baseball | Wait until next year

November 22, 2009

Stuff I’ve enjoyed this week

For those of you new to the blog, I quite often put together a list of sports-related links I’ve enjoyed over the past week. As part of the broadening of this blog’s horizons, I thought I’d put together a more general list this time. I hope it leads you to some interesting corners of the internet, and as always if you have any links to share, please do!

Non-sporting stuff for your enjoyment

Regular commenter and nicest guy on the internet, Steven Harris, has been talking about meeting celebrities, and remembering the time he met a Beatle. You might see in the comments that I have had quite a celeb-spotting week, seeing both Lisa Snowdon and Angela Rippon. Please note, I don’t mix in showbiz circles. Nor do I stalk people off the telly. Honestly.

Another commenter here, Nathan Henrion, has recently published his book for the Kindle. I’m looking forward to hearing how the experiment goes, with such a new and relatively untested medium. I’m going to have to buy the book itself very soon. It’s a steal at 99 cents.

Raven Mack is always worth a read. His lastest post is about pumpkins, and a whole lot more.

Sporting stuff for your enjoyment

The ever-reliable BaseballGB is reviewing the 2009 season a division at a time. Sadly, the verdict of the New York Mets as the “New York Mess” is right on the money.

Tim Lincecum won the Cy Young Award this week, ahead of Chris Carpenter, leading to a wave of controversy among the baseball internet-y fraternity. Wezen Ball serves up a nice little parody of the uproar.

There’s been a lot written about France beating Ireland to go to the World Cup, via Thierry Henry’s hand. Twohundredpercent writes perhaps the most level-headed assessment of events.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend folks!

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November 8, 2009

Sports stuff I’ve enjoyed this week

We’re in the midst of a jam-packed weekend of sport. David Haye slayed the giant Nikolai Valuev, which I may well blog about in the next couple of days, Australia beat England in the rugby (boo), and there’s been fun and games in the football, particularly the Manchester City/Burnley 3-3 draw, and a fair few upsets in the first round of the FA Cup.

And there’s still the circus of Chelsea/Manchester United to come!

But here’s what I’ve enjoyed perusing the rest of this week…

The Yankees won the World Series this week, in no small part because of the strength of their closing pitcher, Mariano Rivera. The New York Times has produced a funky graphic to illustrate just how good he is in the post-season.

Meanwhile Matt at BaseballGB has written a comprehensive breakdown of performances in this year’s World Series.

And it’s not all about the winners, you know, as The Daily Something decides on the ten best performances by World Series losers.

In football, meanwhile, The Political Economy of Football looked at Rangers’ financial woes and twohundredpercent looked at the 1946 FA Cup.

So, what have you enjoyed reading this week?

November 6, 2009

What is it with managers helping damsels in distress?

Not that long ago we heard about Hull City manager Phil Brown talking down a woman contemplating throwing herself off the Humber Bridge.

Now another story. World Series winning coach, Joe Girardi, on his way home from the game, reportedly came to the assistance of a woman who had crashed her car, flagging down police officers to take care of the situation.

Amid so many whining, manipulative, selfish managers in sport (I’m naming no names!), it’s good to see there are a few knights in shining armour out there.

Or maybe we just forget that people in the public eye are human and decent at heart, like the rest of us?

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November 5, 2009

MLB play-offs braindump #13 – Yankees win the World Series

And so that was the 2009 baseball season. Last night the Yankees beat the Phillies in pretty comfortable fashion, 7-3, to win the best of seven series in six games.

It was good to see the World Series at least go close to the full seven games, although it is a real shame it didn’t come down to one ‘all or nothing game’. I’m no Yankees fan, but it is also good that the best team in baseball won – something that is never guaranteed in sports with a post-season play-off structure. That they won in an entertaining series doesn’t hurt one bit either.

So, no more baseball until spring. However, I have a few ideas up by sleeve to carry on covering the sport through the winter. You will, hopefully, join me on a voyage of discovery, as I actually try to learn something about the sport, rather than just winging it with mis-informed platitudes. Stay tuned folks!

November 4, 2009

Not a good year for Vicente Padilla

Earlier this year Vicente was the first high-profile athlete in the United States to test positive for swine ‘flu.

He was then released from the Texas Rangers, as he was “regarded as a disruptive clubhouse presence.”

Things looked up when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, until he gave up six runs in three innings, helping send the Phillies, rather than the Dodgers, to the World Series.

What now?

Yesterday, he was accidently shot by his bodyguard, yes, his bodyguard, whilst hunting. Luckily, he wasn’t badly hurt.

I think he needs a new bodyguard. And perhaps stop breaking mirrors.

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Category: baseball