Baseball Jerseys

Baseball… Anyone?

How it all began

What comes into your mind when you hear the word baseball? For those of you who have been in a real baseball event would it lead you to think of a huge stadium, an open field, the heat of the sun, the cheer of crowds, the cracking of the bat as it hits the ball, or the shout of the umpire of what decision he has for the teams? For those of you who in anyway have not experienced being in a baseball game but have seen it through sports channels or heard it on the radio or viewed it online, you might also have the same perception of the game. For those who are not into baseball but may have had the chance to observe a game or two, it might be obvious that the spectator watches two teams playing against each other, there is a presence of a pitcher, a batter, an umpire or referee and the people guarding the bases. If that spectator figures out the way of scoring then he might have probably learned the basics of the sport.

In the context of an in depth look at the sport itself, only a few people, minus the avid baseball fans and players would even care to understand who thought about it, where it came from and where it is most popular at as a sport…

Baseball, which can be classified as a game of bat and ball and which is also sometimes identified as hard ball to differentiate it from a similar game known as softball (a more compact version of the game) can be traced back to accounts of being an evolved version of the game called rounders, which was said to have originated in Great Britain and Ireland dating back to as early as the 17th century. There are similar accounts about the existence of the game but the pioneering full documentation of baseball in North America was by Dr. Adam Ford in his modern description of the game that took place on June 4, 1838 in Beachville, Ontario. It was on June 19, 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey that the first game of baseball in U.S. history was officially recorded with the New York Nine defeating the Knickerbockers in a 23-1 four innings game.

Today, Baseball is recognized as the national sport of the United States. The sport also has spread its popularity, is being patronized and played in most of the American regions, the Caribbean and East Asia.

February 11, 2019 / Baseball Jerseys / 1 Comment

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Barry Bond, Steroids and Major League Baseball

January 11, 2019 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

In the last 5 years the growing popularity and use of illegal substances (steroids) in major league baseball has created a public outcry and led to indictments, arrests and congressional hearings. Some have even put major league baseball on par with professional wrestling as it is now a drugged or ‘juiced’ game and old, lasting records by the greats like Ruth and Hank Aaron can easily be broken by lesser athletes on steroids and have become meaningless. Just look at Barry Bonds for an example.

Barry Bonds became depressed in the late 90’s as new athletes like McGwire and Jose Conseco were becoming more popular for belting homeruns. Bonds was a great athlete, but he was aging and just like his father was headed for retirement. Bonds and everyone else knew that Conseco and the others were taking steroids. It was inevitable that Bonds would start taking steroids as he was very jealous and had an insatiable appetite for being the leader – he could not stand being in second place to anyone and he saw the great results of McGwire and Conseco.

Barry Bonds started taking numerous types of steroids through his trainer Greg Anderson. His physique, career and baseball would never be the same. Bonds was better after the steroids than anytime in his career. The steroids had elevated his career and possibly made him the best player in baseball history as he has now hit 722 career home runs. Only a few of the greatest players in Baseball history have ever hit into this range. It is similar to what Tiger Woods has done in Golf and his chasing Jack Nicklaus with his 18 career major titles. The difference is that Tiger Woods is a real champion and doesn’t use drugs like steroids or cheat in any way. Kids can look up to him as a hero.

Tiger Woods worked and trained very hard – he is also human as he went through a lot dealing with the loss of his father. Tiger woods through his great game and ethics has elevated professional golf and its fan base to all time highs. Barry Bonds, on the other hand, has devastated major league baseball and its rich history. Records are not meant to be broken on a daily or monthly basis. Records are just that records of greatness, by actual heroes like Joe DiMaggio, Ruth, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Ty Cobb. They never used steroids and were great players both on and off the field.

What every professional athlete needs to understand is that our kids see them as idols, heroes and mentors. Its not about the money, its about the game. Ninety nine percent of professional athletes never become a great like Rod Carew, Michael Jordan, or Warren Moon, but they are all imprinted in our children. Everyone remembers the negatives like McEnroe and his emotional outbursts, Rae Caruth and O.J. Simpson whom have abused the legal system and their fame to commit murder, steroids, gambling and the expulsion of baseball legend Pete Rose. Don’t the leaders of these professional sports realize that they have tainted and in some respects ruined the future of sports like major league baseball.

To see immediate evidence of this all one has to do is look at the dwindling number of visitors to the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown, NY. It used to be almost every young boys fantasy to see the outfit worn by Babe Ruth, the Ball that was signed by Reggie Jackson and his Yankee teammates, the stories of greatness and great hurdles and obstacles that were overcome by some of the legends. Rare baseball cards by players with strict standards like Honus Wagner whom had his cards pulled as he did not want to be associated with cigarettes and tobacco. The meaning of baseball’s rich history has greatly suffered and will continue until something drastic is done.

Athletes like Barry Bonds that cheat and use illegal performance enhancing drugs should be banned and immediately removed from baseball and other sports. They should receive punishment worse than Pete Rose and should be stripped of all records, titles, and history in the game. Let someone who worked hard, overcame adversity and great obstacles, and never cheated and had great ethics, standards and was a true hero be the one to determine their fate – someone like Hank Aaron. Hank Aaron set records, great records, the hard way and they are being tarnished by the likes of Barry Bonds and others. Hank Aaron, like Herschel Walker, overcame a very poor upbringing, racism, lack of resources, etc… and through sheer determination became one of the greatest athletes ever.

It is time to stop the commercialism and get back to the basics of these sports. We have forgotten what the game really means. There is a reason why in Brooklyn they still remember the Brooklyn Dodgers. Lets not let the great game of baseball be ruined by people like Barry Bonds – they must be removed from the game, their history completely wiped out and start anew. This is the only way to retain or rescue the image of professional baseball.

Baseball Betting: bet on Phillies & Dodgers to continue streak!

December 20, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

The good thing about wagering on sports this time of year is that with a plethora of activity, you may fine a soft line here or there if you probe hard enough. Two teams who are beginning to get healthy and make some noise are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Philadelphia Phillies seek to push their winning streak to 10 games for the first time in nearly 15 years when they wrap up a three-game series against resurgent Tom Glavine and the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday.

With a 5-4 win in the middle game of the series on Tuesday, Philadelphia (18-14) has won nine in a row for the first time since a 13-game streak from July 30-Aug. 12, 1991.

The streak also has allowed the Phillies to move within two games of the Mets, who sit atop the NL East and are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak of 2006.

The City of Brotherly Love is beginning to embrace the Phil’s as both the 76ers and Flyers have been banished from their respective sports and the players are brimming with confidence. Having won 9 in a row and facing a pitcher (Glavine), you would think the Phil’s would be rock solid favorites, but the morning line has the game a pick-em!

The lefty’s last two outing have been superb however and there should be some Mets money to keep the odds attractive if you are a Cory Liddle fan. The right-hander will try to put together consecutive wins for the first time this season. Against Atlanta on Friday, he gave up three runs and five hits with a season-high three walks over six innings in a 6-3 victory that lifted the Phillies to .500 for the first time this year.

He’s had success against his former team, going 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA in five outings, striking out 26 and walking just five.

Glavine (4-2, 1.94) will make the start for New York looking for his 280th career win, but also looking to beat the Phillies for the first time in 10 starts.
Since last defeating Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2002, Glavine is 0-7 with a 5.82 ERA and opponents have hit .298 against him. He has dropped his last five starts versus them, allowing 24 runs and 35 hits in 29 innings.

Overall, Glavine is 24-16 with a 3.77 ERA in his career against Philadelphia.
At 40, Glavine is pitching recently like the two-time Cy Young Award winner he is. In wins April 29 over Atlanta and Thursday against Pittsburgh, the left-hander has given up just seven hits with 11 strikeouts and just three walks in 14 innings.

Take the Phillies to extend their streak!

In the other game you have two teams passing each other in the express elevator. The Dodgers are on their way to the penthouse, while Houston is freefalling to the outhouse. LA winner of 4 in a row is beginning to get production from their big name players Garciaparra, Drew and as always Jeff Kent.

On the other hand you have Astro’s slugger Lance Berkman in a terrible funk hitless in five at-bats and is 4-for-20 with no RBIs on the road trip. Only 14 of his 36 RBIs have come on the road. Tonight momentum is in the Dodger’s favorite.

Brett Tomko (3-1, 3.41 ERA) has been outstanding in his last three outings for Los Angeles, going 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in that stretch. He did not win his last outing despite allowing five hits over seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 loss to San Diego on Thursday.

“I tweaked a couple of things in the bullpen this week, and it worked. I felt more comfortable with my off-speed stuff,” Tomko said. “It would have been a lot nicer if we would have come out with the win.”

The veteran right-hander is 4-5 with a 4.90 ERA in 13 career starts against Houston.

Impressive Houston rookie Taylor Buchholz (2-1, 2.16) will oppose Tomko in his fifth career start. Buchholz is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA since joining the rotation on April 17.

The right-hander failed to record a decision his last time out after allowing three runs and six hits over seven innings in a 5-4 loss at Colorado last Friday.

You have to grab LA at -110!

Baseball betting numbers that matter!

October 12, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

The good news for the LA Angels is that they are only four game back in the loss column in the wacky AL West. The bad news is that 2005 CY Young award winner Bartolo Colon is returning and has looked brutal in 2006.

In his third minor league rehabilitation start, Colon gave up six earned runs and nine hits against the Fresno Grizzlies. In three starts for the Angels this season, Colon is 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA and they are going to send down their best pitcher to accommodate him.

Jered Weaver, the Angels’ first-round draft pick in June 2004, reduced his ERA to 1.37 and became the second pitcher in franchise history to win his first four major league starts on Tuesday night. The other was Bo Belinsky, who won his first five starts in 1962 and finished his rookie season 10-11. Whether that’s enough to keep Weaver up in the bigs is another story. He has allowed just four earned runs, 16 hits and four walks in his 26 1-3 innings of work — and has received a total of 30 runs of support from his teammates.

The player who should be sent down is Weaver’s brother Jeff Weaver who is 3-9 with an embarrassing ERA of 6.15, but is earning $8.3 million.

The Angels are lucky to have Orlando Cabrera in the lineup as this guy has been incredible. Cabrera has reached base in 43 consecutive games without the benefit of a fielder’s choice, the longest current streak in baseball and longest in club history. He has hit safely in 27 of his last 31 contests and is 25-for-54 over his last 14 games, raising his average from .271 to .313.

When the LA Dodgers acquired Brad Penny a couple of years ago, much was expected of the hard throwing righthander, but some arm ailments affected him and he was just 7-9 in 2005. Already in 2006 he has equaled his 2005 total. Penny (7-1, 2.34 ERA) is 5-0 with a 2.03 ERA over seven starts since his lone loss of the season at Arizona on May 1. He also hasn’t allowed a home run in 10 outings since April 14.

The right-hander enters tonight’s start with a scoreless streak of 14 1-3 innings after a victory at Colorado on Friday. He surrendered five hits over 8 1-3 innings in a 3-0 win.

Padres catcher Mike Piazza, a former Dodger who is hitless in his last nine at-bats, is hitting .400 (12-for-30) with three homers and 12 RBIs in his career against Penny. Piazza is hitting just .188 at home this season.

The Colorado Rockies look to win three straight road games for the first time since April when they continue a four-game series against the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium on Wednesday.

The Rockies (32-32) opened the season winning 10 of their first 13 road games, but have gone just 6-13 away from Denver since May 1. Still, Colorado is 16-16 on the road this season — a huge improvement over last season’s 27-54 mark.

Garrett Atkins had a double and scored two runs, and is batting .395 (17-for-43) with seven runs, five doubles and nine RBIs during a season-high 12-game hitting streak.

Washington will counter with Tony Armas (6-3, 3.48), who has won six of his last seven decisions. He allowed three runs and six hits in five innings in a 9-8, 12-inning win over Philadelphia on Friday, but did not receive a decision.

The Nationals have won in six of his last seven starts.

Armas is just 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA in six starts at RFK, and has pitched five or fewer innings in three of his last four home starts, posting a 7.13 ERA in those games.

The right-hander is 2-2 with a 7.39 ERA in seven starts against the Rockies, but went 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in two starts against them last season.

We told you what to expect this year from over the hill Randy Johnson and he has failed to earn his salary in 2006. Johnson (7-5, 5.63 ERA) was hit hard again his last time out, allowing six runs and six hits over four innings of a 6-5 loss to Oakland on Friday. He gave up three more homers, a season high, to bring his total for the year to 15.

The Big Unit has surrendered 10 homers in his last 33 1-3 innings spanning six starts, doing nothing to dispel the notion that his dominance may be fading at age 42. Last year, he gave up a career-high 32 homers in his first season with New York.

Baseball betting: will the Cubs start winning or will Dusty get dusted?

September 12, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

The Chicago Cubs are on a mini two game winnings streak at the expense of the inept Washington Nationals and is this cause for optimism, or do we throw in the towel for the 98th year on the Cubs.

Yes the story has been told far too many times about the last Chicago Cub’s team to win the World Series in 1908 and most sportsbooks have them at 50-1 to win the October Classic, while their South Side neighbors the White Sox are 3-1 to repeat.

Yesterday things got so bad at Wrigley that a drunken female fan through a ball from the stands, that just missed taking the head off of slumping Jacques Jones.

The Cubbies now invite flame thrower Kerry Wood back to the nest on Thursday and considering that have been without Wood, Mark Prior, Wade Miller and Derrek Lee, for an extended period, 12-22 is not that bad.

Wood seemed to be realizing his potential when he made the All-Star team in 2003, finishing with a majors-best 266 strikeouts and a 14-11 record. But he went just 8-9 in 22 starts in 2004, spending nearly two months on the disabled list.

Last season he was 3-4 with a 4.23 ERA in 21 games. Wood made three trips to the DL, missing about three months, and even pitched out of the bullpen for the first time in his career, making 11 relief appearances, because of shoulder problems.

Wood’s rehab was pushed back after minor knee surgery in early March. He made two minor league rehab starts and threw 85 pitches in five innings for Triple-A Iowa on May 12.

The Cubs so have a starter hitting over .300 with Todd Walker the closest at .298 and Juan Pierre has been awful from the leadoff spot. His on base percentage of .276 is downright embarrassing and multi-million dollar a year players Jones and Aramis Ramirez have combined for just 34 RBI’s.

They travel across town this weekend and hopefully they learn a thing or two from the White Sox and maybe Dusty should takes some notes on how to manage by Ozzie Guillen!

Baseball Bats Facts – Interesting Tidbits

September 12, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

The baseball bat is a simple concept but a pretty complicated object. Here are some baseball bats facts to enlighten you about its interesting history and design. The more you know about baseball bats, the more you will find yourself in love with this fascinating sport. It’s essential to get a grip on the bat’s most basic concepts before you make a buying decision. So, without further ado, here are some interesting baseball bats facts:

A baseball bat is essentially a smooth “rod” that the batter uses to hit the ball thrown by the pitcher, signaling the other players to run around the bases and ultimately try and score a homerun. The thickest part of the bat, the part that is supposed to hit the ball, is called the “barrel” and the best part of the “barrel” for hitting the ball is called the “sweet spot.” The barrel ultimately gets thinner and thinner until it forms into the handle. On metal bats, rubber may wind around the handle for good grip. The “knob” is at the very opposite end of the barrel’s tip and helps a batter to hang onto the bat so that it doesn’t fly away! Think about this before purchasing that cheap bat that no one else seems to care for.

In the early days of baseball, younger players were most prevalent and the majority of bats were handmade, so sizes and shapes varied wildly. But as baseball became more of an official, regulated sport, so did the baseball bats. In 1859, rules were made about the diameter of the bat, and to this day every kind of league has their own individual rules. Therefore, be sure you are clear on your league’s rules on baseball bat measurements. Although all bats look very similar to each other, there are minuscule differences that are not obvious to the human eye. I hope these historic baseball bats facts were useful!

BaseBall Bats – America’s Favorite Sport

August 12, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

America’s National Pastime reached its Zenith of glory by 1860s. Alexander Joy Cartwright modernized the game in 1845 to almost its present form. However, the specifications to baseball bats kept changing with each innovation and need. The innovations changed bat materials to the present aluminum alloy from the classical wooden.

Although whole of baseball gear has undergone a complete makeover, nothing has changed as much and as fast as the bat. There are many different kinds of bats designed for Little Leagues, Senior Leagues, college, and pros. Each coalition has a congeal of parameters for keg diameter and loop dimensions. It can be unconditional overwhelming when you consider the variety of baseball bat brands, materials, styles, and qualities.

Bat Materials
Basically there are three categories but enough for new comers to get bowled over.
Wood: generally willow wood from Canada and Australia goes into making bats for their good grain and fibrous structure. Seasoned wood is used to make bats which can be evidenced by the long fibers of wider nature. One biggest advantage of wooden bats is customizability as regards to barrel and grip. Contrary to beliefs, heavier wooden bats produce greater impacts than lighter bats by virtue of the momentum. But these are not crack free and the sweet spots get reduced after endured usage.
Aluminum alloys: Get ready to spend about $200 on these. These are stronger yet lighter and help generate greater swing speeds. The general alloy used here is 7046; but special alloys like CU31/7050 with higher zirconium, magnesium and copper content gives higher strength and durability. Ask for more choices in this category. Construction depends on the selling price; so we have single/double layered bats in different alloys for higher impacts, rebounds etc. In addition, cryogenically treated bats give lesser vibration and increased distance.
Graphite/Titanium lined: Beauty of this option is the lightest weight bats. Thinner walled bats lined with titanium/graphite provide desired strength and help reduce the impact shock of hitting the ball away from the ‘sweet spot.’

Specifications
USA Baseball, the governing body, issues charts for bat selection which benefits fresher. The bat can be chosen either by age or by your height. The charts are available at every baseball club and over the internet.

For age between 5-7 years the bat length recommended is between 24″-26″ which reaches 34” level for ages above 17 years. The other chart starts for a height of 36-40” with 26” bat till 73”+ having recommended a length of 34”.

Bats are just part of the game and not the game within themselves. Remember the saying, ‘you can take the horse till the lake, but drinking water is his prerogative.’

Baseball and Steroids- The Controversy

August 11, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

There has been a lot of controversy about steroids in baseball. Does it enhance performance and what are the side effects. Are records today the result of steroids. And are athletes harming themselves.

First of all, we need to understand what is a steroid. And why do players use it. Anabolic steroids are a synthetic version of the male hormone testosterone. Testosterone in it’s normal state promotes and boosts muscle development and growth. When it is supplemented with steroids, you have an increase of muscle mass, reduction of body fat, and enhanced endurance. It is used by athletes to try to have the edge on the competition. It is believed that by using a steroid in baseball it will cause you to hit the ball further. And longer.

What are some of the side effects? They range from psychologically to physically. From a psychological standpoint, they can range from a feeling of well-being to depression. Mood swings. And even rage. Sometimes called ‘roid rage’. Other adverse psychological effects can include intense aggression and violence.

From a physical standpoint, you can have all kinds of changes. You will have increased muscle mass and increased endurance, but the side effects can include a plethora of problems. The worst being liver damage, and cancer. You can have acne, excessive hair growth or loss. Testicular atrophy (shrinking), etc.

What is the reward vs. risk? The reward being a quick avenue for increased muscle mass, increased performance, and increased endurance. A feeling of invincibility. The risk is permanent physical morbidity and psychotic episodes that include aggression, violence, and rapid mood swings. Also feelings of depression and suicide. Is the reward worth it? Absolutely not! Yet it is abused by athletes today for the quick gain of fortune and fame. It is believed that by using a steroid in baseball it will lead you down the path of fortune and fame.

There has been a lot of controversy whether Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds or Gary Sheffield and others have used a steroid in baseball. There is the infamous BALCO incident where there are accusations that Barry’s long time friend Greg Anderson was supplying Barry with an untrackable steroid, sometimes called “the cream” or “the clear”. Which raised a lot of questions in the baseball world. Did they use a steroid in baseball and is there proof it enhanced their game? We can draw several conclusions from this.

First off, is there any proof that a steroid in baseball has enhanced the record book with unfair records. At this time, no. We have to remember a couple of things before trying to point fingers, etc. Barry Bonds went on to have an unbelievable season setting a single season record of home runs that will probably never be surpassed in my mind. This happened from a guy that usually averaged around 35 homers a season. Can you explain the sudden jump in home runs? Probably not. But you can make the assumption that he has matured to the top of his game and that he had a dream season.

Now, let’s look at Roger Maris. When Roger went on to hit 61 home runs from a guy that usually never hit that many. Did everyone in the world suddenly start saying there must be a steroid in baseball that he is using? Or he must be doing something to enhance his game. No they did not. They assumed that he just had a magical season that only comes around ever so often. Can we draw the same conclusions about Barry, and about Mark? Yes, we can. Could it be that they had magical seasons? Absolutely.

Until the evidence comes out, we don’t know what any athlete is doing. What I do know as a former major leaguer is how difficult it is to perform at such a high level day in and day out. In my mind, whether they are doing steroids or not, you still have to hit the ball over the fence. You still have to make solid contact consistently. You still have to have great fundamentals. I think what has happened on the baseball field has been remarkable and we are lucky to be able to witness such great athletes perform daily.

Steroids in my mind take away from the game. Even though they provide a quick explosion of muscle mass and endurance, over the long run, they will harm you. They will cause psychotic events, and physical damage that will last a life time. The bottom line is simple. Play the game the way it is meant to be played. Play with honor and pride and dignity. And above all, leave steroids out of it.Using a steroid in baseball is simply not worth it.

Baseball Betting: number’s don’t lie!

July 20, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

When betting major league baseball it is very wise to pay attention to the numbers, as teams and players seem to own certain pitchers or clubs, but also struggled mightily against others. We warned you at the start of the year about Johnson for the Yankees.

Randy Johnson is 5-2 through seven starts. But that’s not as good as it looks.

Facing a Tampa lineup missing Jorge Cantu, Aubrey Huff and Julio Lugo, Johnson gave up five runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings Thursday night, letting the Devil Rays stay in the game until the Yankees finally broke it open for a 10-5 victory.

Such games have become routine. In his previous start, against Toronto on Saturday, Johnson allowed six runs on six hits in five innings. The Yankees bailed him out by scoring 17 runs.

That method may work now. It won’t in October.

“Right now he’s not as good as he’s going to be,” manager Joe Torre said of Johnson, 42. “Let’s put it this way: We don’t have any concerns. … This is just normal pitching stuff.”

Johnson has allowed 19 earned runs in his last 23 innings, bumping his ERA to 5.02. But he is 5-2 because the Yankees have averaged just over nine runs over his seven starts.

The divorce of long time mates Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox and former pitching coach Lee Mazzone, has made life miserable for both of their teams. The Braves avoided dropping to 10 games behind in the National League East when they broke a four-game losing streak Sunday by beating the New York Mets 13-3. Still, the nine-game deficit beginning the day was the Braves’ largest since Aug. 11, 1993.

That was the third year of their unprecedented string of 14 division crowns (there was no champion in the strike-shortened 1994 season). The streak remains alive but appears in jeopardy with the Mets’ emergence.

Baltimore starter Bruce Chen gave homers to Kevin Mench and Mark Teixeira in his last start against Texas and Chen was battered for 11 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in four innings as he fell to 0-4. RHP Jim Brower, who ended the week ahead of all relievers with the most earned runs allowed at 14, the most walks with 11 and most hits allowed with 17. Their new pitching coach is Mazzone.

The Boston Red Sox team slugging percentage of .409 entering April 28, is ranked 22nd in baseball. The Red Sox finished in the top two in slugging each of the past three seasons. Few teams succeed while digging themselves holes, and the 2006 Red Sox have proved no exception to that trend. For that reason, the fact that Boston had been outscored by its opponents by a 25-13 margin in first innings prior to Wednesday raised something of a red flag.

The Sox own just a 5-9 mark when their opponents score first, something that has now happened in exactly half of the team’s games. It is a pattern that the team is eager to reverse.

With Thursday’s 7-4 win, the Sox now have an 11-3 record when they score first. If the recent awakening of the Boston bats (20 runs during the first three games of a homestand) points to more such nights, then the team might be able to breathe a bit easier.

RHP Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox continued silencing the critics who jumped on him in spring training, saving his ninth game in nine opportunities Thursday. His velocity on his fastball is still on the rise, but the impressive thing with Jenks has been his other pitches, especially his curveball. The Sox swept the two-game series against the Mariners and in doing so won their 10th consecutive home game, tying a franchise record. They have won 19 of 23 overall, becoming the first team in the majors to reach 20 wins.

Since getting swept in the 2000 American League Division Series against the Mariners, the Sox are now 8-17 at Safeco Field.

The Indians’ inconsistent pitching staff cost the team another game Thursday, as Cleveland lost 12-4 at Oakland. Starter Jason Johnson (2-2) lasted just two innings and gave up seven runs.

Johnson had a 1.83 ERA after his first three starts, but his ERA in the last three starts is 9.64. That’s the kind of inconsistency that has plagued the Indians in the first five weeks of the season.

Equally distressing to the Indians is that Johnson has averaged less than five innings per start in his last three starts. Not pitching deep into games has been a problem for Indians starting pitchers since the beginning of the season, and the two innings Johnson pitched Thursday was a reminder of that shortcoming. Because of the starters’ inability to consistently pitch six or seven innings, the bullpen has been overworked. The result has been that the pitching overall has been wildly inconsistent.

That lack of consistency has sabotaged a terrific start to the season offensively. The Indians are at or near the top of the league in most offensive categories, but yet they are just one game over .500 (15-14).

The Indians failed to hit a double Thursday, snapping a streak in which they had at least one double in 43 consecutive games, dating to last year.

RHP Jason Johnson’s career record against Oakland fell to 1-8 after he was roughed up Thursday.

RHP Jake Westbrook, who will start Friday night in Seattle, has a 9.17 career ERA in eight appearances, six starts, against the Mariners.
C Victor Martinez has reached base in 43 consecutive games, dating to last year. That’s the longest such streak in the majors since Jim Edmonds reached in 47 straight games from June to August 2004.

DH Travis Hafner has homered in his last four games. In his last four games, Hafner is hitting .389 (7-for-18) with four home runs and 13 RBIs.

When RHP Carlos Silva surrendered a two-out, fourth-inning walk to former teammate 1B Doug Mientkiewicz on Thursday night, it snapped a streak by Twins pitchers of more than 3 1/2 games without allowing a walk. The first walk of the homestand (four games in) ended a 33-inning streak that spanned 133 plate appearances.

The Twins’ 1-0 loss to the Royals on Thursday night was their first 1-0 loss since the same team handed them one at Kansas City last Aug. 31 — beating the Twins with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning after the Twins failed to score despite 13 hits and a walk.

The Twins have been shut out four times already this season, including three times in their past seven games. This after they thought they improved the lowest-scoring lineup in the AL in 2005 — which didn’t get shut out until May 9 last year and was shut out only four times until Aug. 26. The 2005 Twins were shut out 10 times all season.

CF Tori Hunter’s infield single in the fifth inning Thursday was the 34th of the season for the Twins, who entered the day tied with Baltimore for the major league lead.

Baseball Betting: How to Bet Basics

June 25, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

If you know nothing about sports and you still feel the urge to wager, baseball is the easiest sports to wager on. As opposed to football and basketball, where you are mixed up with the point spreads and other confusing calculations, in baseball betting you simply put your money on the outcome of the game. In addition, the baseball season lasts longer, which means more matches and bigger chances to go home with the winning money. Here is a step to step guide to baseball betting.

The main difference between baseball betting and other team sports betting such as football and basketball is that while the latter ones use point spreads, the former uses the money line.

What is a Point Spread?
Point spread is the most common betting type offered in football and basketball betting. The sportsbook spreads the odd of a certain match by subtracting points from the favorite team, which is the team most likely to win and adding points to the underdog, which is the team that will raise a lot of eyebrows if wins.

What is a Money Line?
In baseball betting, the sportsbook sets the odds strictly on the outcome of the match. In order to even the action, bettors would have to risk more money on the favorite and risk less on the underdog. This is called the money line.

For example, if the money line is minus 170 on the favorite and plus 150 on the underdog, then you would have to bet 170 dollars on the favorite in order to earn 100 dollars. On the other hand, if you bet 100 dollars on the underdog, you would win 150 dollars if they would eventually win the match.

The difference between the minus 170 on the favorite and the plus 150 on the underdog is known as the twenty cent line. If the money line was minus on the favorite and plus 150 on the underdog, it is called the ten cent line or dime line. The fifteen cent line is also common in baseball betting.

Sportsbooks also offer total bets and run lines in baseball betting.

1) Total Bets:
These wagers are based on the sum of the runs scored by both of the teams. For example, if the sportsbook sets the over under total of a match as 7, the over wins if the sum of the runs scored by both teams exceeds 7 and the under wins if it sums up to less than 7.

2) The Run Line:
This wager is the baseball variation of point spread. When you are betting on the run line, you are betting on whether one of the teams wins by more than one run, which is marked as minus 1.5 or stays within one run, marked as plus 1.5.

Conclusion:
Although the money line makes baseball betting simpler than football and basketball betting, it causes the payoffs calculation to be more complicated:

1) In order to calculate the payoff when wagering on the favorite you should add 1 to the favorite price and divide it with the favorite price.

2) In order to calculate the payoff when wagering on the underdog you should add 1 to the underdog price.

Baseball Betting: the White Sox send the Twins a crystal clear message!

May 20, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

I mentioned in this space recently that I thought Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire could be the first to get the axe in the 2006 MLB season, as his team is grossly underachieving.

There were reports of lack of discipline in the clubhouse and on the field last year and it looks like things have gone from bad to worse this year. On Sunday the Twins scored 7 runs in the first inning, to answer the 3 that the White Sox had posted in the top of the frame.

Then the Twins allowed the defending World Series champions to storm back for a 9-7 win and in the process get nailed on a embarrassing triple play in the 6th inning. With Nick Punto on second and Shannon Stewart on first, the Twins Luis Castillo popped up a bunt and a charging Paul Konerko made a shoestring catch.

How in the world could Konerko right himself and throw to first for a double play and then second baseman Tadahito Iguchi fired to Juan Uribe at second for a triple play. The first rule of thumb that a little league player is taught on a sacrifice bunt, is to make sure the ball hits the ground before taking off.

What is heck were Punto and Stewart thinking and why did Gardenhire not sit their butts down on the bench. Sunday’s game was also the first time in AL history that a starting pitcher (Mark Buehrle) allowed 7 runs in the first inning and won a game.

Scott Baker was the latest Twin to get roughed up for Minnesota, whose starters have a collective 6.51 ERA, the worst in either league! The Twins needed a strong start from Baker, especially with everyone else in the rotation not named Johan Santana still struggling to find their form. Before the game, righty Carlos Silva was sent to the bullpen temporarily to give him more time to straighten himself out.

Budding star lefty Francisco Liriano will fill his spot for now as the starters are an embarrassing 13-21.

In eight starts, Silva is 2-6 with an 8.80 ERA and 74 hits and 15 homers allowed in 46 innings. After going 14-8 with a 4.21 ERA in 2004, his first year as a starter, the righty pitched through an injured right knee and was picked as Minnesota’s most improved player in 2005. He went 9-8 with a 3.44 ERA in 188-plus innings and led the majors with the fewest walks, 0.4 — per nine innings.

The Twins are a horrible 7-14 in their own division and now head to Motown to face the surging Tigers, who are the most improved team in baseball. After that they face the Brewers in Milwaukee and a embarrassing road trip, could spell the end to Gardenhire’s regime in the Twin cities!

Baseball betting: placing a bet on the white sox is risky business!

March 20, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

Any time you start think about investing money in a defending World Champion you do so with a great deal of risk as Las Vegas linemakers are going to make you pay a premium to back them.

Case in point is the Chicago White Sox who stunned the world last year when they knocked off the Houston Astros and stormed out of the gate this year, in impressive fashion.

In recent days though the Ozzie Guillen led team have shown some cracks in the armor and when this happens, you can usually look at the pitching staff as the culprit. They have now lost three in a row and both Jose Contreras and Freddy Garcia were both lir up pretty good by the Cleveland Indians.

Garcia leads the team with 7 victories but those numbers are very misleading and this guy barely gets his fastball past 85 mph on a good day. His ERA is 4.57 and he has given up 74 hits in 69 innings. Meanwhile John Garland as usual is giving up a plethora of homeruns, but he is also not striking anyone out with just 33 K’s in 63 innings.

Chicago returns to the friendly confines of US Cellular Field this weekend to host a Texas team that is surging and leads the AL West. The White Sox have lost five of their last six games to the Rangers (28-25) overall, but have won four of the last five meetings at U.S. Cellular Field.

Texas has won five of its last seven contests and leads the AL West by 3 1/2 games over Oakland.

Jon Garland (4-2, 6.25 ERA) is 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA in three home starts this season. He won on the road Sunday, despite allowing five runs and seven hits in six innings of a 7-5 victory over the Blue Jays. Toronto hit three home runs off of Garland, increasing the 26-year-old right-hander’s season total to 16 homers allowed — the second-most in the majors.

The Rangers open their 10-game road trip with 24-year-old right-hander Kameron Loe (3-5, 4.48) taking the mound on Friday. Loe is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two career games against the White Sox.

Garland will have his hands full with the red hot Texas hitters, especially Mark Teixeira who is 10-for-28 (.357) with two homers and three doubles in his last eight games, and is 7-for-16 (.438) with two homers, three doubles and 11 RBIs in his career against Garland.

I look for the White Sox to continue slumping and must lean to the Rangers tonight!

Baseball betting: did you bet the Reds on their road trip?

March 12, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

There has to be at least one gambling fan of the Cincinnati Reds in America who woke up May 31st after the Reds had lost their first two games of the road trip to the Cubbies and decided the Reds would win that day!

John Q Public then probably decided to take the Big Red Machine in Texas as they played the Astros and by the time they left the Lone Star state had compiled a nice big bankroll as Cinci swept Houston. Next stop was the “Show Me” state of Missouri and could Reds bettor have the guts to play them against the vaunted Cardinals? Why not as Pujols is on the shelf, and the Reds are pounding the ball!

If Reds fan backed them all the way through Houston and St. Louis he is one happy camper today as they have reeled off 7 in a row and head home to Ohio, to face Chicago. Tonight I would be betting with the whole bankroll as the Reds look like a mortal lock.

The Reds are averaging 7.4 runs while batting .303 with 13 home runs during their winning streak, and have not won eight consecutive games since winning 10 straight from June 21-July 1, 1999.
Ken Griffey Jr. did not play Wednesday because of a tight left quadriceps muscle, but Reds manager Jerry Narron expects him back in the lineup for Thursday’s contest.

Griffey is batting .471 (16-for-34) with four home runs and eight RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak. Adam Dunn is 11-for-29 (.379) with five home runs in eight games against the Cubs this season, and is 10-for-25 (.400) with six homers and 12 RBIs in his career against Thursday’s Cubs starter, Glendon Rusch.

As I mentioned in a previous article, the Boston Red Sox must be kicking themselves for trading Bronson Arroyo to the Reds for Willy Mo Pena as the right hander has been on fire all year with his arm and his bat!

Arroyo (7-2, 2.40) has homered off Rusch twice this season, in an 8-6 win over the Cubs on April 5 at Cincinnati and again in a 9-2 victory at Wrigley Field on April 11.

Arroyo went 3-for-3 with a career-high four RBIs, while allowing two unearned runs and eight hits in six innings in a 7-5 win over Houston on Saturday.

The right-hander has allowed two or fewer runs in seven of his 12 starts, and the Reds are 9-3 when he takes the mound.

Arroyo is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts against Chicago this season, both of them wins over Rusch.

The Reds are doing this as well without any offensive contribution from catcher Jason LaRue who is 1-30 in the month of June.

Backoff From The Baseball Coach

February 20, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

With the regulated top of any season of baseball, the parents have the high hope that their child is principal with the success of team. It with a degree is true. The success of the team depends on each player. The problems emerge between the prospects for the parents, the players and the trainer.

We each one have our own image of art of the self-portrait which is completely different probable with the way in which the rest of the world sees us. This also applies to our vision of our children. The crushing of the ball for the dad in back court is large, but it always does not transfer to diamond. By no means if any relative expects that the confidence of back-yard competes with on the execution of field. It is a bar which will obtain probably struck in addition to stands each time.

Coach of all the levels of experiment are more qualified position and play the players. The trainer has a ‘vision ‘ in the way in which all the parts will function out of tandem. As a relative, we must respect that in all the levels of play. This until catch held by anybody the responsibility to be a trainer of baseball when nobody other. A its responsibility which takes a substantial quantity of abuse.

I was pilot parents and the grandparents tear in bottom of a trainer during a play in an effort to leave the weaker players and to restructure the vision. Its solution lit completely. The every 5 to 10 minutes, it turned all the players jusqu to various positions, the jugs, gloves of baseball as moving and stop to put it except play.

They lost terribly, but as from this moment henceforth it was allowed to give lessons particular to the remainder of the season without badger of launderer. That functioned because while the ‘key the ‘ players were turned in the ‘right ‘ the position, they all made errors starting from the simple contagious errors with ‘why made you through with initially when the runner stole the third ‘.

It primarily had the loss (more than 30 to 0) a complete effort of the community. Because each one was responsible for the loss, those which gave particular lessons of the grandins obtained a taste that they could not spit outside.

Will this tactic function for each one? I do not have really any idea, but it is a solution which I will not forget soon.

The participation of relative is marvellous. Obtain implied, obtain in the play. Here some things to be maintained in the spirit as a relative

1 Don’t arrive at the field when the practice is supposed to start. If programmed time is 5:30, are there by 5:15. It reduced the effort of the conduit of precipitations and of the hour or thus of the programmed practice time is not wasted on the greetings and the jabber of jibber.

2 be useful, time the establishment lost the field or the exercise is right which lost. If one does not write to him, ask the trainer of what is the plan for the day and along what you can make to help of the things. The players want to do that just, play. Time with vacuum lost while the installation of the next drill of competence loosens the gained hearth of the precedent.

3 never correct, howl, discipline or differently decrease the authority of the trainer in front of the players or other parents. If you have concern or comments, put side the hour in your day of speaking with the trainer in private. It can be your prospect which needs the correction.

respect 4 each one. Trainers, assistances, parents, referees, players, teams of opposition, it does not import which or what are they compared to your team. Each one deserves the respect which should not be gained. The respect of others will have like consequence of others respecting you.

Consider what it is to play the baseball. What want you that your children carry with them when their days of play are relegated to the league of church. For me hope of I for, respect for itself, confidence in their capacities, identification of their limits, ethics of work of the practice and the concept to collaborate with a team and the perpetual friendships which it can bring.

A Training Guide to Baseball

February 14, 2018 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

Handling the beater or putting wood at the ball, is the key with the success or the failure of the club of ball and the individual.

There is no great mystery about what makes to a boy a good bruiser. He must have:

1. A certain quantity of normal capacities
2. A control of the fundamental principles
3. Confidence in its capacity to strike

Normal covers of capacities of expression much. They mean the arms, the wrists and the hands forts; fast reflexes, good coordination, perfect sight and speed under development.

Independently how much of normal capacities a boy has, however, of him will not strike like him if if it does not control the fundamental principles and does not believe in its capacity to strike the ball while it comes by the zone from strike. The confidence of art of the self-portrait, naturally, comes from success. Moreover, success in the wadding in sheet comes from the practice. The following text describes the mechanisms to strike while they apply to the bowlers in general. While following the implied principles, the well coordinated boy could easily become the wadding in sheet hold the first role of his team; the average boy could certainly become a bruiser better than average.

While getting information about handling the beater there are some key points which you will have to know. Those include sectors of

The Position The Step Positions of arm and hand The Oscillation

The position required depends on the side which they support. If a boy is a droitier, it should turn its left side in the jug; the good so left-handed side.

The body should rather right and be slackened with the weight distributed even on the two feet. The hips and the shoulders should be level. The feet should be width of shoulder with share with the toe of the foot before even with the instep of the back foot. When the ball is delivered, beats heels should be to the top slightly, its slightly bent knees. Covers of step how the call should be struck. While the ball is delivered to the dish, the smooth paste should raise its foot before Juste above the ground and slip it ahead (towards the jug) approximately six inches. This stage, a part criticizes to strike, starts what generally names synchronization. All other movements which are a part of flow handling the beater of it.

Practical with this formula:

Loan?

Stage and torsion. Again with the starting position. Still, stage and torsion. Back. Stage and torsion. Back

Co-ordinate of positions of arm and hand with the position and the step. Droitier beats: place your left palm against before your right shoulder, little finger to the bottom, inch upwards. Advance the left hand approximately six inches and made a fist.

Left-handed person beats: place your right palm against before your left shoulder, little finger to the bottom, inch upwards. Advance the right hand approximately six inches and made a fist.

The elbow of the arm which is now prolonged through the body should not have almost any curve in him and there should not be any constraint on the arm. In fact the arm and the hand guide the beater by the oscillation. The opposite arm and the hand provide the power.

Make a fist with the power give it and place on the hand of guidance.

Thus raise the elbow of the arm of power it is of level with the top of the shoulder. There will be a certain constraint there. Drop this elbow slowly until there is no constraint. The elbow of the arm of power should come to a stop approximately two inches below the top the shoulder.

Maintain the elbows and the hands left the body!

Baseball betting: Diamondbacks latest Arizona team to impress!

November 15, 2017 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

Last week I praised Bobby Cox and his Atlanta Braves on their 6-3 road trip and suggested they were beginning to play like manager Cox’s previous NL East teams. Then the Dodgers and Arizona came to Turner Field and suddenly the Braves are 1-6 on this current homestand.

The Braves got swept by Arizona on the weekend and the Diamondbacks are beginning to play great ball and this comes on the heels of the Phoenix Suns getting turfed from the NBA Playoffs.

Before the Diamondbacks departed on a 10-game trip, manager Bob Melvin called the excursion to Cincinnati, New York and Atlanta a measuring stick that would give his team an idea of just how good it really is.

After finishing it off with a 7-3 record, topped by a four-game sweep of the Braves at Turner Field, the results are in: Arizona is a pretty good ballclub and just might do a little bit more than hang around at the top of the National League West.

The four-game sweep over the Braves marked just the third time in Diamondbacks history that they have accomplished such a feat on the road. The 7-3 record, meanwhile, ties a club mark for the best trip of a road campaign involving at least 10 games.

The pitching staff posted a 2.35 ERA during the 10 games, allowing 24 earned runs in 92 innings, and in the past three games alone, the offense has delivered 10 home runs. Overall, the Diamondbacks outscored their opponents 56-24.

The Diamondbacks continue to get sterling performances from their starting pitchers, as Sunday’s 9-3 win over the Braves marked the 13th “quality start” from the rotation in the past 15 games. Right-hander Miguel Batista was the latest to work at least six innings and allow three or fewer runs, and during this particular stretch, the starters have fashioned a 1.94 ERA.

Batista, who allowed three earned runs through 6 2/3 innings in improving to 6-2, got help from an offense that pounded out 14 hits and four home runs for the second consecutive day. The Diamondbacks swept the Braves in four games at Turner Field, the first time that’s happened to Atlanta at home or on the road since the Phillies did it to them in 1995.

RHP Brandon Webb needs to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings when he starts Monday against the visiting Phillies to establish a Diamondbacks record for pitching consecutive scoreless innings. Webb is on 25 and counting. Andy Benes holds the club mark with 27 1/3 straight scoreless frames during the team’s inaugural season in 1998.

.099 — Eric Byrnes’ batting average differential on June 1, 2006, compared to June 1, 2005. Byrnes hit .226 after the first two months of the season last year and after June 1 this year, was hitting .325. It’s the biggest jump of any player in the major leagues.

Baseball Betting: Yankees Bring Brooms to Motown!

November 11, 2017 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

The New York Yankees look like they flew to Detroit on a broom rather then a jet and they may leave the wooden sweeper when they depart the motor city just before midnight tonight.

The pinstripers have sent an emphatic message to the upstart bengals, that they are the bullies of the American East. I have been propping the Tigers pitching but both the starters and relievers have been awful this week, being outscored 21-7.

While we are blasting the pitchers, the offense must have the finger pointed at them as seven runs in three games against the anemic Yankee pitching is embarrassing.

The Tigers hit five consecutive grounders to Miguel Cairo in the first and second innings to give him five assists and a putout on Detroit’s first six batters.

Detroit’s Nate Robertson (5-3) allowed six runs and 10 hits, walking two and striking out seven in 8 2-3 innings.

Certainly have to question Angel’s general manager Bill Stoneman’s decision to award pitcher Kelvim Escobar a whopping $28 million for three years. The guy is only three games over .500 (77-74) and is 19-19 in his career with the Angels.

Escobar gets a $1.5 million signing bonus, $8.5 million in 2007, $9 million in 2008 and $9.5 million in 2009.

The pitcher signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Angels on Nov. 24, 2003, after pitching five full seasons and parts of two others with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was 11-12 with a 3.93 ERA in 33 starts in 2004 and 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA in seven starts and nine relief appearances last season.

I mean the entire 25 man roster of Florida is getting $14 million and that includes all star Dontrelle Willis, while Escobar is grabbing $9 million. Go figure?

Three major components of their team’s ultimate success were reported suffering from injuries on Wednesday. Jake Peavey the stud of the Padres starting staff, Vernon Wells the star center fielder of the Jays and Jim Edmonds the leader of the Cardinals outfielder.

Baseball Betting: 10 Simple Rules to Keep in Mind

October 20, 2017 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

Baseball can be a relatively hard game on which to place bets. We are going to go over a few of the things to look out for and be aware of while getting ready to place your bets for the ballgame.

1) Always betting on your favorite team is usually not recommended. If your team is on a losing streak, it may best to bet on the favorite. It is ok to bet on the other team.

2) Remember to always follow current stats concerning other teams as well as the team you follow. If you only know how your team is doing how can you make an educated guess?

3) Weather is a very important issue in baseball. If it rains before a game and the field is wet it can deter a good player from making the play that he could normally make due to the field being slippery and things of this nature.

4) Take into account that home teams that play in domes have an advantage over the visiting team that does not play in domes and vice versa.

5) Another very important factor is the pitchers. Always check who will be pitching the game. Teams generally try to match their best pitcher with the best pitchers form the other team. If a number one pitcher is overly better than the opposing pitcher, and the batters of the opposing team are not hot, then I would definitely take this into account.

6) Some teams have better home or away records so watching how the teams play at home and away and what games are being played are extremely important to follow and understand.

7) While checking stats, see whether players are playing well or whether they are in slumps, this can add to a teams overall performance in a game.

8) A night game over a day game is another variable to check when researching your bets and how it relates to a particular ball club.

9) Baseball players I think also relate their style and effort depending on where in the whole of the season they are located. If it is the beginning of the year and are not fresh, or are just trying to get their feel of their team, could make all the difference between a win and a loss.

10) Publicity. Find out what the PR is for the team, if there is a certain player that is receiving bad PR or the entire team can take all of the morale out of a good ball club and turn them around into last place.

Baseball is a complex sport, easier to understand when you grow up with it, but still loaded with many variables and factors that change on a minutes notice. So with a bit more experience and a little bit of patience, with these trusted rules, you will be able to win more of your bets while gambling on baseball.

Baseball, within reach

July 11, 2017 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

Different people have different interests; some go for books, while others are into sports. For ardent sports fans, nothing gives them thrill than to be able to watch their favourite baseball teams battle it out. In a country where Baseball is worshipped and considered the National sport, the eagerness to watch a game is high. No other country is crazy about a game as Americans are. The Major League Baseball teams are all divided into American league and national League, with divisions in each of these leagues.

The wait all year for the Major league baseball games to begin and then comes the issue of ticket availability. In most cases, people stand in long queues only to get back home dejected and disappointed due to non availability of tickets. Ticket America solves this problem for the sports enthusiast.

For example, New York Yankees are going to be playing against Houston Astros in March in their hometown Tampa, Florida. For this event, tickets are made available well in advance on the site, so fans can grab theirs with ease. Be it home games or away, there are plenty of tickets in stock. For someone living in another part of the country, but looking to buy tickets for this particular match, they could book tickets online, and it would be delivered to their door steps.

Be it the Boston Red Sox, or the Detroit Tigers, the details regarding the games, location, and number of tickets available are all listed down. So, depending on which match you wish to watch, you need to make your choice. This is probably the only such company that allows you to sit at home and book your tickets. You could be the envy of your group, since you have the tickets in hand when they are still fighting for one.

Tickets are sold like hot cakes, which means, first come first buy is the only policy followed. Going to the stadium, standing in long queues filled for hours together is something that is just not possible for many. Through the www.ticketamerica.com
Website, they can get their hands on the very tickets they have been eying for sometime now. This works very well for people who are from other countries but curious to watch the “national pastime” of America and be a part of the excitement. Whatever be your needs, tickets are bound to be within your reach.

Are Steroids In Baseball illegal?

June 10, 2017 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

The pharmaceutical anabolic steroids are believed to have been inadvertently discovered by German scientists in the early 1930s. Anabolic steroids or androgenic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of testosterone that promote muscle and bone growth. These steroids are medically used to treat uncontrolled weight loss in wasting diseases.
However, these steroids are often used by bodybuilders, athletes, and sports persons to increase their muscle mass, strength, and stamina. The first known use of anabolic steroid— testosterone propionate was mentioned in US weightlifting/bodybuilding magazine, Strength and Health magazine in 1938.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation, now the International Association of Athletics Federations, became the first international governing body of sport to ban anabolic steroids in sports. These drugs were banned by FIFA, Union Cycliste Internationale (cycling), and International Olympic Committee in 1966-67.

However, Major League Baseball remained lenient about the use of steroids in baseball. The use of steroids in baseball became hotly debatable in the mid 1990s. Steroids in baseball became hot subject of sports news, magazines, and rumors. Though, a 1988 US federal law declared the use and distribution of anabolic steroid drugs for nontherapeutic illegal, Major League Baseball did not test for steroids in baseball until 2003.
The was a drastic rise in home runs since 1995 that greatly contributed to strengthening the influence of steroids in baseball; Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds had all stunningly surpassed the home run record set by Roger Maris – whose 61 homers in 1961 had not been challenged in over 30 years.
Often, post 1994 period is referred to as “Steroids Era.” There were a number of stories on steroids in baseball. The first evidence of steroids in baseball came out when a bottle of a nutritional supplement was found in Mark McGwire´s locker; the bottle was found containing Androstendione, a prohormone. Ken Caminiti revealed to Sports Illustrated that he won the 1996 NL MVP award while on steroids. He also revealed that 50% of the players in the league were using steroids. In a book published during steroids in baseball imbroglio, Jose Canseco admitted using steroids and also revealed that 85% of all players in MLB were using steroids.

The fact was “eye-opener” for MLB. The Journalists Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada exposed the BALCO scandal associated with steroids in baseball & other sports in 2003. The nutrition center BALCO, was accused of distributing steroids to many star players, like Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Benito Santiago, Jeremy Giambi, Bobby Estalella, and Armando Rios.

The most famous instances of steroids in baseball are that of Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds, who were suspected of using anabolic steroids in baseball. Giambi admitted before a U.S. grand jury that he used a duo of undetectable steroids known respectively as “the cream” and “the clear.” He also admitted that he received the drugs from his personal trainer Greg Anderson during the 2003 season. On the other hand, Bonds revealed that his trainer told him the substances were the nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a pain-relieving balm for his arthritis.

The Major League Baseball conducted random testing steroids in baseball in 2003. The League toughened its policies a bit on the use of steroids in baseball. The players, such as Ryan Franklin and others were suspended for ten days, but a Congressional panel argued that the penalties were not tough enough, and took action. Thus, several top players, such as Rafael Palmeiro, McGwire, Sosa, Canseco and Curt Schilling were testified in front of Congress on March 17, 2005. Congress has been continuously pressuring MLB for instituting a comprehensive testing policy for its players.

A General View Of What A Baseball Park Is

February 11, 2017 / Baseball Jerseys / Comments Off

As general as one can get in the definition of a ballpark it is that place usually a field where the game of baseball is played with the audience and all the other facilities included.

If you are quite familiar with the look of a baseball field, you might have noticed that it is with a large diamond shaped area having white plates where the players would race around to score. In the technical aspect of the ballpark, the area shaped in a diamond is called the infield containing the bases, a home plate and the area where the pitcher stands which is commonly known as the pitcher’s mound. Two white lines (also known as the foul lines) runs perpendicular along the sides connecting the plates. These lines determine what is in and out of play. Between the foul lines and beyond the infield is what you call the outfield. It is a large grassy field twice the depth of the infield. Beyond the area set by the outfield fences mark the end of play of the field. Fences can also be found in the foul territory, but it is considered to be lower than that around the foul area.

Nowadays baseball parks are surrounded by a multi seating structure, categorized as a grandstand. The seats usually end in fair territory leaving the view for the outfield fences usually giving the view of what is beyond the fence itself. This open area may contain add-ons like seats, bleachers, score boards and other gimmicks the designers may have or may think of in the future. There are different variations as to how the ballpark is designed but the basic structure of the field of play and maybe the seats is almost always the same throughout the rest of the ballparks. Variations are usually made by home teams to serve as an added attraction to the park and to the place itself.

There was a major addition to ballparks which was started in the Yankee Stadium in 1923, which is now present in all ballparks and that is a gravel area or rubberized track surface measuring up to 10 feet wide around the perimeter of the field called the warning track. The main purpose of this track is to warn the fielders (infielders and outfielders alike) of their approach to the boundary of the playing field. This has helped the fielders to minimize default moves in the game.