As Septmber rolls in

As September appears on the horizon, a few teams continue to scramble for able bodies, and teams ready to call up players for extended try outs, the game reaches it's final push.

Old vets push for one more month, young players try and make their mark. That is the Babe at the far left end of the Red Sox dugout step.

Baseball is ready for celebrations in September, emotional wins against immense odds. Teams win all year long yet September wins, walk offs seem bigger. Teams celebrate each and every win.

Them Pirates , will they hang on, they added Morneau, who will give them a vet in the dugout, someone who has been through tough Septembers, they have a young stud in McCutcheon and a pitching to finish.

Check back in a few days.

Nice segway

We live in a rat race world, edging to get ahead, to reach home faster, get to our seat faster, log into our computer faster. Once and awhile, we get to relax and not worry about pace, about getting there first.  We get reminded that slowing down can work.  It is rare, and does not always work, but walking from the train, or bus or subway to the ballpark is a nice experience.


These 4 are used to racing, to get the crowd involved, to hit the red tape at the finish ahead of the 3 others, and we applaud.  Try sitting back, take another sip and enjoy the moment.  Try scoring the game, and don't worry if you get lost, try a seventh inning stretch, to not freak out the next time mustard spills on your shirt.

When you do, you are going to find it an different trip, a different experience, and you avoid the trip and fall, avoid disappointments, you missed being the first in the row but you made a friend.

Okay, sounds a little sappy, "make a new friend" but the game itself is trying to speed up, and yet instant reply is nature's way of saying, slow the hell down.



Get some perspective to the game, and you cannot get perspective racing from the office or the job to your seat and get your food and drink to return to your seat, baseball does not really allow for that.

It is the game within a game.   Try and figure out if the strategy will work, second guess the managers, did the hitter out smart the pitcher.

While the season seems to go on forever, there is a reason for that, you are supposed to regard the whole picture, the ups and downs.



To give the team a chance, and the fan as well.

Let the game come to you and sit back and enjoy the experience.

Him and Me

 

Who is on first tonight D ?, I dunno A, my boy Robbie is playing the 2 bag D, what ?  Oh Robbie will never have what we have A,...You know it D... We have the game, he has JayZ and what ? 

Hey D, why aren't you out there man ?   Bad calf man, got the bad calf, can't seem to stay healthy. Boss says I am going back to the DL, I mean again. Sucks right ?  You know it D, this rehab business is whack.

Is today the day A ?  Do you get to suit it up ?   Boss says I am penciled in against the White Sox,  Quintana, a lefty. Yeah man a lefty in Chicago, with the wind blowing out. Jeter drools...wish it was me, but I got a bad calf.  I know..snickers..bad calf..I rehabbed for over a month in the weirdest places. Trenton, New Jersey, I swear it's the most disgusting spot, there's no action man.

Well D, I have to start stretching ..... have to be ready for my return tonight, Boss says I am penciled in to the line up.  I wish I was man, but I got the bad calf.

 

The grand old game is set to welcome back the biggest fraud since..okay Ryan Braun.

An announcement is expected today. Rodriguez will then file an appeal that will allow him to play against the White Sox tonight at U.S. Cellular Field. USA Today, citing "two people with direct knowledge of the situation" as sources, said that a total of 10 players will be disciplined for ties to the now-defunct Biogenesis anti-aging clinic.

This is where it gets murky, the Yankees would dearly love to have him suspended immediately but are playing the "good supportive team" card, but quietly there are fingers crossed.

Meanwhile the hero of the pin stripes Derek Jeter is set to go on the DL for the 3rd time this year. I think Jeter likes to come off the DL, hit a home run in his first at bat, then injure his calf in the home run trot.  He is destined for monument park in Yankee Stadium, the Hall of Fame and his day at Cooperstown, and Arod is headed for a grand jury and scorn, and ridicule.

Tonight, on the south side of Chicago, around 8:10 pm, I would tune in to watch.  I plan to see if the moment after the Star Spangled Banner , 3 guys in black suits and handcuffs stop The Rod from taking his first at bat.

   Paul Konerko gave an interview to say he read the book "The Bronx Zoo" years back, so now he gets to re live that experience.

Tonight....8:10 pm....US Cellular Field ... can only hope I get the White Sox feed, and listen to Hawk Harrelson call the first at bat.  Must see theatre.

Highlight reels

Time for some fun. Highlight catches, memorable moments.


                       Whether it was Willie Mays, or Jimmy Edmonds, or Brooks Robinson, or Ichiro, fans get brought from their seats for outstanding plays.

I appreciate the long ball, and wanted to acknowledge some memorable home run hitters, kicking off my list is Reggie Reggie, as an Oakland A. 

His All Star game dinger of the light standard off Dock Ellis is my personal favourite, due to the event, and the drama.

                                                                                         Dick Allen, and don't call me Ritchie. Another long swatter, is another of my faves, as his raw power matched his rage against racism in America. I thought every home run was his effort to prove his worthiness as a proud black athlete.

                                                                                               No homer reel would be finished without Fisk in 75' vs the Reds.  Maybe the best World Series ever, and this Game 6 moment is sheer Hollywood script material. 

                                                                                 A swing and a drive..left field..way back and gone...touch em all Joe, you'll never hit another home run that in your life.. Nuff said.

                                                                                           Whether he was on drugs or not, it was a memorable moment when he hit his no. 62.  McGwire was his own higlight reel.

                                                                                       Delgado one night smacked 3 home runs, and I was there.  He was the reason we never thought we were out of a game.

And last but not least, this guy was one guy I watched growing up, and saw play on Saturday Baseball Game of the Week, with Gowdy & Kubek.

  It is the swing of Henry Aaron , and we do not need to break it down, but having watched Aaron's 715th home run off Al Downing.

Summer dog days are here, so maybe some odd and weird baseball stories are coming.

Enjoy

Time to pay the piper

Hear no evil, see no evil, and bong no evil.
Also it is time for Arod to pay the piper.  While his lawyers dither and stall for time, Arod rehabs like it's just another day at the ballpark. 


                                                                                                       Oh Doctor, can I have a second opinion ?  Okay enough with the political satire, MLB is secretly negotiating with Arod's legal team, and likely has cut deals with the others, but wants the Arod business signed and sealed before they announce. 

Speculation is he will accept a plea deal that ends his need to rehab this year and part of next year, but stops short of a lifetime ban.

  They tried a lifetime ban on 7 time convicted Steve Howe, and could not do it. Nothing MLB has in the CBA is definitive enough to nail Arod for life, but threatening a lifetime ban has him worried that it will be tied up in the courts for years, and at 38, he does not have many baseball years left. 

Steve Howe was caught 7 times and still pitched, echoing the phrase "left handed and breathing", if you are a lefty with skill, you have a job for life.  Even if your wife has to tie you up when she laves the house for fear you will leave and purchase drugs.

Whether it is today, or the weekend, the piper is calling, and he must be paid. The league needs this story ended before the pennant races of September heat up.

The Dud Line

Here we stand at 4:50 pm on July 31st, 2013, the MLB non waiver deadline, celebrating 2 deals of significance.  Bud Norris to the Baltimore Orioles and Ian Kennedy to the Padres.  And Jake Peavy switches his Sox to red ones.

Gee, is that it ?  It's like having a party, having vanilla ice cream, white cake, and cheese pizza. I mean, don't get me wrong, those are nice things, but as Peggy Lee sang " Is that all there is".

I just came back from watching the Seth Rogan movie "This is the End", and the trailers before that movie were more entertaining than the deadline.

Pirates did nothing, Cards did nothing, Rangers did nothing and the Blue Jays, okay they also did nothing, but I am less bummed out about not dealing Darren Oliver or Delabar.

Some one needs to send MLB a tape of NHL trade deadline day. Seriously, 3 players of any stature, and no one even flipped leagues. 






                                                                            I was hoping Texas Ranger prospect Jurrickson Profar would be dealt for a power arm or bat, but the Rangers have flopped just like the summer blockbuster The Lone Ranger....all talk...no action.  Well they had dealt for Garza, but most thought Nelson Cruz, who could be suspended tomorrow, would necessitate making a move.

Now I wonder if Oakland, with Bart Colon, Texas with Cruz have an un official word from MLB that their players will not be suspended, if they didn't and Cruz is suspended, they sure will have a lot of explaining to do.

oh, this just in the KC Royals made a deal for Justin "Cornbread"Maxwell to platoon with David Lough. Ooh I am all tingly over this move.  Roll out the red carpet for him.

Cliff Lee stays put, so does Utley, and Mike Young, so the Phillies can celebrate in their old timers club house every last win as the biggest bust since the Atlanta Braves of the 90's.  Doc, Lee, Hamel, Rollins, Howard, Utley, and what are they now. A shadow of that team.

The Yankees , God Bless'em went out an got Soriano, won't do them any good, as geezer teams go, but good on them for trying.



Next time, instead of the MLB trade Dud Line, let's have a mascot race, more fun.

Tomorrow starts the dog days......so get your doggy bags ready.

Oh Lord won't you but me a Mercedes Benz

Once I latch onto a song title, it stays in my head for a long time, so forgive the Janis Joplin refernce.

On my last legs before vacation, and some serious beer and baseball time.

The deadline for non waiver trades is a -coming and I am looking for all the action on that front.

If you think I picked this picture for a reason, I am sorry to inform you, I just liked these guys.


Sometimes it seems in life we are pushing a 3 wheeled wagon up a steep hill. Seems that way for the Blue Jays, we shall see if they are dealers next week.

Garza, Soriano all moved off the Cubsies, more to follow I expect, and the Brewers are shopping Gallardo, although a pitcher of his talent I don't know why.

I excpect the Red Sox and Angels and the Tigers to be buyers come July 31st, and in the National league, sadly without Tim Hudson, the Braves need a starter. I think the D-Backs to dabble, I think the Dodgers are done and are likely to continue this run.
The Cards and Pirates will add on a reliever or two, but nothing significant, as both feel confident.

The intersting thing will be if Rangers have Nelson Cruz suspended and A'ds lose Colon in the same manner. The A's traditionally are not big buyers due to budget, but don't have asmuch to promote this year.
The Rangers can always be counted on to react and add what they need, as they did with Garza.

I am shutting down the laptop soon, and headinghome, but I will keep the blogs coming.

Enjoy !