Archive for July, 2008
It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over - Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra (born May 12, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career for the New York Yankees and was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Arguably the most beloved baseball player since Babe Ruth, Berra was one of only four players to be named the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times, and one of only six managers to lead both American and National League teams to the World Series.
Berra, who quit school in the eighth grade, has a tendency toward malapropism and fracturing the English language in highly provocative, interesting ways. Simultaneously denying and confirming his reputation, Berra once stated, “I never said half the things I really said.”
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Selig: Instant Replay on the Horizon
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says there is a good chance Major League Baseball will have an instant replay system in place to help umpires determine boundary calls on home runs by as soon as this year’s postseason.
While I believe baseball is just fine as it is, and that there are many more calls that can save or cost a game in this sport besides a blown homerun call, it appears I’m in the minority.
Like many other fans, I’ll take this change in stride, still loving the game I grew up watching… and cussing at the blown out and safe calls and some of the ridiculous strike zones a few MLB umpires have. Besides, the TV sportscasters already show all of us fans when an ump blows a call. Maybe it is time for the umps to see them all.
Regardless, such is the American Pastime!
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Legends - Cal Ripken, Jr
I decided to add this section simply to honor some of the amazing players the game of baseball has had over time. And so maybe kids will learn a little about the proud history of the game they play every summer.
I wanted to start with Cal Ripken, Jr not because he was the greatest fielder in the game, nor the most prolific slugger, but because he embodied a work ethic, a love for his calling and a tenacity that I see missing so frequently in today’s world.
My hat’s off to Mr. Ripken, and I humbly thank him for the lessons, the effort, the entertainment and the memories.
Cal Ripken - The Iron Man
Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr. (born August 24, 1960 in Havre de Grace, Maryland), commonly known as Cal or Cal Jr., is a Hall of Fame shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Baltimore Orioles from 1981 to 2001.
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No Reason to Feel Sorry for Unwanted Bonds
Newsday -Barry Bonds is not a victim, and he’s not caught up in some expertly coordinated, widespread conspiracy to keep him out of baseball. That discussion needs to stop before it picks up any more steam now that the Diamondbacks, like the Mets and Tigers before them, have decided Bonds isn’t the answer to their problems, even if the all-time home run king is still sitting out there, unemployed, as the All-Star break approaches and the division races heat up.
When it comes to Bonds, some people also would have you believe that the lack of interest in him is a mystery. But it’s not. They ask how a guy with a career on-base percentage of .444 who’s coming off a season in which he had 28 homers and 66 RBIs in only 340 at-bats could be unable to find work. But the answer is easy.
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Deserving pair to represent Rockies
DENVER — Rockies right-hander Aaron Cook didn’t have time to contemplate becoming a National League All-Star this year. There were much bigger issues, like keeping the Rockies from sinking so far that they couldn’t rise, even in the mediocre NL West.
Cook stopped seven losing streaks and tied a club record with 11 wins before the All-Star break. The performance earned him his first career selection to the squad by Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who is managing the NL team this year.
Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday, through voting by peers, was selected to his third straight All-Star Game.
The 79th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, at Yankee Stadium on July 15, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m. MT. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage. XM will provide satellite radio play-by-play coverage of the XM All-Star Futures Game.
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Top Ten Reasons Baseball is a Weird Sport
1 If a batter fails two-thirds of the time, they’re still considered an excellent batter. It’s too bad this standard isn’t applied to everything else in life.
2 It is legal to “steal” in this game. This is, perhaps, a questionable example for children.
3 If you aren’t such a good hitter, you can have a pinch hitter bat for you. If you aren’t such a fast runner, you can have someone—a pinch runner—come in and run for you. At what point, you might wonder, is a team entirely comprised of “pinch” players?
4 There’s a rule preventing pitchers from spitting on the ball. They can spit anywhere else they like, apparently.
5 If a batter walks with the bases loaded, he is credited with an RBI (Run Batted In). That’s right: even though he didn’t hit the ball.
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