Archive for May, 2009
Tracking the Top Prospects: 11-20
No lengthy introduction needed here as we continue with the second half of the top 20 prospects in baseball thanks again to Keith Law of Scouts, Inc. We will start now with No. 11. 11. Tim Beckham, SS, Tampa Bay Rays organization Last year’s number one overall pick in the MLB first-year player draft went [...]
I still have hope for the Mariners
Filling in this month with our Reflections on the Mariners is Lori Thompson who helped us out before when she gave us a review of Alyssa Milano‘s Touch line of MLB apparel “from a woman’s point of view”. So, without further ado, he’s Lori’s take on her beloved Mariners… It was tough to lose JJ [...]
Numbers Indicate Baseball Participation Grows in Europe as the Baseball World Cup Nears
Recent polls have illustrated that baseball is no longer just a hip sport in the Americas as the interest and participation continues to grow across Europe. This growth has been marked by the institution of new clinics, the foundation of new federation web sites and grassroots programs that are being instituted for all ages. Much [...]
Hanley Ramirez: Is He the Best Shortstop in Baseball?
Playing for the Florida Marlins is about as close as Major League Baseball can come to having a site in the witness protection program, but even toiling away in anonymity, shortstop Hanley Ramirez is turning heads and creating a name for himself as one of the best young players in the game. A year after [...]
The Cardinals Flip Flop in May
I don’t watch horror or suspense movies. I’m not big on being scared or losing control of bodily functions. So I can’t say that this season for St. Louis has been like one of those movies from personal experience, but knowing the general formula for a movie of that type, the analogy seems to fit. [...]
Matt Wieters Scheduled to Join the Baltimore Orioles on Friday
Image by Getty Images via Daylife The wait is over. In an interview with Gary Thorne and Buck Martinez during Tuesday night’s game between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, Orioles President Andy MacPhail announced that top prospect Matt Wieters will be making his major league debut on Friday, May 29, when the Detroit [...]
Dontrelle Willis Needed This!
He needed to step onto that mound at Comerica Park and feel the evening sun shine upon him, the clouds in retreat, the swirling winds at bay. He needed to kick his right leg high into the air and bring his left arm across his body in perfect plane as the baseball left his fingertips [...]
The Rays After 40 Games
The 2009 Tampa Bay Rays played their fortieth game of the season on Monday, May 18th and in so doing got themselves back to the .500 mark at 20-20. But at this point, things that went right in 2008 so far have not in 2009, and the Rays find themselves in fourth place in their [...]
Will Joe Mauer Continue The Power?
Image by Keith Allison via Flickr The fantasy baseball community is buzzing over Joe Mauer‘s newfound power stroke since returning from the DL on May 1. After his grand slam against the White Sox on Thursday, Mauer is batting .417 with 8 HR in just 72 at-bats. That’s 1 long ball every 9th at-bat. The [...]
Tracking the Top Prospects: Players 1-10
Image via Wikipedia Back on Jan. 22, Keith Law of Scouts, Inc. wrote a column for ESPN.com that ranked the top 100 prospects in the major leagues for the 2009 regular season. Well, since the most of us do not pay whatever fee that is charged to get ESPNinsider, we only have access to the [...]
The Royals Become Relevant
Unless you are a Kansas City Royals fan or a really, really huge baseball fan in general, chances are you have not given the Royals much thought since about 1994. Even during the 2003 campaign, when Kansas City won sixteen of their first nineteen games and hung in the race until late August, they were [...]
Friday Night Links
This edition of Friday Night Links will once again act as a site update for the departure and addition of writers and their sites. First, we have recently seen the departure of The Zoner (White Sox writer) from Zoner Sports and Kurt (Tigers writer) from Mack Avenue Tigers. If you liked their work here, please [...]
The Texas Rangers Are In First Place Still!
The surprise Rangers are sitting in first place in the AL West! This time it’s their pitching that’s carrying them. Unlike last season, the Rangers are relying more on balance from the starting pitching and offense to win games. Last season, the Rangers lost many close games (3 runs or less) and this season, they’re [...]
Indians After Two Months = Disappointing
While the Cleveland Indians are currently on a winning streak at the time of this writing, it is the first time in nearly a month that they have won at least two games in a row. Even though there were no huge expectations coming into this season like there were in 2008 when many, including [...]
Interleague Play Q&A
Back on December 8, 2008 I posted a 10 question interview session that I conducted with 6 other baseball bloggers about their thoughts concerning Interleague play. With the first Interleague series of the year going this weekend I thought it would be a good time to post this link to it for your amusement! Enjoy! [...]
Phillies Fans It Is Not Time To Panic
If you have been watching the Phillies lately you may be wondering just where exactly DID the offense go? Or you may be wondering how it is possible that Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were a combined 0-22 with 12 strikeouts in their series with the Dodgers this past week. This is a very tough [...]
White Sox Reflections 1 ½ Months In
I’ll let Paul Konerko and Ozzie Guillen sum up the White Sox season (15-18) through the halfway point in May. “We stink.” – Guillen “We’re just not good right now, that’s it.” – Konerko That pretty much sums it up, but let’s take a look at why the Sox are struggling so much. Offense The [...]
The Blue Jays Are On Fire!
Hi from us at Bluebird Banter where, I can quite honestly say, I have never enjoyed baseball as much in my life. And I was there for the Jay’s World Series seasons. The great part of it this time is that we weren’t expected to be anywhere near this good. It really is good to [...]
IBAF Names Donna Lopiano, Ph. D., As Chair of Women’s Baseball Committee
The IBAF has announced that Dr. Donna Poliano has officially been named the chair of the women’s baseball committee. Dr. Lopiano has held many previous roles in sports including being the Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Sports Foundation. She has also been recognized on an international level for leading the movement for gender equality [...]
What’s Wrong With Jimmy Rollins?
Several top sluggers have struggled through the first month and a half of the season. Grady Sizemore is batting .220, but has 7 bombs and 6 steals. Mark Teixeira is batting a paltry .238 in Yankee pinstripes, but remains on pace for 39 HR. Lance Berkman has battled just to stay above the Mendoza line, [...]
PlayerPulse.com Provides a New Sports Perspective
Jarett Sims, digital entrepreneur and son of Emmy Award winning television and radio voice Dave Sims, currently the voice of the Seattle Mariners, has officially announced the inauguration of PlayerPulse.com. The website is designed to bring many of today’s influential personalities from the world of sports including athletes, journalists and sportscasters to one place to [...]
For the Nats, April was Forgettable
For the Washington Nationals, April 2009 was a month to forget. March was a bad sign of things to come. The club opened camp with the revelation that the future of the franchise, 19-year-old Esmailyn Gonzalez, was in fact 24-year-old Carlos Alverez Daniel Lugo. A resulting scandal broke out, the FBI got involved, and before [...]
Help Your Young Hitter Learn the Perfect Swing With These 5 Drills
I have a favorite saying. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Most coaches will tell you that hitters are not born; they are made. Hitters develop the proper swing from drills and habits they learn in practice. It is better to take 10 fundamentally correct swings than to take 100 swings the [...]
Joe DiMaggio Award Gala to Honor Reggie Jackson
Image via Wikipedia Xaverian High School president Dr. Salvatore Ferrera announced that former New York Yankee Reggie Jackson would be honored at a dinner held at their school on May 5. The event, which is called the Joe DiMaggio Awards Banquet benefits the Brooklyn, New York School and was held last week. According to Ferrera, [...]
April’s Top 9 Hitters By Position
Here’s a look at the top players per position for the month of April. We have included the top 3 outfielders rather than list them by LF, CF & RF. Admittedly this is a little late and next month I’ll try to get this to you quicker, but for now, I hope you enjoy this [...]
Brewers Solid Through 32 Games
At 18-14, and having won 16 of their last 21 games, the Milwaukee Brewers are quickly making their fans forget about their 3-8 start and have them thinking more about a return trip to the post-season. While it shouldn’t be overlooked that this team is 11-12 against teams above .500 and is 5-0 against Pittsburgh, [...]
New Bullpen, New Ballpark, New York Mets
The boys who used to play in Shea finally figured it out it seems. Fix the back-end of your bullpen, shorten the games to accommodate an under-performing starting rotation and find yourself leading a mildly competitive National League East. Mix all of these factors, shaken, not stirred, in a margarita shaker, along with the Mets [...]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Buy Or Sell? Part 2
In last week’s fantasy focus, I outlined several players whose hot starts you should buy and sell. This week, I’ll profile a few players whose slow starts you should buy, and others who you should sell. BUY Scott Kazmir Kazmir has struggled through his first six starts of the 2009 season, posting a 6.00 ERA [...]
The Giants Road Struggles
The Giants road struggles have little to do with the road. The Giants are struggling on the road this year, just 2-8 entering Tuesday’s game in Chicago. So the easy excuse is to blame the ivy on the brick walls of Wrigley field for being out of bloom, or the cavernous alleyways of Petco Park. [...]
Friday Night Links
This evenings edition of Friday Night Links will coincide with a site update. First, we have a few new writers to introduce to you all, bringing us closer to covering every major league team. First up, in no particular order, are the guys from MVN‘s Pirate Revolution, mainly Cory Hume. Anything from the MVN (Most [...]
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