Brooke Hundley

Too Great An Expectation

// August 29th, 2010 // 19 Comments » // Baseball, Football

Some might say this is the best time of year to be a sports fan. With the NFL preseason underway and the MLB season winding down towards the hunt for October, fall brings about not only a renewed optimism for sports fans that their team might just clinch a championship, but also an almost cyclic enthusiasm for the next superstar who will lead the way. Call it a need to have hope, a desire to see a young athlete achieve great things, or perhaps just an old fashioned envious nature that those with consistently disappointing teams can have a highly touted prospect move in and move their team to victory, but the start of every season always seems to come with the same old talk around the water cooler about whether this year might be different….

July 4th weekend 2010, I traveled to Washington D.C, for what had been a summer determination (some might call it obsession) with attending a game at every ballpark on the east coast within traveling distance of my NYC apartment. I’d selected this particular weekend not only because the Mets fans were in town, which usually ensures an entertaining ballgame regardlesss, but more importantly because I figured for all the fuss it was about time I saw this year’s No. 1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg in action. I’d watched Strasburg grow up a bit, having helped with the College World Series at ESPN as well as MLB games in which producers were always wanting a little footage of Strasburg in their back pockets should his name come up in in-game conversation. I’d been impressed with his outings at San Diego State as many had, and held optimistic enthusiasm for his future, that is…until his major league debut.

On June 8, 2010, Strasburg made his debut to a sold out crowd in Washington D.C. as well as viewers watching from all over the country. Bob Costas described Strasburg’s debut to the Washington Post as having “no precedent” in all of baseball history with regards to hype and buildup for a player debut. Yes, the Strasburg media machine was in full action, and one can imagine the love of sports fans everywhere being a bit too overwhelming, a pressure cooker of sorts for a 21-year-old kid trying to prove to the nation he deserved to be chosen No. 1. Fourteen strikeouts later, zero walks or fly balls, and a punch out of the last seven batters he faced, and the game was over, but sports writers everywhere had already lit up the digital world with their take on the future of Strasburg, calling him “the new era of the Nationals, (Washington Post), “ a real foundation for hope and expectations” (The New York Times), “the greatest pitching prospect ever” (ESPN), and in summation of the night, “a star – and maybe a franchise – was born” (Fox Sports). Each headline I’d read with ever increasing concern, yes I’d never seen a rookie debut with such talent as Strasburg, yes there was indeed great optimism to be had about the future of this pitcher and perhaps the future of the franchise, but could this outpouring of love and expectation be asking too much of a pitcher, a player who only plays the game every five days, and worse yet is contracted to one repetitive motion, expected to retain the top form of that movement in every appearance, which for Strasburg meant pitches clocking in in the high 90s and a paralyzing curveball? I’d watched his postgame interview with even more concern, many who have viewed it as well as his other media appearances often quote his humbleness, others critique him as too emotionless (not so exciting for television), but I see a player who is trying to let himself off the pedestal we’ve created for him now and again and remember that he’s just human. In his interview after been congratulated for achieving the impossible, for exceeding the hype at his debut, he reminded us all that “it’s a long road in the season, it’s a long career,” and even more importantly that “(he’s) human, it’s not always going to be that good,” a point many fans seemed to gloss over in their rush to discuss his future home in the Hall of Fame. That’s not to say he shouldn’t be praised, this is a kid who has worked hard to hone his skills, a leader and someone well respected in the baseball community, and a name to finally wear proudly on the back of a Nationals jersey.

As I watched his performance in person that hot July afternoon I won’t say I wasn’t a tad disappointed, as he ended up having one of the worst outings of the season outpitched by the Mets’ R.A. Dickey. It was Strasburg’s 6th major league start and possibly the shortest of his career. He lasted five innings, allowed two runs on four hits, struck out five and walked three. While his numbers were hardly anything to be too disappointed about, able to bounce back after a disappointing inning or two to keep the game close and eventually paving the way for a Nationals win, I felt a sting of envy as I listened to the Nats fan next to me describe in detail how riveting it to was to see his debut in person and the excitement in the air. Still, I was impressed with his form, his speed and his last two innings, as Strasburg threw a combined 22 pitches and retired six straight. Yet as I watched him return to the dugout each inning I grew nervous, feeling the pressure cloud around him producing its own battle internally, one that came across very loudly in his post-game interview in which he talked as if he had had the worst outing imaginable, working too fast on the mound and desperately needing to slow things down. During the game he stormed backed to the dugout bench after each outing, didn’t say a word to his fellow teammates, and any onlooker could see just how hard he was beating himself up over a single game in the middle of the season, clearly frustrated and disappointed in himself to such a point that others would place a hand on his shoulder but not say a word as if the best medicine was to leave him to his own demons.

Fast forward almost 2 months later and the headlines tell a different story about Strasburg, a story that is almost a parallel in the degree of disappointment and sadness fans have as they originally had in optimism and awe towards Strasburg at his debut. Some writers in the D.C. area going so far as to call it a “day for mourning” as news has come out that Strasburg will have to undergo Tommy John surgery, removing him from play for the rest of the season and likely for an entire year with the added physical therapy needed to get him back to his old form. This isn’t the most devastating news, many players have had the surgery and come back to stellar careers like A.J. Burnett and Chris Carpenter, but rather it’s that the young superstar didn’t even make it through a season before finding his career stagnated and his health diminished. Fans immediately look to the ballclub for not resting him enough, or the media hounds who have criticized the young star too harshly, as guilty parties for this horrible news, but I don’t. I think back to being locked in on Strasburg in that dugout after every inning of a roller coaster performance and seeing a young kid with a nation of parents, parents who offer love and support but also place vast expectations on a kid who still beats himself up, feeling as if if he isn’t pitching perfectly he isn’t doing well enough. Strasburg’s surgery in some ways might be good for him, to get away from the pressure to have time to work on his mental game as much as his physical therapy, and to offer up a chance to grow into a man who defines himself by his own standards and expectations both in his life and in his career. I wish him the best of luck and I will be rooting for what I hope will be a long and successful career, albeit without complete perfection.

In the meantime I’ve been noticing a few headlines that are starting to get me feeling queasy all over again, in his first career start Sam Bradford, the NFL’s No. 1 draft pick, went 15 of 22 for 189 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Rams to a preseason victory over the Patriots. He wasn’t perfect, in the way Strasburg was, but he did make terrific passes and many can be quoted as saying “he looked every bit like a starting NFL quarterback,” (Yahoo! Sports) , “Bradford made the Rams sing…an exclusive quarterback,” (NFL Fanhouse), “Rookie Bradford performs like a veteran,” (Fox Sports), “Looking like a pro-bowler in his rookie season…the Ram’s future is bright! (ReviewSTL.com). All I can say is this: football fans you have reason to be excited, a reason to look forward to the future with Bradford at the helm, but try to remember he’s only 22-years-old, and like any good parents, encourage, support and love are what bring out the best qualities in a person. Try not to set the expectations too impossibly high, give Bradford room to grow, expect there to be some growing pains, and just enjoy the ride, and maybe we’ll get to see him play the whole season and many, many more….

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

Ask Brooke

// January 12th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Baseball, General, Sports

I get a lot of various emails and facebook messages asking me about my take on various baseball and football topics. I hoped to answer some of the baseball trade talk questions last Saturday on a radio appearance, but some technical difficulties prevented me from going on. So I decided to post some of the questions and my answers to them over time here.

Q: Losers and Winners in the Baseball Offseason?

There are a few teams that could be in contention for this one including the Indians and Padres who both hired new GMs and who have each made a whopping one next to nothing trade this offseason. I’m going to give first bidding to the Los Angeles Dodgers though thanks in part to their huge inactivity as well as their front office soap opera that continues to play out. It’s not just who they’re not getting, but also who they’re letting walk out of their franchise. Randy Wolf wins 11 games last year with a 3.2 ERA and they don’t even both offering him arbitration to get the 2 draft picks for him. They also lose Orlando Hudson, Vicente Padilla, and Jon Garland, and who have they added to fill in the missing holes? A utility player by the name of Jamie Carroll, instead of putting that money into a desperately needed pitcher. I understand they’re going through an ugly divorce, which means budget slashing, but they have no cheap players ready to step in. The Dodgers were able to win consecutive division crowns by graduating and trading so many prospects that the upper levels of their farm system are completely thin and they are still in desperate need of two starting pitchers. They dealt Juan Pierre in what can be effectively seen as yet another salary dump by the team not for an established starting pitcher, but rather two minor league prospects, they’ve offered a handful after handful of minor league contracts to older guys hoping someone will catch on during Spring Training. They have fallen short the last 2 years mainly because they lack a front of the rotation starter. They should have gone after Lackey when they had the chance to be their number 1 starter. Instead they are hoping Chad Billingsly can step up and handle the top spot and admit they still remain focused on adding a starting pitcher, second baseman and bench players. When do you plan on getting around to solving those problems?

The other loser award I’d have to hand out to the Houston Astros, who work daily under the guidance of Ed Wade to distinguish themselves as the worst team in baseball, driven by a train-wreck of an offseason. At least the Indians and Padres know no trade is better than a bad trade. The Astros lose both free agents Jose Valverde, who has 25 saves with a 2.3 ERA and LaTroy Hawkins, who has 11 saves and a 2.17 ERA, their 2 best relievers are gone just like that. And who do they replace them with? Brandon Lyon, by far the worst free agent signing of the offseason at 3 years, $15 mil. Yes it’s a depressed market for relievers, but Wade should have had known better than to sign an unspectacular reliever in Lyon, who’s been wildly inconsistent throughout his career, and has proven time and time again that he’s not a closer. The Astros are willing to gamble that Lyon will get lucky next 3 years, when they could have just used that kind of money to give Jose Valverde, who is a much better reliever than Lyon, a multi-year deal. They traded for Matt Lindstrom of the Marlins who’s ERA is almost 6, granted he required no prospects of note in return, but he’s arbitration eligible and because of his terrible ’09 season, he’s likely to receive only a modest bump in salary at best. They sign 35-year-old Pedro Feliz for 3rd base who only managed 12 home runs in Philly’s park. In a team with payroll limitations, contracts like Lyon’s can be crippling. $15 mil is more than almost every team’s draft budget, and instead of investing in guys like Lyons, the Astros could have used that money, even at $5 mil a year to bolster their farm system and improve their future. Instead they’re left with a barren farm system & a team with serious offensive problems, and little help on the way.

As for winners, obviously the Phillies got a true ace by signing the best current pitcher in baseball in Roy Halladay at a guaranteed 4-5 years, and receiving solid prospects and $6 mil in return.  But I’m going to put the Yankees at 2^nd just head of them. Last year Cashmen built the club through free agency bringing in Sabathia, Texiera, and Burnett, and this year they’ve made substantial trade moves and that have all been excellent. Trading for Curtis Granderson, created a defensive upgrade in center field and added more athleticism.  Not only did they get younger, but his left-handed bat and power to right field will play perfect in Yankee Stadium, as he should continue to hit 20-30 homers a year. They also resigned Pettite, and added nick Johnson at DH, who is an OBP monster, works the count well, and excels against left-handers.  Then they add in a final surprise pick by trading for Javier Vasquez who’s handed out out 10 straight years of 190 innings or more and 10 wins or more, and is coming off his best year in Atlanta with 15 wins, and a 2.8 ERA.  He’ll be the Yankees 4^th starter, where in some places, like say Citi Field, he’d be the number two guy.

Have to put Seattle at the ultimate top of the winner’s block this offseason.  Their solid, forward-looking GM has, in under 2 years, turned the Mariners from the bottom of the scrap heap to a legitimate contender for the AL West in 2010. Obviously anytime you get a player like Cliff Lee you’re going to improve your club. At best Lee leads Seattle to a division crown, gets to play in a pitchers park with great defense behind him, and potentially signs a long term deal.  At worst, he plays for a year, the Mariners don’t make it into the postseason, but they get 2 first round picks as compensation when he leaves.  Hard to find a downside to the deal. And the Mariners will now have a one-two punch in the top of their starting rotation in Felix Hernandez and Lee that can really shut down teams. Last year Seattle finished last in OBP in the AL, so they picked up speedy Shawn Figgins.  A guy who leads the AL in walks last year, and creates a top two in the lineup with Ichiro that combines two of the best leadoff hitters in the AL, minus Jeter. And in case they weren’t doing well enough Seattle trades Carlos Silva and $9 mil to the Cubs in exchange for Milton Bradley.  Effectively dumping a terrible pitcher, whose contract was a sunk cost as they were planning to release him anyway come spring training, for a few million and a couple years to see if Milton Bradley can keep his anger in check and his bat in the lineup.  If he doesn’t work out who cares they just release him, but he may be worth the gamble considering he is only a year removed from 22 home runs and 77 RBIs for the Rangers and unlike the Cubs, the Mariners have a DH spot to keep him healthy. Add in some defensive additions in the forms of Casey Kotchman at 1^st, and Frank Guiterrez at center field and anyway you look at it, this will be a true race in the west between the Angels who have done little this offseason, the Rangers who have some talented young pitchers, and the Mariners who could take the whole divison.

Photo Credit

Fame and Fortune

// December 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Baseball, General, Sports

The baseball off-season has already been rife with surprises, upsets, great buys, and unexpected signings. From the blockbuster 3-way trades involving Halladay and Granderson, to the significant signings of Lackey, Figgins, and Wolf, to the youthful future investments in the likes of Austin Jackson and Brett Wallace, the market continues to deploy the laws of supply and demand at its best. But as I look back on the stellar deals I notice a reoccurring theme that is difficult to miss, that of a bewildered, well-recognizable athlete left on the outside looking in, questioning the simple laws of need vs. want and the actions commencing inside the bargaining table.

From Cliff Lee announcing that he never saw his trade to the Mariners coming, expecting an extension with the Phillies and a surefire place to live out the remainder of his career, to the likes of Johnny Damon who, with 2 rings, a career salary over $100 million, and a coveted position in the Yankee lineup, continues to claim he wants nothing more than to stay a Yankee, yet seems confused over the fact they refuse to give into his three years and no less than $13 million demands. It leaves me wondering, do we live in a world where we place such a heightened value on our inner opinions of ourselves, where we are constantly told that we can be and have anything our heart desires and to not settle for anything less, that we lose sight of our role in the greater scheme of things, our true value, if you will, on the open market?

From the dynamics of a baseball team to the opportunities for advancement at a company to the lavish attention of others at a social event, there are those who realize that their skills and talents call for opportunities in life in which doors will open, generous intrigue will be bestowed, and positive outcomes will reign supreme. But can any of us as ego-driven human beings willingly accept the time that will inevitably come in which the spotlight will be dimmed, the company or the team will decide their needs and one’s wants no longer match, the social environment that once drew engaging looks and attention now seeks only advice and wisdom, and the plethora of interesting prospects are now resolved to a minute list of options?

Whether it’s a major league pitcher with an awarding winning resume or an employee with a proven track record, a respected designated hitter facing a bleak market or a professional forced into retirement fearing the quiet life away from an established career, are we ever ready to accept a new destiny we had not prepared for, ready to accept a fate that draws us away from our perfectly envisioned path for the future? Can we push aside our egos, let go of our preconceived notions and embrace the ever-changing curveballs of life or are we so determined to prove, if only to ourselves, that we are deserving of that which we seek, that we refuse to budge from our mindset, even if it leaves us sitting alone in our own denial while the world passes us by?

It’s a challenge to anyone, to take an honest look in the mirror and assess one’s skills, strengths, and weaknesses, and be willing to check one’s opinion of one’s self at the door, in order to embrace something new and unplanned. At the end of the day a 3 year, 30 million dollar a year salary might seem like the ultimate defining factor (insert your ideal career salary here), but when you break down the non-monetary gains be it ball player or otherwise: a winning team that you call home, a place where you can continue to grow and mentor young people, a position coveted by many, you might just realize that opportunity has much more to offer than any preconceived price tag placed on it.

Photo Credit