Nice article from SI LINK HERE
From slappies to sluggers
The abundance of good-hitting shortstops is one of the most compelling storylines in baseball, but it's not exactly new.
The trend began in earnest a decade ago with Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Edgar Renteria. Now, the 4Rs of National League East alone -- Renteria, Reyes, Ramirez and Rollins make for a dazzling collection. Add Carlos Guillen, Derek Jeter, Orlando Cabrera, Rafael Furcal, Michael Young and J.J. Hardy and the question must be asked: Is this the best crop of hitting shortstops in history?
According to a study done earlier this spring by Patrick Sullivan of The Baseball Analysts, the answer is yes. Naturally, with 30 teams, there are more shortstops to choose from than there was 50 years ago. But it's not just that.
"As strikeout rates have increased, the value of a great fielding shortstop has diminished," points out Rich Lederer of The Baseball Analysts. "As runs scored have gone up, it has become more important to get offense out of all positions, including shortstop. Add in the fact that athletes are bigger, stronger, and faster than ever and it makes sense that the position would morph over time."
"Teams won't tolerate offensive zeroes in the lineup the way they did in past eras," adds Steve Treder from The Hardball Times. From the '50s through the '70s, banjo-hitting, slick-fielding specialists such as Chico Carrasquel, Mark Belanger and Ozzie Smith were the norm; Ernie Banks was the exception.
Prior to and during the Deadball Era, shortstops were some of the most productive hitters in the game, including Honus Wagner, the greatest shortstop of all time. Later still, in the 1930s and '40s, shortstops such as Arky Vaughan, Luke Appling, Vern Stephens and Lou Boudreau were all outstanding hitters. Basically, you find good-hitting shortstops during offensive eras.
"The difference today," says historian Glenn Stout, "is that bigger, more offensively talented shortstops aren't being shifted to other positions. I suspect most were like Mickey Mantle and were moved to the outfield. As much as we hear about Mantle's scattershot arm, they gave up on him as an infielder by age 20. He never got to work through a 56-error season like Jeter did [in 1993 as minor leaguer]. Also, shortstop was considered the baseball equivalent of quarterback. Very few African-Americans were allowed to play the position and were moved elsewhere."
Consider the star players who were one-time shortstops, albeit mostly in the minors: Rogers Hornsby, Larry Doby, Jackie Robinson, Jimmy Wynn, Brooks Robinson, George Brett, Bobby Grich, Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus. If A-Rod had played in the '60s or '70s, he would have been a third basemen; Jeter would have been a center fielder.
"The best players have almost always been shortstops," Lederer continues, "especially at the lower levels -- Little League, high school, college, and the minors. These guys were the best athletes on the team. They played shortstop because they were faster, more graceful and had better arms than everybody else on their club. But as they moved up the pyramid, the competition became stiffer and there were now other more specialized players who could field and throw even better. Ergo, the guys who could hit were moved off the position in favor of those who could field slightly better because teams didn't want to sacrifice defense back then."
That all changed with Cal Ripken Jr., who was immediately preceded by Robin Yount. Yount was in the big leagues at 18 in 1974. He was known for his speed, as a guy who hit singles, but in 1980 he came into his own as a power hitter, batting .293 with a.519 slugging percentage and 130 OPS-plus for the Brewers. Two years later, he slugged .578 as an integral member of the Harvey Wallbanger's team that won the AL pennant.
Which makes for a nice segue back to Ripken, who played his first full season in '82. Ripken, a pitcher and a shortstop when he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, was big -- 6-foot-4. He started his minor-league career as a shortstop but was converted to third. The team traded away a solid 30-year old third baseman in Doug DeCinces -- who had the misfortune of succeeding Brooks Robinson -- after the '81 season to make room for Ripken.
Bob Bonner came up with Ripken in '82 and was expected to play short. But while Bonner was a gifted fielder, he was an even worse hitter than Belanger had been. Ripken played third through June and was moved to short at the beginning of July. Though he struggled offensively at the start of the season, Ripken finished the year with 28 homers and 93 RBIs, good for Rookie of the Year honors. The following season, Ripken was a monster (.318/.371/.517, 144 OPS-plus), winning the MVP and leading his team to a World Series championship.
"Ripken opened people's eyes as to what a shortstop could be offensively," says historian Mike Carminati. "He also came at the right time, just when hiding poor offensive players at short and in center could no longer be hidden. Ripken became a star just before the offensive boom of the 1985-87 seasons. He was the tipping point."
Yet, as good as he was, it was expected that Ripken would soon return to third base, even though he set the American League record for assists (583) in 1984 and led the league in that category in '83, '86 and '87. After the '85 season, Baltimore owner Edward Bennett Williams wanted Ripken moved to third. But manager Earl Weaver wouldn't budge. "He's a great athlete. He's smart. He goes back on pop-ups better than anyone I've ever seen. He's the All-Star shortstop and not just because of his bat."
Ripken was the new prototype at short. He was even bigger than Yount and Dctroit's Alan Trammell. In 1984, Kansas City manager Dick Howser said, "Primarily, it's the power that sets Ripken apart, his ability to drive in runs, more than his defensive ability. Trammell is a shade better with the glove and Yount's speed gives him an edge, but offensively, there's no question it's Ripken. I'm sure all three of their managers are satisfied with their situations."
These three, followed by Cincinnati's Barry Larkin, set the stage for today's bigger, offensive-minded shortstops. (Unfortunately, Trammell has been overlooked by the Hall of Fame; let's hope Larkin fares better.) Alex Rodriguez, now a third baseman, of course, Jeter and Hanley Ramirez are 6-foot-3; Bobby Crosby and Hardy are 6-foot-2; Guillen, Young, Jhonny Peralta and Jose Reyes are all 6-foot-1. But even the small, compact shortstops such as Miguel Tejada (5-foot-10) and Jimmy Rollins (5-foot-8) can mash.
"My first guess would be that this represents a change in the game that we don't yet understand," says historian Bill James, who admits that he hasn't studied the issue in detail, "rather than just a random collection of shortstops."
Whether you see this as the natural evolution of the position or a return to the norm, one thing is for sure: The slugging shortstop is not likely to disappear anytime soon.
The Names have been changed to Protect the Errorists
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
29 July 2007 - Smokey stepped over the line
ONEs: 1st Rube, 2nd Jones, 3rd DT, SS Bruiser, LF Superdad, CF The Mick, RF Knees
TWOs: 1st Rube/Indiana, 2nd Dr Geok, 3rd Indiana/Rube, SS DT, LF Rugburn, CF Gunz, RF H
Game 1: ONEs 15: TWOs 7
It was raining all morning.
Field was wet.
Numbers were bad. (12)
Didn't need to play special rules. (2 defensive all timers)
Ball soaked water, got heavy.
Rube brought the wife out to play.
Mick got new eyes.
Superdad plonked Gunz in the back.
Rugburn went for the Tsunami.
Bruiser had the best play of the day with an outstretched dive to stop the ball.
Knees used his knees a lot.
Centerfield didn't see any action.
No awards this week.
Went bowling after ball.
Bowling
Right lane: The Mick, Rube, DT, Uma
Left lane: Gunz, Rugburn, H, Hips, Cool Papa
1st game: Rickey/Mick tie 126
2nd game: Rugburn/Mick tie 144
3rd game: Mick win 167
4th game: Rugburn win 158
The Lebowski award goes to The Mick for overall high score of the night.
Angry bowler award goes to Cool Papa for breaking the most pins.
TWOs: 1st Rube/Indiana, 2nd Dr Geok, 3rd Indiana/Rube, SS DT, LF Rugburn, CF Gunz, RF H
Game 1: ONEs 15: TWOs 7
It was raining all morning.
Field was wet.
Numbers were bad. (12)
Didn't need to play special rules. (2 defensive all timers)
Ball soaked water, got heavy.
Rube brought the wife out to play.
Mick got new eyes.
Superdad plonked Gunz in the back.
Rugburn went for the Tsunami.
Bruiser had the best play of the day with an outstretched dive to stop the ball.
Knees used his knees a lot.
Centerfield didn't see any action.
No awards this week.
Went bowling after ball.
Bowling
Right lane: The Mick, Rube, DT, Uma
Left lane: Gunz, Rugburn, H, Hips, Cool Papa
1st game: Rickey/Mick tie 126
2nd game: Rugburn/Mick tie 144
3rd game: Mick win 167
4th game: Rugburn win 158
The Lebowski award goes to The Mick for overall high score of the night.
Angry bowler award goes to Cool Papa for breaking the most pins.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Five Ballpark Promotions That Went Wrong
Check this out....
LINK HERE
Five Ballpark Promotions That Went Wrong
I may be a die-hard Cleveland Indians fan, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go to the ballpark just for the games. I often choose what tickets I buy based on the promotions. So far this season I’ve bought tickets to fireworks night, half-price college ID night and dollar dog night. While I always enjoy my free flashlight or bobblehead, there have been some fan promotions that didn’t go so well. Here’s a look at five that failed:
Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 1974
The Promotion: 10-Cent Beer Night. To bring fans to see the miserable Cleveland Indians, management decided to sell 10-ounce cups of beer for only 10 cents at a game against the Texas Rangers.
What went wrong: Management forgot one small detail: drunk people get restless. More than 25,000 fans showed up for the event, most of them already tipsy at the gate. Among the more tame incidents was a woman who flashed the crowd from the on-deck circle, a father-son team mooning the players (good bonding experience, I guess) and fans jumping on the field to meet shake hands with the outfielders. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians tied the game, but never got a chance to win. Fans started throwing batteries, golf balls, cups and rocks onto the field and one even took the glove of the Rangers right fielder. As the player rushed into the stands to get his glove back, fans starting swarming the field to stop him and threw chairs to block his way.
The Outcome: The Indians were forced to forfeit the game and nine fans were arrested. The AL president forced the franchise to abandon the promotion idea after understating “There was no question that beer played a great part in the affair.”
Cash drop night, All-you-can-eat seat night, and more bad ideas after the break.
Comiskey Park, 1979
The Promotion: Disco Demolition Night. White Sox fans were encouraged to bring old disco records to the park in exchange for a reduced admission price of 98 cents. The records were to be destroyed in between the two games of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers.
What went wrong: Believe it or not, a lot of people wanted to see disco records destroyed. 50,000 people showed up at the gates and many who were turned away at the gate tried to climb the walls of the stadium to get in. The crowd, who were reportedly heavily under the influence, soon realized that records could double as Frisbees, which naturally led to fans throwing firecrackers and drinks. When the demolition moment came, the explosion was bigger than expected and ended up ripping a hole in the outfield grass. Thousands of fans ran onto the field to join the mayhem, burning banners and throwing objects. The batting cages were even destroyed in the riot.
The outcome: The Tigers refused to take the field, forcing the White Sox to forfeit the game. The quick patch job on the outfield left the grass uneven and players complained about it for the rest of the season.
Dodger Stadium, 1995
The Promotion: Ball Night. Fans entering the game were given a souvenir baseball.
What went wrong: Turns out baseballs are pretty convenient things to throw. In the seventh inning, fans threw balls at an opposing outfielder when he bobbled a play. The real drama happened in the bottom of the ninth, though. Dodger Raul Mondesi and manager Tommy Lasorda were ejected for arguing a strikeout call, inspiring about 200 fans to throw their promotional balls onto the field. The umps urged the Cardinals to stay on the field, but finally decided to end the game after more fans decided to contribute their gifts to the game.
The Outcome: The Dodgers were forced to forfeit the game, the first forfeit in the National League in 41 years.
Fifth Third Ballpark, 2006
The Promotion: Cash Drop. The West Michigan Whitecaps, Detroit’s class-A affiliate, had a helicopter drop $1,000 in various bills from a helicopter after a game.
What went wrong: People love money more than they love other people. Two children were injured scrambling for the cash. A girl received a bloody lip being pushed to the ground, while a seven-year-old boy was bruised when he got trampled in the fray.
The Outcome: The boy was taken to the hospital, but released after treatment. The team management summed up the incident by reminding everyone that they had signed waivers.
Dodger Stadium, 2007
The Promotions: All-you-can-eat seats. Undoing the work of Shaq and Cookie Monster, the Dodgers decided to promote obesity by opening up a section of all-you-can-eat seats. Although beer, ice cream and candy are still for sale, most food is just given away. Ticket prices range from $20-$40.
What went wrong: Not everybody can handle an open buffet of hot dogs and nachos. One Slate reporter wrote about his experience in the seats, which predictably ended in vomit. I can only imagine that countless other fans have had their evenings end in a similar way.
The Outcome: Despite the upchucking, the seats remain open and usually draw between 2,000 and 4,000 fans a night. In fact, the Dodgers have declared the promotion a success and have reached the second-highest attendance in baseball. Other stadiums have contacted the Dodgers about copying the idea.
LINK HERE
Five Ballpark Promotions That Went Wrong
I may be a die-hard Cleveland Indians fan, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go to the ballpark just for the games. I often choose what tickets I buy based on the promotions. So far this season I’ve bought tickets to fireworks night, half-price college ID night and dollar dog night. While I always enjoy my free flashlight or bobblehead, there have been some fan promotions that didn’t go so well. Here’s a look at five that failed:
Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 1974
The Promotion: 10-Cent Beer Night. To bring fans to see the miserable Cleveland Indians, management decided to sell 10-ounce cups of beer for only 10 cents at a game against the Texas Rangers.
What went wrong: Management forgot one small detail: drunk people get restless. More than 25,000 fans showed up for the event, most of them already tipsy at the gate. Among the more tame incidents was a woman who flashed the crowd from the on-deck circle, a father-son team mooning the players (good bonding experience, I guess) and fans jumping on the field to meet shake hands with the outfielders. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians tied the game, but never got a chance to win. Fans started throwing batteries, golf balls, cups and rocks onto the field and one even took the glove of the Rangers right fielder. As the player rushed into the stands to get his glove back, fans starting swarming the field to stop him and threw chairs to block his way.
The Outcome: The Indians were forced to forfeit the game and nine fans were arrested. The AL president forced the franchise to abandon the promotion idea after understating “There was no question that beer played a great part in the affair.”
Cash drop night, All-you-can-eat seat night, and more bad ideas after the break.
Comiskey Park, 1979
The Promotion: Disco Demolition Night. White Sox fans were encouraged to bring old disco records to the park in exchange for a reduced admission price of 98 cents. The records were to be destroyed in between the two games of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers.
What went wrong: Believe it or not, a lot of people wanted to see disco records destroyed. 50,000 people showed up at the gates and many who were turned away at the gate tried to climb the walls of the stadium to get in. The crowd, who were reportedly heavily under the influence, soon realized that records could double as Frisbees, which naturally led to fans throwing firecrackers and drinks. When the demolition moment came, the explosion was bigger than expected and ended up ripping a hole in the outfield grass. Thousands of fans ran onto the field to join the mayhem, burning banners and throwing objects. The batting cages were even destroyed in the riot.
The outcome: The Tigers refused to take the field, forcing the White Sox to forfeit the game. The quick patch job on the outfield left the grass uneven and players complained about it for the rest of the season.
Dodger Stadium, 1995
The Promotion: Ball Night. Fans entering the game were given a souvenir baseball.
What went wrong: Turns out baseballs are pretty convenient things to throw. In the seventh inning, fans threw balls at an opposing outfielder when he bobbled a play. The real drama happened in the bottom of the ninth, though. Dodger Raul Mondesi and manager Tommy Lasorda were ejected for arguing a strikeout call, inspiring about 200 fans to throw their promotional balls onto the field. The umps urged the Cardinals to stay on the field, but finally decided to end the game after more fans decided to contribute their gifts to the game.
The Outcome: The Dodgers were forced to forfeit the game, the first forfeit in the National League in 41 years.
Fifth Third Ballpark, 2006
The Promotion: Cash Drop. The West Michigan Whitecaps, Detroit’s class-A affiliate, had a helicopter drop $1,000 in various bills from a helicopter after a game.
What went wrong: People love money more than they love other people. Two children were injured scrambling for the cash. A girl received a bloody lip being pushed to the ground, while a seven-year-old boy was bruised when he got trampled in the fray.
The Outcome: The boy was taken to the hospital, but released after treatment. The team management summed up the incident by reminding everyone that they had signed waivers.
Dodger Stadium, 2007
The Promotions: All-you-can-eat seats. Undoing the work of Shaq and Cookie Monster, the Dodgers decided to promote obesity by opening up a section of all-you-can-eat seats. Although beer, ice cream and candy are still for sale, most food is just given away. Ticket prices range from $20-$40.
What went wrong: Not everybody can handle an open buffet of hot dogs and nachos. One Slate reporter wrote about his experience in the seats, which predictably ended in vomit. I can only imagine that countless other fans have had their evenings end in a similar way.
The Outcome: Despite the upchucking, the seats remain open and usually draw between 2,000 and 4,000 fans a night. In fact, the Dodgers have declared the promotion a success and have reached the second-highest attendance in baseball. Other stadiums have contacted the Dodgers about copying the idea.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
21 July 2007 - 9 is the number of ONE ball team not TWO.
ONEs: 1st Rube, SS NewJohn, LF Superdad, RF H, Rover Wild Thing
TWOs: 1st Dr Geok, SS Nomah, LF Rugburn, CF Rube, RF DT
Game 1: ONEs 6: TWOs 5 ( 7innings)
NewJohn 2 HRs
Superdad 1 HR
Rugburn 1 HR
Rained most of saturday morning, and was still drizzling in the afternoon.
field was wet, but not soggy. perfect sliding conditions without churning mud
NewJohn is the new most dangerous man on the field, taking the crown from DT.
He plonked Nomah right between the eyes from a throw from deep within the hole to home in the first inning. And then he whacked a line drive right up the middle into Wild Thing's thigh in the last inning. That one left a mean bruise.
Only had 9 people on the field due to...4 regulars overseas, 2 on the DL, and Sandman being whipped
Rube played all time defense, switching from middle infield for the ONEs to centerfield for the TWOs.
Prof Zen and Indiana rules in effect.
The game was tight, with the scores even for both teams for most of the game.
Rugburn led off with a homerun in the first inning for the TWOs, which was quickly answered by NewJohn in the bottom of the inning.
Although, one could argue that Rugburn should've been tagged out at home as the relay came in on time. The only problem was that Nomah caught the ball between the his eyes rather than with the glove. It wasn't his fault though, the throw came in slightly offline, and Rugburn had to detour in front of Nomah to get to the plate.
For that spilt second, Nomah took his eyes off the ball when Rugburn came around, and the ball plonked him.
For the most part, the game was a defensive gem on both sides. 1-2-3 outs were common for most of the innings. The TWOs relied on NewJohn and Superdad's power hitting, and the ONEs got by with singles up the middle and some desperate running from second base.
NewJohn might've just earned his nickname... finally.... The verdict is still out, and the committee is still voting on it. 'Bruiser'
Biggest Bat: Bruiser
Gold Glove: Rube
MBP: NA
TWOs: 1st Dr Geok, SS Nomah, LF Rugburn, CF Rube, RF DT
Game 1: ONEs 6: TWOs 5 ( 7innings)
NewJohn 2 HRs
Superdad 1 HR
Rugburn 1 HR
Rained most of saturday morning, and was still drizzling in the afternoon.
field was wet, but not soggy. perfect sliding conditions without churning mud
NewJohn is the new most dangerous man on the field, taking the crown from DT.
He plonked Nomah right between the eyes from a throw from deep within the hole to home in the first inning. And then he whacked a line drive right up the middle into Wild Thing's thigh in the last inning. That one left a mean bruise.
Only had 9 people on the field due to...4 regulars overseas, 2 on the DL, and Sandman being whipped
Rube played all time defense, switching from middle infield for the ONEs to centerfield for the TWOs.
Prof Zen and Indiana rules in effect.
The game was tight, with the scores even for both teams for most of the game.
Rugburn led off with a homerun in the first inning for the TWOs, which was quickly answered by NewJohn in the bottom of the inning.
Although, one could argue that Rugburn should've been tagged out at home as the relay came in on time. The only problem was that Nomah caught the ball between the his eyes rather than with the glove. It wasn't his fault though, the throw came in slightly offline, and Rugburn had to detour in front of Nomah to get to the plate.
For that spilt second, Nomah took his eyes off the ball when Rugburn came around, and the ball plonked him.
For the most part, the game was a defensive gem on both sides. 1-2-3 outs were common for most of the innings. The TWOs relied on NewJohn and Superdad's power hitting, and the ONEs got by with singles up the middle and some desperate running from second base.
NewJohn might've just earned his nickname... finally.... The verdict is still out, and the committee is still voting on it. 'Bruiser'
Biggest Bat: Bruiser
Gold Glove: Rube
MBP: NA
Minor League Baseball Coach Killed by Line Drive
Saw this on the news, and it's devastating. Our condolences to the family.
LINK HERE
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The batting coach for the Tulsa Drillers was pronounced dead at a hospital Sunday evening after being struck in the head by a line drive as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a Texas League game with the Arkansas Travelers, police said.
The game was suspended in the ninth inning after Mike Coolbaugh was hit by a hard-hit foul ball off the bat of Tino Sanchez and taken to Baptist Medical Center-North Little Rock.
Phil Elson, spokesman for the Travelers, said Coolbaugh was struck by the ball on the right side of his head, or on the forehead — "I'm getting conflicting reports" — and fell to the ground immediately.
According to a report posted on the Drillers' Web site late Sunday, Coolbaugh was knocked unconscious and CPR was administered to him on the field.
Sgt. Terry Kuykendall, spokesman for North Little Rock police, said Coolbaugh was still alive when he was put in an ambulance for the trip to the hospital, but quit breathing as the ambulance arrived at the facility.
"They tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at 9:47 p.m.," Kuykendall said.
Coolbaugh played 44 games in the major leagues over two seasons, his last appearance with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002. The Drillers' web site said Coolbaugh joined the Tulsa team's staff on July 3.
The Travelers, an Angels affiliate, led 7-3 at the time the game was suspended with no outs and a runner on first in the top of the ninth inning. Officials said a date and time for finishing the game had not yet been chosen.
Tulsa is a Rockies affiliate.
LINK HERE
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The batting coach for the Tulsa Drillers was pronounced dead at a hospital Sunday evening after being struck in the head by a line drive as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a Texas League game with the Arkansas Travelers, police said.
The game was suspended in the ninth inning after Mike Coolbaugh was hit by a hard-hit foul ball off the bat of Tino Sanchez and taken to Baptist Medical Center-North Little Rock.
Phil Elson, spokesman for the Travelers, said Coolbaugh was struck by the ball on the right side of his head, or on the forehead — "I'm getting conflicting reports" — and fell to the ground immediately.
According to a report posted on the Drillers' Web site late Sunday, Coolbaugh was knocked unconscious and CPR was administered to him on the field.
Sgt. Terry Kuykendall, spokesman for North Little Rock police, said Coolbaugh was still alive when he was put in an ambulance for the trip to the hospital, but quit breathing as the ambulance arrived at the facility.
"They tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at 9:47 p.m.," Kuykendall said.
Coolbaugh played 44 games in the major leagues over two seasons, his last appearance with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002. The Drillers' web site said Coolbaugh joined the Tulsa team's staff on July 3.
The Travelers, an Angels affiliate, led 7-3 at the time the game was suspended with no outs and a runner on first in the top of the ninth inning. Officials said a date and time for finishing the game had not yet been chosen.
Tulsa is a Rockies affiliate.
Why 'football' when you don't use your feet??
NewJohn sent us this link
10 guys ready to have breakout years
Personally, I don't like football. It's too slow, starts and stops too often and is utterly boring. I hate soccer too.
10 guys ready to have breakout years
Peter Schrager
It's about that time of the summer.
You're sniffing around the fantasy football Web sites all over the Internet, digging into any semblance of an NFL preview you can get your hands on at Barnes & Noble, watching Madden 08 commercials like they're actual highlights — just fiending for all things pigskin. The mid-July juices, I call 'em. If you're a fan of the NFL, it's hard not to have them ripping through your veins by now. As great as an MLB All-Star Game or the NBA's Vegas Summer League may be for an evening — there's nothing like the anticipation for the NFL in these precious few weeks leading up to training camp.
Everyone's got a surprise sleeper team (I'm rolling with Tampa Bay at the moment), a courageous preseason MVP pick (sticking with Jay Cutler), and a coach they think is about to change the way we think about professional football (Mike Martz, all over again!). The best part? Nobody's wrong at this stage in the game. Think Rex Grossman's going to lead the league in passing? Sure. Why not? The Browns are going to win the AFC North? Well, crazier things have happened.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be diving into these topics and much, much more. This week? Let's discuss 10 guys ready to have break out years. These are the cats that are on the cusp. No Pro Bowlers, no superstars — just young and hungry NFL players ready to become household names. Get to know them now.
1. Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers: Sure, pretty much all of San Diego's coaching staff from last season's 14-2 squad is elsewhere this year. And yes, Cam Cameron — the master of that offense in '06 — is in Miami. But outside of a few fringe players off the bench, San Diego returns the majority of its AFC West championship team. Tomlinson, Gates, Turner and Rivers may get all the headlines — but Vincent Jackson could be the name on most people's tongues come mid-season. Jackson enters camp as the assumed No. 1 receiver on a Super Bowl favorite. The three-year vet out of Northern Colorado caught 27 balls and scored six touchdowns in spot duty last season. Look for him to get more touches in Norv Turner's offense in '07. Alongside Malcolm Floyd and Craig "Buster" Davis, Jackson helps make up one of the youngest wide receiver corps in the league. It's also the one marked with the most amount of question marks.
2. Daryn Colledge, OG, Packers: When Colledge was thrown into the starting lineup as a rookie because of an injury-ravaged Green Bay line, most observers threw in the towel on the Pack. Colledge and the rest of one of the league's youngest units then went on to protect Brett Favre awfully well. Green Bay won its last four games, capping off the season with wins over NFC North division foes Minnesota and Chicago on national TV. Colledge, a second-round pick in the 2006 draft, will be looked to as one of the anchors this season. He'll answer the call. It's not like he hasn't before.
3. Mark Anderson, DE, Bears: Though Anderson was a top-5 overall selection the entire season. Anderson led the NFC champion Bears in sacks with 12 while playing in all 16 games for Chicago. With another year under his belt and the return of Tommie Harris, Anderson should have even more opportunities to get to the quarterback this year. Asking for 12 sacks is a bit much — but certainly possible.
4. Dawan Landry, SS, Ravens: Brother LaRon will get most the press next year as he suits up for the crosstown rival Redskins, and teammate Ed Reed may be the one introducing his teammates on Monday Night Football. But Dawan Landry's a true star on the rise. As a rookie on the league's top-ranked defense, Landry played in 16 games, recorded 67 tackles, grabbed five interceptions, and started in the playoff battle against the Colts. His biggest afternoon was a 27-26 win over Tennessee (week 10) in which he finished with 12 tackles and a sack. Look for Landry to make an even greater name for himself this season.
5. Mathias Kiwanuka, LB, Giants: Most NFL fans will tell you about two plays when discussing Mathias Kiwanuka's rookie season: The Vince Young tackle that wasn't, and the interception and fumble versus the Cowboys. What they won't tell you is that an undersized Kiwanuka had a pretty darn good year at defensive end in '06. In 15 games, the rookie out of BC was sixth on the Giants in tackles and recorded 5.5 sacks. Moving to outside linebacker for '07, there's great optimism among Big Blue fans for No. 97. The next L.T.? Not quite. An upgrade from last year's Giant outside linebackers? You bet.
6. Cedric Benson, RB, Bears: After sharing the load with Thomas Jones over the past two seasons, it's all Cedric all the time in Chicago now. With Jones in the Jets backfield, the former Texas star and highly touted first-round pick is the primary ball carrier for the Bears in '07. Garrett Wolfe and Devin Hester should get some action, but Benson should be the go-to guy each week. I haven't been sold on Benson as an every down back yet. But the opportunities will be there this season. It's his 1,000 yards to lose. He should eclipse that mark and more.
7. Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns: Edwards, the one-time third overall pick, has had a bit of a checkered NFL career thus far. Injuries, a few in-game sideline temper tantrums, a handful of curious postgame press conference comments — it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for the former Michigan star. But from all accounts out of Cleveland, Edwards is finally healthy, poised, and showing true leadership skills. He gave Charlie Frye a big boost of confidence during the off-season OTA's, and has been a positive force in the locker room since the NFL Draft. The total package of athleticism and awareness, the skills are there. This should be the year he puts it all together. The Dawg Pound can only hope.
8. Brandon Jones, WR, Titans: When Drew Bennett signed with the Rams and Travis Henry left for Denver — most NFL fans assumed Tennessee would go out and bring in a big free-agent signing on the offensive side of the ball. A playmaker for Vince Young. Who'd they acquire? Well, Justin Gage. Hmm ... not exactly Jerry Rice. One of the reasons Tennessee stayed relatively quiet was their comfort at the wideout spot with who they already had on the roster. The likely No. 1 target? Mr. Jones. The former Oklahoma Sooner only had 27 receptions last season, but showed some real flashes. In the Titans' Week 16 win over Buffalo, Jones grabbed five balls for 101 yards and scored a touchdown. Tennessee drafted three wide receivers in April. Each rookie should get some touches. But Young-to-Jones should be the go-to combination in '07.
9. Daniel Sepulveda, P, Steelers: Can a rookie technically have a "breakout" year? Hey, why not? I've loved watching this kid punt since his early days at Baylor when I did a FOXSports.com article with him back in '05. Since then, he did nothing but become the best punter in college football, perfecting a crazy knuckleball-like lefty boot. His kicking style will cause nightmares in the Pittsburgh weather. Will Steelers fans like him? Check out this highlight for your answer. Yeah, I think so.
10. Hank Baskett, WR, Eagles: Baskett saved his best game of the year for the regular season finale, hauling in seven passes for 177 yards and ripping off an 89-yard touchdown versus the Falcons in Week 17. He's got the size, the hands, the skills and the awareness to be a formidable NFL receiver. He could be much more than that. With Donte Stallworth gone to New England, the wideout situation is still up for grabs quite a grab in Philly. Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown should be the first two options, but Baskett could be the big-play guy.
10 guys ready to have breakout years
Personally, I don't like football. It's too slow, starts and stops too often and is utterly boring. I hate soccer too.
10 guys ready to have breakout years
Peter Schrager
It's about that time of the summer.
You're sniffing around the fantasy football Web sites all over the Internet, digging into any semblance of an NFL preview you can get your hands on at Barnes & Noble, watching Madden 08 commercials like they're actual highlights — just fiending for all things pigskin. The mid-July juices, I call 'em. If you're a fan of the NFL, it's hard not to have them ripping through your veins by now. As great as an MLB All-Star Game or the NBA's Vegas Summer League may be for an evening — there's nothing like the anticipation for the NFL in these precious few weeks leading up to training camp.
Everyone's got a surprise sleeper team (I'm rolling with Tampa Bay at the moment), a courageous preseason MVP pick (sticking with Jay Cutler), and a coach they think is about to change the way we think about professional football (Mike Martz, all over again!). The best part? Nobody's wrong at this stage in the game. Think Rex Grossman's going to lead the league in passing? Sure. Why not? The Browns are going to win the AFC North? Well, crazier things have happened.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be diving into these topics and much, much more. This week? Let's discuss 10 guys ready to have break out years. These are the cats that are on the cusp. No Pro Bowlers, no superstars — just young and hungry NFL players ready to become household names. Get to know them now.
1. Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers: Sure, pretty much all of San Diego's coaching staff from last season's 14-2 squad is elsewhere this year. And yes, Cam Cameron — the master of that offense in '06 — is in Miami. But outside of a few fringe players off the bench, San Diego returns the majority of its AFC West championship team. Tomlinson, Gates, Turner and Rivers may get all the headlines — but Vincent Jackson could be the name on most people's tongues come mid-season. Jackson enters camp as the assumed No. 1 receiver on a Super Bowl favorite. The three-year vet out of Northern Colorado caught 27 balls and scored six touchdowns in spot duty last season. Look for him to get more touches in Norv Turner's offense in '07. Alongside Malcolm Floyd and Craig "Buster" Davis, Jackson helps make up one of the youngest wide receiver corps in the league. It's also the one marked with the most amount of question marks.
2. Daryn Colledge, OG, Packers: When Colledge was thrown into the starting lineup as a rookie because of an injury-ravaged Green Bay line, most observers threw in the towel on the Pack. Colledge and the rest of one of the league's youngest units then went on to protect Brett Favre awfully well. Green Bay won its last four games, capping off the season with wins over NFC North division foes Minnesota and Chicago on national TV. Colledge, a second-round pick in the 2006 draft, will be looked to as one of the anchors this season. He'll answer the call. It's not like he hasn't before.
3. Mark Anderson, DE, Bears: Though Anderson was a top-5 overall selection the entire season. Anderson led the NFC champion Bears in sacks with 12 while playing in all 16 games for Chicago. With another year under his belt and the return of Tommie Harris, Anderson should have even more opportunities to get to the quarterback this year. Asking for 12 sacks is a bit much — but certainly possible.
4. Dawan Landry, SS, Ravens: Brother LaRon will get most the press next year as he suits up for the crosstown rival Redskins, and teammate Ed Reed may be the one introducing his teammates on Monday Night Football. But Dawan Landry's a true star on the rise. As a rookie on the league's top-ranked defense, Landry played in 16 games, recorded 67 tackles, grabbed five interceptions, and started in the playoff battle against the Colts. His biggest afternoon was a 27-26 win over Tennessee (week 10) in which he finished with 12 tackles and a sack. Look for Landry to make an even greater name for himself this season.
5. Mathias Kiwanuka, LB, Giants: Most NFL fans will tell you about two plays when discussing Mathias Kiwanuka's rookie season: The Vince Young tackle that wasn't, and the interception and fumble versus the Cowboys. What they won't tell you is that an undersized Kiwanuka had a pretty darn good year at defensive end in '06. In 15 games, the rookie out of BC was sixth on the Giants in tackles and recorded 5.5 sacks. Moving to outside linebacker for '07, there's great optimism among Big Blue fans for No. 97. The next L.T.? Not quite. An upgrade from last year's Giant outside linebackers? You bet.
6. Cedric Benson, RB, Bears: After sharing the load with Thomas Jones over the past two seasons, it's all Cedric all the time in Chicago now. With Jones in the Jets backfield, the former Texas star and highly touted first-round pick is the primary ball carrier for the Bears in '07. Garrett Wolfe and Devin Hester should get some action, but Benson should be the go-to guy each week. I haven't been sold on Benson as an every down back yet. But the opportunities will be there this season. It's his 1,000 yards to lose. He should eclipse that mark and more.
7. Braylon Edwards, WR, Browns: Edwards, the one-time third overall pick, has had a bit of a checkered NFL career thus far. Injuries, a few in-game sideline temper tantrums, a handful of curious postgame press conference comments — it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for the former Michigan star. But from all accounts out of Cleveland, Edwards is finally healthy, poised, and showing true leadership skills. He gave Charlie Frye a big boost of confidence during the off-season OTA's, and has been a positive force in the locker room since the NFL Draft. The total package of athleticism and awareness, the skills are there. This should be the year he puts it all together. The Dawg Pound can only hope.
8. Brandon Jones, WR, Titans: When Drew Bennett signed with the Rams and Travis Henry left for Denver — most NFL fans assumed Tennessee would go out and bring in a big free-agent signing on the offensive side of the ball. A playmaker for Vince Young. Who'd they acquire? Well, Justin Gage. Hmm ... not exactly Jerry Rice. One of the reasons Tennessee stayed relatively quiet was their comfort at the wideout spot with who they already had on the roster. The likely No. 1 target? Mr. Jones. The former Oklahoma Sooner only had 27 receptions last season, but showed some real flashes. In the Titans' Week 16 win over Buffalo, Jones grabbed five balls for 101 yards and scored a touchdown. Tennessee drafted three wide receivers in April. Each rookie should get some touches. But Young-to-Jones should be the go-to combination in '07.
9. Daniel Sepulveda, P, Steelers: Can a rookie technically have a "breakout" year? Hey, why not? I've loved watching this kid punt since his early days at Baylor when I did a FOXSports.com article with him back in '05. Since then, he did nothing but become the best punter in college football, perfecting a crazy knuckleball-like lefty boot. His kicking style will cause nightmares in the Pittsburgh weather. Will Steelers fans like him? Check out this highlight for your answer. Yeah, I think so.
10. Hank Baskett, WR, Eagles: Baskett saved his best game of the year for the regular season finale, hauling in seven passes for 177 yards and ripping off an 89-yard touchdown versus the Falcons in Week 17. He's got the size, the hands, the skills and the awareness to be a formidable NFL receiver. He could be much more than that. With Donte Stallworth gone to New England, the wideout situation is still up for grabs quite a grab in Philly. Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown should be the first two options, but Baskett could be the big-play guy.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
14 July 2007 - Who is John Carpenter and why does he know all our secrets?
ONEs: 1st DY, 2nd Horfun, 3rd Generalissimo, SS Nomah, LF Rugburn, CF The Mick, RF Cheetah
TWOs: 1st Gunz, 2nd Lili, 3rd DT, SS NewJohn, LF Cool Papa, CF WeiXiong, RF H
Pitching all time: Rickey
Game 1: ONEs 14: TWOs 13 (12 innings)
1. Generalissimo pulls the Jaguar play on WeiXiong, faking a throw to 1st and swiping him with a tag
2. TWOs were leading the entire game till the 8th when the ONEs tied.
3. 3 extra innings. 6 innings of solid defense by both teams as no runs were scored. Rugburn hit a triple down the line in the bottom of the 12th,
and Generalissimo hit the game winning RBI for Rugburn to score.
4. Cool Papa hits 2 back to back triples in the first 3 innings. He actually hit singles, but got on third just from running fast.
5. Generalissimo pulls a fake overthrow from Rugburn by dashing off towards the foul line looking for the ball. Cool Papa was fooled
and he took a step off the base. He realised the ploy in time and stepped back to safety to narrowly avoid the tag.
6. Cool papa CANNOT play in front of his kids. He had an MBP game for the first 6 innings, then his kids show up to watch and give
him support, and his game goes down the drain.
7. NewJohn had a golden glove day at short. Considering the awful, bumpy, lumpy, diveted field, NewJohn managed to not make a single
error off a bad bounce. He picked up everything on a short hop and fired at first to get the batter out.
8. It was a close call for Gold Glove as the Generalissimo had a stellar day at 3rd as well. He caught and threw out Weixiong 3 times,
no mean feat considering weixiong's speed.
9. Both Lili and Horfun had career defensive days at 2nd. Both made difficult plays and catches to hold runners.
10. Horfun was even more productive at the plate. She was hitting deep (deeper than normal anyhow) into centerfield for singles. In fact, she had a higher
OBP than Rugburn.
11. Rickey had problems catching infield popups. Two times, he made the call, overridding DT, and both times, the ball popped out of his glove.
Only Weixion saved him from 3for3 error day by picking up his third foul ball and throwing it to first
12. It was great to see Nomah again. We probably haven't seen him since the RedSox won the world series. He hadn't lost his touch on the field, but his bat was
definitely rusty. He needs to come out every week to work on the bat.
MBP: Generalissimo
Gold Glove: NewJohn
Ugly Play: Rickey's 3 dropped infield flies
DY: NA
Postball:
There was big trouble in little woking street when the remenants of the softball gang paid a visit to The Mick's place to watch a movie. We made an emergency food run to Subway to pick up sandwiches for dinner, then headed over. The Mick has done a nice job with his walkup apartment. The movie room has come along nicely from the last time we paid a visit. There are proper seats and pillows, and the projector and DVD player are actually working. Lush red curtains covering both doors provide a threatretic experience. We watched "Big Trouble in Little China", one of the greatest movies ever made that sucked balls. DT and H had a wonderful time explaining to Rickey and the Mick that Chinese do not actually have several rooms of hell in our apartments. We also do not learn Kungfu from young, and we cannot induce lightning from our fingertips. We can however, fly and gold buddha statues are required adornments in all our hallways. Sadly, Dom wasn't around to hold The Mick's balls so the entire night was a let down for him.
TWOs: 1st Gunz, 2nd Lili, 3rd DT, SS NewJohn, LF Cool Papa, CF WeiXiong, RF H
Pitching all time: Rickey
Game 1: ONEs 14: TWOs 13 (12 innings)
1. Generalissimo pulls the Jaguar play on WeiXiong, faking a throw to 1st and swiping him with a tag
2. TWOs were leading the entire game till the 8th when the ONEs tied.
3. 3 extra innings. 6 innings of solid defense by both teams as no runs were scored. Rugburn hit a triple down the line in the bottom of the 12th,
and Generalissimo hit the game winning RBI for Rugburn to score.
4. Cool Papa hits 2 back to back triples in the first 3 innings. He actually hit singles, but got on third just from running fast.
5. Generalissimo pulls a fake overthrow from Rugburn by dashing off towards the foul line looking for the ball. Cool Papa was fooled
and he took a step off the base. He realised the ploy in time and stepped back to safety to narrowly avoid the tag.
6. Cool papa CANNOT play in front of his kids. He had an MBP game for the first 6 innings, then his kids show up to watch and give
him support, and his game goes down the drain.
7. NewJohn had a golden glove day at short. Considering the awful, bumpy, lumpy, diveted field, NewJohn managed to not make a single
error off a bad bounce. He picked up everything on a short hop and fired at first to get the batter out.
8. It was a close call for Gold Glove as the Generalissimo had a stellar day at 3rd as well. He caught and threw out Weixiong 3 times,
no mean feat considering weixiong's speed.
9. Both Lili and Horfun had career defensive days at 2nd. Both made difficult plays and catches to hold runners.
10. Horfun was even more productive at the plate. She was hitting deep (deeper than normal anyhow) into centerfield for singles. In fact, she had a higher
OBP than Rugburn.
11. Rickey had problems catching infield popups. Two times, he made the call, overridding DT, and both times, the ball popped out of his glove.
Only Weixion saved him from 3for3 error day by picking up his third foul ball and throwing it to first
12. It was great to see Nomah again. We probably haven't seen him since the RedSox won the world series. He hadn't lost his touch on the field, but his bat was
definitely rusty. He needs to come out every week to work on the bat.
MBP: Generalissimo
Gold Glove: NewJohn
Ugly Play: Rickey's 3 dropped infield flies
DY: NA
Postball:
There was big trouble in little woking street when the remenants of the softball gang paid a visit to The Mick's place to watch a movie. We made an emergency food run to Subway to pick up sandwiches for dinner, then headed over. The Mick has done a nice job with his walkup apartment. The movie room has come along nicely from the last time we paid a visit. There are proper seats and pillows, and the projector and DVD player are actually working. Lush red curtains covering both doors provide a threatretic experience. We watched "Big Trouble in Little China", one of the greatest movies ever made that sucked balls. DT and H had a wonderful time explaining to Rickey and the Mick that Chinese do not actually have several rooms of hell in our apartments. We also do not learn Kungfu from young, and we cannot induce lightning from our fingertips. We can however, fly and gold buddha statues are required adornments in all our hallways. Sadly, Dom wasn't around to hold The Mick's balls so the entire night was a let down for him.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
The faces have changed, but the game remains the same
Standing (L to R): Marwan, Superdad, Dr Geok, H, The Mick, Knees, Maglite, Rube, Wild Thing, Gunz, Rugburn
Sitting (L to R): Rickey, Indiana, Generalissimo, NewJohn, DT, Horfun
7 July 2007 - 070707
ONEs: 1st Marwan, 2nd Maglite, 3rd The Mick, SS DT, RF Knees, CF Gunz, LF Superdad, Rover Horfun
TWOs: 1st Indiana, 2nd Wild Thing/Geok, 3rd Generalissimo, SS NewJohn, RF Rugburn, CF H, LF Rube, Rover Geok
Game 1: ONEs 13: TWOs 2 (6 innings Mercy)
Game 2: ONEs 8: TWOs 11(7 innings)
Massive rain in the early morning threatened to shut down the game, but the baseball gods were shining on us, and the rain only helped to soften the ground after a long week of hot baking sun. The field was in such perfect condition, as if the groundskeeper of the gods were maintaining it. Numbers were superb as well, with everyone back from their hols or trips.
DT led the game off with a line drive right down the left field line. A double turned into a HR as it went by the Rube, and that led off the ONEs onto a massive hitting streak for the first 2 innings. They scored 7 runs in the first inning, and 3 in the second. The score remained the same for the next 4 innings, as both teams put on a good display of defense. Going into the bottom of the 6th 10-2 down, the ONEs strung together another set of hits to win the game 13-2 by mercy.
No changes as both teams were very even (some say the TWOs were stronger). Both teams maintained the same strong defensive walls throughout the second game with only 1 or 2 runs scored each inning. The bottom of the 6th inning saw the ONEs infield blow up. Two bad plays on poor judgement gave away 3 runs to the TWOs, and the ONEs could not make up the difference in the top of the 7th, only scoring one run, taking the loss.
We welcome Marwan to our SAS family. Looks like he's a keeper. He had an excellent debut at first base, playing the difficult position with aplomb. He caught everything that DT and The Mick tried to throw wildly at him.
It was great to see the numbers on the field, with everyone finally back from their hols.
There's a new award this week, 'Ugliest Play that still got an out'. And the first recipient of the play goes to Rickey, but his fumble-recovery-ultra-slomo-belly-flop-underhand-toss-to-first to get Horfun out.
Gold Glove: Generalissimo
Biggest Bat: Rube
MBP: NA
DY: Gunz
Ugly Play: Rickey
WHIPPED: Sandman
Postball: We were all invited to Indiana's place to celebrate Dr Geok's PHD party. There was freeflow of whiskey, beer, xango mango and champagne. Although, we think that possibly most of the flow went down Knees throat, we haven't seen a guy drink that much since Rube got married. Dr Geok generously ordered a dozen pizzas to complement the mounds of assorted burgers, fries and jalapenos from Botak Jones. Much was leftover, but if there isn't too much food (and booze) it isn't a real SAS party.
As usual with SAS parties, there was talk of White Gold, Poop Sex, Butt Plugs, bacteria laden Komodo dragon saliva and Pop-up books. Those who showed up earlier were treated to The Mick's Circle Zero. Those who showed up later, were allowed to pull on his nipple ring. Those who didn't show up, might arguably be the luckier ones.
Surpisingly, no one got insanely drunk, no one vomitted in the blue pail (provided by Dr Geok) and no one passed out on the floor. Although, it might have happened after this author left. There were topless males at the party, but no attempts to take penis shots were witnessed.
Rumor has it that the last stragglers from the party left Indiana's place at 4am. We can neither confirm nor deny this, but it sounds kinda true.
TWOs: 1st Indiana, 2nd Wild Thing/Geok, 3rd Generalissimo, SS NewJohn, RF Rugburn, CF H, LF Rube, Rover Geok
Game 1: ONEs 13: TWOs 2 (6 innings Mercy)
Game 2: ONEs 8: TWOs 11(7 innings)
Massive rain in the early morning threatened to shut down the game, but the baseball gods were shining on us, and the rain only helped to soften the ground after a long week of hot baking sun. The field was in such perfect condition, as if the groundskeeper of the gods were maintaining it. Numbers were superb as well, with everyone back from their hols or trips.
DT led the game off with a line drive right down the left field line. A double turned into a HR as it went by the Rube, and that led off the ONEs onto a massive hitting streak for the first 2 innings. They scored 7 runs in the first inning, and 3 in the second. The score remained the same for the next 4 innings, as both teams put on a good display of defense. Going into the bottom of the 6th 10-2 down, the ONEs strung together another set of hits to win the game 13-2 by mercy.
No changes as both teams were very even (some say the TWOs were stronger). Both teams maintained the same strong defensive walls throughout the second game with only 1 or 2 runs scored each inning. The bottom of the 6th inning saw the ONEs infield blow up. Two bad plays on poor judgement gave away 3 runs to the TWOs, and the ONEs could not make up the difference in the top of the 7th, only scoring one run, taking the loss.
We welcome Marwan to our SAS family. Looks like he's a keeper. He had an excellent debut at first base, playing the difficult position with aplomb. He caught everything that DT and The Mick tried to throw wildly at him.
It was great to see the numbers on the field, with everyone finally back from their hols.
There's a new award this week, 'Ugliest Play that still got an out'. And the first recipient of the play goes to Rickey, but his fumble-recovery-ultra-slomo-belly-flop-underhand-toss-to-first to get Horfun out.
Gold Glove: Generalissimo
Biggest Bat: Rube
MBP: NA
DY: Gunz
Ugly Play: Rickey
WHIPPED: Sandman
Postball: We were all invited to Indiana's place to celebrate Dr Geok's PHD party. There was freeflow of whiskey, beer, xango mango and champagne. Although, we think that possibly most of the flow went down Knees throat, we haven't seen a guy drink that much since Rube got married. Dr Geok generously ordered a dozen pizzas to complement the mounds of assorted burgers, fries and jalapenos from Botak Jones. Much was leftover, but if there isn't too much food (and booze) it isn't a real SAS party.
As usual with SAS parties, there was talk of White Gold, Poop Sex, Butt Plugs, bacteria laden Komodo dragon saliva and Pop-up books. Those who showed up earlier were treated to The Mick's Circle Zero. Those who showed up later, were allowed to pull on his nipple ring. Those who didn't show up, might arguably be the luckier ones.
Surpisingly, no one got insanely drunk, no one vomitted in the blue pail (provided by Dr Geok) and no one passed out on the floor. Although, it might have happened after this author left. There were topless males at the party, but no attempts to take penis shots were witnessed.
Rumor has it that the last stragglers from the party left Indiana's place at 4am. We can neither confirm nor deny this, but it sounds kinda true.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Is there a DOCTOR in da house.
On 7/2/07, geok wrote:
Dear All,
As some of you already knew and others will discover on reading this
message, I have recently gained my release from the Manoa Penitentiary
in Honolulu, Hawaii. Of course as in most State Pens, we had to acquire
some skills and I am most pleased to announce that I have a Ph.D.
certifying that I am sane and ready to serve the society at large. To
celebrate this historic moment in my life, I am inviting all
softballers and their significant others to my party to be held on July
7 (Saturday) at Indiana's place, The party will start at 7:30pm or thereabouts.
Food and some beers will be provided, but if you wish to bring something,
dessert will be much appreciated, and contribution in booze is always
welcomed. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday. Warning! Bring
your IDs, we will be conducting random checks on suspicious underaged
and in some cases, overaged drinkers.
Aloha and hele mei hoohiwahiwa,
Geok
Addendum
==> Indiana says that you should shower before you come, he has asked the
neighbor's cat to act as a sniffer.
==> Password for entry is "xango mango where's my dingo?"
==> Please bring your own cameras if you want cock photos taken.
Dear All,
As some of you already knew and others will discover on reading this
message, I have recently gained my release from the Manoa Penitentiary
in Honolulu, Hawaii. Of course as in most State Pens, we had to acquire
some skills and I am most pleased to announce that I have a Ph.D.
certifying that I am sane and ready to serve the society at large. To
celebrate this historic moment in my life, I am inviting all
softballers and their significant others to my party to be held on July
7 (Saturday) at Indiana's place, The party will start at 7:30pm or thereabouts.
Food and some beers will be provided, but if you wish to bring something,
dessert will be much appreciated, and contribution in booze is always
welcomed. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday. Warning! Bring
your IDs, we will be conducting random checks on suspicious underaged
and in some cases, overaged drinkers.
Aloha and hele mei hoohiwahiwa,
Geok
Addendum
==> Indiana says that you should shower before you come, he has asked the
neighbor's cat to act as a sniffer.
==> Password for entry is "xango mango where's my dingo?"
==> Please bring your own cameras if you want cock photos taken.
I want one in my bedroom too.
LINK
ANAHEIM, Calif., June 26 — When Amber Willits is cooking dinner — crack! — or putting the baby to bed — crack! — or trying to get a little sleep herself — crack! — she has to wonder why she ever agreed to live in a batting cage.
“I may have thought that a few times,” she acknowledged. “But I never said it.”
Baseball wives are an understanding breed. They endure 12-day trips and meals at midnight, and move their families from minor league towns like Yakima, Wash., to Pulaski, W.Va.
But Amber Willits, the wife of Angels outfielder Reggie Willits, has taken hardball devotion to a new level. For the past three years, she has made a home, raised a son and helped develop a .300 hitter — all in an indoor batting cage.
“I could not have gotten here alone,” Reggie said. “I have an extremely supportive wife.”
At this time a year ago, he was a fringe prospect who had never started a major league game. Today, he is 26, the leadoff hitter for the first-place Los Angeles Angels, batting .337 with 18 stolen bases and a shot at the American League rookie of the year award.
He credits his emergence, at least in part, to the cage he calls home. While other players travel long distances to workout centers in the off-season, Willits merely has to roll out of bed and start taking his hacks.
“It’s very convenient,” said his father, Gene.
Reggie and Amber never planned to live in a cage. In 2003, they decided to build a 3,000-square-foot house on five acres they own next to his family in Fort Cobb, Okla. The batting cage happened to be the first part of the house that they built.
But when the cage was finished, Reggie and Amber saw a way to save money from his minor league salary. They did not have to complete the house. They could simply stay in the cage.
From the outside, it looks like a warehouse, 60 feet long and 32 feet wide. But inside, it has everything a baseball family would ever need: a place to eat, sleep and hit.
When houseguests open the front door, they see a small bathroom and kitchen on the right, and two sofas and a television set on the left. The floors are covered with Berber carpet. The dining room table is adorned with a vase of flowers. There are no closets.
Toward the back, the pitching machine, the weight room and the master bedroom are clustered together. “I did put in one wall,” Reggie said.
When he wants to bat, he pushes aside the sofas to form his personal playing field. He steps inside the net, suspended from the ceiling. If Amber is busy, he hits off a tee.
If she is free, she feeds balls into the pitching machine. Amber stands behind an L-Screen, the kind used to protect batting-practice pitchers. Still, line drives sometimes rip through the screen.
“I know she’s taken a few in the helmet,” said Mickey Hatcher, the Angels’ hitting coach. “But that’s part of the game.”
Two and a half years ago, the Willitses produced a bat boy, their son, Jaxon. They took him right from the hospital to the cage. Jaxon fell asleep to the whir of the pitching machine and the crack of the bat.
When Jaxon was old enough to walk, he helped Reggie collect balls in the cage. And when Reggie left for road trips, Jaxon hit in the cage with his plastic bat.
“He comes out dripping with sweat,” Amber said. “He looks just like his daddy.”
Amber and Jaxon sat at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night, alongside other players’ wives and children. While the wives posed for pictures together, Jaxon showed off an Angels logo painted on his cheek.
The Willitses are staying in a hotel in Anaheim during the season, but Amber and Jaxon will go back to the cage this summer. In addition to helping Reggie with batting practice, Amber is an elementary-school counselor in Fort Cobb, and she cannot be gone all season.
Heading into spring training, the Angels knew they could count on veteran players like Vladimir Guerrero. Reggie, on the other hand, was just a kid in a cage.
He made the opening-day roster as a reserve, mainly because he could run. But after an injury in April to Garret Anderson, Reggie took over a starting outfield spot and never gave it up.
Until recently, he was not even the most famous athlete from Fort Cobb, population 667. He was overshadowed by his sister, Wendi Willits, who was an expert 3-point shooter for the Los Angeles Sparks of the W.N.B.A.
Reggie is 5 feet 11 inches and 185 pounds, still waiting for his first major league home run. He wears No. 77 in honor of Kenny Lofton, a speedster who wears No. 7. But in Orange County, fans cannot look at Reggie without thinking of the former Angel David Eckstein.
Like Eckstein, the shortstop who was the most valuable player of last year’s World Series for St. Louis, Reggie loves to work counts, lay down bunts and hit singles.
Soon enough, Reggie will have his own house. He is making $382,500 this season, and in a few months, the place that he planned to build four years ago will be finished.
Gene Willits, the family contractor, announced proudly, “The batting cage will be a thing of the past.”
The new house has two stories, a large foyer and a view of Lake Cobb, filled with geese. The batting cage will stay in the backyard.
But none of those features count as Amber’s favorites.
“You know what is really going to be awesome about the new house?” she said. “The walls.”
30 June 2007 - Day before the prices go up up up.
ONEs: 1st Rickey, 2nd Horfun, 3rd Rube, SS DT, LF Gunz, CF Cool Papa, RF H
TWOs: 1st Indiana, 2nd Maglite, 3rd DT, SS Rube, LF Rugburn, CF Knees, RF Geok
Game 1: ones 12: twos 18 (6 innings)
Game 2: ones 12: twos 3 (3 innings)
The field was perfect, the grass green and lush, the numbers weren't so great, but we made do. With 12, instead of splitting it 6-6 and playing Indiana rules, Rube and DT volunteered to play all time defense. This brought the count to 5-5 + 2 all time, 7 in the field.
It was hot though. Very very hot. Those who didn't apply sunscreen suffered slight sunburn the next day. Only 6 innings were completed for the first game, as Rickey and Horfun had to leave at 5pm. This led to Rube and DT joining the ONEs permanently.
Rugburn was clearly the MBP of the first game for the TWOs. He singlehandedly drove in at least 10 of their 18 runs with 3 monster bases clearing homeruns. All 3 over Gunz' head. It wasn't that he was standing shallow, it was that Rugburn was crushing the ball. The TWOs also displayed some fine safety hitting. Consistantly batting liners up the middle for singles. All it took was 3 singles, then boom, Rugburn cleared the bases. The ONEs suffered 10 runs within 1 inning from this tactic.
The ONEs also had a trick up their sleeve which prevented them from going down to a mercy loss. Gunz and H combined their efforts to pick on DOCTOR Geok in RF. If we had gone 9 innings, the ONEs might even had won. Gunz bat started lighting up in the second game, and he mimicked Rugburn's display of batting power; this time going to the opposite field. He hit 2 grandslams for a total of 8 RBI.
Best play of the game must have been the TWOs E5-6-3 play on Rickey's at bat. Rickey hit a grounder up the 3rd baseline, DT fumbled the ball, and it rolled into the gap between himself and Rube. Rube managed to dive for the ball, and while on his knees, make a hard throw to first to get Rickey out on a bang-bang play at home.
A new award is up for grabs. The WHIPPED award for the person who doesn't show up for ball because of his wife. You win 3 in a row and you get to keep the trophy. Seven won the award shortly before his wedding date, and he took the first trophy with him to Aussieland. Rickey was the holder of the semi-WHIPPED award for the longest time, and his trophy is sitting on a shelf in Honolulu next to his sofa. It seems the Sandman is trying to hold on to the third pressing of the WHIPPED trophy; how many weeks has he been out 'shopping' with the wife instead of showing up for ball? I guess this is what happens when you get married.
MBP: Game 1: Rugburn, Game 2: Gunz
Biggest Bat: Rugburn
Gold Glove: Left side of the infield
DY: Rickey, running into the carpark so many times to pick up wild throws from DT and Rube.
PostBall: We were invited to Thomas' 1st birthday party at Guppy's parents' condo down in Holland Road. A free flow of beer resulted in several misadventures with Rube's wife's camera while she, H and DOCTOR Geok adjourned to the powder room. Several pictures of male genitalia were recorded for posterity. If only Maglite had gone as well, then Knee's specimen would have been captured on film as well.
TWOs: 1st Indiana, 2nd Maglite, 3rd DT, SS Rube, LF Rugburn, CF Knees, RF Geok
Game 1: ones 12: twos 18 (6 innings)
Game 2: ones 12: twos 3 (3 innings)
The field was perfect, the grass green and lush, the numbers weren't so great, but we made do. With 12, instead of splitting it 6-6 and playing Indiana rules, Rube and DT volunteered to play all time defense. This brought the count to 5-5 + 2 all time, 7 in the field.
It was hot though. Very very hot. Those who didn't apply sunscreen suffered slight sunburn the next day. Only 6 innings were completed for the first game, as Rickey and Horfun had to leave at 5pm. This led to Rube and DT joining the ONEs permanently.
Rugburn was clearly the MBP of the first game for the TWOs. He singlehandedly drove in at least 10 of their 18 runs with 3 monster bases clearing homeruns. All 3 over Gunz' head. It wasn't that he was standing shallow, it was that Rugburn was crushing the ball. The TWOs also displayed some fine safety hitting. Consistantly batting liners up the middle for singles. All it took was 3 singles, then boom, Rugburn cleared the bases. The ONEs suffered 10 runs within 1 inning from this tactic.
The ONEs also had a trick up their sleeve which prevented them from going down to a mercy loss. Gunz and H combined their efforts to pick on DOCTOR Geok in RF. If we had gone 9 innings, the ONEs might even had won. Gunz bat started lighting up in the second game, and he mimicked Rugburn's display of batting power; this time going to the opposite field. He hit 2 grandslams for a total of 8 RBI.
Best play of the game must have been the TWOs E5-6-3 play on Rickey's at bat. Rickey hit a grounder up the 3rd baseline, DT fumbled the ball, and it rolled into the gap between himself and Rube. Rube managed to dive for the ball, and while on his knees, make a hard throw to first to get Rickey out on a bang-bang play at home.
A new award is up for grabs. The WHIPPED award for the person who doesn't show up for ball because of his wife. You win 3 in a row and you get to keep the trophy. Seven won the award shortly before his wedding date, and he took the first trophy with him to Aussieland. Rickey was the holder of the semi-WHIPPED award for the longest time, and his trophy is sitting on a shelf in Honolulu next to his sofa. It seems the Sandman is trying to hold on to the third pressing of the WHIPPED trophy; how many weeks has he been out 'shopping' with the wife instead of showing up for ball? I guess this is what happens when you get married.
MBP: Game 1: Rugburn, Game 2: Gunz
Biggest Bat: Rugburn
Gold Glove: Left side of the infield
DY: Rickey, running into the carpark so many times to pick up wild throws from DT and Rube.
PostBall: We were invited to Thomas' 1st birthday party at Guppy's parents' condo down in Holland Road. A free flow of beer resulted in several misadventures with Rube's wife's camera while she, H and DOCTOR Geok adjourned to the powder room. Several pictures of male genitalia were recorded for posterity. If only Maglite had gone as well, then Knee's specimen would have been captured on film as well.
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