TGIF. Friday is the end of the working week and it must be time for us to look at the cornerstones, the third basemen.
Oh wait,. There was one "F" ... ladies and gentlemen, your Toronto Blue Jays!
Here's the entire Jays preview, brief but pointed ...
In today's news, as most of you have probably already heard, Ken Griffey Jr. has elected to re-sign with his original club, the Seattle Mariners.
No links here to the many (many, many) news stories, or the love-fest published by the Seatlle Post-Intelligencer. Just a question for today -- a Question of the Day, if you will -- how's this gonna work out? For Da Kid? For the M's?
Feel free to link to any of those many, many stories yourself, of course, with your considered (or snide and funny) commentary attached, of course.
Every year as spring training approaches, we take a look at some of the statistical milestones that are likely (or in some cases, unlikely) to be broached in the coming season.
After what I admit is just a cursory scan of the active leaderboards on the greatness that is BaseballReference.com, focusing solely on round numbers (that is, numbers like "500" rather than the famous-but-uneven like "755" and "5714"), I found about 40 such numbers. I undoubtedly missed some, so speak up ... take a look at the table after the link and chime in ...
- John Smoltz to the Red Sox? Really? That seems wrong.
- Trevor Hoffman is a Brewer? That seems even wronger!
- Jason Giambi is back in Oakland. There's something right about that, anyway.
- Carl Pavano to the Indians? Why?
- The Red Sox also signed Rocco Baldelli -- good for him (and them)!
- What else is in the news? (Provide links, please!)
- The "big news" on the hot stove lately has been Mark DeRosa being traded from the Cubs to the Indians and the Angels "replacing" Francisco Rodriguez with Brian Fuentes. What else are we missing? Provide links!
- You'll note that the headline above is cleverly and mysteriously void of actual content. Travel back in time, oh, two minutes and tell us ... what headline would you most hope to see here upon coming to Da Box for the first time today? What headline would, alternatively, horrify you the most?
- Manager Pool '09 ... who will be the first manager fired in 2009? How long will it take?
- That poll there to the left, the Teixeira poll -- it's getting kinda old and hasn't generated much interest. And we haven't changed it in a week (as noted, we suck). So, suggest a poll topic including a question and at least four options to choose from as answers. Be prepared -- we might actually use your idea! (And we might not. See the Complaints department if you must. Oh, we don't have one? Another thing to complain about!)
- Yes, the grand old default -- it's open mike time (and not just for those named Michael, like I am) ... what's on your mind? What should be on everyone else's mind?
- And finally, what is the answer to life, the universe and everything? (Warning: there is a correct answer to this question, as fans of British comedy will assure you.)
The Jays have signed three more players to add depth at AAA or to battle for backup roles in the major leagues. These three players will join Matt Clement and Michael Barrett on the "taxi squad". The three players are catcher Raul Chavez, pitcher Mike Maroth and and infielder Randy Ruiz.
Every ... okay, most ... well, all right, some ... New Year's Eves here on Da Box, we talk resolutions. (Near as I can tell, we've done it twice -- in 2004-05 and last year, 2007-08). But let's make this not-exactly-annual trek into New Year's fortitude and see if we can show some "resolve" ...
Now's your chance to share either your own baseball-related resolution, posted in public where you'll have no choice but to own up to it a year from now, or -- if you want to go for the cheap laugh, to post a resolution "on behalf of" someone in MLB.
That said, a few pointers ...
Every year here on Batter's Box, we gather on Christmas Day to recount our blessings of the past year and to share ....
Oh hell, no we don't. We come to brag about what baseball-related gifts we found under the tree left by that irascible never-aging prospect, Kris Kringle (DH, North Pole U.) ... so, Bauxites, what did YOU get (or give) that relates the Winter Holidays to the Summer Pastime? Don't hold back! Best gift story gets, you guessed it, a Yuletide No-Prize!
This sharing is usually led by our own Mick Doherty, I am pinch hitting this year. Oh .. . and before I completely forget ... Merry Christmas and all that sort of thing, to you and yours from us and ours!