My favorite Brooklyn Dodger

Another in a continuing series looking at my favorite players from every big league team, past and present.

The Brooklyn Dodgers haven't played a game since September 29, 1957, and yet their legacy is still entrenched in baseball's glorious past.

Today's I write about my favorite Brooklyn Dodger of All-Time, Jackie Robinson.

The Dodgers move to the West Coast and Los Angeles left baseball fans in Brooklyn without a big league team to root for, and as the team left, the souls of Brooklyn's fans left to.

Growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I was of course, a Detroit Tigers fan, but I was also a baseball fan in general, and I loved reading about the game's glorious past, and listening to my Uncle talk about the game, and the teams of his youth.

My Uncle would tell about my Grandmothers dislike for the Yankees, and how she would root for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Yanks in the teams epic World Series match ups of the time. I soon started reading books on the Dodgers, and what I found was just terrific. 

Part of the charm of the Brooklyn Dodgers is Ebbets Field, the beloved stadium that the Dodgers called home. 


Built by owner Charlie Ebbets, the ballpark is steeped in baseball lore. It opened in 1913, and stood as the cornerstone of the Dodgers franchise until the team left in 1957.

The Brooklyn Dodgers are my favorite team that no longer exists. Yes, the franchise still plays on in L.A., and I do like the Dodgers, but there is just something special about the team when they played in Brooklyn.

Jackie Robinson is the Greatest Dodger of All-Time!

I just love Jackie Robinson. 

If I were to ever get a Throwback Jersey of any team other than the Tigers, I would buy a Brooklyn Dodgers #42 of Jackie Robinson.

Jackie was as beloved a player as the Dodgers had, even amongst the racial hatred of the time. Dodger fans were soon taken by their great ballplayer, that's what they saw, a ball player, not a black man, a man, and he was a Brooklyn man.

He was a great ballplayer, yes, but he was also a great man, who endured serious racial attacks when he broke baseball's color barrier when he made his debut with the Dodgers on April 15, 1947.

Jackie was exciting!

Look at the old clips of Jackie and you see one of the most exciting players in the history of big league baseball. Jackie was aggressive at the plate, he was aggressive running the bases, stealing bases, he was even exciting in the field, making spectacular plays with his glove, and his arm.

Jackie was a great all around player, who hit for average, for power, who could throw, field, and steal bases.

Before Brooklyn

Robinson came to the Dodgers late for a rookie, he was 28 years old in 1947, and one could only imagine what he could have done had he been able to play earlier.

Before he got to the big league Jackie also played in the Negro Leagues, for the Kansas City Monarchs, in 1945, and then played for the Montreal Royals, in the Dodgers farm system, in 1946.

Jackie Robinson...10 years as a Brooklyn Dodger

The 1947 Major League Rookie of the Year

The 1949 National League Most Valuable Player

Six time All-Star, 1949-50-51-52-53-54

A member of the 1955 World Series Champion Brooklyn Dodgers

Elected into the Baseball Hall of  Fame, 1962

.311 Lifetime batting average

1,518 hits

137 Home Runs

734 RBIs

187 Stolen Bases

Jackie Robinson was honored by Major League Baseball on April 15th, 1997, the 50th Anniversary of Jackie's breaking the baseball color barrier, by retiring his #42 throughout big league baseball.

Every April 15th Major League Baseball celebrates the life of Jackie Robinson. 

This year is the 63rd Anniversary of Jackie's big league debut at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field, and his lasting memory is as great as it has ever been, as both a great ballplayer, and a great man.

 

It's time to change the HR Derby, starting with ESPN

Enough is enough is enough.

It's time to change the MLB Home Run Derby.

First, they way the players are chosen.

It's so simple, but maybe that's why baseball doesn't see it. We don't need a vote to decide the roster, all we need are the HR stats.

The top 5 HR hitters at the break should be the contestants, regardless if they've been there before.  

This would've been the A.L. lineup...Jose Bautista, Josh Hamilton, Miguel Cabrera, Vladamir Guerrero.

This would've been the N.L. lineup...Adam Dunn, Joey Votto, Albert Pujols, Corey Hart, Prince Fielder, Mark Reynolds.

OK, I know there's 6 players from the N.L., but that's the beauty. That's 11 players, I know that, but with other changes, it's not a problem.

Using the top HR hitter in each league will create a much better buzz. The format would allow the best long ball hitters every year to face off...look at this year, and what could have been...ex-Angel and current Ranger Vlad Guerrero coming back to his old ballpark, in front of his old fans. Talk about a hometown favorite. 

How about an Adam Dunn-Joey Votto matchup. The ex-Red Dunn challenging his old teams new slugger Votto, the top 2 HR hitter in the N.L. going toe-to-toe.

Second, change the format.

Why do the players get 10 outs before they're done. It takes to long, way to long.

Cut the outs down to 5 per round, that will allow the extra players time to hit.

We don't need to sit there for 3 1/2 hours watching guys taking pitches they don't like, sweating profusely, and taking breaks to get a drink while we fans wait for those 10 outs. It's to long.

Let MLB pitchers throw to the batters

How cool would this be. We don't need batting practice pitchers, bullpen coaches, what the contest needs are real pitchers. Each contestant can bring a teammate to throw to him, but it needs to be an actual big league pitcher.

Get rid of ESPN.

I used to love watching Chris Berman, but the "back-back-back" is old, and needs to go, and we don't need the over whelming play by play of the homers like it's Game 7 of the World Series. 

Last night was horrible. Berman and Joe Morgan talked to various guest's all night long, talking over one another, and ignoring the actual contest. 

The ESPN coverage is awful, plain and simple.

Give the HR Derby to FOX, and use the local FOX affiliate as the co-hosts. This would allow baseball fans to be introduced to a fresh set of voices covering the game each year. I would have loved to have seen Rex Hudler, a former big league player, and current Angels commentator, cover the game on TV. 

Hudler has a great passion for the game, and would, again, introduce non-Angel fans across the country to Hudler, known in his playing days as "Rex the Wonder Dog."

Give baseball back to the fans.

Stop all the ridiculous promotions, we don't care about a new TV show, or a movie that's coming out. We're watching to see baseball players hit baseballs a long way, it's that simple...just give us baseball.

I don't mind seeing all the great players of the past, but showing them taking a picture with someone while a player is taking his cuts during the HR Derby is terrible. 

In the end, it's simple for me. The HR Derby is a great thing for the game of baseball, and it's fans, but the contest needs to be re-tooled, and it all starts with getting rid of ESPN, and giving the game of baseball back to the fans.

Time for the best All-Star Game in sports

Good Monday morning from here in beautiful Jacksonville, Florida.

It's time for the annual break in the big league baseball season, time for the 81st All-Star Game, this year being played in the home of the California, er, Anaheim, uh, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. 

I love the big league All-Star Game, it's the best, by far, of all the major sports annual classics. 

The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played in 1933 @ Comiskey Park in Chicago. The game was created by a famous baseball writer of the time, Arch Ward. Babe Ruth hit the very first HR, and the A.L. beat the N.L., 4-2.

When the American League takes the field tomorrow night, I'll be sitting in front of my TV set to watch the game for the 41st time consecutive year, cheering on the boys from the A.L., after all, I'm a Detroit Tigers fan, and the A.L. is my league, as it has been since that first year, when the Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose bowled over A.L. catcher Ray Fosse of the Cleveland Indians to score the winning run for the National League.

What makes the baseball mid summer classic the best All-Star Game of the four major sports?

Quick, can anyone tell me what happened in the 1977 NBA game? The 1984 NFL Pro Bowl? The 1996 NHL game? Of course not. That's because those games are not played the same way their games are played in the regular season. 

You cannot blitz defensively in the Pro Bowl, and most of the best players refuse to play in it anyway, leaving the game for the back-ups, the NHL game is a wide open scoring showcase, which has nothing to do with the defensive minded way the regular season is played, and the NBA game, well, it's the NBA, a game that is the epitome of self promotion, "hey, look at me."

Baseball fans and the All-Star Game are different. I will always remember the 1970 game, not for the finish, but because it's the one game I got to watch with my Dad, who wasn't a baseball fan. We watched that game while on vacation, one of the few times I ever remember sharing a good time with my dad, who was a work-a-holic. He was a great billiards player, and he loved the Cousy/Russell Boston Celtics. He wasn't at home much, so spending some quality time with him any time I could get it was great.

The following year the All-Star Game came to Tiger Stadium in Detroit, and I was in baseball heaven. My Tigers were hosting the game, I would get to see my hero, Bill Freehan, and the great Al Kaline play in front of the home town fans.

The A.L. and the N.L. combined for a record 10 HR's in the game, and baseball fans will always tell you about Reggie Jackson's mammoth home run off the light tower in deep right center field as one of the great homers ever, regular season or not.

Year after year the big league baseball All-Star Game gives fans the best of the best, from the Montreal Expos Gary Carter wearing white shoes while hitting two HR's and winning the game MVP in 1981, to Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez striking out 5 of the 6 batters he faced while pitching in his home, Fenway Park, in 1999.

Baseball fans are also very forgiving when it comes to the annual game, as was the case with the 7-7 tie in 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

Because the teams ran out of pitchers to use after the 11th inning, changes to the game have been made.

The 2003 game was billed as "This time it counts," as baseball awarded the winning team home field advantage in the World Series. Since 2003, the American League has won every All-Star Game, and has won 4 World Series, to 3 for the N.L.

The NFL Pro Bowl, the NBA and NHL All-Star Games, they all have their appeal, they all have their place, but for myself, nothing measures up to the greatness of baseball's grand summer gem.

Three blogs, not enough time

I started writing this blog because I thought it would be a great way for me to follow baseball, the game I've loved for 43+ years...and counting.


Please excuse my absence, it's not on purpose. I've added to my baseball writing by adding two more blogs, both on baseball, both about my favorite team, the Detroit Tigers. I will get to those later on, but I just wanted to take a few moments to thank those of you who follow this blob, I really appreciate it.

I want to make this blog more than just a report on the games and news around baseball, there are lots of place to go for that. I want this blog to be more than that. I want it to be a place to honor the greatest game ever invented by man, the game of baseball.

With that in mind, I've written a series of articles on my favorite players from every big league team, starting with the American League East, and I've written about a young slugger I saw on Opening Day of the Southern League season here in Jacksonville, a young man who slammed 2 HR's that day, now former Sun, and current Florida Marlin Mike Stanton.


I write about what I love, baseball, and, as I mentioned earlier,  that love now includes 2 more blogs. 


The Brennan Boesch Blog is my blog on the Detroit Tigers, focusing on the Tigers 2010 season, and on rookie outfielder Brennan Boesch.


When I first started paying attention to Tigers rookie outfielder Brennan Boesch, I knew this young man was special, there was just something about the way he approached the game, and the way he was hitting the ball, night time, day time, against right handers, against left handers, at home, on the road. It just doesn't seem to matter.

This kid Boesch plays baseball, it's that simple. At 25, he's older than most rookies, a third round pick by the Tigers in the 2006 draft out of the University of California.


As I write this, listening to the Tigers play the Twins, Brennan Boesch is hitting .345, and that's just the beginning of what this rookie has done for the Tigers so far this year. He has been voted the A.L. Rookie of the Month for both May and June, and he's on his way again this month, batting a robust .458 so far in July. 


Check out  The Brennan Boesch Blog

The other blog is about my collection of Detroit Tigers baseball cards.

My Detroit Tigers Baseball Cards

I used to collect cards as a hobby every single day of my life as a young boy growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I have every Topps baseball card of every Tigers player from 1968-1980, plus a lot more.

I cannot collect like I used to, but there is a tremendous blog community of card collectors of every era, and for every big league team. They trade together, talk cards together, it's a fantastic thing.

So. if you'd like, check out those other blogs, and remember, if it's been a while since I posted something here, it's probably because I'm a little more focused on the Boesch and Tigers card blog, so, feel free to head over to one of them if you'd like.


Until next time, enjoy the great game of baseball.



 

 

My favorite players from all 30 Big League teams...Vol. #5...Toronto Blue Jays

This is the 5th in a series covering all 30 current MLB teams, plus some now defunct teams, and the teams of the Negro Leagues, and, even a Minor League team here and there.

Vol.#1, Baltimore Orioles...Brooks Robinson

Vol.#2, Boston Red Sox...Fred Lynn

Vol.#3, New York Yankees...Derek Jeter

Vol.#5 Tampa Bay Rays...Rocco Baldelli




Today, the Toronto Blue Jays


This is was a somewhat hard choice. I don't like the Blue Jays, for many reasons, including the fact that George Bell was given Allan Trammell's 1987 American League MVP Award, and Jack Morris winning a World Series with the Jays in 1993, among several reasons.

My dislike for the Blue Jays came to an end, somewhat, but not completely, when the Tigers were moved to the A.L. Central in the mid 1990's, but the damage was done.

So, I wasn't really sure who to put down. 
As I was typing, it finally came to me...Carlos Delgado...no, good choice though...Dave Steib...no, thanks the same, Robby Alomar...no way, and then I remembered...remembered back to my youth and a left handed quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines, an All-American in both football and baseball as a Wolverine, and a first round pick of my Detroit Tigers...Rick Leach

Rick Leach was a great college QB @ Michigan, leading the Wolverines to 3 straight Big Ten Championships, 1976-77-78.

Rick Leach played for the Tigers in 1981-82-83, then was released before the start of the 1984 season. That always made me feel bad, because it would've been great for Rick to get a ring, but off to the hated Blue Jays he went, and there he played from 1984-1988, including the Jays great 1985 team that were up 3-1 to the KC Royals in the A.L. Championship Series before losing the last 3 games.

In 1986 Rick had his best year, batting .309 in 110 games.

I'm not going to give you to much of his big league numbers, just these...he hit 18 home runs in 799 big league games, collected 460 hits, and driving in 183 runs for the Tigers, Blue Jays, Rangers, and Giants in a 10 year career.

Complete Rick Leach stats 

Yes, it took a Michigan Man to make my list as my favorite Toronto Blue Jays player, so it goes. Maybe I could've picked pitcher Roy Halladay, a fine pitcher, but he owned the Tigers, just like the Jays pitchers of the 1980's, and so, needless to say, I like Doc Halladay much better as a Phillie.

The one thing about ball players that rings true today, as it did when I was a kid, and that's that there will be another one right behind your favorite player, so maybe I'll be able to let the Blue Jays thing go, but seeing as how I rooted for the Braves in the 1992 and 1993 World Series against the Jays, it seem highly likely.

So, there you have the first 5 editions of my favorite players, next it's on to a bit of a change-up next, as we leave the current teams to go back in time to a non existing team...the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Yes, I consider the Los Angeles Dodgers separate from their Brooklyn days. So, who will it be, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Ralph Branca, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, or maybe Johnny Podres.

Until then, enjoy baseball, God's great gift to us, our National Past time.

 

Edwin Jackson throws no-hitter vs. Tampa Bay Rays

There's something weird going on with the Tampa Bay Rays, and it's not something the club wants to continue, as for the third time in less than a year the Rays have been no-hit, and this time it was done by an ex-teammate, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Edwin Jackson.

Jackson threw 149 pitches Friday night, 79 for strikes, as he no-hit the Rays, defeating his old team 1-0 at Tropicana Field.
Jackson no-hits Tampa Bay rays 

Jackson wasn't perfect, walking eight Rays batters, but the Arizona right-hander got three double play balls, struck out six, and left 20 Rays on base. Tampa was also 0-7 with runners in scoring position.

Jackson joins Randy Johnson as the only Diamondback pitcher to throw a no-hitter. Johnson threw a Perfect Game against the Atlanta Braves on May 18th, 2004.

Jackson is the fourth pitcher to throw a no-hitter this year, joining the Colorado Rockies Ubaldo Jimenez(vs. Atlanta on April 17th@Atlanta), the Oakland A's Dallas Braden(Perfect Game vs. Tampa Bay May 19th), and the Philadelphia Phillies Roy Halladay(Perfect Game @ the Florida Marlins on May29th).

So, do you think it's a possibility that every big league pitcher will be looking @ the schedule, and when it's their time to face the Rays?

Only 11 days left to vote for MLB All-Stars

Sorry about not posting a lot lately. Health issues, and now helping my wife with Vacation Bible School @ our Church this week, plus trying to keep up the Brennan Boesch Blog, and my Detroit Tigers Baseball Cards Blog, has me wondering how to get it all in, but I promise to do a better job of every day posting.

Have you voted for the starters in the All-Star Game next month in Anaheim?

There are only 11 days, until 11:59 Eastern Time on July 1st, to vote for the players you would like to see in the greatest of all All-Star Games.

Also, remember to cast your vote for the Home Run Derby, which will take place on the Monday night before the game.

For both contests, you may vote up to 25 times per e-mail address, or if you go to a big league, or minor league park, you may vote as many times as you want, as long as they have the ballots.

Here's my choices for the HR Derby...

American League

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay Rays

Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers...Write in Vote

National League

Albert Pujouls, St. Louis Cardinals

Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies


****Remember****


You may vote at your local teams web site, or at www.mlb.com (link below)


Vote for the 81st MLB All-Star Game

My 2010 All-Star Ballot

The balloting for baseball's annual All-Star Game constantly fuels fans and the media alike with controversy about the selection process, and the many deserving players who are left off the roster of both the American League and National League teams. 

This year is no exception.

In the American League , New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira has received over 1.2 million votes...for a guy hitting just .229, with 9 HR's and 39 RBI's. 



Now, Teixeira isn't the vote leader at first, the Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau, who has over 1.4 million votes is the leader.

Now, Morneau is having a good year, leading the American League with a .350 batting average , with 13 long balls and 39 RBI's, but the man who's 3rd in the voting, the Detroit Tigers Miguel Cabrera, who has received a little over 1 million votes, is having an MVP season. 

Cabrera has walloped 19 homers, #1 in the league, he has 56 RBI's, #1 in the league, and Cabrera is third in the American league with a .330 batting average, trailing only Morneau, and KC Royal Billy Butler.

In the Senior Circut, the Florida Marlins Hanley Ramirez is the leader, but the second spot belongs to the Philadelphia Phillies Jimmy Rollins, who has played in only 12 games, but has received over 992,000 votes.

 

The Rollins vote totals are what frustrate many, including myself. if a guy is hurt, and is not playing, his vote totals should be deleted until he's healthy.

Give players a week, max, and then the vote total is done.












I have a procedure to voting...
First, I will only vote a few times a week, allowing player who have a slow start to the season heat up. That allows a guy who was only hitting .200 in early May, but gets hot in mid June, to receive some of my votes that he deserves.

Second, I will not vote for a guy who spends a long time either on the bench, or on the Disabled List. If you don't play, you won't get any of my votes.

Third, I will not stuff the ballot box for every player on my favorite team, the Detroit Tigers. I will vote for player son the Tigers who deserve votes if they are playing well. In early May I voted for Tigers rookie center fielder Austin Jackson...he was the A.L. Rookie of the Month for April...and I have voted for Miguel Cabrera all 25 times...look @ his numbers and tell me why he shouldn't be the starter in Anaheim.

And lastly, I will not vote for admitted steroid users...sorry A-Rod fans, I voted for Alex Rodriguez when he was bombing away in the 1990's and into the 2000's, so he should be grateful that he got those votes from me.

Here's a sample of a ballot that I submitted for the 2010 All-Star Game


American League

C...Joe Mauer, Twins                                                           
1B...Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
2B...Robinson Cano, Yankees
3B...Michael Young, Rangers
SS...Derek Jeter, Yankees
OF...Ichiro Susuki, Mariners
         Scott Posednik, Royals
         Vernon Wells, Blue Jays

Write In...Brennan Boesch, Tigers


National League


C...Pudge Rodriguez, Nationals
1B...Albert Pujols, Cardinals
2B...Martin Prado, Braves
3B...Placido Polanco
SS...Hanley Ramirez
OF...Jason Heyward, Braves
         Andre Ethier, Dodgers
         Ryan Braun, Brewers


OK, there's a sample of the players that I've voted for among the 25 ballots that I was allowed to on line. I also voted at the ballpark a few times, and hope to get back to fill out some more.
        
If you've voted for the All-Star team, please let me know who you voted for, and how you vote.

Off to the Big Leagues

Mike Stanton left the friendly confines of The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville to head up to the big leagues, and a starting outfield job with the Florida Marlins last weekend, and pitchers who toil daily in the Southern League couldn't be happier.

 The Jacksonville Suns right fielder was terrorizing pitchers in the S.L. this year, including a league leading 21 home runs, 52 RBIs. a slugging percentage of .726, and 138 total bases...in just 52 games.

Since I arrived in Jacksonville, I've witnessed a lot of great ball players go on to the majors from the Suns, including Andres Galaragga, Larry Walker, Marquis Grissom, Juan Encarnacion, Gabe Kapler, Shane Victorino, Matt Kemp, and James Loney, but Stanton just might be the best power hitter who ever laced up a pair of cleats for the Suns in 30 years...not the best ever, that would be Henry Aaron, who played here in 1952 for the then Jacksonville Braves of the South Atlantic League, but certainly the best of any Suns player I've had the pleasure to follow.

Amongst all the publicity of the big league debut of the Washington Nationals pitching phenom Steven Strasburg, who was everything the Nats wanted, and more, the Marlins call-up of Stanton was put on the back of the sports pages, but that's just what the Marlins, and Stanton wanted, just get the kid up here and let hem play.

This kid will hit in the big leagues, and the Marlins were wise to let Stanton start the year in the Suns outfield while he honed his skills, being careful not to rush the young man to fast. 

Stanton didn't disappoint, crushing Southern League pitchers every night, and filling the stands at the Baseball Grounds with baseball fans of all ages making sure they get a look at a big league ball player in the making.

If your reading the list and you live here in Jacksonville, I hope you made it out to see a Suns game before Stanton was called up, but, in case you missed him, I suggest you find the Marlins schedule and go to a game...maybe this weekend when they play the Rays in St. Pete, or find a way down to Miami, however you get there, just get there, because this kid can play.

My favorite players from all 30 Big League teams...Vol. #4...Tampa Bay Rays

Looking at my favorite players from big league clubs...here's the list so far...


Baltimore Orioles...Brooks Robinson
Boston Red Sox...Fred Lynn
New York Yankees...Derek Jeter

Today...Rocco Baldelli, Tampa Bay Rays

OK, I had to think about this one, but not for long. 

One problem was the fact that 2010 is only the 13th season for the Rays, and most of the Rays players that came to mind...Jose Canseco...he won't make any of my teams...or Wade Boggs, Greg Vaughn, Fred McGriff, Miguel Cairo, or Tino Martinez, were guys who came to the Rays for a short period of time, either at the end of their careers, like Canseco, or like Cairo, at the start. To me, a player has to mean something to a team, be a intregal part of a franchise, and to me, Rocco Baldelli is Mr. Tampa Bay Ray.

 

Rocco, now that's a name that stays with you...Rocco...as in Baldelli, and in my mind the best player the Devil Rays ever had, but because of a series of injuries, really never fulfilled his promise, but boy did he ever try.



Rocco Baldelli played center field, and boy was he ever good. He could run in the outfield, on the bases, he could hit, and he played an all or nothing style, sort of like my guy Freddy Lynn, who is one of my fave outfield guys ever, and my favorite BoSox player ever.





Baldelli played in 156 games as a rookie for the Rays in 2003, batting .289, with 11 homers, and 78 RBI, and then in 2004 Rocco hit .280, with 16 HR's, and 74 RBI's...this time in just 136 games.

The future looked bright for Baldelli and the Rays, until Rocco tore his ACL in the 2005 off season while playing baseball with his brother, and then while rehabbing he hurt his elbow, underwent Tommy John surgery, and was out until June 2006...but when he came back, he came back as healthy as ever, hitting .302, with 16 HR's, with 57 RBI's, and 57 runs scored...in just 364 at bats...Rocco was back.



In 2007, Baldelli hurt his hamstring, and as the injury lingered, he appeared in only 35 games. Doctors later discovered that Baldelli suffered from mitochondrial disease, a neuromuscular disease. Baldelli would miss the rest of 2007, and most of 2008, returning in time to help the Rays win the American League pennant, and to play in the World Series.

Rocco won the 2008 Tony Conigliaro Award, given out for "...to overcome adversity...spirit, determination, and courage."

Rocco played sparingly for the Boston Red Sox in 2009, batting .253, with 7 home runs and 23 RBI.

Today Rocco has returned to the Rays as a special assistant, helping the Rays young players, and still hoping for a return to the game he loves.

I hope Rocco gets back into baseball as a player, he was, and still is, a great representative for our National Game, and the Rays organization.

So, here's a cheer to my favorite Tampa Bay Ray of All-Time, Rocco Baldelli..."The Woonsocket Rocket."