Los Angeles Dodgers Take Down Mannywood Banner
Gone
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez is effectively watching his career with the Dodgers coming to an end from the DL, his third stint this year. The 38-year-old could be also witnessing his time in Major League Baseball coming to an end as well.
The Dodgers currently 5 1/2 games back in the National League West entered Dodger Stadium on Monday to see that left-field section just next to the Dodgers bullpen “Mannywood” is no more. The “Mannywood” banner has been replaced with signs sold to John Hancock and 790 KABC.
The Dodgers, however, are still selling Mannywood seats, two tickets and two T-shirts for $99 however not that many fans are buying those seats right now. The two sections were almost completely deserted Monday night which is getting to be the norm without Ramirez in left field.
Los Angeles Dodgers Matt Kemp Channels Inner Michael Jackson
Beat It Dodger Style
The King of Swing, really? I’m all for team spirit but that’s pushing it Dodgers. Cool to see Matt Kemp get his Michael Jackson on and getting into the whole 80′s night poster giveaway, which is taking place August 6. Kudos to the marketing department for putting the finishing touches on the poster with the whole credits thing.
San Francisco Giants Minor League Affiliate To Host Rule 8.06 Night
Don't Hate Cause You Dont Know The Rules
Minor League teams are known for having crazy promotional nights but the Fresno Grizzlies, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, are looking to cash in on their longtime rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers snafu by hitting coach Don Mattingly. In honor of Mattingly’s ignorance of an obscure baseball rule, the Grizzlies are staging Rule 8.06 Night.
On Tuesday night Dodgers Mattingly made a visit to reliever Jonathan Broxton on the pitcher’s mound. Upon returning towards the dugout, and after leaving the 18-foot mound circle, Mattingly doubled back to speak to Broxton again, thereby constituting a second visit. This required Broxton to be removed from the game, pursuant to Official Baseball Rule 8.06 (b):
A second trip to the same pitcher in the same inning will cause this pitcher’s automatic removal from the game
Broxton was removed causing George Sherrill to be inserted and then Giants Adrian Torres hit a go-ahead two-run double to give the Giants a lead they would not relinquish.
So any fan who purchases a ticket to tonight’s game, then makes a return trip to the box office on the same night mentioning Rule 8.06, will receive a free ticket to either the Tuesday, July 27 or Wednesday, July 28 home games against the Tacoma Rainiers.
Gotta love minor league baseball.
Washington Nationals Stephen Strasburg Baseball Sells For $20K
Real Deal?
When your the talk of the baseball world like Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg for over a year before even making a big league debut and then in his first career start goes out and strikes out 14 while walking zero, the stardom train is leaving in a hurry.
Strasburg already has had his rookie baseball card sell for over $16,000 and with TV executives switching previous schedule games in favor of Strasburg starts, how much would a signed baseball from his first game go for?
Major League Baseball has jumped on the train as they authenticated all the baseballs used by the rookie phenom in his major league debut and put some for sale on their auction site. In the second inning Strasburg struck out Pittsburgh Pirates Garrett Jones and MLB snagged the ball.
They put it up for sale with a starting bid of $300, the bidding rose quickly and the final price came in from user Merkle923 for $20,010. Merkle923 is baseball enthusiast and MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. Over the last few years Olbermann has, using the Merkle923 account, bid on a number of baseball items through MLB and other auction sites.
His next start is tomorrow against the Chicago White Sox and will be broadcast on the MLB Network instead of it’s original Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers game.
Washington Nationals Stephen Strasburg Quickly Becoming A TV Star
Real Deal?
When your the talk of the baseball world like Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg for over a year before even making a big league debut and then in his first career start goes out and strikes out 14 while walking zero, the stardom train is leaving in a hurry.
Strasburg already has had his rookie baseball card sell for over $16,000 but now the TV executives are hoping to hop on and stay for awhile. He’s quickly becoming a TV star as TBS has added Sunday’s Washington Nationals/Cleveland Indians game, which is Strasburg’s second major league start, to its schedule and replaced a previously scheduled matchup of the Philadelphia Phillies/Boston Red Sox.
The train doesn’t stop their for Strasburg as the MLB Network has added the June 18 Chicago White Sox/Washington Nationals game, Strasburg’s third start, replacing Boston Red Sox/Los Angeles Dodgers. I’ll be watching of course but to be replacing Boston Red Sox twice is very shocking to me.
R.I.P. Jose Lima
R.I.P.
A sad day for baseball fans once again in 2010 as we learned just minutes ago that former Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers,and New York Mets pitcher Jose Lima died from a massive heart attack at the age of 37.
Lima a former All-Star and 21 game winner dazzled baseball fans by the way he celebrated strikeouts and victories over his competitors, which birth the saying ‘Lima Time’. Other times where not as celebrated as he did bounce from team to team and back to team while also leading the league in home runs giving up several times.Lima was 89-102 in 13 seasons and leaves behind a wife and five children.
Thank you entertaining baseball fans everywhere, its Lima Time.
Los Angeles Dodgers Ownership At Stake In McCourts Split Part III
Off The Richter Scale
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ordered Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to pay his estranged wife, Jamie, $637,159 a month in temporary spousal support, plus lawyers fees pending their divorce.
The amount that Judge Scott Gordon decided upon falls short of the $988,845 that Jamie McCourt requested. More than half that requested amount ($568,829), her lawyers said, is needed to pay the costs, including mortgages, of seven homes and an eighth piece of property in Mexico that are listed in her name. Her lawyers argued that spousal support should include those costs since her estranged husband used to contribute funds to the housing.
The judge specified that $412,159 of the monthly total should go to payment of costs associated with the properties, but ordered the property in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to be sold.
In the months since she made her lofty financial request, Jamie McCourt has been vilified in the court of public opinion and in the courtroom where her husband’s attorney, Sorrell Trope, likened her to Marie Antoinette.
Her lawyers argued that Frank McCourt has access to $18 million annually and should not withhold from his wife the funds she needs to maintain the lifestyle that they created together.
His lawyers on the other hand said the Dodgers franchise was not Frank McCourt’s “personal piggy bank” and that he only has an annual income of just $5 million.
The bigger source of conflict which still yet to be decided and could have major consequences outside their marriage is over ownership of the Dodgers.
Frank McCourt argues that he alone owns the baseball team. Jamie McCourt says they share ownership. The trial on that issue is scheduled to begin in late August.
Kentucky Derby Could See Los Angeles Dodgers Connection
Horse Walks Into A Bar, Bartender Says Why The Long Face?
The Kentucky Derby is just right around the corner which is less than 10 days away. This years Kentucky Derby will have Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre’s own horse running in it.
Homeboykris is Torre’s horse and would be a stunning upset for this year in 2010 Kentucky Derby betting odds as he opened as a 60-1 but has moved up to 35-1. So far this year as a three year old Homeboykris has two starts with one place and total earnings of $14,000. Last year as a two year old Homeboykris had four starts with two wins and total earnings of $260,000. It is that performance as a two year old that has Homeboykris listed as a bona fide Kentucky Derby contender.
Homeboykris is actually on the bubble for the race at the moment. He’s ranked 20th in the money out of the twenty horses slated to race next Saturday, with the potential that he could be bumped from the list if Devil May Care is entered in the Derby instead of the Kentucky Oaks.
So Dodgers fans if you see any questionable managerial decisions coming from Torre in the next 10 days be kind, his mind is elsewhere.
Jackie Robinson Day
PROUD
On this day back in 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball and today 63 years after the monumental occasion parks across North America will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. Robinson becoming the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues prefaced the integration of the U.S. military and public schools.
For the second consecutive year, Commissioner Bud “Genius” Selig has invited all players and uniformed personnel to wear the late Hall of Famer’s famous No. 42. That number was retired by Selig throughout baseball in 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson taking the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
“April 15, 1947, is a day that resonates with history throughout Major League Baseball,” Selig said. “With all Major League players, coaches and umpires wearing Jackie’s No. 42, we hope to demonstrate the magnitude of his impact on the game of baseball. Major League Baseball will never forget the contributions that Jackie made both on and off the field.”
This year’s main celebration is at Yankee Stadium, just north of where Robinson initially played for the Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Jackie’s widow, Rachel Robinson, and his daughter, Sharon, will be in attendance. There also will be ceremonies in the other 11 ballparks and Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars will be honored. Jackie’s Foundation offers a $10,000 scholarship toward college tuition for minority students and has awarded $18 million in scholarships to more than 1,300 people.
Even clubs that are not hosting games today will have an opportunity to honor Robinson, as any team that is not playing at home will hold Jackie Robinson Day celebrations at their ballparks during another home stand in April. The celebration at each ballpark will include a ceremonial home plate and special lineup cards to commemorate the day.
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is the only active player and last player to ever regularly wear the No. 42 as Rivera has been wearing the number since his rookie year in 1995 which was prior to Selig retiring it in 1997.
Matt Kemp Concerned About His Girlfriends Fans
Disturbia
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield Matt Kemp has a very famous girlfriend in Rihanna and one of the new things he’s getting used to dating her is her fan mail. Rihanna has dealt with unwanted stalkers on several different occasions before, but its all new game for Kemp.
That’s caused Kemp to be very upset about some of her very graphic fan mail his Barbadian babe has been receiving. He’s asked Rihanna’s handlers to be extra-cautious while in public. The Dodger superstar has even asked the Dodgers to prepare for extra security if she attends some home games.
The racy fan mail hasn’t just shaken up Kemp but her closest friends for her to beef up security before the situation with the stalker does not get out of hand.
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: Outfield
Sleeper Pick
Can you believe it’s less than a week away from the opening of the 2010 baseball season. Just 5 days away from Opening Day and its time to leap into the outfield position for those still to have their fantasy baseball draft this weekend. In the outfield is where you will find players who will gather the most points for you through out the season in five categories. Those categories being hitting for average/home runs/RBI’s/scoring runs and stealing bases. Guys like Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun, Los Angeles Dodgers Matt Kemp and Tampa Bay Rays Carl Crawford are the best at this and will be sure to be taken early so lets go deeper.
Breakout Player: Jay Bruce Cincinnati Reds
- Bruce hit .207 with 18 homers through July 11 but suffered a wrist injury that day and didn’t return until September 14. After Bruce returned to the Reds lineup he hit .326 with four home runs in 18 games. Look for Bruce who’s coming into his third big league season to settle into a 500 at bat season to go along with a 35 home run season.
Sleeper Player: Shin-Soo Choo, Cleveland Indians
- Choo exceeded all of the 2009 projections of his skill and surely will be on quite a few radars in 2010. Choo had 20 steals and it turned him into a legitimate five category player and proved to be a huge bonus. Choo is only 27 and is reaching the age when most hitters mature so it’s likely to carry his 2009 season into a breakout with 20 plus home runs and a 95 RBI season. I expect him to stay around the same in the steal department with an increase of two or three.
Risky Player: Carlos Beltran, New York Mets
- When healthy Beltran has been one of the games overall best players. However the healthy part is what hurt the Mets and his production last year with him only able to play in 81 games and 308 at bats. His health is already worrisome when him to miss at least the first month of the season recovering from knee surgery. Even with a return expected around mid May doesn’t come with guarantee that he will be that of old form. Try to avoid Beltran till very end of the draft or possibly look to acquire him on the waiver wire after draft day.
Slipping Player: Johnny Damon, Detroit Tigers
- Damon did have an excellent year by his standards and most but remember he was backed by a favorable right field porch in Yankee Stadium and a deadly Yankee batting lineup. Now Damon finds himself in spacious Comerica Park and and the Tigers will hope he relies on stealing the 29 bases he did in 2008 or a number close to it, not the 12 he had in 2009. His 24 home runs from 2009 will also be a thing of the past now playing a pitcher friendly park. New expectations in far different park than he’s been used too and this all comes at the age of 36.
Be sure to come back for a bonus preview of outfield position.
Seattle Mariners Milton Bradley Thinks He’s Kannye West
I'm Really Happy For You & Gonna Let You Finish but
Yeah the headline isn’t a joke but as a Milton Bradley fan I seem to be laughing. Bradley who has had his run ins with everyone from umpires, TV announcers, mangers, the front office, the media, and even Chicago Cubs fans sees himself though in a different light.
“If I was a musician, I’d be Kanye West. If I was in the NBA, I’d be Ron Artest,” the 31-year-old former Montreal Expo, Cleveland Indian,Los Angeles Dodger,Oakland Athletic,San Diego Padre, Texas Ranger and Chicago Cub said. “In baseball, they’ve got Milton Bradley. I’m that guy. You need people like me, so you can point your finger and go, ‘There goes the bad guy.’”
“I had a teammate last year who said if I ever change, he’d kick my ass,” Bradley said. “So I’m not changing. Everybody is not going to love you, no matter how you treat other people, no matter what you say. I never say anything bad about anybody. Somebody is always going to have something bad to say about you.”
That maybe true in your eyes and I would let you finish but your no Mr. West, hell baseball had a Kanye before the world even knew who he was. That man is probably not happy a happy camper that he’s already been forgotten but Carl Everett was better.
You might want to charge a few TV announcers who rip you during a game, throw a bag full of baseballs onto the field, protests a call at first that leads to a season ending injury or just hide out in your Chicago crib and blame everyone in that town. That’s fine but will you ever tell the media that they never saw a dinosaur or a Tyrannosaurus rex so they never existed? Will you ever look a grown man in the face and say that someone did indeed see Adam and Eve, till then you are no Mr. Everett.
Los Angeles Dodgers Ownership At Stake In McCourts Split Part II
Off The Richter Scale
Los Angeles Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt divorce was anticpated to become rea; nasty and the begining is starting to reveal itself.
In court papers filed Monday, Jamie fired back at her estranged husband’s accusation of infidelity by alleging:
“Frank [and his lawyers]…make some hurtful and unnecessary personal comments about me,” she wrote. “I would prefer not to address such accusations or to discuss my belief as to Frank’s extramarital activities.”
Monday’s filing, submitted in advance of next week’s court hearing on temporary spousal support, comes five months after Frank said he fired Jamie as the Dodgers chief executive largely because of her alleged affair with her driver.
Jamie has argued for nearly $1 million per month plus $9 million in fees for attorneys and accountants handling the divorce case. Frank has argued that she can support herself and pay her bills pending trial without contribution from him.
Her lawyers further argue that Frank hopes to pin her in a financial position so precarious that she would “cave into his demands and relinquish any claim to the overwhelming bulk of the marital estate, including the Dodgers.”
Jamie hopes to persuade the court to invalidate a marital property agreement that provided her with sole ownership of the couple’s residential properties and provided him with sole ownership of the team.
Her lawyers reiterated that she is entitled to maintain her pre-separation lifestyle pending the outcome of the divorce proceedings, noting that the couple customarily stayed in five-star hotels, ordered bottles of wine costing $100 or more at restaurants and regularly used limousines and private jets. The McCourts also “had their hair done by a hair stylist, who came on an almost daily basis to whichever residence they were then staying.”
The most recent filings also shed some light on the final months of a marriage that lasted almost 30 years. Frank’s last filing included a copy of e-mails between Jamie and Jeff Fuller, the driver with whom she allegedly had an affair, in which Fuller wrote, “He heard us talking” and she replied, “Don’t think so.”
In an interview recently Frank said,
“It’s tough. I’m not going to lie to you,” he says. “It’s a very, very sad thing. Nobody wants to go through this privately, never mind publicly.”
“But in L.A., so much of it is about drama. L.A. is so much about personalities. It’s just how the city functions. This is a juicy story for people until it’s not juicy anymore. Then, they move on to somebody else’s story. Tiger Woods was fantastic for me”
This is a real life version of “The War of the Roses” and the divorce surley has Dodgers fans fearing that this could could ruin their franchise, for which McCourt paid $430 million in 2004. Definitely why manager Joe Torre has been unwilling to discuss contract extensions with the Dodgers.
Dodgers fans are wary, knowing their division foes were hit hard by the divorce of San Diego Padres owners John and Becky Moores last season in which they were forced to sell the club, and the Padres went into a garage sell with their players. They are projected to open the season with a major league-low $40 million payroll.
WTF: Gil Hodges/Pee Wee Reese
R.I.P. Roy Campanella
When I hear people say they wish things would go back to how they used to be in the old days, basically this is what they really want it to go back to.
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: Shortstops
Sleeper Pick
I can feel it like the the sun burning up your neck on a hot August day, only 16 more days until Opening Day. Today’s rankings is the shortstop position where you will find a bulk of guys that will help in the stolen base and runs scored department. It’s often said that speed kills, this position has an abundance of it and guys that do it well. The best of the best at shortstop is hands down Florida Marlins Hanley Ramirez, Colorado Rockies Troy Tulowitzki and Philadelphia Phillies Jimmy Rollins buts lets go deeper.
Breakout Player: Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
- Andrus finished second among American League rookie of the year voting so don’t expect to wait around on him. His overall talents will have him on plenty of peoples radars but since he’s a great source for stolen bases and runs he might be on radars of the least expected. His on-base skills are very advance for a player who is just 21 years old. He had 125 stolen bases in just 407 minor league games, so even if he struggles at the plate, he will always have his speed. If the Rangers continue to have the offensive year they had last year expect Andrus do be crossing home plate sooner and often.
Sleeper Player: J.J. Hardy, Minnesota Twins
- This pick came down to Hardy and the guy who replace him back in Milwaukee, Alcides Escobar. I believe Escobar should have a good year along the baseballs but still a little leery on his chances of getting there, however its Hardy who I’m rolling with. He hit .156 in April with the Brewers and never recovered but Minnesota got a deal on Hardy when they traded for him after his terrible season. Plus he’s only 27 years old compared to last seasons Twins playoff run shortstop, Orlando Cabrera who is 35. Hardy is not your shortstop that will steal the bases instead he will hit for power and I look for him to get back to his track record of hitting 26 home runs in 2007 and 24 in 2008. He’ll come at a big discount because it will still be fresh on peoples minds that the Brewers optioned him to Class AAA at one point. Playing with a new team, in a new state, in a new stadium is all the things Hardy needs for that fresh start.
Risky Player: Jose Reyes, New York Mets
- Do I believe Reyes to be a great player? Yes. Is there more risk attached to him than ever before? Yes. I would rather watch him prove me wrong on someone else roster than ruining mine if things turned for the worse. The health of Reyes right hamstring is to troubling to ignore. He played in only 36 games last season and was set back again in October when he tore the same right hamstring that had him on the DL since May. I’m just siding with caution on this one.
Slipping Player: Marco Scutaro, Boston Red Sox
- I know Scutaro had his best season as a pro last year with the Toronto Blue Jays, setting career highs in every fantasy category but it came at the age of 33 and in Toronto. The pressure of playing in Boston will sure wear on someone who is more likely to revert back to his normal self and his usual run of 7 home runs and 40 RBI’s. His first five years of career are a better indication of his skills and his .260 average. He’s 34 and I don’t see him having a career like Casey Blake in getting a late start to it and staying consistent.
Be sure to come back for the preview of third base position.
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: First Base
Sleeper Pick
Ironic that this post is about first basemen and before I jump into breaking down that position, I need to first apologize for lying to about having this post up and ready for yesterday. Rudy J and myself got into a heated debate that lead to a texting war filled with stats about the breakout year in the catcher position. I couldn’t argue with his pick of Oakland Athletics Kurt Suzuki’s ability to steal a base or eight or that he possibly could be go for under double digits in the money department. He made some very valid points on Suzuki but I still have to ride with Mike Napoli and the his potential to drive in more RBI’s. But enough about our bickering and let’s get to previewing the first base position since we are now only 18 days away from Opening Day.
The first base position has an abundance of talent here that will help you even if your playing just a National League or American League fantasy league. Home runs, RBI’s, average, on base percentage, even strikeouts can be found here with the only thing not found is stolen bases.
Although numerous talent can be found at this position, I wouldn’t advise on letting to many of the premier players come off the draft boards. Now if you end up with New York Yankees Nick Johnson or Philadelphia Phillies Ross Gload as your starting first basemen, then I don’t think fantasy baseball is for you.
Moving into the rankings your roster will never go wrong with National League MVP Albert Pujols, Phillies Ryan Howard, Milwaukee Brewers Prince Fielder or Yankees Mark Teixeira but lets go deeper. If you happen to be the lucky one to posses the very first pick overall there’s really no going wrong selecting any of these four, I would go in the order listed though.
Breakout Player: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
- I can already hear people saying how can Cabrera be the breakout player but stay with me. Major League Baseball fans and fantasy owners already know Cabrera is one of the most consistent players in the game. With his admission that he quit drinking which effected him last season and losing 15 pounds all the while coming into that prime baseball age of 26-years-old, I see him making the jump into the elite. I’m talking about his first season in the 40 home run department, 130-140 RBI season, while still collecting 200 hits and a .330 average. He’s ready for Tiger fans to stop whispering about how much money they are giving him and start rejoicing. Cabrera might cost a pretty penny but in 2010 he wont let you down.
Sleeper Player: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
- I know some of you will look at this pick and say that’s who you would have chosen as your breakout player. Remember though your going to be in a draft with some people that just look at numbers and don’t remember or didn’t see that his number took a hit because the man struggled with depression in May and June. Not to mention he missed some time in August with blurred vision. So it’s safe to safe Votto had an up-and-down season on and off the field. Take a look at his September run when he bounced back with a .385 average, 5 home runs in just 30 games. Votto is just as much of a key part of that Reds young core as Jay Bruce.
Risky Player: James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers
- I speak from experience with Loney, he will make contact and surprise you with his 150 plus hits but that’s all he can do. Every year I look for a young player or two to take on as a project, leaving him on the bench however keeping an eye on him everyday and it’s resulted in some of the most fun I’ve had is with my project players. I’ve had Loney three years now and this will not be a fourth. The first year came out of necessity and he showed me a lot of promise for me to draft him the following year in the 25th round. That was the year I noticed he could hit however there was no power behind it. Thinking it was just the progression a player goes through and it would change in year three, I came to be sadly mistaken as I watched him display the same skill all over again in 158 games. Compound that with Loney having the strange problem in 2009 of hitting .251, 1 home run and 36 RBI’s in 79 games at home but hit .309, 12 home runs and 54 RBI’s on the road in the same amount of games.
Slipping Player: Lyle Overbay, Toronto Blue Jays
- Over the last two seasons, Overbay has developed a serious problem hitting against lefties. Through 2007, he had a career mark of .283 against right-handed pitchers and .285 against left-handed pitchers. Since then though Overbay has hit .287 against righties and .206 against lefties that has him now only starting against right handed starters. The trend doesn’t look to turn around as he is 33-years-old and plays in the American League East a division with some top notch left-handed pitching.
Be sure to come back tomorrow for the preview of second base, no lie this time it will be up.
Victoria’s Secret Partners With Major League Baseball On Clothing Line
Babes Love Baseball
With Spring Training underway, Major League Baseball Properties and Victoria ’s Secret PINK are introducing a new way for female fans to display their team pride and celebrate the upcoming season in style.
The MLB and VS PINK co-branded collection will fashionably feature names and logos of 11 MLB teams including the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals.
The collection showcases VS PINK’s highly recognizable brand iconography with fun sayings like “I only kiss Yankees fans” or “Love Love Love Twins”, and boasts cute zip-pocket tees, crystallized caps, baseball jerseys, stylish hoodies, tanks, sweats, shorts and more.
The collection will launched yesterday in more than 100 Victoria ’s Secret stores spanning each of these teams markets, as well as on www.victoriassecret.com. Victoria ’s Secret PINK is a fully articulated and internationally recognized lifestyle collection specifically for young women. This new product line is the latest effort by Major League Baseball to provide its extensive female fan base with new and fashionable ways to support their favorite team.
According to ESPN Sports Poll, Major League Baseball has had the largest percentage of female fans (45% of its total fan base in ’09) among the major sports leagues since 2004. This collaboration marks the first professional sports relationship for VS PINK.
SGE Fantasy Baseball Preview: Catchers
Sleeper Pick
With Major League Baseball Opening Day just 20 days away its time to prepare yourself on who to draft for your fantasy baseball team and Sports Grind Entertainment is here to help you. We’ll provide you with a few list of things you don’t do on draft day and what to keep your eye on in the season but first we are going to breakdown each position everyday starting with the catchers.
The catcher position is not one your going to find a whole lot of power from but looking for a player that is going to be solid as rock in the consistency department. Your not looking to draft catchers extremely early in the draft but don’t miss out by waiting to long. At the end of the year normally the fantasy teams sitting at top the rankings had an above average catcher they could just plug into the lineup from day one and never worry about. If your searching the waiver wire all season long for a catcher, its because you made the mistake here in at the draft.
Now lets move into the rankings. It’s easy to write that you should draft American League MVP Joe Mauer or Boston Red Sox’s Victor Martinez or Atlanta Braves Brian McCann but lets face it, everyone can’t get the best. If they do end up on your roster you’ve surely made a few people jealous.
Breakout Player: Mike Napoli, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Napoli has come up through the Angels organization and steady increased his plate appearances and the amount of time he’s seen behind the plate each season. Even playing in a part time role Napoli has managed to crank out 20 home runs the last two seasons and his highest plate appearance being that of 382. Another plus for Napolis is that he definitely with see all action against opposing lefties since he hit .330 against them last season. He could even get days off behind the plate and stay in the lineup at the DH spot when Hideki Matsui needs a day off.
Sleeper Player: Baltimore Orioles, Matt Wieters
- Wieters came up to the majors May 29 and did a respectable job as Baltimore’s starting catcher. He is a talented young hitter and should come to improve. In just a 169 game minor league career he hit 32 home runs. He spent most of last season batting in the seventh or eighth spot while getting adjusted to the big leagues but is likely to move into the fifth spot or fourth spot in the everyday lineup.
Risky Player: San Francisco Giants, Bengie Molina
- Molina did hit 20 home runs last season but at 35 the questions of his body being at risk for injury is highly of concern here. Add to the fact the Giants are waiting for any sign to turn the page and hand over the responsibilities to future, Buster Posey. He’s gone from top prospect to starter waiting to be and that’s not a good sign for Molina.
Slipping Player: Los Angeles Dodgers, Russell Martin
- Martin is only 27 but seems as if he’s playing with a body of 38 year old. Martin has led National League catchers in at-bats for three consecutive years, but all the wear and tear behind the plate is taking its toll and catching up to the All-Star. Martin’s body may fall him taking him out of the game before it was meant to be. Don’t look for a 20 steal season from Martin ever again either.
Be sure to come back tomorrow for the preview of first base.
Normar Garciaparra Retires
The Tank Is Empty
The former Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cub, Los Angeles Dodger and Oakland Athletic Nomar Garciaparra is retiring from Major League Baseball, putting an end to a 14-year career.
Garciaparra staarted his career in Boston and has now offically ended it there by signing a one-day contract with the Red Sox to retire with his former team.
The former shortstop is joining ESPN as a baseball analyst, where he will appear on “Baseball Tonight.”
The two-time batting champion and six-time All-Star was best known for his time with the Red Sox which started in 1996 and ended with an abrupt trade to the Chicago Cubs in 2004. Garciaparra also has the distinction of being the only MLB player to ever win the AL Rookie of the Year (1997) and the NL Comeback Player of the Year (2007).
Manny Ramirez Endorses Sum Poosie Energy Drink
There's So Many Flavors Of Sum Poosie
Manny being Manny. Manny Ramirez according to the Los Angeles Times is picking up checks wherever he can get them and is now endorsing Sum Poosie, an energy drink.
Manny’s not the first athlete to hop into bed with Sum Poosie. Santana Moss has also done some work for the energy drink in the past. But now they have an athlete that’s bigger in stature. Well at least in name that is.
Sum Poosie on their website even offers you the chance of becoming a distributor of theirs. That means you can have Sum Poosie whenever you want so that’s not a bad idea.
If your wondering what Sum Poosie taste likes, it’s just like strawberries.
MLB Banns Guns Weapons In Clubhouses & Ryan Franklin Isn’t Happy
Shave Your Face
Major League Baseball took a preemptive strike against weapons in clubhouses over the weekend and banned deadly weapons in the baseball clubhouses.
Signs have been placed in spring training locker rooms stating “individuals are prohibited from possessing deadly weapons while performing any services for MLB.” The rules apply to employees of the commissioner’s office, other central baseball businesses and to teams, including players.
MLB felt it need to react in with incidents like Plaxico Burress and Gilbert Arenas become a little more common. While baseball is doing the right thing here not all are pleased like St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin. Franklin an avid outdoorsman, doesn’t like the ban on firearms in the clubhouse.
“If you grew up around it, being in the outdoors and stuff, I was taught as a young kid how to respect firearms,” Franklin said. “First of all, you don’t get stupid with it. Always treat a gun like it’s loaded. That’s what I taught my son and daughters. There’s a place for them.”
Franklin needs to stop worrying about bringing in his hunting rifle or bow into the clubhouse and instead worry about not blowing leads in game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matt Kemp Orders Rihanna A Midget Stripper
Where's Was My Invitation?
Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp got his freak on with Rihanna behind closed doors and order her a midget stripper. When Rihanna was asked, recently what she planned on doing for her birthday, she responded with:
“I’m gonna do something really special which is chill in the house with all my very close friends. I didn’t want to do a big party or club because we usually do that and it’s kind of boring now, so I want it to be somewhere intimate where I don’t have to worry about cameras or anything, just me and my friends and have a good time. My party… I don’t want to remember it so we definitely are going to get wasted.”
Still can’t escape the cameras.
Dodger Fans Chase Barry Bonds Away From Roscoe’s House Of Chicken & Waffles
Roscoe's House Of Chicken & Waffles
[Via Vin Scully Is My Homeboy]
The Los Angeles Dodgers where holding their annual Dodgers Caravan,a fan appreciation event where fans eat and players come do a meet and greet, at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles.
Such Dodgers as Ramon Troncoso, Ken Gurnick, Matt Kemp, Fernando Valenzuela plus many more where in attendance but arch-rival and home run king Barry Bonds also showed up to get his fingers a little greasy. Apparently Bonds had no idea the Dodgers where inside and stayed outside willing to signs some autographs and not take the attention away from the players inside
Fans came out and asked for his autograph and he was in a good mood until a fan gave him a ball and told him to sign
“In the sweet spot”
Bonds snapped saying “You don’t say that to me. I’m leaving, I got to go”
Bonds left without ever wrapping his fingers around some delicious Roscoe’s chicken.
I don’t care what the fan said, you never pass up some chicken especially Roscoe’s.
Tommy Lasorda Takes Picture Of Dodger Eyeball
"I used to be an L.A. Dodger, now I'm a Angel"
Dodger blue runs deep, so deep that when a war veteran who lost his eye had it replaced with a Los Angeles Dodgers eyeball.
Former Dodger manager and baseball ambassador Tommy Lasorda met a this man at a disabled vets event, took his picture and posted it on Twitter for the whole world to see.
The craziest part of this story has got to be finding out that Lasorda uses Twitter and he knows how to use a camera.
