Today is Friday the 13th. Pitchers & Catchers report in 31 days for Spring Training. https://t.co/KikOtVzzhb #BaseBall Vault Spring Lineup pic.twitter.com/k52rWupLkP
— Paul Plaine (@ballparkprints) January 13, 2017
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Tag: baseball
Charles Finley and the Opt-Out Clause
Late yesterday the Mets signed Yoenis Cespedes for three years with an Opt-Out clause after one year. This made think of Charles Oscar Finley maverick owner of the A’s who passed away twenty years ago. In March 1960, he purchased the Kansas City A’s and for the next 20 years, would be a thorn in the side of two Baseball Commissioners and the other owners.
As an owner, he was behind baseball playing World Series games at night, and the Designated Hitter. Now after 42-years it appears in 2017, the National League will finally adopt the DH. Other ideas, like using an orange baseball for night games were considered silly.
But, Charles Finley’s biggest contribution to baseball and all sports, is Free Agency. Through his failure during 1974, baseball season to meet certain obligations in Catfish Hunters contract, an arbitrator declaring Hunter, a free agent and his subsequence signing of a five-year contract with the Yankees. Following the 1975 season, a grievance was filed by Andy Messerschmitt of the Dodgers and Dave McNally of Expos, arbitrator, Peter Seitz ruled for the players declaring them free agents. This verdict ended the Reserve Clause that tied players to teams forever. Charles Finley then said what may be his boldest idea “Make Them All Free Agents Every Year”. Marvin Millet opposed this knowing it would it would keep player salaries low and the owners were afraid of the concept.
What was once scared owners and maybe the players is now taking hold in a unique concept, the opt-out after one to three years now being part of bigger contract signings.
It is early in the game, but as the opt-out becomes more attractive in contract negotiations, it will make for some exciting times in player and team moves.
I’m A Yankee Fan Rooting For the Mets To Win The World Series
I am a New York Yankees fan and have been for 60 years, and I’m rooting for the Mets, to win the World Series.
I grew up in Bronx section known as Highbridge between the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium.
My father and grandmother were big Dodger fans. Except for my uncle taking me to Yankee games, (my first was Old Timers Day 1952) the Dodgers were the team on our television.
Sixty years ago on October 4, 1955, the Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Yankees 2-0 to win their only Championship.
I remember it clearly I came home from school and watched the end of the game I was both happy and sad. October 4, 1955, was also my 9th birthday. That night my father and grandmother were very excited and my birthday took a back seat.
After the Dodgers had moved to Los Angles, my father and grandmother lost interest in baseball.
Then 1962 along came the Mets.
Those early years were rough, but my grandmother and I would talk baseball and about the Mets. She loved the Mets would watch or listen to every game on the radio. When they played, on the west coast she would stay up until the game was over. My grandmother went to mass every day, and the only thing that would cause her to swear was when the Mets lost a close game. Something they did a lot in 1960’s. She lived to be 92 and passed away in 1980 just before the start of the baseball season
So of course I will be rooting for the Mets tonight. Every year we go to Queens and see a few games. We have been to Citi Field more than many Mets I know.
The Yankees will always be my main team, but I will also continue to root for the Mets.
Lets Go Mets!
These Are The Fun Days Watching Baseball
Some say the Baseball season is too long, no way. Look at the current changes that have taken place in the Standings from first place to the wildcard. It just doesn’t happen in the NFL or the NBA.
For me, it is the fun days, and not the dog days of August. It is scoreboard watching at its best.
http://www.ballparkprints.com
Cleveland Indians and Attendance
Having a winning team will help the Cleveland Indians and next year should be their turn-around year. But, it may not help them in attendance, Cleveland schools opened August 10th this year the second week in August. That’s about the standard time every year. One could argue they get out early in May. But, those of us who live in the northern part of the USA know most years the weather in May is, iffy. Ballpark attendance for the cold weather teams does not rise until June.
As for it still being August and, sunset in Cleveland after 8 p.m even into September it’s still a school night, parents do not want to take their kids to weeknight games.
My Tribute To Mickey Mantle Who Passed Away 20 Years Ago Today
Photographer Ozzie Sweet Registered Copyright Holder Paul Plaine Ballpark Prints LLC
The trades you don’t make are your best ones.
Today in the media it is evaluation day of who is the winners and losers in MLB’s annual July 31st trading deadline. Watching the 4 pm countdown yesterday on Fox Sports (I’m on the Jersey Shore in rented beach house) and seeing my team the NY Yankees standing pat made me very happy. My first thoughts were of that old baseball adage. “The trades you don’t make are your best ones.”(1)
I am 100% a fan of baseball and enjoy watching games of all the teams, and all that goes on from the fall Hot Stove League to the August Waiver Wire, and everything in between. I just love it.
After the 4 pm deadline that is 4:15 pm as the commissioner office needs that extra 15 minutes to approve last of the last minute deals. Then the conversation starts who won who lost. After reviewing all the transactions, it struck me that the players being traded were for minor leagues who are not the front-line prospect, as one would expect.
But all of the stories surrounding the Yankees and trades it was only about their rated front-line prospects, and late last night 21 year Luis Severino one of the prospects every team wanted was called up. He’s scheduled to make his major league debut Tuesday night. I expect a lot of second-guessing from the media and fans next Wednesday.
As of today, the Blue Jays who were voted this year’s trading deadline winners are 6-games behind the Yankees, so should all know by the end of this season if standing pat was the right decision.
1- The trades you don’t make are the best ones.
Attributed to Branch Rickey and also Bill Veeck
World Series Starts Tonight
The teams are rested, 6 days for the KC Royals, and 5 days for SF Giants. The team that comes up short will say that the long layoff hurt them. Now for my last MLB prediction for 2014, SF Giants in 6 games (could be 5). The second long layoff for KC Royals will impact them this time… 
Revisiting My 2014 MLB Team Predictions Published Mar 30
I decided to revisit my season ” My 2012 MLB Team Predictions ” to see how I did. First think I notice that I got the AL East completely wrong. Next I also picked an extra team the Diamondbacks by mistake in the NL West. I was at many Florida spring training games this year and watched the teams is helpful. My research for the Arizona teams was TV, radio, and the internet. Looking back over my predictions I have to say not unhappy. I also still stand by my World Series prediction, the Nationals.
AL East AL Central AL West
Yankees Tigers A’s
Rays# Royals# Angels#
Orioles Indians Rangers
Red Sox White Sox Mariners
Blue Jays Twins Astros
Royals over Angels Wild Card Game
Yankees, Rays ALDS winners
Rays over Yankees
National League
NL East NL Central NLWest
Nationals Cardinals Dodgers
Braves Pirates# Giants#
Marlins Reds Diamondbacks#
Mets Cubs Rockies
Phillies Brewers Padres
Pirates over Diamondbacks Wild Card Game
Nationals, Giants NLDS winners
Nationals over Giants
2014 World Series
Nationals over Rays in 7 games
Ruth Ziolkowski, Who Was Instrumental in Crazy Horse Memorial, Dies at 87
When I was a kid it was popular with owners of station wagons to post on the rear side window small yellow stickers of places that they had visited. Whenever I would pass one I would stop look at the stickers, and think to myself, someday I am going to see them This also inspired me to reading about our National Parks and states. That youthful inquisitiveness has never left me and in 2010, my wife I headed out on our first 50 day cross country road trip since we have made three cross country trip plus 10 other road trips.
On the first trip heading back from California all I could think of was, I am going to see Mount Rushmore, except for Yellowstone National Park it the most popular sticker.
Also, aware of the Crazy Horse Monument, and before, and while on the trip would talk about it, to my friends, but to my surprise most of had never heard about it.
We stayed three days in Rapid City South Dakota, and visited Mount Rushmore three-times and it was never a disappointment. The second day we started out early first seeing Custer State Park, it is a large park with an abundance of prairie wildlife
Every September they bring in cowboys to do a buffalo roundup and about twenty thousand spectators watch from the hills. I highly recommend visiting it.
From there, we headed over to see the Crazy Horse Monument with no expectation. As you arrive off in the distance you get you first impression (the last image was taken from a mile away) of its size. Seeing it in person you realize the magnitude of the concept of this monument that started in 1947 by Korczak Ziolkowski, at the request of Sioux chiefs who said they wanted ”the white man to know the red man had great heroes too.” (The New York Time Oct 21 1982) Today with the passing of his wife two of their ten children carry on, and hope to finish this project by 2047. I think it will be difficult without public involvement, something that Korczak and the Sioux wanted to avoid….
These images all were taken in 2010 the fourth image is what the completed image will look like. To convey its scale all four heads on Mount Rushmore would fit into the opening under Crazy Horse arm…
If interested in purchasing any of these images contact me through
http://nyti.ms/1oeHMsE The New York Times Link
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