Love Letters: Raging and ranting
Insider | Short Hops | Love Letters
Updated May 12
Some of these people probably even picked the winner of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, too. Naaahhh ...
From: John Croft
Why is Ken Griffey Jr.'s picture used for this article? He is the cleanest guy in the league and so you use him to sell a story on steroids? I don't get it. Don't say that you didn't over sell this one. Your article may be right but you did a great disservice to Ken Griffey Jr. That's too bad! I think you owe him an apology.
His picture was used simply because he's one of the greats who is off to a sluggish start. But let's make this clear: In no way does the column link Griffey to steroids. In fact, I talked to Griffey this spring about his career-long avoidance of steroids and praised him profusely for that. Check it out.
From: Mike Garger
After reading your "cautionary" story of jumping to conclusions as to the drop in offensive numbers, I am curious about one thing. There are numerous references to the sample period as being small and that it is early in the season and some guys start slow. April has accounted for 15 percent of the full season, so it's not a weekend series. As far as the idea that guys are slow starters, well, my guess is that guys were slow starters last year, the time frame used in comparison. These arguments make a player's defense sound like a denial and a writer sound like a bit of a brown-noser. Steroids may not be the definitive reason, but it looks more and more like the most probable suspect.
Which was my point.
From: Kyle Kopenski
How about some love for the Brewers and their newfound ability to manufacture runs.
I LOVE the Brewers.
From: Rick Lovero
So a few weeks ago I mentioned it seemed that every time the Yankees are reeling they get the Devil Rays for a few games to right themselves. So I was wrong and it is the Yankees who are the big, sloppy Saint Bernards with the warm blankets instead.
I like that.
See, you jinxed things by writing. Now the Yankees have won five in a row. Way to go.
From: Chris Cutkomp
Haha, hey thanks for posting two letters from me in the mailbag. I'm not bothered, I just like to rant. And yes, I do feel sorry for you having to read through some of the crap that comes to your mailbox, including my own crap. Just know that I and many others do appreciate your work. It's just, when you put the link to tell you my opinion, well, I will do so.
If, on the link, I leave instructions on how to include a $100 check to the author, will you do that, too?
From: Rick
"Looks like a two-team race developing in the NL East between Atlanta and Florida"? At least wait until there's some distance between those two teams and the rest of the division before making such proclamations. Today the Mets are in fourth place and only 2½ games out. Even the last place Phillies are only 5½ out.
Don't forget: Jose Reyes has walked now in TWO STRAIGHT GAMES (it's true, you can look it up). Now, anything is truly possible.
Thanks for giving me hope that my wife will walk right past a shoe store without stopping in, one of these days.
From: Mike
I thought your "... a Lyon stands tall" piece was great. Except you didn't really mention anything about the duo of Jorge Julio and B.J. Ryan.
Maybe because of the lack of saves? But B.J. hasn't had a lot of opportunities for the save because of the massive amount of offense the O's are producing. But when B.J. comes in the game in a save situation, there is a sigh of relief knowing this game is over with. B.J. this season has 29 K's in 19.2 innings, which is magnificent. Julio is performing superbly as well in setup situations and non-save situations. The O's have two closers. Once the game gets into the 8th or 9th innings and have a lead, the O's fans have a lot of confidence in their closer -- something that has been missing for some time. Oh, if you didn't notice I'm an O's fan.
Remember when you Orioles fans were embarrassed to be seen in public?
From: Joshua Smith
This is in response to your article on games lost in the ninth.
Now, their record may be dismal, but there is a team that has not had a blown save opportunity this year. Sure, they have only had 10 of them, but 100 percent is better than anybody else. The team without a blown save opportunity is the Pirates. One closer has saved every one of their precious few wins, and that is Jose Mesa.
I'm surprised you overlooked him in your article. Overlooked the Pirates completely, in fact. I don't consider that mean or anything, just incomplete journalism. Anyway, Mesa, who I know blew a World Series at one time, is still going strong, still throwing strong, and shining on a team that is hopeful of just reaching .500, and he doesn't want to play for anyone else. And he does his job. Virtually without error.
Mesa wasn't as hot as Lyon at the time, and the focus was on the major-league saves leader. But Mesa now is 12-for-12 in save opportunities and certainly deserves some love.
From: Alan
Trevor Hoffman sits on 399 saves (with no signs of slowing down) and there's nary a peep from the national media. I know most people consider San Diego a suburb of L.A., but I figured you'd know better.
Rather than an article on how good or bad the Yankees are, or some random article on an April anomaly, can we get one on Trevor?
Coming up within the next few weeks, sir.
From: MamaBeanna
I am very pleased with the article about the Sunflower seeds. It was mostly the picture that went with the article which thrilled me. I was able to show the photo to my daughter's boyfriend. I was hoping it would make him realize how gross it looks to go around with a mouthful of seeds! The first time I met him he had a wad of seeds stuck in his mouth. I couldn't tell if it was chew or seeds. He introduced himself and while shaking my hand he started spitting specks of seed on the ground. I was not impressed! I hope the photo brings this to the attention to all men who are trying to make a good first impression. It looks gross! My suggestion is chew bubble gum instead!
Does your daughter's boyfriend play the tune from Deliverance on his banjo, too?
From: Dan
I thought your bit about the Yankees was insightful, but the Diamondbacks are not the Yankees and people do not care when they play the D-Backs -- they are a flash in the pan. When Javier Vazquez was an All-Star last year, where was he when it mattered? It is very different for a young pitcher to play for the Yankees, but easy for a columnist to poke fun. Who would you rather face: R.J. or Halsey?
Depends: How much money are you paying me?
From: Scott
Dude ... it's the ANAHEIM Angels. Are you under some obligation to refer to them as the L.A. Angels?
The folks down here in Orange County are so completely offended by this name thing that the net is that they're losing fans by the boatloads. There's only one L.A. team, and that's the Dodgers. Arte (Moreno, Angels owner) is shooting himself in the foot with this BS.
If Angels fans are so offended, why has the club sold a franchise-record 27,000 season tickets?
From: Brooke Temple
Good article, but they are Anaheim, I don't give a hoot about their name change. They are not even in Los Angeles County, they are in Orange County. Please don't even mention the fact that their name indicates Los Angeles when they are clearly Anaheim- and Orange County-based.
So let's ignore that their name indicates Los Angeles when their official name now, as recognized by baseball, is Los Angeles?
