Baseball Direct

2006 Boston Red Sox Preview

2006-02-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

After finally breaking the 86-year curse of Babe Ruth not to
mention performing one of the most miraculous comebacks in
baseball history vs. the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox entered
the 2005 season hopeful their good fortune would continue. Even
though Curt Schilling’s ankle wasn’t 100% - the blueprint for
2005 began by adding newly acquired pitchers David Wells and
Matt Clement to the starting rotation. But from the beginning
of the season it was evident that Schilling’s ankle wouldn’t
cooperate as he started only 3 games prior to the All Star
break. Thankfully for Red Sox fans no one was running away with
the AL East just yet.

It wasn’t hard for Boston to remain in the hunt for another AL
East title especially with the lethal 1-2 offensive punch of
Manny Ramieriz (.292 45 144) and David Ortiz (.300 47148)
providing the bulk of the scoring. Outfielder Johnny Damon
(.316 10 75) continued his impressive output as the Red Sox
leadoff hitter while Trott Nixon (.275 13 67) and catcher Jason
Varitek (.281 22 70) returned another season of impressive
offensive numbers.

The starting pitching learned to live without Schilling with
David Wells (15 7 4.45) assembling a decent season. Pitchers
Matt Clement (13 6 4.57) and Tim Wakefield (16 7 4.15) also
stepped up their game in order to keep the Red Sox and Yankees
neck and neck until the last weekend series at Fenway. The
Yankees won the season finale two games to one, leaving the Red
Sox to face the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, 2005 ended with a quick
postseason departure as they were swept three games to none,
losing game 3 in Fenway 5-3 to the White Sox.

Off Season Moves:

The chaos created by the initial departure of GM Theo Epstein
proved beneficial for the Yankees who were able to snag free
agent All Star Centerfielder Johnny Damon from under the Red
Sox noses. Boston struck back days later completing a seven
player deal with the Marlins netting 3rd baseman Mike Lowell
(.236 8 58) starting pitcher Josh Beckett (15-8 3.37) and
pitcher Guillermo Mota (2-2 4.70). Mota was later used to
acquire outfielder Coco Crisp (.300 16 69 16 SB) who will be
used to replace Damon in centerfield. Also picked up in the
Crisp trade was reliever David Riske (3-4 3.10).

Other notable off season moves included trading Doug Mirabelli
to the Padres for 2nd baseman Mark Loretta (.280 3 38) as well
as sending infielder Edgar Renteria to the Braves for cash
along with 3B Andy Marte. Additional moves included the Red Sox
avoiding arbitration with infielder Tony Graffanino (.309 7 38)
as well as adding pitcher Julian Tavarez (2-3 3.43) and
outfielder J.T. Snow (.275 4 40).

2006 Analysis:

Expect the starting pitching for Boston to be stronger then
last year with the addition of Josh Beckett and the anticipated
rebound of Schilling. The Red Sox are also hoping that Wells
will be more comfortable as the 3rd vs. number 1 starter - a
role he was forced to assume when Schilling was unable to
rebound from his 2004 ankle injury. The bullpen is upgraded
with the addition of Tavarez and Riske. Expect Mike Timlin (7-3
2.24) Keith Foulke (5-5 5.91 15 saves) Jonathan Papelbon (3-1
2.65) and Bronson Arroyo (14-10 4.51) to pick up right where
they left off last year.

Boston took it hard on the chin by losing Johnny Damon as his
production and leadership will be missed but Crisp is a young
player with a good deal of speed. Crisp posted career highs
last year in runs (86), hits (178) and homers and the Red Sox
are counting on him doing even more to fill the void left by
Damon. Also expect Manny Ramieriz to be on the opening day
roster as whispers of him leaving to the Orioles or Mets in
some multi-team mega deal appear to be nothing more then fodder
to sell newspapers. Few teams can manage Manny’s contract and
the Red Sox seem to unwilling to offer and financial relief to
any teams who have shown interest in acquiring him.

About the Author: Jack Scrafford recommends PlatinumTickets to
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Yankees’ Rodriguez To Play In WBC

2006-02-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

By F.R. Penn

After several months of doubtfulness, Alex Rodriguez has
decided that he will participate in the World Baseball Classic
(WBC), and that he will do so wearing a Team USA uniform. After
struggling with his decision whether or not to represent the
Dominican Republic, Rodriguez’ country of origin, the American
League MVP came to a somewhat surprising conclusion on Tuesday
night, as Rodriguez posted on his Web site that he would
represent the United States in the initial tournament.

NEW YORK -- After several months of uncertainty, Alex Rodriguez
has decided that he will participate in the World Baseball
Classic, and that he will do so wearing a Team USA uniform.

The WBC saga of the reigning American League MVP came to a
somewhat surprising conclusion on Tuesday night, as Rodriguez
announced on his Web site that he would represent the U.S. in
the inaugural tournament. "Following discussion with my family
and agent, the Commissioner, and the Major League Baseball
Players Association, I have decided to participate in the World
Baseball Classic," Rodriguez said in a statement on AROD.com.
"In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and
players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion
that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United
States and honor my American citizenship.

"I appreciate the support and understanding of my fellow
Dominican players and friends who aided me in making this
decision," he added. "The World Baseball Classic offers
baseball and its fans an exciting new forum and I look forward,
if selected, to representing the United States in what will be
baseball's greatest international competition." In
mid-December, Rodriguez said that he was leaning toward
representing the Dominican Republic, which would have been his
right because of his parents' citizenship in that country. Just
days later, he changed his mind, saying that he would skip the
event altogether as not to offend either the Dominican Republic
or the U.S. MLB and union officials lobbied the Yankees' third
baseman over the past few weeks, trying to convince him to play
in the event.

Earlier in the day on Tuesday, it appeared that Rodriguez would
stand by his plan to sit out the tournament, even though the
Dominican Republic had placed him on its provisional roster on
Monday. USA Baseball was prepared to leave A-Rod off its
roster, as union officials informed the U.S. that Rodriguez
planned to skip the WBC. But as the day went on, Rodriguez
changed his mind, ultimately deciding to represent his home
country along with teammates Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon and Al
Leiter.

Rodriguez is one of 52 players on Team USA's provisional
roster, a list that includes four other third basemen: Eric
Chavez, Morgan Ensberg, Chipper Jones and David Wright.

"He's one of the best players in the game," said Paul Seiler,
USA Baseball's executive director and chief executive, of
Rodriguez. "We'll be thrilled to have him on our team."

About the Author: This article was written by F.R. Penn
sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com. If you’re looking for
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2006 Colorado Rockies Preview

2006-02-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

The Colorado Rookies suffered through a tough 95 loss season ending the year 15 games behind the NL West Champion San Diego Padres. The 2005 offense was led by 1st baseman Todd Helton (.320 20 79), outfielder Dustan Mohr (.214 17 38), and the young 3rd baseman Garrett Atkins (.287 13 89). Shortstop Clint Barmes (.289 10 46) and Matt Holliday (.307 19 87) also contributed to the lineup.

The 2005 Rockies pitching was as thin as the air in their home stadium, Coors Field. Beyond youngster Jeff Francis (14-12 5.68) and Aaron Cook (7-2 3.67) the rest of the starting pitching suffered to provide quality starts throughout the entire year. Starters Jamey Wright (8-16 5.46), Byung-Hyun Kim (5-12 4.86) and Jason Jennings (6-9 5.02) all failed to impress. On the upside, closer Brian Fuentes (2-5 2.91 31 saves) did manage to convert 31 saves in 34 save opportunities, and was an impressive 14 out of 14 in save opportunities at Coors Field. Not an easy task when a pitcher is required to close games in a stadium that is notorious for late inning comebacks and blown saves.

Off Season Moves:

The Colorado Rockies didn’t make many moves in the off season. They did however add some veteran experience to the bullpen by signing free agent closer Jose Mesa (2-8 4.76). The Rockies also re-signed starter Byung-Hyun Kim and reliever Mike DeJean (5-4 4.48) plus traded for St. Louis left hander Ray King (4-4 388). Catcher Yorvit Torrealba (.234 3 15) was also picked up in order to upgrade the position.

2006 Analysis:

Growing pains are to be expected with a team this young. Rockie fans need to be patient and allow youngsters such as third baseman Atkins, and shortstop Barmes the time they need to grow into their positions. Look for right fielder Brad Hawpe (.262 9 47) and outfielders Matt Holliday and Dustin Mohr to be expected to contribute more in 2006. Both players proved they were capable of handling major league pitching during the 2005 season and both are expected to be an important part of the Rockies future.

Colorado is reluctant to abandon their game plan and with so many young prospects no one can blame them. Management remained overly cautious in the off season and passed by the opportunity to add a bunch of new faces.

One newcomer to the pitching staff will be pitcher Ray King. He will help, but the starting rotation shouldn’t be expected to provide much better numbers then they did in 2005. Francis and Cook should start more in 2006 and the Rockies closer Brian Fuentes ended the season very strong. In August and September Fuentes was an impressive 15 for 15 in save opportunities. The Rockies are looking for a few breaks to go there way and if the starting pitching can impress the offense should be able to score runs. The Rockies are still a few years and starting pitchers away to be considered a legitimate contender for a division title or wildcard spot.

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2006 Cleveland Indians Preview

2006-02-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

The Cleveland Indians were arguably the best overall team in baseball during the 2nd half of the season. The Indians remained right in the thick of the AL pennant chase until the very last week of the season when a 4-6 record in their last 10 games left them two games back in the wildcard standings. Cleveland ended the year with an impressive final record of 93-69. The Tribe fielded some of the best young offensive talent in all of baseball in 2005, led by a breakout year from shortstop Jhonny Peralta (.292 25 78). Peralta’s first full season helped Cleveland’s offense keep the Tribe close for the better part of the summer. Newly acquired 3b Aaron Boone (.243 16 60) also combined talents with infielders Ronnie Belliard (.284 17 78) and 1st baseman Ben Broussard (.255 19 68) in order to assemble one of the best all around infields in all of baseball. Additional offense was provided in 2005 from outfielder Grady Sizemore (.289 22 81) and Casey Blake (.241 23 58) who joined Coco Crisp (.300 16 69), catcher Victor Martinez (.305 20 80) and DH Travis Hafner (.305 33 108) to complete the rest of the lineup.

The Indians’ pitching staff also proved to be among the best in the AL with starting Pitcher Cliff Lee (18-5 3.79) and C.C. Sabathia (15-10 4.03) joining Jake Westbrook (15-15 4.49) and newly acquired pitchers Scott Elarton (11-9 4.61) and Kevin Millwood (9-11 2.86) in order to form a solid rotation. Aging closer Bob Wickman (0-4 2.47 45 saves) surprised skeptics by proving he still had plenty left in the tank posting a 14-year career high 45 saves in 50 attempts.

Off Season Moves:

The Indians didn’t make many moves during the off season although free-agent right-hander Paul Byrd (12-11 3.74) was signed to take the place of departing Kevin Millwood (who was signed by the Rangers). The Indians also replaced starting pitcher Scott Elarton (signed by the Royals) with Detroit Tiger free-agent Jason Johnson (8-13 4.54). Cleveland also tried to obtain another closer chasing both B.J. Ryan and Trevor Hoffman in the off season but finally settled on bringing back Bob Wickman.

Outfielder Coco Crisp was sent to the Red Sox in exchange for reliever Guillermo Mota (2-2 4.70). The Indians also sent reliever Arthur Rhodes to Philadelphia for outfielder Jason Michaels (.304 4 31), the probable replacement for Crisp as Cleveland's starting left fielder.

2006 Analysis:

The Indians did their best by addressing the free agent departures of Millwood and Elarton but the bottom of the rotation is still shaky. Paul Byrd should be a nice addition to the starting group. The Indians let Millwood go despite the fact that he posted one of the best ERAs in the league. Cleveland was somewhat disappointed in Millwood’s ability to win more games for them. The workhorse bullpen expects to pick up right where it left off in 2005 with Arthur Rhodes (3-1 2.08), Fernando Cabrera (2-1 1.47), Scott Sauerbeck (1-0 4.04) and newcomer Guillermo Mota setting up closer Bob Wickman. The tribe should be primed for another title chase in 2006 if the starting pitching and bullpen can hold up. With an offense like the Indian’s it’s hard to count them out of anything – especially if Peralta can continue to improve at the plate in 2006.

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2006 Chicago White Sox Preview

2006-02-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

After waiting 88 years for a World Series title, the Chicago White Sox and 2nd year Manager Ozzie Guillen entered the 2005 season on a mission. After an impressive rookie managerial season the Venezuela born Guillen led his troops to a division leading 99-63 record. The White Sox simply dominated the postseason losing only 1 game out of a total of 13 played - first by sweeping the defending champion Boston Red Sox and then by rolling past the Angels 4 games to 1. Chicago went home from the Fall Classic against NL Champion Astros with a clean 4-game sweep grabbing their first World Series title since 1917. The White Sox fielded one of the stronger offensive lineups in 2005 with 1st baseman Paul Konerko (.283 40 100) and outfielder Jermaine Dye (.274 31 86) leading the charge. Outfielder Carl Everett (.251 23 87), 3rd baseman Joe Crede (.252 22 62) and newly acquired catcher A.J. Pierzynski (.257 18 56) also helped level out the rest of the 2005 lineup.

It’s often said that ‘pitching wins championships’ and in 2005 Chicago assembled one of the best starting rotations in baseball. Newly acquired Jose Contreras (15-7 3.61) and Freddy Garcia (14-8 3.87) sparkled in their new White Sox uniforms, while Jon Garland (18-10 3.50) and Mark Buehrle (16-8 3.12) rounded out the dominating starting staff. Newly acquired Reliever Dustin Hermanson (2-4 2.04) performed nicely in the bullpen saving 24 of 29 chances and doubling his output from the previous year with the San Francisco Giants.

Off Season Moves:

The White Sox did very little in the off season to change their team chemistry. Their biggest moves included re-signing first baseman Paul Konerko to a five-year, $60 million deal (he turned down $65 million from the Orioles) and trading for slugger Jim Thome (7 HRS in 59 games in 2005), who is scheduled to start the 2006 campaign as Chicago’s DH. The White Sox also strengthened an already strong rotation with a trade for Javier Vazquez (11-15 4.42) - they also acquired a versatile utility man in Rob Mackowiak (.292 9 58) from the Pirates.

2006 Analysis:

Guillen and company seem to have a solid blueprint for success and it’s hard to find many flaws in their off season strategy. The only real weak point appears to be centerfield since at least for now it looks as if Brian Anderson (.176 in 34 AB in 2005) will take over for Aaron Rowand (.270 13 69) who was traded to Philly in the deal for Thome. Expect Thome (.274 42 105 in a full season in 2004) to blossom as a DH, saving himself from the wear and tear of playing 1st base everyday. He’s a player perfectly suited for the DH role and the White Sox were wise to trade for him. Thome should provide some nice offense alongside Konerko, Pierzynski, Dye and Crede. Chicago’s pitching in 2006 should be stronger (if that’s even possible!) with Javier Vazquez joining the rotation. Vazquez could prove to be another interesting addition to an already powerful staff. Much like the acquisitions of Contreras and Garcia in 2004, the White Sox are hoping Vazquez will fit in nicely and produce better numbers then last season.

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2006 Arizona Diamondbacks Preview

2006-02-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

Rebounding from a truly disastrous 111 loss season in 2004, the Arizona Diamondbacks improved their 2005 season record to 77-85 including a final 8-2 record to finish the last 10 games of the year. Led by a balanced offense, the team was able to improve on their 2004 record thanks to the surprise performances supplied by 1st baseman Tony Clark (.304 30 87) and Chad Tracy (.308 27 72). The Diamondbacks also received much needed help from Troy Glaus (.258 37 97), Luis Gonzalez (.271 24 79) and outfielder Shawn Greene (.286 22 73).

Arizona’s starting pitching was spotty for much of the season with starters Brandon Webb (14-12 3.54), Javier Vazquez (11-15 4.42) and Brad Halsey (8-12 4.61) providing the majority of the quality starts in 2005. Relievers Brandon Medders (4-1 1.78) and Lance Cormier (7-3 5.11) joined Brandon Lyon (0-2 6.44 14 saves), Brian Burney (1-3 7.43 12 saves) and Jose Val Verde (3-4 2.44 15 saves) who combined to save 41 games in total.

Off Season Moves:

Arizona moved aggressively in the off season by shipping Javier Vazquez to the White Sox for Orlando Hernandez (9-9 5.12), and also trading power hitter Troy Glaus to the Blue Jays for closer Miguel Batista (5-8 4.10 31 saves) as well as Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson (.271 10 63). The Diamondbacks also picked up catcher Johnny Estrada (.261 4 39) in a off season trade with the Atlanta Braves. The team signed free agent center fielder Eric Byrnes (.226 10 40) to help improve the as well.

2006 Analysis:

The Diamondbacks addressed their need for a legitimate closer by dealing Glaus in an aggressive off season move. Although Glaus’ hitting will be greatly missed, the Diamondbacks will get far more reliability with Batista then any of the options they used last year. The team is relying on youngsters like Chad Trady and first baseman Conor Jackson to pick up the slack left by Glaus.

Arizona also extended Webb’s deal for another 4 years which was a smart move. Webb is a solid workhorse type pitcher and is the ace of the staff. In 2005 he led the team in both ERA (3.54) and Wins (14 ). The pickup of Orlando Hernandez will at a minimum eat up more innings in 2006. But fans shouldn’t expect many wins from him or this rotation. Eric Byrnes is another nice addition but offense really isn’t nor ever was this team’s problem. The lineup is solid and Luis Gonzalez and outfielder Shawn Greene should project to similar numbers in 2006 even without Glaus in the lineup.

The biggest problem for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006 will be their pitching. The team did very little to improve their starting rotation and in fact may have actually weakened it in order to improve their bullpen. Aside from Webb the starting pitching needs much more help. The team shouldn’t be considered as serious contenders for the NL West until the pitching receives a significant upgrade.

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2006 Anaheim Angels Preview

2006-02-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

Mike Scioscia and his 2005 Anaheim Angels entered the new season ready to defend their 2004 American League West Title. Although the 2004 season ended in a disappointing 3 game ALDS sweep to the World Series Boston Red Sox, the Angels remained poised and confident they could return to the postseason once again. The Angels good fortunes continued in 2005 as they ended clinching the American League West with an impressive 95-67 record. Unfortunately, the 2005 postseason ended in 4 straight losses to the Chicago White Sox as the Angels were eliminated 4-1 in the American League Divisional Playoffs.

Lead by superstar Vladimir Guerrero (.317 32 108) the Angels starting lineup provided a balanced attack against the opposition in 2005. The new additions of Juan Rivera (.271 15 59) and shortstop Orlando Cabrera (.257 8 57) helped provide much better offensive stability as they joined outfielders Garret Anderson (.283 17 96) and catcher Bengie Molina (.295 15 69) to provide one of the more consistent lineups in the AL.

The 2005 Angels pitching was led by Bartolo Colon (21-8 3.48) and John Lackey (14-5 3.44) along with journeyman pitcher Paul Byrd (12-11 3.47). Byrd emerged as a pleasant surprise in 2005 posting an 8-5 record with an 3.73 ERA prior to the all star break which was second only to Colon at the end of the 1st half of the season. While pitchers Brendan Donnelly (9-3 3.72 in 65 relief appearances) and Francisco Rodriguez (2-5 2.67 45 saves) anchored one of the best bullpens in baseball.

Off Season Moves:

The Angels remained conservative in their off season. Free Agent Pitcher Hector Carrasco (5-4 2.04) was signed after an impressive year for the Washington Nationals while additional bullpen help was added by trading 2B Alexi Casilla for J.C. Romero (4-3 3.47) from the Twins. Pitcher Jake Woods (1-1 4.55) was also picked up for late inning relief help, acquired off waivers from the Mariners. The Angels changed very little to their offense, adding Edgardo Alfonso (.277 4 43) to their lineup in a trade for Steve Finley (.222 12 54).

2006 Analysis:

The Angels were wise to add pitchers Hector Carrasco and J.C. Romero as both should help them improve an already strong bullpen and pitching staff. Finley failed to deliver the same results as he did when he was acquired in the second half of the 2004 season (13 HRS 46 RBI with Anaheim) so the Angels felt he was worth trading. Unfortunately for the Angels, Alfonso’s best seasons are clearly behind him - however as an upside he can still be relied on to drive in runs. The Angels also avoided arbitration with 7 different players during the off season so the ball club is pretty much the same as it was when it began the year in 2005. The starting 2006 lineup is balanced even losing Molina to free agency. The starting pitching could probably use another consistent starter. However with only three other teams to compete against in the AL West, there is really no reason to believe the Angels won’t contend in 2006 again.

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2006 Detroit Tigers Preview

2006-02-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

About the only good news for Detroit Tigers fans in 2005 occurred at the end of the season. In October it was announced that Jim Leyland was coming out of retirement and had accepted the Tigers managerial job. Leyland is looking to help change the team’s fortunes for 2006 and beyond but he will have his work cut out for him. The Tigers managed to win only 71 total games in 2005 posting a lackluster 71-91 record. Yet somehow the Motown offense was able to score a total of 723 runs which was only 18 fewer then the World Series Champion Chicago White Sox. Of course it didn’t help matters that the Tigers also allowed a total of 787 runs - mostly due to an inconsistent and underperforming pitching staff.

The 2005 offense was led primarily by outfielder Craig Monroe (.277 20 89), and DH Dmitri Young (.271 21 72). Rookie 1st baseman Chris Shelton (.299 18 59) also provided some much needed offensive spark with veterans Ivan Rodriguez (.276 14 50) and Rondell White (.313 12 53) posting respectable numbers. The rest of the 2005 offensive production was supplied by 3rd baseman Brandon Inge (.261 16 72) and 2nd baseman Placido Polanco (.338 6 36) who was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in a midseason trade.

The Tiger starting pitching in 2005 had very few bright spots. Starters Jeremy Bonderman (14-13 4.57) and Mike Maroth (14-14 4.74) managed to combine for 25 total wins, while the rest of the starters struggled for much of the entire season. Both starting pitcher Nate Robertson (7-16 4.48) and Jason Johnson (8-13 4.54) turned in forgettable performances in 2005. The Tigers used a combination of five different closers with Ugueth Urbina (1-3 2.63 9 saves) performing the best, prior to his being traded midseason to Philadelphia.

For Detroit Tiger fans, the season couldn’t end soon enough.

Off Season Moves:

The Detroit Tigers signed free-agent lefty Kenny Rogers (14-8 3.46), to a 2-year, $16 million contract, hoping to provide some better stability in the starting rotation. The Tigers also signed closer Todd Jones (1-5 2.10 40 saves) from Florida in order to help upgrade their bullpen. Jones a 12 year veteran experienced a renaissance year with the Florida Marlins by holding opposing hitters to a .230 batting average while saving a total of 40 games (his highest save total in five years).

2006 Analysis:

Rogers is an improvement to the starting rotation as is bringing in Jim Leyland from out of his retirement to help. Leyland has worked in similar environments before and has proven he knows how to handle the challenge. The starting rotation is still lacking. Detroit made a run at a few different free agents this winter, but little materialized. The Tigers have some hitting and can score runs. There's also some talent in the bullpen, but the rotation doesn’t appear to be much stronger than it was last season (4.85 ERA, 10th in the AL). Fans will need to be very patient as Leyland attempts to rebuild from within.

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2006 Cincinnati Reds Preview

2006-02-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

By Jack Scrafford

2005 Overview:

The biggest news for Cincinnati Reds fans in 2005 was the fact that Ken Griffey Jr.(.301 35 92) was able to play an entire season injury free for the first time in over 5 full seasons. What was so impressive about Griffey’s 2005 performance was his ability to completely return to form, hitting for both power and average. Griffey grabbed the Comeback Player of the Year Award for his outstanding efforts.

The rest of the Reds 2005 offense was provided by Adam Dunn (.247 40 101), veteran 2nd baseman Rich Aurilia (.282 14 68) and outfielder Austin Kearns (.240 18 67). Unfortunately, the Reds starting pitching didn’t offer many wins in 2005. Starters Aaron Harang (11 13 3.83), Brandon Claussen (10-11 4.21) and Ramon Ortiz (9 11 5.36) joined Eric Milton (8 15 6.47) and closer David Weathers (7-4 3.94 15 saves) to handle the majority of the pitching duties during the season. Weathers’ was picked up from the Mets and was converted into a full-time closer we he nailed down 15 out of 19 save opportunities. No real staff Ace emerged in 2005 with Harang leading the rotation with 11 wins. The Reds ended the season with a less then impressive final 73-89 record, finishing 27 games behind the NL Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Off Season Moves:

The Reds recognized pitching as their main priority during the off season so they traded away popular first baseman Sean Casey to the Pittsburgh Pirates for left handed starter Dave Williams (10–11 4.41). Unfortunately the Reds did little else to address their starting pitching needs. Veteran Infielder Rich Aurilia re-signed, and Cincinnati also traded for utility man Tony Womack (.249 in 2005), which was designed to give the team some options off the bench in 2006. Lefthander reliever Chris Hammond (5-1 3.84) also signed on from the defending NL West Champion Padres.

2006 Analysis:

Expect Adam Dunn now to move over to first base, leaving the outfield responsibilities to Austin Kearns, Ken Griffey Jr. and Wily Mo Pena. The Reds really didn’t significantly address the starting pitching in the off season and the one new starting pitcher they acquired (Williams) will hardly make a difference for the team in 2006. With Harang leading the group with only 11 wins there is a bunch of work to be done before the Reds can hope to contend. Williams was only a 10 game winner in 2005 so fans shouldn’t expect much from him either.

Like many major league teams, the Reds are relying heavily on their youngsters which include Kearns, Pena, Dunn, shortstop Felipe Lopez, and Ryan Freel. Fans were happy to get the old Griffey back in 2005 and are hopeful he will pick up where he left off when he starts the 2006 season. Dave Weathers is simply not a strong closer although the team managed to squeeze 15 saves out of him last season. Hammond was a nice pick up and should help out a struggling bullpen - but even more help is needed. Cincinnati Reds fans should expect more of the same in 2006.

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New York Mets: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview

2006-02-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

By Proloy Bhattacharyya

One word that comes to mind when thinking about the Mets is "bust". I guess a close second would be "loser". If you have ever bet on the Mets, then you would know that they have lost their backers 54 units over the past 4 seasons. Last year year was the first time in the past 4 season for them post an above 500 record. Pedro Martinez had a lot to do with that.

In fact, they were overvalued as a favorite. The New York Mets are from a big market and whenever they are favorite, expect the odds to be stacked against you as the bettor. Unlike the Red Sox and Yankees, the Mets do not win their backers money as a big favorite. Whenever you are overvalued as a favorite, this tends to be most true when looking at the information about them on the road.

The Mets as a favorite on the road were 15-16 in 2005, losing their backers 7 units. In fact they are a dismal 22-27 on the road as a favorite over the past two seasons. A big market club like the Mets will always likely be too overvalued as a favorite on the road. The general betting public does not really feed into the home field advantage in baseball and does not bet accordingly.

In the 2006 season, we advise you to look for key situations to go against the Mets as a road favorite. A motivated or a steaking home team will do the trick.

The Free Baseball Picks at our site was documented Top 10 in the 2005 MLB season for baseball betting picks.

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Mets Tickets

2006-02-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia Phillies: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The Phillies have had pretty decent years over the past 3 seasons. As far as bettors were concerned, the 2005 season was pretty good for these Phillies as they won their backers 4 units as opposed to losing them 18 units over the previous 3 seasons. Did the public get tired of all the close finishes of the Phillies and stop betting them?

There is evidence to suggest that the public were more likely to lay of the Phillies in 2005 as opposed to the previous two years. The reason for this really boils down to their performance as a favorite of -130 or higher. You know, the public loves betting favorites and when these Phillies were -130 or higher favorite, they were 6% worse on the season than last year and lost their backers 4 units. At home as a favorite in that range, they lost their backers 5 units. Therefore when we saw the Phillies as a dog, few people backed them even though that was where the money lied.

The Phillies were a dismal 10-22 [-15 units] at home as a small favorite or dog in 2004 but improved to 19-15 [+5 units] in 2005. Kudos to them for improving their home field advantage but they need some veteran leadership on their pitching staff and with their hitters to improve on the road. Bobby Abreu cannot do everything.

As you bet the 2006 MLB season, look for spots to bet on the Phillies on the road. Over the past 2 seasons, they won their backers 14 units on the road. Being bad at home or on the road does not necessarily mean you always bet against them. If public opinion is that they are bad, then going for them can usually be where the value lies. Hopefully they can improve their 42 wins on the road from last season.

The best place to go for Free Baseball Picks and other articles on sports.

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2006-02-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

San Diego Padres: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The San Diego Padres had a very disappointing 2005 MLB Season. After posting 87 victories in 2004, they won 5 fewer games. Their cryptonite in the 2004 MLB season was their play at home. Petco park was new and the Padres hitters had trouble adjusting. As a result, they were only 3 games above 500 all year at home. In the 2005 season, their batter adjusted, they became familiar with their surroundings and ended the season 11 games above 500 at home. In fact, betting on the Padres at home became a steady part of many of your betting tickets.

The problem in the 2005 MLB Season for the Padres was their road record. They could not get it done as they were 36-45 [-7 units] on the road. Much more striking was their 9-15 [-5 units] record on the road versus lefties. They had trouble hitting lefties on the road in 2005 which was the direct opposite of how they performed a year earlier. They were 15-9 [+7 units] against lefties on the road. So hen you are looking for why these Padres lost 5 more games in the 2005 season, you do not need to look further than their road performance against lefties. David Wells leaving had little to do with their drop.

So what do we expect to see out of these Padres in the 2006 MLB season? It is tough to tell. They are in a weak division that anybody could win. It could be the Giants division if Bonds is healthy. They will very likely hover around 500. Another problem with these Padres is that because they are young, it is easy for them to get stuck in a slump. Their record off of a loss is 3 games below 500 as opposed to their record off of a win which is 5 games above 500. In fact, it was pretty profitable to go against the Padres at home off of a loss the past 2 seasons and could spell another nice betting angle as you look to bet on the 2006 MLB season.

Our Free Baseball Picks were documented in the Top 10 in the country for the 2005 MLB season.

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2006-02-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

New York Yankees: 2006 Baseball Betting Season
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The Yankees are a team you just do not bet on. There is so much public attention given to them and so much hype that betting on them has very little value.

Over the past 7 years, these Yankees are a 60% club but -60 units. They win their games but because of the juice cost their backers the bank when they lose. They had their worst season in 2005 getting only 97 wins. They were also dissapointed in the Baseball Playoffs but what else is new.

It is hard to know what to expect out of these Yankees. After starting the 2005 season on a sour note, they finished strong and won the AL East. We expect the 2006 season to be different as we expect to see a Red Sox team win this division. There is just too much drama in the Yankees dugouts now that they are likely to implode this season.

Betting against the New York Yankees in the 2005 baseball season when they were going up against divisional rivals would have won you a total of 12 units.

Some historical highlights--> Over the past 7 years, the Yankees have won an amazing 63% of their home games. Interleague teams have an advantage at home and it is most evidenced by an even more remarkable 51-21 home record versus interleague teams. On the road, they are a mediocre 49% against interleague teams.

As you handicap the 2006 MLB Season, betting against the Yankees should be a regular part of your arsenal. Despite the rocky start that plagued the Yankees last season, people still bet on them and their juice was always ridiculous. One of my favorite plays of the year was going against Randy Johnson on the road. His name recognition gave the opposing team a very valuable +220 money line odds because of the Big Units mediocre road record.

Never pay for a pick again because our Free Baseball Picks will win you plenty of money all season long.

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Yankees Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Yankees Jersey - Yankees Autographs

2006-02-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

LA Angels: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The Los Angeles Angels will probably be a lock for the American League West in the 2006 baseball season. Uh oh, as soon as I said that the gambling gods were planning on ways to make them lose.

We say lock because we do not expect much out of the Mariners, Athletics, or Rangers. Even though we feel the Angels are not all that great themselves, they are still in the upper echelon of American League teams or so they should be.

In the 2005 baseball season, they had a 3 game improvement from the previous year. With 95 wins, they won their backers +8.5 units. Just like the Whitesox and Redsox, these Angels feasted on right handed pitching all year. Their 69-42 [+18 units] record against right handed pitching was one of the best money line records in baseball.

We do not expect this to necessarily be a trend though. The two years prior to their 2005 season, they were a dismal -28 units versus right handed pitching. They have been inconsistent because in those years, they were a combined +10 units against left handed pitching.

A lot of it had to do with their constant lineup changes during the 2005 season. I am not saying their lineup in the 2005 season was born and bred to hit right handed pitching but there could have been some type of chemistry existing last year that propelled them that season. In the 2006 season, I do not expect too much value out of the Angels odds. Their division is weak but when faced head-to-head, I expect great competition. I say this despite the fact that the Angels have feasted on their divisional opponents the past couple of years.

Check out the absolute best in Free Baseball Picks at our free handicapping service.

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2006-02-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Chicago Whitesox: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

News flash: The Whitesox did win the world series and they did it in dominating fashion. The WhiteSox steam-rolled through the regular season with the league's best record. There was no doubt that they were the team to beat until we got to near the end of the season when the pesky Indians started poking their way into the standings. This woke the Whitesox up at the perfect time to get them ready for a World Series run.

The Whitesox posted a 99-63 record in the regular season and won their backers an incredible 22 units on the season. The surprising thing about their success was their failure against left handed pitching. The were a mediocre 23-21 (-5 units) on the year versus lefties. This means they posted a 75-41 (+25 units) season against right handed pitching. What I was surprised to find out was that they were a total +18 units against right handed pitching last season. I guess it was a sign of things to come for the up and coming White Sox.

It is hard to decipher whether or not they will be in championship form next season or if they will struggle. They have great starting pitching but their hitting is always a question mark. This is probably why they were not very good against lefties. If they come out of the gate playing well, I expect to see these Whitesox as one of the public's teams. If that is the case, going against them when they play lefties is going to be the best bet in town. Even in their stellar 2005 MLB season, they were barely over 500 against lefties. With no reason to believe they will improve, their record versus lefties should remain dismal in the 2006 Baseball Season.

Check out the Best Free Baseball Picks from our absolutely free handicapping service.

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2006-02-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

Oakland Athletics: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

With the firesales the Oakland Athletics have been having, there is no question as to why the Athletics were a fan favorite early in the 2005 MLB Baseball season. With all they have gone through, for them to finish 88-74 is quite impressive.

The Athletics began the season on a wild path and their backers were cashing in. But they finished the season with a 14-18 record and dropped their backers about 6 units in that span.

We actually expect them to perform worse in the 2006 Baseball season. We expect to see an Oakland Athletics team that hovers around 500. The love affair that the novice baseball handicapper had with the Oakland Athletics will no longer exist. As a result, the MLB Betting Odds on the Oakland Athletics are going to be a mighty tasty treat for the successful baseball capper.

One of the secrets to betting on (or against) the Oakland Athletics in year's past is to bet on them if they are going up against a lefty and to go against them if they are going up against a right-handed pitcher.

The Oakland Athletics were an amazing 30-17 against left handed pitching for a positive 11.6 units. The previous 4 years, the Athletics were still a profitable 109-73 (+17 Units). This is a combined +29 units over a 5 year span and we do not expect it to change. In fact, because public perception of how bad they are next season, going for them against left handed pitching, especially in the right spots are going to earn us a lot of money.

We offer absolutely free baseball picks that profit all season long.

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2006-02-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

Boston Red Sox: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The Boston Redsox were the hottest story two years ago when they won the world series. The Yankees almost collapsed last season but still took the division from these Redsox. Will the 2006 MLB season be the year the Redsox get the AL East crown and will they continue to play second fiddle to the Yankees?

We are projecting them to win the division outright and show the Yankees that it is not their division every year. The Red Sox finished the 2005 regular season with a 95-67 +5 units record. I guess nobody really cares when you realize that they got swept in the playoffs but nonetheless they had a decent year that was also profitable for their backers.

The Red Sox are always in the national spotlight and get extra betting action because of it but is it always justified. Well, at home it is. The past 3 regular seasons, the Red Sox have combined for a 162-81 +30 units record.

These Red Sox have been a strong money-maker at home the past 3 seasons. Conversely, betting against them when they are on the road has been a great money maker. This is true of most high profile teams. The oddsmakers are content to let the public win betting on the team at home in order for them to get that money back when they are on the road.

Pyschologically, Vegas is doing the right thing. If you see Matt Clement at home with a -240 spread, you are likely to bet small but if you see Matt Clement on the road as a -135 you are likely to pound it. The number of units won at home roughly equals the number of units lost on the road by the Redsox but I can guarantee that the Redsox take in more betting handle on the road than at home.

It will not be enough to simply bet on the Red Sox at home. Let's look at one such situation that betting on the Redsox at home is just unstoppable. This is against right handers. Over the past 3 seasons, the Redsox are 116-50 +38 in home games against right handers. This correlates to a losing trend at home against left handers. It is very important to look into these small details when analyzing a baseball game.

As you bet the 2006 MLB season, look for the Red Sox at home against right handed pitching to give you some wins and we will analyze how this all plays out during the season.

Check out our Free Baseball Picks to profit all season long.

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2006-02-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

Houston Astros: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The Houston Astros are yet another baseball team to make the playoffs after only winning the Wild Card. Since winning the wild card is so competitive, teams generally have to play extremely tough ball at the end of the season just to make it. As a result, they head into the playoffs with a lot of momentum. The Astros finished the 2005 MLB season with a 19-11 record L30 and 13-7 record L20 games.

Momentum got the Astros to the World Series but also cost them the ring. They ran into the Chicago Whitesox over in the American League that was just steam rolling through the end of their regular season and playoffs. The Astros had a very successful year and they have no reason to hold their head down.

The down point of their season was their hitting. They need bats, big bats, small bats. Really anything to help them get more runs. Roger Clemens posted one of the best ERAs the league has ever seen in 20-30 years and did not even get 20 wins. Did not even get the Cy Young, all thanks to their weak bats.

The Astros began the 2005 MLB season with a 4-14 record against left handed pitching. This correlated to a 1-11 mark on the road versus lefties. This was much to do with why and how they had such a slow start to the season in general. From that point forward, they picked up and to finish on a 21-10 streak versus lefties. They got the job done when it looked like they could not. We do not like to focus too much on season performance against lefties/righties, we much rather look at how they have been doing in their past couple of outings.

Without Roger Clemens expected back in the 2006 season and injury problems plaguing their pitching staff, I see these Astros having a really tough time making the playoffs in 2006. Monitor how they begin the season on the road. I expect to see many poor hitting performances by this Astros ball club on the road.

The best place to go for Free Baseball Picks would be at one of the nation's top baseball handicappers.

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2006-02-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

St. Louis Cardinals: 2006 Baseball Betting Season Preview
By Proloy Bhattacharyya

The Cardinals finished the 2005 regular season with exactly 100 wins, five less than the 2004 season. The Cardinals were able to get to the World Series in 2004 but got ousted in 2005. The Astros pitching was just too much for them to handle.

The truth of the matter is these Cardinals went into the 2005 MLB Playoffs unprepared. They finished their last 19 games with a 9-10 record. In their last 30 games, they were only 16-14 on the season. This is a little over a month of just coasting through to get to the playoffs, effectively losing all of their momentum from a great baseball season. The same situation almost happened to the Whitesox until the Indians were able to get their juices flowing again.

On the flip side, the Astros steam-rolled into the playoffs with a 19-11 record L30 and 13-7 L20 games of the season. The season is a long season and the old cliche of "What have you done for me lately?" holds true.

Like most great teams, they smashed right handed pitching. They were at even money units against lefties but smashed righties for a combined +7 units the 2005 MLB Season. In fact, over the past 7 years, these Cardinals are 59% +70 units against right handed pitching. They only had one losing season against righties.

As you bet on the 2006 MLB season, expect the Cardinals to get off to another fast start and watch for them in good betting spots agains right handed pitching and good go-against spots against left handed pitching.

If you are looking to win big this baseball season, check out our free baseball picks that are a documented Top 10 finisher in the 2005 season.

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2006-01-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

Dynamic Duos – Those Incredible As
By Aron Wallad

Jimmy Foxx and Al Simmons

Two Hall of Famers that played eight years together.
Al Simmons career began in 1924 as a 22 year old.
Jimmy’s career started in 1925 as a 17 year old.

The Combo – These are the statistics that were the results of both men’s efforts while playing together from 1925 to 1932

They played 1088 games on the same team, batted .353 together, drove in 1721 as teamates and hit 374 home runs as a twosome.

Key points

Jimmy Foxx was most productive
after Al Simmons left the A’s.

And when he went to Boston.

Al Simmons best years were with the A’s
as Jimmy Foxx’s teammate.

Al Simmons had five straight years where
he had 200 or more hits.
Four of those years were as Jimmy’s teammate.

Jimmy Foxx had four years of 150 or more RBIs.
He also had 13 years in a row of over 100 RBIs.
He is tied for the record for most overall 100
RBI seasons with 13.

Jimmy Foxx has one of the highest RBIs per
at bat at .240 for his career.

Check this out

As a duo: Jimmy Foxx and Al Simmons

Year .... Runs ....... HRs ..... RBIs .... Bat Average

1929 .... 237 ....... 68 ..... 275 .... .360............

1930 .... 279 ....... 73 ..... 321 .... .358............

1931 .... 220 ....... 52 ..... 248 .... .340............

1932 .... 295 ....... 95 ..... 320 .... .342............

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating, and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

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Yankees Tickets

Bashin Braves - Hank Aaron Eddie Mathews - Dynamic Duo

2006-01-27T15:20:00.000-08:00

By Aron Wallad

Hank Aaron played 23 seasons with the Braves in Milwaukee, and Atlanta and then returning to Milwaukee to play with the Brewers.

Playing with Eddie Mathews he averaged .186 RBIs per at bat
After Eddie Mathews left the team he averaged .184 RBIs per at bat.
For his entire career he averaged .185 RBIs per at bat.
These statistics typify the type of player Hank Aaron was.
While he shows overall outstanding numbers for his entire career, his per season numbers were never over the top. He was the model of consistency. Maybe the most consistent player in the game.

His greatness was his consistency.

FYI

Hank Aaron hit 44 home runs four times
In his career.

Mathews played 17 seasons
Most of his career was with Hank Aaron
Did Hank Aaron help Eddie Mathews? Probably.
Did Eddie Mathews help Hank Aaron? Probably.
Eddie Mathews is also in the Hall of Fame.

Eddie Mathew and Hank Aaron hit more home runs as a duo than
Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth hit. 869 to 818

As a duo the Bashin Braves drove in 2627 runs during their 13 years of teaming up.

As a tandem they also scored 2668 runs.

For both of their entire career playing with each other and alone they hit 1267 home runs.

They must have gotten tired, from producing so many runs.

Not too bad

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. Writing about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You will enjoy the heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming stories that hit a home run to your heart.
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MLB Tickets

2006-01-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

Clemens Strikes Out 20, Again; Rocket Repeats Magic 10 Years DETROIT--In 1986, Roger Clemens was a young fireballer amidsthis first Cy Young season when he struck out 20 Seattle Marinersand established a Major League Baseball record. That same year,Clemens won All-Star Game MVP honors as well as theregular-season MVP while leading the Red Sox to the WorldSeries. In short, he was baseball's best player. Fast forward toSeptember 18, 1996, and The Rocket takes the hill in Detroit infront of a sparse crowd of 8,779 in cavernous Tiger Stadium.Both teams are out of the pennant race and Clemens, who is 39-38during the past four seasons, is two weeks away from becoming afree agent. "I know I'm winding down," said Clemens, who enteredthe game 9-12 on the season, "and the wins haven't fallen my waythis year like I would've hoped." Four innings later, Rocket is firing on all cylinders. He hasnine strikeouts when he fans Travis Fryman to start the 5thinning. Melvin Nieves and Phil Nevin sit down next. Clemens nowhas 12 strikeouts including the last five batters. After aleadoff single in the sixth, he gets the side again as KimeraBartee, Bobby Higginson, and Alan Trammell fall victim in order.Clemens tacks on two more strikeouts in both the 7th and 8thinnings. He toes the rubber in the final frame with 19strikeouts, one shy of his own record. With one out, RubenSierra singles; it's the fifth Tiger hit of the night (allsingles). Tony Clark follows and flies out. Fryman is next andClemens rings him up to make history, again. "You can't evencount on striking out 20 big-league hitters, I'm just happy totie it. I knew that I had it in the upper teens, but then[catcher Bill] Haselman ran out to the mound to let me know Iwas near the record," said Clemens. "I think that made it moreemotional for me. I mean that's all but seven guys in the game." Just as he did 10 years earlier, Clemens issued no walks whilestriking out 20. The victory stands as his final win in a RedSox uniform and it took 151 pitches to complete. The win alsotied him with Cy Young atop the Red Sox all-time leader board invictories (192) and shutouts (38). "I feel very fortunate andvery blessed," Clemens said. "I've been doing it for 13 yearsand I can't believe I had 20 again. I knew I had a lot, but thisis incredible." About the author: Keith Gentili is an award-winning sports writer and editor withThatsMyTicket.com, amanufacturer of Sports and Concert Ticket Frames. Their productscapture the experience and memory of attending significantevents by combining elements such as stats, stories, headlines,and licensed photography with actual tickets and personalpictures.

2005-12-07T04:22:00.000-08:00

How to Buy World Series Tickets
By Amanda Gooch
Have you ever known someone who wanted so desperately to go to the Major League Baseball World Series that they were like a rabid dog? Well, I have…and it is not a pretty sight. I have been married for a few years to “Brian”. Brian is an avid sports fan. Ladies…you know the type I am referring to…the type that can quote obscure sports statistics at the drop of a hat, but can’t seem to remember your birthday. (It is May 5th, by the way!) That’s my Brian! Anyway, Brian has varied sports taste. He loves football, golf, basketball and tennis. But he truly loves baseball. In fact, baseball maybe his one true love…but I digress!
Brian has ALWAYS wanted to go to the World Series. Unfortunately, his team never seems to make it that far. After the past few disappointing seasons, he toyed with the idea of getting tickets to go to the World Series without his beloved team. He worries that this may be seen as “cheating”. However, I encourage it! Afterall, going to the World Series has been a lifelong dream of Brian’s. Sure it would be even better if his team was going with him, but I think he should take this opportunity now. I even offered to purchase his tickets. Now, I know what you are thinking…Sainthood, right? Yeah, me too! But then reality hit me…I have NO idea how to go about buying tickets for the World Series.
The first thing I do is go directly to www.google.com and start looking for World Series tickets. Aaahhh…almost 23 million links!! Many of them are ticket brokers, but which one is the best? Which one is the most reputable? What is the typical price range? How will I get the tickets? How can I be sure the tickets are real and not counterfeit? Should I try Ebay? After a lot of research and worry, I came up with a very simple list of strategies. You may have to use more than one strategy, but it will well be worth the effort.
Strategy #1 Talk to friends, family members, colleagues, and your brother’s-wife’s-sister’s-boyfriend’s-mom’s-cousin who just happens to have season tickets for one of the teams going to the World Series. They have the best chance at getting World Series tickets at face value.
Strategy #2 Watch Ticketmaster or team websites for the scheduled on-sale period. You can do this via the phone or the internet. Keep in mind that these will sell out within minutes, so you have to be on your toes! Also, if you are given multiple phones for the scheduled on-sale, try picking one that will be less busy. For instance, say the St. Louis Cardinals are going on-sale. Instead of calling the numbers in St. Louis; try calling the number for the small town of Washington, MO instead.
Strategy #3 Visit http://www.consumerchoicereview.com. This is a great site that gives you all kinds of information about the major sporting events as well as various ticket brokers who specialize in the World Series. You can feel confident that all of the ticket brokers listed on this site are reputable because consumers are allowed to review each ticket brokers and their level of service. It even provides event information, so that you can impress your family and friends with your obscure sports knowledge!! Consumer Choice Review also gives you helpful information on how to protect yourself from purchasing counterfeit tickets.
Strategy #4 Another option for World Series tickets is www.ebay.com. Ebay will have a plethora of tickets, but consumers should be aware that you could be paying top dollar for a ticket that is fraudulent. I have heard horror stories of people buying on Ebay, so I have always been leery of using it. I found some really good tips on using Ebay on Consumer Choice Review. This site provides a step by step guide to buying on Ebay.
Strategy #5 Go to the stadium and take the risk that there are no tickets available from scalpers. Or that the tickets that are available are ridiculously expensive or even worse, possibly counterfeit or stolen. I would never pay hundreds of dollars in cash for tickets that could turn out to be fake or stolen. You should always use a credit card because they offer protection of purchases that turn out to be fake or stolen tickets. ***Be very careful when taking this approach and be sure to read the tips posted on Consumer Choice Review prior to taking this strategy.
As a final note, I highly recommend checking out the website I used to collect information, http://www.consumerchoicereview.com. They are not just for the World Series, but for any other major sporting event. It truly helped to calm my nerves when looking desperately for these tickets. It helped to guide me on what to expect and, more importantly, on how to protect myself. In the end, I chose a ticket broker whom I found through Consumer Choice Review and everything has gone just as I expected. And Brian…well, he can’t wait for the first pitch!
Amanda Gooch is a freelance writer with years of experience writing for and about various industries. She is currently focused on the world of consumer marketing and research. ConsumerChoiceReview.com is an objective third party site focused on helping consumers find the best!
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2005-11-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

The Babe

The Babe... Throughout history there have been many people that
I have admired. Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln,
Lenny Bruce, George Washington, and Babe Ruth, to name a few of
my favorite people. They have all seemed to rise to the top of
their field. Edison was a top inventor - yes? The Babe was a top
ball player. I'll bet you have not seen Edison and the Babe
linked together like this before. They both invented. Or should
I say The Babe re-invented baseball. One of, if not the best,
ballplayer of his or any generation. His accomplishments
surpassed entire team's totals. More about that later.

I admired his flair. I loved his grace on the field. He glided
through the game. I loved seeing the old films of Babe waving at
the pitcher as he circled the bases on his way home after
belting one of his home runs.

In some years he hit more home runs than an entire team. In 1920
"The Babe" hit 54 home runs. The St Louis Browns hit 50 home
runs as the runner up to "The Babe" for most home runs that
year. In 1927 it was not so different. The Philadelphia
Athletics hit 56 homers to rank second to Babe Ruth's 60 home
runs. There have been players in their sport that have so
surpassed their peers they become legend. They are awe. For me
"The Babe" fits right in with Gretzky and Michael Jordan in
attaining the highest level of performance. I loved the Babe
Ruth story with William Bendix. As an eight year old that loved
the Yankees and especially Babe Ruth, this movie was the best.
Even the part where he brings the hurt dog to the hospital and
misses a day game. Babe Ruth could do no wrong in this classic.
The movie has not passed the test of time as I have gotten
older. But it was good for me when I was a kid.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. You
will love his honesty and his passion.. You will be touched by
the heartwarming stories. The unusual statistics will amaze you
and the quotes will make you laugh..

Go here right now to join his ezine
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Contact Aron - The Baseball Networking Guy at
aron@baseballsprideandjoy.com

2005-11-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

By Their 30th Birthday

Some Interesting Baseball Statistics

By their 30th birthday. many players had made a name for
themselves. Here are some facts.

By the year they turned 30 years of age..

Ty Cobb had a lifetime batting average of .370 He finished with
a mark of .367 when he retired

Wade Boggs had a lifetime batting average of .356 When done his
lifetime average was .328

Joe Jackson had a .356 average and completed his career with
.358

Ken Griffey Jr. had 438 home runs when he completed his season
in his 30th year. That was year 2000. As of August 28th 2005, he
has 531 home runs He has averaged less than 20 home runs per
year over the last 4.8 years.

Lou Gehrig By his 30th birthday he had 1285 Runs Batted In. That
year was up to and including 1933. From 1934 to 1938 he had 709
RBIs. And in 1939 in eight games he had one more RBI. His
falloff was not too severe after he turned 30. He averaged 141
RBIs in his last five full years of his career.

Mickey Mantle had 1251 walks when he ended the 1962 season. He
is number one on the list of most walks by your 30th birthday.
He finished with 1733 after his final year in 1968.

Lou Brock Completed his career with 938 stolen bases. 604 of
those stolen bases took place during and after he turned 30
years of age. In 1974 when he turned 35 he stole 118 bases. He
was also thrown out 33 times in 1974 That's a lot of running.

Otis Nixon Stole 515 of his 620 bases from the time he turned 30
to when he retired. The latter part of his career proved to be
his most productive time. 83% of his stolen bases were swiped.
when most players start to slow down. I guess he was revving up.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. You
will love his honesty and his passion.. You will be touched by
the heartwarming stories. The unusual statistics will amaze you
and the quotes will make you laugh..

Go here right now to join his ezine
http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=goart

Contact Aron - The Baseball Networking Guy at
aron@baseballsprideandjoy.com

2005-11-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

I Must Get The Newspaper

Every day when I wake up one of the first items that creeps into
my head is getting the newspaper. I have got to get the paper. I
have operated this way for over 40 years. The paper gets me in
the know. More so than the internet I guess it might be because
I can touch it or feel it.

I confess - I have to see the sports pages. It's out in the
open. I admit it. There is something missing for me if I do not
get to see the sports pages.

Who hit home runs? Who got the most hits the previous day? What
pitchers won? Who drove in the runs? Yeah I like that one the
most. RBIs.

If we are out of baseball season, it's off to the transaction
part of the paper. Who signed and who got released? ( I almost
always feel bad when I see a name of a player I liked that got
dropped by their team). Any trades I may have missed? People's
lives on the move. While this part of the paper announces
transactions, it's really about how how lives change by the
places these players move away from. And where they move on to.
Sometimes that is all it takes like a new city for some players
to excel like a Paul O'Neill or Roger Maris to name two great
Yankee transactions. During the season I have to see my boys,
how are they doing? Yankee Stats - I always observe them. Alex
Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield are the guys whose
statistics I scrutinize now. In the old days it was Mickey
Mantle, Yogi Berra, Don Mattingly, Reggie Jackson, Roger Maris,
and Thurmon Munson. I know I am omitting a few. Please forgive
me. When I am done with the statistics I peruse the pages for
some good story. I do not have any game plan for this pursuit. I
usually get caught by some headline and go from there. Lately I
noticed that when I see an article by a writer I do not care for
I spit at the paper. No I do not I am only kidding. I read the
paper as if I am about to get a test. I read by myself without
any interruptions, sitting in my car or at my kitchen table.
With a cup of coffee or tea by my side I engage the paper. I
think about who I might run into that might ask me a question
about the Yankees that I should know. I better know.

I remember when I traveled in Europe in the early 70's. I had to
get to the International Herald for their one or two page sports
section. Reggie Jackson was having an awesome first half of the
season. It seemed like every day he was hitting another homer
for the Athletics. I could not wait to see in the paper if he
hit another one.

The New York Times, The Newark Star Ledger, The Bergen Record,
USA Today and in the past The Newark News have been my
companions in the morning. I would not have it any other way.

I hope you get as much enjoyment out of your paper as I get out
of mine.

I even read the front page and do the crossword puzzle.
Sometimes.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. You
will love his honesty and his passion.. You will be touched by
the heartwarming stories. The unusual statistics will amaze you
and the quotes will make you laugh..

Go here right now to join his ezine
http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=goart

Contact Aron - The Baseball Networking Guy at
aron@baseballsprideandjoy.com

2005-10-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

College Baseball - Who is the Best Ever?

The University of Southern California has a baseball team, the
Trojans. The USC Trojans are undoubtedly one of the very best
college baseball teams to every play the game. Over 95 of the
baseball players from the college level who've made it into the
Major Leagues played for the USC Trojans. USC has also appeared
in 21 College World Series events and has won the most games in
the this event as well, 70 in total.

The USC Trojans are also one of the oldest college baseball
teams. The Trojans played their very first university baseball
game in 1889 on the college campus. Unfortunately, the college
team lost this game which may account for the fact that there
aren't any recorded games until 1892. This time, the University
of Southern California Trojans won against the Woodbury Business
College by a score of 14-3. The USC Trojans had a total of 20
players on their college baseball squad that year and finished
it as an undefeated squad.

The very next year the Trojans played 10 games during the
college baseball season. However, the USC baseball team appeared
to have not played very much over the next four years with only
3 college games being recorded.

Between 1898 and 1902, the USC Trojans baseball team suffered
one bad season after another. In 1902 this changed with the
arrival of pitcher Rube Waddell, one of the stars of college
baseball at the time who eventually went on to become a Hall of
Fame inductee after playing on 4 different Major League teams.
He was, without a doubt, responsible for the upturn in fortune
of the Trojans college baseball team.

The fortune of the Trojans college baseball team was extremely
mixed in the pre-World War 1 years and the team was even
abolished for a season during 1913. This was to enable the
college to focus on track and field sports. Of course the war
years led to a decline in all sports, including baseball, but
the Trojans college baseball team was fully re-instated in 1920.
The University of Southern Californaia baseball team went from
strength to strength and was finally rewarded by becoming a
member of a college baseball conference in 1927 and they haven't
looked back since.

About the author:
Jordan Dunham is an expert on federal student loan
consolidation, visit http://www.students-loan-consolidation.org/
today for details.

2005-10-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Unusual Baseball Statistics

I have been fascinated by some of the statistics that have been
amassed by some of the major leaguers. Viewing some players
numbers has amazed me. My Baseball memorabilia are these amazing
stats.

Here are a few achievements I thought might interest you.

Rogers Hornsby From 1921 to 1925 he batted 2679 times - He hit
safely 1078 times And averaged .402 during this five year run.
Not too shabby

From ages 36 to 41 - his final six years in the Majors he batted
350 times total Hit safely 105 times and fell 70 hits short of
3000 hits for his career. Maybe he could have planned better.

Lou Gehrig From 1930 to 1934 he drove in 813 runs An average of
162 RBIs per year - Enough said The man was a run producing
machine

Ty Cobb He had 1937 RBIs in his career He never hit more than 12
home runs in a single year Seven times he knocked in over 100
runs

Runs Batted In This following stats are based on a per game
basis Here are a few of the highest numbers As you can see - no
one player averaged one run per game Lou Gehrig .921 Hank
Greenburg .915 Joe Dimaggio .885 Jimmy Foxx .859 Hey where’s The
Babe?

These RBIs are based on a per at bat basis Here are some of the
highest numbers Babe Ruth .263 Lou Gehrig .249 Hank Greenburg
.249

I hope you enjoyed these unusual stats. I will randomly provide
unusual stats like these in the future.

Aron Wallad Founder Baseball’s Pride and Joy

Join my ezine for inspiring baseball stories that hit a home run
to your heart.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing for
him. You will enjoy the tender stories, the unusual statistics
and inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Pedro, Beltran, and the Mets as seen by one true Yankee Fan:

It’s the middle of the NFL playoffs, and what has grabbed the
interest of many sports fans has been the off-season maneuvering
and acquisitions of the Mets and Yankees. In the past, the
sports media has hyped baseball trades, the big money contracts,
and the long time rivalries which make the off-season so
interesting, but never as intensely as this year in NY. First,
Pedro Martinez, then, Carlos Beltran going to the Mets has
splashed the team front and center in our sports world
consciousness. For the first time, in a long time, the Mets have
captured the imagination of their fans with the possibilities of
a dynamic exciting season.

Anyone who knows me knows I love the Yankees. And yes, I admit
scoffing at the Mets in recent seasons. Some may wonder how a
Yankee fan feels about the increasing powerful competition
across town.

Like many true Yankees fans, I NEVER wanted to see Pedro
Martinez in pinstripes. (Hey, I also was never a Roger Clemmens
aficionado). I have witnessed many sworn enemies extend the
olive branch during my lifetime. I’ve seen Berlin Wall come
down, Communism fail, and normal trade with China. I’ve accepted
that Darth Vader was once a good guy, and Tom Cruise can play a
bad guy, But all that doesn’t mean I could want Pedro Martinez
playing for my team. So thanks Mr. Steinbrenner, for not making
that deal. However, I do know Pedro is a terrific pitcher, so
why not have him winning for a NY team, in another
league….that’s perfect!

Carlos Beltran is another matter. Yeah, it would be great to see
him in a Yankee line-up. I could see him patrolling the Stadium
outfield. Like a spoiled child who has been given exorbitant
gifts throughout her lifetime, I expected George to make a last
minute move and deliver yet another treasure. Instead, he
offered up a different prize: Randy Johnson. I admit that I
secretly hoped for both players and was slightly disappointed.
In spite of this, I’m very happy he went to the Mets.

Why? Because the ultimate thrill for a NY sports fan (no matter
if you love baseball or not) is to have another Subway Series.
It’s our Mecca, our Earthly Paradise, and Nirvana all rolled
into one. It eclipses The Superbowl, has us more excited than
the NBA playoffs, US Open and Master combined. NASCAR is nothing
when we’re talking Subway Series.

So if getting Beltran, pitching Pedro, and grabbing some
headlines in the process are the beginnings of making that dream
come true, then bring it on. Yankee fans are ready.

Submitted by Cheryl Wallad

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You
will enjoy the heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and
inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Forgotten Game - How I Fell In Love With The Game Of
Baseball AGAIN.

How I Fell In Love With The Game Of Baseball AGAIN. It happens
to the best of us. One day we realizes a piece of us is missing.
With the things we love it is not as simple as patting your back
pocket to make sure you didn't leave the house with out your
wallet. Such is the case with me and the game of baseball. I
don't think I really fell out of love with baseball, life just
sort of happened and I grew up. What I did not know was that the
time I spent away from the game, the game of baseball was
actually still in my heart just waiting for the day I would yell
out "play ball !" again. I remember when it all came back to me.
It was after the strike of 94' before all the money hungry major
leaguers I called my hero's agreed to play OUR game again.
Something clicked inside me that year. I don't know if it was
the silence of all those empty ball parks or the fact that the
only ballplayers playing that year were guys just like me. Guys
who just loved the game and were paid with checks they could not
cash. You know the kind paid to the order of "reality".I could
feel it coming back every time I would pass an empty ball park.
My senses would bring me closer to my most precious memories.
The unique aroma of freshly cut grass mixing with clouds of
infield dust were calling me back into time. Memories flooded my
mind.The chatter of little leaguers in the heat of a sizzling
summer game rose up from the silence of adulthood. I was way too
old to play little league and too young to give up on the game I
loved. This is a tough time in a man's life. The time when we
have to choose how we will continue loving the game. Some choose
to softball, some choose to coach little league and some accept
that their lot in life is being no more than an avid fan. You
see time marches on and youth slips away. It leaves behind only
the memories that we have held tight. These are the memories
that we refuse to forget.These kind of memories are seeds of
hope that are proof that God has blessed us with something
worthy of remembrance.Memories like the first time you took the
mound and feared beaning that shaking kid in batters box or the
feeling of numbness in your fingers as you connected with your
very first fastball. My baseball memories will never be
forgotten. I have written them on a canvas with colors that
would make Picasso cry. I always dreamed I could play with Don
Mattingly one day. Back then I was naive enough to think that if
I kept on just playing baseball, time would march me right to
third base in Yankee stadium so I could dive to my left and snag
that hot grounder then from my knees sling the ball across the
diamond right into Donny's baseball's out stretched glove. All
that was left for him to do was point and tip his hat. That
dream never happened of course but I will never let go of the
memory. While Donny baseball is still in pinstripes he has been
replaced at 1st base, by a new superstar. He is not quite as big
but I would never even think of trading him. You see my new 1st
baseman is my son and the only time I sling the ball from my
knees at third base is when I trip while showing his teammates
team how to field the routine grounder at little league
practice. Together he and I are making new baseball memories and
thanks to him I finally got play little league again. Thank you
son, your are my treasure.

As faithful as Lou Gerhig himself time has kept its promise. It
has brought me from childhood to fatherhood where for the love
of the game I have accepted my duty in passing on my baseball
memories to my children. Though they are still too young to
understand why,they know that I am passing on a piece of our
American heritage. Many have made mention of baseball and apple
pie but I say baseball is America so never let it die! Relive
all those wonderful memories and you will see why...

By: Jason A. Conyers

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You
will enjoy the heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and
inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Tickets Still Hot

BOSTON--The Red Sox are World Champions. Yes, it's true. It haD
been 86 years in the making and now the waiting is over. The Red
Sox are champions of the world. And funny thing ... after making
history in a drag-em-out, nail-biting, seat-of-your-pants,
seven-game battle royal with the Yankees, the World Series was a
breeze. In fact, Boston never trailed in its four-game sweep of
the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox scored in the first inning
of every game and, with the exception of Game 1, never looked
back. "This is for anyone who ever played for the Red Sox,
anyone who ever rooted for the Red Sox, anyone who has ever been
to Fenway Park. This is bigger than the 25 players in this
clubhouse," 30-year-old general manager Theo Epstein told the
media after the final victory. "This is for all of Red Sox
Nation past and present."

For fans who attended any of the four World Series games, their
tickets remain as valuable today as they did on game day.
Boston's Fenway Park hosted Games 1 & 2 and tickets were scanned
upon entry. Thus, all Fenway Park tickets are full (or untorn)
and fetching $100 to $300 in online auctions. "Red Sox fans kept
their tickets. There really is no supply," said Dean Macchi,
president of ThatsMyTicket.com, whose Ticket Frame product
displays game tickets. "Cardinals fans have been more open to
letting their tickets go. So there are a number of Game 3 and
Game 4 Busch Stadium tickets available. But those tickets were
torn as fans entered the ballpark."

The Red Sox celebration kicked off on the 18th anniversary of
the team's Game 7 loss in the 1986 World Series. And by beating
the Cardinals, Boston avenged its 1946 and 1967 World Series
heartaches. After all the franchise has endured since its last
championship, which came in 1918, it's no wonder more than 3
million citizens of Red Sox Nation filled the streets of Boston
for the victory parade.

On the field, the 100th World Series was a showcase for Red Sox
pitching. After a Game 1 slugfest, Games 2, 3, and 4 belonged to
Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, and Derek Lowe. The trio
combined to throw 20 innings without allowing an earned run.
Keith Foulke closed out all four games and Manny Ramirez was
named MVP. Yes, it's true; the 2004 Boston Red Sox are World
Champions. "Someone said this is the biggest thing to happen in
New England since the Revolution," owner John Henry told
reporters. "I don't know about that but I know there's an
overwhelming sense of joy and relief."

About the author:
Keith Gentili is an award-winning sports writer and editor with
ThatsMyTicket.com, a
manufacturer of Sports and Concert Ticket Frames. Their products
capture the experience and memory of attending significant
events by combining elements such as stats, stories, headlines,
and licensed photography with actual tickets and personal
pictures.

More of Keith Gentili articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Barone Drexel and Harris - My Mentors, Teachers and Coaches

My life was always about playing ball, mostly baseball as I
grew up. Therefore, I was always at the playground on Chancellor
Avenue. This was a hotbed for sports activity in the Weequahic
section of Newark. From Monday through Saturday there were
countless games taking place. Baseball on the dirt field and
softball on the blacktop. Basketball games, and volley ball
games were always being played. Mr Barone, Mr Drexel and Mr
Harris oversaw the games that were played. Sometimes they played
in those games. They ran the show. Organizing teams for a given
game or creating teams for a new league they took charge and got
things done. I did not realize some of the things they did that
impacted my life until I left the playground scene many years
later.

I looked up to all three of them, for being fair, for listening
when I had a problem and for being funny. Each one of them was
unique. Each one of them was taught me in their own style.

Mr Barone or Mr B as most of us called him was about five feet.
The only thing that was small about him was his height. Playing
ball with the teenagers was one of his favorite things to do. He
often was the director that played in the games when we needed
another guy. I would also see Mr B talking to some kids in the
batting cage teaching them some fundamentals about batting. He
always made himself available either on the playing field or by
helping some kids with their homework. I appreciated that he
gave of himself. So did many of the other kids. A great guy.

Mr Drexel or Billy Boy as we sometimes affectionately called him
was the jokester. No matter how serious I thought the situation
was Mr Drexel had his way of making the incident a little less
severe. His lightening up of the moment always made us laugh. I
loved that about him. He was noted for his chicanery on the
field or court as well. He would find an edge and use it. All
within the rules. A Drexel play was referred to bending the rule
as far as you could. Hidden ball tricks in baseball and sneaky
out of bounds plays in basketball were two of his specialties.
What was great was how often they worked. He knew just when to
use them. A great guy.

Mr Harris seemed like the leader of the group. The other
directors called him Bucky. I always called him Mr Harris. He
spoke sternly and was always fair. He was the law. He had a
little bit of a snarl about him. I had the utmost respect for
him. I thought it was an honor to go to the store and buy him
his Garcia Vega cigars. When he asked me to go I felt like I won
something. He was a great guy.

For me these three guys were my mentors as I was growing up.
Providing me with guidance on and off the field. There was
always one of them at the playground to talk to or get things
going so we could play an organized game. I learned about
fairness, being stern and about taking the edge off in a
seriousness situation from them. Felice Barone, William Drexel
and Bucky Harris will always be in my hall of fame. They meant a
lot to me.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You
will enjoy the heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and
inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Meeting Mickey Mantle

Meeting Mickey Mantle would be a dream comes true. A dream
realized for Dan on his 38th birthday, when his wife honored him
with a week long stay at the Yankee Fantasy Camp in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida.

Dan played with some of the Yankee legends: Bobby Murcer, Mickey
Rivers, Ron Guidry, Moose Skowron and Catfish Hunter. The games
were great and being on the same field with some of the players
he had watched on TV or at Yankee Stadium was mesmerizing.

But what made the week particularly special was the friendship
he nurtured with his hero. The Mick even gave Dan a nickname -
“Nails” for the scrappy, Lenny Dykstra-way that Dan played.
While Mickey didn’t play in these games, he did spend a lot of
time with all the campers. Dan took this time to get to know
Mickey. He loved his down to earth quality. He loved his
honesty. He loved being around him.

“Getting to know Mickey Mantle was as much fun as playing with
the pros,” Dan told me later.

In one of the games that Mickey was umpiring, Dan strolled to
the plate with the bases loaded. His big chance was here and he
didn’t miss the opportunity as he walloped a long double into
the gap. He hit a rope, and as he glided into second base Mickey
yelled to him, “You hit the sh*^ out of that ball, Nails!”

This was like a call from God. Hearing his idol tell him how
well he hit the ball was more fulfilling than Dan could ever
have imagined.

What could be better than meeting and then hanging out with
Mickey Mantle? How about being recognized as a ballplayer by
your childhood hero?

It doesn’t get any better than that.

This story was contributed by Dan Markim. A long time Yankee fan.

Written by Aron Wallad

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You
will enjoy the tender stories, the unusual statistics and
inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

My Baseball Story

I love this game. It has been half century since I started to
fall in love with baseball. The romance is still going strong.
Playing, coaching, watching, listening, and reading about
baseball has been part of my every day life sine I was 15 years
old. Even in the dead of winter when baseball is on the back
pages of the newspaper I will find out what new development has
occurred or who has been signed or traded.

I want to write and read about all types of baseball stories
that are inspiring. Why not? Isn’t being inspired a great way to
live? Isn’t offering others an expression of what you love the
ultimate gift?

I discovered my need to write and gather inspiring stories about
baseball as I drove on route 80 in Northen New Jersey in
February 2004. I started thinking about the movies I have seen
and the stories I have read that I loved. Like The Lou Gehrig
story Pride of the Yankees. or stories about Babe Ruth. Why did
I like these stories? What was “My” definition of a great story?
I was fixed on finding an answer .I started thinking about the
movie Field of Dreams, one of my all time favorites. Why did I
like this corny movie so much? Was Field of Dreams a metaphor
for living out of your field of dreams? Was creating a clearing
done to ALLOW the dreams to show up? In the movie they cleared
away a crop of corn to build a baseball field. Do we need to
clear away some of our own corn fields to see the dreams that
capture our hearts and then create a path to reach those dreams?

It was then I decided to open up a new road for myself. The
direction I was meant to travel on. I love baseball. Oh I said
that. I love great stories. I said that as well. Let me fuse
these two passions, together. Sounds good.” I said to myself. I
guess I am pretty corny, huh. That is the birth of Baseball’s
Pride and Joy. Talk about a labor of love. This baby has been
living inside me for over 30 years.

What could be better than finding your love and then nurturing
it. I have discovered my essence. Pretty good. When I write
these words I see that I am on the field I want to play on.
While I am not a N Y Yankee, I am playing fantasy baseball
through these stories.

A fantasy I had 40 years ago was to play baseball for the New
York Yankees. While I did not make the Yankees or Mets or any
other team I have always remained a baseball lover. I am making
my fantasy baseball story real by giving people the opportunity
to write their Major League baseball story. Whether your story
is NCAA Baseball or Minor League Baseball or from high school.
It does not matter. Write your inspiring baseball story.

Now I can provide a place for others to tell their tale of
baseball inspiration. Tell your Field of Dreams or be like The
Natural even if you are The Rookie.

Make your story sing.

Make it vibrant.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You
will enjoy the heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and
inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.
Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Dodgers Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Inspiring Baseball Quotes

I loved being around the baseball players when they had
something to say that I thought would have a positive
impression. Here are some of the quotes that I have enjoyed and
have inspired me.

Bob Gibson “ I owe the public one thing - a good performance.”

Sandy Koufax “ Pitching is the art of instilling fear.”

Warren Spahn"A sore arm is like a headache or a toothache. It
can make you feel bad, but if you just forget about it and do
what you have to do, it will go away. If you really like to
pitch and you want to pitch, that's what you'll do."

Stan Musial "I love to play this game of baseball - I love
putting on this uniform." "When a pitcher's throwing a spitball,
don't worry and don't complain, just hit the dry side like I do."

Derek Jeter "My dad had been shortstop when he was in college,
and you know, when you're a kid, you want to be just like your
dad." "My office is at Yankee stadium. Yes, dreams do come true."

For inspiring stories go here:
http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=goart

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing for
him. You will enjoy the tender stories, the unusual statistics
and inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Red Sox Tickets

2005-10-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

Listen Can You Hear the Crack of the Bat?

The other day, as I watched my daughter take batting practice
from her new batting coach, my eyes shifted to another batter
that was being coached by another teacher. Her swings were slow,
the ball was glancing off her bat and trickling into the batting
screen. Her hips were not rotating and there was no power being
generated from her swings.

The coach then took some time with her to show her some
techniques that would help her in her quest to be a better
hitter. They spoke for about 10 minutes. Or should I say the
coach spoke for 10 minutes and the girl listened.

As I gazed back and forth between my daughter and this other
girl I realized that after about 20 more minutes of hitting and
talking with her coach that this girl ( we will call her this
girl ) was smacking the ball. Projectiles were streaming off her
bat. That loud crack from her bat was reverberating in the
facility.

It dawned on me. That this is why I love this game so much. I
loved that crack of the bat. I loved hitting that ball so right.
I loved it when the ball whistled in the air. Enjoying the other
aspects of the game like base running, fielding, and throwing
were great. But, I was deeply passionate about hitting. The
supreme challenge was why I started playing this game and why I
continue to enjoy watching it today.

As I continued to watch my daughter, Manteee, and this other
girl hit better and better I could not help but feel an enormous
amount pleasure. They were transforming in front of me. Whatever
those coaches told them and whatever those two girls absorbed
from their coaches was generating solid hit after solid hit.

I could not believe how happy I was for my daughter and the girl
I did not know. There is something wonderful about learning and
that willingness to be taught. Even though I only watched them I
felt as if I was part of what was evolving in front of me.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing
about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You
will enjoy the tender stories, the unusual statistics and
inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming
stories that hit a home run to your heart.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Passion For Baseball

For The Love of the Game What is something you are passionate
about? Passion is contagious and feeds off this positive energy.
Have you ever seen two people who truly love the game of
baseball talk about baseball?

I had a friend’s wife tell me once that we can remember every
play in a game we watched or played in but why is it that we can
not remember a simple grocery list that is given to us. Some of
us can recite stats for their teams 50 years ago. We can tell
who played in what World Series and who the winning pitcher was
and who hit the game winning homerun, off of whom and what
pitch. Why is that?

A lot of my childhood memories are tied to baseball. I remember
spending hours hitting a rock in front of my house pretending to
be my idol Rod Carew. I used to mimic his stance and his loose
wrists. I wanted to be just like him. I made myself into a
switch hitter because of him. As I grew older the demise of my
professional career was that I could not hit the breaking ball.
I could sit on that fastball and hit it out of the park but as
soon as they took something off or put a break on it I could not
hit it. So there went my dream of a professional career but not
my passion for the game.

I have been playing softball for the past 10 years. We have been
part of the same league for over 10 years. Another team in the
same league played for the same amount of time. I remember
saying to myself that wouldn’t it be cool if all of us can be
playing together like this other team when we are 40 something.
We were all in our 30’s and this team was in their 40’s. Well I
catch myself thinking now wouldn’t it be cool to be playing ball
in our 50’s like these guys are.

Every year this team beat us. We never beat them. It had almost
become an obsession for me to beat them. This year we finally
did. After the game I was talking to their captain and kidded
him that now I can die in peace. He replied by saying that it
has been true joy playing us these past years because he can
tell we loved the game and played like it.

Why do a bunch of “old” people continue to play the game of
softball? I truly believe that we can not give up the love of
baseball and the passion we have for it. It is part of us and it
has shaped who we are. If you looked at each one of us in our
profession or home life, the way we live our lives are similar
to how we play the game. Getting back to the earlier question on
why is it that some people can recite stats or remember every
play in a game? It’s the love we have for the game of baseball.
The passion and the love for the game helps define who some of
us are. Find your passion and share it with the world and make
each one of us that much better for knowing you.

This article was written

by Isaac Kama - A True Baseball Lover

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading , evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Check out his baseball ezine.
Do you love inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of
all, heartwarming baseball stories? If you love baseball you
will love his baseball ezine.Go here right now

Go here right now to join his ezine
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2005-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Dan - A Great Coach

Dan - A Great Coach My wife, my daughter and I had been eagerly
anticipating my daughter’s first lesson with Dan, her new
batting coach. Of course, we heard how good he was. Our next
door neighbor spoke glowingly of Dan’s expertise as a batting
coach for girls. For the first lesson the three of us ( my
daughter, wife and I) were nervous about how this arrangement
would work out. Would she respond to him, and could she relate
to him so they could develop rapport so needed between coach and
student? Would his rotational hitting style be the framework
from which our daughter could expand her hitting and start
driving the ball on a consistent basis? Practicing after the
lessons were just as important as the lessons themselves. Would
Manteee apply his style? Our concerns were soon answered. After
the first lesson, I knew, that Dan was the man. He listened to
our daughter. He spoke to her and not at her. I could see that
the relationship was developing between my daughter and her
coach. She was following his instructions. After a few weeks, I
could see improvement. Her bat was making that solid sound
hitters love to hear when they sting a ball. She was hitting in
her league games with more authority. Driving the ball to the
outfield. I could see her being much more confident. She is
talking doubles and triples for the first time. I am thankful,
appreciative and impressed for her In my opinion if you or your
son or daughter is interested in excelling as a hitter, having
the right batting coach could make a huge difference. The time
spent one on one developing her swing and stance has made my
daughter a much better hitter in as little as six weeks. Do you
think Ty Cobb was getting batting tips?

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Who Is Our Daddy?

Who Is Our Daddy? - George Steinbrenner, that's who. Thank
goodness the Yankees have him. Big Daddy, George Steinbrenner,
is a Yankee fan's delight. As a Yankee fan I love that so many
other fans hate what George has done and continues to do. He
gets the players that he needs. He pushes forward to get another
championship for his Yankees. I can visualize George sitting in
his office making calls to see if the superstar that he so
highly touts is close to signing a Yankee contract. When the
Yankees have been in need of a pitcher they get Roger Clemens,
or Mike Mussina, or Catfish Hunter, or Randy Johnson. Some of
the top pitchers in the game. If it's a slugger they need George
brings the best to New York. Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, Gary
Sheffield, or Alex Rodriguez will don the Yankee pinstripes.
Having the best for the Yankees and their fans makes all the
difference. We know as fans that our team is doing whatever it
can to bring in a championship. And when all is said and done -
what more can we ask for? George is relentless. He wants another
World Series ring for the Bronx Bombers. Six is not enough for
him. Arriving at the playoffs 14 times is not the name of this
game. Winning the World Series is the only game in town. I have
to admire that kind of pursuit. I have always felt funny when I
see a player or an owner in a TV interview rejoice when his team
comes in second. Something feels off. Second place is not a
prize worth having But not with George. I love his spirit. I
love his attitude about winning. I love winning it all in the
fall. Has there been another owner in any sport, in the last 25
years that has operated with the same intensity that George has
had? In any sport? I think not. Say what you will about the big
guy. He is money hungry, he has an ego problem, he stops at
nothing, he plays unfair. I do not think he cares. what others
are saying He has a cause and a mission. Bring championships to
New York.

So I salute you George Steinbrenner, principal owner of my New
York Yankees. Thanks for taking the team on your back and going
for it all the time. While I may not agree with all your tactics
I am fascinated with your ongoing will to win. Imagine what it
must have been like playing dominoes, or marbles or any other
game with George when he was a kid. Do you think he had to win?
If Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, or Yogi
Berra were playing on another team other than the Yankees and
became available through free agency, do you think George would
try and get him? What do you think?

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Baseball

Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Baseball 1 The Ultimate Challenge
Hitting a round ball with a round bat. The feeling I would get
when I hit the ball. Just think of a baby that is crying for
food. When that baby gets her bottle the first thing you hear is
that ahhhhh sound. Oh that ah. When I hit a ball perfectly I
would have that ahhhhh. 2 I call it Contentment at a high level.
I played all the time when I was a kid. Some of my favorite
memories were from the diamond. When I hit two home runs in one
game off the star pitcher form our High School team. I rounded
the bases in full view of our High School coach. I was glowing.
When I hit a game ending home run off Jay Klein. He thought I
could only hit singles. Rounding the bases of redemption was a
another special moment for me. When I broke up two no hitters
from the star, city league pitcher. I felt like I had made the
grade, and that was awesome. 3 Easy watching I can sit in my
favorite chair and root for Derek Jeter to hit one up the gap.
Holding my breath with every pitch delivered to him. Or, I can
sit and read the paper and view the events of the game through
the corner of my eye. Either way is ok with me. 4 I am amazed by
what Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig accomplished in their careers. I
look at old film footage, or read about either The Babe or
Larripin Lou and always feel awed by the big numbers they both
put on the board. From home runs to RBIs to batting average to
runs scored, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig achieved over and over
again. 5 Double my pleasure. I could play baseball and get a tan
at the same time. 6 My sons played and my daughter still
plays. I have had the pleasure of sharing joyous moments with my
children. Times that I will not forget. Like when my daughter
got the game winning hit against Fair Lawn High School last
year. We won 1-0. I was jumping up and down. I was so excited. I
was so happy she delivered. 7 I love all of the statistics. Did
you ever see so many stats? Runs, RBIs, hits, doubles, triples,
home runs, stolen bases etc..... Comparing eras, or comparing
players. Duos like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig – how do they stack
up against other twosomes. Who had the highest batting average
in a three or four or five year stint? So many statistics to
choose form. It is endless. 8 A place to excel I loved taking a
hit away from the batter. I felt great stealing a base. Why is
it that stealing is bad except in baseball? My satisfaction was
heightened by a solid hit. This was the best. Ahhhh. I
especially felt great rounding the bases after hitting a homer.
I think I know how Babe Ruth felt when he whacked one. 9 My
favorite team is the Yankees. Of all the teams I root for in all
the professional sports I watch the Yankees are the only team
that wins on a fairly regular basis. All my other teams that I
root for in the other sports usually lose. It feels good when my
team wins. 10 I love the stories. Like the story Mickey Mantle
tells of the time when he first joined the Yankees. He was not
hitting well. His confidence was dwindling. After days of
desperation he called his father when he was playing near
Oklahoma. Mickey Mantle was hoping his father would give him a
pep talk. But when Muck Mantle got to the hotel room where
Mickey and the New York Yankees were staying. Muck did not give
his son a pep talk. He did the opposite. Mickey’s father told
Mickey that he was there to pick up his son and bring him home.
Mickey’s father said that he did not know he raised a quitter.
Mickey Mantle got the message. He started to hit after his
father left. He attributes that meeting with his father as a
turning point in his career. I have heard Mickey Mantle tell
that story a few times on tape or live. Whenever I hear him tell
it I am moved by Mickey’s love for his father. 11 It is just
the greatest game.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

Game In Progress

A Baseball Story A Game In Progress The game is getting down to
the nitty gritty and the opposing team is ready to pull ahead if
we don’t get our stuff together. Oh well I know I had him, blind
ump. The next batter is their number four batter and he is ready
to clean up. Meanwhile they have runners on first and third and
I now have to guard the line. We can still get out of the
inning. The crowd is noisy and the batter is hungry. The first
pitch is a called strike so we all feel confident that we can
get this guy out. The next pitch is hit at the second basemen
who tosses it to the shortstop, who covers second and then he
throws it to first to get the DP. All right we are out of the
inning and now we have last at bat. I know the only way I will
get up again is if the first two guys get on base and there are
no double plays. I know we are going to do it. I can feel it. In
fact we are all psyched up to beat this team, especially since
our coach was tossed from the game. It is our game to win. I am
batting in the second position but before me are our catcher,
then our pitcher and # one batter. We have to win. This is our
chance to advance and go on to play for the trophy. I know that
Tom who is the assistant coach will bat someone for Jerry but
Mike has got to do something, at least get on first. Mike steps
up to plate; he is a good consistent hitter and can usually get
on base when it is needed. All right Mikey you can do it. The
ball comes over the plate and the umpire calls ball one. Mike
steps out of the batter box and checks with the third base coach
for signals. He has gotten the swing away one. Mike steps back
in the box and connects with the next pitch. Everyone is on his
or her feet as the ball is heading toward the center field
fence. The fielder is tracking it, catching up to it as it nears
the fence and with one final surge he lifts his glove over his
head and Bingo, the ball falls in it as it was just about to
leave the stadium and find a place in some strangers hands.
That’s one out. Jerry Forth is taken out of the game after
pitching a great game, but it is now up to the team to win the
game in this inning. No one wants to go back onto the field,
that’s for sure. Our pinch batter is Orlando Sepeda who has been
hitting the ball well as of late even with his hip injury.
Orlando steps up to the plate and he is confident, as he takes a
few practice swings. Their pitcher is eyeing him as he stands
there in the batters box getting ready to hit the ball. The
pitch is a slider and Orlando lets it go as it misses the inside
of the plate. “Ball one.” The ump calls. Phew that was close.
The next pitch is a curve ball and it goes across the sweet spot
of the plate and Orlando hits a single to right field. All right
that’s the way. Bud Gottenhour is the next batter and if he gets
on it will be up to me as long as he doesn’t hit into a double
play. Three pitches come across the plate and he swings at each
one. He is out. It is that time once again when it is me against
my thoughts as they race through my mind about the situation I
am in. I walk to the batters box and with confidence; start my
warm up swings just waiting for the ball to come across. I like
to crouch down low with my hands choked up on the bat about an
inch. I feel the wood and make sure my grip is right. The
catcher is doing what a catcher does best, trying to psyche the
batter out of his focus. But I am not paying attention all I
concentrate on is the pitcher and his motions on the mound. I am
trying to get a read on him and watch the coach at the same time
on third base. I get the signal to hit away and the pitcher
hurls the ball. I watch as it starts to come out of his hand
trying to gage what kind of pitch and how to react to it. I step
forward and bring the bat off my shoulder and just miss the ball
as it goes into the catcher’s glove. Strike One. It was a good
pitch I just missed the timing, but I know if he throws another
one like that I will drill it into the outfield and drive in the
winning run. The crowd is noisy and the runner is anxious to
come home to end this game. I am ready as the next pitch comes
across and it’s a fast, ball that I connect with and the crack
of the bat is loud and the handle is the only part of it left in
my hand as the large part of the bat is heading towards the
pitchers mound. The ball is traveling towards the right fielder,
into the gap. The center fielder is on the run tracking the
ball. He dives towards the ball and the crowd is going wild. In
an instance my jubilation has come to an abrupt halt and my
heart sinks, as I know the fielder has made one heck of a catch
and I am out. Three outs and that’s it for this inning. Time
seems to stop for a moment as all around me goes silent and time
must catch up to the reality of the situation. I hear the crowd
again and realize that the fielder has dropped the ball and our
runner is heading towards home. All right I did it and I am safe
at second as the throw is wide to the catcher. We win the game.
This story was written by Saul Applebaum.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad / Saul Applebaum articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Cheaters

So What Else Is New? Baseball has seen it's fair share of
cheaters. And let me define what I think defines a cheater.
Simple: someone that breaks the rules. The list of cheaters in
baseball has been legendary. As long as the game has been around
there have been cheaters. Throughout baseball history there have
been many, spitballing, Emory board using, salve applying,
sandpapering, file mashing, greenie popping, cork stuffing,
baseball betting, and steroid using ballplayers. I'm sure I have
left something out. As much as I would love to see The Game
being played in its purest fashion of a level playing field the
chances are slim to none of that happening. As long as
ballplayers play the game there will always be people looking
for the upper hand. It's about getting the edge on your opponent
or creating the edge for yourself. It’s rampant today. The
stakes are high, for the professionals and the kids that watch
them. Oh give me that edge. I can hear a kid thinking to
himself. I can see the pressure some of these kids might be
under when their friends are taking some enhancer to bulk up or
speed up to strength up. What is a kid t do? Winning at any cost
is what it seems to be about. If the stakes are so high, like
millions of dollars, or making the team athletes will continue
to use the unusables. Athletes think they need that edge. Many a
player will cross the line. And go for the gold no matter what
the cost. So what if the next generation to do as they watch
today's players?. My guess is that they will emulate those that
hit the farthest and run the fastest and throw the hardest.
Unfortunately there will be a cost. Hopefully no one else will
lose their life from steroid use.

Ballplayers have looked for the edge for a long time. They will
continue to look for the competitive edge. Hopefully the
athletes will learn that by putting time in at the gym will be
better than putting injections into the arm, leg or butt.

Unless the penalty is so severe.

Aron Wallad Founder Baseball’s Pride and Joy

PS: So is the edge needed to be great so different in the
business world? Is the upper hand wanting to be achieved so
different in other sports? I am not in any way condoning
cheating. I am citing that cheating happens in many other areas
as well as baseball.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

Listen - The Crack Of The Bat

The other day, as I watched my daughter take batting practice
from her new batting coach, my eyes shifted to another batter
that was being coached by another teacher. Her swings were slow,
the ball was glancing off her bat and trickling into the batting
screen. Her hips were not rotating and there was no power being
generated from her swings.

The coach then took some time with her to show her some
techniques that would help her in her quest to be a better
hitter.. They spoke for about 10 minutes. Or should I say the
coach spoke for 10 minutes and the girl listened.

As I gazed back and forth between my daughter and this other
girl I realized that after about 20 more minutes of hitting and
talking with her coach that this girl ( we will call her this
girl ) was smacking the ball. Projectiles were streaming off her
bat. That loud crack from her bat was reverberating in the
facility.

It dawned on me. That this is why I love this game so much. I
loved that crack of the bat. I loved hitting that ball so right.
I loved it when the ball whistled in the air. Enjoying the other
aspects of the game like base running, fielding, and throwing
were great. But, I was deeply passionate about hitting. The
supreme challenge was why I started playing this game and why I
continue to enjoy watching it today. The anticipation of
watching a great batter get ready for the pitch. Awesome.

As I continued to watch my daughter, Manteee, and this other
girl hit better and better I could not help but feel an enormous
amount pleasure. They were transforming in front of me. Whatever
those coaches told them and whatever those two girls absorbed
from their coaches was generating solid hit after solid hit.

I could not believe how happy I was for my daughter and the girl
I did not know. There is something wonderful about learning and
that willingness to be taught. Even though I only watched them I
felt as if I was part of what was evolving in front of me.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading , evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Check out his baseball ezine.
Do you love inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of
all, heartwarming baseball stories? If you love baseball you
will love his baseball ezine.
Go here right now to join his ezine

Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

What A Great Night

What A Great Night The Time Machine brings me back to
Chancellor Avenue, Newark, New Jersey, circa 1964. Vintage cars
like the ’62 Oldsmobile Spitfire, 1957 and 1958 Chevy’s roamed
up and down the street passing The Bunny Hop, The Burgerama and
Dave’s Hot Dog Haven. Did we only eat French fries, hot dogs and
hamburgers back then? I think so.

On May 19th, 2005 I had the pleasure of attending the Sunday
morning group of boys that used to frequent Chancellor Avenue.
This event perpetuates the camaraderie that existed amongst us
boys. For some old boys the time machine went back to the
1920’s. There were some guys there that were 90 years old. I
felt great. I was one of the youngest guys to attend. Wow what
a group. There must have been over 200 boys of Chancellor there.
All of us used to hang out in the neighborhood. Most of us went
to Weequahic High School. Some went to South Side High School,
and some guys were from Hillside. And most of us played
baseball, basketball, softball, or football in our day. The
joyousness of the evening created a very loud room. I could not
hear myself think at times. I found myself leaning over and
placing my ear near someone’s mouth to hear what they were
saying. I saw a lot of this going on. Yes there was a lot of ear
to mouth. What made the evening special for me was seeing some
of my old buddies that I had not seen in quite some time. In
some cases over 20 years. Being able to hug some great guys like
Mr Barone, Stanley Levy, Big Jeff Schulman, Joe Margulies. Sandy
Markowitz and Jake Davis made the evening a great night. I felt
special because of the special people I was with. This was a
great night.

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

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2005-10-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Funny Baseball Quotes

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine
innings. Earl Wilson

When they start the game, they don't yell, "Work ball." They
say, "Play ball." Willie Stargell, 1981

When we played softball, I'd steal second base, feel guilty and
go back. Woody Allen

A baseball park is the one place where a man's wife doesn't mind
his getting excited over somebody else's curves. Brendan Francis

There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and
Willie Shakespeare. Tallulah Bankhead

Baseball is very big with my people. It figures. It's the only
way we can get to shake a bat at a white man without starting a
riot. Dick Gregory

What does a mama bear on the pill have in common with the World
Series? No cubs. Harry Caray

Confucius say: Baseball wrong - man with four balls cannot walk.
Author Unknown

With the money I'm making, I should be playing two positions.
Pete Rose, 1977

Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is listed as day-to-day.
Aren't we all? Vin Scully

Cricket is baseball on valium. Robin Williams

Finish last in your league and they call you Idiot. Finish last
in medical school and they call you Doctor. Abe Lemons

The doctors x-rayed my head and found nothing. Dizzy Dean

I managed a team that was so bad we considered a 2-0 count on
the batter a rally. Rich Donnelly, minor league manager

Let no one accuse baseball of not being tough on drugs. During
his baseball career, Steve Howe was given 7 lifetime
suspensions. Bill Ferraro, baseball fan.

I could never play in New York. The first time I came into a
game there, I got into the bullpen car and they told me to lock
the doors. Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles

On his own scouting report: "Very deceptive. Slower than he
looks. Joe Garagiola

A lot of things run through your head when you're going in to
relieve in a tight spot. One of them was, 'Should I spike myself
? Lefty Gomez

Three more saves and he ties John the Baptist. Hank Greenwald,
on Bruce Sutter

About the author:
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His
passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating,
and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes,
unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball
stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.

Go here right now to join his ezine
Baseballs Pride and Joy

More of Aron Wallad articles can be found at Go Articles

MLB Tickets - Yankees Tickets - Cubs Tickets

2005-10-12T04:53:00.000-07:00

~Resources~

Refinance Mortgage - Get Multiple Refiance Quotes from different lenders
Colorado Vacation Rental - Two-story condo is on the third floor of a ten unit building in the Wildernest subdivision of Silverthorne, Colorado.
Florida Keys Fishing Charters - Enjoy a Day of Fishing with one of our Professional Key Largo Fishing Guides...
Costa Rica - Travel and Vacation Guide for Costa Rica.
Debt Consolidation - If you’ve over extended credit cards and are looking to lower monthly payments, debt consolidation is a good way out of the situation.
Dish Network - Get dish network and a free DVR
Florida Keys Vacation Rentals - Vacation Rentals from Key Largo to Key West
Myrtle Beach - Travel Guide to Myrtle Beach
Virginia Beach - Online Vacation Guide for Virginia Beach.
New Zealand - Travel guide to New Zealand
Everglades - Travel guide to the Florida Everglades
Maui - Travel guide for the Island of Maui
Mexico - Travel guide for the country of Mexico
Orlando Vacation - Travel Guide for the Orlanodo Florida.
Montana Vacation - Travel guide to Montana
Arizona Travel - Travel guide for Arizona.
Refinance Mortgage - Take advantage of the internet marketplace while you shop around for financial products.
Travel Argentina - Travel Guide for Argentina.