Archive for April, 2009

In a very competitive game where the Indians were leading The Yankees 3-2, a deep drive went toward right-center field off of the bat of Jorge Posada.  Trevor Crowe backed up onto the warning track and began his ascension to rob Posada of the go-ahead pinch homer.  As his glove cleared the wall, you can blatently see the glove of a fan blocking Crowe’s attempt at catching the ball.  Whether or not Crowe would have made the catch is irrelevant.

In the rules of instant replay according to Major League Baseball, fan interference on a ball that can be caught shall result in an out for the batter.  I was unsure as to exactly what happened until the play was shown a couple more times.  The umpires then huddled to discuss the controversy.  Then they disappear to the box down in the tunnel (pictured at top).  Eight and a half minutes later the umpires reappear and call Joe Girardi and Eric Wedge to conference the decision behind home plate.  The video replay must not have been enough evidence because the homer counted. Watch the video provided above and decide.

Upon my own review, Crowe was close enough to the ball when his glove stopped because of the interfering fan sticking his glove over the wall and preventing him from making an attempt on the ball.  I am not saying he would have caught the ball, but I am saying he has every right to attempt catching that ball without a fan physically denying him that chance.

In my opinion, this systems needs revamped fast if MLB is going to be serious about using it.

First of all, put a microphone on the umpire to explain the call so the fans know what the official ruling is determined to be.  The NFL does it successfully and if you didn’t understand why a play is or isn’t overturned, you at least learn what the officiating crew decided the rule should be interpreted as.

Secondly, speed it up.  Did they eat a couple of sandwiches and have a smoke before they decided to return?  Eight minute delays are too long.  Five minutes should be the max, and if that is unfeasable, drop the system now.

Finally, expand its uses.  Brandon Phillips got away with one today in The Reds-Astros game when he scooped up a ground ball and tried to tag Hunter Pence advancing to second before throwing to first for a double play.  Phillips missed Pence by a good foot-and-a-half, but Pence was called out and the double play was turned.  Replay would have clearly shown the umpire crew how bad they blew this call, and rapidly.  If Sportscenter can show it in 20 seconds, the umpires can manage to see the replay and deliver the proper call within five minutes.

I hate when props are added to anything and remain largely ineffective due to fear and ignorance.

Youngstown State Football enjoyed a wealth of success under Jim Tressel in the 1990’s.  Jon Heacock has had the toughest task ever assigned on Wick Avenue, to keep what Tressel started rolling.  Heacock has had his ups and downs as the head guy and I feel he is headed toward greener pastures in the next couple of seasons.

If you sit back and think of what Tressel started at YSU, you can understand the enormous pressure Heacock has had to perform under.  Also, figure in Tressel only a few hours away recruiting the prime local talent to play for The Buckeyes.  Heacock is a good recruiter and people should be suprised with the talent he pulled this offseason.  The annual Spring game is Friday and Heacock is anxious to see some of those recruits in action.  Mychal Savage, sidelined all of last year after being injured in the Ohio State opener will be a force to be reckoned with on defense this year.  He will not be participating in Spring activities as he is still recovering from surgery but he should be ready for the season.

YSU suffered a bunch of season-ending surgeries last year, and all of the returning Penguins hope to stay healthy.  Playing Ohio State in the first week can make that a difficult task.

I am really pulling for Coach Heacock to succeed and prove to skeptics in the valley that YSU football is going to be just fine.  Tressel remains one of Heacock’s biggest fans and supporters.  I really like the local flavor Heacock has added to the coaching staff with Jerry Olsavsky and Michael Zordich.  Having coaches who know what it takes gives the players the right frame of mind to perform better.

Thanks for stopping by!  The Jack Loew interview should be up by weeks end, I am really excited to put it on my site because he gave me some great answers and discussed the Pavlik-Hopkins fight, Arthur Abraham, Joe Calzaghe, and what a new gym is like to run.  I hope you folks will all check it out!

In the meantime, here are some stories I really liked from some great bloggers!

Kevin Garnett: The Man Who Saved Boston Hockey * Josh Q. Public
Bill Murray Hits Woman With Golf Ball At Outback Pro-Am * Sports Rubbish
NBA Mock Draft 2009 Top Ten * Hoop Doctors
UFC 97 Preview And Predictions * Total Pro Sports
1987 Pete Rose Tegrin Commercial … And His Wife * NESW Sports
Tribe Must Rebuild From Within * FOX Sports
John Madden Tribute * Midwest Sports Fans
Reds Looking For Results In 2009 * Baseball Reflections
Hockey Power Rankings * The Program
NBA ROY & MVP Balloting * Pippenainteasy

Check out these great stories!

Read the rest of this entry »

The New York Yankees opened the doors to their new home for the first time.  The Cleveland Indians were supposed to be the sacrificial lamb to help aid the baptism of a new park.  Cleveland turned out to be the rudest of guests, scoring nine times in the 7th inning and riding their best pitching start of the year to slap the Yankees,  10-2.

Cliff Lee looked sharp for six innings giving up just a homer to Jorge Posada.  Lee gave up seven hits and struck out four lowering his season ERA to 6.75.  Other than Posada’s bomb, Lee seemed to have good stuff and bent but didn’t break.  This has to be, by far, the best effort by a starting pitcher for The Tribe in all ten games.

Grady Sizemore had a grand slam and Victor Martinez homered for Cleveland as well.  Martinez is batting .381 and has been consistently productive.  Kelly Shoppach tacked on a couple of hits.

First Bank of Steinbrenner investment known as CC Sabathia, an overweight and overpaid baseball pitcher who happens to be worth half as much as the entire Florida Marlins roster, went 5 2/3 giving up five hits and walking five.  Sabathia didn’t figure into the decision.

Few things should make Cleveland sports fans happier than what happened in New York today.  The Indians, playing with their backs against the wall, played a complete game against the financially secure bullies.  This may well be the wake-up call Eric Wedge was hoping for. 

I’m sure Yankee fans everywhere will be making excuses, they have gotten really good at that in the last few years.  “What do you expect, we didn’t have A-Roid“, will be a popular one.  Here is one for the Yankee faithful from me.  One of your worst investments in recent times, and there have been plenty, failed to pitch his team to victory today.

It’s been a busy week and I am surely not able to write about everything that needs touched upon.  Click on a link, visit these other great sites, leave a comment, and learn something you might not have known!

Revisiting The Great Sports Year Of 1991 * In Game Now
Duke QB Greg Paulus Transferring To Michigan? * Fanhouse
Sidney Crosby Struggles To Grow Facial Hair * PSAMP
John Buck’s Two Homers Beat Indians. Who Is He? * Josh Q. Public
Doc Gooden Has (Uh) At Least Six Kids * Hugging Harold Reynolds
Allen Iverson Photo: No Casino For Y’all * Hoop Doctors
Lebron James Must-See Warm-Up Dunk * NESW Sports
Shaq Gets Pranked * Total Pro Sports
Billy Bob vs Joaquin: Roller Derby Fans? * Steady Burn
High School Pitcher Throws Three Consecutive No-Hitters * Sports Rubbish
Dick Trickle: Racing Legend * Rootzoo
2009 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule * Pro Football Fans
2009 Cleveland Browns Schedule * Pro Football Fans
Lebron James Swats Chris Duhon’s Shot To Half Court * Docksquad
Mark “The Bird” Fidrych Dead At 54 * Fox Sports
Reds vs Brewers Preview * True Blue Brew Blog
2009 Cleveland Indians = 2008 Cleveland Browns? * Midwest Sports Fans
Brandon Roy = Michael Jordan? * A Stern Warning
Leftwich Signs With Bucs, What’s Next For Steelers? * My Sports Rumors
A Tribute To Harry Kalas * Baseball Reflections
Good Morning, MLB Fans * Zoner Sports

Enjoy The Reading!

Baseball is penciled up to be a great day at the ballpark for a family, a couple, or some buddies watching their team.  Hecklers have been ruining trips to the ballpark for years.  Last season at an Indians game, I watched a family of five leave because the guy sitting directly behind me kept dropping “f bombs” in nearly every sentence.  By the third inning, the father turned around and explained that none of his three children were ten yet and he would appreciate it if they could tone it down.  At this point, I think they poured it on more as they made the whole section uncomfortable.

Granted, the seats we were in were not field boxes or anything.  However, I had to endure a ruthless comment every pitch.  A friend of mine took his wife to the Indians opener against Toronto this past Friday.  He almost got into a fight because the three drunk idiots behind him were screaming their opinions on every single pitch.  It came to a head in the sixth when they spilled a beer everywhere and got some on him.  The usher asked my friend and his wife to leave to avoid “confrontation”.  Sorry, but I am either telling the usher to breathalize these losers or I am swinging, but I let my friend have it for not sticking up for his rights as a fan.

Don’t think I am picking on Indians fans because I know it is ten times worse in Boston where hecklers are the norm and the quiet fan is the oddball.  I do not want people to think I am blaming it on alcohol either because plenty of folks can go to a game and have a few beers without causing chaos. 

I blame it on the mindset of people who go to games knowing they will be screaming profanity laced tirades around women and children.  If you can’t act proper in public then stay home and swear at your television.  Creating a disturbing atmosphere to feel like you got your moneys worth is a horrible way to think.  Boo when you disagree with a call, yell that a guy is a bum on his second error or third strikeout, or yap when the pitcher should have come out.  But dont try to scream at the home plate umpire from right field about a ball or strike.   

Josh Beckett has been suspended six games by Major League Baseball for intentionally throwing at Bobby Abreu.  That will probably be appealed and served much later in the year.  Look for Beckett to probably only miss one start.

The anger started when Abreu was batting, called timeout, which the umpire granted, and stepped back in to see the Beckett fastball coming right for his head.

The Angels, fighting emotions over the passing of Nick Adenhart, reacted strongly as the benches emptied Sunday.  Hitting Coach Mickey Hatcher was also suspended for one game and Torii Hunter and Mike Scioscia were fined for their actions in the chaos.

Congratulations go to Evgeni Malkin for winning the 2009 Art Ross Trophy.  The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the NHL scoring leader.  The Penguins scored two 3rd period shorthanded goals to beat Monytreal in their regular season finale.  Malkin scored his 35th sealing his first ever scoring championship.

Malkin joins Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Sidney Crosby as past Ross Trophy winner.  Geno credits his teammates for winning the Ross Trophy this season and says it was a team effort.

Pittsburgh will face Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs.  The Penguins are 18-3-4 under Coach Dan Bylsma and seem like the hottest team going into the playoffs.

Congratulations Geno!

Anyone who visits this page regularly knows I am new to this.  Sports blogging is frustrating at times because there is no deadline to be first.  It’s a race to have the best information or video to convey exactly how you feel about something.

I have been fortunate to make a few friends by doing this.  One of those people is Matt Clapp, the top guy over at Sharapova’s Thigh.  We have never spoke to each other or met in person.  We have however helped each other, exposing readers to each othes sites through linking.

The post that Matt wrote last night was tough to read because it was very emotional.  I want to share that post with all of those who take a moment to read it.  Click on the link below.

Remembering The Best Friend I Ever Had – Matt Clapp