The Derby. I respect every Derby winner – it’s the hardest race there is to win – but I have certainly respected other winners more than Super Saver. He won in a glacially slow time on a surface that was perfect for him, and he benefited from pretty much the perfect trip. Despite that he was getting chased down rapidly by Ice Box, who had had a brutal trip, down the stretch. I long for the day that I get to see a Triple Crown winner (I was alive for the last two, but was sadly too young to care), but I’m not getting my hopes up at all this year – despite what Calvin Borel says.
Zack Greinke. There couldn’t be a less likely guy in sports. On Sunday Greinke allowed one run in eight very solid innings and lost 1-0. In the last two years he has a 2.17 ERA with an AL best 16 quality starts and the best ERA in baseball, yet his team has gone 18-21 when he has started. He’s 0-3 this year despite pitching very well. Just imagine what this guy could do playing for a real team. Kansas City should grant him free agency just out of mercy.
Barry Zito. I’m starting to believe. He had another very good start against Colorado on Friday. Now he’s 4-0 with five good starts this year, and he’s looking very much like the pitcher he was when he was at his best in Oakland. If he can be almost this good for the rest of the year, or at least big parts of it, then San Francisco is going to be tough – that’s a pretty good rotation they have there.
The Orioles. I watched Baltimore play the other day. It’s hard to get too excited about them. They are already 11 games out of first place, and they just aren’t very good at all. How do you get yourself motivated every day when you are all but mathematically eliminated on May 1?
Billy Wagner. I respect Wagner, and it’s hard not to respect his latest announcement – the 38 year old announced that he intends to retire after this season despite having an option for next year so that he can spend more time with his family. By giving the Braves this much notice they have the time to test out some approaches for next year so that the transition is smooth – sort of the antithesis of the Favre approach. It will be strange next year – Wagner will be gone, and it’s hard to believe that Trevor Hoffman won’t join him, so it’s going to be a noticeably younger, less accomplished closer fraternity.
