattered the strikeout record.

One of the biggest things I notice every year during the LLWS is the Japanese teams style of play. If you really sit and watch their mechanics, every hitter models after Ichiro and every pitcher seems to model something similar to Daisuke Matsuzaka. I even noticed this with the Japanese team in the World Baseball Classic last Spring. There must be a Japanese baseball mechanics video set that every Japanese baseball player is shown when they're 8 years old because they all have the exact same mechanics. And I am in no way mocking this or degrading it; Japan is always one of the most fundamentally sound programs in the LLWS. There's a reason that they're always playing on the last weekend of the LLWS. It's definitely not luck.

I think my favorite part of the LLWS has to be just the pure emotion of the games. These guys are all in on every at-bat, every play in the field, every pitch. There's no loafing, there's no complaining, there's no taking it easy. These kids give 110% every second they're on the field. It's just great to watch baseball that has no motive other than playing the game. And I know I already said that, I just felt the need to hammer that point home.

I do quickly have to say, the LLWS isn't quite the same without Harold Reynolds. Any chance we can get ESPN and H.R. to settle their differences every August for just one week?? Please???

Since I know you are all curious, here are Danny Mac's top memories of the LLWS:

5. The pitcher from Texas, Zack Ansell (?) blocking the plate on a passed ball and ending up with a broken ankle. Despite his leg being bent in a way that no leg should bend, the youngster held on to the ball and recorded the out. The epitome of toughness right there.

4. Japan's back-to-back walk-off wins to get to the finals. Not since the Red Sox of 2004 have I seen such drama.

3. Georgia hits a walk-off homerun to win the LLWS. This would be higher, but let me explain. We've all see walk-off homeruns. Hell, David Ortiz made the term "walk-off homerun" part of Boston's everyday vocabulary.

2. Walpole robs what would have been a game-winning homerun in the last inning. Maybe it's because it's a Massachusetts team, I'm not 100% sure. But how many times have you seen a game end on a homerun being pulled back over the fence? That's what I thought.

1. The defining moment of this and every LLWS. After hitting a walk-off homer and celebrating for about 30 seconds, the Warner Robins, GA team re-definited the word sportsmanship by going back onto the field to console the Japanese team. Have you ever seen this anywhere?? Would you ever expect to see a professional team stop postpone their celebration to go out and exchange hugs with the team they just beat? Just an all around class act. Thank you LLWS for reminding us what sports should be about.


Now, some quick thoughts:

-For those keeping track at home, that's now a 7.5 game lead for the Sox in the AL East. And NY has to face Dice-K, Beckett, and Schill in a 3-game set this week. For those that spent the last month having a heart attack, it's time to calm down a little. Worse case scenario, we get swept and STILL have a 4.5 game lead.

-Dustin Pedroia wins the AL Rookie of the Year Award. If this doesn't happen then I lose all faith in MLB. He's earned it. I don't care about Reggie Willits or even Dice-K himself. Give the damn award to Dustin.

-Tim Wakefield, 16-10, 4.16 ERA, 98 K. The 16 wins is tied for best in all of baseball. I vaguely remember...didn't I...yup, here it is.

-So, Wily Mo Pena is tearing it up in Washington. You know, he's finally getting the playing time and he's taking advantage. Still plenty of spots on the WMP 2008 All-Star Bandwagon. I'll still be driving though.

-The Dodgers signed David Wells for the rest of the year. Hate to say it, but it's going to be too little too late for L.A. They're 6.5 out of the NL West, and 4 out of the Wild Card. It would be nice to see Boomer end his career in October though, where he's really defined his career as a big game pitcher.

-JD Drew hit his first homerun since June 20 over the weekend. That brings him to a whopping 7 dingers on the season. And now it looks like he'll be platooning with the newly acquired Bobby Kielty. $14 million a year to do exactly what Trot Nixon has done the last few years only with shittier numbers than Trot. Awesome business decision.

-The Patriots are coming. Should be an unreal fall and winter for Belichick and the boys. I'm ready, how 'bout you?

-Non-sports note here: GO SEE SUPERBAD! Absolutely hilarious.

As always, send along any comments to thesportshub@gmail.com

This and That

Well it's been a while, and I really don't have anything specific to talk about. So it's random thoughts time:

-The Yankees are 5 back in the AL East. FINALLY. I'm actually pretty cool with this. It's time to add a little excitement to baseball. The Sox haven't been that impressive for the last couple of months. I expect them to respond soon. They needed a kick in the ass and hearing the Yanks coming up behind them should get everyone motivated.

-.322 avg, .833 OPS (.397 OBP), 34 RBI, 24 2B, 4 HR, 48 runs, 10 of his last 19 games have been multi-hit performances, .993 fielding % (3 errors)....thats Dustin Pedroia for you. I told you all back in April you'd love him come August (just thought I'd remind you all). And now he has to be considered one of the top contenders for Rookie of the Year along with Okajima and Reggie Willits from Anaheim. I hate to say I told you so...but...actually I love saying it; I TOLD YOU SO.

-Barry Bonds finally broke the all-time homerun record and the entire country is outraged. Where were all the complaints when McGwire and Sosa were chasing Maris back in '98? You're telling me you honestly didn't suspect Big Mac or Slammin' Sammy of being on the juice? If I remember it right, that is considered one of the biggest events (next to Ripken's Iron Man streak) that brought fans back to baseball after the lockout in 1994.

Here's the facts: Bonds has never tested positive for anything, and during his hot years there wasn't even testing or a policy to prevent steroids. How can we even talk about discounting his record without any legitimate evidence of a violation, and by that I mean any true violation of a policy or any negative drug test? I'm not a big fan of Bonds but I give the man his due. 756 is impressive as hell (even though it's only lasting until 2015 at best). Everyone needs to just move on.

-Timlin, Delcarmen, Gagne, Okajima, Papelbon. If Timlin stays healthy, and if Delcarmen has finally "found it," then how the hell do you beat Boston after the 6th inning? Francona is at the point where he can take his 5 starters and say "hey guys, just give us 6 strong and we'll handle the rest." Well, you know, if the offense starts putting up the numbers they're capable of.

-Entourage...absolutely on fire right now.

-Brady throwing to Moss, Stallworth, Welker, Caldwell, and Brown...are you kidding me? I know Super Bowls aren't won on paper in August, but we have the ace up the sleeve. The man. The myth. The legend. The King of the Hoodie. Belichick. That whole debate about who's the best QB in the NFL might see a few more Brady supporters jumping on the wagon this fall.

-If you don't read Barstool Sports make your way over there and click on the latest issue to see the pics of Whitney the Bruins Ice Girl...I love her. On a scale of 1-10 I'm giving her a 16.7.

-David Wells released by the Padres. I hope someone picks him up for one last playoff run. Bottom line is this guy is one of the best pitchers of the past 20 years. There aren't many people better in October than Boomer. If this is the end of his career, and if somehow The Sports Hub manages to get outselves a Hall of Fame vote sometime in the next few years, Boomer gets the nod from Danny Mac.

-Wily Mo cleared waivers and is free to be traded to any team. It's gonna be tough for me to see him go, but it's gonna be sweet as hell when he finally breaks out.

-Bobby Kielty in Boston. Sure, why not?

-Pierce, Garnett, Allen...Miller? Your telling me the Celts might add Reggie Miller to this team? Yea, he's 42. Yea, he's been away from the game for a year. On the other hand; Yea, he's one of the best shooters of the past 15 years. Yea, he has the motivation to win since he finished ring-less. Yea, he's one of the most lights out shooters from behind the arc I've ever seen. Yea, I like this.

And yea, I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Greech, set up the ticket package, I'm in.

-That guy who plays center, that forward from Sweden (?), some dude from Canada, the goalie from who knows where...its the '07 Bruins baby!! GET PSYCHED!!!

-Yo Hemi...how's the midwest?? Car bombs a-plenty when you return home brotha. Not enough Irish representation from the boys. And in response to your comment on Fantasy Football; yes my good man, it's gonna be another one for the Mick's baby!


That's it for now. As always, feel free to send something along to thesportshub@blogspot.com. Earn yourselves a mention in TSH. Who knows, maybe we'll load up the inbox and pull a complete Sport's Guy ripoff and bust out a Mailbag? I'll come up with another name for it though so it isn't too blatant. Keep on livin folks...L-I-V-I-N.

Come All Ye Bandwagon Fans

Greech

Attn: All 4 of my Friends who Still Like the NBA

What a great day to be a Boston Sports fan, it really doesn’t get much better than this, does it? The Pats started training camp down in Foxboro last week, the Sox are nearly traded Wily Mo Strikeout, which was one of the top five most exciting moments of the season for most Sox fans but still made a huge move by trading for Cy Young winner Eric Gange, the Bruins…well the Bruins are still allowed to play in the NHL, and if you haven’t heard the Celtics have INSTANTLY become one of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference.

After the NBA lottery, or as I like to call it, the contest to see who has the most balls, didn’t go the Celtics way you knew that Danny Ainge wasn’t going to sit still, there wasn’t anyway he could sit still. On draft day the Celts ended up trading the number 5 pick to Seattle for veteran shooting guard Ray Allen, which at the time I said I was luke warm about, at best. The other move that caught my eye was drafting Glen Big Baby Davis out of LSU. I liked the pick of Big Baby a lot, and at the time I mentioned that the choice might prelude the end of Big Al Jefferson in Boston.

Well, I wasn’t the only one who thought that Jefferson might be heading out of town, and as it turns out, Ainge thought the same thing. (It’s sorta like when Danny called that Wily Mo Pena was going to be a great player for the Sox, only if the EXACT opposite thing happened.) Yesterday the Celts traded Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff’s expiring contract, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, two first round draft choices, Bassy Telfair, and Bassy Telfair’s gun collection (has that one been used before?) for ten time allstar Kevin Garnett.

Doesnt that look promising?

This was really the only logical thing to do after the acquisition of Allen. With Pierce and Allen they were a 6th or 7th seed, but with the trio of The Truth, Jesus, and The Big Tikcet, this is a team that will immediately be a favorite to win the East. I already had to restrain myself from buying a half season ticket package that would have cost me about 1200 dollars, and I’m being dead serious. Last year I went to the Garden ten times to watch a team that one 24 games, I’ll be going to at least 20 games this year, and I might even consider bring some of my bandwagon friends if they considering bring their sisters..

For any Celtics fan, non Celtic fan, sorta Celtic fan, you have to love this trade. As Steven A Smith so articulately points out “I LIKE THIS MOVE BY DANNY AINGE, BUT WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE JV CONFERENCE”. I pretty sure what Steven A. meant was that the Celtics still play in the East, which for the past 10 year has been a far inferior conference compared to the West, but that’s what makes this deal so great. There isn’t a team in the East that will have a better starting five, in fact I’m thinking about convincing Danny to try out for point guard just so I can be in his entourage. And when you look out West, only San Antonio and Phoenix look like teams that are better than us today.

This was a huge price to pay for one guy, but from Ainge’s point of view it had to be done (to save his job) and from owner Wyc Grousbeck point of view it had to be done too (to make the Celtics relevant in a town dominated by the Sox and Pats), and if you are a fan you have to be thrilled (because the Celtics are back, and there will finally be basketball to watch come April and June). Don’t get me wrong, I was a huge Big Al fan (does anyone remember when we used to call Alex, Big Gay Al? BGA? Anyone?), he had a huge season last year and fans in Minnesota will soon realize what a great player they got in exchange for their future Hall of Famer.

Danny, remember to contact your doctor if your erection lasts longer than 4 hours.

In six years, this might look like a foolish and panicked move, but for the next three to five years Celtics fans everywhere are going to be more excited than Danny Mac when Kenny Chesney came on stage with a cut off Sox shirt on. So what if I’ll be paying off my season tickets in monthly payments over the next year or two, at least I’ll finally be getting my moneys worth.