Great Article on Derrick Hall by Steve Henson on Yahoo Sports

The article is entitled, "Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall won't let his cancer change the best workplace in sports".  Google it - it's very much worth the read.

The Astros will remain the Astros

Jim Crane's not changing the name.  They're changing leagues, but they're going to stay the Astros.

Lions and Tigers and... Bears? Oh my, Oberkfell.

Ken Oberkfell has gone from being the bench coach of the Mets to the Newark Bears.  

I know everybody has to work, but that's quite a fall.  He's in the Can-Am league.  With the Bears.  The Newark Bears.  A team that drew an average of 997 last year (I've seen the Bears before.  I've been in other Can-Am stadiums - I doubt that's actual fannies in the seats.  I've been at games where I could count the actual number of people in the stadium and the announced attendance was much higher, albeit still next to nobody). 

The Bears barely drew in the Atlantic League before changing to the Can-Am last year.  They went through a bankruptcy, and multiple owners.  I was mildly surprised that they didn't fold up for good this year.

Good luck Ken.  

I'm Pulling for Bucholz

Taylor Bucholz is going to be skipping 2012 to deal with anxiety and depression.

Get well soon, Taylor.  Take care of yourself first, then come back to the game.  It takes a lot of courage to have come forward and state that's why you were out last year.  It's nothing to be ashamed of.  There are a lot of people out there in your own position.

Skip Schumaker gets a Rally Squirrel Card

This is awesome - the Rally Squirrel is getting his own baseball card in Topps this year.  It's actually Skip Schumaker's card, but since he was at bat when the squirrel made his appearance, he's getting upstaged.

That rocks.  That's even better than the old Billy Ripken card.

Getting Tired of the Hot Stove

Let's get Spring Training started already.

What is the Best 5-Game Mets Pack?

The Mets are offering 9 different 5 game packs.  Which one do you think is the best?

Degrees of Bill Buckner.

This is a very pointless exercise, but I'm doing it nonetheless.

We all know about the Kevin Bacon game.  Lets's do it with David Wright and show how he's tied to Bill Buckner.

I'll also keep it to starting position players.

In 2011, David Wright was a teammate of Jason Bay.
In 2010, Jason Bay was a teammate of Jeff Francouer.
In 2009, Jason Francouer was a teammate of Chipper Jones
In 2008, Chipper Jones was a teammate of Mark Teixeiria.
In 2007, Mark Teixeiria was a teammate of Michael Young.
In 2006, Michael Young was a teammate of Mark DeRosa.
In 2005, Mark DeRosa was a teammate of Alfonso Soriano.
In 2004, Alfonso Soriano was a teammate of Hank Blalock.
In 2003, Hank Blalock was a teammate of Alex Rodriguez.
in 2002, Alex Rodriguez was a teammate of Rafael Palmeiro.
in 2001, Rafael Palmeiro was a teammate of Ivan Rodriguez.
in 2000, Ivan Rodriguez was a teammate of Royce Clayton.
In 1999, Royce Clayton was a teammate of Todd Zeile.
In 1998, Todd Zeile was a teammate of Eric Karros.
In 1997, Eric Karros was a teammate of Mike Piazza.
In 1996, Mike Piazza was a teammate of Delino DeShields.
In 1995, Delino DeShields was a teammate of Roberto Kelly.
In 1994, Roberto Kelly was a teammate of Barry Larkin.
In 1993, Barry Larkin was a teammate of Chris Sabo.
In 1992, Chris Sabo was a teammate of Paul O'Neill.
In 1991, Paul O'Neill was a teammate of Billy Hatcher.
In 1990, Billy Hatcher was a teammate of Eric Davis.
In 1989, Eric Davis was a teammate of Todd Benzinger.
In 1988, Todd Benzinger was a teammate of Wade Boggs.
In 1987, Wade Boggs was a teammate of Jim Rice.
In 1986, Jim Rice was a teammate of Bill Buckner.

How Did I End Up Playing Cinderella Yahtzee?

Yesterday, my wife was hearing dice roll and me asking my stepdaughter to pick her "magic princess" for this round.

She had to ask me if I ever could have envision myself spending my saturday afternoon playing Disney Yahtzee.

Funny the directions that life takes you, isn't it?

I'm not complaining whatsoever.  It was fun.

Hurry Up for Your Pro Bowl Tickets

If you will happen to be in Hawaii in the next few hours and feel like going to the Pro Bowl (does anyone even remember that it's tomorrow?), you'd better hurry up if you want to get a ticket on StubHub.  There are only 23 seats left, starting at $199.

Matt Tuiasosopo signed to the minors?

Never heard of the guy.  Probably won't hear much of him later, either.   He hit .226 in the minor last year. He's hit .176 in 193 major league at-bats over 71 games with the Mariners the last three years.

Looks like his Dad and his brother both played in the NFL for 8 years.  His brother was the 3rd string QB for the Jets in 2007 behind Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington and once finished 8th in the Heisman Voting.

Looks like he'll be filling out the AAA roster.  I hear Buffalo is nice in the summer.

Bartolo Colon - $2MM with the A's. That's a lot of hot dogs.

Bartolo will be pitching for the A's this year.  That $2 million contract will buy him a whole lot of hot dogs this year.

No word yet if MLB will have another hot dog eating contest this year.  They had to cancel the finals last year after Bartolo's participation last year.

John Maine getting another shot

He's going to try making another comeback.  He's signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox.  He didn't make the Rockies out of spring training last year, and it looked like he was hanging it up.

Good luck, John.  

John Franco and the Mets HOF

The Mets are having another HOF ceremony this year.  The last time they had one in 2010, it was Doc, Darryl, Davey, and Frank Cashen.

This time it's going to be John Franco.

Congrats John!

I'm Rooting for Batchagaloop Jones!!!

Here's my Super Bowl prediction.  Batchagaloop Jones is going to win the MVP, becoming the first offensive lineman to win the award.  His stellar line play is going to allow Eli Manning to set an all time passing record for the Big Game.

Batchagaloop!  Batchagaloop!  Batchagaloop!

Hey Batchagaloop Jones - send me Mets tickets!!!

Hey Batchagaloop Jones - if you happen to be reading this, how about sending me some Mets tickets?

By the way, some guy named Diehl was seen wearing your jersey.

Can you Really Blame Fausto Carmona?

I may not be in the majority here, but I'm not going to beat up Fausto Carmona for faking his identity and shaving three years off his age in order to sign a contract with the Indians.

Was it illegal?  Yes.  But so is stealing a loaf of bread to feed your family when you're hungry.

If I were in his shoes and had the choice between bone crushing poverty or saying my name was Batchagaloop Jones so that I had a chance to escape that life and help my family out along the way, I'd sign in a heartbeat.  You would too.

There's the old adage that players don't walk their way off the island.  Jose Reyes was a free swinger.  Vladimir Guerrero still doesn't see a pitch he won't swing at (he also lied about his age).  17 year old pitchers that can throw like 20 year olds will get a longer look before getting cut loose.  If it took taking someone else's name to chase his one chance, I really can't blame the guy.

I'm not going to cast stones.  He did what he had to do.

Hope to see you in Cleveland this season, Fausto (or Roberto Hernandez Heredia).  I'm not mad at you.

Jamie Moyer and the Rockies

Jamie Moyer has a minor league contract with the Rockies with an invite to spring training.  Even though the guy was a Philly for the last couple of years, I'm rooting for the guy.  How can you not pull for a 49 year old guy to make it?  Of course it's a long shot, but he's only 33 wins from #300.  That's still two seasons away if your last name is Linsecum, never mind a guy who's hoping to catch on as a #5 starter.

Still, it would be great to see him get as close to that magic number as possible.  Then let the debate ensue if a guy with a +4.00 ERA deserves in the hall.

Spring Training Next Month

I've been driving my wife nuts for the last month.  I've been trying to figure out how to get Mets tickets for the upcoming season to take my stepdaughter as tickets aren't in the budget this year.  I think I'm making progress in my quest - we'll see when the season starts.

While the Mets will probably finish dead last this year, I'm still looking forward to the season.  My wife is also looking forward to the season as well.  As she's noted, I'm in a much better mood during the baseball season and football, while I like it, doesn't even come close to taking the cake.  She wants to call Bud Selig to get him to have MLB year round.