Brennaman vs. Cubs

According to Hal McCoy Marty Brennaman the voice of the Cincinnati Reds will have added security tonight in Chicago and throughout the week. This comes as a result of the fallout from Cubs fans in regards to Brennaman's comments calling Cubs fans "the most obnoxious in all of baseball" after they threw a dozen baseballs on the field following an Adam Dunn home run April 17.

(Hal also scooped ESPN by about 10 minutes on the Cubs trade; they acquired Rich Harden from A's)

This comes in a long line of conflict between Cubs fans and the outspoken-long-time broadcaster. According this site some 'people' took it upon themselves to edit Brennaman's Wikipedia page adding a fake death that took place on this date, the opening game of the Reds series against the Cubs.

Lifting my opinion from this matter, the fact that there has to be more security for Brennaman shows a lack of confidence in the actions of Cubs fans. I would have to say that their fans tend to be more raucous and outspoken. I don't specifically see this reflect in loyalty as I consider fans from baseball cities like St. Louis and New York to be much more loyal and knowledgeable in terms of baseball and have had a much better history of winning.

This should make for an interesting series to say the least.

All Star Snubs

I know, i know more baseball news but it has to be said.

The MLB All Star game went to a fan voting process a few years ago to give YOU and I more say in the process. In that time the All-Star balloting has become a popularity contest with the largest markets putting their players on the teams, while leaving out the best players at certain key positions.

This year brought the idiocy and hypocrisy to the forefront. NY, Chicago and Boston teams fill up the lineups yet only the Cubs are in first place. And while the Cubs are in first place their fans decided to vote for two of their outfielders that: A. are blatantly not the best at their positions in terms of hitting and B. not good defensively. Teamed with Ryan "I don't know what position I'm playing" Braun in LF, this should make for a 3 stooges episode reincarnation of an National League outfield.

And while we're on the topic of the CUBS it is interesting how the bias stretched to perhaps the most important position in baseball, seeing that Geovanny Soto will start over Atlanta's Brian McCann, the best catcher in the NL, and heads and shoulders better defensively than Soto. Amazing.

And in light of another blown save by Kerry Wood, what does Clint Hurdle do? He invites Wood to the All-Star game, and why not all his buddies are their including Aramis Ramirez, another knuckle-headed defensive baseball player who in his time would struggle to get weak grounders to first with a fish net and rocket launcher.

But again the Cubs sit in a large market, are in first place (for the time being), are shown on ESPN every week when the BoSox aren't on, and have A LOT of knuckle-headed fans pulling for them; ones that dismiss 100 years of history to act like buffoons at on the road any ballpark they see fit whenever their beloved-overpriced-early-season-wonder-of-a-team rolls in, only to have their brains beat out most of the time. (i.e. 20-26 on the road)

I will not rant about the American league because I don't care if they win. But for the most part they got at least their OF right. And they have better players to choose from and they actually have most of them starting at their respective positions.

NL lineup for 2008 All-Star Game

C	Geovany Soto, CHC
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Kosuke Fukudome, CHC	L/R
OF	Alfonso Soriano, CHC	R/R

My Lineup would be:

C	Brian McCann, ATL	S/R
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Ryan Ludwick, St.L	L/R
OF	Matt Holiday, COL.	R/R

The subs are a joke as well but I don't even want to get into it because I'm fed up with it. All Star voting should not be in the hands of the fans.

And before you say it, I am not mad that only one Red made it to the All-Star team, I could care less. However Brandon Phillips is much better than at least 5 of the 2b's who received more votes in the NL, including Mark DeRosa. You've got to be kidding me.