Catching a foul ball is a great moment for a fan; for this Phillies fan with his young daughter it’s all the sweeter because he can give the precious ball to her for a memento that she is sure to treasure for the rest of her life.
Or she would have if she didn’t throw it immediately back onto the field. I guess she’s not a Jayson Werth fan?
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Despite being hyped as being quite the money manager, Lenny Dykstra’s second career as a finance guru has collapsed in recent months with him being forced into bankruptcy. Now, as a means to try and raise some money, auctioneers are planning on selling a number of memorabilia items that Nails left at a Beverly Hills pawnshop.
Among the items available are his 1986 Mets World Series ring and a trophy from the series. Advanced guesses place the items as being valued for more than $20,000.
Scheduled to take place in Texas and online October 1 and 2, the auction being held by Heritage Auctions Inc provides the chance for Mets fans to own a piece of history. Hark back to the days when they actually WON games, as opposed to being officially eliminated as of last night.
Meanwhile, Lenny reportedly owes more than $31 million to debtors and has a mere $50,000 in assets. I’m no financial expert myself but that seems like a big problem.
[Heritage Auctions and ABC News]
It’s usually an honor to have something named after you, unless of course you’re former major leaguer Steve Blass who inexplicably lost the ability to accurately throw a ball and has since seen any player who loses the skill be said to have “Steve Blass Disease.”
Blass won 19 games in 1972 but in 1973 his control went downhill and he lost the ability to locate. Within two years he was out of the game.
This past Thursday Blass participated in the annual Pirates alumni golf outing along with several other former players where he managed a very impressive feat; Blass scored TWO holes-in-one in ONE round.
“It’s the first time I signed more autographs than [Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski],” Blass said, “And it’ll probably be the last.”
Blass and his group of 5 started on the back nine and so the first one happened on the par-3 15th hole when Blass powered an 8-iron through the 154 yard hole. The second ace came on the 7th hole, a 175-yard par-3.
According to Golf Digest, the odds of a golfer making two holes-in-one in the same round are 1 in 67 million.
“I can finally make some kind of ball go where I want it to,” Blass said. “Maybe it’s a sign from above that I should start pitching again.”
Friday’s Tigers/Blue Jays game featured a very special visitor to the mound; a 6-year-old boy in the stands who jumped out of the stands at the end of the 7th inning and went straight towards the mound. His hat falling off his head, the little boy grabbed the ball that was left on the mound for the Tigers’ next pitcher and ran back to the stands.
Security was obviously caught unawares but in a surprising bit of decency, and conferring with a police office and the boy’s uncle who was in the crowd they allowed the boy to go back to his seats and to keep the ball.
According to the uncle, his nephew misunderstood when he suggested that he go to the railing and try and get a ball. A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E.
I’m trying to find video of it, but so far it eludes me. Don’t worry though, I’m on the case!
I’ve been a fan of the Cleveland Indians’ marketing staff all season, their bobblehead choices (here, here and here) have been particularly inspired. However, today’s promotion just seems a little off; all fans who enter tonight’s game against the Royals will receive an Indians logo fleece blanket. This seems like the perfect way to remember their truly offensive past logos. What a time!
Also, for some reason I just don’t associate free blankets and the Indians in a good light; that hasn’t gone so well in the past…
I’d say Progressive Insurance, who are sponsoring the giveaway, aren’t quite living up to their name.
Nearly free of the Chicago Cubs after their sale, the Chicago Tribune can finally see the team in a light-hearted manner. Or at least one clever editor in the Birth Announcements section can where this notice was slipped in:
Suki and Justa Crapi Yeare of Chicago’s north side are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Waitle Nex, born Thursday, August 20th in Los Angeles. The entire Yeare family eagerly awaits her arrival back in Chicago. The first Waitle Nex Yeare was born in Chicago in 1909. It’s too bad great-great-grandma isn’t around to see her namesake.
Baby Waitle was born several weeks premature but is somehow perfectly healthy. Doctors tell us that the chip on Waitle’s shoulder will wear down over the winter and she will be 100% healthy by spring. You should see how cute she looks with the albatross necklace around her neck.
Hey, what’s a century of failure between friends? Don’t worry Cubbies fans, now you have NEX YEARE on your side.
Obviously, this pains me to write, but here goes anyways; congratulations to Derek Jeter. While I’ll never be a fan of the Yankees and you continue to be embarassingly overrated at shortstop, tying Lou Gehrig’s record for most hits all-time for a Yankee is a pretty awesome feat.
Unlike other Yankees, my dislike for Jeter is solely on the field. He’s the guy you don’t want your team to have to face when the game is on the line. He loves the game, he loves to play and will do anything he can to get out on that field. He’s the ultimate competitor and has enjoyed a phenomenal career thus far.
As he’s been getting older Jeter seems to be IMPROVING, he had one of his best all-time seasons in 2006 and he’s nearly matching it this year, despite hitting age 35 this season. Even his defense hasn’t been woeful this year!
Jeter will certainly pass 3,000 hits next season and, if he got the playing time conceivably could even get to 4,000 which is crazy. Now, I don’t think he will because after his contract runs out next season his years as the starting shortstop for the Yankees will begin coming to a close. With Teixeira and A-Rod under contract for the better part of the next decade, there isn’t an obvious place to move Jeter to on the diamond. Maybe second base or left field, but most likely he’ll become some sort of a 3-4 game a week player in a utility role. Regardless where he plays, Jeter will hit.
At the end of his games, that’s the last you hear of Jeter until the next day’s lineups. You don’t see Jeter on any steroids list, or a police blotter or in court for some silly lawsuit, off the field he does just 2 things; crush some of the hottest ladies in the world and think about baseball. I may dislike him strongly, but I certainly respect and appreciate him.
ed to add: I will say though that I am SHOCKED the Yankees have never had a 3,000 hits player in their history. I know they’ve had players who have reached that point, but never solely as a Yankee. In the end, this isn’t THAT big a story, but in my mind, anytime you get mentioned with Lou Gehrig it’s a pretty big deal.
Some of the wives and girlfriends of the Boston Red Sox players took some time out of their day yesterday to model some “swanky” clothes for their annual Fenway to the Runway fundraiser. The event, which raised $75,000 for the Red Sox Foundation featured among others: Kristen Bay, Ana Delcarmen, Farrah Lester, Sheigh Drew, Bertha Lowell, Tomoyo Matsuzaka, Yuka Okajima, Tiffany Ortiz, Lindsay Clubine (fromer Deal or no Deal model and Clay Bucholz’ fiancee), and team owner John Henry’s blushing new bride, Linda Pizzuti.
I for one am furious they didn’t hold this event back when Mark Kotsay was still on the team so we could get some new photos of his astonishingly hot wife, Jamie. Well, I’ll have to make do with supporting a good cause, and supporting Farrah Lester. Wowzers.
When not signing obsenity-laden memorabilia for children or starting spring training fights, occasionally — very occasionally — Shelley Duncan gets called up to the majors for a few meaningless at-bats with the Yankees. A marginal talent who can hit fastballs and little else, Shelley is also the son of famed pitching coach Dave Duncan and brother to the equally medium-talented Chris Duncan. Star of the cult classic The Toxic Avenger, Toxie is forced to build a home in a junkyard while fighting crime in his neighborhood. His calling card was leaving a mop on his victims’ faces, which, if you think about it, is really gross. Reader Saint Dynamite‘s little bro, minizeges, sent this along so VOTE in the poll below to send it to the permanent doppelgangers page.
On September 1st the Red Sox signed two Aruban-born brothers, Xander and Jair Bogaerts to minor-league contracts. The young gentlemen made this delightful video showing their enthusiasm for the sport that has exactly what you want in a youtube clip; a CGI animated grasshopper!
Also, did you know that in Dutch baseball is called honkball? I like it!
Trailing the Rockies by 4 games in the wild card race, the chances of the Atlanta Braves making the playoffs aren’t great. That isn’t stopping Braves reliever Peter Moylan though. The burly Aussie righthander who has had 75 appearances this year without allowing a home run has shaved his head, well, part of it, in what he’s terming the “Rally Head.”
He’s not worried that he looks like a bad James Lipton or John Smoltz impersonator, “”I would do anything appearance-wise to get into the playoffs,” he told MLB.com.
While his hair efforts aren’t likely to make much difference, he intends to keep the new ‘do, at least until September 20, when former teammate John Smoltz and the Cardinals come to town.
Undrafted out of Northwestern, Chris Hayes paid his own way to Arizona for the possibility of some open tryouts with a few MLB teams and living his dream of playing in the big leagues. Someone mentioned to him that the Royals were also having a try-out.
“Where?” Hayes asked.
“Surprise,” the guy said.
“What’s the surprise?” Hayes asked.
“The town,” the guy said.
“The tryout is going to be in a surprise town?” Hayes asked.
“Exactly,” the guy said.
Amazingly, he went to the try-out and the Royals offered him a minor-league contract. Hayes, nicknamed “Disco” because his sidearm-flung fastballs all are in the 70s, doesn’t light up the radar gun, obviously, and had never in his life ever made an all-star team, at any level of baseball.
After his first year in Single A, Hayes finished the season with three times as many strikeouts as walks, and a 2.66 ERA. The Royals were unimpressed and sent him back to A ball the next year. His numbers were again impressive, again he struck out 3 times as many as he walked. They offered him a job in the front office but he wanted to keep trying for his dream. Finally, they promoted him. He pitched with a 1.64 ERA and again 3 times as many strikeouts as walks. They didn’t believe in the numbers and so held him at AA for another year. He repeated his stellar numbers AGAIN. Continue reading ‘Disco Hayes Coming to a Big League Park Near You?’
The Slanch Report has started an online petition asking the MLB Network to air the Dock Ellis no-hitter he threw on June 12, 1970 against the San Diego Padres. The moment was a seminal piece of baseball history and is certainly worthy of being rerun.
Please join us in this cause and sign the petition below so we can all share in this special and fantastic moment of baseball history. THANKS!
SIGN THE PETITION HERE! AND PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND PASS THIS ALONG!
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