Caught On The Fly--Blanton, Jocko, and Marzano

A's general manager Billy Beane did very well in acquiring two high-ceiling prospects from the Phillies for Joe "Bulldog" Blanton. The workmanlike right-hander has struggled badly this year, with an ERA creeping toward 5.00 and a declining strikeout rate. While I understand the Phillies' interest in Blanton--they need starting pitching in the worst way and hope Blanton can fill the bill as a No. 3 starter--they paid a high price in surrendering second baseman Adrian Cardenas (no relation to former major league shortstop Leo Cardenas) and pitcher Josh Outman (what a wonderful name for a pitcher). Cardenas might have to be moved to the outfield at some point, but he has enough of a bat to justify playing him anywhere. Outman could join the Oakland bullpen by mid-2009, when the A's figure to be more legitimate contenders to the Angels' throne out west...

His death has hardly been acknowledged by the mainstream media, but it deserves to be at least mentioned here. Former Negro Leagues broadcaster and writer Sherman "Jocko" Maxwell died earlier this week at the age of 100. Maxwell religiously followed the exploits of the old Newark Eagles, submitting stories on game days to the Newark Star-Ledger. Maxwell also announced--free of charge--Sunday afternoon games in Newark as part of a broadcasting career that finally came to an end in 1967. Like other great Negro Leagues writers, including legends like Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith, Maxwell fulfilled an important role in publicizing and promoting black baseball both before and after Jackie Robinson integrated the game at the major league level...

For weeks now, we heard nothing public about the cause of death of former major leaguer John Marzano. That changed earlier on Friday, when the coroner announced that Marzano died from a fall that was caused by "ethanol intoxication," or essentially alcohol intoxication. Ever since Marzano's death in late April, speculation had centered on his death being caused by a heart attack, but that has now been ruled out. I'm really not sure how to feel about this latest revelation. If Marzano, a seemingly healthy 45-year-old man, had died suddenly because of an unexpected heart attack, it comes across as much more alarming because of concerns that it could happen to anyone. On the other hand, the news that his death was related to alcohol consumption makes it all the sadder because the circumstances could have been avoided. While the cause of death has been altered, the end result remains the same. Marzano, one of the game's nicest guys and most energetic forces, is gone all too soon.