Baseball (the talkin' sport)

[Rocky]

<H1 class=topHeadline>D-backs turn triple play against Mariners</H1>

Associated Press

Mar. 4, 2007 03:01 PM

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Diamondbacks turned a triple play against the Seattle Mariners in the second inning Sunday.

With runners on first and second, Michael Garciaparra lined Edgar Gonzalez's pitch to shortstop Stephen Drew. He stepped on second base to retire Mike Morse, then threw to first baseman Tony Clark to get Michael Wilson and complete the triple play.

"It was amazing," Gonzalez said. "It's the first time in my life I've been in the game" for a triple play.

Garciaparra is the younger brother of Los Angeles Dodgers star Nomar Garciaparra.

It was the second triple play in Tucson in two days. The Los Angeles Angels turned one against the Colorado Rockies at Hi Corbett Field on Saturday.

------------------

Poster's note: Stephen Drew is also the younger brother of J.D. Drew, an itinerant right fielder! :)

Edited March 5, 2007 by Rocky

[mstar1]

The D's are the lil brothers team this year eh?.....

....J.D. Drew, an itinerant right fielder!

well lets hope his itinerant and wandering ways have slowed down--my guys just signed him for 5 years--hopefully he can stay parked here for awhile--

It was the second triple play in Tucson in two days.

I can only remember seeing one triple play as it actually happened, and that was 40 years ago, sometime in 67, The red sox attempted a double steal and a line drive was hit to Ron Hansen of the White Sox who sent it around the horn. It took me a moment to realize what happened...but it still lingers in my memory. Im still waiting for the next one.

I have a friend who is still bummin' and po'd, he was on his way to a rest room and missed an unassisted triple play by John Valentin in the early 90's

Theres only been 11 in over a hundred years, he was right there and he missed it

Good pitching will always beat good hitting and vice versa......Casey Stengal

Edited March 5, 2007 by mstar1

[Rocky]

Yep... Dbacks put Stephen Drew on a fast track and he's not disappointed. He's a very talented youngster. Expected to be the starting SS this year from the start.

Dbacks have only executed 1 triple play in regular season play. A couple of years ago (I forget which year), the Cards were playing in Phoenix. McGwire hit a fly out to CF. I think it was Finley got an assist on the put out at home... then another runner got caught sleeping on the bases. Not a neat play, but it was a bona fide TP.

[hiway29]

JD Drew will stay parked alright. Parked on the bench everytime he's' too hurt' to play.

[mstar1]

You really have it in for JD .

--its strange I look at the numbers and it seems to be OK, of course I have never watched him everyday like you have....so we will see....all he really has to do is show some semi competence in the 5 hole behind Ramirez and Ortiz, (how many guys ever get to bat behind those two?) and show at least a semblance of hustle (is that too much to ask for $70million?) and he should be OK, but of course check back with me in June, he may be ready to be lynched by then, some guys make it here and some guys never do.

[hiway29]

I've said all along that JD has talent, and may finally 'find himself' in Boston.

I've also said, and still maintain, that he was the most invisible 'star' ever. Noone-virtually noone in LA, fan, reporter, player, anyone, cared one bit when JD decided to leave. It seems amazing when you look at his numbers, but there it is.

I'll repeat my 'prediction' that JD will make a splash early in the season and slowly fade into obscurity. Of course, lots of my predictions have not been all that great.

[mstar1]

Well Hell its baseball-who knows anything?

It was 30 belowzero today. Its hard to believe that in a months time they will be playing baseball here.....somehow it all seems very far away

[Estimated Prophet]

Here in Dallas it Sunny and in the Seventies.

My boy has already played about a dozen games with his school.

They almost play year round here.

The Rangers report looks very promising.

best pirtching ever.

passionate new manager.

Solid infield.

They've always been able to score runs.

and Sammy Sosa seems to have his head right with baseball,

and hasn't lost any bat speed.

I'm getting excited.

[Rocky]

Here in Dallas it Sunny and in the Seventies.

My boy has already played about a dozen games with his school.

They almost play year round here.

The Rangers report looks very promising.

best pirtching ever.

passionate new manager.

Solid infield.

They've always been able to score runs.

and Sammy Sosa seems to have his head right with baseball,

and hasn't lost any bat speed.

I'm getting excited.

Indeed, stRangers' 9-8 victory over the Dbacks must have been an exciting game for Spring Training.

Don't forget, as Tom Strange has noted several times, this is the stRangers' year, since Showalter got fired at the end of the 2006 season. Should make for a good year for fans in the D-FW area.

[Tom Strange]

and Sammy Sosa seems to have his head right with baseball,

and hasn't lost any bat speed.

EP... I'm guessing you are a "P1" from that quote...

...yes... the stRangers win the world series, mark it down... the rest of you guys can cheer for us as well...

[Estimated Prophet]

EP... I'm guessing you are a "P1" from that quote...

...yes... the stRangers win the world series, mark it down... the rest of you guys can cheer for us as well...

Yep Yep

a P1 from the days of 11 to 2

World Series victory?

stRanger things have happened.

[Bolshevik]

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!!![/

Edited March 16, 2007 by Bolshevik

[hiway29]

hey mstar, you have a friend.

[mstar1]

Welcome Bolshevik!

are you a New Englander? maybe we can catch a game or two this year. You may have to carry the Red Sox baton this year around here-- for some reason, maybe because Ive been so darn busy lately, Im feeling alttle less enthused this year, although I do want to see my first Gyroball. After they finally after eternities won it, the pressures is off, maybe I like Hiway can just be a normal baseball fan now...

other news:

Bowie Kuhn died yesterday at 80.

I honestly dont know what to think. He brought us the night World Series, expansion, divisions, the designated hitter and free agency and moved baseball from being the simple game that most of us knew when we were young into the huge business it is now.

I cant say that I would have done any better if I was put in the position ( fat chance of that)but I do miss the simpler and purer game.

Edited March 16, 2007 by mstar1

[Bolshevik]

are you a New Englander? maybe we can catch a game or two this year. You may have to carry the Red Sox baton this year around here-- for some reason, maybe because Ive been so darn busy lately, Im feeling alttle less enthused this year, although I do want to see my first Gyroball. After they finally after eternities won it, the pressures is off, maybe I like Hiway can just be a normal baseball fan now...

other news:

I hadn't heard of Kuhn but it sounds like he was a smart guy.

Yes I miss the homeland. The mystery train took me here to Auschwitz and I'm struggling to migrate back. God forbid my son becomes influenced by the midwest.

Have you ever been ....ed off at leadership for lecturing a New Englander on what loyalty is?

anyway,

Let's Go Red Sox!!!!

[hiway29]

I'm a 'normal baseball fan'? I guess that means because I don't 'bleed Dodger Blue', or 'Bronx pinstripes', or belong to any 'nation'.

I only attend 25-30 major league games a year, walk to the park to watch Little League, get wrapped up in the Royals vs the Devil Rays if ESPN is crazy enough to air it, and believe Vin Scully is our greatest American. Yeah, I'm real normal.

Bowie Kuhn was mostly a disgrace, but I don't have the time or energy to get into it right now.

[Rocky]

I only attend 25-30 major league games a year, walk to the park to watch Little League, get wrapped up in the Royals vs the Devil Rays if ESPN is crazy enough to air it, and believe Vin Scully is our greatest American. Yeah, I'm real normal.

Bowie Kuhn was mostly a disgrace, but I don't have the time or energy to get into it right now.

You are far more ambitious as a baseball fan than I am... though I DID have season tickets to the Dbacks games in 1998 (inaugural year) that I shared with coworkers. The most exciting things I've done as a fan is go to game one at the BOB for WS 2001... oh, and I went to the victory parade in downtown Phx.

But I'm right there with you on Vin Scully. :)

[mstar1]

Weve had a few talks in here about having a balanced view of things especially during some of the previous years Sox-Yankees games when they were at fever pitch that I got caught into-- (at least to me)...I enjoy the game for itself but do have a tendency to get swept away-you make watching the game an art form.

Is that normal? Well it wouldn be bad if it was..

Have you ever been ....ed off at leadership for lecturing a New Englander on what loyalty is?

They'll never know and never ever come close, I was raised from the womb with stories, of Ruth , Foxx, Lefty Grove Ted Williams, Jimmy Piersall, and intricacies of games 50 years past, as was everyone that I knew growing up..It was (and styill is a common bond for New Englanders.... I got my own baptism during the Impossible Dream season of 1967, which season rekindled the (sometimes rocky) love affair that still burns brightly.

[griffp]

I grew up 1954 - 1968 in NY 7 blocks from Yankee Stadium. Those were thrilling baseball years. My absolute love of the sport has never waned.

I am an American League fan all the way and am a little sick of the Yanks/Red Sox BS. there are other teams out there.

Go M's

[Tom Strange]

me? I just love baseball... any baseball... period... always have, always will...

[hiway29]

I know what you mean griffp. I'm weary of the Yanks -Sox hype too, but as has been discussed in here, it's gotten alot of juice from ESPN in recent years.

I'm an American Leaguer at heart, even though I spend a ridiculous amount of time at Dodger Stadium, since I moved nearby.

I grew up a die hard Yankee fan from '61 on. The world revolved around the Yankees until I moved around the country and spread my baseball 'wings'. The old Yankee loyalties are still ingrained though. You were there for the huge Yankee collapse starting in '65. I lived my most 'fannish' young years with the WORST Yankee teams of all time, and never had the sense of 'entitlement' that some fans seem to have. I KNOW how bad they can be.

[griffp]

Your greatest "I was at the game" baseball moment.

Had to be Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee stadium.

Second was the guy a couple of seats next to me caught "The Mick's" 500th home run.

Bleacher seats at Yankee Stadium were actual only .50, it took 25soda pop bottle deposits to get that much.

Third, even though I was a little kid I was at the last game in NY the Giants played before they defected to CA.

(Player experience)

I beat Juan Marichal at a game of pool.

Edited March 17, 2007 by griffp

[mstar1]

One of the things that sticks out to me right now as an amazing memory was seeing Joe Dimaggio hit a rocket line drive single in an old timers game at Yankee Stadium in the Mid-70's, He had to have been in his 60's and was way before my time as a godlike legend. Most of the oldtimers, looked like old timers, playing soft toss and looking sort of out of place in the batters box.

Joe still looked svelte, in shape and like Joe in the batters box-He hit a solid line drive to centerfield on the first pitch

I can say I saw Joe D get a hit.

There has been a lot of other moments, back to back to back homeruns in game 6 of the 67 World Series..d series, Denny Mclains 27th win in 68, Mantle hitting 2 in the first game I ever saw at Fenway...

Did you bring home any part of the Polo Grounds?

I have aseat from Fenway (long story for another day)

Ive had a few encounters with ballplayers. Jim Bouton is a townie I see him every once in awhle

[griffp]

No I was a little kid but my uncle was head grounds keeper and he cried when he saw what they did to the field after the game.

He went to Candlestick and that is how I got to know a lot of the Giants.

One really weird thing was that there was this bar near Rome City that Mantle used to drink at.

Lots of old Corps guys said they saw him there.

Ha Ha wierd

Where did you grow up

I grew up in the Bronx.

[mstar1]

I grew up in the Boston Suburbs. It was a buck to get into Fenway and 85 cents for the trainride in those days. I had a paper route which was good to get me to 4 or 5 games a month, and of course like any kid I was good at sneaking down to the field boxes since Fenway was rarely more than half full in those days. I miss the flagpole in center which actually used to be on the field until 66 and would cause for some interesting play a few times ayear. I still have a huge slice of green paint (about 20 coats thick) that I scraped from the left field wall.

I live almost exactly equidistant from Fenway and Yankee Stadium now. Cant say that Ive ever met Marichal or Mantle, nor knowingly shot pool with any big names... I met Bernie Carbo, (in his "Legends Of The Game" jacket) in a crummy Laundromat in Florida, had my brakes done in Puerto Rico by ex Soz pitcher Rogelio Moret, and got in a baseball argument in a diner with some guy who later turned out to be Hall Of Famer Johnny "No Hit" Vander Meer...and a few other short encounters.

I wonder what Mantle was doing in Rome City

Edited March 18, 2007 by mstar1