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Tom Strange
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I woke up to the news that Sox owner John Henry is saying that the Sox are out of the running for Texiera--maybe he is calling Boras' bluff--

either way back to the money--which is surreal enough at those numbers, even stranger is the thought of someone turning down $185million

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here's a group some , I'm thinking Mstar for sure, would find interesting. baseballreliquary.org

They're based out my way, and are devoted to all the aspects of baseball that aren't always covered in by the mainstream. There traveling displays include oddball items such as an actual hot dog partially eaten by Babe Ruth.

I 've attended some gatherings in pasadena, including a very interesting talk by Jim Bouton.

Just check out the website.

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Thanks! That's a great site--I'll be checking back and reading more throughout the winter...

Its great to see that they admitted Emmett Ashford into "The Shrine of the Eternals". He was my favorite ump as a youngster, a good ump and a great showman, and someone who I still occassioally wonder about...

At a game in 66 As the normal sleepy homeplate pregame meeting with the umps and managers broke up and everyone started jogging to their places, Ashford spun sprinted toward the mound, took off like a long jumper, got great height off the mound and was kicking in the air as he raised his hands in jubilation on his way to his position at second...of the course the crowd--and me --was loving the unexpected moment--its strange what you remember but it was a great way to start a game--It got me buzzing right away....

I actually remember wanting to go to games that he was umping--he was that much fun to watch

He made wonderful flamboyant calls, his timing was impeccable, and had a way of building a little extra drama into his calls by the way he moved. I can still see some of the calls he made 40 years later, but doubt I could remember any call since or who was umping...the way I remember him...

anyway-- good to see him recognized :)

I'll be back to check the site out more thoroughly when I have more time

Edited by mstar1
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NYTimes

Dock Ellis, who infamously claimed he pitched a no-hitter for Pittsburgh under the influence of LSD and later fiercely spoke out against drug and alcohol addiction, died Friday. He was 63.

Ellis died in California from a liver ailment, former agent Tom Reich said. ...

Ellis went 138-119 with a 3.46 ERA from 1968-79, spending most of his career with the Pirates. He went 19-9 in 1971 when Pittsburgh won the World Series, and made his only All-Star appearance that summer -- and what a show it was. Ellis was tagged for one of the most memorable home runs in All-Star history, Reggie Jackson's monster shot off the light tower at Tiger Stadium.

In 1970, Ellis overcame eight walks to pitch a no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader at San Diego. Several years after he retired, the right-hander said he was high on LSD during the victory. ...

Ellis played on four Pirates teams that won the NL East and also pitched for the New York Yankees, Oakland, Texas and the New York Mets. ...

The Yankees hired Ellis in 1986 to offer guidance to their minor leaguers on drug and alcohol abuse.

CannabisCulture.com

No look at drugs and sports is complete without the classic tale of Dock Ellis, the controversial Pittsburgh Pirates player who pitched a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in 1970... while he was high on LSD!

Ellis was preparing to enjoy a day off from baseball, and dropped acid with his girlfriend to enjoy his free time. But upon flipping though the newspaper he noticed that he was actually scheduled to play that day.

So while the LSD kicked in he quickly booked a flight from LA to San Diego, reaching the stadium minutes before the game began.

"I can only remember bits and pieces of the game. I was psyched. I had a feeling of euphoria," writes Ellis in his autobiography, In the Country of Baseball. "The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while I was looking at him. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder."

Ellis waited until 1984 to publicly reveal that he had been on LSD, as the revelation would have damaged his career. The game he played on acid was the high point of his baseball career.

Dock in the sky with diamonds

dockellis_curlers_50cr.jpg

Edited by mstar1
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^&%$#*---Yanks sign Tex --ESPN reporting

They'll be the team to beat --at least on paper

after 400 million on 3 free agents I wonder if they'll still be asking NYC for $$ to finish the new stadium

$30M for ARod

$25M for Tex

$23M for CC

$22M for Jeter

$18M for Burnett

$118m for 5 guys :blink:

On the plus side Tex might be the kind of guy that I may really enjoy disliking for the next 8 years :biglaugh:

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I think it's crazy-but not so crazy that I'm not glad the Yankees got him instead of Boston.Oh well-it's not my money.

Actually this is the first I've heard-the news was brought by Mstar.

I honestly wish he would have stayed with the Angels-and Manny with the Dodgers- or I kinda wish he had gone to his so called home team of Baltimore-and that's part of the problem with baseball that there was no way the Orioles would get him

More reason for everyone to hate the Yankees, and I'm not going to argue-

they still have to win on the field, whatever the salaries are.

I still hold the late 90's Yankees in my heart-I don't know what these guys are yet.

In other news-the MLB network starts in a week. My cable company amazingly is carrying it and I hope yours is too. I still can't get used to turning to channel 429, though.

We know there will be ample Yankee, Bosox, Cubs, and Mets coverage. Here's a prayer to the baseball gods that they don't forget about the Royals, Pirates, Mariners etc.

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You're probably right--Most of this money is on replacements--CC replacing Mussina, Tex replacing Giambi,

Burnett replacing Ponson and ? and ?.

Its not like they added these big numbers on top of everything else..it balances out. It all looks good, but we'll see how much theyve really improved come April

....I honestly thought until the last minute that he'd be signing with the Nats which would have been fine with me. It would have been like the witness protection program--no one would have ever barely heard of him again.

The Yanks were sort of a surprise.

Its Ok --the Sox have a highly touted minor league 1B , Lars Anderson, a year or two away. I can wait.

Save the money save the draft picks, sign a catcher, maybe pickup a second tier free agent or two. If they need a big bat Matt Holliday is a free agent after next season.

Manny's the next big fish--so far there doesnt seem a lot of talk. I wonder if teams are getting cold feet after his little display with the Red Sox last July...

LA's a really good fit for him, I hope they up their offer, if he does end up with the Yanks or Mets, the first time he hit a June swoon and got raked over the coals in the Daily News he'd be pouting for weeks

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^&%$#*---Yanks sign Tex --ESPN reporting

They'll be the team to beat --at least on paper

after 400 million on 3 free agents I wonder if they'll still be asking NYC for $ to finish the new stadium

$30M for ARod

$25M for Tex

$23M for CC

$22M for Jeter

$18M for Burnett

$118m for 5 guys :blink:

On the plus side Tex might be the kind of guy that I may really enjoy disliking for the next 8 years :biglaugh:

One has to wonder if the Yankees are not destined to burn in hell. <_<

Then they turn around and start selling tickets to the first games in the new stadium for a QUARTER. No, NOT a quarter of a million dollars... just $.25. Of course, that's just for the preseason exhibitions...

One has to wonder if the Yankees are not destined to burn in hell. <_<

Then they turn around and start selling tickets to the first games in the new stadium for a QUARTER. No, NOT a quarter of a million dollars... just $.25. Of course, that's just for the preseason exhibitions...

I can tell you that the Dbacks are NOT doing for big free agent signings or big name trades...

and they are selling a holiday ticket package for 7 games in 2009 for $49/seat. (that's $7/game/seat). They're in the upper deck, but not bad seats, not too high up... I got some... so, I'll be going to more games then last year (only went to one game in 2008).

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let's say the Yankees decided, hey, we've got our share-let Tiexiera go to the Sox.

I suppose that would take some heat off-as well as handing the pennant to them.

The whole system is whacked-but I really can't fault them for filling a huge need, while keeping their biggest rivals from getting a whole lot stronger- Teix was getting his 160 mill plus somewhere.

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By my count the Yanks have spent $424 million since I last saw you...

thats just the NEW spending

and---well--the things we do for love I guess--good thing I have a thin A$$

these days with the sellout streak goin--sometimes its all you can get...

ONE reasonably comfy seat in the loge boxes with a little space, a little leg room and no poles or obstructions is $90.00

a game face value if you can get it..closer to 150-200+ from a scalper or ticket agency..

One has to wonder if the Yankees are not destined to burn in hell.

nah-I'll reserve that for Scott Boras and Wall Streeters-

It does make it tough to be competitive though. The salary gap which got close for awhile is widening again and with the new Yanks Stadium the Sox are going to have to figure more efficient ways to be competitive without the huge unending sums to spend on big name Free Agents.

Younger players, building from within, good drafts that type of thing. Its been the overall plan with this ownership since theyve been here--they really havent done one of those mega contract since theyve been here-- The Rays proved this year that method works.

So it will be competing philosophies behind the competing on the field.

Gotta love it..

..........

...$7.00 a game?

I just may move to AZ to get my MLB fix with you and Simon! --just dont expect me to be a DBacks fan :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

red_sox_santa.jpg

Edited by mstar1
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I guess I'm lucky. I have access to a number of season ticket seats in the loge at Dodger Stadium, between home and first, for a 'measly' 55 bucks a seat. Since I prefer the loge to field level, it couldn't be better.

It's affordable when I'm working, which I'm always keeping my fingers crossed about.

I've long thought the whole structure of free agency and salaries in baseball was wrong. I'm certain the players union agrees with me and we'll soon see salary caps in place.

The money the Yankees spent is insane. I still ask the question what should they have done differently to get these players, and to compete with the other teams offering the same kind of money.

Money everywhere is insane. It seems that companies and corporations throw untold millions around on a daily basis

while most of us are hoping to stay warm this winter, hold onto our homes, and hopefully our jobs.

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I'm certain the players union agrees with me and we'll soon see salary caps in place.

I dunno about that...I'd like to hear your reasoning and how you think that it could work----I agree that players salaries are way too high--but the union is in the business of making money for the players--not only now but setting precedents for the future.

Right now baseball is a mutibillion dollar a year business, Im fairly sure that through some kind of logic they feel that the players are entitled to their share of the pie..Theyve made huge strides in ageneration--after taking them I cant see what would make them want to 'give it back'

I could see salaries maybe coming down if the economic downturn effected attendance and the profitability of baseball or if their was some sort of massive fan strike (which I dont see happening) but other than that, unless Im missing something, I think the union will take everything it can get, and would probably fight caps---BUT im no expert--Id love to hear what you think

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I have pulled out my "Yankee Haters" hat and wore it today. I . . . I. . . . I don't know what to say. . . or I can't and still be in keeping with the spirit of this thread.

Those absolute money grubbing--title buying bastards.

Okay, no more. . . I am sorry if I offended anyone especially you hiway--truly, but man. . .

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My sarcasm wasn't showing, apparently.

No way is the union , or the players going to try to stop this cash cow, I'm afraid.

Next time I'll add a face <_<

No, it was showing...

geisha... please clarify which "money grubbing--title buying bastards" you're speaking of... the NYY or the BoSox!

...the nice thing is that there's always a Tampa Bay or Minnesota popping up and spoiling their party!

It WILL be good to see Tampa continue being a strong team in 2009.

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have pulled out my "Yankee Haters" hat and wore it today. I . . . I. . . . I don't know what to say. . . or I can't and still be in keeping with the spirit of this thread.

Those absolute money grubbing--title buying bastards.

Okay, no more. . . I am sorry if I offended anyone especially you hiway--truly, but man. . .

No reason to get upset Geisha.

The Yankees have the lowest return on investment in MLB this century :)

1.8 Billion and nothing to show for it...Its a system that doesnt work and they persist in banging their heads against the wall playing that way---

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No reason to get upset Geisha.

The Yankees have the lowest return on investment in MLB this century :)

1.8 Billion and nothing to show for it...Its a system that doesnt work and they persist in banging their heads against the wall playing that way---

In OTHER MLB news... the Big Unit signed with the Giants for $8 mil in his quest for 5 more victories. :rolleyes:

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That may be true, we'll see what this year brings.

I'm not sure why Tiex signing with the Sox would have been a great move, but signing with the Yankees is a sign of a money-grubbing, title grabbing, system not working.

No, I am sure-it's whether you're a Sox or Yankee fan's perspective.

The reality is that the Yankees needed him more than the Sox, by filling a badly needed hole in their infield, and the bonus of keeping the Sox from pulling far away from them.

I agree that the Yankees have made bad decisions, and will probably make more. I don't see gettingTiex, Sabathia, and Burnett evidence of banging their heads against a wall. (Now Arod and Giambi is another story).

They don't have "nothing to show for it", if they can afford to spend like that. If winning world series is the measuring stick, than most teams are billions in the hole with "nothing to show for it". But it's the Yankees , who "haven't won in 8 years". Omigod. They're damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

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They don't have "nothing to show for it", if they can afford to spend like that. If winning world series is the measuring stick, than most teams are billions in the hole with "nothing to show for it". But it's the Yankees , who "haven't won in 8 years". Omigod. They're damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

hiway,

That perspective seems to originate from within. . . you spend THAT kind of money and don't see results. . . well, like mstar reminded me. . . banging your head against a wall.

It does just grate the nerves though. . . . has the air of entitlement.

You are right Tom Strange the Twins are always fun to keep an eye on. . . and yes that would be the money grubbing Yankees,. . . . . cute very cute!

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Over the last few years Ive tempered my dislike of the Yankees around here.

But Thats pretty much the defining point on the signing--whether you are a Sox or Yankees fan--two fan bases that get very passionate --especially about each other... it doesnt have to be logical--

The Yankees make no bones that they have to win a WS to be successful--other teams may want to get into the playoffs and have achance to win it all ( Id put the Sox in that category),

I dont know what most other teams want--(make a profit?, field a team and hope something happens?)

The Yanks won with young ballplayers in the 90's--built a good team with good drafts and a few good trades and signings.

I would have loved to see Tex in a sox uniform--if not I'll be glad to see the Yanks lose a mountain of their draft picks.

I think weve brought this up before--every once in awhile a team may need a certain player to fill out a lineup and it may cost them but the Yankees seem to have forgotten what made them successful in the first place and have continued to gamble their future for the immediate fix---So far it hasnt worked

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I've said all along that the Yankees of the 90's are my favorite team, and were put together smartly, and wonderfully.

I also agree that the Yankees throw a lot of money after the wrong players, and it more often than not works against them.

In THIS case, I can't fault them for getting Teixiera, for the reasons I've already talked about. If the Sox had landed Tiex you'd be dancing right now.

I can only speak for myself, but I've never had that sense of 'entitlement', that people love to level at Yankee fans. Most of my life has been living with the downside of the Yankees (the 60's collapse, the awful 80's, the latest downturn).I've been fortunate to have more than my share of championships, but even then it's been more of a sense of amazement they got that far, than 'entitlement'.

I'm far from Yankee myopic , though I don't need to defend myself about that, or for being a Yankee fan.

Edited by hiway29
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