Author: AspiDimitrov

by AspiDimitrov

THE PHLOP

The Phlop

 

It’s appears that the Yankess and Mets are switching roles. The Yankess have always been the traditional big spenders, eschewing their farm system to sign high priced free agents.  The Mets have been known to show fiscal restraint, and have opted to build their club through their farm system.

 

The tide is turning, and the roles have reversed.  The Mets are now signing the high priced free agents, including Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez and Billy Wagner.  They gave up four highly regarded prospects to get Johan Santana.  What did the Yankees do in the off season?  Not much.  Their lineup is essentially intact, and they were relieved that Santana went to the NL and was kept away from the AL East, particularly the Red Sox.

 

The Mets will have to convince both themselves and their fans that there are no residual scars from last seasons September collapse.  They lost a 7 game lead in 17 days and ultimately the division title to the Philadelphia Phillies.  The collapse brought the inevitable comparisons between them and the 1964 Phillies, who lost a 6 ½ lead in 7 days and blew the pennant to the St Louis Cardinals.

 

Gene Mauch was the manager of the Phillies, and is known as the manager with the most career wins without a pennant.  His 1,902 career victories are the 8th most all time, but he never won a pennant.  He came close on two other occasions (1982 and 1986 with the Angels), but unfortunately he will be best remembered for the Phillies collapse.

 

Between September 21 and 30, the Phillies lost 10 straight games.  Mauch essentially went with a 3 man rotation, but relied primarily on two pitchers (Jim Bunning and Chris Short) during this losing streak.  Bunning had three starts, Short and three, and two other pitchers (Art Mahaffey and Dennis Bennett) started twice.  Ray Culp, a highly regarded 23 year old, who was part of the rotation throughout the year, was not used at all.

 

The official version told to the press was that Mahaffey and Culp had sore arms, and that Mauch had lost faith in Bennett.

 

This writer has inside information which I would like to share with you.  I knew one of the players on the 1964 Phillies.  He confided in me that Mauch hated Ray Culp, and refused to pitch him because there was personal animosity between the two.  Culp was healthy, and could have contributed.  History may have been a lot different if Culp was utilized during this stretch.

 

The Phillies did win the division in 2007, but fell short against the Colorado Rockies in the playoffs.  They should be contenders for the NL East in 2008, along with Atlanta and the Mets.

 

Jimmy Rollins has laid down the gauntlet by stating that the Phillies and the Mets don’t like each other and there may be some “headhunting” going on.  Pedro Martinez, never one to shy away from chin music, was quoted as saying although he likes Rollins; he won’t back down from any potential altercations.

 

Two teams that are both very talented and are separated by 95 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike now both share a monumental collapse.  They are headed for a collision course.

 

I can’t wait.

 

by AspiDimitrov

THE ROCKET’S RED GLARE

The Rocket’s Red Glare

 

I misremember the specifics, but during Roger Clemens time in Boston there was one specific incident where he committed quite a public gaffe.  Kevin McHale, the Hall of Fame NBA forward, said it best when he commented, “They call him the Rocket Man, not the Rocket Scientist”.

 

It’s now much deeper, and much more troublesome.  Either Clemens was unwilling or unable to listen to his advisors, or perhaps his advisors were a group of psychophants who were only interested in telling him what he wanted to hear.

 

Clemens spent his entire career either intimidating others, or looking for confrontations.  He never shaved on the days he would pitch, so that he would appear more menacing.  There was the Mike Piazza bat throwing incident, and the Terry Cooney 1990 ALCS argument, and countless other times when Clemens, the biggest bully on the block, added to the mystique of his Texas gunslinger image.

 

Given that, perhaps an  act of contrition was an impossibility.  The bully can never back down.  It is part of the image, the aura.  Once the bully shows any sign of vulnerability, the game is over.  Pride cometh before the fall.

 

Baseball fans are quite forgiving, and have a very short memory.  Who remembers the principal participants involved in baseball’s cocaine scandal of the 1980’s?  One All Star player was quoted as saying the reason he slid head first was so that the cocaine vials in his back pocket would not explode.  Another All-Star was given a standing ovation after returning from exile.  A more recent example is the strike of 1994.  There were countless fans who vowed they would never come back to the ballpark.  Almost all of them did.

 

The truth shall set you free.  Confession is good for the soul.  Jason Giambi was the first prominent player to confess to steroid use.  He was initially excorciated  in the press.  Over time, all has either been forgotten or forgiven.

 

Andy Pettite, by showing remorse, wound up with much dignity and grace.  His conscience is probably clear.  The Yankees have welcomed him back with open arms.

 

What is so preposterous is that the Clemens team brought this entirely on themselves.  Congress didn’t ask him to come and testify.  His (or their) very public posturing and denials left them no choice.   It has been an utter PR fiasco.  One of the greatest pitchers of all time,  will probably face perjury charges and quite likely face jail time.  All because the bully wouldn’t back down, and decided to throw everyone close to him under the bus.

 

Clemens does have 118 complete games, but if he ever did need a closer to come in and take him off the hook, now is the time. 

 

The only thing that will save him is a presidential pardon.

 

by AspiDimitrov

REVENGE OF THE NERDS

Revenge of the Nerds

 

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have recently concluded that Derek Jeter is the worst fielding shortstop in the Major Leagues.  Using a method called Spatial Aggregate Fielding Evaluation, or SAFE, they have come up with this earth shattering conclusion.

 

Who funded this grant, the Boston Red Sox??

 

Stop the madness!  There is no way that Derek Jeter is the worst fielding shortstop in baseball.  You could put a gun at my head and I still wouldn’t say it.

 

And I’m not even a Yankee fan.

 

 The nerds are running the asylum.  Don’t they have anything better to do in Universities these days?  Apparently not.  Have you ever tried to have a conversation with a computer scientist?  I rest my case.

 

The premise is so absurd it’s laughable.  I didn’t even want to write a column about it, but they have really gotten to me.  Count me amongst the conspiracy theorists.  Bill James, the godfather of sabermetrics, tried valiantly to get a job in Major League Baseball for 26 years.  After knocking on many doors, the Red Sox finally hired him in 2003.  All his minions have to be Yankee haters.

 

Baseball research has no business being conducted in universities.  I mistakenly thought they spent their time on more noble issues, like the theory of relativity.  And these U of Pennsylanvia guys came from Wharton.  Wharton!!  Isn’t that a business school?

 

I can see it now.  The head of hedge funds at JP Morgan is interviewing candidates who have graduated from Wharton to join his firm on Wall St. If I was the guy from JP Morgan, presumably I’d be a Yankee fan.  I’d also probably read both the sports and business pages.  Then why, I’d be asking myself, would they be conducting this nonsense at the most prestigious business school in America.  Talk about a great opening question that could put the candidate on the defensive.

 

I was going to do lots of research on baseball-reference.com to defend my position, but I’m not going down to the nerds level.  I do now that Jeter has three gold gloves.  I vividly remember the play he made to win the ALCS against Oakland.  There are many other special plays that I recall he made from years of watching him on TV.

 

Nerds go home!

 

Does he need to improve?  Yes.  He will turn 33 this year, and he has worked hard in the off season in an effort to improve his agility.  There are questions that he may have lost some range going to his left.  That I can accept.  I cannot and will not accept the conclusion that he is the worst fielder in Major League Baseball.

 

Now I know why there may be a subprime crisis on Wall St……

 

by AspiDimitrov

THAT ELUSIVE CLUB

That Elusive Club

 

Only 5 players in MLB history have at least a .300 batting average, .400 on base percentage, .500 slugging percentage, 2,000 hits, 300 home runs, 500 doubles, and 1,000 walks.

 

Four of them are Hall Famers.  The fifth may never get in.

 

They are Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, Lou Gehrig, and Edgar Martinez.

 

Edgar Martinez!  You’ve got to be kidding me.

 

It’s true.  Being the stat geek that I am, I found this on the internet.  I couldn’t believe it when I first saw it.  Then, I started digging, and realized it was the truth.

 

There are the usual suspects that immediately came to mind.  None of them made the grade.

 

Barry Bonds?  He’s close, but his .298 average disqualifies him.

 

ARod?  He fails in three categories, with 395 doubles, 915 walks, and a .389 OBP. 

 

Willie Mays?   The .384 OBP knocks him out.

 

Several players will get there, including Manny Ramirez (29 more doubles), Albert Pujols (assuming he stays healthy), and Frank Thomas (12 doubles)

 

It’s a fascinating stat, because it’s a true measure of power, patience, speed, average, and longevity.

 

A lot of players come close, but the primary killer was the OBP.  Now that the sabermetric and MoneyBall geeks are in vogue, you’ll see a higher OBP in the future.  The old timers didn’t think too highly of a free pass.

 

This brings up a big question.  Does Edgar belong in the Hall of Fame?

 

The purists will say no.  As a hitter, he certainly merits consideration.  The naysayer’s will say that he was surrounded by good hitters throughout his career, including Junior, A-Rod, Ichiro, Tino, and John Olerud, so he saw a lot of good pitches to hit.

 

But so did Murderer’s Row and the Gas House Gang.

 

Before I found this stat, I would have been in the naysayer’s group.  I’m still against his induction, because I consider myself a purist, but I’m more willing to listen to the opposition.  Whatever happens, Edgar deserves recognition as one of the best hitters of all time.

 

But I wished he put a glove on more often….

by AspiDimitrov

PROFILES IN COURAGE

Profiles in Courage

 

The odds of playing Major League Baseball are very long. Those who have overcome either injury, illness, or physical limitations need to be commended.  Today’s column is a tribute to some of those players.

 

Tony Conigliaro was the starting right fielder for the Boston Red Sox at the age of 19, and was a very talented player. In 1964, his rookie season, he batted .290 with 24 home runs, despite missing a considerable time with a broken arm.  In 1965 he led the AL with 32 home runs, and in 1967 he made the All-Star game and at the age of 22 become the youngest player to reach 100 home runs.

 

On August 18, 1967, he suffered a serious beaning which caused considerable damage to his left retina.  The remainder of his career he was legally blind in his left eye.  Despite that, he hit 20 home runs for the Red Sox in 1969 and 36 in 1970.  He played two more seasons, and retired from the Sox in 1975.

 

The career and life of Conigliaro were filled with setbacks and tragedy, but it is truly amazing that he was able to play and contribute on a Major League level with one eye.

 

The Tony Conigliaro award was instituted in 1990 and is given annually to honor the player who has overcome obstacles and adversity.

 

Jim Abbott was born without a right hand.  He was a pitcher and was a talented quarterback in high school.  He pitched in the big leagues between 1989 and 1999, and played for the Angels, Yankees, White Sox and Brewers.  His best season was in 1991, when he went 18-11 for the Angels. In 1992 he won the Tony Conigliaro award. On September 4th, 1993, he pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees against the Cleveland Indians.  He finished his career with 87 victories and a 4.25 ERA, and also managed to get two big league hits. 

 

Pete Gray lost his right arm at the age of six in an accident on a farm.  He made it to the major leagues, and played one season (1945) as an outfielder for the St. Louis Browns, where he bated .218 with 51 hits and 13 RBI.

 

Mordecai “Three Fingered” Brown got his nickname after also sustaining an accident on a farm.  Ironically, he used the accident to his advantage, as the unorthodox grip he utilized allowed him to  put a great deal of spin on the ball.  He pitched for fourteen seasons, was a six time 20 game winner, won 239 games and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1949.

 

There are many others.  Eric Davis (a childhood friend of Darryl Strawberry) overcame colon cancer to hit 28 home runs for the Orioles in 1998.  Mike Lowell overcame testicular cancer and was the 2007 World Series MVP.  Jim Eisenrich played for 15 seasons, had a .290 batting average with 1,160 hits while battling Tourette Syndrome.  These three players were all recipients of the Tony Conigliaro award.

 

We all know how difficult it is to make it to the big leagues, and it is a testament to those who battled through injuries, afflictions, or accidents to continue to contribute and should be an inspiration to others who follow the game.

 

by AspiDimitrov

TO DH… OR NOT

 

The debate has raged since the beginning of time (or at least since 1973). Purists despise it. The modern fan embraces it… Why? Why do we, some 35 years later, still find ourselves embroiled in battle over a rule which has affected only half a game? Can’t we just agree to disagree? After all, that’s what the American League and the National League have decided to do. They’ve each gone their own way, and in my humble opinion… that’s good for Baseball. It allows one city to have two types of fan. It allows a son to disagree with his father without fear of a tanned hide. It paves the way for countless blogs in November as to who really deserves the MVP.

In other words… it’s healthy.

 

Imagine if you will, MLB without the DH rule. Where would the National League end, and the American League begin? How would we differentiate between the two? Why would I be a Yankee fan and not a Met fan? For the uniforms?

I’m an American League guy. Have been since I was 6 (coincidentally 1973). Why?

 

Because of the DH rule. (sorry dad).

 

Of course not for the rule itself, silly. But for the style of play the rule has brought with it.

 

Let’s examine…

 

Home runs. You know you love’m. Not just the long ball by the DH, but the protection offered to the rest of the line up. As a pitcher, you know you’ll face 9 good hitters.

 

Aging sluggers. I’ve lost count of the amount of  big hitters able to extend their careers by becoming a DH.

 

Complete games. A rarity these days… agreed. But less rare in the AL because you don’t have to pinch hit for the pitcher in a tight game. Don’t even get me started on the ever-elusive perfect game.

 

Pitchers. In today’s game, is it even remotely fair to ask a specialist player to be effective at the plate for three at bats every 5 or so days?

 

 

Oh contraire, I hear the purists yell.

 

What about…

 

Strategy. Yes, good old fashioned strategy. Pinch hitting, the double switch etc. The manager should get some credit for the intellectual victory or the psychological meltdown. Not some juiced up has-been (coming soon to a column near you).

 

The intentional walk.Sure they have it in the NL. But it wasn’t a real issue until the advent of this stupid rule.

 

Symmetry.  The game was meant for 9 players. The AL plays with 10. What’s up with that?! They don’t do it in Little League. Why do these prima donnas  insist on making it easier on their pitchers and managers?

 

You may have detected a slight edge in the voice of the purists. I assure you, this is not unintentional. This is based on experience. Not just in the realm of the DH rule, but in regard to most things that have been subject to a fundamental change. Think religion, politics, Social behaviour etc. Eventually it will come to pass that it’s just part of the game. In 50 years, no one will remember it’s inauguration. Sadly, the purists will fade and our children’s children may well choose their league by proximity or (god forbid) their favourite uniform.

 

The DH rule will not hurt you. It will not improve your life. It will just give the pundits filling for their daily musings. More importantly it will give true baseball fans reason to argue in bars and in front of the tv for years to come.

 

Cherish these times. One day… we all might get along.

 

by AspiDimitrov

HEAD WEST, OLD MAN

Head West, Old Man

 

History does have a way of repeating itself.  Fifty years after the Brooklyn Dodgers ventured west to California, native son Joe Torre has done exactly the same thing.  Perhaps the baseball Gods are finally rewarding the Dodgers after losing Leo Durocher to the hated Giants way back when there were three franchises in New York.  

 

It will be very bizarre to see Torre leading the Dodgers.  His reign in New York was outstanding, and will be unsurpassed.  In 12 seasons, he was the all-time winningest Yankee manager.  He had four World Series championships, and 12 straight playoff appearances.  The most impressive fact is that he was able to survive the mercurial Steinbrenner regime for 12 seasons, when there had been 21 managerial changes in the previous 23 seasons.

 

Why would a 67 year old cancer survivor, who has just gone knee replacement surgery, who is financially secure with a legendary track record decide to endure the aggravation?  When one has been at the pinnacle, what else is there to accomplish?

 

The Yankee players certainly did not want him to leave.  He was the perfect buffer between the clubhouse and what is the insanity of the Steinbrenner front office.  He was offered a 1 year incentive laden extension at $5 million, which he rejected.  Why did he thumb his nose at the franchise that made him a legend and decide to start all over again?

 

Perhaps he did have something to prove.  Many sceptics felt that anyone could have succeeded with the Yankees budget and the calibre of players he had.  Prior to joining the Yankees, he had very marginal success at stints with 3 other clubs (Mets, Braves, and the Cardinals).  In 14 seasons, he only reached the post season once and had a .471 winning percentage (894-1003).  There was outrage when he was hired to replace Buck Showalter at the conclusion of the 1995 season and he was derisively called “Clueless Joe” in the press.

 

If he does have something to prove, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the perfect team to go to.  They are very young, have an abundance of talent, and a great mix of veterans and prospects.  They underachived last season, and finished with an 82-80 record.  Many felt that they should have made the playoffs.  They have excellent pitching, anchored by Brad Penny and Derek Lowe.  They have signed Japanese import Hiroki Kirodu, who may be this years Dice-K.  They have an outstanding closer in Takashi Saito, and enough power (Jeff Kent) speed (Juan Pierre) and defense (Russell Martin) to keep them in contention.

 

The big question mark will be Andruw Jones.  Jason Schmidt was the biggest free agent bust in 2007.  Will a change of scenery resurrect Jones’ career, or is he an old 30 and is his .222 batting average a portend of things to come.  Now that the team has two centerfielders, where will be Pierre play and can he get 300 at-bats?  Was there a lot of dissension on the team, and if so, what will Torre bring that Grady Little couldn’t?

 

Finally, there is the issue of Frank McCourt.  He bought the team in 2004, and Torre is his 3rd manager in 4 seasons.  Jim Tracy and Grady Little have been let go.  Torre has brought two trusted lieutenants with him (Larry Bowa and Don Mattingly) but many feel that McCourt has many similar characteristics to George Steinbrenner.  Well, if so, then it’s a match made in heaven.

 

There was truly angst in 1948 in Brooklyn when Durocher left to join the New York Giants.  There was jubilation in the Polo Grounds six years later when the Giants won the World Series.  If Torre can bring a championship to the Dodgers, in a perverse sort of way, history will be repeating itself…..And the Baseball Gods will again be smiling.

by AspiDimitrov

FIRST “GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE” PRE-GAME JITTERS

Posted on behalf of Newswire correspondent, Kal Dimitrov

 

Sunday morning, 4:24 am. Still tossing around, considering the best leadoff position with a lefty on the mound. In about 6 hours is the first spring training Herts Spring League game. Continue tossing, thinking about the potential for disappointment and embarrassment in the runner at second being caught out by a sharp line-drive to short.  Gradually the fog descends and a vision of a ball speeding towards your nose takes up permanent residence in the brain.

 

Alarm buzz. Must be about 8:00 am. Put on the gear, undertake morning ablutions, have a cup of coffee (not necessarily in that order). Stack the gear in the car and get going. M1 roadworks still on – some stability in an uncertain world.

 

Getting into the car park at the field – the usual hassle of finding a spot closer than a mile to the field.  Running slightly late again, grab the gear and stagger to the field. 

 

The traditional shuffle of marking out, putting the bases, removing the broken bottles and beer cans, and any other stray items left on the diamond by the weekend revellers. No need to water – the temperature is getting to about 6o C, so the ground is nicely defrosting under the weakly shining sun. Getting the netting for the fence, internally hoping that there is more than three stakes left, with which to put it up.  After some judicious hammer-wielding (no smashed fingers, good news), the fence is up for the brief time it will take the wind to turn it into something resembling next year’s Tate Gallery “Most Frowned Upon” runner-up.

 

Warm up and BP – this time it is different, as there is electricity and we can turn the pitching machine on. People rotating quickly, mainly making sure we do not lose too many balls in the process. And the little anticipatory lead ball in the stomach starts building up. By the end of BP, it is a full-fledged cannon ball with its own fuse.

 

Manager is giving out the line-up, setting out what we want to get out of this game (under the refrain of “witty” remarks from various smart-arses, usually led by yours truly).  Umpire calls managers over, whilst around our bench the team starts shaking up into the first three in the line-up and the rest.

 

You take your position, and suddenly everything becomes crystal clear, like an ice sculpture cut out with a scalpel. The pre-game jitters are gone, no more flutters in the stomach. 

 

You look at the umpire, calm, cool and collected, and wait for your cue.  He shouts “Batter up”, and at last I am in the game. No time for doubts or hesitation, I start brushing the front of my shirt in a manner that should suggest purpose, and by mistake give the lead-off guy the sign for a bunt.

 

Kal Dimitrov

by AspiDimitrov

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

 

If you’re over 40 and left handed, it’s a great time to be a baseball fan.  There are several prominent pitchers who serve as role models to my age group.  The list is pretty impressive, and includes Jamie Moyer, Tom Glavine, David Wells, Randy Johnson, and Kenny Rogers.

 

With one exception, none of them can throw over 90MPH.  None of them will ever be accused of using performance enhancing drugs.  All have very impressive career stats.

 

As a youngster, I used to enjoy watching NFL games with my Father, who was a big George Blanda fan.  I never understood why.  Granted, in 1970 at the age of 43 he was voted the league MVP.  To me he just seemed like an old geezer who didn’t belong on the field.  Now, I truly admire his accomplishments.

 

Moyer, who now is the oldest player in MLB, has to be the most fascinating of the group.  Signed in 1986, he was released three times before hooking up with the Baltimore Orioles in 1993.  Since then he has won 196 games and twice has been a 20 game winner.  He was the only member of the 2007 Phillies season-opening rotation not to spend time on the disabled list.  He has more wins that Hall of Famers Jim Bunning and Catfish Hunter.  All with a fastball that wouldn’t break a pane of glass.  Scott Hatteberg was once quoted as saying “Guys I faced in high school threw harder than him”.

 

David Wells has to be the hero of all of the overweight, beer guzzling softball players. He is also a master of ironies. Although quite the iconoclast, he revered tradition, and was very proud of his tenure with the Yankees. As a testament to this, he once pitched with Babe Ruth’s hat, albeit briefly.  Even though he never looked like an athlete, he could dunk a basketball. Even though he never took care of himself physically, he was blessed with a rubber arm, along with great control.  He had a great post season record and always seemed to pitch well in the playoffs, primarily due to his personality.  According to sources, nothing ever bothered him.  He never got uptight, so was able to perform his best when the pressure was greatest.

 

Rogers was the Tigers ace during the 2006 post season run.  His 3 wins far surpassed the performance of the young phenoms like Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman.

The 43 year has 210 career victories, is a four time All-Star and a five time Gold Glove winner.  Although he was injured most of 2007, the Tigers have resigned him and have high expectations that he can duplicate his previous success.

 

Both Johnson and Glavine are shoo-ins for the Hall of Fame.  Glavine is the only member of the group that has reached 300 wins, and was an accomplished ice hockey player, who was drafted as a goalie by the Los Angeles Kings before deciding upon a baseball career.  He also earned the enmity of the fans after serving as the union player rep during the 1994 strike.  Johnson overcame control problems in his career and now stands at 284 victories, and also is the oldest player in MLB history to throw a perfect game (40 in 2004).

 

 

Fans are now being inundated with coverage of HGH, congressional hearings, the Mitchell Report,  BALCO, etc., so it is refreshing to examine players who achieved success without having to resort to performance enhancing drugs.

 

The group just mentioned has amassed 1,266 wins, 275 complete games, 13,398 strikeouts in 18,323 innings with numerous personal accolades.

 

All without a single injection.

 

by AspiDimitrov

DL UPDATE – SETBACK FOR ROBERT CROUCH IN BUILD-UP TO 2008 SEASON

Robert Crouch is the first Herts player who finds himself on the dreaded DL in 2008.  For those who are unfamiliar with the abbreviation “DL”, it stands for Disabled List and baseball players are placed on it when they have sustained an injury. 

 

In a freakish incident during the club’s indoor training session a basketball headed in Crouch’s direction glanced off the little finger of his right hand.  Medical examinations revealed that Crouch has a fractured finger and the bone will need to be pinned together.

 

The good news is that the operation has been successful and the stitches will be removed later this week.  Crouch will be out of action for another four weeks after which he is expected to get right back into the swing of things with the rest of the Herts Baseball squad.  The whole club wishes him a speedy recovery in time for the Spring training games.

 

Herts Baseball Newswire will be providing frequent DL updates throughout the season and the hope is that the reports will not be so frequent.

 

Here are some other milestones in the Herts DL archives.

 

2007 – Robert Crouch taking a ball on the nose in pre-game warm-up.

 

2006 – Kimiyoshi Saionji fractured jaw in two places following a heroic play to make the out at first base which resulted in a collision with a Richmond oncoming runner.  For those who are new to the sport, don’t worry.  Such an injury is very very rare and it takes a superhuman like Saionji to sustain it.

 

2006 – Larry Martillo dislocated little finger trying to field a pop-fly.

 

2004 – Short Stop Geoff Hare staying fearlessly behind a fizzing groundball which took a wild hop and headed straight for Hare’s cheek bone.  Thankfully no fracture, just a massive cut under the eye.  If I remember correctly, Geoff got an assist on that play as the ball bounced off his cheekbone straight into the glove of the second baseman for a force-out at second base.

 

2003 – Pitcher Paul Raybould bravely took a line drive in the stomach to knock the ball down and complete the out at first.  Later examination showed a funny bruise on his tummy which had a strange resemblance to Leonid Brezhnev.  To deal with the heavy bruising Raybould utilized a mysterious gel substance which his wife uses on jump-horses who sustain heavy bruising on their legs.  Raybould was very pleased with the results.

 

Note: For readers who are considering giving baseball a try, please note that injuries are much rarer in baseball compared to other sports such as football and it is a very enjoyable sport indeed.