"Re-Play Ball !!!!!!!"

Hmmmm. How do I feel about instant replay being introduced into MLB? Well, I think it would be OK if it were used sparingly, and under the appropriate circumstances. I have listed the OK times where replay should be used. I have also listed the times where replay would single-handedly destroy the greatest game created by man. This should be fun.

Regarding how I think replay can be implemented? This couldn't be any easier. An extra umpire in the booth. The umpire can signal up to the booth, and it should take all of about 45 seconds to a minute to figure out the correct call.


OK:
Fair or foul with regard to home runs.
Safe or out at the plate, or any other base.
To determine if a home run ball is actually that, or if the ball hit off of the yellow line at the top of the fence.

No Way:
Ball and strike calls. ( Hello 6 hour long games)
To see if a batter checked his swing or not.
If there are base runners, I wouldn't want to see a replay that would affect the flow of the game. It's not like you can call do over. I think this would create complete havoc and cause the fans watching at home to actually tune in to the first five episodes of their favorite reality show.

Once we start to remove the human element of game calling completely, we might well have C-3PO and R2-D2 out their dressed in blue.


Ahhh the beauty of baseball.

What the heck is going on?????

I promise this will be the last tear jerking blog this week. There is an 18 yr old year old man named John Challis. He is from Freedom H.S in PA. This young man has been reduced to 5'5" and 93 lbs. He has terminal lung and liver cancer. He has much more than that, he has heart. That is something his cancer can't take, not now nor within the next two months he has left to live. I don't know if you've heard the story, but this young man was able to participate in a varsity football game. He also just recently had the opportunity play in a varsity baseball game. What did he do? He went 1-2. What is his response to all of the attention he is getting lately? This isn't about me, it's about getting the word out that life is not how many breaths you have, it's about what you do with them. I can't compete with that. I also can't compete with the pitcher from the other team who threw him his best fastball, John didn't want to receive a favor. He wanted to see the best that the pitcher had. A line drive RBI single later. The pitcher dropped his glove on the mound and clapped his hands. His teammates raced onto the field and jumped around in joy for their soon to be fallen teammate. This makes me wonder how in this world do 17 and 18yr old boys/men have so much more wherewithal to know when they are witnessing history, and yet they take the time to celebrate it.

John's coach had said that he thinks about John every day. The baseball season is over, but the coach is going to be married this summer. John walked into his coach's office, and said that he was looking forward to his wedding. He asked his coach to save him a seat in the front row. If he can't be there in person, he most certainly will be there in spirit.

When I grow up. I most certainly want to be like John Challis.

Ahhh....the beauty of something no one has any control over.

Now that's what I'm talking about!!!!

Dear Mr. Anonymous. Thanks for your comment on my blog about Johnny from American Gladiators. I am hopeful that you were only kidding about what your thoughts are. This isn't exactly a religious forum by any stretch of the imagination, but I had to prove you wrong in one area. The contestants are quite the very definition of an athlete. Please see multiple definitions below from various dictionaries around the world. As for the God comments, I certainly have no true knowledge that their is one, but if there is, I want him on my side. Thanks again for your un-bridled passionate response. We need more people who are willing to step up to the plate and want to be heard. On the other hand, all of the competitors are indeed athletes. Oh and by the way, if you had read my profile, this venue does not need to be only about athletes. Thanks to dictionary.com for the definitions.


Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ath·lete /ˈæθ lit/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ath-leet] Pronunciation Key -
–noun a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

American Heritage Dictionary - ath· (āth'lēt') Pronunciation Key n. A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

Online Etymology Dictionary - athlete 1528, from L. athleta, from Gk. athletes "contestant in the games," agent noun from athlein "to contest for a prize," rel. to athlos "a contest" and athlon "a prize." Before 1750, always in L. form. Replaced O.E. plegmann. First record of athletics is from 1727.


Ahhh ..........the beauty of I told you so.

There was an unassisted triple play today in MLB, but I saw something even more spectacular.....

There have only been 13 unassisted triple plays in MLB before tonight, the 14th happened in the Cleveland game, but what I witnessed on AG takes a back seat because another individual accomplished something far greater than a UA Triple Play could ever be.

I felt compelled to blog tonight after watching American Gladiators. For those of you that saw the show, you know what I'm talking about. His name is Johnny (sp.). I didn't see the whole episode, but what I saw was beyond words, thought evoking, and if you are human, it brought a tear to your eyes. I saw a man with a prosthetic leg complete the "Eliminator". For those of you non AG lovers, the eliminator is the equivalent of thirteen weeks of boot camp rolled up into three minutes.

I actually sat in awe and found myself cheering and yelling at Johnny to not give up. You can tell by the look in his eyes that he would never give up, but I needed to give whatever strength I had in me to make it seem as if I had the same amount of courage and willpower that this man did. While I felt inadequate, I was proud to know that I share oxygen with this now iconic human who wanted nothing more than to say "you can't stop me, I won't let you". I pray that there were many impressionable children that saw this unique display of willpower, as there is not enough of this raw courage going around these days. That is of course except for the men and women who fight for people they have never met before. God Bless them (our soldiers), God Bless Johnny, and God Bless the greatest country on the face of this planet.

Ahh the true beauty of what we could only imagine......Thanks to Johnny for making me feel alive again. Your accomplishment will not soon be forgotten, nor will you.

Happy Mother's Day

It is always nice to tune into a MLB game on Mother's Day. You can really tell who is in the game for the cause. I know that there are so many young players that can't identify with their moms being sick, but there are also those players that should be ashamed of themselves for not giving a darn as to what is happening in the real world. I love Many Ramirez. He is so unpredictable in pretty much every phase of what he does, but I have to say that I was a little disappointed in him because I did not see a pink ribbon on his jersey, nor did he use a pink bat tonight against the Twins. Perhaps he thought a pink bat would be a bit emasculating, if that's that case, he could not be any more incorrect (just ask Carlos Beltran, or maybe even Miguel Montero of the Diamondbacks). There is no doubt that Manny will be a first ballot Hall of Famer, but would it really be that much of an imposition if a superstar like him would just once show the real world that he is tune with what is going on around him. I don't want this post to be a Manny bashing session because I do respect him so much as a ball player, I wish just once could say with complete conviction that I respect him as much as a human being.

I lost my mom 17 years ago, not to cancer, but to heart disease. It was very inspiring to see that there are so many class individuals in MLB that really and truly care about today's more prevelant issues. There is nothing I can do to bring my mom back, but it is nice to know that there are people out there that are trying to make sure that perhaps someday we can defeat an enemy more formidable than any MLB team could ever be.

Happy Mother's Day to all, and hopefully with what is going on in MLB today, you moms wll have many more to celebrate with your loved ones in person, instead of them having to leave a wreath by your headstone.



Ahhh the beauty of humanity.

The Office Linebacker

This is an oldie but a goodie. Sit back, watch and I pray that you do not work with someone like this.