My Post Season Predictions, Tampa Bay vs. Texas

It's been a while since I wrote anything about the current baseball season, it's not my single purpose of my writing.

However the 2010 post season is now upon us, so it's appropriate to give my mighty...eh, predictions for the up coming playoffs....MLB Postseason Baseball TV Schedule

So, without much fan fare, here we go.

The Tampa Bay Rays will host the Texas Rangers in the Divisional Series.

The Rays finished with the best record in the American League, and for me, they are the team to beat in the A.L. Playoffs.

Tampa has fantastic pitching, led by Cy Young candidate David Price, who finished the 2010 season with a 19-6 record, and a ERA of 2.72.

After Price will come Matt Garza and James Shields, and look for Jeff Niemann, normally a starter, to help the Rays bullpen get to closer Rafael Soriano.

Tampa will hit with the best of them also, and I like the lineup of 3B Evan Longoria, LF Carl Crawford, 1b Carlos Pena, CF B.J. Upton, and FR Ben Zobrist, just to name a few. The Rays can hit, steal bases, move runners over, and hit the long ball when needed.

The Rangers are a great story, making the playoffs for the first time since 1999, when they were slugging their way through the A.L. with Juan Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez.

This year the Rangers have an even more powerful lineup, with MVP candidate Josh Hamilton in CF, and the free swinging Vlad Guererro as the DH. 

Third Baseman Michael Young and Short Stop Ian Kinsler are sure to give the Rays fits as well.

The Rangers will send lefty Cliff Lee out in Game one vs, the Rays, who have beaten Lee three times this year.

The Rangers are a solid ball club, and this should be a fantastic series. 

My pick is the Rays in 4 games.

My first post for The Detroit Tigers Scorecard

I thought I'd give you the link to my first post on the Detroit Tigers Scorecard. I hope you continue to read my articles on baseball, the greatest sport ever invented.

Detroit Tigers Scorecard 

My new writing job

As of today, Friday, October 1st, I have the great fortune to now be a contributing writer for the Detroit Tigers Scorecard.

I will still be writing post for this blog, the one I started, talking about the great game of baseball.

For those who can't get enough baseball, check out the DTS for some great baseball talk.

My thanks to Austin Drake, founder of the DTS, for the opportunity.

The 10th Inning

"Baseball was one-hundred percent of my life."...Tyrus Raymond Cobb

Tuesday night was the debut of Ken Burns 10th Inning, the sequel to his fantastic PBS series "Baseball" from 1994. 

It covers they many ups and downs of our National Pastime the past 16 years, including plenty of discussions on the steroid era, and the 1994 players strike.

On the positive Burns discusses the great fans who continue to pack big league parks, the legend of Ichiro Suzuki, the greatness of Ken Griffey, Jr., and the Boston Red Sox World Series win in 2004, including their coming back from 3 games down in the A.L. Championship Series against the hated New York Yankees.

The movie also celebrates baseball's help in the national healing of our country after the terrorist attacks of 9-11.

There are some things that were left out, like the 2005 Chicago White Sox ending decades of futility  by winning the World Series, or the remarkable Albert Pujols, the best hitter in baseball for 10 years.

None the less, this is a fitting addition to the original, and the steroid era talk is very powerful.

This 2 part series is a must see for baseball fans of all ages. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's the link to the Tenth Inning.

My favorite players from all 30 Big League teams...Vol. #6...Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves

There's just something about certain players that makes them catch your eye. The way they stand up at the plate, the way they play the field, the way they run, or throw, or maybe just the way they approach the game.

All the above statements can be said of Dale Murphy, my favorite player to ever wear the uniform of the Atlanta Braves.

I know, a lot of people will be asking hey, what about Hank Aaron?

Yes, there is no doubt Aaron is the greatest Brave off All-Time, and I respect that, but I got to watch Murphy much more than Aaron, who was ending his career as I was starting to really understand baseball.

Dale Murphy could do it all, a fantastic five tool player who patrolled center field for the Braves in the 1980's, winning 5 straight Gold Gloves from 1982-1986, and was the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1982 and 1983.


From 1981 to 1990,  Murphy led the entire Major Leagues in Home Runs and RBIs.


Murphy also lead the National League in runs, games, at bats, hits, extra base hits, RBIs, runs created, total bases, and plate appearances during the decade of the '80's.

Not bad for a guy who began his big league career as a catcher before moving to 1st base, and then to the outfield.

With all the accolades that Murphy collected for his play in the big leagues, he's also  considered as one of the good guys in baseball, a player who thinks about the game first, and not himself.


Dale Murphy, simply put, was the best player in baseball for most of the 1980's, and, in my opinion, he belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Up next, my favorite player from the Florida Marlins. Here's a clue, his nickname is Mr. Marlin.

From the JBLBB Desk

"The one constant through all the years Ray has been baseball..."

James Earl Jones Field of Dream speech 

That is just part of the great line by James Earl Jones, as Terrence Mann, in the 1988 movie Field of Dreams. You can listen to the entire speech at the link above.

The one constant for me this year is my constant battle with my health issues, including my arthritis and my diabetes.

My lack of writing anything on a constant basis is because of my health, and I appreciate my loyal readers for your understanding.

There are many days when I simply cannot write because of a lack of energy, even though the thoughts are constantly running through my head.

I hope September brings me better health, and a better chance to post new articles, which will include my favorite players from the National League East, the Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals.

Remember, when it comes to the Braves it's the Atlanta Braves, and not the entire franchise.

Same for the Nationals. 

The Montreal Expos will be a separate article,  on teams that no longer exist, as will both the Milwaukee Braves, and the Boston Braves.


I'm also going to be featuring a few new things, such as my All-Time team lineups, my favorite baseball books, movies, and some posts on collecting baseball cards,


If you collect baseball cards, and simply cannot wait, just go to MyDetroitTigersbaseballcards blog site.


I blog about my collection, and I have links to other baseball fans blog sites. These guys are great baseball fans, so check 'em out.


Thanks for following my writing.


God Bless.


John

The Greatest Little Leaguer Ever

Every year the town of Williamsport, Pennsylvania hosts the Little League World Series, the culmination of 11 and 12 year old ball players all over the world.

I played Little League baseball in Portage, Michigan in the early 1970's. I never even knew there was a World Series for us kids. We just loved playing baseball as much as possible.

My brother Robert and I played on a team together, and we were the best right side of the diamond in the Portage Little League. Me at 1st base, and Robert at second. If you hit a ball to the right side on the infield, you made a right turn, and went back to your dugout.

I did play one game of All-Star baseball in Little League, but I was out matched by the older, more talented kids. 

That was as good as I got. Time to move on.

The reason for this look back to my Little League days is this article I saw in the Detroit News about the 1959 Little League World Series Champions from Hamtramck, Michigan.

1959 Little League Champions from Hamtramck. Michigan

The link above to the article tells the story of Pinky Deras. considered the "Greatest Little Leaguer there ever was."

Today Deras, 64, is a retired police officer, and father of a Little League ball player. He is a humble man, who reluctantly talks about those days over 50 years ago, because he, like the boys of that era, know that it takes a team to win.

Please take the time to read this story. Yes, I admit, I read the article because the team is the only Little League winner to ever come from the state of Michigan, my home state.

I hope you will forgive my bias this once, and take a few moments to read about a time when kids played baseball for the love of the game.