Hi gang. Sorry that this post has been one of the missing for the past two days. Computer problems. Remember I am a dinosaur. I think that backing up a computer means putting it in reverse, like a car. Still not 100% but I am going to attempt to post some stuff and get this POS completely fixed this afternoon. I just got the phone number for Orkin. Most everyone who knows me personally or has read this post from time to time is familiar with my outrage regarding the failure of the voters to elect Gil Hodges into the Hall Of Fame. This is a disgrace on the magnitude of of an 9.9 earthquake or Boris Badenov being elected Mayor Of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota. Dont laugh, if Jesse The Body Ventura can become Minnesota Governor , can Boris be far behind? Ah, but I digress. On march 5, 1966, the assistant to the President of the United Steelworkers of America, Marvin Miller, was elected the full-time Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (the players Union.) Since that time the MLBPA was taken from the dark ages where the players had no power to the most powerful union in the world. Willie Mays, considered the best player who ever lived, signed a contract on February 20, 1963 (San Francisco Giants) to earn $100,00 for the first time. Three years before Marvin Miller was hired to represent the players, the best player was going to make $100,000. As of 2010, the minimum salary for a player in the major leagues, no experience and no other talent except that his team thinks he can play and he had the ability to sign his name, is $400,000. In other words, Marvin Miller is directly responsible for Sky Low Low (Midget Wrestling Champion of my youth) to earn four times the amount of money in his Rookie year as The Greatest (sorry Mohammad). But, yes there is a But. Marvin Miller is not, read it again, IS NOT in the Baseball Hall Of Fame. Are you kidding me? Is this a joke. If somebody took me from Coal Miner to Mr. Monopoly would I put him in the Hall Of Fame. Hell, Id BUY him the Hall Of Fame. Somewhere in Iowa, while Kevin Costner, Moonlight Graham, Shoeless Joe and the rest of the cornfield players are having a game, Gil Hodges and Marvin Miller are sitting in the stands laughing their asses off. I need a minute to find my dictionary so I can look up the definition of the word INGRATES. Did you read Ian Kinslers quote regarding Texas Ranger GM Jon Daniels? As you may recall Kinsler played second-base for the Rangers for 8 years (2006-13) and was asked to more from 2B to first-base in 2013 to make room for the Rangers top prospect Jurickson Profar. Kinsler refused to move. GM Jon Daniels traded Kinsler in the off-season to the Tigers for Prince Fielder. Presumably, Fielder will play his natural position of 1B and Profar will play 2B. Prince will cost the Rangers big bucks compared to Kinsler but his power should more than make up for the aditional homer runs and RBI. Kinsler was quoted in an article thyat appeared in ESPN The Magazine as hoping that the Texas Rangers go 0-162 in 2014 and that GM Daniels is a sleazeball. In addition, Kinsler accused Daniels of getting cozy with ownership so he could push Nolan Ryan out of the organization and trade Michael Young. Usually, those kind of words are kept in the clubhouse or just whispered to a friend. They are rarely said out loud and even more rarely stated to a reporter on the record. As the Hatfield and the McCoy Clans used to say, them is fightin words. Speaking of Prince Fielder, he has lost lots of weight, like half a person, and the Rangers are predicting a monster season. The Princes left hand power bat was thought to come alive in 2014 for two big reasons. First, he was mentally not into baseball last year as he was going through a very bad divorce. Second, the Ball Park at Arlington is a hitter friendly place to play. Now, you can add number three, losing weight. It is my prediction that the fella at first base for the 2014 Texas Rangers should not be addressed as Price Fielder, a more appropriate moniker might be, The Prince Of Darkness. Derek Jeter, if you have not heard, is retiring after the 2014 season. First of all, if you have not heard about his retirement yet I would like to know where you have been and what you have been doing for the last two months. Playing cards with Joe Biden in the underground bunker under that mountain in western Pennsylvania? Maybe a coma? On a date with Kate Upton (or Brad Pitt if you are a female) and you havent come up for air yet? Just got back on your meds? Whatever the reason, Jeets says he is going to retire. Yeah right. Query? On October 1, 2104, as the Yankees prepare for the World Series or Jeter is named 2014 MVP after hitting .320 with 212 hits, 15 stolen bases, 18 homers and 73 RBI, do you think he is arranging his itinerary for 15 cities in 30 days tour of Europe? Bull Spit. Remember both Al Leiter and I have predicted that Mariano will come out of retirement on August 30, 2014 (so he is eligible for the World Series) if the Yankees are in first place or are within shouting distance of winning the A.L. East. Jeter will go out on top only if on top is a good season. If 2014 is a great season he will take one more lap around the American League. I have already ranked Jeter as the second best shortstop ever. Nobody has come along to knock Honus Wagner off the top of the heap, in my opinion. Where does Derek Jeter stand within the Yankee Dynasty compared to the Yankees greatest; Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Berra, Mantle, Dickey, Combs, Skowron, Hector Lopez, etc. GAMES PLAYED. #1. Jeter 2,602. #2. Mantle 2,401. #3. Gehrig, #4. Berra, #5. Ruth. AT BATS #1. Jeter 10,614 #2. Mantle 8,102 #3 Gehrig, #4. Bernie Williams, #5. Berra. HITS #1. Jeter 3,316 #2. Gehrig 2,721 #3. Ruth, #4. Mantle, $5 Bernie Williams. SINGLES #1. Jeter 2,470 #2. Bernie Williams 1,545 #3. Gehrig, #4 Mattingly, #5. Mantle. DOUBLES #1. Gehrig 534 #2. Jeter 525 #3. Bernie Williams 449, #4. Mattingly 442, #5. Ruth. TRIPLES #1. Gehrig 163 32. Earle Combs 154 #3. DiMaggio, #4. Wally pipp, #5. Tony Lazzeri. #15. Jeter 65 #15 Frank Crosetti HOME RUNS #1. Ruth 659 #2. Mantle 539 #3 Gehrig, #4. DiMaggio, #5. Berra. #9. Jeter 256 STOLEN BASES #1. Jeter 348 #2 Ricky Henderson 326 #3. Willie Randolph, #4. Hal Chase, #5. Roy White. HIT BY PITCH #1. Jeter #2. Frank Crosetti #3. Jason Giambi, #4. A-Rod, Kid Elberfield. STRIKEOUTS #1. Jeter 1,753 #2. Mantle 1,710 #3. Jorge Posada, #4. Bernie Williams, #5. Ruth. RUNS #1. Ruth 1,959 #2. Gehrig 1,888 #3. Jeter 1,876, #4. Mantle, #5. DiMaggio. TOTAL BASES #1. Ruth 5,131 #2. Gehrig 5,060 #3. Jeter 4,739, #4. Mantle, #5. DiMaggio. RBI #1. Gehrig 1,992 #2. Ruth 1,978 #3. DiMaggio 1,537, #4. Mantle 1,509, #5. Berra, 1,430. #6. Jeter 1,261. WALKS #1. Ruth 1,852 #2. Mantle 1,733 #3. Gehrig, 1508, #4. Bernie Williams, 1,069, #5. Jeter, 1,047. BATTING AVERAGE #1. Ruth .349 #2. Gehrig .340 #3. Earle Combs, .325 and DiMaggio, .325 #5. Wade Boggs, .313 and Bill Dickey, .313 #7. Jeter .312 Five years after a player retires he is eligible for election into the Hall Of Fame. Mariano Rivera comes first and, if he does retire after this season, Derek Jeter follows one year later. There should be no question that both are first ballot Hall Of Famers. Although we have seen some pretty loony ballots by the voters. The real question is, will Mo or Jeets (or both) break Tom Seavers record of receiving the highest percentage of votes for first year entrance into the Hall Of Fame at 98.84%? Remember, the start of the 2014 baseball season starts on March 22nd, when the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks meet for the first of a three game set in Australia. Put some shrimp on the Barbie, stock up on those oil can size Fosters, grab a couple of Sheilas and have a Gday mate. See ya tomorrow. Maybe?
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:47:57 +0000
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