With the All Star break near, its time to take a look at the worst stories so far from this 2008 season

SCOTT JACOBS
Second in a week long series as we approach All Star weekend at Yankee Stadium
Yesterday: The best stories from the first half

5. The pathetic NL West
Baseball’s best and most exciting division in 2007, the NL West is once again back to the NL’s worst. After fielding three teams with 88 wins or more last year, including NL best Arizona and Wild Card winner Colorado, the division was being heralded as finally back, after a few miserable years earlier in the decade. But with huge expectations, comes a lot of room for disappointment, and the West has been miserable this year.

The Diamondbacks started out red hot and appeared to have the division and the league on a string, but have since free-fallen, plummeting from a league best 12 games above .500 all the way to .500. Luckily for Arizona, the disappearance of their bats, and their bullpen at times, has yet to cost them their perch at the top of this pile of crap.

Why? Because the Dodgers are still under .500 and they’re second in the division. The Giants are third, 10 games under .500, and only five out. The Rockies, who stunned Trevor Hoffman and the Pads in the Wild Card play in game last year, are once again just slightly better then San Diego this year. Unfortunately for them, that doesn’t say a whole heck of a lot. The Rockies are 33-51, not even a year removed from their first World Series appearance. The Padres meanwhile have plummeted to a 33-52 mark, and injuries have decimated their chances. But it’s more then just records. The numbers are atrocious too.

Arizona went 11-17 in June, yet they still lead by 2.5 games. The Dodgers are 14th in runs in the NL, 11th in On Base Percentage, and 15th in slugging. Thankfully for them, their team ERA is a terrific 3.76. The Giants are 10 games below .500 at home, and they’ve been outscored by 43 runs. And about that Barry Zito guy…. uh, let’s not. Colorado’s pitching has been atrocious, and that might be nice. In the six major pitching categories the Rockies rank no better then 10th in the NL, including 15th in ERA and opponent’s batting average. Finally there’s San Diego, and we don’t even need to give their stats. Just know this: when Heath Bell, leads your team with wins, and he only has six, you’re in trouble.

Will the winner of the NL West finish below .500? I wouldn’t count on it. But there could be a silver lining to all of this. Maybe. The last time a really mediocre team won their division (St. Louis, 2006, with an 83-78 record) they also went on to win the World Series. Just throwing it out there.

4. Randy Johnson refusing to retire in a painful effort to get to 300 wins
This one is self explanatory. Sometimes guys just don’t know when to quit. And it is getting really difficult watching these all time greats finish their glorious careers toiling in mediocrity. The Big Unit has been reduced to a Big Joke, losing eight straight starts, right on que with his free falling team. And he’s not exactly coming at a hometown discount. Johnson is getting paid $15 million this season.

What’s the money buying? How about a 4-7 record, with an ERA over 5! Not exactly the stuff of legends. So let’s see. In two years since returning to the desert, Johnson has eight wins total, and has failed to even pitch 150 innings. All the while getting no closer to that magical, and shrinking 300 win club. Johnson is still 12 wins short, and at this rate the 44 year old looks like he will never get it. After 20 years, you’d have to be in denial not to believe that Johnson should be hanging up his spikes.

3. Barry Bonds’ desperate attempt to play for anybody
I guess it depends how one looks at this story. Some find it comical given Bonds’ incredible fall from grace. But me? Well, I just find it really pathetic. In case you haven’t heard, Bonds has basically offered his services to anybody that wants him. No word yet if the Toledo Mud Hens are interested. But seriously, not only is Bonds willing to play for anyone who wants him, he’s willing to play for the minimum. Look, I applaud guys who still want to play and still have something to give. usually we call those team players. But don’t think for a second Bonds is anything close to that. He’s the anti-teammate. Just look at the Giants, who may not be good, but at least they don’t dread every road trip they make anymore.

Still though, analysts have suggested that the Rays or maybe even the Red Sox take a stab at Bonds, and bring him on board for the stretch run.

I have a response for them: they’re crazy. The Rays have great team chemistry and a very good mix of young players and vets. They enjoy playing with each other and they are rolling right now. Why would you bring in someone like Bonds, who would completely destroy the focus that the TEAM is getting right now. And who needs that kind of media scrutiny around them every day? For that matter, who would want that?

As for the Red Sox: well they’d be insane, I repeat, insane to sign Bonds to their team.

And when the Hall of Fame doesn’t even want your historic, record breaking home run, well neither should any MLB team.

2. The Mets firing Willie Randolph
The Mets needed a change, no one denied that. But was the change needed at 3 am? Willie Randolph wasn’t getting the job done, and few were shocked by his firing. But everyone was caught off by New York’s timing. Even in the city that never sleeps, most people snoozed through Randolph’s firing, and woke up the next morning to find out that the Mets’ leader was now without a job. The timing was ironic in every sense of the word. Just a year earlier (exactly) the Mets had six players and GM Omar Minaya featured on th cover of Sports Illustrated. The story praised the job Minaya had done in assembling a talented and young team, that was on the cusp of something big. O the irony! Well, $138 million don’t buy what it used to, and the Mets mediocrity, in addition to their epic 2007 late season collapse cost a good guy his job in embarrassing fashion.

Since then, the Mets have turned it around, winning 97 games, en route to another NL East crown. O wait a minute, that was 2006. 14 games later the move has made absolutely no difference. New York is 7-7 in the 14 games since Jerry Manuel took over the reigns. More amazing, is that the unamazings have scored less runs then their opposition. With that stacked lineup that is simply inexcusable.

Misery loves company though, so at least Randolph hasn’t been the only one canned. Actually in that week, three teams, including the miserable Mariners canned their head man. And none have made strides since.

1. Shawn Chacon’s total loss of self control
The 30 year old right hander from Anchorage, Alaska had always been a serviceable pitcher. He wasn’t great, wasn’t terrible. But for the most part, Chacon has been a relative unknown to the casual fan. Well, that sure changed this season. And for all the wrong reasons. Chacon assaulted Astros GM Ed Wade during a dispute and was placed on waivers the next day. Shockingly, no one claimed him.

Chacon isn’t even good enough to be one of the guys who’s a nut case, but worth the risk. His 45-61 lifetime record in the bigs isn’t worth the baggage he would bring to any team. In 2005, Chacon went 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA helping the Yankees get into the playoffs. In 2003 Chacon won 11 games for Colorado, no small feat given their historic pitching woes. But in 2008, what will likely, if not undoubtedly be his final stint in the majors, Chacon imploded. And the player who never would’ve had a legacy if he just did his thing and had an okay career, now is a household name for being a jerk. And he should be in prison for his actions. Great role model. Glad to see him gone.

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