Posted by Lee Carswell on Wed, Oct 19, 2011 @ 10:48 AM
I don't know about you but I welcome this years World Series. Alot of talk has been made of the television ratings being down, and that the Phillies, Yankees, or Rex Sox are not involved.
What is so wrong with that? You have a team that had no business even being in the playoffs, with one of the great regular season pushes in history, and to beat out 2 of the best teams in baseball in the Phillies and Brewers. A team that has rich history, a winning attitude and is a great underdog story.
Texas making a second straight World Series appearance is a very exciting team to watch, lots of great players to root for, and the kind of team that just plays the game the right way.
So what is all the fuss about? Just sit back and enjoy the games, it should be a very high scoring, offensive showdown.
Posted by Lee Carswell on Thu, Sep 29, 2011 @ 10:18 AM
Local Ottawa apparel company teams up to launch a baseball inspired line of urban wear.
Limited Edition hats, t-shirts and jackets with the Sam Bat logo were released today as well as some cool pics of the bat making process in the lookbook.
The entire line can be viewed on the Raised By Wolves website www.raisedbywolves.ca
Posted by Lee Carswell on Fri, Aug 05, 2011 @ 10:19 AM
Name: Rickie Weeks
Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Bat Model: Sam Bat RW23
Length: 35
Weight: 32 ounces
Cup: Full Cup
Color: Black with Gold Logo
Born September 13 1982 in Daytona Beach Florida, Rickie is a Major League second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers.
He made is Major League debut on September 15th 2003, but did not become a full time player for the Brewers until 2005.
Rickie went to Southern University in Baton Rouge where he was a two-time All American and was the finalist for the 2004 James E. Sullivan award as the United States top amateur athlete.
Rickie was finally recognized in 2011 as a National League starter in the 2011 All-Star Game at second base. Rickie was also chosen by NL Home Run Derby captain Prince Fielder to represent the National league in the 2011 Home Run Derby.
Rickie Weeks wears jersey # 23, bats right and throws right
Posted by Lee Carswell on Fri, Jul 29, 2011 @ 11:45 AM
Name: Justin Upton
Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
Bat Model: Sam Bat UP10
Length: 34
Weight: 31.5 ounces
Cup: No Cup
Color: Nude with Black Logo
Born August 25 1987 in Norfolk Virginia, Justin was drafted first overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his Major League Debut on August 31, 2007, and has been named an MLB all-star twice.
Justin and his brother BJ (Tampa Bay) are the only brothers in Major League history to be drafted in the first and second slots of a first round draft.
Justin was previously an all-district shortstop for Great Bridge High School in his home state of Virginia where he won the AFLAC National High School player of the year award.
Justin wears jersey #10, bats right, throws right, and plays RF for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Posted by Lee Carswell on Thu, Jul 14, 2011 @ 03:20 PM
The television ratings for this years 2011 All Star game were the lowest in the history of the game, an overnight rating of 6.9 and a 12 share.
Ratings represent the percentage of all households with televisions tuned into a program, and shares represent the percentage of all homes with TV's in use at that time.
With 16 players deciding to skip this years event, and a lot of the top AL pitchers not even getting into the game itself, it seems that if the players don't care, the fans don't either.
Has the All Star game gone stale in your opinion?How or what should be changed to make things a little more exciting? where players are encouraged and proud to participate in the game.
Posted by Matt Davidson on Mon, Jul 11, 2011 @ 09:11 AM
Hey everyone, so the year is already half way over! Starting the second half!
It seems like every year goes quicker than the last. I remember my first season in Yakima seemed like it took an eternity! Nowadays the games and batting practice fly by and the days seem to go by the dozens.
On that thought I want to talk about enjoying the moment. Ours days go by so quickly that we can get caught up in our routines and be so focused on completing our tasks and moving onto the next one that we forget what’s important to us.
A week ago I was so ready for the all-star break I was actually counting down the batting and infield practices, ha-ha. Right after the last game of the first half, I drove to San Luis Obispofor the next few days. For some reason while I was on break, all I could think about was playing baseball and working on my game. I watched baseball on TV as much as I could. I know i'm crazy but it reminded me of how much I love the sport and that I truly love being at the ballpark everyday. It’s true the monotony of the game can wear on you as a player, but taking a step back reaffirmed that this game is in my blood. It helped me remember why I love my job.
On a completely different subject, I just read a book written by Jeremy Camp, who is my favorite artist. He is a Christian rock singer. I would encourage anyone to read his book. It will quickly put you into perspective. I enjoy reading before my games every night. Some guys like to listen to “pump up music” or other pre game activities.
Reading puts my mind into a comfortable, relaxed state where I can go into every game with a consistent mindset. What do you like to do before a game or big activity to get you ready to go?
My quote for this month as promised is, “ Be kind to everyone you meet on your way up, because they are the same people you will meet on your way down!” I will leave you with that!
Talk to you next month!
Posted by Lee Carswell on Tue, Jul 05, 2011 @ 09:48 AM
The 82nd annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held at Chase Field in Phoenix Arizona on Tuesday July 12, 2011. It will be the first All Star game in Arizona and the first in a National League Park to have a designated hitter.
Who do you think got snubbed?
Do you like the idea of fans voting on players or should it go to the most deserving players for that givin year?
AL STARTERS
C-Alex Avila (DET)
1B-Adrian Gonzalez (BOS)
2B-Robinson Cano (NYY)
3B-Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
SS-Derek Jeter (NYY)
OF-Jose Bautista (TOR)
OF-Curtis Granderson (NYY)
OF-Josh Hamilton (NYY)
DH-David Ortiz (BOS)
AL PITCHERS
Josh Beckett (BOS)
Aaron Crow (KC)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK)
Felix Hernandez (SEA)
Brandon League (SEA)
Chris Perez (CLE)
David Price (TB)
Mariano Rivera (NYY)
James Shields (TB)
Jose Valverde (DET)
Justin Verlander (DET)
Jered Weaver (LAA)
C.J. Wilson (TEX)
AL RESERVES
C-Russell Martin (NYY)
C-Matt Wieters (BAL)
1B- Miguel Cabrera (DET)
2B-Howard Kendrick (LAA)
3B-Adrian Beltre (TEX)
SS-Asdrubal Cabrera (CLE)
OF-Michael Cuddyer (MIN)
OF-Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS)
OF-Matt Joyce (TB)
OF-Carlos Quentin (CHW)
DH-Michael Young (TEX)
NL STARTERS
C-Brian McCann (ATL)
1B-Prince Fielder (MIL)
2B-Rickie Weeks (MIL)
3B-Placido Polanco (PHI)
SS-Jose Reyes (NYM)
OF-Ryan Braun (MIL)
OF-Lance Berkman (STL)
OF-Matt Kemp (LAD)
NL PITCHERS
Heath Bell (SD)
Matt Cain (SF)
Tyler Clippard (WSH)
Roy Halladay (PHI)
Cole Hamels (PHI)
Joel Hanrahan (PIT)
Jair Jurrjens (ATL)
Clayton Kershaw (LAD)
Cliff Lee (PHI)
Tim Lincecum (SF)
Johnny Venters (ATL)
Ryan Vogelsong (SF)
Brian Wilson (SF)
NL RESERVES
C-Yadier Molina (STL)
1B-Gaby Sanchez (FLA)
1B-Joey Votto (CIN)
2B-Brandon Phillips (CIN)
3B-Chipper Jones (ATL)
SS-Starlin Castro (CHC)
SS-Troy Tulowitski (COL)
OF-Carlos Beltran (NYM)
OF-Jay Bruce (CIN)
OF-Matt Holliday (STL)
OF-Hunter Pence (HOU)
OF-Justin Upton (ARI)
Posted by Chris Doyle on Fri, May 27, 2011 @ 12:16 PM
So we can’t call Jose Bautista underrated anymore. That debate has ended with J-Bombs’ unreal start to the 2011 season. He currently leads the majors with 19 home runs, sits second in batting average (.353), first in slugging percentage and first in on base percentage. He’s turned into baseball’s best player and, quite frankly, it’s not even close.
So who is baseball’s new underappreciated hitter?
For me, it’s Jay Bruce.
A strange choice, you might say, but have a look at his numbers and compare that to the (lack) of attention he receives and you’re likely to see my point.
Bruce is overshadowed by reigning MVP and Reds teammate Joey Votto, yet Bruce’s production this season is comparable if not better. Votto has the edge in batting average (.330 to .289) but Bruce has over twice as many homers (14 to 6), just three fewer runs, and two more RBI. Slugging percentage favors Bruce (.556 to Votto's .527) and he plays a more demanding position than Votto (right field versus first base).
Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting that Bruce is a better or more valuable player than Votto. There’s a reason Votto was named the National League MVP last season and Bruce wasn’t. Rather, I’m saying that because of Votto’s success, Bruce is overlooked.
Over the past 30 days, Jay Bruce has hit .340 with 11 home runs – two more than the red hot and much hyped Curtis Granderson and the same as the aforementioned league leader Bautista. And yet you never hear Bruce’s name mentioned.
If he doesn’t fit the definition of underrated, I don’t know who does.
Posted by Chris Doyle on Fri, May 13, 2011 @ 02:55 PM
I’ve often been asked, “Why do you like baseball so much?” There’s no easy answer. There’s not one defining attribute about baseball that makes it stand out over other sports. Football has intense collisions between freight trains players, hockey has fast paced, end-to-end action, and basketball has crazy dunks.
But what about baseball?
It’s about the little things. Baseball is a “sum of its parts.” There may not be a single defining feature that makes it a great game, but the combination of all the wonderful little things makes it unique.
Here are a few of my favourites:
1. Rain delays
You may be thinking, “Hey, what’s so good about having to wait an indefinite period of time before the teams can play ball again?” Well, it’s instances like this that make rain delays so unique and kind of fun. Who wouldn’t want to spend an extra hour or two at the ballpark anyway?
2. Day games
Is there a more nostalgic sporting event to watch than a Saturday afternoon baseball game under the sun? Or how about taking a Wednesday afternoon off work to catch a game at the park or on TV? Besides football, no other sport makes afternoon games a regular occurrence. But they’re damn fun! They provide that escape from reality that many of us need during those dog days of summer.
3. Mammoth home runs
Sometimes there are those no doubters, like this one from Justin Upton, where you’re just waiting to see how far away it lands as soon as bat meets ball. Even better is when you see the outfielder just standing there, not planning on moving at all because he knows it’s been crushed. And when they’re of the walk-off variety, even better.
What are your favourite little things about baseball?
Posted by Matt Davidson on Tue, May 10, 2011 @ 10:21 AM
Hey everyone, it’s Matt Davidson here to check in.
About 8 months ago my agent surprised me with a phone call informing me that he had just worked out a deal with Sam Bat. I was ecstatic with the news – Sam Bat is my favorite wood, and that’s what I used throughout the 2010 season. As part of my deal, I have to write a blog covering my 2011 season. Writing isn’t necessarily my forte, but I hope you tag along as I share my season experiences with you.
My professional career started in 2009, when the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted me 35th overall in the supplemental First Round. It was a dream come true as the D’Backs were my favorite team growing up...ironic I know, considering I am a SOCAL native and the Angels and Dodgers are in my backyard. Randy Johnson was my favorite player (I wore #51 in honor of him my whole amateur career).
I started baseball as a pitcher, that’s how I got my name in the public eye. In high school, I began my career as a pitcher and designated hitter. I could hit and throw, but couldn’t run or field (Haha - sounds like all of the current articles out there). However I will assure you, I will prove that I can be a great defensive player. Now running, on the other hand, might be a different story because I am not blessed with speed. That is why Sam Bat gives me bats though, so I can have the right tools to use my natural talent to hit the ball over the fence.
I want to thank all of the people that support me and care about my baseball career. If it weren’t for them I wouldn’t have made it this far. Baseball is a game that can tear you down mentally, but if you have a great support system it makes it a lot easier to take the highs and lows. I want to thank Sam Bat for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts throughout the summer and into September.
At the end of each blog I want to leave a quote that inspires me. So lately I have been thinking of good and bad habits and how you can conquer the bad ones. How do you create good habits? I read this in a magazine recently: “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.” Basically, the quote is saying: actions speak louder than words. So stop talking and start doing! Kill those bad habits that you have always wanted to get rid of!
- Matt