MLB Dream Job Writing Submission

1. Who will win the American and National League Most Valuable Player Awards in 2011? Make a strong case for your selections.
2. What will be the biggest MLB storyline of 2011? Explain why.

I grew up in a large Greek family in a small town in the Central
Valley of California.  My father was a football player for the Cal
Bears and has always been a very strong and positive influence in my
life.  It is his respect for sportsmanship and competition that has
fostered my love for all sports.  My first memories of baseball are of
listening to Lon Simmons do midnight baseball on KNBR 680.  I became
hooked during a game in 1995 versus the Rockies in Candlestick.  The
Giants were down early but came back to tie and eventually win with a
2 out base hit by none other than the infamous Barry Bonds.  Lon
Simmons in his classic deep, throaty tones hailed the Giants as
comeback kids and at that moment I knew my heart was beating as
rapidly as his.  I occasionally see Mr. Simmons at AT&T, prowling the
corridors with his usual one or two companions during your more
marquee matchups.  Instead of disturbing him to thank him for all of
the wonderful memories, I simply try my best to steal just one more
awesome baseball phrase from a man who related the game to me so well
I literally count the days until spring training.

Ok, it may sound like I’m pandering here but this part of California
has been SO blessed by amazing baseball voices.  Lon Simmons is
undoubtedly one of the most bass-y, controlled yet emotionally charged
announcers I have heard.   Oh yeah, we can’t forget about Jon Miller.
I believe he was inducted into a well known organization last year
called the Hall of Fame.   To be honest, it would be difficult not to
find yourself obsessed with baseball after hearing those old souls
crooning for several decades.   Yes, I realize this is not a petition
for Bay Area sportscasters, but when I recall why I love baseball I
would feel remiss not elaborating on those super-talented gentlemen.
I was fortunate enough to be able to play the great game of baseball
for roughly 9 years as a catcher.  It was only until I tore my
meniscus my sophomore year that I was unable to continue.  I was still
able to find ways to involve myself in it while I was unable to
participate athletically.  I volunteered for several years at the Joe
Rudi Golf Tournament in Modesto, CA, simply to get the opportunity to
be around such an iconic sports star. 

To have the privilege to be employed with MLB covering any team would
be something I never could have imagined possible.  Honestly, after
graduating high school, my initial intention was to attend Syracuse
University where I would receive a major in radio broadcasting;
however I was persuaded against it due to the uncertain security
inherent in the nature of the job.   I stumbled upon this link and
after a long hard thought about the past 3 years I have spent in
property management; I decided to enter my application.

Part 2-

 
When taking an educated guess about an MVP before the season starts,
we must examine who the candidates were for the 2010 season.  The NL
was won by Joey Votto and included other frontrunners like Albert
Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez and Carlos Gonzalez.  You have to assume
Pujols is going to continue to put up monster numbers, between .310
and .330 probably, but will the Cards be in contention?  My feeling is
that even though this is a “contract year” for Pujols that even he
won’t be able to put the Cards on top in the Central, and they likely
won’t be contenders for the wild card.  The biggest threat in the NL
this year, assuming they live up to the hype they created, and I HATE
to admit this as an ardent Giants fan, the Phillies.  Thankfully SF is
the kind of place where if someone doesn’t appreciate your opinion in
an article they will at the most send you a sternly worded note (I
hope?).  So… Why the Phillies?  Oh, that’s easy: because their
pitching rotation gives me nightmares and I haven’t picked up a bat in
6 years.  The MVP would have been Jason Werth this year if the Nats
hadn’t felt like overpaying for who they seem to perceive as a
franchise player.  With that Phillies rotation, whoever has the most
RBIS in that lineup is going to take the NL MVP, so my final
prediction is Ryan Howard.  Adrian Gonzalez was a solid talent, a
monster who would make you pay for even a little bit of elevation on the
fastball or the tiniest hang on a curve or slider. He’s a beast, and a
solid teammate, but he’s gone now.  Thank you Theo Epstein, signed
Jonathan Sanchez.

Speaking of Adrian Gonzalez, he’s going to win the AL MVP.  That guy
is going to clear the green monster so many times the buildings behind
Fenway are going to be charged a special “Adrian Gonzales window
breaking assessment.”  Don’t get me wrong, the people of Boston will
gladly accept that charge, as long as Adrian and the Sox can come up
with a long term extension for his expiring contract.   Oh yeah, $300
million estimated in some accounts to be spent between him and Carl Crawford this
year.  That would mean Gonzalez’ contract would dwarf Crawfords
miniscule, measly earnings; Gonzalez’ $158 mil to Crawford’s yawnable
$142 mil.  I’m trying to create an evocative image to relate how much
money $300 million is for 2 people but the statement alone seems just
absurd enough.

The 2011 season will be a season about celebrating the game of
baseball.  With one of the game’s biggest players reaching potential
free agency, trade talks will surround Albert Pujols all summer.  Troy
Tulowitski  and Carlos Gonzalez will be under close scrutiny  in the
NL West as Colorado settles in with its franchise players.  Can Jose
Bautista replicate his 2010 54 homer season for the Blue Jays?
Probably not, but that is what baseball is about.   There’s no almanac
that tells us what’s going to happen next year, otherwise Marty McFly
and the Doc probably would have been back to clean that little mess up
by now.  Even if there were, would you read it?  Assuming you stood no
financial gain, would you want to know who wins?  The Giants lost the
2002 World Series to the Anaheim Angels and I was convinced I would
never see a Championship in San Francisco in my lifetime.  Nobody had,
why should I?  It hurt to see the Angels celebrate with the trophy
thinking I would never see a Giants team with it.

Nov. 1 2010. The San Francisco Giants absolutely nailed it to the wall,
and if I had known they were going to do it, the feeling would have
been much less sweet.  Here’s to the unknown.