It's baseball season

“When I was younger I went to several games...lets see do you remember Murphy and Chamblis? That is how long ago it has been!”

“Dale Murphy spend his final year with the Phillies. What a great person, not to mention player. I have a card that is a photo of him signing autographs for kids, which he was doing whenever I went to see a game. Chris Chambliss spent most of his career with the Yank-Mes.

I seem to remember a story about one of the Braves pitchers being told to plunk Murphy as retaliation for something the Phillies had done to one of the Braves, and the pitcher responded, "Plunk Murph? You gotta be kidding!" He didn't quite plunk him, if I remember right.”

“My A's cap is green and yellow. What's wrong with that?!”

“A's caps are blue and white. Every A's fan knows that! Unless it's a 1950 A's cap, when it's a blue cap with white A outlined in yellow to honor Connie Mack's 50th.”

“I'm really amazed that Conk has not checked in to tell me how great Billy Wagner is. The Mets need to train Rick Peterson in administering the Heimlich maneuver.”

“I could only find one photo of myself wearing my A's hat:

http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2397305420037037243lfEsHX”

“The Beast (Double X), Lefty, Foot in the Bucket, Indian Bob, and Mickey wore those caps. In those days nobody knew where Oakland was (or cared).

We thank Earle Mack and Arnold Johnson, with substantial help from the New Yuck Yank-mes for moving the A's from their home to Kansas City, where they ended up being the Yank-mes farm team that produced Roger Maris, among others.”

“OK, I have a newer pic of me in an A's hat. The A's had people going around taking pics of people so they can sell prints and other stuff to them. Here's how ours turned out:

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=Athletics&gallery_id=820821&image_id=0


(BowlderSon was down by the field - it was batting practice, and he was hoping to get a ball. He did! One of the Tigers players tossed him a ball, then autographed it later. Can't remember which player at the moment; it'll come to me....)
last edited: 9/07/07 7:54:34 AM”

“If it was Placido, ask him how much he'll sell it for.”

“Paging Dr. Heimlich, paging Dr. Heimlich, please report to the first base dugout at Citizens Bank Park immediately.”

“I'll be glad when the crack of the bat gives way to the 'swish' of the net.Those naps in between pitches wear me out.”

“A common affliction among people who do not understand baseball.”

“
Your Acronym for the Day....    SABR

”

“Ahh yes, origin of the famed SABR dance.”

“Spin Those Plates ---- !”

“Just heard on the radio that the Pirates (my dad's old organization!) are about to either tie the record or set a new one for most consecutive losing seasons....”

“OMG, the Phillies won toda(Plunk)”

“Well, the Augusta Greenjackets season ended Friday night with a 7-1 shellacking by the Columbus Catfish in the South Atlantic League's Southern Division Playoff at Lake Olmstead Stadium (click on the smaller images for a better view).

We got off to a blistering start this year and then held our own for most of the rest of the season.... but then sort of fizzled out at the end,     [ raspberry ]



Snyder Can't Escape Fifth, 'Jackets Swept
09/07/2007 8:57 PM

Augusta Offense Hooked again by Catfish Pitching

Jackets Season Ends With Sweep in the Playoffs

Augusta, GA – The Greenjackets (0-2) offense again was held down by the Columbus Catfish (2-0) in 7-1 loss giving the Catfish the Southern Division Title. Starter Ben Snyder (0-1) suffered the loss and Columbus plated all seven runs in the fifth inning with two outs.

Augusta took a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning but with a runner on second and two outs, Jairo De La Rosa, with two strikes on him, connected for an RBI double down the left field to tie the game at 1-1. Maiko Loyola followed with a two-run homer for a 3-1 lead. Joey Callender followed with a base hit then Cesar Suarez reached on a fielding error by first baseman Brett Pill. On the play Callender scored from third when Ryan Rohlinger missed the throw back into the infield and Columbus had a 4-1 lead.

Nevin Ashley followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 5-1 and chase Snyder from the game. Snyder (0-1) worked 4.2 innings allowing six runs, three earned, on seven hits. The lefty did not walk a batter and struck out four.

Quinn Stewart capped off the scoring with a two-run triple off of reliever David Newton after Stewart led off the inning with a double.

Augusta took an early 1-0 lead in the game when Emmanuel Burriss scored from third base on an RBI ground out from Pill. That’s all Augusta would get though as Columbus starter Jeremy Hellickson (1-0) worked six innings allowing four hits, no walks and five strikeouts.

The Catfish move onto the SAL Championship series against either the Hickory Crawdads or the West Virginia Power.

Game Notes:

Mike Musgrave pitched 1.1 perfect innings for Augusta in relief.

Juan Trinidad worked the final two innings for Augusta allowing two hits while striking out two.



~ http:///www.greenjacketsbaseball.com ~”

“Anyone know if this is for real?

http://www.vote756.com/marcecko/

Public to decide fate of Bonds' record-breaking ball
By MARCUS WOHLSEN, Associated Press Writer
September 17, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The fate of Barry Bonds' record-breaking home run ball is now in the public's hands after its buyer announced Monday he was taking votes on whether to give the ball to the Hall of Fame, brand it with an asterisk or blast it into space. ...

My Vote (if its for real)
Brand it with an asterisk and send it to the hall of fame.”

“So far, nobody's proven that Bonds did anything contrary to any rules. It's only plausible speculation, association with people who have been involved in nefarious stuff. Heck, if you want to put an asterisk next to records set by guys who associated with bad people, half the records in sports would have that. Should Aaron's HR record have had one? Lots of players in his day were taking speed ("greenies"); he associated with them - obviously, his record should be tarnished, too.

Prove Bonds did anything wrong and I'm first in line to erase all of his records. Innocent until proven guilty - not innocent until proven that he's friends with a bad person or that he's mean to reporters.”

“He admitted HIMSELF to "unknowingly" taking steroids from the cream.

Even if one is a Bonds sycophant it is clear he has benefited from steroids.”

“I guess I missed the part where he said, "Yes, I took steroids [however it happened]," and he was fined and suspended by the league, like others who have taken steroids. I thought I remembered that he said that he put some cream on his body that a trainer gave him, and he didn't know what it was, and it may or may not have been steroids.

I'm just tired of the double standard. For everybody but Bonds, something has to be proven or admitted for the player to get in trouble. Just because Bonds is a jerk toward reporters and some other people, he's guilty until proven innocent.”

“Double standard??? Just how many people have broken Aaron's record?

Certainly all-time/season records broken during this era are tainted, whether they come from Bonds or others.

I am fairly close to baseball and I can tell you with certainty that steroids are used "MORE than NOT used" at the higher levels. Steroids have not only moved down to the college ranks, but, sadly, have trickled down to high school.

Steroids tremendously assist hitters in performance and pitchers in recovery.”

“*”

“Is it stiiiillll baseball season?”

“Ask yourself this, If Hank Aaron was playing at the same time as Bonds, who do you think would own the home run record? BTW, I never said anything about what the league should do about his record. I am talking about what a private citizen should do with the ball that broke the record. I refuse to believe that Bonds never used steroids during his career.”

“Good question, Aaron versus Bonds. Those kinds of questions are fun to debate. Perhaps Aaron was a better hitter than Bonds is, but Bonds plays in an era where there are more highly specialized pitchers, which Aaron didn't have as much (and Ruth less so), so it's not that easy to compare. Also, I think intentional (and kind of intentional) walks are used more today than back then, so Bonds doesn't even get to bat as much as Hank did. On the other hand, Bonds never had to face Bob Gibson and be concerned about getting one of his fastballs in his ear. Finally, are we certain Aaron never popped a greenie before a game to get himself going?


BTW, I still bring my "Hank Aaron 715" model glove when I go to games!”

“I don't care what he was taking. To be so good for so long says something about the man. Plus, I have an autographed bat from Barry which is now worth a lot more money.”

“How 'bout those Mets!”

“Not saying he isn't one of the greatest, just saying hitting home runs with the aid of the best that modern medicine can provide is probably easier than what Aaron's piss poor pills might have provided. :)”

“AL Cy Young Race:

Who should get it? The race is very tight, with the following being the top prospects:
Sabathia
Santana
Lackey
Beckett
Bedard

I think CC may edge them out, but with 2 starts left, Lackey and Beckett have just as good a shot.”

“To close to tell at this point. Let's see what happens in the next week or so.

Division races getting very interesting!

Boston just 1.5 up after last night
Chicago back up 1 game on Milwaukee

NL wild card tight
SD up a game or so on Philly

October here we come!”

“Both SD and the Mutts are 2 and a half up on the Phillies since last night. We lost a game on each of those.”

“The Phillies are looking tough right now. Unfortunetly, so is the team that tries to buy a world series every year. the Mets are free-falling like the Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Cards.”

“(waves to Buddha Bear and Geo!)”

“3 in the loss column Geo.”

“Reports coming in that Ed Wade will be the next GM of the Astros”

“Sorry to hear that Chuck.

(Do I look sorry?)”

“The Ed Wade story is on espn.com

The big question here is whether (Stand) Pat Gillick will be back next season. There are rumors he'll head back to Seattle.”

“Fox reporting the John Shuerholz is stepping down from GM and will continue as president. What a record he compiled! Even I hate to see him go. Beating the Braves won't mean as much.”

“Joe Torre turned down a $5 mill contract offer from the Yankees.

Way to go Joe. Who needs that constant carping?”

“lol - that rulz - the guy has some credability! Good for him!”

“Analysis on ESPN was that he wanted a two-year deal. They offered him one year and dropped his salary by $2 million and offered incentives.

John Kruk said it was not about the money, but the fact that they treated him like a rookie manager when his record speaks for itself.

I always thought Joe Torre was a class act.”

“Ped - congrats and good luck in the WS!”

“Ped -congrats and ...


GO ROCKIES !!!

(Too bad they have probably lost all momentum by now.)”

“Bet against the Rockies at the peril of losing money very very quickly”

“Thanks Chuck and Buddha. I am bummed for you Buddha on the tickets for your Dad. I'm also organizing a local event (school committee candidates night) that will compete with game two. Fortunately we moved the time up a bit a few weeks back so play won't start until we finish.

A heck of a weekend for Boston sports. Sox in the series, BC #2 in the national NCAAF rankings and the Pats flying high. Even the Bruins won. Although the Celts lost, they are looking better than they have in a long time. Funny how things have changed when I was a kid, the Bruins and Celts ruled and October usually meant a welcome distraction from the collapse of the Sox and the Pats' struggle to stay out of the cellar. The college teams were all jokes in everything but Hockey.”

“None of this means I wasn't rooting for the sox, that's in my blood and since the Yawkey family sold the Sox I've been as gung-ho about them as I was when I was a kid.”