And after watching him retire 45 consecutive batters, I’d say he does his job rather well.

But how does he do it?

I think there are two reasons why Mark Burehrle has been so successful at the big league level. The first of which is his quick pace on the mound. If you have ever watched him pitch, it is as if Burehrle has someplace important to be every night he pitches. He gets the ball, fires, gets the ball fires, with no wasted time in between. This up tempo style of pitching is important. For one thing it keeps all of Burehrle fielders in the game. They have to be ready because of Burehrle quick pace, and they don’t have time to let their focus wonder off. By working quickly, Burehrle is reducing the risk of a metal error by one of his teammates in the field. And that helps.

However, I really think that the key to Burehrle’s success lies elsewhere other than his frantic pace. I think it lies in his great change- up.

In today’s game, we don’t here a lot about the change-up anymore. We here about pitchers with other “nasty” off speed pitches such as the curve ball, and slider, but the pitchers with the great change-ups don’t get mentioned a lot. Mark Burehrle is one of those pitchers who has a great change-up. And it has made him the pitcher he is.

As I stated earlier, Buehrle lacks the velocity to overpower hitters. A 90 mph fastball is about tops for him. But because his change-up is so good, the fastball that comes after that change-up looks 3-5 mph faster to the hitter than it really is. And that illusion can really fool a hitter.

What is really unique about Mark Buehrle’s great change-up how he grips it. Most pitchers grip the change up with three fingers across the seams or with the circle change grip. But Mark Buehrle is different. He chokes the ball, holding it with all of his fingers and his thumb, unlike most pitches where only three fingers and the thumb are used. When he throws the pitch, he use the same arm speed as he would his fastball, just as every pitcher who throws an off speed pitch does. This deceives the hitter, making it look as though as fastball is coming. But when Buehrle releases the ball, the grip cause the ball to come out slower, resulting in a devastating difference in velocity from Buehrle’s fastball, and a lot of hitters out on their front foot swinging all to early.

There was a very successful left handed pitcher named Warren Spahn who won 363 games in his career, who said “Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing,”. And when you when watch Mark Buehrle pitch, you’d have to say that he has that upsetting timing part figured out really well.

Marin Hossa is the final link for the Blackhawks! Everybody get that?

After I heard the news of Hossa’s 12 year, $62.8 million deal with the Blackhawks, I was ecstatic. And every Chicago Blackhawks fan should be. Hossa is one of the best players in the NHL, and almost every team in the NHL would love to have him. The only downside of the move for the Blackhawks is the departure of Martin Havlat. I loved Havlat, because of the way he played. He was such an offensive threat, and was a great part of the team’s nucleus last year. And there is a lot of good hockey left in him.

But as much as I love Martin Havlat, Marain Hossa is better. 11 times out of 10, I would take Hossa over Havlat. And so would the Blackhawks organization. This move not only makes the Blackhawks a Stanley Cup favorite, but shows the organization commitment to the goal of winning a Stanley Cup. It is a great thing for not only the Blackhawks but the entire city of Chicago.

In his 11 year career in the NHL, Hossa has made 4 NHL all-star games. He scored 40 goals and had 71 points for the Red Wings last year. That is big time play. Hossa knows how to play hockey. And now is coming to a young team that wants to win. This is a great match.

The biggest concern I have about this deal, is the trouble it may cause next season when Patrick Kane, Jonathan Towes, and Duncan Keith all are up for new contracts from the Blackhawks. The question is how will the Hawks keep the nucleus of their team intact, without going over the salary cap. I can guarantee the team is not going to let the future of the organzation (Towes and Kane) get away.

However, with next year’s contract issues a year away, the Hossa deal is a good one for the Blackhawks from a money standpoint. Hossa will earn most of his $62.8 million during the first few seasons of the 12 year deal. In other words, while he is in his prime he will earn the most money. That is a brilliant move from the Blackhawks.

There is no doubt that the acquisition of Hossa makes the Chicago Blackhawks better. But does it win them the Stanley Cup? We will have to wait for the NHL season to answer that question. But I will say this: The Hawks are my pick for next year.

So until next time…….

                Brandon Marshall has other plans.

                The wild saga continued in Denver this week as Marshall was suspended by the team for the remainder of the preseason, after intentionally dropping passes in drills during practice and acting as a two year old child who did not get to play with his favorite toy. And why? He wants to be traded out of Denver because he can’t get his way.

                Brandon here is a little piece of advice: shut up and play football.

                It is a sad reality, that we see some of today’s modern athletes, who have been blessed with amazing athletic ability and with the opportunity to play a sport for a living, act so immaturely and childish. We have seen athletes complain of not getting enough playing time, not getting the ball, and over not getting a big enough paycheck. Maybe they need to be reminded of the average person who is struggling to make ends meet, struggling to provide for a family, and then maybe that million dollar salary they earn won’t seem so bad.

                I understand that these athletes want. Yes they want more money, but they also want to be rewarded for solid performances on the field. Everybody wants a promotion, right? Most people in today’s  workforce do. But when most people don’t get that promotion, raise, or even bonus, you do not see them becoming lazy on the job, not showing up for meetings, and things of that nature. But when some professional athletes do not get a raise, all we hear is whining and complaining, and then a lack of production on the field. Granted, not all professional athletes do that, just the ones with the big mouths and little brains. And guess you everybody remembers? Not the player who does his job, has a good season, and accepts a raise with class and professionalism. People remember the one who acts like an idiot.

                What bothers me the most about the Brandon Marshall situation in Denver is the fact that Marshall has had one good season worth talking about. And to be really honest, the reason he was so productive was the fact that Jay Cutler was throwing him the ball. If Marshall is really worth the multi-million dollar contract extension that he wants, he should put up similar numbers this season with Kyle Orton at quarterback. But Marshall apparently does not think that way. Instead of going out this season and proving he is a top level receiver by putting up big numbers again, he whines, complains, and drops passes in practice to try to get a trade.  Marshall has failed to realize that the top receivers in the NFL put up great numbers year after year. Marshall did it once, and then demanded a reward.

                Marshall has took the Denver Broncos’ training camp and preseason , a time when the focus should be about the Broncos’ team, and made it all about him. He also failed to realize that his latest actions have lowered his trade value. What NFL team is going to want to give the Denver Broncos top dollar for Marshall after his latest actions? I don’t even think Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are considering Marshall.

                Marshall’s actions have not only hurt his image, but the entire NFL’s. He has hurt all of his fellow players’ images because it is the bad apples like him who lower all the other big name professional athletes’ images. But Marshall doesn’t seem to recognize that.

                In my mind the suspension of Marshall by the Denver Bronco’s is justified. In fact to be totally honest, I do not think it is harsh enough. Marshall has taken a team sport, and the Denver Broncos image and made it all about him. I think that if the Denver Broncos removed him from their locker room their team would be better off. So maybe the best thing for the Bronco’s would be to trade Marshall. But again, who is going to give the Broncos  good talent in return for Marshall after his latest actions?

                If Marshall really wants to get a new contract, he should prove it by performing well during the season, not acting as a child would when he does not get his way. That is what the big name top quality receivers in the NFL do. You might see Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers ask for a contract extension, but then he will have superstar numbers the next season. This is what big time players in the NFL are rewarded for, quality numbers year in and year out. So if Brandon Marshall really wants to get a new contract extension, he should man up, shut up, and play football.

Let’s face the facts; both teams have flat out stunk this season. The Cubs and Mets have not played consistent baseball this season. I take that back, both teams have been consistent this season. Consistently bad.
But in fairness, we have to look at the injuries. There are some baseball people who say injuries are no excuse. Just a few days ago, Dusty Baker called those people lairs. I agree with Dusty. His Reds team could have been a lot better than what their record is this season, but some critical injuries to some of the team’s best players knocked them out of contention. The Mets have lost Johan Santana for the year, and now David Wright might be done for the year. Losing two of the best players in the game will hurt any team’s chances to make the postseason. In fact of the entire opening day lineup for the Mets, only two players have not had stints on the disabled list this season. Look at the Cubs opening day lineup:
LF Alfonso Soriano
SS Ryan Theriot
1B Derek Lee
3B Aramis Ramirez
RF Milton Bradley
C Geovany Soto
2B Mike Fontenot
CF Kosuke Fukudome
Of these eight position players the Cubs sent out on opening day, only three players have not spent time either on the disabled list or were out of the lineup due to an injury for a considerable amount of time. Those three players are Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, and Kouske Fukudome. The Cubs pitching staff has also been hit hard with the injury bug. Starters Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, and Carlos Zambrano have had their seasons shortened with stints on the disabled list. The result of these injuries for the Cubs and Mets? Less of a chance to make the postseason. Teams can’t expect to do well when only 2 or 3 guys out of their regular lineup stay healthily.
I know, I know, I know. Bad things happen in life and in baseball. Players get hurt; it is part of the game. And injuries are certainly not the one factor that has lead to the disappointing season of the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. A few of their key players have underachieved this season, most notably the Cubs Milton Bradley. You have to be able to win with the team you put on the field. The Mets and Cubs have not done that this season. And all those injuries have not helped their causes.