Archive for the 'Bloops' Category

Congrats to the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the 2011 World Series.

On September 24th, per CoolStandings.com, the Cards had a 6.8% chance of just making the post-season.  Just over a month later, they were the kings of baseball.

The story of the '11 Cardinals should go down in baseball history as one of the best comeback stories of all-time, no?

Chris Jaffe takes a stab at putting a number on it. Click here to check it out.

What do you think of his attempt and results?

Sports Illustrated has a great story on Kelly Swift.

Click here to read it.

Via Madison.com with a h/t to BBTF -

As the World Series begins, the most powerful man in baseball readies a nest in Madison for retirement. It contains bubble gum, pretzels, a basket of baseballs and a cable connection to Major League Baseball's TV channel.

Allan H. "Bud" Selig has charmed the UW-Madison history department, paid a million-plus for a professor to teach the history of sports and had scholarships created in his honor. His new office in the Humanities Building is cozy and modest. The effect of his presence will be the opposite.

Selig, 77, owner of the Milwaukee Brewers from 1970 to 1992 and commissioner of Major League Baseball since, will retire in 2012. His intention to return to his alma mater to write his memoirs, and to create a legacy in his chosen-but-not-followed field of history, has been in the works for at least a few years.

"One of the favorite parts of my life was the four years I spent in Madison, and I always thought I would be coming back as a history professor," Selig said Tuesday.

"I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to it, to write my book and do what I want to do in Madison," he said.

The department is getting ready to search for a professor to fill Selig's endowment wish — and preparing for sightings of the commissioner wandering the maze of halls and giving a lecture or two, said department chairwoman Florencia Mallon.

"We're not hiring (the professor) this year, but there is a very good chance, if all goes to plan and the commissioner is on board, we will be hiring next year," Mallon said.

If Bud does write a book, would you have an interest in reading it?

Click here to see it.

Crazy, huh?

Via Joel Sherman -

Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement for major league baseball are moving at a fast pace and one issue the sides have all but agreed upon is adding two wild-card teams and holding one-game playoffs in each league to determine which of the wild cards advances, The Post has learned.

One person involved in the talks described that scenario as a done deal and another hedged a little by saying it is likely to play out that way, but nothing will be finalized until an entire CBA is inked.

Both sources said because there would be just a one-game playoff added, the second wild-card team could be installed as early as next year, but the new system will go into effect no later than 2013.

What are you thoughts on this - now that it seems to be happening, for sure?

It's Waite Hoyt's birthday today.

He was born on 9-9-99. How cool is that?

Via the New York Times -

Mike Jacobs, a first baseman in the Colorado Rockies organization who has played over 500 games in the major leagues, including dozens with the Mets, is the first professional baseball player to test positive for human growth hormone, a banned performance-enhancing drug.

Major League Baseball announced Thursday that Jacobs, who was playing for the Class AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox this season, has been suspended for 50 games for failing the drug test.

Jacobs, 30, who was drafted in the 38th round by the Mets in 1999 and has played for them, the Florida Marlins and the Kansas City Royals, provided the blood sample over the past few months, said a person with knowledge of the results.

His blood sample was sent to U.C.L.A.’s Olympic drug-testing lab, which is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and scientists there detected H.G.H. in it. The drug, which is believed to boost lean muscle mass and aid in recovery, is illegal to possess in the United States without a doctor’s prescription.

What are your thoughts on this development?

Rick Chandler has the story. 

Crazy, huh?

Have you seen the video on this one?

Hey, at least the A's remembered to have someone covering the plate...