Friday Fastballs...Good Friday 2016

As we head into Easter weekend I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a blessed time with family and friends on this Holiest of times.

⚾ Let's look at some baseball stuff I've come across this week.

⚾ Baseball Card of the Day...actually, two cards, for Easter.

⚾ Today's Happy Baseball Birthday! former Detroit Tigers owner John Fetzer, who was born on March 25, 1901.

Mr. Fetzer was the Tigers owner when I first learned about baseball and the Tigers.

Mr. Fetzer owned WKZO Radio in my hometown of Kalamazoo, and that's how I followed the Tigers as a boy growing up, with Ernie Harwell and WKZO.

Here's a terrific article on Mr. Fetzer by Scott Ferkovich of the Detroit Athletic Company Blog.

⚾ As I write this I'm watching the Cardinals-Mets game on ESPN.

I give ESPN grief in many things...covering big league baseball is the #1 thing they do best.

John Kruk, although not at the game, was still great to listen to today. ..how can you not like Kruk? 

My favorite analyis at ESPN is Tim Kurkjan, all 5 foot nothing of him...no one at ESPN knows the game of baseball like Kurkjan does...I could talk baseball for hours with Tim.

⚾⚾⚾ My Top 5 Baseball TV analyst/Writer types.⚾⚾⚾

#1...Bob Costas, NBC, MLB Network 

#2...Peter Gammons, MLB Network 

#3...Tim Kurkjan, ESPN 

#4...Ken Rosenthal, MLB on FOX, MLB Network 

#5...J.P. Morosi, FOX, MLB Network 

Honorable Mention...Kruk, ESPN, Eric Byrnes, MLB Network, Aaron Boone, ESPN, Brian Kenny, MLB Network, Mark DeRosa, MLB Network, Jessica Mendoza. 

⚾ Speaking of ESPN, the network unveiled their Top 100 Baseball Players, with, as expected, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim coming in at #1.

The ESPN Top 10 big leaguers...

#1. Mike Trout, Angels

#2. Bryce Harper, Nationals 

#3. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers 

#4. Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks 

#5. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

#6. Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks 

#7. Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays

#8. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins

#9. Jake Arrieta, Cubs

#10. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers 

OK, first off...I get Trout and Harper #1 and #2, however...

...Josh Donaldson should be #3...and, my biggest problem...Miguel Cabrera...the reigning American League batting champion, widely considered the best hitter in baseball...is tenth...tenth...are you kidding me.

Miguel Cabrera belongs in the Top 5...put him where you want, 1-5...but put him there...oh, and to have Arrieta, a one half of a season pitcher last year  ahead of Cabrera...terrible...just terrible. 

The complete 100 best baseball players according to ESPN can be found here.

⚾ The Yankees Assistant to the Travelling Secretary,  George Costanza, has his own baseball card...finally...




⚾ The best article of the week goes to Mike Piellucci of Vice Sports Straight out of Tokyo: Tony Barnette's Long Road to the Majors.



Locally, new Jacksonville Suns owner Ken Babby is investing $1.8 Million to The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.



That's going to do it for this week.


Have a great Easter weekend and enjoy the baseball....Play Ball!

Baseball Bulletin...March 24, 2016

It's been a busy week of baseball so far, and it's only Thursday.


Let's start off with our Happy Baseball Birthday! today, former Michigan Baseball and St . Louis Browns Hall of Famer,  George Sisler.

⚾Most of the discussion of baseball has been President Barack Obama's visit to Cuba, and his attendance at the game between the  Cuban National Team and the Tampa Bay Rays in Havana. 



Here are a few terrific articles by some great baseball writers. ..


J.P. Morosi of FOX and the MLB Network... Major League Baseball returned to Cuba and it was a sight.


Rodger Sherman at SB Nation... The President of the United States is at a ballgame in Cuba...


Tim Brown at Yahoo Sports... The lasting impressions of three days in Cuba....


Joel Sherman at the New York Post writes about the Rays Chris Archer,  the breakout star of the historic game in Cuba...


It was a  great few days of baseball involving the Rays trip to Cuba, and from whatI've seen and read, it was a complete success from the baseball side, regardless of any political issues.

I hope the trip by Mr. Obama helps in our country's relationship with Cuba..and, as usual, baseball, our National Pastime, was front and center.

Here's to an annual visit by American teams playing in Havana against the marvelous talented players of the Cuban team.




⚾⚾⚾Other than the game in Havana, here's some baseball stuff I saw around social media...



⚾ As you may know, I love baseball history, and that includes the Negro Leagues.

I came across this marvelous article on former Negro League ballplayer Leon Day, over at the blog The Negro Leagues Up Close.




⚾ Former big leaguer Joe Garagiola passed away on Wednesday.

Joe Garagiola was a huge part of my baseball youth, watching tge NBC Game of the Week and World Series games on TV.

Back in 2013 I wished Mr. Garagiola a Happy Baseball Birthday!

And yesterday I I wrote a small piece on his passing.




⚾ If you happen to have around $400,000 lying around, you can now purchase the home of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig.




⚾ The Adam Laroche story has continued this week...my blogger friend Steve Gierman  wrote about it beautifully over at White Sox Cards.




⚾ If you've ever wondered how likeable all the MLB owners are, Dave Tobener over at The Comeback has a nice list.

My Tigers owner, Mike Illitch and his family, came in at #3...awesome! 




⚾⚾⚾ That's about all I have for now...tomorrow marks 11 days and counting until my Detroit Tigers play baseball for real.

Have a great weekend of baseball everyone... Play Ball! ⚾⚾⚾

Joe Garagiola... 1926-2016

As I was watching baseball this afternoon news broke of the passing of one my favorite baseball broadcasters, Joe Garagiola.

As a teenager watching NBC's Game of the Week, in the mid 1970s, Joe and Tony Kubek together in the booth was as good as it got.



In 2013 I wished him a Happy Baseball Birthday!




My thoughts and prayers go out to the Garagiola family for the loss of Joe, one of the finest baseball men we've ever had.




The great ballgame in Heaven has a marvelous new addition today.

God Bless you Joe Garagiola!  



Play Ball! 

This Week's Sports Illustrated regional covers...2016 Baseball Preview

With just two weeks until Opening Day of big league baseball, the annual Sports Illustrated 2016 Baseball  Preview issue has been released, with 4 regional covers.




The New York Mets are the Eastern cover.

The Chicago Cubs in the Midwest.

The Houston Astros in the Southwest.

The San Francisco Giants have the West Coast covered.

Slight Senior Circuit slant with a 3-1 cover favoring the N.L. ...and the Astros heave only been in the American League a few years.



I think S.I. could've had the Boston Red Sox w/ David Price...oh, and where are the defending champion Kansas City Royals? 




K.C. will probably use the S.I. covers as motivation for another run at the WorldSeries.


Enjoy the baseball coverage in the S.I. issues,  they've always done a terrific job, especially with the 1969 Baseball Preview.

Play Ball! ⚾

Baseball Today...Tampa Bay Rays vs Cuban National Team

The most anticipated baseball game of the spring happens today in Cuba when the Tampa Bay Rays play the Cuban National team in Havana, Cuba.

The Rays will become the first big league baseball team to play in Cuba since the Baltimore Orioles in 1999.

ESPN will televise the game this afternoon at 1:30 pm, with coverage beginning at 12 NOON.




There has been several articles about the game today...here are a few that I've read.



⚾ John Thorn, Our Game... Cuba, the U.S., and Baseball : A Long if Interrupted Romance.



⚾ The New York Post, Joel Sherman... The Cuba pride, passion, and fears from baseball-fan mecca.



⚾ FOX Sports, J.P. Morosi... I traded baseball hot takes with the locals in Cuba and it was fantastic.



⚾ SABR... Fidel Castro and Baseball.



⚾ MLB... Archer gives fan thrill of a lifetime in Cuba.

⚾ ⚾⚾ Here's a list of Cuban born big league baseball players and managers.




I hope you all enjoy the game today...Play Ball!

Happy Baseball Birthday... Twitter

Today we say Happy Baseball Birthday! to Twitter, which celebrates it's 10th Birthday today!

The social media giant went live 10 years ago today, March 21, 2006.


All 30 big league teams and all Minor League Baseball teams use Twitter today, it's the best way by far to communicate with their fans...


As a baseball fan on Twitter you start by following Major League Baseball... @MLB ,@MLBNetwork , ⚾ ESPN Baseball,  @BBTN ⚾ FOX Baseball, @MLBONFOX and @FS1⚾ 


...I follow my beloved Detroit Tigers... @tigers , my local Jacksonville Suns... @SunsBaseball , and my favorite college team, the Michigan Wolverines... @umichbaseball ...

...and I get to follow my favorite baseball players on Twitter as well, like the @tigers ... @JustinVerlander and @MiguelCabrera , the @Marlins and @ChristianYelich and @Giancarlo818 .



⚾⚾⚾All big league baseball players on Twitter can be found right here on Baseball Reference.⚾⚾ ⚾



I started on Twitter around 2010, and 6 years later it's the biggest part of my day, a place where I get all the baseball news, and where I can talk with great baseball fans, players, and teams from all over the world.



Twitter also allows fan to follow the baseball media, the men and women who cover the game on a daily basis...

...All the teams beat writers, national writers, and if course, great baseball bloggers who get to write anout their passion of America's National Pastime are on Twitter as well, and being able to interact with them has been terrific.


If you'rea baseball fan on Twitter,  look me up... @freehan11 ...let's talk baseball, big leagues, minor league baseball, or college baseball...PING!

Have a great werk baseball fans!




Happy Baseball Birthday! Twitter....PLAY BALL! 



#LoveTwitter 

Happy Baseball Birthday... Glenn Close

Today we say Happy Baseball Birthday! to award winning actress Glenn Close.

Glenn Close was born on March 19, 1947, in Greenwich, Connecticut.


Ms. Close is one of my favorite actresses, and was in two of my favorite movies, The Big Chill, and The Natural.

The Natural gets Ms. Close today's Happy Baseball Birthday! wishes, as she appears in the best baseball movie ever made. 



Ms. Close plays Iris, who grows up with Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford.



Iris, not wanting Roy to fail, makes this one of the most memorable scenes in the movie.

Happy Baseball Birthday! Glenn Close... Play Ball! 

Happy Baseball Birthday... J.T. Realmuto

Happy Baseball Birthday! wishes go out today to Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto. 

Jacob Tyler Realmuto  , who turns 25 today, played right down the street for the Jacksonville Suns in 2013 and 2014.



In the 2014 Southern League Championship Series J.T. was 10-26, 3 for 6, batting .346 as the Suns won their 5th league title in a 3 game sweep over the Chattanooga Lookouts.

J.T. made his big league debut on June 5, 2014 with the Marlins vs the Tampa Bay Rays, going 2-4, with 3 RBI.



J.T. is one of my favorite players to ever play for the Suns, and it was an inevitable choice for me...J.T. wore uniform #11 and was the Suns catcher.



It was easy for me to like J.T. here in Jacksonville, and I still follow him with the Marlins.


J.T. isn't far from my side during the baseball season.

J.T.'s 2015 Bobblehead giveaway last year at Bragan Field was one of the best Suns giveaways ever.

It's almost time for another big league season, and I'll be following J.T. again, as he has become the Marlins starting catcher, and, as always, I try to follow as many former Suns players as possible.



Maybe I'll make it down to Miami for a game and get a chance to meet J.T.


Now that would be awesome!


Happy Baseball Birthday! J.T.



PLAY BALL!  

The Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame

What better way to say Happy St. Patrick's Day and talk baseball than write about the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.

Located at Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant  on 18 West 33rd Street in New York City, the IABHOF honors the Immigrants of our great country and the game of baseball.


⚾⚾⚾Foley's calls itself  "An Irish Bar with a Baseball Attitude. "


Foley's was opened in 2004 by a man named Shaun Clancy, who named the bar after famed baseball writer and official scorer, Red Foley.


The original IABHOF Induction, including Red Foley, was in 2008.


Last year's inductees included former big league manager Jack McKeon and actor Bill Murray.



Foley's has today, on this St.Patty's Day, become the newest item on my baseball bucket list.


I'm sure they're having a swell time at Foley's today, I wish them all the best of luck.


Play Ball!

Baseball Bulletin...March 16, 2016

Happy St. Patrick's Day! baseball fans, its that time of the year again, when our favorite teams dress in green baseball caps and uniforms during Grapefruit and Cactus League games.

Lot's of stuff going on in baseball this week...these are a few things I've come across.



⚾ ESPN will...finally...broadcast baseball spring training games starting tomorrow night.

Awful Announcing's Joe Lucia has you covered on all 6 ESPN games, including next Tuesday's Rays vs Cuban National team in Cuba.

⚾ ESPN will also be follow retiring Red Sox slugger David Ortiz all season long.

ESPN does a great job covering baseball once the regular season starts, and I'll be watching the Ortiz specials.

I was once a big fan of Ortiz...Big Papi... until it was revealed that he was in the 2005 Mitchell Report that named players who tested positive for PEDs.

I've been on record many times that any player who took steroids or PEDs shouldn't be allowed to be rewarded for their decision to dishonor the game.

It's amazing how Ortiz has not been held in the same scrutiny that Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens has.




⚾ Over at Dodgers Blue Heaven you can read all about Jackie Robinson's first game, today in 1946 in Daytona Beach, Florida.





⚾ The March digital edition of Baseball Magazine is now available.





⚾ One of my favorite Twitter follows is Jessica Jenson  (@JessicaFastball )... Here's Jessica's recommendation on the best Women baseball fans to follow for all 30 big league teams.





⚾Chicago White Sox veteran Adam Laroche  has decided to retire after the ChiSox asked him to not have his son at the ballpark so much.


I've always liked Adam, he's been a good big league ballplayer...

Walking away from $13 Million Dollars this year because you want to spend every day possible with your child is admirable to say the least.

Here's hoping the best for Adam and his family...Here's Adam's Baseball Reference page.





⚾ Starting with minor league outfielder Bud Fowler, born on March 16, 1847, here's all of Today's Happy Baseball Birthday's!



⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾Have a great day tomorrow....please be safe in your celebrations...and PLAY BALL!  

Monday Mopup...March 14, 2016

Today is National Pi Day, the day of the infinite number 3.14 and free delicious apple, chocolate, or peach pie at your local restaurant.


⚾ In baseball, Pie Day looks like this...

Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor  was a great baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 17 years, beginning in 1920, when Pie was just 21.


Pie Traynor was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1948, after 1,941 games, 2,416 base hits, 58 home runs, and 1,273 base hits.




⚾ ⚾ ⚾ Baseball is roaring towards the regular season, now just 2 weeks away.

Here's a few things I saw over the weekend....


⚾ The NCAA announced its field for the 2016 hoops tournament on Sunday night, and over at The Hall of Very Good, they've compiled a list of the Best baseball players from all 68 tournament teams.

From Lou Brock of Southern University, to David Price of Vanderbilt, this list is one of the best things I've seen lately, even though they clearly missed the the BEST Michigan baseball player, and my hero, Bill Freehan. 

In all seriousness, their choice of Hall of Famer George Sisler is an appropriate pick.

GO BLUE! 



⚾ Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump was thought to have gotten a big endorsement, from none other than the Hit King himself, Pete Rose.

Unfortunately, Pete doesn't know how "The Donald" got the autographed baseball. 





⚾ Baseball is  being well represented in this year's Sports Business Awards, including Commissioner Rob Manfred. 




⚾ Sportsnet Magazine has released its 2016 Toronto Blue Jays preview issue. 

I receive my Sportsnet issue through the TEXTURE App... I receive multiple magazine's, including Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, Time, Entertainment Weekly, and Rolling Stone Magazine.. .its FREE for the first month. 






⚾ Just a reminder that the MLB Network's 30 Clubs in 30 Days continues nightly this week.

My Detroit Tigers are featured this Thursday night.




That's all for now, enjoy the Spring Training sunshine and....PLAY BALL! ⚾⚾⚾

Happy Baseball Birthday...Frank "Home Run" Baker

Today's Happy Baseball Birthday! is former Hall of Fame 3rd Baseman Frank " Home Run " Baker.

John Franklin Baker  was born on March 13, 1886, in Trappe, Maryland.



Baker made his big league debut on September 21, 1908 at the age of 22 for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, and would become the teams starting 3rd sacker for Mack's famous $100,000 Infield from 1910-1914.

Baker became famous for hitting home runs, a rarity in the deadball era, when he hit two home runs, one off legendary pitcher vhristy Mathewson, in the 1911 World Series ,in which the Athletics beat John McGraw's New York Giants, 4 games to 2.


Baker led the American League in home runs in 1911-14 in RBI in 1912-13, and in 1909 his 19 triples led the A.L.

"Home Run" Baker walloped 96 round trippers in his 13 year career with the Athletics and NewYork Yankees.


Baker manned the hot corner for four Philadelphia American League Championships, 1910-14, and three Athletics World Championship teams, 1910-11-13.


Baker also played in the 1921 and 1922 World Series with the Yankees, and played his final big league game with the Yankees on September 29, 1922, at age 36.


In his 13 big league seasons Baker played in 1,575 games, hit .307, with 96 HRs, 991 RBI, with 1,838 base hits, 315 doubles, 103 triples, and 887 runs scored in 6,667 plate appearances and 5,984 official at bats. 



In 1955 Frank Baker was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

On June 28, 1963, Frank Baker died in his hometown of Trappe, at the age of 77.



Today we salute one of the finest ballplayers of the early 20th Century... Happy Baseball Birthday! "Home Run " Baker!



PLAY BALL! 

Friday Fastballs...3/11/2016

Today is Friday, March 11th, just 24 days until the start of the 2016 big league baseball season.



⚾Here's a few baseball stories and reports that I've cone across the past few days on my Twitter page ( @freehan11), and on Facebook.

You can find access to both my social media accounts on the right hand side of my blog.


                                          ⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾



🏀Before I share the baseball stuff, let me give a shoutout to my favorite NCAA hoops team, the Michigan Wolverines, who upset #1 seeded Indiana today at the B1G Ten Championship.

Michigan will play tomorrow in Game 1 of the conference semi-finals against the Purdue Boilermakers.



⚾Speaking of Michigan, today's  Happy Baseball Birthday! is former Wolverines pitcher Rich Hill, who has signed to play for the Oakland Athletics this season.

For all of today's Birthday's, go to this page on Baseball Reference. Com.




⚾ MLB had it's first ever Snapchat Day across the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues today.



⚾ Washington Nationals Bryce Harper, the reigning National League MVP, is all the buzz the last couple of days with his views on baseball and it's lack of having fun.

Bryce also has a cool interview about baseball cards and being the MVP by Jeffrey Eisenband on The Post Game.





⚾ The Milwaukee Brewers are doing something really cool fir their fans in April.





⚾ The Dodgers left Brooklyn after the 1957 season, moving to Los Angeles, joining the Giants, who left New York for San Francisco.

O'Malley tried several times to get a new ballpark in Brooklyn,  including what would've been the first ever Domed Baseball Stadium.





⚾ Here in Jacksonville today, our Double-A Jax Suns announced that the team will Honor our Veteran's and Military Personnel throught the season.


The Suns open the 2016 Southern League season on April 7th.

⚾ Have a great weekend of baseball everyone...and, as always... Play Ball!

Baseball Bulletin...March 9, 2016

Here's some big league news that's come to my attention over the past few days.

                             ⚾Photo from Detroit Tigers Facebook page.⚾

⚾Yesterday Major League Baseball announced an an amazing event to honor our military and America's 240th Birthday this summer with the Fort Bragg Game between the Marlins and Braves on July 3rd.

A 12,500 seat ballpark will be constructed for the game, and it will be used after the game to used by the military personnel in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 

                                       ⚾Logo from MLB Twitter page.⚾

⚾ Speaking of the Braves, first baseman Freddie Freeman and his wife came up with an interesting way to announce weather they're having a baby boy or girl.

⚾ Poster Swag has all your College Baseball posters of 2016.

For some reason my Big Ten pre-season Michigan Wolverines poster wasn't included.... hey... GO BLUE! 

⚾ Cut 4 has a quick 10 question Spring Training Baseball Quiz.

I hot 6/10...guess I'm not ready for the season to start either.




⚾ Tuesday was International Women's Day, so, because this is a baseball blog, I give you the beautiful women of the MLB Network, Heidi Whatney, Lauren Shehadi, Sam Ryan, and Kelly Nash.

The last photo, of Kelly Nash, went viral a few years ago after she took this selfie atop the famous Green Monster at Fenway Park. 

Kelly was almost struck in the head with the ball you see, a batting practice home run ball she never saw coming.

No matter the show, the story, the update, or breaking news, these talented broadcasters love baseball and do a magnificent job, weather on Quick Pitch, Hot Stove, MLB Central, or Intentional Talk.

⚾ According to Brendan Maloy of Sports Illustrated, these are the weirdest nicknames in Minor League Baseball.

⚾ The Washington Nationals are letting their fans choose the player on a September Bobblehead giveaway.





⚾ Former big leaguer Johmny Damon is supporting Donald Trump for President.


⚾Speaking of Mr. Trump, apparently he once tried to buy the Cleveland Indians.




That'll do it for today, thanks for taking time to read my blog.



PLAY BALL! ⚾😎

Monday Mopup...March 7, 2016

Happy Monday everyone!


We are one month away from the start of the Southern League Baseball season here in Jacksonville when our Suns open play on April 7th against the Birmingham Barons.




⚾ Beginning today in my blog posts I'm going to write about something, if possible, that I learned reading Baseball Prospectus.

True Average  (TAv) ... everything a batter accounts  for...power hitting, walks, strikeouts, and even "productive outs."

True Average on Baseball Prospectus.


True Average also takes into account the different ballparks the player plays in.

An American League ballplayer will have a better TAv than National League player.

An "average" big leaguer will have a TAv of .260, while an exceptional players TAv will be around .300.

The "Mendoza Line" of  TAv is .200, just a tick below legendary Mario's .215 lifetime batting average. ⚾

                                         ⚾ ⚾ ⚾ ⚾ ⚾ ⚾ ⚾ ⚾



As I watch the Tigers-Mets game today, here's a few things that caught my attention this weekend...


⚾ A special 9 year old young man named Brady Kahle is selling his baseball cards to help his friend, who's battling cancer.




⚾ Tom Knight new more about the Brooklyn Dodgers than anyone.

Mr. Knight passed away at the age of 89 on February 17th.




⚾ One of my favorite Twitter follows is a gentleman who tweets about his favorite baseball player, John Bateman. 

Jeff Polman of Crooked Scoreboard wrote a terrific post on the man behind those tweets, Ken Webster.




⚾ 1970s Baseball has the Top Rookie tandems in 1970s baseball.




⚾ For just  $24 Million Dollars you can can own a 1% Ownership in the Bronx Bombers.




⚾ On March 11th MLB and social media site Snapchat will allow big leaguers to use Snapchat during Spring Training games.


I've tried using Snapchata few times, but have had no success understanding how to use it.

I guess I'll give it another chance.


Before I go, I'd like to announce the addition of a jew member of our family, a little Chihuahua I named TRAM. 

TRAM is named, of course, after the best shortstop in Detroit Tigers history, Alan Trammell. 



Have a great week of baseball everyone... PLAY BALL!⚾

Happy Baseball Birthday...Lou Costello

Today we celebrate the Happy Baseball Birthday! of  legendary comedian and movie star Lou Costello.



Lou Costello was born on March 6, 1906, in  Paterson, New Jersey.



The burlesque comedian teamed up with actor Bud Abbott to create what we know today as  the great comedy sketch "Who's on First."




I love Abbott and Costello, and I never, ever, get tired of watching the great comedy sketch.

Happy Baseball Birthday! to the late and great Lou Costello. 



Play Ball! ⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾

Baseball Bulletin

Jim Harbaugh, Ty Cobb, Miguel Cabrera, and GIANT Bobblehead's are just a few things in this edition of the Baseball Bulletin.

⚾ The folks over at Sully Baseball reminds us of over 100 years of the Grapefruit League.

⚾ Former big league ballplayer Roy SmalleyIII is President of Pitch In For Baseball, a terrific group that gets baseball equipment to young people here in the United States and around the world.

Pitch In For Baseball  allows fans to donate funds, or equipment, or have a fundraiser that'll benefit PIFB.org.

⚾ Seven rare T-206 Ty "Cobb" cards have been found.

The tobacco cards are said to be worth over $1,000,000.

⚾ The Double-A Harrisburg Senators have created the first Life LifeSized Bobblehead Museum. 

⚾ Michigan Wolverines Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh has his team in Bradenton, Florida, this week for spring practice and had the chance to coach first base for the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday vs the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, a lifelong Michigan fan, spoke to the team.





⚾ Angel Franco of the New York Times reports on how baseball Baseball can help in the United States- Cuba mending relations.





⚾ FOX Sports Senior Baseball writer Ken Rosenthal has a terrific article titled  Zen and the Art of Miguel Cabrera.






⚾ The Baseball Bloggers Alliance, has re-done its website, and is full of awesome baseball writing from 171 baseball fans like yours truly. 

⚾ In Forbes Magazine, Baseball Business writer Maury Brown reports on big league baseball's Billion Dollar Advanced Media revenues.

⚾ Two Missouri lawmakers introduced legislation to to name a bridge after Negro Leagues star Buck O'Neil.




Thanks for reading my baseball posts, I really appreciate it.



Here's to a fantastic baseball weekend all across America...PLAY BALL!