Spring Spotlight

The 81st Academy Awards took place Sunday evening as Hollywood honored the best of the motion picture industry. There are no film reels in the Cactus or Grapefruit Leagues of Major League Baseball, unless you consider the countless tapes of the sports’ scouts. Players often break down their own film and I am sure most of them go to the movies every now and then. Spring training games begin tomorrow and here are my nominees for baseball’s version of the Oscars. I doubt any of the nominees will deliver a memorable acceptance speech anytime soon, but they deserve mentioning. I think White Sox Manager, Ozzie Guillen, or perhaps Commissioner Bud Selig, would make the best host.

Best Pitcher (Picture):
Cole Hamels- The World Series MVP from last year is younger than I am but has the red carpet experience needed. He could be the next Tom Hanks if he continues to put up numbers like the 14-10 record, 3.09 ERA and 4-0 playoff mark with 13 strikeouts in the LCS alone.
Johan Santana- This lefty had a 16-7 2008 record and possesses all the poise and presence of a Brad Pitt type. He has grace and star power to go along with the New York bright lights he has to endure. Without Santana, I shudder to think where the Mets would have finished the season. Without Pitt, I don’t want to think what Hollywood would be missing.
CC Sabathia- The hefty hurler dropped the periods after his initials but carried the load down the stretch for the Brewers last year. He is only 28 and struck out 251 hitters. CC is the big man for the Yankees, kind of like the fun loving actor John Candy was in his day.
Roy Halladay- Roy is a mysterious and quiet veteran, and also a 20 game winner. Roy’s repertoire is resounding but playing in Canada certainly spoils his stock. Halladay and Dan Akroyd, the Canadian born actor, have much in common.
Tim Lincecum- Tough Tim’s celebrity is only beginning to be on display. He has stage appeal because of his ripeness. The reigning NL CY Young winner is one of the top three pitchers in baseball. His 18-5 record is even more impressive because he throws for a losing Giants team. Lincecum is like the young and gifted, James Franco.

Best music
Barry Zito- This laid-back surfing lefthander still throws one of the game’s most beautiful 9-5 curveballs. Zito is as easygoing as any rocker but he is also very vulnerable. It’s too bad Barry’s gigantic contract hasn’t paid off for San Francisco. But the guy knows his music and has an incredible interest in that. Zito likes to get jiggy with it just like Will Smith.
Jimmy Rollins- Rollins has swagger and rhythm on and off the field. Jimmy makes things happens, and oh yeah, he also has a World Series ring. The slugger is a team leader and owns a music label. J-Roll, as he likes to be called, loves Samuel L. Jackson, and even
recorded his own hip-hop single.
Bronson Arroyo- The former Red Sox has a CD called, “Covering the Bases” in which he covers popular rock tunes. He pitches for Cincinnati now and is looking for another solid 15 win season. Arroyo threw 200 innings for the Reds in 2008. He seems to be as cool as Ben Stiller is on baseball’s biggest stage too.

Best Cinematography
The ballfield is a stage where players perform and show their skills. These parks rank as the cream of the crop.
PNC Park- The precious Pittsburgh Pirates may not be able to hit the broad side of a barn, but give the organization an ovation for a stellar stadium. PNC is no Slumdog Millionaire. You would be hard-pressed to find trash heeps, gangsters or urban violence in this venue. The delicious delicacies, family-oriented and friendly atmosphere, and awesome amenities are modern and ritzy.
Wrigley Field- What better way to take in a day game than Wrigley’s friendly confines? Decked in ivy, this fantastic feature is unlike anything else in professional sports. It doesn’t matter how hapless the hometown team plays. The Chicago field has practically aged backwards like Benjamin Button did in the flick. And, the ancient ballpark compares just as well to the length of the epic Oscar nominee.
Yankee Stadium- The grandiose arena of them all is located in New York. The new stadium will never live up to the original. In that sense, Yankee Stadium is the Dark Knight of baseball. The film was filled with adventure, a haunting tale and plenty of memorable scenes, but it just was not the same as the first Batman movie. Yankee Stadium II will be a popular tourist trap this year for all baseball fans. They will want a glimpse and a game in the new venue, but will soon realize the old park is majestic and missed.

Best Actor
Albert Pujols- Year in and year out, the 29 year old finds himself contending for league MVP. He never wilts under pressure and rarely breaks down. Pujols his a startling .357 with 37 homers last year for St. Louis. He is athletic, and the Russell Crowe of baseball. He plays huge roles but receives little recognition or fame, perhaps because people take his ability for granted. Crowe hides out Australia mostly, and Albert frequent his birthplace in the Dominican Republic.
Alex Rodriguez- The Yankees 3B is baseball’s most well-known. No, he isn’t being nominated for his ability to act naïve in numerous steroid press conferences. Sean Penn said Sunday how hard he makes it for the media to appreciate him. The same goes for Rodriguez. Arod and Penn are super talented at what they do, but no very well-liked. Penn portrayed a controversial role in the hit, Milk. Arod plays a controversial ballplayer everyday.
John Smoltz- Smoltz may have nothing on Mickey Rourke, but both were inspired to re-invent themselves this year. Smoltz is a former starter and closer with a storied history in Atlanta. He has a new outlook and new home in Boston. Rourke came back to play a remarkable role as an athlete in The Wrestler.

Best Director

Terry Francona-Ron Howard was nominated for Frost/Nixon this year. The famous director is charming and comical and very much a part of pop culture. Francona quickly made a name for himself around the country by restoring the Red Sox to glory and nixing the curse of the Bambino. That was no easy task. His team is now a contender every season and like Howard, whenever he is in the director’s seat, people tune in and take notice.
Joe Maddon- The miracle turnaround in Tampa Bay is one of the best stories from last season. Maddon catapulted the young Rays in the game’s toughest division. He used the cards he was dealt and did not skip a beat along the way. The team has a clear chip on their shoulder now that they’ve tasted the post-season for the first time. David Fincher received his first Best Director nomination for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button after years of hit-or-miss, take-it-or-leave-it work. The nod reminds me of Maddon because he played 31 years of minor league baseball. Joe never reached the majors but ended up in the World Series anyway. He won 2008 manager of the year.
Jerry Manuel- Jerry is a tough choice and may not be the best. But, if Manuel can somehow get the Mets to play to their level, he deserves the award. He has overcome some early setbacks already and is very well-liked by his players. It’s clear he’s in the driver’s seat. Manuel is a player’s manager in every sense of the phrase. Steven Speilberg is gifted at directing but is often criticized for being too sentimental at the expense of other aspects. Manuel could fall into that same category. If he does, he will find himself out of a job like Willie Randolph. Both Speilberg and Manuel know how to deal with big budgets too.

Supporting Actor

Dustin Pedroia- The aggressive, scrappy and self-sufficient infielder has heart and unpresumptuous power for his size. He isn’t very reserved but his confidence is not of the cocky kind either. The league and team MVP in Boston last year, Dustin plays a supporting role to bigger stars, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek. He’s like Casey Affleck in he has his own identity while still being associated with more talented teammates.
Magglio Ordonez- Expect a standout year for Mags as Detroit anticipates a better season. Last year, Ordonez drove in over 100 runs and clubbed a .317 batting average. He’s been an all-star for the Tigers and lies somewhat in the shadows of Miguel Cabrera and Gary Sheffield. Ordonez mans a mean right field and sports a sweet right-handed swing. His approach to the game compares to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s. Both have diverse and impressive resumes to distinguish their not-so publicized careers.
Lance Berkman- The switch-hitting Houston 1B has played a supporting role for 10 seasons. He’s consistently good at hitting for a high average and extra-baggers. Lance is just as brilliant, if not better, in the playoffs during his career (162 games). Berkman seems like one of the “boys”. He reminds me of a Billy Bob Thornton character. Lance is not as eccentric but still has major moments. Berkman is a former College Player of the Year and Thornton actually was a decent HS player. He even tried out for the KC Royals. Thornton was raised a Methodist and The Berk is an outspoken Christian.

Costume Design

Manny Ramirez- for his dreadlocks
Derek Jeter- for his overall fashion and cologne line
Francisco Rodriguez- for the glasses he wears on the mound

Foreign (Film) Player

Hiroki Kuroda- pitcher for the Dodgers, from Japan
Ichiro Suzuki- RF for the Mariners, from Japan
Daisuke Matsuzaka- pitcher for the Red Sox, from Japan
Kosuke Fukudome- RF for the Cubs, from Japan

Parting points: Happy birthday to someone who deserves an Academy just for being herself-my mother! Love ya mom!