Tom Strange

Personally, I liked that little stadium that I watched a NYY spring training game in (in St Pete?) better than "the Trop"... it was dank and musty in there...

It was a good game and yes, Lidge was lights out... I haven't seen much of the Phillies this year but I hear that Hamils and Lidge are about it for them... we'll see...

Newburg sent this link out with the following comments, I thought you guys might want to take a look at it in your "downtime" on travel days...

I also want to direct your attention to a really well-done account of Hamilton’s fascinating pre-addiction life. Parts of it are especially chilling, given what we know now about what he went through not long after the four-part St. Petersburg Times series (three written by Anne Hull during and following his 1999 rookie season and one – eerily – written by Marc Topkin as an epilogue of sorts – but a prologue in another way of looking at it – three days before the infamous truck accident in which he and his parents were involved during spring training 2001), and all of it, I suspect, will give you a greater appreciation for the life that Michael Main and Manuel Pina and Justin Smoak and Shane Funk and Bill Richardson and dozens of others like them live, and have lived.

Think what you want about life in the lower minor leagues – I bet this series will change your perspective. It’s really, really well crafted, and the fact that it happens to have been written about Josh Hamilton before he’d faced any real adversity in his life obviously gives it another couple layers of wow.

You can find all four parts (which happen to also have a ton of childhood and teenaged photos of Hamilton) at this link:

http://www.sptimes.com/News/webspecials/abaseballstory/

But beware: It’s going to command a good half-hour of your time, if not more. Well worth it, in my opinion.

yeah... he's out there... and his name is probably Phil Mickelson!

when is this thing gonna start!?! come on... we're ready!

And how about some congrats to the real Roy Hobbs? Today the players voted him AL outstanding player! the year!

As a result of a vote conducted among Major League Baseball players, the 2008 Players Choice Award winner for American League Outstanding Player is Josh Hamilton. He received more votes than fellow finalists Justin Morneau and Dustin Pedroia.

Hamilton is also a finalist for AL Comeback Player of the Year, along with Cliff Lee and Troy Percival. The winner will be announced this Thursday.

On Friday, the Marvin Miller Man of the Year will be announced. Michael Young is one of three finalists, along with Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols.

Im fine, i cant complain -I love October baseball, the heavy intensity, the highs and lows that are incredibly magnified and all that--and I got more than my fair share, Thats my 4th 7th game in 6 years.

yeah... well... enjoy it while you can... we've only had three playoff games PERIOD... in 36 years!

heck... we're excited if we're still "in it" at the end of May! ...but I like the things that El Presidente is doing (and going to do) with the young pitchers now... at least what he says he's gonna do...

maybe we'll see some playoff baseball here sometime... all we need is pitching!

I just went back and looked... it's too hard to tell (for me) when it's a lefty... I need the box...

...it was at 97 mph so the ump was probably just guessing...!

...you just got paid back by Bay's "check" swing...

admit it... that kid pitching to Drew had you on the edge of your seat...

of course, you were probably on the edge of your seat already...

I love this

but damn -- Im gonna need a new rug from pacing my floor

just get thee to the recliner... or the rocking chair... or the rocking recliner... and enjoy good baseball...

I have full faith in Jon Lester--its his turn now

Is that him on the left in the picture you posted?

curses! ...that Pedroia! (I wish that Kinsler hadn't gotten injured so we could have seen them race together to those outlandish numbers they were putting up)

OK starman... your boys have forced it to seven... I'm still not convinced though because it's not an odd year and everyone knows they win the series in the odd years in this decade...

but I can hardly wait for the game...

well.. they got to it a little late didn't they? I'm watching (in the 5th) a Beckett that's obviously in pain and a Shields that's already nearing 100 pitches... but it's a tie game and I like close games...

"the nation"... don't get me started starman!

like I said... at least your teams played in October...

I think we gotta give it up for a good young team this year though... and it looks to be a pretty good series coming up...

what in tar nation is going on!?!

does the LAD infield love Maddux so much that they want to just keep on seeing him pitch?

I don't know about you guys... but I think these Rays are pretty good...

...I know that the BoSox are the kings of comeback... but... I'm just sayin'...

well... like I said... it's good your blood is really orange... !

good move on the tix... you can always get student tix can't you? (or faculty?)

see ya in a couple or three weeks!

now now... you've gotta take the good with the bad... you can't sing the praises of Francona all year and now doubt him... remember, it's "my team right or wrong" time!

I could see perfectly good reasons for leaving Beckett in... 1) TB hadn't stopped your bats yet 2) injured Josh or not at his best Josh is still probably better than Byrd or anyone else you had out there

I could probably come up with more but I think you get the idea... these aren't your fathers Devil Rays...

(and of course, I know you're just letting off steam)

now it's time for hiway's team... they need to get a win tonight

sweetniKa... I know your outer sooner must be sad right now... but... on the bright side...

your inner longhorn must be smiling! there's always next year, but that was a good game!

sorry... I thought that'd get a rise out of you!

good performance by both Shields and DiceK (although I don't know how he does it) tonight...

yeah... but walks don't count against a no no do they now?

well... I did and I still can't come up with anything...

...maybe ARod will learn to lighten up a little around him next year!

starman... IMO... none of them are "worth the money"... the money is too outrageous!

...but I know what you mean

I don't know another word for "whip"... do I get to use a thesaurus?

If I were in your position hiway, I'd feel exactly the same way...

"Ear Trumpet Whip"?

"Deaf Bullwhip"?

"Dwight You"?

"David You?"

Good article... love reading folks who write like I feel...

On the baseball anti-christ:

Let's pretend you were Boras last spring. First, grow fangs and imagine you sleep in a coffin. Second, divorce yourself from all parameters of human decency. (Concentrate on those dollars signs. Keep concentrating. Block everything else out.) Third, convince yourself the relationship between a player and his fans, no matter how long it has been cultivated, doesn't matter even remotely. Fourth, keep reminding yourself, as long as you can weasel Manny out of that '09 option with Boston, you're looking at a four-year contract elsewhere for $80-100 million ... as well as a big fat commission for yourself. You feeling it? You feeling like Boras yet? (Touch your new fangs to be sure.)

on Manny:

Will Manny understand the real reasons when it happens? How much does Manny understand in general? He's dumb enough to leave uncashed paychecks sitting around and smart enough to earn those checks in the first place. Dumb enough to get seduced by Boras, smart enough to heed his advice. Dumb enough to burn bridges in Boston, smart enough to get what he wanted in the end. Dumb enough to betray his old team, smart enough to embrace his new one. He's unredeeming in every way until you add up every little moment that made you like him in the first place. Then he's not so bad.

And the writer is (sadly) correct I think... Odds are he will be wearing pinstripes next year... and Alex will benefit greatly... finally be the impact hitter he has always thought he was...