Wow! Miss a week or two, miss alot!

I have been away for a couple of weeks training for a new job...What a couple of weeks!

Let's see, the Phillies won the 2008 World Series and stomped the dreams of the perennial underdogs everywhere. Good for old friend Charlie Manual but I was disappointed. The Rays came so far so fast but they just ran out of gas. Don't look now but the Royals are the next up and comers in the American League...Go small market teams!

We got ourselves a new President and first family!

Cliff Lee is named the 2008 Cy Young Award winner for the American League!

Congratulations Cliffy!

CC gonna go to the Bronx?!

Say it ain't so!!!

And on a very serious note, the baseball world lost one of their all-time great guys. Herb Score was one of the greatest ambassadors of the game of baseball. From his playing days through his time as a sportscaster and voice of the Cleveland Indians, Herb was truly a classy guy.


Herb Score was a brilliant talent who never let personal and professional tragedies diminish his wonderful spirit. This is a guy who truly made lemonade out of lemons and never felt anything but lucky for having played the game and been on the air for major league baseball.

Herb was the ultimate gentleman and caretaker of the game he loved so much. Many of us were so fortunate to have met Herb Score. I saw Herb at the old Municipal Stadium when I was a kid. He never, ever refused an autograph to anyone...not even me when he knew I already had 100s from him already. Years later, Herb was at an event that my band was hired to provide entertainment. Herb was gracious and eloquent as he spoke to every guest, signed autographs, and answered any and all questions posed to him with poise, dignity, and an incredible positive nature. I had the opportunity to sit with Herb on a break that night. I think there was no finer man in the game of baseball.

There certainly were many, many people who loved and admired Herb Score. One such person was Herb's old teammate and best friend, Rocky Colavito. Rocky and Herb were more than friends. In delivering Herb's eulogy today, Rocky called Herb not just a friend but a brother. Rocky talked about the first time he saw Herb pitch in spring training. He knew Herb had tremendous talent and was destine for greatness. When Herb went down with injury, the story goes that many teammates doubted that Herb would come back and pitch again. Rocky is said to have challenged the next person or persons to say that to step outside with him. According to Colavito, it wasn't the line drive to the eye that shortened Herb's playing career, it was the elbow injury. Herb went on to do television and then radio broadcasts for the team he loved, the Cleveland Indians.

Goodbye to a great competitor.

Goodbye to a great ambassador of the game.

Goodbye to a fine gentleman who took the time and care to enhance the quality of life for all those he came into contact with.

Who Is Joe Maddon?

Joe Maddon is just like many other people. He goes to work, works hard, enjoys what he does, and is very well liked. He is a family man but what makes him different from others is that he is a major league baseball manager who has taken his team from worst to first. Now he has the team in the World Series.

But if you were watching ESPN this morning around 9:15 AM, you learned of a Joe Maddon that many of us don't know...yet.

John Challis loved baseball. When he was diagnosed with incurable cancer two years ago, he stopped playing. This Western Pennsylvania prep school senior decided that he needed to get over his fear of injury because of his illness. His baseball coach agreed and allowed John to play. John developed his own outlook on life and he called it, "Courage + Belief = Life."

John Challis caught the attention of many sports teams and sports figures during his heroic battle with cancer.
John believed that God had given him this disease because he was strong enough to handle it and could help others by spreading his message. His message is "It is not how many breaths you take, it is what you do with each breath you take."
Joe Maddon was one of the many sports figures to be touched by John Challis. Joe brought John to the Tampa Bay locker room for a game in June this past season.
http://www.postgazette.com/multimedia/?videoid=100726
Joe was so taken with John that he stayed in touch with John and his family through the season as John finally lost his battle with cancer on August 19th.
Joe Maddon is involved in the John Challis Foundation that provides Life Encouraging Sporting Experiences and Community Support for High School Athletes with Life Threatening Illnesses.
http://www.courageforlifefoundation.org/index.htm
Hats off to Joe Maddon and all of the athletes that go the extra distance to reach out to help others and their families that are suffering through these life threatening illnesses.

"The Rain, The Park, And Other Things..."

On a night that started out sloppy...

Things got sloppier...

Still, down 2 games to 1 is certainly not the end of the world.
Joe, get MAD and win the next 2 to go back home with a 3-2 advantage.
Today, your young team needs a day of basic drills to get over last night...er, this morning.

"Slow Ride, Take It Easy!"

When the Rays are at bat tonight, there will be an energy savings as they can turn off the radar gun.

Just how slow is Jamie Moyer?

Below are some methods that may be used tonight to measure his pitch speed...

All kidding aside, the match up tonight between Jamie Moyer and Matt Garza will not be nearly as interesting as the match up between Jamie Moyer and the Rays hitters.

Look for the Rays to jump on Moyer early and often. Not to say that Moyer couldn't turn in an excellent performance. After all, he was 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA this season. But it has been the post-season that has been his undoing so far as he is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA.

Is he tired?

He is 45 years old.
Well, we will see tonight if he has one more great game in him.

Predictions anyone?

How about Rays 7, Phillies 2 and Moyer goes 3 innings!

"Well, You Can Call Me Ray..."

" But ya doesn't have to call me Maddon!"

Joe "Ray" Maddon got his troops fired up and received the results all Rays fans were anticipating.

David Price was not as "mystifying" last night, but he got the job done.

BAM! Hard play at the plate! Baldelli is out, but this is more like it!

Things got a little close in the 8th but the Rays prevailed, 4-2.

Now it's on to Philly for games 3, 4, and 5 beginning Saturday night with the series tied 1-1.

GO RAYS!

What, Me Worry?

Game 1 is history...If you are a TB fan, are you concerned?

I am. I like that this team is laid back but once again, just like game 1 of the ALCS, these guys almost went to sleep...or put me to sleep.

We better see a more focused and inspired group tonight.

Hey, look at the aerial view of home plate!

Because it is crooked, is it wider than 17"?

Hmmmmmmm!

Well, it's wider for both teams, but fix it! And please get a new stadium!!!

Come on Rays, get hot tonight!

Life Immitates Art, Once Again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSBWz0lOF_k&NR=1

"This is the out you've been waiting for all your life!"

Bottom of the 8th inning, bases loaded, 2 outs, and J.D. Drew at the plate. In comes David Price in his biggest career moment. So it was reported, Evan Longoria drops the ball into Price's hand and says something to the effect of the quote above from the movie, "Major League."

You gotta love these guys!

At approximately 8:35 PM tonight, the Tampa Bay Rays match up with the Philadelphia Phillies in game #1 of the 2008 World Series. Neither team was given much of a chance to reach this point. That's what makes this such a special series.

My heart is with the Rays! I love where they came from and I love how they got to where they are tonight. (Just please build a new stadium in a better neighborhood!)

Both the Phillies and the Rays should be proud of what they have accomplished. Look for this to be a great series and may the best underdog win!