After residents in Sarasota, FL., refused a $16 million referendum to renovate the ballpark, the Cincinnati Reds are looking for a new Spring Training home. And it looks like they found one.
The City Council of Goodyear, Ariz., is considering allowing the Reds to come join the Cleveland Indians at their ballpark for Spring Training. Such an agreement could fulfill the needs of both parties as it gave Goodyear their wanted second MLB team to come and practice their and the Reds by giving them a new spring home.
Although they wouldn't move to Arizona until 2009, coming to the new town might also help the Reds straggling fan base. While hundreds will line up outside of the stadiums to watch the Yankees and the Red Sox practice, only several dozen are willing to come watch the Reds. Reds consultant John Allen, who has been working with officials from Goodyear throughout the year, said, "It's not a done deal, but both parties are serious enough to do this."
Speaking of stadiums, the stadiums the Reds would be sharing with the Indians would have only one field, but separate clubhouses and workout fields.
If the Reds go ahead with the move, then would be the twelfth team to join the Cactus League (fitting name), the league the teams in Arizona play in. Such a move would also distance them from the Yanks and Sox, which could greatly improve their fan base, which has failed in Florida.
If you are in favor of the Reds leaving Florida and joining the Diamondbacks in the desert, post a comment saying Aye. If not, say nay.
-Bobby
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Where does it stop??
Hello, my name is Bobby Smith and I am the man who will be covering the Cincinnati Reds in their rise to greatness. Although I am the Reds coverer, I decided to post about the latest and seemingly worst happening in the MLB since the White Sox World Series scandal: the Mitchell Report.
I'm sure you have all heard about the Mitchell Report concerning steroids in the MLB. Thing is, I have never understood why a senator, retired or not, ended up investigating the MLB. It doesn't make sense. Last time I checked, it was an MLB problem to be dealt with by the MLB.
George Mitchell is a seventy-four year-old former Senate majority leader (D-Maine) who, for some reason, was called in by the MLB to investigate steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) use in the MLB. After his investigation, he published the Mitchell Report.
On the list in 409 page report were Roger Clemens, who was mentioned significantly, Barry Bonds, who we already know about, Miguel Tejada, and Andy Pettite, all major players in the sport. Other players listed were Eric Gagne, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Gary Matthews Jr., Paul Byrd, Jose Guillen, Brian Roberts, Paul lo Duca, Rick Ankiel, Rafael Palmiro, Kevin Brown, Benito Santiago, Lenny Dykstra, Chuck Knoblaugh, David Justice, Mo Vaughn, Todd Hundley, and Fernando Vina, all of whom made the Mitchell Report.
To add to this, many people who used to work for Major League teams have now admitted to selling steroids and HGH to players on their team. One such is Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets bat boy and clubhouse employee, who plead guilty in a court hearing to selling steroids for over a decade. After his guilty plea, he gave up on baseball and now is working with Mitchell while running his Long Island business.
Speaking of senators, the fact that the players mentioned in the Mitchell Report will have to appear before Congress. CONGRESS! The way I understood it, the legislative branch of the government made laws for the people, not investigate the peoples entertainment. Also, isn't it the the job of the judiciary branch to enforce the law? Thought so. So I have one question for all those politicians: why are my senators/congressmen investigating my entertainment? And why is this such a Federal deal? They broke MLB rules, not Federal laws, so its the MLB's problem. If the MLB wants to prosecute, let them do it in the judiciary branch, not the legislative.
-Bobby
I'm sure you have all heard about the Mitchell Report concerning steroids in the MLB. Thing is, I have never understood why a senator, retired or not, ended up investigating the MLB. It doesn't make sense. Last time I checked, it was an MLB problem to be dealt with by the MLB.
George Mitchell is a seventy-four year-old former Senate majority leader (D-Maine) who, for some reason, was called in by the MLB to investigate steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) use in the MLB. After his investigation, he published the Mitchell Report.
On the list in 409 page report were Roger Clemens, who was mentioned significantly, Barry Bonds, who we already know about, Miguel Tejada, and Andy Pettite, all major players in the sport. Other players listed were Eric Gagne, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Gary Matthews Jr., Paul Byrd, Jose Guillen, Brian Roberts, Paul lo Duca, Rick Ankiel, Rafael Palmiro, Kevin Brown, Benito Santiago, Lenny Dykstra, Chuck Knoblaugh, David Justice, Mo Vaughn, Todd Hundley, and Fernando Vina, all of whom made the Mitchell Report.
To add to this, many people who used to work for Major League teams have now admitted to selling steroids and HGH to players on their team. One such is Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets bat boy and clubhouse employee, who plead guilty in a court hearing to selling steroids for over a decade. After his guilty plea, he gave up on baseball and now is working with Mitchell while running his Long Island business.
Speaking of senators, the fact that the players mentioned in the Mitchell Report will have to appear before Congress. CONGRESS! The way I understood it, the legislative branch of the government made laws for the people, not investigate the peoples entertainment. Also, isn't it the the job of the judiciary branch to enforce the law? Thought so. So I have one question for all those politicians: why are my senators/congressmen investigating my entertainment? And why is this such a Federal deal? They broke MLB rules, not Federal laws, so its the MLB's problem. If the MLB wants to prosecute, let them do it in the judiciary branch, not the legislative.
-Bobby
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Unacceptable Response by Brian Walker
To formally introduce myself, I'm Felix van der Vaart. As our first post said, I'm covering specifically the Rays but watching this response by Brian Walker told me something else.
We truly have seen nothing bad at baseball until we get to Arkansas's Brian Walker. Sure, Billy Ball was hard with Billy Martin in the 1970's and Earl Weaver had quite a temper. We can even look at the extreme example of Delmon Young when he threw his bat at an umpire during a game which gave him a year's suspension. But when we look at these two examples, they are both because of what the player's thought were a bad call or just sheer anger at the game.
Let's examine more closely about what was going on with Brian Walker. Walker hit .268 in the year, starting the entire time, second on the team with 11 home runs. The point is, he was doing well. Now we look at him during the game. What had he done. Well, it's basically his first at bat and what you want here (There's no outs, no one on) is to simply find the pitch you want and get a short swing and a good hit. Instead something else happens. Watch
WHAT??? Did I see that right? Brian Walker just faked that he got hit! Now we have to ask him some questions...
1. Did the ball hurt your arm hair as it grazed by? What on earth was the justification for doing what you did?
2. Were you aware that you were being broadcasted on live television across the nation (FSN) and that there are multiple camera views?
3. Were you aware that you were draftable until then?
4. What were you thinking?
Sure you want to get on for your team but beyond honesty? Baseball is always an honest sport and should be. It wasn't in 1876 and it won't be changed by you.
The main reason why his reaction was worse than everyone else's was because he cheated. He cheated. He knew he didn't get hit. But that wasn't just it. After he struck out (on a humongous, idiotic for 2 strikes and no outs, swing) he points his bat viciously at the umpire. What the? I mean that's unthinkable. Now you've got your team with a backup catcher who's probably pretty lousy, you're not only out for one at bat, but for the next two games, in which your team may be out by then.
It's not smart. And it's just not baseball.
Now don't get it twisted. I'm not saying (by no means) that it's at all acceptable for Delmon Young to do what he did but here's the difference. Delmon Young didn't cheat. He did throw the bat, yes (it got him suspended for an entire year), but did he fake something?
Lets not turn baseball into soccer's common theatrics. It's America's pastime and its a gentleman's sport.
Not the MLS....
-Felix
We truly have seen nothing bad at baseball until we get to Arkansas's Brian Walker. Sure, Billy Ball was hard with Billy Martin in the 1970's and Earl Weaver had quite a temper. We can even look at the extreme example of Delmon Young when he threw his bat at an umpire during a game which gave him a year's suspension. But when we look at these two examples, they are both because of what the player's thought were a bad call or just sheer anger at the game.
Let's examine more closely about what was going on with Brian Walker. Walker hit .268 in the year, starting the entire time, second on the team with 11 home runs. The point is, he was doing well. Now we look at him during the game. What had he done. Well, it's basically his first at bat and what you want here (There's no outs, no one on) is to simply find the pitch you want and get a short swing and a good hit. Instead something else happens. Watch
WHAT??? Did I see that right? Brian Walker just faked that he got hit! Now we have to ask him some questions...
1. Did the ball hurt your arm hair as it grazed by? What on earth was the justification for doing what you did?
2. Were you aware that you were being broadcasted on live television across the nation (FSN) and that there are multiple camera views?
3. Were you aware that you were draftable until then?
4. What were you thinking?
Sure you want to get on for your team but beyond honesty? Baseball is always an honest sport and should be. It wasn't in 1876 and it won't be changed by you.
The main reason why his reaction was worse than everyone else's was because he cheated. He cheated. He knew he didn't get hit. But that wasn't just it. After he struck out (on a humongous, idiotic for 2 strikes and no outs, swing) he points his bat viciously at the umpire. What the? I mean that's unthinkable. Now you've got your team with a backup catcher who's probably pretty lousy, you're not only out for one at bat, but for the next two games, in which your team may be out by then.
It's not smart. And it's just not baseball.
Now don't get it twisted. I'm not saying (by no means) that it's at all acceptable for Delmon Young to do what he did but here's the difference. Delmon Young didn't cheat. He did throw the bat, yes (it got him suspended for an entire year), but did he fake something?
Lets not turn baseball into soccer's common theatrics. It's America's pastime and its a gentleman's sport.
Not the MLS....
-Felix
What the Sixth Sense is all about
Howdy. We are the Sixth Sense and we have decided to write a blog about baseball. This blog is designed to get you inside several teams, with a report and analysis of each team every week. It will also include a bio of 7 players each week, causing you to know about 350 players by the end of the year, helping out your baseball I.Q. as well as your fantasy team.
As for the name, The Sixth Sense, what is that all about? Well, voted for by popularity by the official members of the squad, it talks about baseball being the sixth sense. Of course you have hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, and seeing but what about the fifth sense? Contrary to what the movie says, the sixth sense is baseball. You see, America lives and dreams about baseball. It is how we started and how we exist.
Yet this blog will aspire to go beyond 1876 and the invention of baseball and talk about todays reality as well as many guest posts.
As for now, we hope that you enjoy visiting this blog and check by regularly for information.
Here's our crew as of January 27, 2008:
Michael Smith-Covering the Chicago Cubs and their destiny
Robert Black-Covering the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Desert
James Flanagan -Covering the 2007 WS champs, the Boston Red Sox
Mark Svendsen -Covering the 2000 WS champs from the Bronx, the New York Yankees
Bobby Smith -Covering the Cincinnati Reds and their rise to greatness
Peter Christophersen -Covering the Seattle Mariners
Felix van der Vaart -Covering the newly renamed Tampa Bay Rays
We will also each pick a player a week to give the spotlight on.
Thank you for your time,
The Sixth Sense
As for the name, The Sixth Sense, what is that all about? Well, voted for by popularity by the official members of the squad, it talks about baseball being the sixth sense. Of course you have hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, and seeing but what about the fifth sense? Contrary to what the movie says, the sixth sense is baseball. You see, America lives and dreams about baseball. It is how we started and how we exist.
Yet this blog will aspire to go beyond 1876 and the invention of baseball and talk about todays reality as well as many guest posts.
As for now, we hope that you enjoy visiting this blog and check by regularly for information.
Here's our crew as of January 27, 2008:
Michael Smith-Covering the Chicago Cubs and their destiny
Robert Black-Covering the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Desert
James Flanagan -Covering the 2007 WS champs, the Boston Red Sox
Mark Svendsen -Covering the 2000 WS champs from the Bronx, the New York Yankees
Bobby Smith -Covering the Cincinnati Reds and their rise to greatness
Peter Christophersen -Covering the Seattle Mariners
Felix van der Vaart -Covering the newly renamed Tampa Bay Rays
We will also each pick a player a week to give the spotlight on.
Thank you for your time,
The Sixth Sense
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Copyright The Sixth Sense, 2008