So Oakland Athletic's very average pitcher, Dallas Braden pitched a perfect game on May 9th; only the 19th perfect game in major League baseball history. So where does this put the guy who up until now was best known for telling Yankee All Star 3rd baseman and confessed juicer Alex Rodriguez he was acting like a tool as he walked over the pitching mound as he returned from 3rd to first base. 
I don't claim to know what sort of weird respect you're supposed to show more veteran players but their does seem to be some sort of code of conduct regarding this relationship between newer players and older players. Also there could be a relationship between guys like A-Rod a 3 time MVP and Hall of Famer to be vs. guys like Dallas Braden who's in his 4th year and posted an 18-23 in 53 career major league starts. I do however like the fact that the pitcher called out the highest paid player in Baseball for being a dick; walking over the pitchers mound when you're on the other team is the equivalent of going to your friend's house, eating all his snacks, taking a dump and not flushing or maybe it's just arrogant.Anyway, where does this put Braden, Mr. 209 (area code of his home town, Stockton, CA.)? He doesn't seem to posses the "stuff" to make him an ace nor does he have the history but let's suppose he is the next Tommy Glavine another soft tossing lefty (which by the way is much different than a leftist soft tosser) who was 33-41 after four years in the bigs. It wasn't until season five that he started a run of 3 consecutive 20 win seasons and his Hall of Fame career which eventually saw him win 305 games and being rewarded with the National League Cy Young award twice in 1991 and 1998. (and would have won a couple more if it hadn't been for teammate Greg Maddux) If this does happen suddenly we are blessed with what would look like a baseball class war where the working class Braden will annually go against the likes of the elite A-Rod and his Yankees or the Red Sox who only pretend to be working class but are really just as elite kinda' like that rich kid that who dresses in torn jeans and smokes out with the kids on the other side of the tracks. It would be great for baseball lore to see rivalries like this! Personally I love it when players trash talk; I loved it when Chipper Jones announced during the 1999 National League Championship Series that, "Mets fans should go home, and put on their Yankee stuff." They beat the Mets but were swept by the Yanks, so he was right, very astute. (Did you know he named one of his kids Shea?)
Alas as we all know this will only last until Braden's contract is up and he signs with the Yankees in 2012 for big money. That's the reality of baseball in these days of payroll disparity (Pittsburg Pirates at about $35,000,000 and the Yankees at $206,000,000 and Oakland at $52 million). Great players can not stay in small markets which may or may not be better for the game. It's bad for teams but to have the best players on the major market teams creates super stars who sell a lot more jerseys and tickets. Adrian Gonzalez in a Dodgers uniform rather than his Padres' is a far more lucrative asset. Josh Becket pitching for Boston makes more revenue for his team now than he did when he was with Florida Marlins. Of course some players will be able to stay where they are as long as they want, Albert Pujols are Tim Lincecum are fine examples of the franchise player.
What was I talking about? Oh, yeah, I hope Dallas Braden hits A-Rod in the ass next time they face one another.
Here's an interesting follow up. Looks like the A's are smart! Braden Doesn't like the shirt.
right on!
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