Saturday, April 19, 2008
The Awesome Furcal
Copyrighted by Sarah D. Morris,
2008
Before the Pittsburgh Pirates came
to
Although I want the Dodgers to go
to the World Series, I understand some teams need time to adjust to their new
acquisitions. I feel the Dodgers are one of those this season. Having Joe Torre
as their manager is great, but he isn’t Grady Little. Everyone who gets a new
boss needs time to adjust to his or her new ways. The Dodgers need time, and no
team in the National League Western Division will run away with the divisional
title. However, the Arizona Diamondbacks are making me wonder.
While other Dodger fans stay awake
worrying about the offense, I am enjoying watching Rafael Furcal. He has had a
great start to the season, and he will continue to lead the Dodgers to many
victories if he can stay healthy. Arguably, Furcal is the most exciting Dodger
to watch.
When Ned Colletti signed Furcal in
December 2005, I was not pleased. After all, the Dodgers had a Gold Glove
shortstop. I loved watching Cesar Izturis play. He could do magic at the
shortstop position, and I felt his offense was improving every season.
Furcal averaged fifteen errors a
year. Although he had the strongest throwing arm in the National League,
fifteen errors seemed like a lot. Offensively he was a satisfactory leadoff
hitter. People tell me to look at the on-base percentage. I did and Furcal’s
wasn’t that high. I remembered hearing the Atlanta Braves broadcasters
complaining when Furcal hit a home run that he lost his ideal approach at the
plate. I thought the Dodgers didn’t need him.
Although Izturis had Tommy John
surgery in August, he would be back sometime during
the 2006 season. I was confident that the Dodgers could find a replacement for
Izturis within the organization until he could return.
The 2006 spring training began, and
Furcal couldn’t play because he had off-season knee surgery and had a sore
shoulder. As soon as the regular season began, Furcal tried to play every day.
However, his performance didn’t impress me as a replacement for Izturis. Often
I hoped when Izturis could play, Furcal would sit on the bench.
When May started, Furcal began to
show Dodger fans why Colletti signed him. Though he didn’t have precision
defense at shortstop like Izturis, he made spectacular plays. His enormous
range and tremendous throwing arm prevented many runs.
Offensively, there was no
comparison between Furcal and Izturis. Furcal was an awesome hitter and with
his superior speed, he could steal bases. When Furcal runs, he is poetry in
motion. His intensity is evident. With every step on the field, fans can see
Furcal has a purpose.
Many people, including me, believed
the 2006 Dodgers probably wouldn’t have gone to the playoffs if Furcal weren’t
a Dodger. After batting .198 in April, Furcal hit .300 and had fifteen home
runs. He won the Roy Campanella award given to the most inspirational Dodger.
Although I was disappointed when Colletti traded Izturis, I understood and knew
Furcal was the superior player.
As the 2007 spring training began,
I looked at the Dodger roster to figure out which players needed to have an
enormous season for the Dodgers to go the playoffs. Though most of the media
usually picks a power hitter and a high-priced pitcher, I don’t. I usually
think a lesser-known player will be necessary to win. Baseball is a team sport
in every sense of the word, but every team has one or two players who make the
team go.
To me, Furcal, Juan Pierre, and
Russell Martin needed to have fantastic performances for the Dodgers to go to
the playoffs and beyond. Both Martin and Pierre did everything that the Dodgers
could have expected. However, Furcal wasn’t the same player that the Dodgers
had in 2006.
During spring, training Furcal
battled a sore shoulder again. Though he couldn’t play as many games as the
Dodgers would have liked, he would be ready for opening day. Yes, Furcal might
have another slow start, but he would recover.
About ten days before opening day,
Furcal sprained his ankle when he was in a collision with another Dodger. At
first, Stan Conte, Dodger trainer, believed the injury wasn’t serious and Furcal
probably would be able to play on opening day.
Then, Furcal’s ankle didn’t respond
to treatment as Conte believed it would. Furcal began
the 2007 season on the disabled list. After about three weeks, Furcal returned
to the active roster. Though he gave the Dodgers an emotional lift, he couldn’t
perform as he did in 2006. Every time Furcal flew, his ankle swelled and needed
treatment.
The sore weak ankle robbed Furcal’s
power and speed. He hit only six home runs. Without his power, his batting
average sank from .300 to .270. He didn’t attempt to steal as many bases as he
did in 2006. Furcal who usually does
everything with such purpose and enthusiasm appeared to be going through the
motions on the field. Although Furcal didn’t complain about his ankle or use it
as an excuse for his sub-par season, everyone who watched the Dodgers closely
knew it bothered him.
Almost two weeks before the season
ended, Furcal left a game in Coors Field with back spasms. He never played
again during the 2007 season. I think his absence from the lineup caused the
Dodgers to finish the season poorly. For the first time in his career, Furcal
didn’t go to the playoffs.
Furcal’s main objective for the
off-season was to get healthy. For the first time in a couple of years, he
played winter ball in his native
From the moment that he reported to
Since the season began, Rafael
Furcal has been a miraculous player. Yes, he has made fielding errors, but he
has made some spectacular plays. Entering play on Thursday, Furcal’s batting
average of .407 led the major leagues. He already has two homers and two triples.
In every Dodger victory, Furcal has had a vital role. I have enjoyed watching
the exciting Furcal. I want to say, “Welcome back, Furcal!”