Getting On Records, 6-3-08

Betancourt
Last week, Eric Wedge started to show signs the losing was getting to him. He called out Rafael Betancourt for not pitching inside enough after another poor outing by the Tribe’s set-up man.

Last year, Betancourt combined with Rafael Perez to form the best set-up tandem in baseball. In 2008, both have had their struggles. Such is the life of a reliever in MLB. No one in their right mind expected the duo to post ’07 numbers in ’08. The memo obviously did not reach Wedge. Very few relievers are outstanding every year. The few that are that good that often usually pitch in the ninth inning.

What surprised this observer is Wedge naming a player who has struggled and critiquing him publicly. That’s a first for Wedge.

And why choose Betancourt?

Wedge has plenty of higher-priced regulars to criticize who have underachieved this season. Start at the top of the batting order and work your way to the ninth hitter and stop at a place of your choosing.

Secondly, Wedge’s critique is misguided in this case.

We all know you have to pitch inside to win – especially if you are a starter and have to face the same hitters two or three times a game. Betancourt is a reliever who pitches two innings max. It helps if he pitches inside, but he proved in ’07, he could dominate by painting the outside corner all season long. I have never seen a pitcher paint the black away like he did for six months in ’07. That's a hard habit to break if you have had success like he did.

To expect him to change his approach to pitching after just two months of struggling in ’08 is somewhat unrealistic – especially after no one got on him about pitching inside last year when he didn’t and was arguably the best set-up man in the AL.

Yes, he probably should pitch inside more. No one would argue that. But what has he done to draw Wedge’s ire in public? Hey Eric - it doesn’t take guts to call out a set-up guy.

Look for Mark Shapiro to have a heart to heart with Eric about his public critique of Betancourt. First, that’s not his style, and secondly, if you do it, you don’t choose a set-up guy. That doesn't go over well in the lockerroom.

Now to answer why he chose Betancourt – my guess is he (Wedge) was disappointed RB failed in the short time he was placed in the closer’s role when Joe Bo was out, and that frustration eventually came out in a post-game interview days later.

Remember, many have been pushing for Betancourt to close more even dating back to ’07when Borowski was doing his nightly ninth inning tight-rope act. Now, that future option does not seem as appealing.

Celtics – Lakers
We had the Celtics in the Finals before the season started but missed on the Lakers. Thanks to Memphis handing LA a polished post player (P. Gasol) for practically nothing in mid-season, the Lakers are representing the West.

Based on what we have seen in the post-season so far, we give a slight edge to LA over the Celtics. How’s 4-2 LA sound?

Both teams have three all-star caliber players. The difference is LA has the single best player on the floor – Kobe, excellent length and athleticism in Gasol and Odom inside, and the better bench. Advantage Lakers.

And no, I won’t be watching any of the upcoming Kobe kiss-ass features and comments the national media will be shoving down the throats of NBA fans. I’m not that stupid. He’s a great player but still currently the single most selfish player in team sports in this observer’s eye.

By the way, I will be rooting for Kevin Garnett to win a title.

Since wearing Celtic green, I don’t like him making those silly facial expressions every time he takes a breath on the floor, but otherwise, he represents what’s right about competition and being a professional.

Garnett is the anti-Kobe.

He toiled in Minnesota, never had enough talent around him, never got out of the first round, took the blame for it and didn’t complain, and never demanded (at least in public) to be traded. That’s the definition of a class act.

Flip Saunders & The Pistons
He takes them to the conference finals three straight years and is fired. It’s a rough business. Joe Dumars, who runs the show in Detroit, has basically said if you don’t get to the Finals coaching this group of Pistons, you have failed. That’s a high bar – especially now since this group is starting to get old and Detroit has one of the most inconsistent and volatile big men in the league in Rasheed Wallace.

Is it Saunders’ fault “Sheed” didn’t play well in the Celtic series?

Good luck to the next guy in line to try to get the Pistons over the hump before their window of opportunity closes.

My guess is the next Pistons coach will be a former player who recently retired. Dumars has not gone that route yet. He’s due to go there.