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Baseball 2017


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"The one constant through all the years has been Baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, then erased again. But Baseball has marked the time. This game, this field, is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that was once good. And could be again"

 

 

The camps are open. Pitchers and Catchers report by Friday. The first full club games begin next week. The World Baseball Classic starts in three weeks. It might be cold in Memphis but in Florida & Arizona spring has arrived. It's time to talk hardball.

 

Tired of politics? Tired of international conflicts? Tired of bad news? You'll find none of that here. Baseball asks for nothing other than your time and attention. And rewards as much of that as you'll freely give with drama, excitement, and a diversion that, for the next 256 days (give or take), will be on and new every single day. Sitting in the stands, watching on TV, listening on the radio or internet, or even checking the previous nights box scores you are participating in a truly American tradition going back to the 1870's. As Casey Stengel once said "every game is an entire season". It's all new every day. And on April 2, everyone is a contender. When that first pitch i thrown there is no past, only future. 

 

To start things off Congrats to the Brisbane Bandits who won the Australian Baseball Leagues Championship (and 2nd coolest trophy in sports after the Stanley Cup; The Claxton Shield) for the 2nd year in a row. They have three Tampa Bay Rays prospects on the team so I was pulling for them.

 

AE9Q1801_w7bdkygw_mkvs8vcj.jpg

 

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Waiting on the announcement of the privately-financed waterfront ballpark next to Jack London Square against a backdrop of Imperial Walkers.

 

rawImage.jpg

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"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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That would be sweet. I wonder, if the Raiders do move will that make it easier for the A's to get a new stadium?

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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That would be sweet. I wonder, if the Raiders do move will that make it easier for the A's to get a new stadium?

Both teams were essentially waiting on the other to leave under their respective old regimes. This was the old Coliseum complex plan.

 

For now, the A's plans are independent of the Raiders' since they want to get a downtown ballpark.

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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And just like that Alex Reyes is out for the season: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/215977432/alex-reyes-to-have-tommy-john-surgery/

 

The Cardinals are not staring out too well. They were penalized for the Astros mess Failed to sign the three biggest free agents they pursued, and now lost their 5th starter and best prospect for the season.

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Please! Please please please please please let this happen: http://www.sbnation.com/2017/2/9/14560550/miami-marlins-sale-jeffrey-loria

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Offseason report cards. I thought they were a little hard on the Marlins. It's not like top name pitchers grow on trees.

 

http://www.si.com/mlb/2017/02/16/winter-report-cards-final-grades

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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video

best part were the end

 

"you still want my bat?"

 

"no."

 

HA! Good Fun!

"If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)

"Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)

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Yeah, I lol'd at that, myself.

 

One of the great National League injustices was when crooked voters robbed Maddux of the 2003 Gold Glove. Only year between 1990 and 2008 he didn't win it.

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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The A's are looking at four potential stadium locations: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/02/20/kaval-four-potential-sites-for-new-oakland-athletics-ballpark/

 

You have to figure if the Raiders do leave, the Warriors are already crossing the Bay, the municipalities are going to be motivated to keep their last big league pro team.

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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I'd say the A's preference would be Howard Terminal (as alluded to in my post above) followed by the Lake Merritt sites with the Coliseum as the fallback.

 

All those sites are owned by the city/county but each have their own challenges.

 

Howard Terminal: Environmental impact concerns and about one mile away from BART Station.

 

Lake Merritt: Parking and traffic access. Property in use by the local community college.

 

Coliseum: The Raiders and not compatible with retail and restaurant access. Not downtown.

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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The Rays are closing in on a new ballpark too. they want one in downtown Tampa but it really looks like the fates are aligned against it. The easiest location is in the north part of Tampa where the old greyhound track used to be. It's got public transportation nearby and room to develop. But they want to be in the middle of things and that location is a little remote. They have two spots in mind in St. Pete and the city seems willing to do a lot to keep them on the west side of the Bay. But I think that is a mistake. The majority of ticket buyers are coming from Tampa not St. Pete. The Marlins made the mistake of moving away from their fan base and despite that beautiful new stadium attendance has not been all that good. I hope the Rays take note.

 

Too bad this one fell through. It was a open air with a retractable sail cloth cover. It was supposed to go on the waterside in St. Pete.

 

rays-previous.jpg

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Sacrilege!

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18737245/mlb-union-agree-get-rid-traditional-intentional-walkwill-use-signal-dugout

 

Thou shalt count to four balls, no more, no less. Four shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be four. Five shalt thou not count, neither count thou three, excepting that thou then proceed to four. Once the number four, being the fourth number, be reached, then proceedest thou towards First Base...

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Sacrilege!

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18737245/mlb-union-agree-get-rid-traditional-intentional-walkwill-use-signal-dugout

 

Thou shalt count to four balls, no more, no less. Four shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be four. Five shalt thou not count, neither count thou three, excepting that thou then proceed to four. Once the number four, being the fourth number, be reached, then proceedest thou towards First Base...

 

About time if you ask me. I never saw the sense in going through the motions. 

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Activism from the Bench at its worst. It's like we're going back to the rules bending days of Happy Chandler and Kenesaw Mountain Landis! This ain't what Abner Doubleday and the Founders intended or codified.

 

Progressives.

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"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Activism from the Bench at its worst. It's like we're going back to the rules bending days of Happy Chandler and Kenesaw Mountain Landis! This ain't what Abner Doubleday and the Founders intended or codified.

 

Progressives.

Bah, the purists probably want to go back to 221 game seasons and 9 game world series!

 

But this BS they are going to "experiment" with in the Arizona summer League for extra innings just sucks. Each team starts with a runner on 2nd in the 10th inning. Nuts to that little league crap!

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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The San Francisco Giants have paid off AT&T Stadium: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/02/23/att-park-paid-off/

 

Josh Hamilton needs knee surgery.... again. Enough is enough Josh: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article135086139.html

 

He's back: http://nypost.com/2017/02/26/the-tim-tebow-show-hits-mets-camp/

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Real baseball begins in

 

mlb_a_coleman_3001.jpg

 

days!

 

Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson are the only players in history to have three 100 steal seasons. Coleman did it last in 1987

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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492473d1487599661-countdown-release-ootp492477d1487612878-countdown-release-ootp

 

days left. The man on the left is Craig Swan, the best pitcher you've never heard of. Twice he led the NL in SO, and ERA and in '78 finished with a 2.43. But the Mets were just terrible then so his record was 9-6 and got no love for the Cy Young.

 

The man on the right needs no introduction to Dodgers fans and haters.... Matt Kemp

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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