Something to Fall Back On

Sometimes in life you think you have your future planned, and everything falls into place and then, suddenly, life throws you the inevitable curve ball. Below is a list of celebrities who almost became professional baseball players before fate intervened.

Harold Lloyd Jenkins (aka Conway Twitty): Although he demonstrated a talent for music at age 4, Jenkins' first passion was baseball. While in high school, the future country megastar was drafted to play for the Philadelphia Phillies. Upon graduation from high school, Jenkins was preparing for his move to the majors when war erupted in Korea, and young Jenkins was drafted into the U.S. Army.

Kurt Russell: Russell was drafted by the California Angels and spent the early 1970's playing 2nd base for their Double A team the El Paso Sun Kings. During a 1973 game, a runner collided into his right arm, tearing his rotator cuff and ending his potentially spectacular career. Prior to the injury, Russell was leading the Texas League with an impressive batting average of .563.

Billy Bob Thornton: In an interview with Sport's Illustrated back in 2005, Thornton revealed that it was his dream to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals. In that interview, he described himself as a "junk pitcher" who threw mostly tricky pitches, without much speed. He claims he developed a curve ball at the age of 12, and attracted the Kansas City Royals in high school. So what happened?
"I was probably there for a half hour. They had us all out in the field throwing, so I had warmed up with a guy. Then they were taking some infield practice and I was standing behind the first baseman, and the third baseman threw over and the first baseman wasn't looking and the ball me right in the collarbone." Thornton's collarbone was broken, ending his Major League ambitions.

Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (aka Nelly): Nelly used baseball as a way to keep himself out of trouble, and off the streets of St. Louis. In the early '90s, he was a star shortstop for the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Association, once earning an MVP award. He was good enough to attract the attention of scouts for the Braves and Pirates. However, he had other plans. Together with several of his friends, Nelly had formed a rap group, the St. Lunatics and released their first successful album "Gimme What Ya Got." The shortstop decided to focus on his music career, and is now one of the top-selling rappers in the world.

Other Star Starters
-Billy Ray Cyrus, Billy Crystal, and Robert Redford had baseball scholarships to colleges and universities.
-Charlie Sheen pitched 90 mph fastballs in high school.
-Kevin Costner was a successful Little League pitcher, who had pitched 2 no-hitters, and had once struck out 16 batters in one game. He was also a star pitcher in high school. So why didn't he pursue baseball as a career? Upon graduation, Costner was only 5' 2" tall.
-President George H.W. Bush was a star first baseman for Yale University. In 1947 his team went on to play in the College World Series where they lost to California. Interestingly enough, 1958 AL MVP winner and 3-time Boston Red Sox All-Star, Jackie Jensen played against Bush in that series.
-George W. Bush is currently the only President to have played in the Little Leagues.

Gotta Love Baseball Cards

We here at More Hardball love baseball cards. It's not because of their monetary value either, although my Nolan Ryan rookie card is mint! It's because of their humor value that we adore these cardboard gems. Here's some for you this Sunday...

Benard bows before thee, and Frank fakes the funk with an apple.


Kazuo has that devilish little boy look in his eyes, while Tom was popping his collar before it was frat boy cool.



Social Distortion- Ring of Fire

This Day in History: August 29

Some people argue that baseball is a boring sport, that there isn't enough action, the games are too long, and there are just too many of them in a season. One thing however, that can't be disputed is the rich history of the game. None of the other "major" sports can hold a candle to the history that baseball has amassed. Players are contstantly adding their names to exclusive lists, setting records, breaking streaks, and adding all of their accomplishments to the baseball history books.

In honor of the great history of our National Pastime, I will be bringing you a "This Day in History" post every Saturday morning. The post will offer a glimpse at a few of the greatest achievements and milestones attained on...well...This Day in History.

To get things started let's take a look at...

August 29:

1966-The Chicago Cubs' Robin Roberts gets the win in relief over the Atlanta Braves to become the only pitcher in Major League history to record wins against the Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta Braves. Roberts would finish his career with a record of 286-245 and was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.

1971-Braves Outfielder Hank Aaron becomes the first player to drive in at least 100 runs in 11 different seasons. Aaron was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982 and finished his 23 year career with 2,297 RBI's, an all time major league record.

1993-Kansas City Royal's third baseman, George Brett, joins Willie Mays and Hank Aaron as the only 3 players in major league history to record 200 stolen bases, 3,000 hits, and 300 homeruns. Brett recorded 3,154 career hits, the most ever by a third baseman, and was inducted into the Hall in 1999.

Next Week: Appearances by The Bambino, The Big Train, Tom Terrific, and The Iron Man.

The Dugout: When to Stop Laughing at Lenny Dykstra

Phillies phans, this one's phor you!

Though I'm too young to have ever watched Lenny Dykstra play, there's no question that he was a colorful character. According to the news reports, Dykstra was characterized as a boorish asshole, more fitting of the '85 Mets than the Phillies, who just happened to play good baseball.

Recently, this shlub found himself in trouble yet again. According to mlbfanhouse.com, Dykstra tried to start his own magazine publication, and promptly got into a fight with his editor-who in a GQ exclusive article, BLASTED Dykstra as the boss from hell. But that wasn't the last of Lenny. On top of his magazine issues, Lenny is apparently homeless, the reason being cited as 1 of his mansions is rotting from a mold infestation and the other is torn apart from water damage. Lenny is currently fighting his insurance company for reimbursement to pay for his house repairs, but to complicate things, Dykstra's estranged wife's name is on the title of both houses, and she isn't handing over either of the houses for temporary shelter.

Sad, right?

But not to the fellas at my favorite spoof site "The Dugout"! In today's posting, the notorious Curt Schilling and the spaceman himself Darren Daulton poke fun at Lenny, for a reason not having to do with his personal issues.

Read it and laugh (or weep if you actually cared about this guy)

The Dugout: When to Stop Laughing at Lenny Dykstra

Shared via AddThis

tamtam

Baseball Slide Shows

Here's two MLB slide shows for you on a rainy Friday at work.

Hardball Heroes: Orel Hershiser

Hardball Heroes is More Hardball's version of the Hall of Fame. Players who qualify for this distinction must have demonstrated exceptional athleticism and sportsmanship on and off the field, however are not likely to be recognized in the Hall of Fame. This month, we celebrate the awesomeness that is Orel "Bulldog" Hershiser.

Best remembered for his stellar 1988 season, excellent control on the mound, and a wicked sinker, Orel Leonard Hershiser IV made his Major League debut on September 1, 1983 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was soon given the nickname 'Bulldog' by coach Tommy Lasorda in the hopes of encouraging his tenacious spirit. Hershiser became a starter for the Dodgers the next season. That year, he was voted third for the NL Rookie of the Year. In 1985, Hershiser pitched 19 wins and 3 losses, and his career best 2.03 era. In 1987, he earned his first of three All Star titles.

By 1988, Hershiser was an unstoppable force, earning 23 wins (1st in the league) and his second All Star appearance. He pitched 15 complete games(1st in the league), earned 8 shutouts, and was named the Cy Young Award and Golden Glove winner. The '88 season also saw Hershiser pitching 59 consecutive scoreless innings. He was integral in the Dodgers' NL Championship, and in their World Series triumph over the Oakland Athletics where he named NCLS and World Series MVP.

The following season saw his third and final All Star appearance and another consideration for the Cy Young Award. In 1990, Hershiser experienced a potentially career ending shoulder reconstruction surgery, and was forced to miss the remainder of the season. He made a successful return the following season, but never attained his pre-surgery greatness. However, in 1993, he picked up a Silver Slugger award for his .356 batting average (26 hits in 73 at bats). After 12 seasons with the Dodgers, Hershiser was traded in 1995 to the Cleveland Indians where he spent the next three seasons, leading the franchise to two ALCS championships (1995 and 1997), and himself an ACLS MVP award in 1995. In 1998, he spent a season with the Giants before being traded to the Mets, where he again saw post-season play. In 2000, Hershiser returned to the Dodgers, retiring from baseball on June 26th. In total, he earned 106 additional wins after his surgery. His 18-year career stats includes a win-loss record of 204-150, 3.48 era, 3130.1 ip, 2014 k, and a 1.264 whip.

His post baseball career includes time as an analyst for ESPN, and pitching coach and Executive Director for the Texas Rangers (2002 - 2005). Hershiser also participates in competitive poker, even moving to Las Vegas to be closer to the tables. He has proved himself to be as tenacious a card shark as he was a pitcher, winning several tournaments, and earning finalist positions in many others. Always known for his kindness and giving, he contributes to many charities including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Hershiser also makes the motivational tour circuit speaking to others about courage and and faith in Christ. He is also the author of two books: his 1989 best-selling autobiography, Out of the Blue, and his 2002 best-seller, Between the Lines: Nine Things Baseball Taught Me About Life. Hershiser is the father of two sons, Orel Leonard V, and Jordan (who is a baseball player at the University of Southern California).

Check Out Hershiser's Awesome Dance Moves in this radical '80s video!

Baseball Boogie - As Performed by the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers

Should I Feel Bad?

I am a diehard Phillies fan, so naturally I hate the New York Mets. Seeing them crash and burn down the stretch drive the past two seasons was extremely gratifying. However, this season the Mets will be limping to the finish line with a team so crippled it's almost not funny any more...but is it?

They just lost Johan Santana for the remainder of the season due to elbow surgery. A couple weeks ago David Wright took a gruesome beaning to the noggin and is likely out for the season. Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Johnathan Niese, John Maine, JJ Putz, and Carlos Delgado were supposed to be cogs in the machine that would lead the Mets back to the playoffs this season, but they've all spent considerable time on the disabled list instead. I'm not going to lie, the suffering that all these injuries have caused for Mets fans is enjoyable. Should I feel bad for taking pleasure in the midst of misery for others?
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Check It Out:
*Awful Announcing announces CBS' NLF announcers pairings.

*Sports Poop stares in shock at 10 hideous uniforms over the years.

*No Guts, No Glory tells of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy going back to the slammer.

*Sportress of Blogitude does a nice little feature on Ichiro.

*Hail Mary Jane takes a look at the curious advertising campaign of HUMO magazine.

*Bootlegger Sports wonders why the hell sports betting is not allowed in the state of Delaware. Wait, Delaware is a state?

*We Should Be GM's claims Brad Lidge's season as closer is the worst ever.

*Gunaxin delves into the mystery of the NHL's Russian sex machine Alex Ovechkin.

20 Years- Pete Rose by the numbers

Last week GM-Carson wrote about Pete Rose and gambling in baseball, yesterday, August 24, 2009, marked the 20th anniversary of Pete Rose being banned from baseball by then Commissioner A. Bartlett "Bart" Giamatti. Rose's reinstatement into the game has been a topic of discussion in Bud Selig's office, back yard cookouts, and bar rooms across the country since that day in 1989 and it is a perfect example of the punishment not fitting the crime.


Rose is baseballs all time leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), and at bats (14,053). Here are a few more reasons why "Charlie Hustle" belongs in the Hall.

24- Seasons that Rose played in the major leagues.

10- Seasons in which Rose collected 200 or more hits.

7- Times Rose led the National League in hits in a season. '65, '68, '70, '72, '73, '76, & '81.

17-All Star games in which Rose appeared in.

5- Different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B, 1B) in which Rose appeared in those 17 All Star Games. Another all time major league record.

44- Consecutive games in which Rose hit safely in 1978, still a National League Record.

3- World Series rings ('75, '76, '80) and batting titles ('68, '69, '73) won by Rose.

2- Gold Gloves ('69, '70) won by Rose.

1- Rookie of the Year ('63) and World Series Most Valuable Player ('75) Awards won by Rose.

.303- Rose's career batting average.

Rose was also named Sporting News Player of the Year in 1968, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 1975, Sporting News Player of the Decade for the 1970s, and Sporting News Sportsman of the Year in 1985. He was also elected to Baseball's All Century Team in 1999.

I understand what Rose did was wrong, he has paid his dues, done his time, and apologized for his actions. Think about it this way, there are people convicted of horrific crimes in this county that serve less of a sentence than Pete Rose has. Rose bet on baseball. The only person that died as a result of Pete Rose's gambling was the man who banned him, Bart Giamatti died on September 1, 1989 at the age of 51, Major League Baseball's Commissioner for 154 days and just 8 days after permanently banning Pete Rose from baseball for life. I guess it goes to show you that the man upstairs thinks Pete should be in the Hall too.

Keep This On The DL

Carlos Gonzalez was pulled from the lineup Sunday after cutting his left hand on a steak knife. Gonzalez dropped the knife, tried to catch it, and gave himself a puncture wound that required a single stitch. While he will not be out long, his injury is only one in a long line of strange baseball injuries.

1) David Wells (Padres, 2004)lacerated his left hand and severed a tendon in his right wrist after falling on a beer mug. Apparently, Wells kicked a bar stool and lost his balance.
2) Left Fielder Marty Cordova (Orioles, 2002) spent too many hours in a California tanning salon after accidentally falling asleep. Cordova suffered burns on his face and was told by doctors to stay out of the sunlight for a while.
3) Kevin Mitchell was placed on the DL after vomiting so hard he strained a rib. Mitchell also cracked a tooth on a microwaved donut that had hardened, and subsequently missed a few games after having the necessary root canal to repair the damage.
4) In 1988, All-Star Red Sox Pitcher Bob Stanley tumbled down the stairs of his home while carrying a bag of trash. Unfortunately, the bag contained broken glass, and Stanley ended up damaging nerves and tendons in his pitching hand.
5) Steve Sparks (Brewers, 1994) was so inspired by a team of motivational speakers, that he tried to emulate some of their stunts, including tearing a phonebook in half. Instead, he wound up dislocating his right shoulder.
6) Oddibe McDowell once sliced his hand while buttering a roll at the Texas Rangers' annual Welcome Luncheon.
7) Bret Barberie (Marlins, 1995) is probably best remembered for eating spicy nachos. The 2nd baseman temporarily blinded himself after getting the chili pepper sauce in his eye.
8) Wade Boggs (Red Sox) missed 7 games after straining his back trying to remove his boots. Although, there is a rumor that his mistress, Margo Adams, may have actually had something to do with the injury.
9) Eric Show (Oakland A's, 1991) landed himself on the 15 day disabled list after stabbing himself in one of his fingers with a toothpick. This tiny incident led to a much more serious infection.
10) In the 1920's, Henry Clyde 'Pea Ridge' Day was known for making hog calls from the pitcher's mound. He was, to say the least, an eccentric character. Ridge also liked to demonstrate his ability to snap leather belts by simply expanding his chest. One such demonstration led to three snapped ribs.


R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts

WTF?!

I already knew that many New York Mets fans were dumb, obnoxious, douchebags, but this video just sealed the deal...

Why would they go and do something like this and put it up on YouTube? The Phillies are murdering the NL East, with the Mets in a very distant 4th place. LOSERS!!!

*Hat Tip to The Fightins for this disturbingly idiotic video.

The Evolution of the Curveball

Whether you believe it was first thrown by Candy Cummings, Fred Goldsmith, or Phonney Martin, the curveball has been giving hitters the "chair" since the 1870's. The curveball has been thrown in as many ways as there have been pitchers who've thrown it. Over the Top, three quarter, submarine, fast, slow, 12 to 6, 1 to 7, and has even spawned pitches such as the screwball, slider, and the lovely slurve.

As long as pitchers have been throwing the curveball, baseball players and fans alike have been naming it. The Curveball has more names than Wilt Chamberlain's Little Black Book and here are a few classics for the ol' number 2:

12 to 6er- named for the action of an over the top curveball, it goes from 12 O'Clock to 6 O'Clock

Bender - your average, run of the mill curveball

Deuce - because the sign for the curveball is usually 2 fingers down from the catcher
Hammer- a hard 12-6 breaking curveball

Hook- named after the trajectory of the curveball
Lord Charles- term for a dominant curveball, usually a dominant 12-6er

Public Enemy Number One- a very good, above average, curveball
Rainbow- a curveball with a high arc to the plate
The Roundhouse- a gradual looping curveball
Uncle Charlie- a good curveball, not as dominant as Lord Charles
Worm Killer- a curveball that hits the dirt before it gets to home plate

Yacker- a good curveball with a big break

Bad Hair Day

Helloooo Hardballers!

I know Carson and Burton did a recent post about crazy athlete hairdos, but this is a followup to that post.

For my entry of the week, I was doing my research for potential topics and came across a photo of legendary Rays coach, Joe Maddon with freshly-dyed black locks.

As a woman, I too am a fan of hairdye. I love how I can change my haircolor to any shade any day. Though the dye can be smelly, messy, bad for the hair itself, and occasionally never come out as the shade on the box, it's something no woman should be without.

But because Coach Maddon is a man, I have to wonder "WHAT THE HELL IS HE THINKING?!!" The only guys I can think of who color their hair are actors (part of the job), men who love other men, metros (*cough* A-Rod), and men who are on the run from the law or the mob.

Although, Coach Maddon doesn't look too bad-if you think Tom Arnold and Bono are handsome (courtesy of The Sports Hernia for that joke), he is not to be outdone by the ever hair-crazy man himself, Nick Swisher. In this old photo from his days with the A's, Little Nicky plays up the girly pigtails.

I know, I know, he was growing his hair out for charity, but that does not make him immune from uptight bloggers like myself!

Then, in 2008, Nicky rocked Elvis night with this fake poof-poof:

What a clown. No wonder my loudmouth manager hated this guy!

Enjoy your happy day, everyone!

tamtam

Gambling on Baseball

Baseball fans were entertained by the always-quotable Rickey Henderson at the most recent induction ceremony for the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, but another familiar face was once again missing. Pete Rose (baseball's all-time hit leader) was once again passed over for election to the Hall of Fame and missing from the festivities, banished from baseball for gambling on games.

While it's hard to argue that "Charlie Hustle" screwed up (especially since he even bet on his own team while managing the Cincinnati Reds), many feel that Rose has suffered enough for his bad behavior, especially in light of all of the steroids allegations and scandals in recent years.

Major League Baseball threw the book at Rose when he admitted to betting on games, as at the time he was the poster child for a misbehaving athlete, but his exploits seem very tame today in light of other scandals that have erupted in recent years, including rampant steroid use, drug problems, dog fighting rings, drunken driving manslaughter charges, and pistols accidentally going off in night clubs.

Only time will tell if Rose makes it into the Hall of Fame despite his love of gambling, but if commentator Jim Gray has a say in the matter, it may still be a long wait:

Garret Anderson Still Likes To Hit

Garret Anderson picked up 2 hits on Tuesday night to reach 100 hits for the 15th straight season. The man in an undervalued hit machine. Career: .296/.794, 1061 r, 2468 h, 510 dbl, 35 trpl, 283 hr, 1338 rbi, and 79 sb. He's been an all-star 3 times and won the Silver Slugger twice. Over his 16 MLB seasons he's played for the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels and is now in his 1st season with the Atlanta Braves. The 37 year old's career may be winding down, but he's proving he can still hit.

Garret was drafted in the 4th round by the Angels back in 1990. He's the franchise leader in games played, at bats, hits, total bases, singles, doubles, grand slams, extra-base hits, rbi. Two years ago he collected 10 rbi in one game.
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Booty Call:
*Awful Announcing thinks we need more sports announcers like this YouTube amateur.

*No Guts, No Glory tells story of Brett Favre's upteenthmillionth return to the NFL after retiring.

*Redleg Nation thinks Cincinnati should move Brandon Phillips back to SS.

*Strait Pinkie has pictures of Erin Andrews getting dirty for GQ.

*Rumors & Rants profiles the world's suckiest douches.

*We Should Be GM's is pretty pissed off at Brad Lidge.

*Major League Jerk finds some humor in the Hiroki Kuroda linedrive to the head.

*Sportress of Blogitude has a picture of something/someone quite disturbing. Click the link if you don't believe me.

Brothers in Baseball

There are currently 17 sets of brothers that are in the majors, or have played in the majors and are trying to get back in the minors. Lets take a look...


B.J. & Justin Upton- Boss Man Jr. (BJ) has regressed this season while playing center field for the Tampa Bay Rays. The younger Justin really came into his own this season with the Diamondbacks, but is currently laid up on the DL.

Delmon & Dmitri Young- Delmon is the younger (23 years old) more talented of the two, but he's taken a step backwards this season with the Minnesota Twins. Dmitri has diabetes and has been injury prone. He's spent the 2009 season in the Washington Nationals minor league system, but at the age of 35 it appears his career is coming to an end.

Jayson & Laynce Nix- Jayson has found his niche as a utility player on the Chicago White Sox, while Laynce has been a solid 4th outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds after 3 disappointing years with the Brewers.

Cesar & Maicer Izturis- Cesar is playing shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles and Maicer is playing all over the diamond for the AL West leading Los Angeles Angels.

Jeff & Jered Weaver- both are on 1st place teams in the West divisions. The older Jeff is in the Dodgers bullpen, making spot starts. Jered meanwhile has a sparkling 47-23 record with a 3.81 ERA pitching for the Angels over the past 4 seasons.

Bengi, Jose, & Yadier Molina- known as the Catching Molina Brothers, this trio are all on playoff contending teams (Bengi- San Francisco Giants, Jose- New York Yankees, Yadier- St. Louis Cardinals).

Erick & Willy Aybar- like Maicer Izturis, Erick is a very versatile player for the Angels. Willy is helping the Rays in their quest to return to the postseason.

Scott & Willie Eyre- Scott is the situational lefty out of the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies bullpen, while brother Willie continually bounces up and down from majors/minors with the Texas Rangers.

J.D. & Stephen Drew- JD has great talent, but can't seem to stay healthy, as he's missed time every season with nagging injuries (currently with Boston Red Sox). Stephen is becoming a reliable MLB shortstop with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Their older brother Tim was a pitcher, but has since retired.

Adrian & Edgar Gonzalez- for the San Diego Padres Adrian hits bombs, Edgar just seems to occupy space to keep little brother happy.

Jerry & Scott Hairston- both were dealt midseason, but only Jerry was thrust into a playoff hunt. Jerry went to the Yankees, while Scott ended up with the Oakland Athletics. They come from a baseball family as their grandfather, dad, and uncle were all MLB players too.

Orlando & Jolbert Cabrera- Orlando has had himself a fine career playing SS, and is currently with the Twins. Jolbert is toiling in the Orioles minor league system waiting to be recalled.

Chris & Shelley Duncan- the sons of pitching guru Dave Duncan have had their ups and downs in the majors. Earlier this season the Cardinals traded Chris to Boston, where he is playing for their Triple-A team. Meanwhile, Shelley is with the Yankees Triple-A squad.

Adam & Andy LaRoche- Andy is the LaRoche still with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as Adam was dealt to the BoSox and then again to the Atlanta Braves where he's currently help power them into Wild Card contention.

Livan & Orlando Hernandez- the brothers from Cuba have experienced more than they ever dreamed possible. Livan has a rubber arm and seems to always find a team in need of his services no matter how poorly he pitches. He's currently losing games for the New York Mets. Orlando, El Duque, has pitched for the Rangers minors this year, but the 43 year old seems to be done.

Julio & Ruddy Lugo- Julio went from one playoff contender to another (Boston to St. Louis), he's playing SS and 2nd. Ruddy hasn't appeared in a MLB game since 2007, but he's trying to get back with the Detroit Tigers organization.

Corey & Eric Patterson- Corey is so overhyped and has never produced anything close to all the hoopla. He was released by the Nationals earlier this season and is now with Milwaukee's Triple-A team. Eric is an OF/2B for the A's.


Jackson 5- ABC

The Devil

Q: What do Stephen Strasburg, Dustin Ackley, Donovan Tate, Jacob Turner, and Grant Green all have in common?

A: All were selected in the top 13 of the 2009 MLB Draft, (pick numbers 1,2,3,9,& 13 respectively), none of them have officially signed with the major league club that drafted them, and all are represented by none other than, Super D-Bag agent, Scott Boras.

This is why Scott Boras is the devil. Stephen Strasburg has never thrown a pitch as a professional, when he does it will likely only be on every 5th day, and haven't we seen this act before from Scott Boras and his can't miss pitching prospects...

Tim Belcher- 14 Seasons, 146W-140L, 4.16 ERA, 1519Ks, 860BB, 1.34 WHIP
Ben MacDonald- 9 Seasons, 78W-70L, 3.91 ERA, 894Ks, 437BB, 1.26 WHIP
Mark Prior- 5 Seasons, 42W-29L, 3.51 ERA, 757Ks, 233BB, 1.23 WHIP

All were Boras clients, all were can't miss pitching prospects, and all fell short of the great expectations that were set for them. An argument can be made for Tim Belcher's success but certainly not for MacDonald and Prior.

The point is, these athletes are unproven, untested, and overvalued. They have never seen major league competition. Their contracts should not compensate them for successes they aren't guaranteed to have. Teams should load their contracts with incentives based on wins, innings pitched, Cy Young Award votes, etc., make them prove that they "deserve" the money. When the players prove themselves at the big league level, Scott Boras will get his money.

Manship & Fister

Who are they? A couple of lawyers who put the firm in law firm? Obstetricians? Producers or stars of the latest porn flick? No! This duo makes up part of Major League Baseball's newest additions, who happen to have last names that tickle my immaturity bone. Because of this, I decided to create cards for these newbies.

All kidding aside, these guys have had successful starts to their professional careers. Jeff Manship of the Minnesota Twins pitched one inning during his debut Saturday against the Indians. The 24 year old entered in the 9th, and struck out his very first batter. Doug Fister pitched his first game with the Mariners on August 8th. In two games, he has pitched 7 innings, faced 28 batters and struck out five. His current era is 0.00, with a whip of 1.00.

Motorhead - Iron Fist

The New More Hardball

Starting on Monday More Hardball will be showcasing two new bloggers (Scotty & TamTam). This is in an effort to bring different perspectives about the game and more frequently consistent solid posts. Please take a couple minutes to get to know your More Hardball bloggers...

Scotty:
1. What's your favorite team? NEW YORK METS

2. Who're your favorite player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? MIKE SCHMIDT (yeah I said that), NOLAN RYAN, DAVID WRIGHT.

3. Who're your most hated player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? CHIPPER JONES & PAT BURRELL- THEY BOTH KILL THE METS.

4. What's your favorite thing about baseball? THE NUMBERS…UNLIKE ANY OTHER SPORT BASEBALL NUMBERS HOLD SPECIFIC MEANINGS TO FANS. I CAN SAY 56, 61 IN 61, 4,256, 3,000, 500, AND FANS OF THE GAME KNOW WHO ARE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT WITHOUT SAYING ANOTHER WORD.

5. If you could change one thing about baseball, what would it be? I WOULD PUT AN END TO OWNER’S ANSWERING PLAYERS DEMANDS TO BE TRADED…LOOK YOU ARE UNDER A CONTRACT THAT YOU SIGNED AND YOU WILL REMAIN UNDER THAT CONTRACT UNTIL IT EXPIRES. YOU PLAY POORLY, IT ONLY HURTS YOU IN THE LONG RUN. THESE GUYS ARE MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND DEMAND TO BE TRADED BECAUSE A MANAGER BENCHED THEM FOR NOT HUSTLING OR BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY SHOULD BE BATTING 3RD INSTEAD OF 5TH. THAT’S TOUGH TO HANDLE WHEN YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING TO HAVE ONE AT-BAT IN THE “SHOW” AND HAVE TO LISTEN TO A GUY COMPLAIN ABOUT HIS SPOT IN THE BATTING ORDER WHILE HE IS MAKING $5 MILLION A YEAR.

TamTam:
1. What's your favorite team? Chicago White Sox

2. Who're your favorite player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? Carlos Quentin, Mark Buehrle, AJ Pierzynski, Paul Konerko, Jim Thome, Esteban Loaiza, Nomar Garciaparra, Carlos Zambrano, Nick Swisher, and Ichiro Suzuki.

3. Who're your most hated player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? Pretty much all the overrated players, like Manny, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and anyone else who happens to fall into that category.

4. What's your favorite thing about baseball? Home runs, bases-loaded Ks to end the inning, the festive atmosphere of the ballpark.

5. If you could change one thing about baseball, what would it be? Women should play! Softball just does not cut it.

GM-Carson:
1. What's your favorite team? Philadelphia Phillies

2. Who're your favorite player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? Past: Michael Jack Schmidt, Wes Chamberlain, and John Kruk. Present: Chase Utley, Roy Halladay, Albert Pujols.

3. Who're your most hated player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? Past: Mark Lemke, Paul LoDuca, and David Bell. Present: Jose Reyes, Eric Bruntlett, and Chipper Jones.

4. What's your favorite thing about baseball? The numbers. I love stats. I basically taught myself to read by memorizing the backs of baseball cards as a kid. I read box scores every day. I'm also very intrigued by all the little things like defensive alignment, pitch selection, situational hitting, and others things of that nature.

5. If you could change one thing about baseball, what would it be? Even harsher penalties for using PEDs. For example, not only does the player get suspended for at least 50 games, their organization would then have the right to renegotiate the current contract or rid themselves of the player without having to pay any more salary. So if it comes out that Magglio Ordonez is using, then the Tigers can outright release him without paying another cent if they so desire. (I'm not accusing Magglio, just using him as an example because of his outrageous contract.)

Burton:
1. What's your favorite team? I have always been an Atlanta Braves fan. Not an early '90's bandwagon jumper. The main reason I like the Braves is mainly location, they are the closest team in the area. If North Carolina were to get a Major League Baseball team, they would be my favorite, because then I would have a local, hometown team. Even if they sucked balls, I would follow them religiously.

2. Who're your favorite player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? Past: Dale Murphy - Great athelete, great person. Present: Albert Pujols - Great athlete, great person.

3. Who're your most hated player(s) of all-time (past and/or present)? Well, the multi-million dollar performance enhancing crowd ranks right up there: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens (a former favorite), Mark McGwire, and Manny Ramirez (to name a few)

4. What's your favorite thing about baseball? I enjoy the history of teams, the old rivalries, and reading about the sport's true greats. I also enjoy watching talents develop, and how someone can go from a relative 'nobody' in one season, and be among the best in the next season - without steroids.

5. If you could change one thing about baseball, what would it be? I was turned off the sport for quite some time back in 1994, when mediocre and moderately good players began demanding multi-million dollar contracts, and then walked out on the season. I'm divided on the issue of free agency, and I feel like many players make an obscene amount of money - even if they are out for a season.


Sister Sledge- We Are Family

For the love of the game

Greetings, More Hardballers!

Since this is my first post on this particular blog, I thought I would start out with something light. On my old blog, "Cell's Bells", I write about the Chicago White Sox, but since I haven't come across anything racy uttered by my loudmouth manager, Ozzie Guillen, in recent days, I had to browse my link list for a subject to post about.



Since the story of the week is Adrian Beltre's busted balls, I think my first post should be with regards to this topic. Although I'm a woman, I feel bad for Adrian cuz no man should have to endure that pain. But at the same time, I have to wonder "WHAT WAS HE THINKING?!!" Baseball is an unpredictable sport, in that one bad bounce can put you on the DL for a long time.

But...that's not to say that other writers haven't seized on the chance to poke at Beltre for his lack of good judgment. In this link below, the writers at "The Dugout", a favorite website of mine, make fun of Beltre's busted balls. Read it and laugh.

For the Love of the Game

I hope you've enjoyed my first post, and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

tamtam

Algebra teacher turned MLB Player

Study this card very closely and you are likely not reminded of a MLB player, rather a high school algebra teacher. In all seriousness, my college calculus professor looked like this dude. Well, this baseball card indeed does picture a MLB player, and a decent one at that. Tom Hume was a 1st round pick of the Cincinnati Reds back in 1972 and went on to win 57 games and save 92 others over 11 seasons with the Reds and Phillies. In 1982 he was even an all-star, picking up the save for the NL (seems like that's the last time the NL actually won the all-star game). Don't let the geek-look fool ya, the man could bring it to the plate.
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Read:
*Sportress of Blogitude introduces the newest hottie of golf- Beatriz Recari.

*No Guts, No Glory gives reasons why the Eagles signing Mike Vick was a great move.

*Blue Heaven showcases a 1991 baseball card of Bob Welch showing his split-fingered grip in black and white.

*Rumors & Rants has story of women's boxing to the 2012 Olympics...ugh.

*We Should Be GM's takes a look at Felix Pie's special night.

*Thunder Treats thinks "Mad Dog" Vick and "Chunky Soup" McNabb are a dynamic duo.