Ah good. So you admit you weren't sitting down then?

Why to stick up for yourself there Chuck!! :D

I just wanted to be the 700th post.

Doh!!!

Peace

In 1993, the league admitted its first United States franchise, the Sacramento Gold Miners, in an attempt to broaden Canadian football's popular appeal and boost league revenues. The ultimate plan was to have a league of ten Canadian and ten American teams. Spearheading the efforts were two former World League of American Football owners, Fred Anderson and Larry J. Benson, who would each receive a franchise. While the first incarnation of Benson's team, the San Antonio Texans, did not play a single down, the Gold Miners did and finished the season 6-12, placing last in the West Division. The following year, the league added three more franchises: the Las Vegas Posse, the Shreveport Pirates, and the Baltimore CFL Colts (who were forced to change their name to the Stallions after a long legal battle). Baltimore was the most successful of the American CFL teams, finishing second in the East and becoming the first American team to play for (and win) the Grey Cup.

CFL USA logo


The 1995 saw the loss of the Posse and the move of the Gold Miners to San Antonio, while the Birmingham Barracudas and Memphis Mad Dogs were added. However, fan interest in Canadian football, with the possible exception of the Baltimore Stallions, was sparse at best. At the end of the year, which saw the Stallions become the first American team to win the Grey Cup, all United States teams with the exception of the Stallions and the re-launched San Antonio Texans folded because of financial difficulties. When the National Football League announced that a new team was to be added in Baltimore, the Stallions looked at the possibility of relocating to nearby Richmond, Virginia, but later moved to Montreal, becoming the Alouettes. The Texans would later fold with a similar explanation.


I believe NFL (on sabbatical) Referee # 52 Bill Vinovich officiating in the CFL when it expanded to the US.

Yea, 700th post, but no mention of those White Sox or Cardinals...

:D

Ok, I'm tryin' to get this thread (loosely) back on-topic, but I hate to do it this way. I noticed there was no mention of the minor-league coach that was killed when he was struck in the head by a foul ball. Now there's a sad report today out of Michigan of a 6th-grade girl that died after being hit in the head with a batted ball while practicing with her softball team.

I'm kinda surprised we don't hear about this more often, especially with all the bats and balls flying into the stands while people are chugging their beers and munching on their nachos. It's one thing with a player or coach; it's their job to pay attention. But most fans spend quite a bit of time talking, eating, sleeping, burping, scratching; everything but paying close attention 100% of the time.

I know I don't want to go early, but if I have to, I'd prefer it was while I was watching or playing baseball, or refereeing basketball.

BATTERS BA SLG
Thome .283 .541
Konerko .263 .510
Dye .229 .448

These guys are Tiger killers.

Well, I don't know about Tiger killers.

Perhaps just Tiger tamers?

We'll see how the 5th game of the series goes today. It's certainly been an entertaining series so far.

I figger I got a whole new career as an official ahead of me. Move to Australia and be on those guys that stands under the goal posts wearing the funny jacket and hat, and imitating QuickDraw McGraw when somebody scores. Wonder if they'd let me do that out of a lawn chair too?

Those players are nuts though. Freaking certifiable.....

I'll do the thinkin' 'round here, Baba Looey. And doooooooon't you for-git-it!

http://www.alexross.com/quickdraw.jpg


That's what makes it more fun to watch. :)

Both teams won the World Series this century. ;)

Peace

Yea, yea, yea.

It isn't good to be constantly living in the past. How's the concept of "the present" working for you?

:D

Cub fans can't do either. :rolleyes:

No comment.

Oh, wait...

You have not won anything yet. You are not even in first place. Take a chill pill. Win something first than come talk to me. :D

Did I mention that the Cardinals have been to the World Series 5 times in my lifetime? My Tigers have been to the World Series twice in my lifetime. Both have won two more World Series titles than the Cubs have in all of our lifetimes.

Peace

That's not quite accurate. Jurassic might be reading this thread.

That is cold. :D

Peace

(..sip...gulp...)

Hmm...seems a bit cool in here...that chill pill must be working already.

Tsk, tsk, Jeff, there you go living in the past again - bringing up things that happened a long time ago. I'm in the present, where currently no one has one anything yet. But it is fun to look at the <B>current</B> standings. Not the <B>past</B> standings, like last year, 1983, 1945, whatever. Current standings. You know, the ones that show the Cardinals closer to last place than to the next team above them, the Cubs. The Tigers, well they're doing ok, except losing 3 out of 5 in a series to the lowly White Sox. You know, a current series.

Ok, I'm done with you. I'm going home to watch current stuff on TV, like the Brady Bunch and Bonanza on cable.

OK let us deal with the present. The Cubs have not won anything. The Cubs are not even in first place. The Milwaukee Brewers are currently in first place. The Cubs are still behind in the Wild Card as well. The Cardinals are the current World Series Champions. There is still a loooooonnnnnggg way to go, but you make it sound like the Cubs are in first place by 100 games and the playoffs have been clinched. Things could get a lot better or a lot worse. But at least get to first place before you talk about anything. Because I suspect that just like previous years the Cubs will fade.

Someone told me a long time ago. "In order to know ones future, you must know ones past."

Peace

OK, we know that Chuck (that annoying toad) likes to oohh and ahhhh about unusual baseball statistics in this thread. Here's a trivia question for him, let's see if he's <s>man</s> <s>squirrel</s> annoying toad enough to be up to the challenge:

What unusual occurrence took place in baseball on this day in 1970? Hint: Steve Carlton was involved - but not in a good way - in one of the two times it happened.

So Chuck, go to your google toolbar and let the games begin!

cue Jeopardy music in 3...2....

Since this discussion hasn't gone into the toilet yet, I thought I'd bring it there, sort of.

Memory from my childhood, circa 1960. In the men's rooms at old Comiskey Park on the great South Side of Chicago, there would be urinals kind of low to the ground for kids to use. Above them were signs that said, "For Future Shortstops".

Aaaah...the wonderful things you remember.

Also, there was a hot dog stand at on south Stony Island Ave. called Carl's Red Hots. We would stop there before Sox games and get jumbo kosher hot dogs (boiled, of course). They would put them on a steamed poppy seed roll and wrap them in butcher paper with a huge order of hand-cut fries - 25 cents!!! Whoever carried the bag had to put a stack of napkins on his lap because the grease from the fries would soak through the bag! We didn't care - they were delicious. We'd add three kinds of dark mustard, onions, peppers, sauerkraut, tomatoes, etc. It was called "draggin' it through the garden".

Oh yeah - anyone who put ketchup on a hot dog got beat up. I'm not kidding. ;)

oh geeze Mark c'mon...TMI here buddy...

geeze

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info...s/foreword.jsp

Yup. That's the way it is.

Same thing if your starting pitcher gives up 1 run, the reliever gives up 5, but your team loses 6-5. If his team never regained the lead, starting pitcher gets the loss.

Corrected your post. :p

Sox started strong, going up 9-1 against Cleveland, then Gabbard let the score slip to 9-5 on a couple of hits, walks and HBP.

Let's see if Tavarez can get out of the bases loaded jam.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee I haven't heard of any issues within the Canadian Football League. ;)

No way José! I'm a future CFL employee!

Agreed. And, I believe, <B>no</B> team has won anything yet this year. Not one.

I know that. But who is the hottest team since the All-Star break? Where were the Cubs and Cardinals a month ago, vs. now? How far ahead were the Brewers then vs. now?

Actually, they are last year's champions. There you go, living in the past again..

Really? Where have I said that? Implied that? Do I need to JR in here to look up previous threads?

Trends like this are fun to watch for us Cubbie fans. Sure, it ain't close to being over, but it's fun to watch. Now. In the present.

I hope it wasn't one of those wise men.

Hey, I love the way the present looks. Well, gotta go; "The Beverly Hillbillies" is coming on.

Going back to scorekeeping anolomies, here's some possibilities:

A pitcher could come in, not throw a single pitch, and get credit for a full inning of work. (Relief pitcher comes in with the bases loaded and no one out, and proceeds to pick off all the runners.)

Conversely, a pitcher could throw 100 pitches and not get credit for any part of an inning, by simply never recording an out.

And this one was pointed out to me tonight - a pitcher could have a no-hitter with 2 outs in the ninth, and a runner on first after a walk. The next batter hits a ground ball that hits the runner in between first and second; the runner is out, the game is over, but the no-hitter is gone because the batter is credited with a hit. I wonder if that's ever happend?

Exactly!!!!

Do you remember who the hottest team after the All-Star break was last season? Of course you do not. No one cares who is hot. Just like I told a coach during a summer league I will say the same thing to you. "Since when did they start putting up banners in June and July?"

They are still the champions until someone else wins the World Series. ;)

Keep telling yourself this. When the Cubbies fall off, then what is going to be your excuse?

BTW, who did the Cubs lose too tonight? :D

Peace

Sox won (5 of their last 7, I believe) and Yankees lost to put the lead back up to 7.5 games.

Tsk, tsk.

Mr. Grammar Guy Jr. just wants to go to bed, but:

The Cubs lost to the Cards.

Now that would be insane!

PS I agree that that is the proper scoring of the play.

Here's a question for you stat freakos.....

A-Rod hit his 499th homerun on Wednesday of this week. The Yankees are finishing a game tonight with Baltimore that was suspended from last June 28. If he homers in the suspended game tonight, will that be his 500th. homerun? Or his 499th.?

I heard this on a talk show yesterday. Honestly, I think this is a silly issue. The next one he hits will be the 500th one that he has hit. I think the Elias sports bureau has gotten this one wrong. It's just silly.

Only took me two clicks: "Reds Johnny Bench hits 3 consecutive home runs of Phillies Steve Carlton".

That's half the answer...it happened twice.

Who was the other batter?

And I'm doing the same thing parents do in June and July - get excited over what's happening right now. I know what happens now doesn't necessarily reflect on what happens in Oct., and I know the best team doesn't always win in Oct. So, I'm excited now.

Where can I start impeachment procedings?

Wait 'till next year!

(Duh...)

Don't know - I was watching The Beverly Hillbillies.

Thought I heard a rumor though that the Cubs took 2 out of 3 from the World Champs, in the house of the World Champs?

So, are you saying they consider the makeup the same as playing on the original date?

Let's say A-Rod punches out Giambi in the dugout (I dunno, could happen...), and gets suspended 5 games, starting immediately (7/27). Are you saying he could still play in the makeup, because the makeup is actually being played before the suspension takes effect?

And it makes that nonsense about bringing in specially holographed and marked nuclear powered gold plated wireless enabled with integrated video camera and cup holder baseballs in for his plate appearances seem even sillier.

The rule, 10.23 (d), states: "All performances in the completion of a suspended game shall be considered as occurring on the original date of the game."

I guess Bud would hafta decide what is considered a performance?

I<s>n</s>mplausable scenario (that means a third world play for you Chicago public school graduates).

Why would they suspend anyone for punching out Giambi?

oops...ahem...well, I'll see you guys later

Yes, It was the Twins. :p

I remember this only because they caught my Tigers....with a lotta help from the Royals.

Ooh, good point.

Btw, I stayed far away from Chicago Public schools. I are a gradute from the suburbs.

<font size = 1>(So, I guess that means you have to type slower for me.)</font size>

Neither, it'll be his 493rd. All others will move back one, making last Wednesday's homerun his 500th.
And if he hits two....

Then it'll be his 492nd? :confused:

Orlando Cepeda for the Braves hit 3 HR off of Bill Hands of the Cubbies the same day. And the last one was a grand slam. Wow. Very cool.

Congratulations, Skippy. That's more than Chuck Elias knew.

That name sounds familiar...

Didn't he invent Sports Bureaus, or somthin'?

The unusual part is that all the home runs came off the same pitcher; but I count at least a half dozen days on which at least two different players hit at least 3 homers in the same game, although not all off the same pitcher.

It happened most recently on September 3, '06 (Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols); and it happened twice in nine days in September of '96.

Yup, and according to Chuck's other post this a.m., it looks like he has a lot in common with them. Didn't Chuck say that they were silly? They gotta be related somewhere down the line.

They both write small too.

Somehow I feel like I'm in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode...can't figure out why though.

No they didn't.

okay you stats gurus, here's a question on the A-rod thing. If he hits his 500th tonight, he'll be the youngest to do so. What day will they consider for determining his age on this? Today or last Wednesday?

And what if he were on a cruise ship crossing the international dateline???!

:eek:

Sigh. Each hitter hit all three of his respective home runs off the same pitcher, although they accomplished this feat against different pitchers.

Bench hit 3 off Carlton; Cepeda hit 3 off Hands.

Better? :p

There's a joke about A-Rod's dating and 900 numbers in there somewhere, but I can't come up with it.

This is post #755 of this thread. Does that make me the Hank Aaron of off-topic baseball threads? If so, what does that make Dan, who made post #756? :D And was Bud watching while Dan typed out his post?

Since you asked...

:)

This whole thread should have an asterisk next to it.

"This thread brought to you by BALCO. Steroids aren't just for the gluteus maximus any more."

Before

http://espanol.geocities.com/bjartea...arry_bonds.JPG




After

http://www.rebelpress.org/bonds.jpg

Last Wednesday. That homerun would be his 500th if he hits one in the suspended game tonight, according to Elias.

Of course, if he hits <b>two</b> homeruns in the suspended game tonight, we gots ourselves a whole 'nother matter.:D

Elias is wierd.

Not only that, but that sports stats place is kinda strange too.

It'll be counted towards the day on which the game was started.

I'm pretty sure "performances" here refers to statistics.

Heard an interesting stat during the Sox/Rays game last night. Sox drew a bases loaded walk to score a run and Jerry Remy said that the Sox lead the league in runs scored via bases on balls, with 16. I think they got another bases loaded walk later in the game. That's a lot of walks to draw with the bases loaded.

Sox are back up by 9 games. It's nice to be in Tampa. :)

I'm usually just a lurker on this thread, but I have a real, bona fide baseball question. I watched the last four innings of the Seattle-Oakland game today (slept through the first five) and in the 6th inning the first base ump ended up tossing the first base player, Sexton, I think? They replayed everything from several different angles, and the announcers couldn't see any reason for the player being tossed, but I'm not sure how good they are at understanding officials. Did anyone see it? Could anyone explain to to me from the official's point of view?

Juulie - Sexson (not Sexton) was ejected by first base umpire Mark Carlson after Donnie Murphy was called safe on an infield single. Sexson fell to the ground to catch a wide throw from SS Willie Bloomquist, but Carlson said Sexson pulled his foot. Sexson said a few words to Carlson and then was tossed. Sexson had glared at Carlson an inning earlier after being called out a check-swing third strike that was called by Carlson.

I guess it was a combination of the two things that finally caused the ejection. Usually at that level, the player must have used some profanity. After the game, the Seattle manager said that Sexson was "a little out of line and the umpire did what he had to do".

I saw the play. It was hard to tell if he said anything, but from the manager's comment, it sounds like he must have. The announcers, as usual, got it dead wrong.

Today marks the 72nd anniversary of the only woman to bat in the major leagues!

The Reds played at home against the Cards on July 31, 1935. It was a night game -- one of the first in the big leagues. Crosley Field was packed, with fans spilling onto the field to try to get a spot to watch the game. While ushers, umpires and police were trying to clear the field of spectators, Kitty Burke made a dash for home plate, grabbed a bat right out of the hands of Babe Herman, and took her cuts in the batter's box. She was quickly escorted off the field, but later performed on the vaudeville circuit as "the girl who batted in the Major Leagues." :)

(Sox and Yanks were both off last night, so this is all I have to talk about. :D )

How about the girl who got a hit in a MLB game? She hit George Brett in the head. He got a concussion out of it iirc.
http://rowlandsoffice.typepad.com/we...s/morganna.jpg
That's dangerous. George could have lost an eye.:eek:

Bad Morganna! Bad, bad Morganna!

And that's the best picture you could come up with?!?!

(Yikes!! After doing a brief Google search for "Morgana kiss", that's probably the tamest picture you could come up with! :eek: )

The Cubbies are in first place! The Cubbies are in first place!


And in other news.....
http://www.sodamnfunny.com/Animation/Gif/pig2.gif

:) I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Did you see or hear about how it ended? The score had been tied 4-4 since the top of the 5th, and both teams had the bases loaded in the 8th and 9th innings. In the bottom of the 9th, Matt Murton led off with a double that popped out of the glove of the left fielder trying to make a diving catch. He went to third on a wild pitch, so the Phillies walked the next 2 batters to load the bases. Kendall struck out, but then Myers uncorked another wild pitch to send home Murton with the win.

Exciting times at Wrigley...

And Kerry Woods is scheduled to make his annual appearance tomorrow too......

The excitement, the excitement......

Speaking of excitement, how is it that the Yankees have hit 7,000 home runs against the White Sox the last two days, and none of them have been by A-Rod? Is he holding back for the stretch run? Have the fans started booing him yet?

A-Rod has been replaced in the hearts of the fans by Shelley Duncan. The kid has 5 HR's in his first 22 MLB AB's this year.

The biggest question that the Yankees have now is whatinthehell to do with Jason Giambi when he comes of the DL. He's a one-dimensional player--he can hit with power. He's a DH only iow. But....the Yankees already have a DH that can't really play a position well any more in Johnny Damon. Damon can at least run and hit for a fair average, and maybe play the odd game in the outfield.

Now, if he sees his shadow, the Cubs will be in first place for six more weeks? Or is it the other way around? :confused:

Sox are in a tight one, up 4-3 against the O's. Yanks give up 8 runs (aren't you glad you won the Roger-sweepstakes?) in the second inning only to come up with 8 in the bottom of the same inning to tie it. Sadly, they're down 11-8 now. (Sox just scored again, 5-3!)

Man, I love day baseball.

Poke fun if you want, and yes, the Brewers have been playing sub-par ball, but the Cubs are really playing well. I think it's a pretty amazing story. I don't know how much can be directly attributed to managing, but it's pretty impressive to see Lou succeeding after the debacle in Tampa.

Don't know; I don't have any Prior knowledge either way.

Yeah, you love baseball when the BoSox are winning and the Yankees are losing. Other than that.....
http://1000smilies.com/missing.gif

Jeez, what's going on in the AL Central? I just looked at the standings there and checked out the "last 10" column. Nobody's over .500 in their last 10 games.

Det 2-9
Cle 3-7
Min 4-6
Chi 5-5
KC 5-5

Not good. The only other division that is looking like that is the NL West, but at least they have one team playing well. Arizona is 9-1 in their last 10, taking over first place. Randy Johnson must be helping that rotation a lot!

You think I can just check in here every day?

Actually Chuck, the Tigers are 3-8 in their last 10. :)

D'oh! They're 2-8. Where'd the 9 come from? I must've been looking at the Yankees score. It was 11-9 at the time. As I was listening to the game on my XM, after Dye's monster shot, the Yanks' play-by-play guy says, "And that makes it 13-9". To which Suzyn Waldman replies, "Which is different from 11-9."

With that level of insight, she should be paired with Joe Morgan on ESPN! :eek:

Old school math?

How is the Yankees being down a bad thing? :confused:

Must be like how A-Rod's 500th home run really could have been his 499th.

Naw, just wimmen getting involved in sumthin' that they know nuthin' about. They should stick to their own sports. You know, like cooking and raising kids.

Turn on your sarcasm plug-in. . . :D

Interesting, the Cubs fight amongst themselves, and turn into the hottest team in baseball.

So, the Brewers are trying it:
http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/gamece...070802_NYM@MIL

I'm hoping the sequel is never as good as the original.

I was going to watch tapes of the White Sox/Yankees series to get pitching tips...

Here's a stat from yesterday's game that amazes me (not the stat itself, but the fact that someone knows this and has kept track of this): the second inning of yesterday's White Sox/Yankee game, where they both scored 8 runs in each half of the inning, is the highest scoring second inning in major league history.

Ok, carry on.

Is Chuck on vacation today and you've decided to take over the <i><b>Baseball Facts Nobody Give A Sh!t About</b></i> department?

Exactly. :D

Nobody "give"? :confused: "Nobody" is singular; "give" is plural.

Baseball, obscure trivia, and annoying grammar corrections -- all in one post!!! I hit the trifecta!

But did you beat the spread? ;)

This just in.......

Kerry Woods slipped on a Welcome mat entering the Chicago Cubs clubhouse this afternoon, and suffered what was described as a very mild sprain of his left ankle. He was immediately placed on the 730 day DL and is expected to return sometime in August, 2009.

It's true, it's true........

You know it's bad when the Cubs are looking at signing David Beckham.

When asked why, the GM stated that they wanted someone "less injury prone" in their rotation.

Just heard that the Sox have lost their last 8 games in Seattle, with a bullpen ERA over 6.50. Lester makes his 3rd start, and he's pitched really well in his first two starts. Unfortunately, I'll be asleep by the end of the third inning.

Lemme bring you up to date.....

BoSox lost. Lester gave up 4 ER in 5 innings. Timlin looked like doodoo. JJ Putz is God.

Yankees won. Still no 500 HR for A-Rod. Shelley Duncan went 2-4. The kid is hot.

No homeruns for Mr. Potatohead either. He was 0-4.

The Brewers won and the Cubbies lost. The Brewers are now comfortably in first place and the sad-sack Cubs are fifth from last. Kerry Woods was activated and warmed up in the seventh inning. He was put back on the DL in the eighth.

Four more weeks and it's get-serious time.