Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
If you aren’t seeing as many signs at the ballparks critical of Barry Bonds and his trek toward 756, there’s a reason why.
If you aren’t seeing as many signs at the ballparks critical of Barry Bonds and his trek toward 756, there’s a reason why.
ESPN shot their load with the All-Star rosters and now they’re paying for it. Because they announced the roster list before the MLB-imposed time limit, MLB will not allow ESPN’s Baseball Tonight to broadcast live from San Francisco. Instead, they will be doing the show from their studios in Bristol, Connecticut. They will be allowed … Continue reading “Who’s going to lose their job over this?”
ESPN shot their load with the All-Star rosters and now they’re paying for it.
Because they announced the roster list before the MLB-imposed time limit, MLB will not allow ESPN’s Baseball Tonight to broadcast live from San Francisco. Instead, they will be doing the show from their studios in Bristol, Connecticut. They will be allowed to have a one-hour show before the homerun derby.
In a obligatory statement, ESPN promises the “same in-depth All-Star coverage they have come to expect.”
Good luck with that.
I wonder if Yahoo is getting full value for their advertising dollar at AT&T Park? For those non-geeks who don’t get it. Hat tip to John Battelle’s SearchBlog More background on the photo,
I wonder if Yahoo is getting full value for their advertising dollar at AT&T Park?
For those non-geeks who don’t get it.
Hat tip to John Battelle’s SearchBlog
More background on the photo,
Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kuhn was the Commissioner of MLB from 1969 to 1984. This was the time of my youth, when I came to know and love baseball. I was touched upon learning of his March 15th death. Somehow it seemed Kuhn should’ve been older than 80, he’s been out of office for over 20 years, and he seemed old back then. Oh, how perceptions change.
Bowie’s reign was not without controversy. He denied Curt Flood’s request to become a free agent, when Flood challenged the reserve clause rather than report to the Philadelphia Phillies. He reinstated Mike Andrews to the Oakland A’s roster during the 1973 World Series, Charles O. Finley forced Andrews to sign an affidavit saying he was injured after Mike made two errors in the 12th inning of game #2. He voided the sale of A’s players for $3.5 million to the Yankees & Red Sox, saying it was bad for baseball.
There were also racial issues. In 1971 when the decision was made to induct Negro Leagues players into the Hall of Fame, Kuhn stated their plaques should be in separate wing, public outcry resulted in Negro Leagues players’ plaques to be included with the others. Bowie was not on hand to see Hank Aaron break Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. He added Carl Yastrzemski to the 1983 All Star Game, Yaz’ last season, but did not do the same thing for Willie Stargell in 1982.
This story about Bowie Kuhn on drugs is classic. After being in office for over ten years, Kuhn had grown a strong reputation for being hard on players who abused drugs. Kuhn was quick to punish players who used drugs with heavy fines and suspensions. Cardinals catcher Darrell Porter told the Associated Press that during the winter of 1979-1980 he became paranoid, convinced that Kuhn knew about his drug abuse, was trying to sneak into his house, and planned to ban him from baseball for life. Porter found himself sitting up at night in the dark watching out the front window, waiting for Kuhn to approach, clutching billiard balls and a shotgun. Ironically, when Porter was named the most valuable player of the 1982 World Series, Kuhn was on hand to congratulate him.
Bill Mazeroski was on hand at Pirate City to give Freddy Sanchez some tips on handling the ball. Who better than Maz who was a fair to middlin’ secondbaseman in his day? “When you watch film of Maz, you can’t see the transfer,” Sanchez said. “It’s like … nothing.” “Freddy can be a fine second … Continue reading “Maz giving tips, not cheering for Bonds”
Bill Mazeroski was on hand at Pirate City to give Freddy Sanchez some tips on handling the ball. Who better than Maz who was a fair to middlin’ secondbaseman in his day?
“When you watch film of Maz, you can’t see the transfer,” Sanchez said. “It’s like … nothing.”
“Freddy can be a fine second baseman,” Mazeroski said.
While some (including Commissioner Bud Selig) are side-stepping the Barry Bonds/homerun record issue, Maz was unabashed about the whole thing.
“I hope it doesn’t happen,” he said. “It’s just the steroids issue and all that stuff. I’d like to see Hank keep the record.”
It’s nice when some people, despite what you think about their opinions, aren’t afraid to speak their minds.
Former Cubs owner P. K. Wrigley On March 2, the Veterans Committee will announce the results of their balloting for selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Most Cub fans (as well as many baseball fans in general) will be hoping Ron Santo will hear good news on that day. Lesser known is that former … Continue reading “Wrigley gets a shot at Hall”
Former Cubs owner P. K. Wrigley
On March 2, the Veterans Committee will announce the results of their balloting for selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Most Cub fans (as well as many baseball fans in general) will be hoping Ron Santo will hear good news on that day.
Lesser known is that former Cubs owner P. K. Wrigley is on the ballot as well. His credentials are maybe less worthy.
But what struck me about this MLB.com article, was this paragraph:
Wrigley also instituted a “college of coaches,” which eventually developed into the modern-day type of coaching staff. The specialization of coaches is somewhat taken for granted today, but Wrigley’s innovation abolished the traditional field management structure that had dominated the game for years.
I’m not from that era so maybe I’m off base but I’ve never heard that analogy drawn before. Can anyone out there confirm or deny that the College of Coaches led to or influenced the development of the modern-day coaching staff?
All I’ve heard was that the COC was a big disaster and was eventually discarded after a couple years of sub-par (i.e cellar dwelling) performances.
Back to Wrigley, does anyone out there want to make an argument for his induction? MLB.com’s article doesn’t tout him too well. I think even I could spin Wrigley better. The first I would do is NOT bring up the College of Coaches.
And bobbleheads?
Here’s something you won’t see very often. A baseball player doing an ad for a beer company, drinking the beer during the ad WHILE wearing the baseball uniform of an MLB team. Ok, technically Matsuzaka’s not wearing the Red Sox outfit while actually drinking the beverage. But it’s featured prominently during the ad. And the … Continue reading “Dice-K swallowing swill during shill”
Here’s something you won’t see very often. A baseball player doing an ad for a beer company, drinking the beer during the ad WHILE wearing the baseball uniform of an MLB team.
Ok, technically Matsuzaka’s not wearing the Red Sox outfit while actually drinking the beverage. But it’s featured prominently during the ad.
The deal was made in Japan before Matsuzaka was signed by Boston.
I’m not going to just post an ad of D-Mat without also posting a video of him pitching, too. That just ain’t right. So here’s a video of him pitching for the Lions.
Man, the defense behind him kinda stunk.
MLB to sell supplements
That’s what the headline read in the Edmonton Sun article. I must admit I did a double-take. Reading the article didn’t help.
“Major-league baseball teams will start selling approved supplements to players in an effort to prevent positive drug tests.
Management and the players’ association are having NSF International, a company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, certify that products are clean. Once a supplement is certified, teams will buy the products and make them available for resale to players in the 30 major-league clubhouses.
“They do all of the auditing and testifying of the products and certify they are clean,” management lawyer Frank Coonelly said yesterday.”
So you can’t beat ’em, join ’em? The article doesn’t specify what are approved supplements.