How could someone who purports to be a "sportswriter" post this tweet during extra innings of Game 4 of the ALDS?
That's ESPN's Darren Rovell, apparently missing some of the deeper nuances of major league baseball, such as the drama of an elimination game that has gone beyond the allotted nine innings. Yawn. Stretch.
Now that the Philadelphia Phillies are out, it's time to share a little known fact: When I was a kid, I lived and breathed Oakland A's baseball. That's right, the Phils were perpetual cellar dwellers back in the day (Despite Steve Carlton's 27 win season in 1972) and what kid learning about baseball (transplanted from Philly to Cali) wouldn't find himself front running with the flashiest team ever: The Swingin' A's?
Truth be told, I had me room painted in the A's color scheme: no lie, yellow walls and green trim. In little league, I wore #9, for my man Reggie Jackson. I have Reggie's autograph, as well as Catfish Hunter, Kenny Holtzman and Campy Campaneris. That pennant you see there is from 1973.
1972, I was 10, A's beat the Reds for World Series Championship #1.
1973, 11: A's take care of the Miracle Mets, Part II.
1974, 12: Best of all: A's send the hated Dodgers down to defeat.
Three straight World Championships by the Swingin' A's, the Mustache Gang.
So, much love as I have for Derek Jeter, I guess this year I'll go on record as rooting for the Cinderella of 2012: The Oakland A's.
The Yankees have won 27 championships with a diverse collection of baseball’s greatest players. From the groundbreaking power of Babe Ruth to the unmatched hitting streak of Joe DiMaggio to a trio of perfect-game pitchers, the Yankees’ starry constellation outshines all others.
But one thing the Yankees never had, until now, was a player with 3,000 hits. A few have passed through on their way to the milestone, but only one has collected 3,000 as a Yankee. He is Derek Jeter, the team captain, who got there in a most improbable way on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Donations, contributions and other efforts have poured in after San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was beaten in a Dodger Stadium parking lot on Opening Day.
But one quiet gesture has especially touched Stow's family, something that will affect his two children years down the line.
Former Giants star and embattled figure Barry Bonds has volunteered to pay for the college education of 12-year-old Tyler and 8-year-old Tabitha.
"It was extraordinary of Barry Bonds, I thought," Stow family attorney Thomas Girardi told NBC Bay Area KNTV. "He didn't say anything about it to the press. This was just a gift he gave the family because he knew that it was going to be pretty important to the kids."
Haha! The guy they're bringing in to oversee the LA Dodgers in place of Frank McCourt is the former business partner of George W. Bush! Tom Schieffer was president of the Texas Rangers during Dubya's dubious ownership, meaning when people make fun of the Shrub because he "traded Sammy Sosa," they are mistaken: it was really Tom Schieffer who made that brilliant move. Now he's in charge of the Doyers? Nice going, Bud.
For those of you trying to sus out the Dodger takeover story, LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke pulls back the rug and finds the straw that broke the camel's back:
Baseball officials [had a] long list of grievances against McCourt, which became complete when he recently needed to borrow $30 million from Fox to meet payroll.
That money went directly into McCourt's personal account instead of the Dodgers account, meaning it was not subject to Selig's approval, at which point the commissioner finally threw up his hands and told McCourt to start packing.
"McCourt tried to go around the commissioner's back, and now it's on," said an individual familiar with the workings of the commissioner's office. [emphasis added.]
If you check the stories at the Times and listen to local talk radio, you'll find Dodger fans are almost universally in favor of Baseball's decision to take control of the team. The Times' caustic columnist TJ Simers lays out just what a nightmare it has been for fans as they've watched their team circle the drain for the past seven years...
Seven years with the Boston Parking Lot Attendant and the Screaming Meanie in control was about seven years too many.
You know how each year Webster's comes out with that list of overused phrases that need to be retired (e.g. "win-win," "refudiate," "LOL" etc...)? Well, for some strange reason, this is the year "small sample size" became the watch-word in Major League Baseball. I've been a casual passionate observer of most things baseball for going on 50 years now (can't believe I just wrote that), and this is the first time I can ever remember the phrase "small sample size" used so frequently in reference to the unreliability of early season statistics. I understand the intent, but it's like a memo went out to everyone with an opinion that they have to drop this overly-scientific verbiage into their commentary.
I first heard the phrase on the "Mike and Mike" radio show one morning, and immediately thought, "Small sample size? What would Sparky Anderson or Earl Weaver have thought of that high-falutin' terminology? Probably something that bow-tie-wearing, starched-shirted poof George Will came up with."
That night, on ESPN's Baseball Tonight, Buster Olney dropped a "small sample size" on the desk right next to John Kruk, who -- if the size of his suits are any indication -- has never seen a "small sample size" of anything.
Remember that time Charlie Sheen bought every seat in the outfield at Anaheim Stadium in an endearingly pathetic and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to catch a home run ball? Yeah, those were the days...back when our man wasn't all that crazy. These "daze?" He plumb crazy.
They brought the San Francisco Giants' championship trophy to the southernmost part [apparently] of NoCal tonight. Thanks to the Farmers' Market crowd, the line to get your photo taken with the trophy stretched more than four blocks long. I snapped these photos right outside the front door of Bulls Tavern (which was seriously lousy with Giant fans, I'll have you know).
[click image for larger view, or click this link for the more legible source material.]
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