Baseball and 2016 Spirit Day

Today is a special day across our country.


Today is Spirit Day in America.

We stand up to all bullying in our country, respecting the rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.



We stand up for inclusion in our lives, and that includes Major League Baseball.

I've never understood bullies, never understood why some people have to validate their lives by bullying other people, especially children, because they have a different belief in life.


They tried to bully me in my Freshman year of high school,  the bullies...but they failed...I refused to fight kids who were calling me names, trying to get me to break...they wanted a reason to beat me up...I refused to let them.



After I refused to give them credence to being jerks, they never bothered me again.



It's not that easy for young people anymore...the hatred and bullying of kids has gotten horrible becase the bullies can now use the Internet and Social Media to bully their targets.


My heart goes out to all those who have been, are being, will be bulied.


May God reach out and grab the hearts of those in despair...those being bullied...and to those who are the bullies...may He reach deep into their hearts to help them understand that what they are doing is wrong...that all people have the right to be happy, to be free, and to live the lifestyle that they live in peace.



I have two beautiful young women in my family who are Gay, and they are magnificent, talented, and loving people.


They have every right to their lives, to choose how to live them, to love that one special person in their lives, and to pursue the happiness that they seek


No bully...and certainly not any politician...has the right to tell either of them how to live their lives.




Play Ball!

The Indians are the 2016 American League Champions

Yesterday in Toronto the first piece to the 2016 World Series was set as the Cleveland Indians beat the Blue Jays, 3-0, winning the series 4 games to 1.

It's the first A.L. flag for Cleveland since 1997.


The Indians are a terrific baseball team.


I know this because in 18 games played between the Tribe and my Detroit Tigers, the Tribe won 14 of 18 games played...


...the 19th was rained out the final week of the season.


14 out of 18...that's how the Indians won the A.L. Central Division, hammering the Tigers this year from the very start, going 10-0 vs Detroit until the Tigers finally won a game against their division rivals.



An interesting thing about the Indians pennant run...this is the 4th A.L. Central Division team to play in the World Series in the past 5 years...the Tigers in 2012, the Kansas City Royals in 2014 and 2015, and now Cleveland.


As a Tigers fan this fact is something that is both a good thing, and yet worrisome, at the same time.


The A.L. Central isn't that good at division...the Twins were horrible, the White Sox weren't good, and the defending champion Royals faltered in September.


Because it's not that good of a division, it gives me hope for 2017 that my Tigers can bounce back, compete...and win the division.


It's also a sign that any team...even the Twins, are capable of turning it around next year...anything can happen in baseball.


The Indians are looking to win the World Series for the first time since 1948, beating the then Boston Braves in 6 games.

68 years is long time...the City of Cleveland is trying to double up after the Cavaliers won the NBA Title this summer.


I can't, as a Tigers fan, root for that to happen...I didn't want the Royals to win the past two years, and Im not rooting for the Tribe this year either.


I'm hoping the Dodgers win in the National League, but a Cubs-Indians World Series would be fun to watch...68 years without a championship vs 108 years for the Cubs with out a title.


If it's the Cubs vs the Indians I'll give a prediction of the Tribe winning Game 7 at home.

Cubs fans...I'll want you to win...but the Tribe is too good at home.


PLAY BALL!

My 2016 Baseball Bloggers Alliance Awards Ballot... National League

Every year I'm honored to submit a ballot to the Baseball Bloggers Alliance ...these are the National League players and managers that I'll be voting for for Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young Award, and Most Valuable Player Award.

⚾ My previous post was my American League Award Ballots.


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Here are my picks...


National League Rookie of the Year

1. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Trevor Strory, Colorado Rockies
3. Aledmys Diaz, St. Louis Cardinals

National League Manager of the Year

1. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Dusty Baker, Washington Nationals
3. Terry Collins, New York Mets


National League Cy Young Award

1. Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins 
2. Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs
3. Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals


National League Most Valuable Player Award

1. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
3. Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals


⚾⚾⚾ There it is...my ballot.

My 2016 Baseball Bloggers Alliance Awards Ballot... National League

Every year I'm honored to submit a ballot to the Baseball Bloggers Alliance ...these are the National League players and managers that I'll be voting for for Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young Award, and Most Valuable Player Award.

⚾ My previous post was my American League Award Ballots.


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Here are my picks...


National League Rookie of the Year

1. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Trevor Strory, Colorado Rockies
3. Aledmys Diaz, St. Louis Cardinals

National League Manager of the Year

1. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Dusty Baker, Washington Nationals
3. Terry Collins, New York Mets


National League Cy Young Award

1. Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins 
2. Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs
3. Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals


National League Most Valuable Player Award

1. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers 
2. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
3. Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals


⚾⚾⚾ There it is...my ballot.

My 2016 Baseball Bloggers Alliance Awards Ballot... American League

Where does the baseball season go...wasn't it just yesterday that we were all excited about pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training?


Yes, it seems like it, but in reality we've gone through another terrific season of big league baseball for 7 months now....and we're a few games from the championship series to determine the participants in the World Series.


2016 was my 50th year as a baseball fan...1967 was a very, very long time ago...a time of turmoil in our country, and in Detroit, home of my beloved Tigers.


My Uncle Bob took us to Tiger Stadium that tumultuous year...heck, I was just 7, my brother Robert was 6...we didn't know anything about the racial and political protests going on in America...we just loved baseball.


The Tigers lost a close Pennant race in 1967...much like the team did this year in missing out of a Wild Card berth on the final day of the season.


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I started writing this blog in April of 2010, and for the past several years I've been honored to vote for my choices of Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, the Walter Johnson Award Winner for best pitcher, and the Stan Musial Award for the MVP of each league for the Baseball Bloggers Alliance.


Just so you know...

My pre-season choices for CY Young Awards...the Tigers Justin Verlander and the Cardinals Adam Wainwright.

My MVP picks... Jose Altuve of the Astros and Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks.




⚾ Here are my choices for the best of the American League in 2016...


⚾⚾ American League Rookie of the Year

1. Michael Fulmer, Detroit Tigers

2. Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees

3. Tyler Naquin, Cleveland Indians.



⚾⚾ American League Manager of the Year

1. Terry Franconia, Cleveland Indians 

2. Brad Ausmus, Detroit Tigers

3. John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays




⚾⚾ American League Cy Young Award

1. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers 

2. Rick Parcello, Boston Red Sox

3. Jay Happy, Toronto Blue Jays



⚾⚾ American League Most Valuable Player

1. Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox

2. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

3. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers


⚾⚾⚾ There it is...my ballot.

My Baseball Mailbox, September 18, 2016.

Happy Sunday! everyone,  I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful day of baseball.


Today's Baseball Mailbox is a beautiful illustration of former big leaguer Buck Weaver, courtesy of Tim Fox-Godden.


Over on his Twitter page Tim was giving away an illustration of the former White Sox 3rd Baseman, and because I like Buck Weaver, I put my entry in, and, well...I won.

My Saturday mailbox had the print with a very nice message from Tim...

Tim is a marvelous Illustrator who blends baseball with a dedication to the Doughboys of World War I...

If you're a baseball fan, or a fan of art, or history, check out Tim's website, and if you're on Twitter, he's  at @TJFoxGodden .


Thanks Tim, for making my day... PLAY BALL!

Baseball Bulletin... September 15, 2016

This is a big weekend in the baseball.


Last night the Chicago Cubs clinched their first National League Eastern Division championship since 2008, when the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the San Francisco Giants.


That leaves the other five division and wild card races still looking for teams to take their place in the chase for the playoffs, including my Detroit Tigers, who are not playing well, and will have to probably sweep the Indians in Cleveland this weekend...a mighty task, too stay in the wild card race.


The Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and possibly the Indians, will be the next teams to clinch their divisions...but the A.L. East and the N.L. West are still up for grabs.



The Tribe and Tigers still have 7 games remaining with each other, starting tonight in Cleveland, with the Indians going to Motown September 26-29.



The Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays are all battling each other for the A.L. East flag, with the Yankees also on the hunt for a post season berth.

All four teams, the BoSox, Orioles, Jays, and Yankees, are separated by only 5 games in the A.L. East.


The Seattle Mariners, playing their best baseball of the year, are also right in the A.L. wild Card chase...it's going to be an amazing finish in the Junior Circuit.



The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Giants by 4 games in the N.L. West, and both teams, along with the New York Mets and Cardinals, possible N.L. wild card contenders.


That final weekend, the Dodgers at the Giants, could be for not only the division title, but the loser could be out of the playoffs altogether.



⚾⚾⚾ There is a lot going on in, and around baseball, and these are a few things I've noticed...


Major League Baseball released the 2017 schedule for all 30 big league teams this week.

Why they choose to do this in the middle of the Pennant race, and 7 months before the season even starts, is beyond me.


The 2017 MLB season starts on Sunday, April 2nd.



⚾ After 21 years the Atlanta Braves are moving out of Turner Field and to a new ballpark in Cobb County in 2017, some 20 miles away from Atlanta.


The Braves are having a fan vote on their All-Time Turner Field team...VOTE right here...



⚾ The Chicago White Sox set a new Guinness World Record when 1,122 dogs made their way to U.S. Cellular Field on the South Side.



⚾ Dodgers announcer Vin Scully will retire after 67 years broadcasting the teams ballgames, and has announced that he will not be doing any of the Dodgers playoff games.

His final game will be in San Francisco on October 2 against the Giants...Vin started calling games between the two old rivals in 1950, when it was Brooklyn vs New York.

There will be many tributes to Vin in the next two weeks... here's one from 9 Inning Know it All  and one from Vin'started Alma-Mater, The Fordham Ram.




⚾ For those who know me and follow me on social media, you know that I consider The Natural the Greatest Baseball movie ever made... Rob Neyer of FOX Sports revisits the movie...I don't have to, nor will I, ever change my mind...but give Rob a read.



⚾ If you love baseball, and are an old school guy like myself, this article from Redleg Nation will tug at your heart.




⚾ This baseball fan got a brand new baseball glove...57 years and lots of bubble gum later.




⚾ If you've ever wondered how a radio play by play guy prepares for a game, George Simple of the Detroit Free Press gives us insight on Tigers announcer Dan Dickerson's game notes.



Well, that about does it for this post.


I hope you all enjoy what's sure to be a terrific weekend of big league baseball.


Play Ball! ⚾⚾⚾

Baseball Bulletin... September 15, 2016

This is a big weekend in the baseball.


Last night the Chicago Cubs clinched their first National League Eastern Division championship since 2008, when the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the San Francisco Giants.


That leaves the other five division and wild card races still looking for teams to take their place in the chase for the playoffs, including my Detroit Tigers, who are not playing well, and will have to probably sweep the Indians in Cleveland this weekend...a mighty task, too stay in the wild card race.


The Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and possibly the Indians, will be the next teams to clinch their divisions...but the A.L. East and the N.L. West are still up for grabs.



The Tribe and Tigers still have 7 games remaining with each other, starting tonight in Cleveland, with the Indians going to Motown September 26-29.



The Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays are all battling each other for the A.L. East flag, with the Yankees also on the hunt for a post season berth.

All four teams, the BoSox, Orioles, Jays, and Yankees, are separated by only 5 games in the A.L. East.


The Seattle Mariners, playing their best baseball of the year, are also right in the A.L. wild Card chase...it's going to be an amazing finish in the Junior Circuit.



The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Giants by 4 games in the N.L. West, and both teams, along with the New York Mets and Cardinals, possible N.L. wild card contenders.


That final weekend, the Dodgers at the Giants, could be for not only the division title, but the loser could be out of the playoffs altogether.



⚾⚾⚾ There is a lot going on in, and around baseball, and these are a few things I've noticed...


Major League Baseball released the 2017 schedule for all 30 big league teams this week.

Why they choose to do this in the middle of the Pennant race, and 7 months before the season even starts, is beyond me.


The 2017 MLB season starts on Sunday, April 2nd.



⚾ After 21 years the Atlanta Braves are moving out of Turner Field and to a new ballpark in Cobb County in 2017, some 20 miles away from Atlanta.


The Braves are having a fan vote on their All-Time Turner Field team...VOTE right here...



⚾ The Chicago White Sox set a new Guinness World Record when 1,122 dogs made their way to U.S. Cellular Field on the South Side.



⚾ Dodgers announcer Vin Scully will retire after 67 years broadcasting the teams ballgames, and has announced that he will not be doing any of the Dodgers playoff games.

His final game will be in San Francisco on October 2 against the Giants...Vin started calling games between the two old rivals in 1950, when it was Brooklyn vs New York.

There will be many tributes to Vin in the next two weeks... here's one from 9 Inning Know it All  and one from Vin'started Alma-Mater, The Fordham Ram.




⚾ For those who know me and follow me on social media, you know that I consider The Natural the Greatest Baseball movie ever made... Rob Neyer of FOX Sports revisits the movie...I don't have to, nor will I, ever change my mind...but give Rob a read.



⚾ If you love baseball, and are an old school guy like myself, this article from Redleg Nation will tug at your heart.




⚾ This baseball fan got a brand new baseball glove...57 years and lots of bubble gum later.




⚾ If you've ever wondered how a radio play by play guy prepares for a game, George Simple of the Detroit Free Press gives us insight on Tigers announcer Dan Dickerson's game notes.



Well, that about does it for this post.


I hope you all enjoy what's sure to be a terrific weekend of big league baseball.


Play Ball! ⚾⚾⚾

Never Forget

The 2016 Roberto Clemente Award Nominees

Major League Baseball announced the 30 finalists for the 46th annual Roberto Clemente Award, given to the big league ballplayer who achieves greatness off the field in their local communities.

Established as The Commissioner's Trophy in 1971, the award was first presented to the great Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants. 



After the death of Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente  on December 31, 1972, MLB changed the name in honor of the great humanitarian who died in a plane crash trying to get supplies to the country of Nicaragua after a horrific earthquake earlier that year.



Detroit Tigers right fielder Al Kaline, fittingly, was the very first recipient of the newly named award.



For 20 years Kaline and Clemente were the Gold  standard for right fielders in baseball, winning a combined 22 Gold Glove Awards between 1957-72, including 12 straight by Clemente his final 12 years.



Two members of the Pirates have won the Clemente Award...Hall of Fame outfielder/first baseman Willie Stargell, in 1974, and current Pittsburgh centerfielder Andrew McCutcheon in 2015.

Baseball fans can vote on social media for their choice for this year's winner starting on Wednesday,  September 7th... Roberto Clemente Day across the big leagues... I'll be posting #VoteMiggy of course, as a true Tigers fan, of course.

Nominees for the Clemente Award include Adam Wainwright, Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Pirates nominee Jared Hughes.

Congratulations! to all the nominees for their marvelous work.



To learn about all 30 nominees, and how to vote for your player, just go here for all the details.


Play Ball! ⚾