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Game vs. Practice Baseball Uniforms
If you’ve ever stepped foot on a baseball practice field, one of the things that immediately catches your eye is the stark contrast between a youth football practice jersey and the uniforms donned during a game. While game uniforms typically have a distinctive sheen and form-fit to the player’s body, practice gear is usually loose and made of completely difference materials. I used to think that this discrepancy was simply to save money by investing in cheap jerseys for practice, and while this is certainly one of the reasons, several other variables factor into the equation.
Practice uniforms typically have a higher concentration of cotton, which makes them more breathable and comfortable during long practices. In addition, the material and fit of practice gear make it easier to take on and put off, which is beneficial after long practices. Youth MLB jerseys are a great piece of clothing to practice in.
When it comes to the Yankees and Red Sox, there is no time to relax if you’re a player
And so, after five months of tugging and warring, we are one day into September with precious little having been decided between the Red Sox and Yankees. After New York came to Boston and, for the first time this year, won a series against the Red Sox — taking their second win in this three-gamer by a 4-2 count — the two MLB teams are separated by just a half-game, and are dead even in the loss column at 53.
There are 27 days left in the MLB season, and it could be argued that the race between the Red Sox and Yankees is of little consequence. Both teams are all but assured of postseason spots, the A.L. East crown reduced to an accessory for whichever of the two best teams in the league noses out the other. There is the matter of home-field advantage shou
ld these teams meet in the ALCS, but considering that the Red Sox are undefeated at Yankee Stadium this year, it’s hard to determine what home field really is worth.
Yet you’ve got two teams that are still going at each other fiercely, two teams that will play out the final month with an eye on the out-of-town scoreboard, tracking each other’s progress.
Take a closer look at Thursday’s win for the Yankees, and you can see that manager Joe Girardi was treating this game with a playoff mindset. For the third time in the three games of this series, he had set-up man Boone Logan up and in the game. Girardi hardly ever uses a reliever three times in a row. But, as Logan said, “You want to do all you can, because we all know what is at stake in these games.” Read More >>
The Inspiring Story of Alex James: the Mariners’ real life Angel in the Outfield!
On August 3rd, 2011 the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 7 – 4 when Charlie Furbush was perfect into the fifth inning of his first start in a Seattle uniform, and Casper Wells, Josh Bard and Mike Carp each delivered two RBIs as the Mariners swept the Athletics. This MLB game was not won by the box score though…some say Angels in the Outfield really do exist…and on August 3rd Alex James was the Angel that the Mariners needed to pull off the sweep!
After catching a fly ball in the stands, Alex started the wave (only miles from where the original wave happened) in the stands at Safeco Field…the crowd started to join in…electrifying everyone in the entire stadium and maybe the whole city of Seattle…the home team started to feel the emotion of the fans run off their fingers as each wave came around and into the heart of every Mariner in the game…Alex James’ formation of the wave and his devotion to his favorite team earned the M’s a win that warm August night in Seattle.
Alex James you are real Angel in the Outfield…
MLB Power Poll: Mariners still in the running…
Quality MLB teams went into The Bronx and came out with inferiority complexes last week.
They weren’t just beaten. They were beaten soundly and if the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers were unsure of what a sound team looked like, they were more than sure by the time they boarded flights out of town.
The Yankees smacked those clubs around convincingly and then took the first two of three from the New York Mets, completing a week in which they got quality pitching and consistent offense.
On to the MLB poll:
1. New York Yankees (1). The club may not be known for its pitching, but the staff allowed 10 runs in six games last week and CC Sabathia combined with the bullpen to shut out the Brewers. Plus they keep pounding the ball.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (2). Philadelphia went into the week knowing it had a statement series against the Red Sox, and it showed how dominant its pitching can be in shutting down a potent lineup for two games, while scoring enough to take a series from the Blue Jays as well.
3. Boston Red Sox (3). No change here despite Boston dropping two in Philadelphia. That’s why the Phillies are ranked ahead of the Red Sox, but Boston recovered by sweeping Houston on the road.
4. San Francisco Giants (6). Nothing like winning nine of 12 to scoot your way up the ladder. Yes, the Giants dropped two in Wrigley, but their series win in Detroit trumped that.
5. Atlanta Braves (9). Sweeping Seattle against Michael Pineda and Felix Hernandez is an accomplishment, and taking the following set against the Orioles completed a 5-1 week.
6. Los Angeles Angels (12). The Rangers were warned last week to check for the Angels, and after their 5-1 week, the teams shared the top spot in the A.L. West. The Angels have also won 10 of their past 13.
7. Tampa Bay Rays (4). Drop a series, win a series against the N.L. Central. Just enough to fall. Just enough not to tumble.
8. Cleveland Indians (14). Entering the week after being swept in San Francisco, the Indians looked like a team hanging on by a thread. But taking series from the Diamondbacks and Reds gets them back in first place.
9. Chicago White Sox (17). It’s quite a leap, but wining series against the Rockies and Cubs is more than some other teams in front of them last week did.
10. Detroit Tigers (5). Splitting four with the Mets and losing a series to the Giants helped get their pitching coach fired and dropped Detroit here.
11. St. Louis Cardinals (21). They get back David Freese and come out winners after a six-game roadie to move into a first-place tie.
12. Seattle Mariners (16). Normally if you give Pineda and Hernandez four and three runs of support, respectively, it’s a blowout win. But they were off their games last week and that support netted nothing but a couple of losses.
MLB plans to beat the heat
Despite the searing Arizona heat that will push nearly all MLB All-Star Game activities indoors, Major League Baseball is aiming to reverse some of the more sluggish event returns seen last year in Anaheim.
After strong performances in San Francisco (2007), New York (2008) and St. Louis (2009), last year’s events showed some decline. The Home Run Derby failed to sell out, even after last-minute ticket price discounts, and posted a 22 percent drop in TV ratings on ESPN. Tie-ins to the nearby Los Angeles entertainment community did not meet initial expectations. The All-Star Game itself posted an all-time low TV rating. And FanFest attendance in Anaheim of 118,429, while boosted by improved per-cap merchandise sales, still declined 21 percent from record-setting totals in St. Louis the year before.
This year’s MLB All-Star Game will be held July 12 at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field.
Boosted by an early start to ticket sales this year, aggressive pricing discounts (as much as 59 percent) and a tight downtown Phoenix footprint that places nearly every event within walking distance, league and Arizona Diamondbacks officials are eyeing a recharge to not only the event itself but also the entire Phoenix region.
“This is going to be a massive boost not only for us, our fans and baseball, but this whole area,” said Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall. The Arizona economy was among the hardest hit in the global economic decline of 2008-09, and recovery there remains unsteady.
“This is something we’ve been very actively pursuing for many years, and will be a major showcase for us,” Hall said.
A Question of Dominance – There isn’t a dominant 100-win team in the majors this season!?
Why we don’t believe: Despite numerous injuries, the Philadelphia Phillies remain on pace for 102 MLB wins and a dominant season. Already, the club meets two standards of greatness:
Pitching. Even with the rotation’s fab four down a man, the trio of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee can hold its own with the prime years of the Atlanta Braves’ Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, a threesome destined for Cooperstown. Halladay is regarded as a harder-throwing version of Maddux, Lee is a more powerful Glavine and Hamels is on a career track every bit as impressive as Smoltz’s at the same age.
Experience. Five of the Phillies’ eight regulars have had starring roles in the team’s four-year run as the NL’s best club. All have won a World Series, two pennants and four division titles. They know how to win, evidenced by the club’s major league-best record despite an offense that has yet to find its stride.
We believe this instead: From top to bottom, the Boston Red Sox have a better roster than the Phillies. The Red Sox, in fact, might have the best blend of lineup, rotation and bullpen since the New York Yankees in the late 1990s. Boston has outhit Philadelphia this season, its trio of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz almost matches the Phillies’ big three and its bullpen is led by the game’s most intimidating relief tandem, Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard. Since their 2-10 start, the Red Sox have won at a march-to-greatness .652 pace.
What else we believe: The Yankees are another team capable of dominating. They have the game’s most power-packed lineup, a top ace in CC Sabathia and the best closer ever in Mariano Rivera. Their shortcoming has been a lack of success against the Red Sox. With nine more meetings, greatness remains within both clubs’ reach.
Contenders or Pretenders?
To rule any team out of contention in this year of parity—uh, mediocrity—is as risky as giving a reliever a long-term MLB contract.
Things happen, and fast. On Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies had a fab four. Today, who knows? Three weeks ago, the Minnesota Twins were 16 1/2 games out of first place. Today, that deficit is eight. Less than three weeks ago, the Florida Marlins were two out. Today, 14.5.
With reasonable certainty, you can count on the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals to sell at the trading deadline. Realistically, you can add the Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays to the list.
Beyond that, you don’t know which teams will be in the race for the stretch run. For the following five teams, however, the odds don’t look good.
St. Louis Cardinals
If managing 5,000-plus MLB games doesn’t impress you about Tony La Russa, having this team tied for first place in the NL Central should. Beyond losing ace Adam Wainwright and first baseman Albert Pujols, the Cardinals have dealt with so many injuries that their Class AAA minor leaguers can make the trip from Memphis to St. Louis with their eyes closed.
After another round of moves on Thursday, general manager John Mozeliak said, “Hopefully we won’t be making more moves anytime soon. Of course, I would have said that a week ago.”
Bats Wanted
Unlike recent MLB trade markets, this one should not be all about the pitchers. So many contenders are struggling to score that hitters figure to generate as much interest as the always valuable arms.
The Giants, Braves, Tigers, Angels, Rays, Phillies and Mariners — hey, they lead the Angels — are among the contenders in need of an offensive boost.
Another reason big bats are more likely than arms to reach Twitter trending status as July 31 approaches: More big-name hitters than front-line starters are expected to be available.
A look at 10 proven MLB position players who could be on the move:
Jose Reyes, Mets. He is playing so well that not re-signing him could be the biggest mistake the Mets make all year. And that’s saying something. But the Mets are so limited by financial troubles they figure to cash in Reyes for a lot of low-priced talent. Where can they get it? Despite the Giants’ reported lack of interest, don’t count them out. Two other clubs that make sense: the Tigers and Angels.
Carlos Beltran, Mets. Knee problems make him seem older than 34 but he’s as healthy as he’s been in years and has produced nine homers and an .878 OPS. Like Reyes, he also is unlikely to return to the Mets when he becomes a free agent this fall. Beltran would fit best on an A.L. team that lacks a full-time DH or on an N.L. team without a huge right field to cover. Wherever he lands, he’ll help. Remember what he did for the Astros in his salary drive in 2004.
Respect for Cal Ripken Jr.
As a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan hailing from Connecticut, I was not impressed by the Baltimore Orioles when I first moved to Maryland in 2000. By this point in history the Orioles had begun their descent. Still, it was hard not to get caught up in the hubbub surrounding Cal Ripken Jr.’s final season.
My mom, always one for sentimental stories, bought the whole family throwback MLB jerseys emblazoned with Ripken’s number 8 and took us to several Orioles games during Ripken’s final season. I’ll admit that I did get caught up in the enthusiasm of the crowd whenever Ripken walked onto the field. (If I’m remembering correctly, as the season progressed, it wasn’t always announced which games Ripken would be playing in, so when he did play it was an even bigger event). When a man has as much integrity, dedication, and ability as Ripken, it’s hard not to become a fan – at least of the player himself.
The American League Awards So Far…
Almost 60 games into the MLB season, no more than 2.5 games separate first from second place in all three American League divisions. Races for the individual awards are just as tight.
MVP: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
You know you’re having an MVP season when going a mere seven games without a homer is considered worthy of the crawl on one of the sports networks. But that’s the expectation Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista has established. Even after his “drought” reached a season-high nine games, Bautista remained on pace for another 50-plus homer season.
He not only leads the majors in homers and runs, though. Bautista also is tops in average (.348), OBP (.500) and slugging (.727) — the slash Triple Crown. If that’s not impressive enough, the slugger has walked a majors-high 55 times and has only 31 strikeouts.
Bautista is not alone in exceeding lofty expectations. Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has given the Red Sox all they could have hoped for and then some with a .340/.389/.575 stat line and a majors-best 51 RBIs.
Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson deserve to be in the conversation, too. Cabrera has been the most consistent performer for the surprising Indians; Granderson ditto for the Yankees. Granderson also owns one of the season’s most stunning stats: Of the lefty hitter’s 17 homers, a majors-high nine have come against left-handers.
If Josh Hamilton could stay on the field, he would have a chance to repeat as AL MVP. Limited to 25 games, he has only one number that’s special: 18-7, the Rangers record with him in the lineup. Without him, they’re 16-21.
Rookie of the Year: Michael Pineda, Mariners
Armed with the best fastball in the game, Michael Pineda has not allowed more than four runs in the first 11 starts of his career. The 22-year-old righty leads rookies with a 2.33 ERA, .197 average against, 76 strikeouts and 77 1/3 innings.
The only notable category Pineda doesn’t lead is wins, and he is just one behind the Rays’ Jeremy Hellickson, 7-3. Hellickson, however, is a close second in ERA (2.64), average against (.200) and innings (71 2/3).
Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer, hitting .310 with five homers in 30 games, is the only position player who seems to have a shot at preventing a pitcher from the top rookie award.
Cy Young: CC Sabathia, Yankees
More evidence that this is another Year of the Pitcher is provided in the number of Cy Young candidates. Eleven pitchers have sub-3.00 ERAs after making at least 11 starts. At roughly the same point last season, only six AL starters were sub-3.00.
The main reason Sabathia deserves a slight nod: He works in the AL East. If you don’t think pitching in the East is different, ask the A’s. Their staff ERA has risen from 2.87 to 3.23 in two weeks of facing the Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles.
More: Witrado picks National League winners
Sabathia once again is delivering on his workhorse reputation. He is averaging more than seven innings a start and has put up a 2.80 ERA to go with a 7-3 record.
No fewer than six others are building worthy resumes:
• Converted reliever Alexi Ogando is 6-0 after 11 starts for the Rangers, with a 2.20 ERA and league-best .187 batting average against.
• Red Sox right-hander Josh Beckett has bounced back in a big way with a league-best 2.01 ERA and impressive .189 average against.
• Angels right-handers Jered Weaver and Dan Haren are top five in ERA and innings.
• Tigers ace Justin Verlander is top five in innings and strikeouts, and pitched the second no-hitter of his career.
• 2010 Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez leads in innings and strikeouts, but might not have been his team’s best pitcher so far (see just above).
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