At tonight’s Cubs game, though I didn’t notice it, both Stacey and our friend Becky assured me that the message board between innings at one point read:
The Chicago Cubs welcome Smellosaurus Rex
I don’t think he
was in our section.
Posts that don’t quite fit into any other categories.
At tonight’s Cubs game, though I didn’t notice it, both Stacey and our friend Becky assured me that the message board between innings at one point read:
The Chicago Cubs welcome Smellosaurus Rex
I don’t think he
was in our section.
Oh, this is good. Not only has Rickey Henderson been hired as the new Mets hitting coach, but the guy at 100% Injury Rate has compiled his twenty-five favorite Rickey stories. #13 almost
made me pass out. How long until all the Mets have .400 on-base percentages? Since we’re talking about Rickey, I figure it’s worth listing his career numbers; because of all the goofiness surrounding him, I think it’s easy to forget just how good he was. .279/.401/.419
in 3081 games. 2190 walks. 1406 stolen bases. 2295 runs. As Bill James use to say, you could cut Rickey in half and you’d have two hall of famers. Oh, and one last thing for your Saturday: George Brett has discovered–and is raving about–baseball-reference.com. Congratulations to Sean Forman, the site’s founder and proprietor.
1) While the universe remains a strange and complicated place, one tiny corner of it settled down a bit last weekend, as Mets relief pitcher Lino Urdaneta retired the first batter he faced in his first appearance of the year–thus instantly lowering his ERA from infinity to 162.00. To that point, Urdaneta’s career had consisted of one appearance in 2004, for the Tigers, during which he’d faced six batters and allowed them all to reach base. After five hits and a walk, which resulted in six earned runs, Urdaneta was pulled from the game. His ERA remained mind-bending for the next two seasons as he battled elbow injuries and visa problems, but by the
end of Sunday’s game, it had plummeted to a mere 81.00. Now it’s all the way to 63.00 and falling. 2) Baseball is best when played with between 16 and 20 players. But as any kid can tell you, it’s frequently difficult to find that many players. When Matt and I were kids, we played a version of baseball with Kenny and Jeff Busch that was modified for four players. It was a different game, with much more playing the outfield and much less baserunning, but it still resembled baseball. My nephew and I usually just play catch when we get together in good weather. But recently, wanting to give hitting a try, we decided to employ the services of my parents’ dog, Josie, as a roving fielder. It worked reasonably well, but we hadn’t played long before one of the reasons dogs aren’t part of major league baseball was brought home to me–and my shoes: Josie is very nice, but Snoopy she ain’t.
It seems Easter Sunday was Mascot Day at Tropicana Field for today’s Blue Jays-Devil Rays contest. One of them ate someone.
And then spit out the shoes.
The name of this cannibal? Roger Clamens. Like that pun? They’ve got a million of ’em! Well, more like a couple dozen.
This year’s Devil Rays uniform patch:
A co-worker reports that she just got a text message from her mother, check who is at Legends Field for a Yankees spring training game.
I got an e-mail from someone who was interested in this ticket stub
of mine…
…because he’s attempting to collect ticket stubs from every 2001 Diamondbacks game. Unfortunately, I’m not willing to part with my stub at present, but I said I’d publicize his collection here. So if anyone out there has some 2001 D-Backs stubs (home or away, obviously) that they’re willing to part with, e-mail JonB99.
Right now, this is my nominee for the best non-Cardinals-win-the-World-Series sports story of the year. Don Carman, he of the 53-54 record and the 4.11 E.R.A. over a ten-year career, is now one of my favorite players.
Close competition is Toby’s excellent eve-of-the-World Series article about Carmi resident and former Tiger and Cardinal Bob Sykes. Toby, is that available online for me to link to anywhere?
And as we enter the holiday season, some baseball things I’m thankful for:
Jimmy Edmonds, and his new contract that makes him likely to retire a Cardinal.
Adam Wainwright’s curveball and its ability to freeze Carlos Beltran, if for no other reason than my mom’s good health. I’m not sure she would have made it had he hit the bases-clearing triple we all were clearly imagining.
Endy Chavez’s catch, and the fact that it ultimately didn’t matter
Manny Ramirez’s swing. And his hair.
Dusty Baker’s firing. Is that too mean for a holiday list?
Jackie Robinson. ‘Cause you can’t ever be too thankful for Jackie Robinson.
Rickey. GMs, he’s ready to play. Just call.
Yadier Molina’s October power surge. And his girlish smile.
Stacey’s jack-o-lanterns. 10-0 in the Fall Classic and counting.
Labor peace.
J.D. Drew’s silly, silly baserunning, and the fact that that play also involved Jeff Kent and his mustache.
The Big Unit, even though he’s a Yankee and, apparently, past his peak. Oh, that slider, and that hair.
Mike Shannon. So long as he’s broadcasting, a part of me will still be a kid.
Opening Day, and living a mile-and-a-half from a ballpark, a childhood dream unexpectedly realized.
And, finally and forever, Albert Pujols. ‘Nuff said.
I know I’m forgetting dozens. Feel free, ye millions of readers, to add your own in comments.
This is not official hanger-on Dan holding up this sign — which means there are at least two Mets fans
who are also Elvis Costello fans!
My first thought: “Oh, great, now for the rest of the playoffs all we’re going to hear is ‘Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Yankees.'” (As opposed to what it would have been, “Yankees, Yankees, teams that are actually in the playoffs, Yankees.”)