Prepare Yourself

It is a sad state of affairs that I was forced to rack my brain to come up with the password to gain access to my own blog...

Yesterday, my employer subjected me to an FAA required "Duties and Responsibilities" class. The purpose of this class was to prepare me to be an airline captain. The class was a monumental waste of time, as it concerned almost exclusively the proper completion of paperwork, as well as several warnings not to say anything to anyone that might be considered offensive. Yes, our overly litigious society rears it's ugly head once more...

It occurs to me today that only one time yesterday was the nature of my future responsibility addressed. It also occurs to me how silly that is.

Come May, American Eagle Airlines will begin handing me a 65 million dollar airplane, hopefully full of 65 passengers. They will issue me no small amount of paperwork, and I will proceed to take the aircraft and its contents into the skies in search of some place too far away to drive to. To my right will be a first officer. He (or she) will most likely assume that since I am Captain I know everything, and make no mistakes. That will be a poor assumption on his part.

For the past seven years I have sat at the controls of some regional jet or another, looked to my left, and seen the person in command of the aircraft. Soon, I will look to my left only to see my own reflection in the cockpit side window. The pilot to my right and the two flight attendants and 65 passengers behind me will trust me to be able to handle any situation, make the right decision, and deliver them safely to their destination.

The gravity of this situation struck me today. I must prepare diligently if I am to justify the trust of the people aboard my aircraft. Long ago I promised myself that every person who boarded my airplane would deplane safely. I no longer share that self-imposed commitment with the person on my left.

As the FAA states the situation:

"The Pilot in Command is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft."

The Riot

Welcome to St. Louis, Ryan Theriot. With the arrival of the Cardinals' newest infielder it appears the days of Brendan Ryan have ended. While I certainly won't miss watching Brendan repeatedly lick his shoulder during at-bats, his glove is another story entirely...

Pitching coach Dave Duncan believes that any pitcher can have success with a solid sinking fastball that produces ground balls. This has been the Cardinal way since LaRussa and Duncan arrived on the scene in 1996. The ingredient that makes a ground ball pitching staff an elite pitching staff is, of course, defense.

Remember those dominant days of the early 00 decade when it seemed as though the Cardinals could do no wrong? Is it any surprise that 3/4 of the infield was composed of Gold Glove Award winners? The trio of Albert Pujols, Edgar Renteria, and Scott Rolen sucked up any ball in their vicinity. Toss in the steady if not spectacular defensive efforts of Mark Grudzielanek and David Eckstein and you've got what was for the most part an air-tight interior 4.

Now fast forward to the current Cardinal team. Pujols is still an elite first baseman, and Brendan Ryan is the best defensive shortstop in baseball. However, Skip Schumacker's second season as second baseman was actually a step backward, and who knows what to expect from David Freese and his two bad ankles. Now remove B Ryan's glove and insert Ryan T's at shortstop...

Theriot has mostly been compared to David Eckstein in the media. In fact, they use all the same words: "Gritty," "Hard-working," "Gutsy." The comparison is accurate as it pertains to the fielding aspects of both player's games. Both shortstops commit few errors. Both shortstops make all the routine plays. Neither shortstop has much range, however. Neither has a strong arm. Neither will consistently make that spectacular play that B Ryan makes all the time. Eckstein had the luxury of hiding behind the rangy Rolen, thus limiting his exposure on balls hit deep in the whole on the left side. Theriot will not have that luxury. Toss in Schumacker's well below average defense at second base and we have the makings of a mediocre at best infield.

Does this spell certain doom for the Cardinals in 2011? That depends. Without Brendan Ryan the Birds are certain to surrender more runs next season. But remember that B Ryan was perhaps the least productive Major League hitter of all last season. Ryan T is certainly an upgrade offensively, but is it enough to cancel the difference?

Not yet. The Cardinals have taken a first step towards addressing their offensive woes by adding a player who (when he's at his best) will get on base consistently and steal a few bases. Theriot could very well be the solution to the "no one is on base ahead of Pujols and Holliday," problem. However, that problem remains secondary to the "no one drives in Pujols and Holliday," issue. The Cardinals continue to lack a dependable hitter in the 5 spot in the order. Someone who has some power, hits in the .280 range, and does not crumble under the runners in scoring position spotlight. Colby Rasmus isn't that guy yet. Neither is David Freese. Neither is Allen Craig. Replacing Brendan Ryan with Ryan Theriot makes sense only if the Cardinals are able to find that dependable number 5 hitter (his name used to be Ryan Ludwick.)

It's still early in the offseason, and General Manager John Mozeliak's moves until now have been shrewd ones. He hasn't broken the bank yet and retains some payroll flexibility. He also has a few trading chips to shop around with. For the time being, he's headed in the right direction. Let's hope he doesn't take any detours.

Stimulation

Walking into the simulator this morning for my annual torture session I couldn't help but draw rather a strange comparison.

Flying real airplanes rocks. The feelings are amazing, the view is amazing, the fulfillment is amazing. Flying the simulator doesn't quite rock. The feelings are artificial and even the good landings don't quite satisfy.

Is flying the simulator just like life on Earth, and is actually flying more like Heaven?

The simulator is, after all, nothing but a training tool. Lessons are taught. Mistakes are made, retrained, and hopefully corrected. The focus is on achieving a high enough level of competence which will then translate to flying the real thing. Necessarily, the simulator is full of challenges. Engines fail or catch fire. Important systems break at the worst times. The worst possible scenarios play out over and over again. Only the most patient and proficient are able to master the lessons needed...

Actually flying the airplane is never as crazy as the sim. The airplane (for the most part) behaves as its supposed to. The skies are clear and calm. And the landings satisfy.

It's an interesting symbolism isn't it?

From the Airwaves

Recently heard on Fort Worth ground control:

Controller: "United 1234 to San Francisco, taxi to one eight left via the bridge route."

United: "One eight left, bridge route for United 1234. Too bad about your Rangers."

Controller: "Too bad about your expect departure clearance time."

Quote of the Week

"If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."
Samuel Adams, 1776

Dunc! What's next?

Today the Cardinals announced the return of Dave Duncan as pitching coach, and Cardinal Nation breathed a huge sigh of relief. Duncan is, in my opinion, the most important piece of the puzzle in the Cardinal dugout. Yes, more important than Tony LaRussa even. Duncan's ability to take cast off pitchers and turn them into 200 inning, #2 or 3 type pitchers is legendary, and it helps in several ways. First, the quality of the pitching speaks for itself. Second, the money saved in payroll flexibility by signing Duncan reclamation projects has allowed the team to upgrade in other areas. Lets not forget the work Duncan does with our superstar pitchers either. Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are never short of praise for their taskmaster.

With Duncan's return we can all rest easy about our pitching next year. We can still, however, have heartburn over what pieces must be added in order to improve a disappointing 2010 team. The Cardinals were hamstrung all year by a thin middle infield, starting with Skip Schumacker. Let me be clear: I love Skip Schumacker. Unfortunately, Skip did not take the expected step forward as a second baseman, and his offense suffered a significant step backwards. I can live with a defensively mediocre second baseman who hits .300 with a .400 on base percentage. I can't live with a defensively mediocre second baseman who hits .250 with a .310 on base percentage. Especially not when that second baseman leads off. Can Skip return to his .300 + average form we knew before 2010? Nobody knows, but Cardinal GM John Mozeliak has already stated a need to upgrade the middle infield. The other half of that middle infield problem is Brendan Ryan, who couldn't put it together at the plate for the entirety of 2010. Ryan's dismal .220 average when combined with Schumacker's .250 mark makes for awfully poor production from the double play combo. In Ryan's case, the lack of offense is mitigated by sparkling defense. Ryan is one of the top 2 or 3 defensive shortstops in baseball. Also, Ryan's pricetag ($500,000) is relatively cheap. Schumacker, on the other hand, will make $2.7 million next year. Mozeliak would be wise to pursue a trade of Schumacker to a team that needs a plus outfielder with offensive upside, freeing up Skip's chunk of the payroll pie to try to find that elusive second baseman who can not only hit lead off, but can also field his position. Brendan Ryan gives the team enough defensively that he is worth hanging on to at his relatively low cost.

Now, how about one more power bat... David Freese's season ending injury coupled with Ryan Ludwick's mid-season trade sapped the Cardinal lineup of some much needed pop. While Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday continue to show us that they are the best 3-4 tandem in baseball, they need some help. A healthy David Freese would be an excellent first step, and Colby Rasmus enjoyed a successful, yet streaky year. If Rasmus continues to take steps forward, he will be a major cog in the Cardinal offense next year. Still, the need for one more veteran bat in the lineup is glaring, and few impact players are available in this year's free agent class. Early reports indicate that the Padres may non-tender Ryan Ludwick, making him a free agent. Could a reunion be in order? Ludwick is the perfect bat to hit behind the Cardinal's big sluggers, but his price tag may keep him out of range.

It will no doubt be an interesting offseason. Lets hope it comes filled with more high hopes and celebration than gnashing of teeth.

Quote Of The Week

"Lord you made me. Lord you made my feelings. Lord you made these people around me. Lord you are in control." - Tonight's Priest

Fightin's and not...

Congrats to the Philadelphia Phillies for sweeping away the filthy stench of the Cincinnati Reds. And thank you for doing baseball the favor of removing Brandon "The Tool" Phillips and Johnny "Cheap Shot" Cueto from the postseason.

Normally, I'm not a negative baseball fan. In this case, however, I can't help it. Phillips' loud, Terrel Owens like mouth is a blight on the baseball community, and we would all be better served if it were sewn shut forever. Cueto ended a man's career by kicking him in the head with his cleats. Neither one deserves to play big league baseball. If these two embody what it means to be a Cincinnati Red, then the organization clearly has no class, and belongs back in the perpetual baseball dumpster from which they arose this season to reach the playoffs.

Let us hope that the influence of good guys like Joey Votto, Scott Rolen, and Walt Jockety can overcome the classless filth of Phillips and Cueto, and help the Reds remember their proud history. Cincinnati is a great baseball town with a great baseball tradition, and I for one do not want to see that tradition trashed by the antics of a few players who are no higher that common street trash.

There is no Joy in Mudville

The once mighty Redbirds are looking way up at the Reds with but one week left to play. What happened???

The Cardinals have two MVP caliber hitters, two Cy Young caliber pitchers, a Rookie of the Year candidate, Gold Glovers at catcher, first base, and short stop, and are just 5 games over .500. Is Tony LaRussa washed up? Has he lost his ability to keep his teams focused for the entire marathon baseball season? Was Mark McGwire's debut as hitting coach an unqualified disaster?

Here is my opinion: The 2010 Cardinals were deep sixed by the injuries to third baseman David Freese. Before his multiple ankle maladies Freese was batting .296, and had driven in 36 runs to go with a respectable .404 slugging percentage. Depending upon the matchup, the right-handed Freese occupied the 6th or 7th spot in the order. Those are both important spots for a lineup that features two high on base percentage sluggers in the middle of its order. When Albert Pujols or Matt Holliday hit doubles, it was often David Freese who drove them in. When Freese was lost for the season after ankle surgery, the Cardinals were forced to start Felipe Lopez at third for most of the rest of the season. With Lopez pressed into full time duty, there was no longer an oppurtunity to platoon him with struggling middle infielders Skip Schumacker and Brendan Ryan. Also, Lopez scuffled at the plate himself upon assuming the full time third base job, a job which he was defensively unprepared for. The Cardinals were left fielding a 3rd baseman who hit .230, a shortstop who hit .220, and a second baseman who hit .260. That's fully one third of the lineup. Toss in the pitcher and nearly half of the Cardinal's offense was marginally to completely ineffective.

Not long after Freese's injury the Cardinals traded slugging outfielder Ryan Ludwick for starter Jake Westbrook, and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth in Cardinal Nation. Ultimately, though, GM John Mozeliak likely made the right move. The best case scenario would have involved the Cardinals finding a quality middle infielder who could provide some stability and production in the first or second spot in the order, thus giving Pujols and Holliday men on base in front of them. No such player was available, so the Redbirds choose to try to shore up their pitching and hope that they could prevail in enough low-scoring contests to contend for a playoff spot.

It's not Mozeliak's fault. It's David Freese's ankle's fault.

Multo Facile

You would think that a blog would be easy. A few lines every now and then. It's not as complicated as brain surgery, or even shaving. The simple fact, however, is that something makes keeping up with this blog incredibly difficult for me. Take, for example, my 4 + month hiatus from this page. It's not because I'm so busy I don't have the time. Realistically, I spend an amazing amount of my month sitting idle in my hotel room. It's not because I don't have anything to say either. Those of you who know me know that my opinions are as strong as ever. And it's not for lack of inspiration. Those days I don't spend amazed by my wife I spend admiring creation from on high.

So what's the deal? A few months ago, in an effort to rehabilitate this blog as well as my waistline, I started blogging about my workout routine. The reason I stopped blogging, by the way, is not because I spend an ever increasing amount of time in the gym...

What else is wrong? You'll find that several of the most "recent" entries on this site contain excuses of one kind or another for my lack of blogging. These vary between lack of time (see above) to my wife (again, see above) to my work (yup, look again.)

Today, somewhere over Kentucky, it came to me: I have managed to fill up my free time with video games and television and other such trivial things. A natural casualty of my habits was this blog. So, rather than stimulating my brain (and perhaps yours? Maybe???) I've been rotting it with mundane distractions.

I make no promises as to the future of this blog. Especially not since Halo: Reach just came out, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 comes out next month, and the month after that, it's Modern Warfare: Black Ops. (Yes, I am at heart a violent person.)

Hopefully, though, just maybe, I'll find the time to remember to use my words...