I hope the kid gets straightened out Kimberly--its a really tough age --I spent a good chunk of my high school years skipping school and smoking pot so Im no one to talk to--he's certainly not the first teen ballplayer in that spot--hopefully someone will get through to him before his baseball days are over and he ends up kicking himself for squandering it....best of luck with that........
...will spring ever come....? this waiting is getting interminable....
question for Geisha Ive been thinking about for afew days---who's gonna be tending the tomato plants in the bullpen now that Timlins gone?
Maybe they won't plant them this year. .sandy soil in the bullpen anyway. . . . The Timlin thing kinda took me aback a bit!
What happened to Gary Sheffield? The Tiger's still have to pay him but, he can go to another team for the major league minimum. Do you think someone will pick him and all his baggage up? Is he worth the risk? Menacing batting stance. . .
Mstar. . . it is going to be in the 50's today, 60's tommorow. Don't despair. . . we are almost there. . . I know the feeling, but hang on a bit longer. Open the windows today and let some crisp spring air waft through the house. :)
Summer is coming. . . I promise. . . I would settle for spring right about now though.
Sheffield is kind of like Manny without the charm. He was very young and immature when he came up. The list of bad incidents is fairly lengthy, wherever he has played. He had a couple of monster years with the Dodgers, but always seemed angry. He asked for a multi year deal, so he could end his career in LA. He didn't realize this was the Dodgers he was talking to. When he didn't get what he wanted, he bad mouthed the team in ways that would make Manny blush. He also 'wasn't sure' he could perform at peak level .
I didn't follow his time with the Yankees very closely, but I don't recall him having that much impact there. He didn't stifle the team at Arod levels, but I'm at a loss to remember anything memorable.
Still-that's a huge bat when it's working. Don't know if he's falling off like Andruw Jones-but then no one's ever fallen off like Jones.
PLEASE let the season start. This week long kick back for the WBC is crazy. The spring training that never ends.
Okay Mstar. . . this is for your winter blahs. . . a little pick-me-up! If it doesn't get better let me know and we can bring out the big guns. . . the Dropkick Murphys. . .
'Safe at Home' was a big deal to me when it came out. As a movie, it couldn't be cheesier-it's looks and feels just like a 1962 TV show, which makes sense since that's when it was made.
I was the same age as the kid in the movie, and could so relate to the kid's reverance for Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris-and according to this movie, the rest of the Yankees don't matter-it's all about Mickey and Roger-who prove to be 2 of the worst actors ever. Whitey Ford and Ralph Houk make cameos, but the rest of the Yankee team are ball playing extras. William Frawley (Fred Mertz) plays a Yankee coach, and even I couldn't buy that !
It was filmed at the Yankees spring training site in Ft Lauderdale. My uncle was an electrical engineer who helped design the lighting system for the park, which seemed a big deal to me. I had just been there the previous spring and my uncle took me to a couple Yankee games.
Anyway-it's not a great movie, but has a definite 60's charm, that still manages to move me-probably nostalgia.
But I asked it then, and still wonder-where's Yogi !!
I remember watching the original Angelsin the Ouftfield when i was about 8 or so--which I seem to remember seeing every spring, which I liked--- And possibly the worst baseball movie ever made --Fear Strikes Out, with the guy from Psycho (Tony somethingorother) as Jimmy Piersall--I liked it at the time but wonder if the guy had ever seen a baseball let alone played before he made the movie.
I like those old flicks "Pride of the Yankees" was another good one...I'll be watching to see whats on TCM
Tony Perkins, a terrific actor-WAS a horrible ball player. That seemed to be common in baseball movies . I liked 'Fear Strikes Out', as a kid, especially when he starts climbing the backstop-which I'm sure never happened. It's not so great now, but I can still watch it if I ignore the baseball action.
I don't think it's the 'worst' baseball movie-my vote goes to William Bendix in 'the Babe Ruth Story'. Talk about an actor who can't play ball. It also has the most inane script -every cliche, 'legend' or myth about the Babe is treated as 'truth'. Just watch Bendix calling his shot, or leaving the stadium in uniform after hitting a dog with a ball, or visiting the kid in the hospital-
Darn you have a great memory for movies--I can remember seeing them--whereas you remember the details which are long gone for me.. I dont remember Piersall climbing up the backstop in the flick--I do remember the stories my grandmother used to tell about him--He was her favorite---bringing bug spray to the outfield and making amazing catches---I met him when I was about 12, I tried to get an autograph and he rolled his car window up on my arm which I probably deserved I do remember that William Bendix movie classic---didnt he also play a third base coach or a manager of the Pirates in some tear jerker baseball movie.....or maybe that was someone else
Frawley seemed to be in every movie, including 'Kill the Umpire', and 'Rhubarb'-about a cat that owns a baseball team, and is better than it sounds. He was even in Bendix's , 'Babe Ruth Story'.
In 'Safe at Home', it was just as if Fred Mertz put on a Yankee uniform.
I'm sitting behind home plate Saturday at the Ravine, vs the Brewers. I could care less about exhibition games, but I got invited, so I may as well get my first Dodger Dog, and hope that Manny plays. I'm scratching my head why the Dodgers are playing the Brewers in LA at this late stage. The Angels I understand-but why the Brewers ?
At least it's the end of the longest spring. Maybe mother nature has been extending the awful winter in most places in retaliation.
mstar1, Field of Dreams jerks my tears especially when Ray sees his father and most notably younger than Ray. "Hey, Dad wanna have a catch?" I have seen grown men and teenage boys teary over this one.
Pride of the Yankees is still my favorite. The Sandlot is right up there. Like I said, boys who play baseball for free.
Most of the original biggies did. I wonder what the original five in the Hall of Fame would think of the salaries of today?
The Met's picked up Sheffield? Interesting. You are right Highway. . . . he used to swing a mean bat.
All I remember is when he would come up for the Yankees I used to always nervously laugh at his menacing batting stance.
Monday can't come soon enough, baseball movies and little league coaches are fine discussion I guess, but I am READY and miss reading you guys and your baseball chatter. Good insight, learned some fun stats and facts.
Take Care and ENJOY :) the season. . . . waiting for the game talk to heat up.
well... hope springs eternal here in stRangerville! we're in first place!
this year everyone is more psyched than usual especially after their "most successful spring ever"... who knows what correlation there really is but we'll take what we can get. we've talked ourselves into thinking that if we can avoid another slow start then we can contend for the alwest... Oakland too young, Angels lost K-rod, Tex and a pitcher... who knows?
time begins today here!!
one thing most of the pundits agree on though is (for us to have a chance of contending) that we'll finish the season with one less catcher than we started (duh!).. that we're probably in as good a shape as anyone with the farm talent we can throw with it... we'll see, most are still stoked because El Presidente has been pushing the right buttons (at least it seems that way)... starman: besides Salty and Teagarden, Ramirez is pretty much ready as well
Probably wrote the same thing last year, the year before, etc didn't I? ...oh well, I'd settle for them not being out of it by the end of the month! :)
There are three minor league teams here now and I live pretty much equi-distant to all of them! bonus!
Geisha--I got up and went to work early so's I could come home in time for pregame---The temp dropped about 15 degrees between 7:30 and 9AM --and its SNOWING now.
One of these years I might have to join Tommy Strange, Hiway, or Simon and Rock in more sunny climes---hopefully they'll get the game in but its just damn cold out there today....
Good Luck to those stRangers --if they can pitch and field half as well as they hit---they'll make a run at the West
The AL East is gonna be tough all the way around
mstar1, Field of Dreams jerks my tears especially when Ray sees his father and most notably younger than Ray. "Hey, Dad wanna have a catch?" I have seen grown men and teenage boys teary over this one.
maybe that was me......something about that movie hit home to me--
I drove about 500 miles out of my way to go there once on a whim.
I was surprised that people were playing when I got there---people from all over the country who had just shown up for no particular reason except that they were drawn there....a lot of interesting people from all walks of life with great baseball stories who mostly turned back into kids for that one afternoon... ..The locals told me it happens all the time....I hopped right in and played for about 4 or 5 innings and hit a triple.
I still cringe at the memory of going to Shea on opening day, freezing in the nose bleed section, while it snowed and sleet(sleeted?), clutching a hot chocolate for warmth.
Baseball was not made for such weather.
Later that night, I saw Chicago at Carnegie Hall,(which became part of the Chicago 4 album).
I had much more energy and endurance back then.
I want to play on the Field of Dreams field ! I'd have second thoughts about chasing a ball into the cornfield, though.
It was a little spooky running into that corn! .....as for me I got a shot of eternal youth out of the deal--(although I may have already had that anyway..)
:) ---It is pretty cool , the place did bring up alot of things that I was deeply connected to...
Its in Dyersville Iowa --if you are ever anywhere near there its worth going... I keep a vile of dirt from that infield right here at my desk, in fact its in my hand as I type.
Sorta sux having opening day cancelled here until tomorrow--Its sort of like rushing downstairs on Christmas morning, finding nothing under the tree and seeing a note that Santa got sick and will be here tomorrow.....
Are the Rangers still in first?....I dunno how long they can keep up this pace...
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kimberly
I missed the LLWS. The boy had baseball practice 4-7. Playing in a USSSA tournament this coming weekend. The new season has just started. Can ya'll believe we are in September of the ML baseball s
mstar1
Dont scare me like that Bolsh--the way you posted I wasnt sure if it was a done deal--I had to go check....Im on the fence whether to go for Halliday or not---I'd love to have him but I'd hate to give
hiway29
I love those fan trades where players you don't care about, plus a 'prospect', are offered up for a major player. Yeah, the Jays will jump at that deal.
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mstar1
I hope the kid gets straightened out Kimberly--its a really tough age --I spent a good chunk of my high school years skipping school and smoking pot so Im no one to talk to--he's certainly not the first teen ballplayer in that spot--hopefully someone will get through to him before his baseball days are over and he ends up kicking himself for squandering it....best of luck with that........
...will spring ever come....? this waiting is getting interminable....
question for Geisha Ive been thinking about for afew days---who's gonna be tending the tomato plants in the bullpen now that Timlins gone?
My moneys on Manny delCarmen
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geisha779
Maybe they won't plant them this year. .sandy soil in the bullpen anyway. . . . The Timlin thing kinda took me aback a bit!
What happened to Gary Sheffield? The Tiger's still have to pay him but, he can go to another team for the major league minimum. Do you think someone will pick him and all his baggage up? Is he worth the risk? Menacing batting stance. . .
Mstar. . . it is going to be in the 50's today, 60's tommorow. Don't despair. . . we are almost there. . . I know the feeling, but hang on a bit longer. Open the windows today and let some crisp spring air waft through the house. :)
Summer is coming. . . I promise. . . I would settle for spring right about now though.
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hiway29
Sheffield is kind of like Manny without the charm. He was very young and immature when he came up. The list of bad incidents is fairly lengthy, wherever he has played. He had a couple of monster years with the Dodgers, but always seemed angry. He asked for a multi year deal, so he could end his career in LA. He didn't realize this was the Dodgers he was talking to. When he didn't get what he wanted, he bad mouthed the team in ways that would make Manny blush. He also 'wasn't sure' he could perform at peak level .
I didn't follow his time with the Yankees very closely, but I don't recall him having that much impact there. He didn't stifle the team at Arod levels, but I'm at a loss to remember anything memorable.
Still-that's a huge bat when it's working. Don't know if he's falling off like Andruw Jones-but then no one's ever fallen off like Jones.
PLEASE let the season start. This week long kick back for the WBC is crazy. The spring training that never ends.
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mstar1
A glorious day it is too!! Ive been playing hooky and up to no good all day--like every boy should this time of year :)
I go a fishin.......
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Tom Strange
mah peeple!
tis less than a week away!
in the meantime, Frankie Catalonato and Andruw Jones battle it out for the last roster spot on the stRangers... :(
...but we still believe in El Presidente's plan!
...and we're still in FIRST PLACE!
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kimberly
Vewwy intewestin that on 9th of April, TCM is showing baseball movies starting at 6 am. Most notably is the Monty Stratton Story at 9 am.
Safe At Home, starring Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris at 4 pm.
Then right after that, Bang The Drum Slowly. Great movie.
The boy and I had never heard of Monty Stratton. True story. Incredibly inspiring.
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mstar1
thanks for the heads up Kim---I'll catch as many of those as I can
meanwhile--just because I always post this--and in honor of almost opening day
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geisha779
Okay Mstar. . . this is for your winter blahs. . . a little pick-me-up! If it doesn't get better let me know and we can bring out the big guns. . . the Dropkick Murphys. . .
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hiway29
'Safe at Home' was a big deal to me when it came out. As a movie, it couldn't be cheesier-it's looks and feels just like a 1962 TV show, which makes sense since that's when it was made.
I was the same age as the kid in the movie, and could so relate to the kid's reverance for Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris-and according to this movie, the rest of the Yankees don't matter-it's all about Mickey and Roger-who prove to be 2 of the worst actors ever. Whitey Ford and Ralph Houk make cameos, but the rest of the Yankee team are ball playing extras. William Frawley (Fred Mertz) plays a Yankee coach, and even I couldn't buy that !
It was filmed at the Yankees spring training site in Ft Lauderdale. My uncle was an electrical engineer who helped design the lighting system for the park, which seemed a big deal to me. I had just been there the previous spring and my uncle took me to a couple Yankee games.
Anyway-it's not a great movie, but has a definite 60's charm, that still manages to move me-probably nostalgia.
But I asked it then, and still wonder-where's Yogi !!
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mstar1
FRED is a coach???
:biglaugh:
the movie is worth seeing for that reason alone.
I remember watching the original Angelsin the Ouftfield when i was about 8 or so--which I seem to remember seeing every spring, which I liked--- And possibly the worst baseball movie ever made --Fear Strikes Out, with the guy from Psycho (Tony somethingorother) as Jimmy Piersall--I liked it at the time but wonder if the guy had ever seen a baseball let alone played before he made the movie.
I like those old flicks "Pride of the Yankees" was another good one...I'll be watching to see whats on TCM
Fred
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hiway29
Tony Perkins, a terrific actor-WAS a horrible ball player. That seemed to be common in baseball movies . I liked 'Fear Strikes Out', as a kid, especially when he starts climbing the backstop-which I'm sure never happened. It's not so great now, but I can still watch it if I ignore the baseball action.
I don't think it's the 'worst' baseball movie-my vote goes to William Bendix in 'the Babe Ruth Story'. Talk about an actor who can't play ball. It also has the most inane script -every cliche, 'legend' or myth about the Babe is treated as 'truth'. Just watch Bendix calling his shot, or leaving the stadium in uniform after hitting a dog with a ball, or visiting the kid in the hospital-
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mstar1
Darn you have a great memory for movies--I can remember seeing them--whereas you remember the details which are long gone for me.. I dont remember Piersall climbing up the backstop in the flick--I do remember the stories my grandmother used to tell about him--He was her favorite---bringing bug spray to the outfield and making amazing catches---I met him when I was about 12, I tried to get an autograph and he rolled his car window up on my arm which I probably deserved I do remember that William Bendix movie
classic---didnt he also play a third base coach or a manager of the Pirates in some tear jerker baseball movie.....or maybe that was someone else
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hiway29
Frawley seemed to be in every movie, including 'Kill the Umpire', and 'Rhubarb'-about a cat that owns a baseball team, and is better than it sounds. He was even in Bendix's , 'Babe Ruth Story'.
In 'Safe at Home', it was just as if Fred Mertz put on a Yankee uniform.
I'm sitting behind home plate Saturday at the Ravine, vs the Brewers. I could care less about exhibition games, but I got invited, so I may as well get my first Dodger Dog, and hope that Manny plays. I'm scratching my head why the Dodgers are playing the Brewers in LA at this late stage. The Angels I understand-but why the Brewers ?
At least it's the end of the longest spring. Maybe mother nature has been extending the awful winter in most places in retaliation.
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kimberly
mstar1, Field of Dreams jerks my tears especially when Ray sees his father and most notably younger than Ray. "Hey, Dad wanna have a catch?" I have seen grown men and teenage boys teary over this one.
Pride of the Yankees is still my favorite. The Sandlot is right up there. Like I said, boys who play baseball for free.
Most of the original biggies did. I wonder what the original five in the Hall of Fame would think of the salaries of today?
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geisha779
The Met's picked up Sheffield? Interesting. You are right Highway. . . . he used to swing a mean bat.
All I remember is when he would come up for the Yankees I used to always nervously laugh at his menacing batting stance.
Monday can't come soon enough, baseball movies and little league coaches are fine discussion I guess, but I am READY and miss reading you guys and your baseball chatter. Good insight, learned some fun stats and facts.
Take Care and ENJOY :) the season. . . . waiting for the game talk to heat up.
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geisha779
Mstar. . . .
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Tom Strange
well... hope springs eternal here in stRangerville! we're in first place!
this year everyone is more psyched than usual especially after their "most successful spring ever"... who knows what correlation there really is but we'll take what we can get. we've talked ourselves into thinking that if we can avoid another slow start then we can contend for the alwest... Oakland too young, Angels lost K-rod, Tex and a pitcher... who knows?
time begins today here!!
one thing most of the pundits agree on though is (for us to have a chance of contending) that we'll finish the season with one less catcher than we started (duh!).. that we're probably in as good a shape as anyone with the farm talent we can throw with it... we'll see, most are still stoked because El Presidente has been pushing the right buttons (at least it seems that way)... starman: besides Salty and Teagarden, Ramirez is pretty much ready as well
Probably wrote the same thing last year, the year before, etc didn't I? ...oh well, I'd settle for them not being out of it by the end of the month! :)
There are three minor league teams here now and I live pretty much equi-distant to all of them! bonus!
good luck to all! (except when you play us!)
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mstar1
Geisha--I got up and went to work early so's I could come home in time for pregame---The temp dropped about 15 degrees between 7:30 and 9AM --and its SNOWING now.
One of these years I might have to join Tommy Strange, Hiway, or Simon and Rock in more sunny climes---hopefully they'll get the game in but its just damn cold out there today....
Good Luck to those stRangers --if they can pitch and field half as well as they hit---they'll make a run at the West
The AL East is gonna be tough all the way around
maybe that was me......something about that movie hit home to me--
I drove about 500 miles out of my way to go there once on a whim.
I was surprised that people were playing when I got there---people from all over the country who had just shown up for no particular reason except that they were drawn there....a lot of interesting people from all walks of life with great baseball stories who mostly turned back into kids for that one afternoon... ..The locals told me it happens all the time....I hopped right in and played for about 4 or 5 innings and hit a triple.
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hiway29
I still cringe at the memory of going to Shea on opening day, freezing in the nose bleed section, while it snowed and sleet(sleeted?), clutching a hot chocolate for warmth.
Baseball was not made for such weather.
Later that night, I saw Chicago at Carnegie Hall,(which became part of the Chicago 4 album).
I had much more energy and endurance back then.
I want to play on the Field of Dreams field ! I'd have second thoughts about chasing a ball into the cornfield, though.
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mstar1
It was a little spooky running into that corn! .....as for me I got a shot of eternal youth out of the deal--(although I may have already had that anyway..)
:) ---It is pretty cool , the place did bring up alot of things that I was deeply connected to...
Its in Dyersville Iowa --if you are ever anywhere near there its worth going... I keep a vile of dirt from that infield right here at my desk, in fact its in my hand as I type.
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Bolshevik
Sabathia had only his 5th start with no Ks and Texiera is getting nothing but boos.
Money well spent.
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hiway29
I guess his career is over., or he's supposed to throw a shut out every time.
Not that he didn't reek today, but geez.
And are they supposed to be cheering Tex in Baltimore ?
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mstar1
Sorta sux having opening day cancelled here until tomorrow--Its sort of like rushing downstairs on Christmas morning, finding nothing under the tree and seeing a note that Santa got sick and will be here tomorrow.....
Are the Rangers still in first?....I dunno how long they can keep up this pace...
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Bolshevik
I believe he's originally from there, I doubt the offer he turned down from the orioles was stingy. I assume the boos feel a little personal.
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