Drug Use Kansas City: The 2011 Major League Baseball Season – What to Look For

The 2011 baseball season made its debut on March 31 and for all for the sports (myself included) it is a sight for sore eyes. After the fourth and final game of the 2010 World Series, we had to go through the winter of cold weather, snow, ice, sleet, and wind chills below zero before an actual game took place. If the phrase ” Pitchers and Catchers report to camp” was an appetizer, then Opening Day was the main course.

2011 Season

Hope springs eternal for all 30 teams. The goal for each club is to win the World Series in October and hoist the championship trophy in the clubhouse once it is all done. But in order for that to happen, a team must have everything fall in place: minimal to no serious injuries to key players; a strong pitching staff; a chore of relief pitchers that will not blow leads; and a lineup from top to bottom that will always get in scoring position along with hit for power and drive in runs.

Time For Redemption

The 2011 season allows players to have the chance to repeat the same success hat they achieved last season. Also, it provide the chance for those who had a horrible time last season, whatever it was an injury (or injuries) or their production (batting average, home runs, driving in or scoring runs) just completely fell off. The new season is also beneficial to pitchers as well. Last season gave some pitchers the chance to have a winning record, make the All-Star team, led their respective league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, shutouts, complete games and saves. The pitchers who suffered nagging injuries or had a disastrous season last season (losing record, or was totally ineffective) 2011 gives them the chance to redeem themselves for their team.

The Ultimate Comeback

If would be great to see the following teams make a strong comeback in the 2011 season: 1) Baltimore Orioles; 2) Kansas City Royals; and 3) Pittsburgh Pirates. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Orioles Royals and Pirates were playoff and World Series contenders almost every year, but when free agency become the norm and salaries began to escalate in the 1990s, they were not able to hold on to their core players, who decided to leave and join a contending team. Also, it doesn’t help that the farm system, once upon a time the crown jewel for each team, was stripped because the prospects were traded away for draft picks, money or future considerations.

Baltimore Orioles

From 1966-1983, the Oriole way was the blueprint that every baseball team wanted to follow. The reason was during that time period, the Orioles led by manager Earl Weaver (until the end of the 1982 season), won 3 World Series Championships; 5 American League Pennants; had a strong lineup and pitching rotation-led by 3 time Cy Young Award Winner Jim Palmer; and was a staple on the NBC Game of the Week almost every Saturday Afternoon. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Eddie Murray led the Orioles to a number of winning seasons and in the middle of the decade, the club, now led by Davey Johnson, with star players Ripken and Roberto Alomar went to the playoffs two straight years (1996 and 1997), but lost in the American League Championship Series (to the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians, respectively.)

However, that was the last time Baltimore has seen the playoffs because it has been one long draught. It’s kind of tough to win in a division where you must compete with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox (recently the Tampa Bay Rays were able to figure that out); have an owner who is concerned in handling out fat contracts to players who are way past their prime; lose players every year to free agency and the farm system is not the same anymore. Some people have blamed Owner Peter Angelos for not fielding a consistent productive and competitive team. They have argued that this not the Oriole Way, a style of play that Earl Weaver used during the team’s successful years. So far in 2011, with Buck Showalter, after a great start, the Orioles are in 3rd place in the American League East with a 13-14. Yes, it’s tough to compete with the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Blue Jays, but Baltimore must find a way to hold their own against they division rivals and compete for a postseason spot in October.

Kansas City Royals

Baseball fans under the age of 25 would not believe you if you said told them that the Kansas City Royals were once a really good team. Yes, from 1976-1986, the Royals won a World Series championship, 2 American League Pennants, and 5 American League West Division titles. The Royals had great players during that run, such as George Brett, Frank White, Willie Wilson, Larry Gura, Bret Saberhagen, Hal McRae, Amos Otis, John Mayberry, John Wathan, U.L. Washington, Dan Quisenberry, Mark Gubicza, and Danny Jackson.

Even when the titles were over, the Royals had some contending teams during the late 1980s to the early 19990s. The Oakland Athletics dominated the American League West, but that didn’t stop the Royals from having some competitive teams during that time period. Some of the stars on those Royals teams include: Bo Jackson, Tom Gordon and Kevin Seitzer. Currently at this time, the Royals are in 2nd place in the American League Central with a 11-6 record. But by the mid-1990s, Kansas City had a new owner (Ewing Kaufmann, whom the stadium is named after, passed away in 1993) and general manager (John Schuerholtz took his talents to Atlanta and with Manager Bobby Cox, turned the Braves into a National League powerhouse with 14 division titles, 5 pennants and 1 World Series Title) but despite that, the Royals fell into an abyss where they haven’t recovered since. It was well documented that by July, the Royals were well out of playoff contention and fans were looking forward to the Kansas City Chiefs (a team whose stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, is right across the street from Kaufmann Stadium) football season. Currently, the Royals are in 2nd place with a 15-13 record. Hopefully, they can turn it around this year and make it to the postseason in October for the first time since 1985.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Hopefully, this is the year that the Pittsburgh Pirates will finally turn it around because it has been a long time coming. In 1970, the Pirates, led by Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell began their run of three straight National East Division titles and a World Series championship to boot in 1971. After the tragic death of Clemente on New Year’s Eve in 1972, the Pirates made it back to the postseason in 1974 and 1975, but lost in the playoffs. In 1979, the “We Are Family” Pirates, managed by Chuck Tanner and led by Stargell and Dave Parker came from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series and defeat the Baltimore Orioles in 7 games. The early to mid 1980s was not a good time for the Pirates, bad baseball teams and the drug scandal did not help matters much. But from 1986-1992, the Pirates through their farm system and trade, engineered by Syd Thrift, had prospect that would because all stars, these players include: Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke, Bobby Bonilla, Doug Drabek, Mike LaValliare, Jay Bell, Jose Lind, Sid Bream, and John Smiley. Together, the Pirates won the National League East in 1990, 1991 and 1992, however, they fell short of making the World Series each year. 1992 was detrimental because after their Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Braves, Bonds left as a free agent to join the San Francisco Giants and that started the decline of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who last winning season was 19 years ago.

Since then, the Pirates have changed ownership a few times, and despite having arguably the best looking stadium in baseball, PNC Park, the team’s losing ways has remained the same. Since 1993, the Pirates have lost 90 games or more 9 times, include two years (2001 and 2010) where they lost 100 games. Like every other small market team, Pittsburgh’s main problem is keeping their young players on their team for a long period of time. The cycle goes like this: 1) Player is drafted by the Pirates; 2) Player become very productive in the Minor Leagues; 3) Player get called up to the Big Leagues; 4) Player become a star or even an All-Star; 5) Once the player is in the last year of their contract, the team doesn’t have enough money to sign them to a long-term deal; 6) During the off-season, player leaves the Pirates for a bigger market: Ex. New York, Los Angeles, Boston or Chicago. This is a vicious cycle that the Pirates have been involved in for many years. Currently, Pittsburgh is in 3rd place in the National League Central Division with a 14-15 record. It would be great to see the Pirates in a pennant race or even fight for a Wild Card spot in October.

Review of the teams in the 2010 World Series

San Francisco Giants

No one saw the San Francisco Giants not only contend in 2010, but also took home the World Series title. This was a team that 2 years ago lost 90 games after having a successful run during the Barry Bonds era (1993-2007.) While the Giants will not admit it, the club made a lot of money during that time period, whatever it was at home in Pacific Bell Park (now known as At & T Park) where Bonds was a fan favorite or on the road where Bonds was the player that everybody hated and booed. In 2008, once the era ended,the home attendance at Giants home games dropped off, businesses near the ballpark lost money the Giants preceded to have a 70-92 record and fell to last place. The only bright spot during the dismal season was that Tim Lincecum, a tall and skinny right-hander took home the Cy Young Award, a rarity for a pitcher to win the honor on a losing team. In 2009, Lincecum won a second straight Cy Young Award and the Giants posted a winning season of 88-74.

In 2010, the Giants caught fire at the right with a strong playoff surge that displaced the San Diego Padres (who suffered a late season collapse a the same time) from the top spot in the National League West Division. The Giants rode the “Fear The Beard” mantra throughout the playoffs to take out the resurgent Atlanta Braves, defending champion Philadelphia Phillies and swept the powerful Texas Rangers in 4 games. Currently, San Francisco is having a slow start (13-15, 3rd place in the National League West) but it’s a long time between now and October, so I would not count out the Giants at all.

Texas Rangers

The 2010 World Series provided another surprise. No one saw the Texas Rangers catch fire at the right time and make to the Fall Classic. Since moving to Arlington, Texas in 1972 ( the club played its first 11 seasons in Washington, D.C. and was known as the Washington Senators) the Rangers were better known for the Texas heat and their old stadium, and Arlington Stadium–a home haven for sluggers in the American League, than their win-loss record throughout their history, even though in the mid-to-late 1970s (teams managed by Billy Martin, Frank Lucchesi and Pat Corrales) and in the late 1980s (managed by Bobby Valentine) the Rangers pulled off a number of winning seasons. During the 1990s (1996, 1998 and 1999) the Rangers were able with make the playoffs. But their postseason stay were ended every single time by the New York Yankees.

In 2010, The Rangers made the postseason and not only won their 1st playoff series over Minnesota Twins but also made their first trip to the World Series after dispatching their nemesis-the New York Yankees. The season ended with a bitter taste for Rangers fans (the team was swept in 4 straight games) but at the time of this article, Texas is off to a great start with a 16-13 record, tied for first place with the Anaheim Angels in the American League West Division.

Who’s going to Win the World Series?

You’re guess is as good as mine. It is every easy to pick the usual suspects ( New York Yankees, Boston, Minnesota, Philadelphia, St. Louis) but anyone can it all in October ( or the way the baseball season has ended the past few years, in November.)

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