Diana Nyad - Never Give Up

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

Diana Nyad made a statement, “Never give up,” and supported it with completing a journey, a dream, and an improbable swim this past week. Leaving the rocky shores of Cuba, she dove into the water and swam 110 miles to the United States, coming ashore in Key West, Florida. She is the first person to complete this swim unassisted and without aid of a shark tank.

This was her fifth attempt at the feat and now finally, at age 64, she accomplished something she first attempted at age 28 in 1978. She donned a wet suit and specially constructed face mask to fend off the jellyfish stings that have doomed this swim in the past. She stayed in the water for 53 hours, enjoying favorable weather and swift currents but she also endured multiple stings and exhaustion as inordinate amounts of sea water were swallowed because of the mask. 

And now the nitpickers are coming after Diana Nyad, wanting her to verify some of the more questionable aspects of her historic swim from Cuba to Key West.

But these nitpickers are different. These are not just outsiders and small minded critics hoping to bring someone down and ruin a moment. These nitpickers are fellow endurance swimmers and they are very clearly challenging the legitimacy of her swim. 

Very few people are even aware of endurance swimming as a sport. Only a handful of times in one's life does the sport even surface and usually only when a feat of this magnitude takes place. So these fellow swimmers questioning Nyad are only trying to lift up their sport, give it awareness and integrity. 

To the common folk such as myself, this is a cool story, a great accomplishment, and a feat to marvel that someone could (would) swim for 53 hours in the ocean amongst shark scares and jellyfish stings. This is not even to mention the seemingly poor restroom facilities. But then we move on and never give endurance swimming another thought. 

Of course, the marathon swimming faction considers this swim much more than a glancing curiosity. This is the national spotlight glaring on their sport and they want to ensure it is proper and the swim was done right. You see, there are rules, guidelines and protocol for such swims if they are to be listed as records within the swimming community. 

The "English Channel" rules are in place requiring a swimmer NOT to wear a wet suit, NOT to have gloves or footies, NOT to have any thermal protection or any artificial aids. Other endurance swimming rules declare that a swimmer not be touched in any manner by a navigation member or receive any assistance from touching a boat. 

Between some of these aspects being violated and a claim by swimming members that a 64 year old woman set the all time, world record pace during a specific stretch of the swim, the "nitpickers" are fairly questioning the validity of the swim. Experts and fellow swimmers who know a whole lot more about this event than me are claiming certain sections of the swim look odd. They simply don't pass the eyeball test. And that is ok. 

I don't believe they are trying to drag down Diana Nyad; they are trying to legitimize and elevate their sport. If Nyad's swim is worthy of being recognized as a record amongst this group, then fine, that will all come out in the wash and ensuing interviews and analysis. Everyone will win - Diana Nyad, the marathon swimming members and the sport - and after days in the ocean swimming, I feel positive Nyad can take on a few questions.

But getting back to the common folk, the ones like me who took a completely different message from this swim and will use it to emphasize a point I have made to my children many times, this swimmer just simply never gave up. 

Diana Nyad did not stand on the shores of Cuba and call out "English Channel" rules and she didn't declare ahead of time that this was intended to meet some Endurance Swimming Association of the Universe standards. Just as kids don't always call "dibs" before grabbing a seat or young sandlotters don’t call “pitcher’s mound out” before the neighborhood championship, she just set out to complete a dream and a task she has personally had for 35 years. No, her message upon leaving the shores of Havana for the fifth time was clearly, "Don't ever give up." 

So maybe the literal feat needs proving, clarifying. Maybe it lifts up the sport of endurance swimming if proven to be legitimate or turns out to be “officially” stricken. But either way, it takes away nothing from the spirit and determination of a 64 year old woman and her message - never give up - which she very decisively DID call out before ever getting in the water.

All this because I know more about nothing...

24, 39, 3 and 5, hut hut hut…says Joe Maddon of the Rays?

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know…

As NFL camps are in full swing and titanic preseason matchups between guys who will be loading UPS trucks soon are taking place in football stadiums around the country, it is time to analyze some amazing baseball occurrences!

The past four decades have seen steady declines in scoring and batting averages (despite PED use) with record setting increases each year in strikeouts. The advent of advanced statistics and the perceived increase in the value of each out has led to this. But the strategy involved with this has also seen the near elimination of micro managing and small ball. The elements of small ball, the sacrifice bunt and intentional walk, are on pace to set an all time low for the second straight season. The stolen base continues to decline with attempts at their second lowest in 42 years. 

The main number involved with this trend is 24, as in the number of combinations of outs, quantity and position of men on base. Run expectancy can be generated from these combos and managers are now refusing to go against those expectations to give up an out. The spectrum ranges from a team having the bases loaded and no one out expected to score 2.23 runs in that half inning to a team with two outs and no one on expected to score 0.09 runs. Just like football coaches with the two point conversion chart, managers are consulting the matrix during games. 

Last week, Carlos Beltran of the Cardinals created a modern day stink (no one would have said a thing back in 1929) when he bunted on his own with two men on, no outs and the Cardinals down 3-1. This was a National League game with the second batter in the lineup at the plate along with playing at home for a tie and moving the tying run into scoring position. A no brainer, right? According to the chart, it was a poor decision and the reason that Beltran bunted on his own without receiving the order from manager Mike Methany. The run expectancy of runners on first and second with no outs is 1.417 and it drops to 1.291 with runners on second and third and one out. 

Well, the bunt worked and the next hitter drove in one run with a ground out and the Cardinals lost 3-2.

Most people don’t see the additional damage a sacrifice bunt does beyond the inning in which it happens. They scream and yell about “old school” baseball and playing “by the book” while not realizing Earl Weaver started throwing that book away in 1968!

This brings us to the second number in the cadence, 39. By bunting and giving up an out in a previous inning, a manager limits his ability and chances to cause the lineup to rotate one additional spot. Big deal? Yes! 

The Rule of 39 in baseball shows that a team’s winning percentage is greatly based on being able to bring 39 or more batters to the plate in a game. The 39^th batter of course would be the number three hitter, such as Miguel Cabrera or Evan Longoria, batting for a fifth time. So getting the last part of the cadence, No. 3 hitter for a 5^th time, into play increases the chance to win and further pushes small ball to the back burner. 

Joe Maddon must not be a believer in the bunt as the Rays rank 25^th in the majors so far this year. The other problem generated by bunting is you have to analyze the legitimate chance of the next two hitters being able to drive in the run as the sacrifice often results in the next hitter being walked. As the Rays usually don’t have two potent options back to back in their lineup, only 19 sacrifices have been made by Tampa Bay this year. With the increase in strikeouts and better defensive positioning, more teams are pitching to “dangerous” hitters so the intentional walk is trending down as well. 

Earl Weaver used to eschew the sacrifice bunt and wait for the three run bomb and everyone just thought it was eccentric Weaver being stubborn. Turns out, he was just ahead of his time in determining the value of an out. He also would rarely signal his players to steal bases as well. 

Managers now know you have to be successful on 75% of your steal attempts in order to be in compliance with the Run Expectancy chart. A runner on first with no outs leads to 0.83 runs. After a successful steal, a runner on second with no outs leads to 1.06 runs. But if he is thrown out, no one on with one out leads to 0.25 runs. So the cost is three times more severe than the potential gain.

So with all this information on the table, millions of dollars in contracts riding on decisions, the small ball strategy and decision making of managers has now been pushed to a computer generated chart. Somewhere, Billy Martin is rolling over in his grave.

All this because I know more about nothing...

Anyone Else Sick of A-Rod?

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

This old act just needs to go away....and it would actually be best for him as well at this point. Just when you think he can't screw up anything else, ruin his image again, or lose the trust of his teammates even more, A-Rod rises up and proves there is no end to his cluelessness.

Alex Rodriguez is on the cusp of receiving the second longest suspension from baseball ever. Maybe he will even manage to tie the record and receive a lifetime ban. Yet, he is more concerned and raising a stink about his injury rehab return date. So is it me, or is Rodriguez worried about one hair on his head being out of place while a train (MLB and the Biogenesis investigation) is bearing down on him, about to run over his entire body?

This a professional athlete who has now played with classy Derek Jeter for nine years yet has seemingly not been able to learn one thing regarding public relations. Jeter broke an ankle and rehabbed over the winter. No media, no tweets, no throwing his progress in the face of Yankees brass. He returned, was re-injured in his first game back and is now on the disabled list. Jeter is handling every aspect of his recovery by the books while A-Rod has turned a simple hip surgery and rehab into a complete debacle. 

A-Rod has launched a disastrous public relations campaign via Twitter, WFAN radio in New York and through calls with the Yankees. He is claiming he is ready to play. He has hired outside doctors against the rules of his contract. He even notified the Yankees via text message that he had retained this outside opinion in direct violation of the Major League Basic Agreement. He has had his rogue doctor, who was disciplined recently for his handling of hormones and steroids, go on the radio and disagree with Yankee physicians. 

Ultimately, the best statement (and advice) during this situation came from Yankee GM Brian Cashman when he responded to an A-Rod tweet by proclaiming, "Alex should just shut the f--- up!" While Cashman later apologized for his comment, this is actually exactly what Rodriguez should do!

The Yankees are clearly hoping A-Rod goes away forever and never plays again for them. They are hoping even more that they can recover a large portion of his salary still owed through insurance claims or suspension by baseball. Cashman made this clear when he stated the other day, “As you know, it is the Yankees' desire to have Alex return to the lineup as soon as possible.” Any follower of the Yankees knows this translates to "Wow, did we screw up when we signed this guy to a 10 year extension for $275 million in 2007."

Rodriguez obviously thinks the Yankees are out to destroy him, either through providing additional info to MLB regarding his connection with steroids or railroading him to the disabled list with further injuries. A-Rod claims the Yankees and him crossed signals and has declared that he has had enough with doctors and is ready to play. However, immediately after saying that, he returns to the radio and claims he does not really trust the Yankees or their medical process.

After being pinch hit for during the playoffs last year and now assuming he would be without steroids for a short time (he never seems to stay off them very long, even after admitting to use) I can't imagine his bat would even be much of a help to the Yankees. With two surgically replaced hips and turning 38 tomorrow, his range at third base will probably be reduced to the level of a retirement home resident on a shuffle board binge. 

So now A-Rod and the Yankees have established August 1 as a date for him to play another rehab game or partake in a simulated game. This seems to be the focus of Rodriguez while the Yankees buy time to let MLB swoop in and suspend or end this tainted career.

I suspect A-Rod will not go away without a fight, that he will use his millions to try and secure more millions. But the resumption of his career would best be done in a retirement softball league in Florida where the weather is best for cranky hips and any testing is geared towards hearing loss. 

Either way, I am done following either of these potential returns and won't tune in again to the A-Rod saga until it is time to determine if he can even receive the 5% of votes needed to stay on the Hall of Fame ballot. See you in 2018 A-Rod!

All this because I know more about nothing...

SEC Media Days Reveals a Stink in Death Valley

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

With the SEC football conference holding its' media days this week, I thought I would take a look deeper into the teams that may challenge the Buckeyes for national supremacy this coming season. Well, let's throw that out the window because has anyone noticed what is going on at LSU?

The Tigers of Louisiana State University are touting a star running back for this upcoming season named Jeremy Hill. He played for LSU last season, running for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns as a true freshman -- with 684 yards and 10 touchdowns coming in the final seven games. Sounds like a rising star, a player to pin hopes on and carry the Tigers and Coach Les Miles to championships.

Except Hill is a violent predator and a repeat offender at that. He has multiple convictions, is only 20 years old, is on the football team and receiving a full scholarship at a major university and has something wrong with him. However, it appears as if Coach Miles and LSU have something much more wrong with themselves.

Over 90,000 Tiger faithful gather on game days to cheer Hill on. Les Miles ensures Hill is on the field and ready to play. Les Miles makes sure that Hill provides a piece of the puzzle that goes towards winning which enables Miles to earn $4.3 million per season. However, Hill will soon be facing another judge (an LSU graduate) who has the capability of making the path harder for Hill and Miles.

When Hill was a football star and senior in high school, he pleaded guilty to having "carnal knowledge" of an underage girl. He was 18 and Baton Rouge authorities say Hill and another 18 year old pressured a 14 year old girl to perform a sex act in their high school locker room. This (the football star part) prompted Les Miles to come around and offer Hill a scholarship. He put Hill on the field as a freshman and hoped he was good, knew he was good, watched him be good....but sure didn't care that he was bad.

The season ended and as Hill had some spare time, he now decided to add to his criminal resume by attacking an LSU student this past April. It was labeled in the press as a "bar fight" however I challenge anyone who Googles the video of this total sucker punch to label this as a bar fight. Hill pleaded guilty again, this time to "simple battery" which I am sure the victim would agree is not actually justice.

Hill had a friend with him that night also and just as before, the friend followed Hill's lead and duplicated the same criminal act. This time it left the victim down and temporarily unconscious. So now Coach Miles comes rushing in to level penalties. That is what a good leader of young men, a state employee and a role model as a football coach should do, right? Miles makes the mighty decision to suspend Hill immediately and indefinitely, you know, for all the games LSU plays in April, May, June and July....which adds up to zero.

Which brings us to Jeremy Hill pleading guilty in a court of law to a predatory attack for the second time in 15 months. This time, he receives a suspended jail sentence and two years of probation. He reports weekly to a probation officer and now has a nightly curfew. No comment is coming from Miles or LSU this week, during SEC Media Days, because the legal process is not completed.

Not completed? Now Hill and Miles are waiting for an August 16th hearing back in court where a judge will review and determine if his latest attack has violated the probation conditions on his previous attack. Is it even possible that it did not?

Since both attacks happened in Louisiana, all court proceedings take place in Louisiana. See where this is heading? Hill never received jail time for either attack and the judge who issued the nightly curfew also added a loophole so Hill can attend "night time LSU football related activities" past his bed time, which means he can play on Saturday night games. That honorable judge happens to be a 1976 graduate of LSU.

But this could all change in August when a judge reviews the cases and can send Hill directly to jail. So Jeremy Hill, who used his status and size to commit two attacks and receive minimal consequences, will face this judge as she determines what consequences to administer this time. And this judge should be quite familiar with Jeremy Hill and his actions as she is the same judge who did not sentence him to jail when he had his way with a 14 year old girl and was a top LSU recruit. You might not believe this, but she graduated law school in 1978 from.....do I really need to finish this sentence?

And Coach Les Miles is banking on this. He is not being proactive and releasing a predator and a coward from his football team. LSU is also hiding behind the premise of the legal system playing itself out. Either Miles or LSU could stand up now and declare Hill will never play another down for LSU, and this would not take a court order or judge to be put into immediate effect. Instead, they are both attending the SEC Media Days and waiting. Miles is probably hoping the LSU Law School graduate, now presiding as judge, does not send his stud running back to prison. You see, if an honorable judge within the great State of Lousiana declares it is ok for such a crummy human being to be out on the streets, then who is Les Miles to say he can't be on a football field?

Geaux, Tigers.

All this because I know more about nothing...

Aaron Hernandez.....Guilty or Innocent, This is His Fault!

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

I have now read several articles regarding Aaron Hernandez that take the opportunity to bash and blame some other entity or person for his behavior. I have now seen numerous writings and reports bashing Bill Belichick, Urban Meyer and SEC football. Apparently, the slow pace of progress and resolution in this issue has given too many people time to move on alternate agendas.

Why is it Urban Meyer's fault that a 23 year old adult has prosecutors claiming he picked up Odin Lloyd, drove him to a secluded industrial park and executed him? Big time college football is chock full of idiot players getting arrested for crimes or failing drug tests. Some even hit the jackpot and do both. Because the history at Florida under Meyer shows that those failings were higher than normal has given Meyer haters the opening to throw the Hernandez mess in his lap. I find it hard to believe that Meyer being harder on Hernandez at Florida, four years ago, would have resulted in Lloyd being alive today. Hernandez runs in the wrong crowd, Lloyd ran in the wrong crowd and suspending a "wrong crowd" member for the big Georgia game would not have made a difference.

I also see where Aaron Hernandez and his decisions are now a reason to bash Bill Belichick. The Patriots do have a recent history of signing players who are excellent at football, questionable at life. Look around, that is true on every NFL team but when you win like Belichick does, it becomes open season for people who don't like him. So I see these claims linking Belichick and his ways of running a football team and organization to Hernandez' alleged crimes. Belichick, with his ways of holding calculated and cold press conferences, accepting players over the years with questionable pasts and sometimes being a sore loser, has nothing to do Hernandez allegedly acting on his own to shoot Lloyd.

According to some others, this is actually the fault of the SEC drug testing policy. The policy is in place, but the schools hold the key which is determining who gets suspended and for how long, if at all. Certain stars and former players are known to have failed more than 10 drug tests with little or no repercussions. Hernandez himself reportedly failed at least six drug tests at Florida. SEC football is big boy football and that also makes it big money football. This leads to winning being at a premium and that draws dumb boosters, coaches willing to do anything, and a ton of resources being thrown at kids not yet prepared to handle the atmosphere.

But it is hardly the reason a former SEC football player, now 23 years old and several years removed from the SEC, is accused of murdering another person because he thought it was the best way to deal with being mad at him.

I understand the media needs to advance this story and has time to dig into the deepest darkest parts of this saga as the trial looks to be maybe a year away. But Hernandez and his alleged crimes should not be a reason to deflect blame from him and promote responsibility on others. You can't use him as a reason to mock coaches and organizations for which he has played.

Hernandez is a warning sign, a huge warning sign, but not for Urban Meyer's discipline, Bill Belichick's roster or the SEC's drug testing policy. The warning sign needs to be directed at athletes everywhere. It needs to be directed at young men everywhere. Actually, it just needs to be directed everywhere as handling differences of any kind and any level with deadly violence is not an answer.

Of course, ultimately, Aaron Hernandez will pay the price for his actions. Whether it is loss of career and endorsements based on a trial and being acquitted or whether it is a lifetime in prison based on a guilty plea or verdict, his life is ultimately different going forward. Hernandez made that choice, he put himself in situations where this could be a possibility, no one else.

But Odin Lloyd ran with the wrong crowd too and Aaron Hernandez was part of that crowd. Meyer, Belichick and the SEC are not part of that crowd. Be careful when it is crowded...

All this because I know more about nothing...

Foster Month...recruiting and....Mark Slessinger!

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

So May is ending and as I glance at a calendar to get my summer in line I notice that it was National Fitness Month, National Bike Month and National Foster Care Awareness Month.

I had also been doing some research on Babe Ruth, and had recently read an article on a University of New Orleans basketball recruit. Possessing the attention span of a gnat, these tangents all brought me around to checking out a Division I basketball coach for the Privateers of UNO named Mark Slessinger.

I found out he is in his first Division I head coaching job and that he is a whirlwind of energy. He is beloved by his players, successful on the recruiting trail, admired throughout the entire university, and had been trying to have a baby with his wife for years. Friends suggested they become foster parents.

Last year, during his first season at UNO, Mark and his wife Toni took the required classes, passed the required interviews and were certified to become foster parents. They waited for the call that would deliver their first child in need to their home. Last July, the call came. Even though they had prepared their home with the bare necessities for an arrival, there were still items to get. Apparently, Mark rushed off to the store as he had two hours to stock up before a 6 month old girl was to be dropped at their home.

Slessinger was not in any position to become a foster parent last year. As a first time head coach in a program trying to make headway in the cutthroat world of college hoops, he couldn't possibly have time and additional energy to devote to an infant with a heartbreaking story could he? Well, after finishing practice and finishing the rushed shopping, Mark was home to greet his new little bundle. His energy levels were amazingly high enough (just try having the energy for one season of Division I basketball recruiting) and they had that baby for 10 months while her mom was working to rehabilitate. The foster system has rehabilitation as the main goal and preparing children to be returned to their birth parents as well once they are ready. But now the phone rang again.

As the phone was ringing with the news of another baby in need, Slessinger must be maxed out for devotion and energy, right? Well...

Before his hiring at UNO, he coached at Northwestern State. The women's softball team there didn't have a mascot to represent them for games. Enter Mark, in the Demon costume, cheering on the team. They needed a guy to wear the crawfish costume for the Crawfish Mambo at UNO in May. Guess who? You think Calipari or Pitino dress up as a large red  lobster wannabe very often? He gets to know each Special Olympian personally so he can announce them over the microphone with a special story during the UNO clinic. Recruits to the campus for basketball get to meet everybody in the program. To Slessinger, "everybody" is more than you think. The janitors, landscapers and maintenance workers are part of his program and each one is introduced by name to incoming players.

So someone had to answer that ringing phone last month. Might as well be Mark and Toni since the news was another baby was in need of a home. With the first baby girl still there, a 14 month old boy was about to be added. They were given 15 minutes to make a decision and the baby was already there when Slessinger arrived home a couple of hours later after practice. Off to the store he went.

I read about his story because it broke and went public and during that time, Mark only mentioned a hundred times that he was not a hero. He mentioned a hundred times too that it was National Foster Care Awareness Month trying to bring as much attention to the cause as he could. Not for himself, but for those children. Good job on one front Mark with the many mentions of foster care, but you missed it by a mile on the hero aspect.

Foster parents open their hearts and homes to these children and that is heroic enough. As Mark was being interviewed about his story, he was questioned on how him and his wife don't get attached to the children since they know eventually the kids will be returned. He immediately countered that with an exact opposite reaction. He says you must get attached or you aren't doing it right and will only be cheating the child. So again, the Slessingers put their own hearts on the line for the children.

The time frame for being with these children is unknown. It could be weeks, months, years or forever. But Mark takes every minute of that time making it better for the child. And he balances that with running a basketball program on the rise.

So as the news broke and Mark took the opportunity to spread the word of foster care and how there is need in every state, the phone kept ringing with media requests for his story. He took the time and explained basketball and parenting to every caller. Except the last call he received surprised even him. It was the Department of Children and Families Services on the line. A "safe haven" baby had just been dropped off at a local fire department, given up by a young woman, and needed a home right away.

Immediately Mark ended each interview and request, he had to go to the store.


All this because I know more about nothing...and heroes...

Rivalry Week in Major League Baseball....yawn......

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

So the math works out, 15 teams in each league, five in each division and so each team has a legitimate one in five shot of winning their division. All this baseball correctness brought to you by the decision to move the Astros to the American League and have interleague play all season long.

Which leaves us with baseball's attempt at creating interest during interleague play, the Rivalry Week! This is the week where the showcase rivalries are all played out. Baseball had to do something to try and make interleague play still look like a hot novelty. So we get to see all the intra-city matchups with New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. We have the intra-state games on tap in Ohio, Missouri, and Florida. We even get to witness the Orioles and Nationals play each other.

Unfortunately, all the teams in baseball are scheduled and that means some stretches for Rivalry Week. Bet you couldn't wait to see the Braves and Blue Jays battle it out for the Little Bobby Cox Jug. The Padres and Mariners games are intensified by the winner getting first dibs on the good whirlpool at the spring training complex they share. The Rockies and Astros are playing each other too, I suppose so baseball can see how far home runs can possibly go in the thin air off Houston pitching.

As the switch to two 15 team leagues was made in part to keep the schedule more balanced, at least Rivalry Week was reduced to four games instead of six like in the past. This helps keeps the balance aspect intact a little bit more, however, I suspect the Rays would love to have more games to beat up on the Marlins!

Even the real "rivalries" feel dull and antiquated, especially with interleague play taking place every day now. The specific blocks on the schedule that had interleague play previously did inject some enthusiasm and definitely brought an increase in attendance. The proof of decreased interest seems to show in that the networks (ESPN and the MLB Network) are really only showing the big markets of LA vs. LA and NY vs. NY, with a small dose of Boston and Philadelphia thrown in. The Orioles and Nationals both made the playoffs last year and are in the thick of it this year, but, alas, no national coverage. This, to me, is the network's backhanded way of saying the interleague aspect is no longer a draw, we need the larger markets.

At this point, I can't imagine the owners ever letting go of these games for the foreseeable future. So since they are here to stay for now, maybe they should be spread throughout the season. With interleague play a daily event now, staggering Rivalry Week matchups would allow all the rivalries that are interesting or escalated to draw national attention. By doing this, the contrived rivalries can be just another interleague matchup and not looked so down upon for the attempt to make it important.

Right now, we get to see the Rangers and the Diamondbacks as a good series of baseball and we shouldn't have to pretend it is anything more than that. The Tigers and Pirates can be something to watch as the Bucs try to conquer a long period of sub .500 baseball while the Tigers carry premium stars. But a rivalry worthy of hyped promotion? C'mon baseball, it is time to get this schedule fixed.

Now if only the Tribe could play the Marlins four times right now to snap out of their funk. Isn't a rematch of the 1997 World Series worthy of Rivalry Week?

All this because I know more about nothing...

Manny Still Being Manny....and a savior?

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

It is the heart of baseball season now, so it seemed like a good time to check in on Manny Ramirez and see how one of the most interesting careers of all time was coming along. What, you thought his career was over? You thought he was done playing? Hardly! This baseball savant continues to play and has maybe even taken on the greatest role and responsibility of his entire career!

Just when you thought Ramirez had finally washed out and could no longer play the sport professionally, http://newkssportsshorts.blogspot.com/2012/06/are-gray-dreadlocks-done.html , he signs on to play with the EDA Rhinos of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Based on not being able to land a Major League job, and not even being able to find an organization that would give him a chance to work back up through the minors, Manny went looking overseas. He landed a few offers, but only one came with the added bonus of being responsible for saving the entire league from becoming defunct.

For those of you not familiar with the CPBL, let me provide some quick background and you can decide if Manny is the right man for the job.

A devoted baseball fan named Hung Teng-sheng, pronounced "Hank", formed his own team back in 1984, and paid its players professional level wages. As chairman of the Brother Hotel in Taiwan, he was able to pay players, name the team the Brother Elephants and dream of building it all into something much larger. He aspired to build a stadium and form a complete league within five years.

Seemed crazy, and slightly delayed, but in 1990, his Elephants took the field in the first game to officially start the inaugural season for the CPBL. The league had just four teams but did well and prospered throughout the early 90's. Unfortunately, in 1996, four players for the Elephants were abducted at gunpoint by local thugs who were part of the Chinese Mob that had lost huge money betting on a game. Then in 1997, a game fixing scandal hit the league as all but two players on the Chinese Times Eagles were implicated, then found guilty of throwing contests in order to appease the same Chinese Mob.

This was a tragedy for the small league and when attendance plummeted, the CPBL was all but out of business. A new rival league, the Taiwan Major League, was formed in order to replace the shamed original group of teams. The two leagues merged in 2003. Incredibly, gambling scandals again took down the league, with many teams becoming defunct, and it is back to where it started, a four team league.

Enter Manny Ramirez of the Rhinos, now on board to bring star power and credibility (Manny?) back to the Brother Elephants, Lamigo Monkeys and Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions of the CPBL. His first hit in the league was occasion for having the ball removed from play, and his first home run came in a game where the team set a record for single game attendance for a regular season game.

This is a pure hitter, currently batting .347 and leading the league with five homers, hoping to prove worthy of one more chance in the big leagues. To remind you he is a pure hitter, check out his base running below and remember, "Manny Being Manny" is a universal language! Now, if he can save the CPBL, he will have accomplished more than he ever could of in the Major Leagues.

All this because I know more about nothing...

Welcome Back Scott Kazmir!!!

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

The Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, had 17 players with major league experience on their roster last year. This included 11 pitchers who had thrown in the Show.

According to the General Manager, Joe Klein, the one he would recommend to any major league club was not Roger Clemens but Scott Kazmir. Despite the good word, only one team, the Cleveland Indians, took the advice and decided to give Kazmir a shot in spring training. With the amount of teams looking for good pitching, needing fourth and fifth starters and looking for inexpensive solutions, it is shocking that no one took a chance or saw the possible return of Kazmir.

On the other hand, no pitcher who had fallen as far and had been gone as long as Kazmir had really ever made it back. This is a pitcher who had all lost all command of every facet of his game. He had last recorded a Major League win in 2010. He had gotten hurt, and thrown off his mechanics. He was demoted to the minors where he recorded a 17.02 ERA in 2011 and was topping out his fastball in the low 80's!

Now here he was in Sugar Land, Texas, a former All-Star and American League strikeout leader, pitching in the baseball equivalent of Siberia. But he got healthy, found his spots and developed his pitches enough to warrant the invite to camp in 2013. The Indians watched him throw his fastball in the low 90's again in spring training and were impressed. Apparently they were even more impressed when Kazmir assured them it would reach the mid 90's as the season progressed. Instead of heading North with the club as a long reliever or spot starter, Kazmir was inserted into the rotation as the fifth starter.

His motion is fluid again and his pitches are nasty. His command has returned and he has even added a change up and curveball which were non existent when he was winning strikeout titles with a fastball and slider. He has topped out at 96 mph on his fastball already (as promised) and walked just 5 with 24 strikeouts in his last four starts.

It was 32 months between wins in the majors for Scott and that type of spread is very rarely seen. Once gone to the depths of independent baseball, few players are ever heard from again. The "old" Kazmir is a distant memory and this "new" version is just 29 years old. Many were skeptical, I tuned in to his starts and watched with doubt. But keep an eye on this gem as we may witness even more amazing progress before this career is really over.

Scott Kazmir had definitely disappeared and gone away...and now he is back. Go Scott and Go Tribe!

All this because I know more about nothing...

Should Tampa Bay Build a New Ballpark on the Water?

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

Since AT& T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants opened, boaters and kayaks have floated around in McCovey Cove, beyond the right field wall. They gather during games for sunshine, conversation and hopes of catching a home run that leaves the park and enters the water. 

The view of the game is non-existent from this spot, but the price is right, the views are gorgeous and for those that follow the game on a radio or cell phone app, the chance of snagging an elusive home run ball is an added bonus. 

One of the detriments to floating in McCovey Cove is not having access to the fine selection of food and beverages offered inside the stadium...until last Sunday!

Akin to seeing Kris Kringle on your rooftop Christmas Eve, kayaks and boaters saw London Van Der Kamp come paddling into their view Sunday evening with a specially outfitted kayak custom made to be the first floating hot dog vendor! Everyone loves a hot dog at the ball game and these were even free for Sunday night.

Van Der Kamp had his kayak set up with warm fresh hot dogs, buns and of course, the mustard and ketchup containers. In addition, he had specially rigged paddle leashes that can tie two kayaks together. This would allow him ample time to squirt all condiments on a hot dog without the customer floating away. It was pretty impressive to see him handling the dog, applying the condiments and handing it over all while operating a kayak. He even had a follow boat tagging behind him. For boating safety reasons? To monitor crowd control? No, to have a stash of extra hot dogs in case he ran out, of course. The beer guy never seems to have that idea!

As this was a free promotion staged by the four letter network, no word is yet available if the concept will stick. However, hot dog stats show it was a huge success and just another incentive for building any new ball park on the water. My guess is we will be seeing Van Der Kamp on a regular basis from now on.

I just hope he didn't have to suffer the oldest vendor frustration of being waved over by a fan only to be asked to send the beer guy over once he arrived! And if you are waiting for the beer guy, be patient. Don't bug the hot dog kayak dude, the soda raft man, or the pretzel dinghy guy. It's a ballpark, the beer life preserver bro is ALWAYS on his way over!

All this because I know more about nothing...

The Tall Outfield Wall at Fenway Park in Boston

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

Seeing the giant American flag cover the wall recently at Fenway Park in Boston got me to reminiscing about the Green Monster itself. Most people call it the Green Monster, but those folks are "young" and part of the modern crowd. In fact, the left field wall at Fenway, over 37 feet high and 231 feet long, was just a tall wall covered in advertisements until 1947.

Most people think it was built to protect cars and businesses on Landsdowne Street but in fact, as there was not much car traffic in 1912, it was built to keep non paying spectators from seeing the game at no charge. The wall was constructed originally with the ballpark in 1912 and has evolved significantly over the past 101 years.

Originally, the Wall had a steep 10 foot embankment that ran in front of it. This was common back in that era and precluded the warning track. An outfielder knew he was close to the wall when he started running uphill and saw ads out of the corner of his eyes.

Fenway was unique in its' infancy as they permitted fans to sit on this embankment and thus, be in play during the game. A rope was implemented to keep the crowd from coming farther onto the field, but skilled Red Sox fans were adept at dropping the rope to allow Duffy Lewis, the Boston left fielder to run amongst the crowd, climb the embankment and field balls that were hit there. The ledge became known as Duffy's Cliff for years and lasted up through 1933.

Upon opening in 1912, the wall was made of wood and burnt down with much of Fenway in 1934. Reconstruction of the wall used tin to prevent further disasters. That has since been replaced by a hard plastic which now makes up the Green Monster. It was completely covered in advertisements originally and wasn't painted green until 1947.

The Monster houses a famous manual scoreboard which was originally designed to score the game. Over the years, it has added out of town scores and the American League East standings. Two operators stay perched within the wall during games to make the updates and come out via a small door in between innings with a ladder to make updates they cannot reach from within.

There is even a ladder attached to the Monster ascending all the way to the top. This was used to remove baseballs that had been hit into the net above the Monster. However, as the net was recently removed and seats added on top of the wall, this is no longer necessary. But the ladder itself has never been removed, remains in fair territory, and outfielders are still forced to play the ball as it bounces crazily off the useless obstacle.

The Green Monster remained entirely green until 1999 when certain advertisements were added back. It even contains Morse Code now as a shout out to former owners Tom and Jean Yawkey.

So architect James McLaughlin had a vision and $650,000 to work with starting in 1911. His vision for a stadium came to fruition and his direction to protect the open area in left field from non paying spectators has left us one of the most recognizable baseball features in any ballpark ever.

All this because I know more about nothing...

Boston

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

Another senseless tragedy, and by no means undermining the horrible injuries and deaths, has led to stories of victory. Sports and people seem to work that way and when you combine them, you have stories of victory that are bigger than the sports.

While recent atrocities have not taken place in sports venues, athletic events have played a significant role in healing and recognizing heroes. As the Boston Marathon bombings have now literally combined our sports with horrific acts, it is still the gatherings for games afterwards that promotes a great sense of healing and togetherness. It is not necessarily important for what sport people come to witness, but the fact that common folk gather together under the umbrella of displaying resiliency, showing no defeat, thanking heroes, and returning to normalcy. It is also important and significant that sports events outside of the area of tragedy contribute in the same way.

Around the country, people stood for Boston. The Red Sox played their first games in Cleveland after the bombings and two staples of Fenway Park, "Sweet Caroline" and "Dirty Water", were both played and sung by fans in Cleveland, standing and rooting for recovery in Boston despite losing to the "hated" Red Sox. New York pitched in as well playing "Sweet Caroline" and recognizing healing for Boston outweighs an old Yankee rival. Neil Diamond himself even flew in all the way from L.A. requesting the chance to sing his song live in the return to Fenway Park. Request granted and appreciated Mr. Diamond.

It continued when the Bruins took to the ice in Boston two nights after the bombings.

We have all seen great renditions of the National Anthem and many a singing star has provided us beautiful versions before sporting events. But I challenge anyone to find a more stirring, more meaningful and more incredible rendition of the Anthem than took place before that game. Rene Rancourt started singing, but literally stopped after a few lines as Boston took over. He guided and directed, but Boston didn't need him, Boston was singing the Anthem. 17,565 common, non-professional, untrained voices delivered the greatest National Anthem version of all time. The game ended with the Bruins and their opponents, the Sabres, raising their sticks to salute, cheer and recognize the crowd and Boston instead of the other way around.

Last Sunday, select season ticket holders were to be given autographed Bruins jerseys during an annual promotion. The promotion was altered with the Bruins giving their jerseys to first responders in attendance instead. This wasn't Bruin management or some PR firm altering the plan, this was the group of select season ticket holders themselves deciding the heroes should be recognized and receive them. Upon the game ending, each Bruin found a first responder, skated over and removed the jersey right off his back to present to a hero.

So sports stadiums hosted sports events where stories of victory just happened to take place. But it even overflowed from these arenas at this point. Groups that had gathered in Watertown cheered the police as one of the alleged suspects was captured and led away. In this day of social media, a Twitter message made it to a flight over Chicago where the flight attendant announced the arrest to everyone on the plane and cheers broke out.

So again, not to minimize the story of what happened to those who lost their lives and the many injured, tragedy took place and sports responded to help with the healing. The outbreak of support and recognition that took place locally and nationwide is unmatched and able to be put on display through sports. This story is bigger than sports and includes people far beyond sports fans, but sports allows us a glimpse into this and that is a victory.

Seeing the nation react yet again provides hope and confidence that any area of America would respond as heroically, let's just hope we never have to find out.

All this because I know more about nothing...