By the time I was ten, playing baseball got to be like eating vegetables or taking out the garbage.  So when I was 14, I started to refuse.  Could you believe that?  An American boy refusing to play catch with his father?  -Field of Dreams

Like my main man, the late great Harmon Killebrew always says, “My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.  Mother would come out and say, You’re tearing up the grass.  We’re not raising grass, Dad would reply.  We’re raising boys.”  Last night, Will Venable hit his first career leadoff home run.  Hooray Will Venable!  His father, Max, hit two leadoff home runs in his major-league career (1990 and 1991). Hooray Max Venable! Just so you know, the only other father/son combination featuring an active player in which each player hit a leadoff homer is the Brantleys. Mickey hit one for the Mariners in 1987; Michael had one last season.  Now, with this being so close to Father’s Day and all, I thought I’d give a shout-out to some of the Baseball father’s in the house: Read More »

I know we’ve come so far, but we’ve got so far to go.  I know the road seems long, but it won’t be long ’till it’s time to go.  So, most days we’ll take it fast, and some nights lets we’ll take it slow.  I know we’ve come so far, but baby, baby, we’ve got so far to go.  -Hairspray

I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking it’s too early for this.  Like Sean Penn and Chaz Palmenteri, too Hurly Burly for this.  Don’t call me Shirley for this.  That’s what you’re thinking.  It’s not what I’m thinking.  I’m thinking what Yogi Berra is thinking.  I’m thinking, “It gets late awfully early around here.”  Heck, we’re already 36 games into the season.  That’s 2/9 of all games.  That’s 22%.  22% mental.  The other half physical.  Let’s get physical, physical.  I wanna get physical.  Let’s get physical and see what’s what.  Like Stan the Man Musial always says:  “I never realized that batting a little ball around could cause so much commotion.”  These cats are causing a commotion.  A loco-motion.  My little baby sister can do it with ease.  It’s easier than learning your a b c’s.  So come on, come on, do the loco-motion with me.  Come on with me and let’s take a peak at the All So Far Team, shall we?  Sure we shall!           Read More »

A sad trend has developed at the start of the 2011 baseball season, a trend that has probably been going on for awhile (just search you tube for proof).  Simply put: Baseball Fans be Acting a Fool!  It started opening day in Los Angeles when two coward Dodgers fans beat a San Francisco Giants fan in the parking lot at Dodgers Stadium.   While the Giants fan battles in a hospital, his two attackers remain at large.

Fast forward to this past Saturday where a man was beaten and tasered by Pittsburgh Police while taking in the Pirates – Colorado Rockies game.  Video After the jump.

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Yes, ah, I, oh, I’m gonna love you. Oh, oh, nothing can stop me, now. ‘Cause I’m The Duke of Earl. -Gene Chandler

Before Al Gore invented the interwebs; before Baseball-Reference ever existed; before stuff like that there, there was the Baseball Encyclopedia. When I was a kid, for my 12th birthday, my father gave the Baseball Encyclopedia.  I poured over that huge tome of a book like Rabbi Akiva poured over the Torah.  I poured over that huge tome of a book like Daniel Webster poured over the US Constitution.  As I poured over that huge tome of a book, certain years stood out.  Like Jake LaMotta always says, “They still ring in my ears, after years, they remain in my thoughts.”  Years like Babe Ruth, 1921.  Years like Bob Gibson, 1968.  Like Hank Aaron, 1957 and Ted Williams, 1941.  Big years.  Phenomenal years.  Memorable years.  Duke Snider, in 1955, had one of those big, phenomenal, memorable years.          Read More »

Sunny day.  Sweepin’ the clouds away.  On my way to where the air is sweet.  Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?  How to get to Sesame Street?  -Sesame Street Theme

Public Service Announcement:  Back in 1969, Sesame Street hit the airwaves.  Here we are, more than forty years later, and the Muppets characters created by Jim Henson are still going strong.  Still teaching us right from wrong.  Bang the gong!  Now I like Kermit, Oscar ans Big Bird  as much as the next guy, but my favorite parts were when athletes made their guest appearances.  After the jump, enjoy some of the best athlete appearances on Sesame Street of all time:             Read More »

Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?  Will it be the same if I saw you in heaven?  I must be strong, and carry on ’cause I know I don’t belong, here in heaven.  -Eric Clapton

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Yesterday, I wrote about MLB’s top base stealers.  The guys with big wheelers.  I mentioned Lou Brock.  I mentioned Rickey Henderson.  I mentioned Willie Wilson, Tommy Harper, Rock Raines and guys like there.  One guy I negelected to mention was Willie Davis.  Willie Davis may not have been the best player to have ever bled Dodger Blue, but he certainly was one of the most exciting.  Nobody went from first to third faster than Davis.  Nobody.  Not Maury Wills.  Not nobody.  He had thirteen seasons of 20 or more stolen bases.  He led the NL in triples twice.  Davis was found dead in his Burbank, California yesterday by a neighbor who sometimes brought him breakfast.  He will be missed. 

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

I’ve looked at life from both sides now.  From win and lose and still somehow, it’s life’s illusions I recall.  I really dont know life at all.  -Joni Mitchell

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Think Twoface.  Think Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Gilligan.  Think Sybil.  Think those folks there.  You have regular season Joe Torre, and then you have Post Season Joe Torre.  With six you get eggroll.  The regular-season version of Joe Torre has been known to cut his veteran starting pitchers some slack.  He’s been prone to leaving guys in close games in order to preserve the opportunity for them to earn their all mighty win.  Guys like Roger Clemens.  Guys like David Cone.  Guys line Andy Pettitte.  But come playoff time, abracadabra, presto-chango, it’s a new Joe Torre entirely.       Read More »

Down…The paint is peelin’.  Now…When the chips are down.  Down…You gotta lose all feelin’.  Now…when the chips are down.  Down…Your head goes round ‘n’ round.  -Terror Squad

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Archibald Wright Graham once asked if there was enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?  Yes there is, Archie.  Yes there is.  There always is.  The 200 men representing eight cities in these here playoffs will create enough magic to make all our dreams true.      Read More »

What does it take to be number one?  Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers.  What does it take to be number one?  -Nelly

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  I know, I know.  This is Albert Pujols’ world and everybody else is just living in it.  Matt Kemp is living in it.  Living large in it.  Taking charge in it.  Top of the pops like DeBarge in it.  Last night, Matt Kemp was 2-for-3 with a bomb.  Last night, Matt Kemp scored two runs and stole a base in the Dodgers‘ win over the Diamondbacks. 

Just so you know, Kemp now has a .316/.375/.525 line to go along with 23 bombs, 87 RBI and 29 stolen bases.  Just so you know, Matt Kemp is well on his way to a  a 30-30 season.  Just so you know, he can flash that leather too.  Chris Berman style.  Making daily sprawling plays in centerfield.  Spectacular plays.  Graceful plays.  Reckless plays.  Think Aaron Rowand.  Think Aaron Rowand crossed with Mikhail Baryshnikov.  Yes, that good.  Probably better.  So while I know all about Albert Pujols, it’s high time you folks learned about Matt Kemp.

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

It had to be you, it had to be you.  I wandered around, and finally found the somebody who could make me be true and could make me be blue.  -Frank Sinatra

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Make no mistakes about it, I love me some Manny Ramirez.  But, first thing’s first.  First thing is, I did not like the way Manny Ramirez went out.  Not one bit.  I did not like it in a box.  I did not like it with a fox.  I did like the two rings he brought to Boston.  I did like having the best right handed hitter that baseball has ever seen.  The best there’s ever been.  A lean mean hitting machine.  Liked it a lot.  But now he’s gone.  That’s life, that’s what all the people say.  You’re riding high in April.  Shot down in May.  But Manny changed that tune.  Now that he’s back on top, back on top in June July.       Read More »