Combining physical, mental, and baseball skills are necessary for elite performance on the diamond, but how is that attained, practiced, improved and honed? There are trainers you can visit and books you can read, but they can be costly and time consuming. Now there is an interactive educational website that combines the skills needed to practice, workout, and perform. NowPerformance.com integrates training for the body with a winning mindset to take your game to the next level.

A member of NowPerformance.com has access to individual video analysis, two complete training online books, 150 videos, and more. This revolutionary website will make you a better player or coach, guaranteed.

For our Baseball Reflections followers we have provided 10% off to become a member of Now Performance. Go to NowPerformance.com and use the promo code “baseballreflections” at checkout. Read, watch, analyze, learn, and have fun with NowPerformance.com.

Baseball season has arrived and it’s time for fantasy baseball. But not the average, full-season, six-month type that seems to never end. I’m talking about a one-night showdown on Friday, May 13th. Yes, Friday the 13^th!

We have teamed up with DraftStreet.com to offer an exclusive free contest to BaseballReflections.com readers. The freeroll will have $100 in cash prizes, the top 4 get paid, and it is totally free to sign up. How can you not get in on this?

Pit yourself against me (Peter Schiller, owner, writer & lead editor of Baseball Reflections) and possibly other Baseball Reflections writers in this one day freeroll event! Players can be selected by more than one player in the freeroll so don’t worry about not being able to get the best players if you sign up later than most. I’m sure the kind people of DraftStreet will let you enter into the freeroll up until 7pm on Friday (the 2:20pm game between the Giants and Cubs in Chicago will NOT count in this freeroll)!

Here’s how you play:

Fill your roster (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 3 OF, 2 U, 2 SP, RP, P) while staying within the budget of $100k. Player salaries are set by DraftStreet based on fantasy production. So, if you want to put Roy Halladay on the mound it might cost you $16k, which means you’ll have to find some bargains to fill out the rest of your squad.

Here is how the scoring is calculated:

You can sign up now for free! Just build a team (you can adjust your roster up until the games start), then check out the scoreboard when the games start and watch your team win you cash.

Registration for the competition on Friday (May 13^th) night starts now & you can sign up by following the link below…

Click Here to join in on the FUN!

Here are the tentative starters for Friday’s games…

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Guillen to Compete with Fans in the Hot New Sports Prediction Game, Offer Strategy Tips and More

Image via Wikipedia

HIGHLAND PARK, Illinois, – Game Time Live announced a new fan for the company’s exciting real-time social sports prediction game, GameSlam (www.gameslam.com).  Ozzie Guillen, the candid World Series-winning manager for the Chicago White Sox, has just been named the sports game’s new “Slambassador.”  As part of his role, Ozzie will be joining fellow GameSlam fans in playing the social prediction game, offering expert strategy tips, and generally promoting the social game amongst his fans and peers.

“The best thing about GameSlam is that it really gets you tuned back into the game of baseball,” said Guillen.  “I am a big fan of social networking and mobile games, but this is the first game that isn’t a distraction.  Instead, it’s a way to make watching baseball even more fun by involving fans in the action.”

“We couldn’t think of a better person to endorse our game,” said David Domm, COO/CFO and Co-Founder of Game Time Live, the maker of GameSlam.  “Ozzie is authentic, charismatic, and one of our home-town heroes.  Plus, he understands the social connections between sports fans and professional athletes.  We know that both he and his fans will have a great time connecting and having fun with each other in the GameSlam stadium.”

GameSlam is a free-to-play real-time sports prediction game available at www.gameslam.com.  GameSlam can be played on Mac and PC and is coming soon to iPhone/iPad/iPod, Facebook and Android devices.

About Game Time Live Sports Services, LLC

Game Time Live is a social game developer that designs leading-edge sports entertainment games.  GameSlam, the company’s flagship product, is a new social sports game that allows fans to compete with each other by making real-time predictions on the actions of their favorite teams during live sporting events. GameSlam is the first mass multiplayer online game of its kind, integrating the power of social connections and sports. GameSlam can be played for free on PC and Mac and is coming soon to Facebook, iPhone, iPad and Android, enabling fans to showcase their sports knowledge and play virtually anywhere.

Game Time Live is headquartered just outside of Chicago in Highland Park, Ill.

Contacts:

Image via Wikipedia

Joe Favorito

direct:   (917) 566-8345

fatherknickerbocker1@yahoo.com

AND

Michelle Zenner Kohler

direct: (847) 780-4797

michelle@gameslam.com

# # #

© 2011 Game Time Live Sports Services, LLC. All rights reserved. GameSlam is a pending trademark for Game Time Live Sports Services, LLC. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

My 11" Stripes Pro Series Custom Glove

This season in my over thirty baseball league (I play 2B) I hope to feature this 11” Stripes Pro Series PM Custom Glove in Kip Leather thanks to the kind people at PM Custom Gloves. In order to bring you this review, they allowed me to design my own custom glove for this very reason. The Kip Leather Stripes Pro Series has a base price of $255.00, the same style in Cowhide Leather is only $165.00 and $225.00 in Steerhide Leather. Please make note that almost every custom feature you choose for inclusion to your custom glove is an added chargeThey also have The Crown Series and The Mesh Series of custom gloves as well as batting gloves.
 
The actual review portion of this great glove can be found in the following video presentation…
 

 
Here is the video tutorial you will find on the PM Custom Gloves website. It walks you through creating a PM account as well as designing your own PM Custom Glove:
 

Follow the simple steps to create your perfect glove!!
Video: BCN76 CREATIONS 2010
Audio: MAKE-D PRODUCCIONES 2010

Artist Doug Keith has tried to make a solution for a problem many baseball fans across the country face in regards to raising their young ones. Often parents of America’s Pastime are left asking themselves, “How can I bring the game I love to my children at a young age in a way they will understand?” Well these parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts alike need not search any longer as B is for Baseball Alphabet Cards provides the obvious answer to that question.

These basic premise behind these cards is the same as any other stack of alphabet cards that one might find at a toy or book store. The catch is that every card contains a character related to baseball, mimicking a letter of the alphabet. The set comes out right in time for the start of Spring Training fever and at a great point for children to learn their letters related to baseball.

The back of the box of cards reads, “A for alphabet, B for baseball, C for cards and together they form this set of flashcards by Doug Keith that captures the action and spirit of the sport.”

While conventional thinking would lead viewers to believe Keith just used players in his designs, the cards illustrate otherwise. Keith used images of every aspect of the game that a fan would see when attending the ballpark. Everything from images of players sitting on the bench, to images of umpires, hotdog vendors and fans. These cards will allow kids to learn about all aspects of the game and get adjusted to the type of entertainment their loved ones already enjoy. In addition to using different kinds of people, Keith also depicts different situations as well including players at the plate, on the base paths, in the field and even coaches arguing with umpires.

In addition to each card featuring a player, or other baseball person, shaped in a letter, the clothing that that person is wearing has the letter on it as well.  This should help children with their learning as they will have multiple avenues and associations with the letter, in addition to helping parents teach their kids the game as well.

The cards come in a tightly encased box with a slide out feature that holds the cards. This feature allows it to easily fit in diaper bags and purses for on the go learning. Encasing the box is a picture depicting the first four cards in the set placed over a baseball.

This set would make a great gift at a baby shower for the child of a baseball fan, or even a birthday, or other holiday present for children as well.  This set truly illustrates, “where love of learning and love of the game intersect,” as children will learn their alphabet, and perhaps how to spell (hopefully words related to baseball) while also being entertained.

Illustrator Doug Keith has had his work featured in more than 40 illustrated books since opening his own illustration and design studio in 1983. He has also illustrated a series of popular alphabet posters and a number of fine art commissions. Keith is the recipient of an Emmy Award for graphic design, many Publishers Marketing Association Awards and an Award for Excellence from the Society of Newspaper Design.

The set was released on March 1, 2011 by Simply Read Books and retails for $12.95. To see a complete list of works by this publisher, visit www.simplyreadbooks.com. The set is distributed by Publishers Group West.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

After being away from the game of baseball as a player (in an organized league) for over 20 years, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to catch up to fastballs in excess of 80 mph anymore. I took the plunge and signed up to play in my first over thirty baseball (NOT softball) league. That’s where having a baseball site like BaseballReflections.com comes in quite handy. I’ll spare you the details…the bottom line is that the kind people at Mattingly Baseball (yes, the former Yankee, but one of the few I have the utmost respect for…he was always (to my knowledge) a gentleman in the game) sent me three bats to try out in exchange for this (albeit late) review!

Originally it was only two bats (the 33” aluminum V-Grip™ Ripped Adult bat & a V-Grip™ Adult Ash Wood bat), but after the first ash was sawed off in a game just above my hands (my fault for swinging a ball so far inside), they swiftly rushed me out a replacement Ash along with the sweet Cherry Maple (also a 33” V-Grip™ Adult Wood bat). This showed off their great service and dedication to their customers which obviously did NOT go unnoticed! You can find the specifications of each bat in this review at the bottom of this article.

What was that you asked? What is a V-Grip™? It is part of the patented V-Grip™ technology/technique. Here’s a description of it from the man himself, Donnie Baseball, Don Mattingly…

And here’s the official Mattingly Sports video on the V-Grip™ Technology which is a little longer & more detailed…

Let me tell you, I wish I knew this back when I was playing as a teenager! I will just have to wonder if it would have improved my hitting ability. The only problem I now face is not knowing if I still had the ability to hit pitches in excess of 80 mph or if the V-Grip™ technology made up for the decline in my bat speed, as Mattingly says in the video, the V-Grip™ technology improves your bat speed by up to 7%.

The only adjustment that may need to be made is getting use to the shape of the bat handle as I have had teammates that shied away from using it because of that. But for me, it just feels natural (or it did after the start of the first round of batting practice).

I cannot recommend these bats with any more praise. For more detailed specifications on the bats I used last season (and will again this (2011) season), please refer to the rest of this post!

RIPPED Aluminum Adult Baseball Game Bat

• Mattingly’s MB55Sc Scandium Alloy is the highest quality alloy available. The Ripped bat is the first and only bat to combine performance enhancing alloy Technology with performance enhancing V-Grip™Technique into one dynamically engineered game bat (TNT).
  • Patented V-Grip™ TECHNOLOGY – Promotes proper hand alignment for increased bat speed.
  • MB55Sc Scandium Alloy- Optimized ratio of Scandium to provides a stronger and more durable material.
  • DIRECT POWER TRANSFER- Stiff handle maximizes energy and returns it to the ball.
  • LOCKED N LOAD END PLUG II- Maximizes trampoline effect.

V-GRIP™ Adult Ash Wood Bat

- Patented V-Grip™ technology
- High quality Apalachian White Ash
- Black (it also comes in Natural) Post Catalyzed High Gloss Finish

Barrel Diameter: 2 1/2
Handle Diameter: 31/32

Length: 33”

Price: $69.99

V-GRIP™ Adult Maple Cherry Wood Bat

- Patented V-Grip™ technology
- High quality Canadian rock maple
- Cherry post catalyzed high gloss finish

Barrel Diameter: 2 1/2
Handle Diameter: 31/32

Length: 33”

Price: $79.99 (down from $89.99 in 2010)

I found the Maple bat to have a slightly wider barrel as well as being a bit heavier, too (not as advertized)..

Vibro-belt System

In an attempt to get in better shape for the 2011 baseball season, the kind people at Wayfair sent me the Vibro-Belt.

I have to admit that I was skeptical going into this review and upon trying it out, I wasn’t disappointed. Now if you just wanted something that would give you a good message, then the Vibro-Belt will definitely do the trick. Although it was very easy to use, it had to be due to the poor grammar of the instruction manual. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen on written so poorly. But then again, people shouldn’t buy a product like this for the manual.

As far as the item itself, aside from being rather bulky, it isn’t uncomfortable to wear or during operation. It also comes with a tape measure to gauge your progress and a convenient carrying case. Since I mentioned the case, I need to let you know that on the third time I opened the case, the outer loop of one of the zippers broke into pieces. It wasn’t jagged or anything and was still usable, but disappointing none-the-less.

In conclusion, I think this is a glorified and expensive massager that I would not recommend anyone to buy unless they got it as a more reasonable price.

I guess I will have to go in a different direction to get into better shape for next season and maybe the good people over at CSN Stores (now Wayfair) would still be kind enough to help out…they have a lot of other fine looking products to get rid of the poor abs of mine. One item I have my eye on I also saw at Brookstone in the mall, the Ab Rocket.

GWW1203 Photo provided by Mizuno USA

GWW1203

The Basics from Mizuno

The Mizuno GWW1203 is a baseball glove with a Tartan web design (closed back) and ProFlex finger inserts in a pro style pattern. It comes specially tanned in a retro leather for a soft, supple feel for durability allowing for a quicker breaking in period. In fact, it comes nearly game ready for use at either the pitcher or third base positions (editor’s note: this is true for almost all 12″ gloves). It retails at around $80

My Thoughts and Impressions

Image via Wikipedia

I have never owned or even used a glove with a closed web style before and I have to admit that it was a little strange at first, but I quickly got use to it (a testament to the quality of this glove). I agree with Mizuno’s claim of game ready playability as it breaks in very quickly. Where it isn’t as padded as a recently reviewed indie glove (it was heavier than other gloves I’ve used), it most definitely makes up for that by contrastingly being a very light weight glove. At the moment it is my glove of choice whether I’m playing 3B, SS, 2B or OF.

On a personal note, the last glove that I bought (which was about 26 years ago) was a Mizuno middle infielder‘s glove. I had that glove until two years ago. I have been very satisfied with both Mizuno gloves I have owned and used and I would easily recommend a Mizuno glove to someone looking for a new baseball glove!

I’d like to thank the people at Mizuno for providing Baseball Reflections with this fine glove for the purpose of this review.

For details on this glove and other Mizuno products including, but not limited to, the Jennie Finch Women’s Fast Pitch Softball line by visiting the following links…

Baseball

• Fielder’s Gloves
• Batting gloves
• Bats

Softball

Image via Wikipedia

• Jennie Finch Women’s Fast Pitch Softball line
  • Fielder’s Gloves
  • Bats
  • Batting Gloves

• Slow Pitch
  • Fielder’s Gloves
  • Bats

• Fast Pitch (non-Jennie Finch line)

• • Fielder’s Gloves
  • Bats
    

Picture I took of Jacoby at the Charity Wines Launch Party

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be invited to the launch party of Zinfandellsbury (a Red Zinfandel from Ellsbury) and Chardon-K (a Chardonnay from Beckett) which are charity wines from Longball Cellars. If you are not familiar with the Red Sox charity wines the players do not profit a single dime; rather, 100% of their proceeds will raise money for local charities.

About the Players & their Charities

• Jacoby Ellsbury: ZinfandEllsbury – benefiting the Navajo Relief Fund,
  Project Bread and the Ellsbury-Read Project.

• Josh Beckett: Chardon-K – benefiting The Josh Beckett Foundation and Children’s Hospital Boston.

The luanch party was held across from legendary Fenway Park behind the Green Monster (not Wally) at the House of Blues in their VIP Foundation Room. It was my first time in the House of Blues and the last time I was there at a club it was still called Mama Kins (formerly owned by Boston’s own Aerosmith), Axis and Avalon (The House of Blues has taken over all three clubs).

To give you a taste (pun was intentional) of what it was like to be there I have added a few videos from the event. This first one is the opening monologue from the event’s emcee, NESN field reporter Heidi Watney (of the Olympia Sports commercial). I apologize in advance of the less than HD quality of the video, but I used only what I had, in this case, my 5 year old camera.

Shortly thereafter, we were given a little history lesson on Charity Wines from founder Andrew Graff. Again, I apologize for the poor video quality.

Last, here is the exchange between Heidi Watney and Jacoby Ellsbury as they talk about his wine, Zinfandellsbury, his number change from 46 to 2 and more…

Unfortunately, Josh Beckett couldn’t attend due to his back injury which was caused by batting practice the day before in preparation for inter-league play next week (starting on Friday, May 21st in Philadelphia). We were notified of this via a personal statement from Josh which basically said he was with the training staff that day in attempt to get him back into game shape for his next start. This statement was read by the director of the Josh Beckett Foundation, Jason Oberle.

A still shot I took of Jacoby & Heidi at the launch party

As far as which wine was better, after tasting a glass of each and being a biased red wine drinker, I’d have to say that prefer Zinfandellsbury, but for a white wine, Chardon-K is top notch, just like Josh Beckett himself.

For those of you reading this who are not local New Englanders, but would love to purchase one or both of these wines, please visit the Charity Wines website at www.charitywines.com.

Furthermore, the people from the charities in attendance that I spoke with were all very kind & most of them promised to send me pictures & other information to share with you all in the near future so be on the lookout!

Below is the official press release from yesterday announcing the launch of these two great charity wines.

BOSTON BASEBALL CHARITY WINES LAUNCHED:

JACOBY ELLSBURY & JOSH BECKETT A HIT

Jacoby Ellsbury & Josh Beckett Charity Wines
Artwork by Jonathan Banchick of Banchick Illustration

CHARITY WINES LAUNCH

Today, May 11, 2010, Charity Wines from Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett became available throughout New England wherever wine is sold at retailers, restaurants, and online at www.charitywines.com.

100% of athlete proceeds from Zinfandellsbury (a Red Zinfandel from Ellsbury) and Chardon-K (a Chardonnay from Beckett) are donated to their charities. To date, Charity Wines funds raised from 30+ professional athletes with their own wine labels across more than a dozen markets have raised $1.7 million.

WINE TASTING & LAUNCH PARTY

Before the Red Sox played the Blue Jays today, Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett hosted a Wine Tasting and Launch Party today in the Foundation Room at House of Blues behind Fenway Park. NESN field reporter Heidi Watney was emcee. Josh Beckett was unable to attend do to his receiving medical examination for a tweaked back, though his father, John Beckett was present at the Check Presentation at Fenway Park later in the day.

Those in attendance tasted the wines for the first time, heard from Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett Foundation director, Jason Oberle, and met representatives from Jacoby’s charities.

OVERVIEW

Debuting from Longball Cellars are charity wines for Boston baseball stars
Jacoby Ellsbury and Josh Beckett. The players do not profit a single dime. Instead, 100% of their proceeds will raise big league dollars for local charities:

• Jacoby Ellsbury: ZinfandEllsbury – benefiting the Navajo Relief Fund,
  Project Bread and the Ellsbury-Read Project.

• Josh Beckett: Chardon-K – benefiting The Josh Beckett Foundation and Children’s Hospital Boston.

The names ZinfandEllsbury and Chardon-K are word plays of the wine varietals in the bottles: Red Zinfandel and Chardonnay. The 2010 wines are produced by acclaimed winery Clos LaChance out of San Martin, California.

Both wines are expected to retail for about $14 a bottle, and are available across New England, wherever wine is sold. For non-local members of “The Nation,” wines can be purchased online at www.charitywines.com.

Baseball enthusiasts and wine aficionados may recall that in 2007, Charity Wines debuted in Boston with wines from Manny Ramirez (Manny Being Merlot),  Curt Schilling (Schilling Schardonnay) and Tim Wakefield (CaberKnuckle). The effort sold more than a quarter-million bottles. Charity Wines returned in 2008 with releases from David Ortiz (Vintage Papi), Jason Varitek (Captain’s Cabernet) and Kevin Youkilis (SauvignYoouuk Blanc). To date, more than $1,400,000 has been raised overall as a result of athlete wines and their contributions.

ABOUT CHARITY WINES

After personal tragedies involving friends and family with cancer and heart disease, Andrew Graff started Charity Wines, a philanthropic division of his Massachusetts based company, VinLozano Imports Inc. With the goal of pairing fine wine with great charities, the Longball Cellars brand was born. Nationwide, more than 30 professional athletes across baseball, football and hockey have teamed up with Charity Wines to raise funds for great causes. Visit www.CharityWines.com.

CONTACTS

Media Inquiries:

Brett Rudy

Charity Hop Sports Marketing

617-840-7981

brett.rudy@charityhop.com

Sales Inquiries:

Andrew Graff

Charity Wines / VinLozano Imports

978-297-5477

andrewgraff@vinlozanoimports.com