Pittsburgh Pirates

Archive for April, 2011

Article by Angel Sanchez

Buying a great baseball glove make a should make your game far better. You should purchase a glove that has used top notch materials cause they should be far more durable. Also you will need to see that it has the right fit. You consider buying a less expensive glove – it really doesn’t pay as your baseball game could take a hit.

Something that you should look for is multiple models and makers of gloves, and how much one is going to cost you. Find out what glove will give you the most benefit for your money. Come up with a few makes and models that you like then go to your local baseball equipment shop and try on a few. Making sure they feel and fit right is of the up most importance. Here are some things you should look for when you are in the market for a new glove. Once you have found a glove do not buy it at your local store. You are sure to find a much better deal at an online store.

Catchers Gloves

Are you serious about playing baseball or softball or is this just a hobby? This could be the decision maker for you when you decide which glove to purchase as a great catchers gloves run a few hundred dollars or more. If you only play a couple of times a year, then a top quality glove might cost far to much for you. Also consider, the top quality gloves are far better made and far more durable so it will surely last you for at least a decade. The higher quality the glove the better it will feel and age.When choosing a catching glove you will need to make sure to fit it to the size of your hand. The size of the glove is the measurement from the gloves bottom to where your wrist is to the top of the glove where your fingers begin. A smaller glove for young people usually measures 7″ to twelve inches, and a adult glove measures 12 or 13 inches.

Gloves for Women that Play baseball

Softball is for everyone women are joining the American past time in far more numbers then ever before. There is a difficult challenge for women when shopping for softball equipment and more so gloves. A lot of baseball gear is manufacturer with men in mind, and women, who have much smaller hands, will probably have a harder finding glove with a good snug fit.

When women shop for baseball gloves they need to find gloves designed to fit a feminine hand. If the glove you are fitted with is fitting the size of your hand you should see that you will perform much better. Look for smaller finger holes which should give you far better control. Look for an adjustable wrist strap as it you can adjust for fluctuations in body fluids that make your wrist a larger or smaller.

First Base Gloves

Most first baseman should tell you that first base gloves are of vital importance when it comes to playing first base. Something you need to look for in a good first base glove is to get the right kinds of materials and webbing that you will need in a glove for playing the first base position.It is of vital importance to think about how the glove fits. You need to buy a size that feels good and is easy to maneuver. It is so important that you can open and close the glove without any difficulty and your fingers have a snug fit but not too tight.

Getting the right baseball glove can be as important as getting the right baseball shoes. Look around and pick out a nice glove and you will see your game get better.

10. Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes from Liberty City

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City is a standalone compilation of the downloadable content (DLC) episodes for the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV, containing both The Lost and Damned  and The Ballad of Gay Tony  on one disc.

It was released alongside the DLC release of The Ballad of Gay Tony  on 29 October 2009 for the Xbox 360  and released on 13 April 2010 for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 3. Unlike the standalone versions of the episodes, the compilation does not require a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV to play, nor is an Xbox Live or PlayStation Network account necessary (except for multiplayer).

The content is also played straight from the disc, and does not need to be downloaded to a hard drive to play, like various other disc-based expansions for other Xbox 360 games that have been released in the past. -Wikipedia.org

9. Braid

Braid is a platform  and puzzle video game developed by independent software developer Jonathan Blow. The game was released on August 6, 2008 for the Xbox 360′s Xbox Live Arcade service. A Microsoft Windows version was released on April 10, 2009. Hothead Games ported and released the game to Mac OS X  on May 20, 2009 and the PlayStation Network on November 12, 2009.  At its most basic level, the story describes the protagonist Tim’s attempt to rescue a princess from a monster.

Clues embedded in the plot have led to multiple metaphorical interpretations of the plot, such as a tale of a faltering relationship or the development of the atomic bomb. The game features traditional aspects of the platform genre; the player runs, jumps, and climbs through a linear set of stages while solving puzzles and defeating enemies. The player may also manipulate time, such as by allowing actions to be “rewound”, even after death, or by creating a shadow doppleganger to repeat actions previously performed. Using these abilities, the player progresses the story by finding and assembling jigsaw puzzle pieces. -Wikipedia.org

8. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, released in Japan as Mario & Luigi RPG 3!!!, is a role-playing video game released for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console in Japan on February 11, 2009, North America on September 14, 2009, and in Europe on October 9, 2009.

It is the third game in the Mario & Luigi series, following Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and was first revealed at Nintendo’s press conference at October 2, 2008. As a part of the Mario & Luigi series, the game includes new features such as mini-games and the ability to play as Bowser and use his own unique battle system.

More details about the game were revealed at E3 2009, including the English title and North American and European release of Autumn 2009. The game was critically acclaimed, and won three awards from online reviewers. -Wikipedia.org

7. Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter IV is a 2008 fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom for the arcades since 1999. The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008, with North American arcades importing the machines by August. The console versions for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 were released in Japan on February 12, 2009, and were sold in North American stores as early as February 16, with a February 18 intended release date.

The official European release was on February 20. A Windows version was released on July 2, 2009 in Japan, July 3, 2009 in Europe and July 7, 2009 in the US. A version for iOS was released on March 10, 2010. As of March 31, 2009, Street Fighter IV had sold over 3 million copies worldwide. An updated version, Super Street Fighter IV, was released as a standalone title in April 2010. -Wikipedia.org

6. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, known in Japan as Megami Ibunroku Devil Survivor, is a role-playing game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on 15 January, 2009 and was released in North America on June 23, 2009. Its character designs are handled by Suzuhito Yasuda. -Wikipedia.org

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5. The Sims 3

The Sims 3 is a strategic  life simulation video game, and is the successor of The Sims 2, both in The Sims series, created by Maxis.  The game was released for Windows and Mac OS X in June 2009. The Sims 3 will be released to home consoles on October 26, 2010, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS. There is also a Nintendo 3DS version under development, which will be in 3D (although the console itself has not been released yet).

It has also been released for mobile phones, such as those running the iOS, Windows Mobile, webOS, Android, and Nokia N-Gage platforms.  Maxis was not involved with the game due to they focused on the development of Spore. Although some elements from Maxis games were used in The Sims 3 such as Simsville, SimTown, Spore, The Sims 2, and more. -Wikipedia.org

4. MLB 09: The Show

MLB 09: The Show is a baseball  simulation video game developed by SCE San Diego Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable systems. It belongs to the Major League Baseball game series on the PlayStation  systems. MLB 09: The Show is the fourth edition of the MLB: The Show series.

The game is a baseball simulation in which, depending on the gameplay mode, the player controls one or all of the players on a Major League Baseball team or some select Minor League Baseball teams. Depending on the gameplay mode, the player may control a team for a single game, season, or franchise, and can also create a player and control his career. -Wikipedia.org

3. Gears of War 2

Gears of War 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games with lead design by Cliff Bleszinski, and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the second installment of the Gears of War series. The game was officially released in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia  on November 12, 2008. The game expands technically on the previous game by using a heavily -modified Unreal Engine 3 engine. The development team also brought in comic book writer Joshua Ortega to help write the plot for the game.  

In Gears of War 2, the human Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) forces continue their fight against the Locust horde, who are attempting to sink all of the cities on the planet Sera by using a big riftworm to eat the ground beneath them. Sergeant Marcus Fenix leads Delta Squad into the depths of the planet to try to stop the worm from eating but instead they discover the true intent of the Locust actions. The player controls Fenix in the main mission campaign, with the ability to play cooperatively with a second player controlling Fenix’s best friend and fellow Squad member Dominic “Dom” Santiago.

The game includes several existing and new multiplayer modes including five-on-five battles between human and Locust forces, and a “Horde” mode that challenges up to five players against waves of Locust forces with ever-increasing strength. New weapons and gameplay mechanics such as “hockey fights” and the ability to use downed foes as “meatshields” were added to the game. -Wikipedia.org

2. God of War III

God of War III is an action-adventure video game for PlayStation 3, developed by Sony Santa Monica, published by Sony Computer Entertainment and released worldwide in March 2010 and is the fifth installment to the series. Loosely based on Greek mythology and focused on protagonist  Kratos, the game forms part of a saga – the God of War series – with revenge as a central theme.  

In this final chapter in the current storyline, Kratos and his initial allies the Titans storm Mount Olympus in an attempt to kill Zeus and the Olympian Gods, leading to a series of confrontations across the Underworld and Olympus and the reintroduction of Pandora’s Box. -Wikipedia.org

1. Red Faction: Guerrilla

Red Faction: Guerrilla is a third-person shooter video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. It was released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in June 2009 in North America and Europe. A Microsoft Windows version, ported by Reactor Zero, was released on September 15, 2009. The game is the third installment in the Red Faction series.

In Red Faction: Guerrilla, the player takes the role of Alec Mason as he assists the Red Faction to disrupt and overthrow the Earth Defense Force (EDF) on Mars. This is presented to the player in a third person perspective, a departure from the series’ previous two games which were first person shooters. Developer Volition changed the camera perspective to help the player see and appreciate the surroundings as they are destroyed.

Much of the game centers around the game’s Geomod 2.0 engine, which allows for buildings, cover, and other structures to be dynamically destroyed. In many cases, destroying buildings will leave behind salvage, the game’s form of currency, which can be used along with salvage rewarded by completing missions to unlock and upgrade weaponry and technology at safehouses. During the campaign, the player is equipped with a sledgehammer-like weapon, along with up to 3 other weapons or explosive devices. The player also has the opportunity to control armed vehicles such as tanks and walkers for more destructive options. -Wikipedia.org

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My year old nephew is a big fan of baseball and loves watching the MLB games that are aired on sport channels. So much so that being in a cricket crazy nation we had to look for baseball glove and bat for him for his 9th birthday. Imagine his face when we bought him a first baseman’s glove and told him happy birthday and asked him to pitch. None withstanding our lack of knowledge of the sport and that giving a first baseman’s glove to a budding pitcher and asking him to pitch is an unpardonable crime, we decided to make it up to him by presenting him a set of baseball jersey complete with a cap for his 10th birthday. However no matter how much we tried no store that I visited could help me out. In fact some bright salesman actually advised me to present my nephew with a white t-shirt and a white matching Capri and an ankle shoes to make it up!

After giving up hope of finding what I need offline I entered the digital domain to see if there are any online sports store that can help me out. In fact I was presently surprised to see that there are plenty of stores online which stock these specialty products. I use the word specialty products as these are not in great demand and you cannot expect to make a booming sales bottom line if you are selling baseball stuff in a cricketing nation. Yet these stores kept these and I was in for a surprise. How do you react if you were looking for a rare collection of books and won’t find it no matter how much you look for it and then all of a sudden find the entire collection a bargain price? Well that pretty much sums up my feelings when I discovered a few great online sports store that not only kept all the major teams jerseys but also provided free delivery in 2 days time. More over some of the best sports store online offer great discounted pricing and also discounts for referral buyers. I referred a few of my friends who have kids at home or I know are looking for sports goods. Some of these stores also have a section for cheap sports products and products which are on sale. If you are looking for a specific product and are unable to find it in the regular sections try looking here, you may not only find it you may also get yourself a big discount while you buy. I bought a baseball complete jersey with cap for my nephew and a nice looking football t-shirt for the football fan in myself.

Another great thing about these stores is that unlike some of the traditional well publicized best sports store around they are diminutive in the sense that thy don’t have a big establishment to maintain and sales staff to pay salary to and thus they can offer to pass on the great savings that they make on to their customers. Also they keep the best products and latest trends in their online stores so you can buy them from the comfort of your home. Also these online stores offer free replacements if the size goes not fit or that the products is found having manufacturing defects. This is a great option for buyers like me and certainly a lot of skeptical buyers will find this to their advantage as well.

True It that football, the basketball and hockey have their ventilators, but the year of sports starts in February and ends in October – preferably at the end of October. And even during the others three and one half of month, the hot league of furnace consumes the conscience of the city , to eclipse even Voyage out of jet and the final of giants functions.

This love for the play of the baseball again dates all the manners at the 19th century like the baseball was played in the whole of New York in its forms earlier. The birth of the national league in 1876 thereafter brought the city embusqués of Brooklyn and to the giants of New York and when the American store of installation of league in 1901, the store of installation of New York Yankees soon.

Enracinant itself for a team of baseball in the wasn’t of New York on the subject which team was better, it was an absolute merit of the ancestors. Populate were constant in a base of ventilator and there was no side of commutation. Because the Yankees was established, their ventilators came from Bronx and also attracted the visitor and the tourists of corporation.

Embusqués and the giants were different. The working class, the blue ventilators of collar in first half of the 20th century tended to support one of the two national teams of league. The giant ventilators were generally of Manhattan, whereas the largest city of the city their had embusqués liked. Just like the system of class of the 19th century early, which broke up people by nationality and religion, new Yorkers were identified with the teams which they followed.

The best example of that came in 1951, where embusqués and the giants finished attached after the season of 154 plays. A final of three plays was ordered by the national league, which culminated with the projectile of The heard around the world by Giants ‘ police Thompson. The ventilators fought with one the other and until it with embusqué old man of Brooklyn of day the ventilators always smell the pain.

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After the giant victory, they proceeded to be swept by the Yankees, who had a young person and endowed coat with Mickey in the outfields.

Embusqués had their day in 1955, giving to Brooklyn their only championship, but the days of the boys of the summer finished two years after when the tramps and the giants picked up and left for the Western coast.

With only one team downtown, the ventilators of embusqués and the left giants did not support the Yankees, rather they followed their teams by far or ceased observing all together. Only when New York Mets were formed in 1962, the latter threw the new lucky find of Yorkers a team made.

Just like the their predecessors, Amazins ‘ was quickly established as equips with the people . Although they were moved, the ventilators were assembled with the old men on the ground of sports shirt stage – and thereafter of bassy – to observe the Mets and the root against embusqués and the giants when they inherited the city.

The Yankees, while waiting, just continued the profit. Champions in 1961 and 1962, they lost traditional autumn the two years to come. Then the bottom fell. They finished close to the bottom or last the remainder of the decade, because the team aged and the powerful system of farm disappeared sterile.

That gave to the Mets astonishing a chance to take the city. And in 1969 they gained the series of the world against the insurmountable chance. Carried out by young jugs love Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman, the Mets miracle gained their first the surplus of the series 4-1 Baltimore Orioles.

They remained in the controversy during the seven years to come, but never obtained again with the top.

The Yankees resurged after George Steinbrenner bought the team and by the free agency built the 1977 and 1978 champions. But the hands of the Boss to the approach thereafter cost these bombers due to too many bad movements.

While the Yankees went down, the Mets returned and in 1986 the series gained still, leaf red Boston Sox in seven plays. Just like the team of a front generation, these Mets were competing until 1991, but never gained the great play.

But like front, when the Mets faded, the Yankees came to the first rank. This time gaining four crowns in five years (1996, 1998-2000). With the difference of the teams passed, these bombers were built of in inside, whereas merry-gathering the other talent by the free agency and trade. Carried out by future Hall of Famers Derek To throw and Mariano Will rivet, the bombers remain a force in the American league.

The Mets appreciated a reappearance in 1999 pennies the police officer discussed Valentine of director and the attrapor Mike Piazza. They even went to the series in 2000, only to lose at the city transversely Yankees. Then, after five years of mediocrity, the Mets returned in 2006 behind young people holds the first role David Wright and Jose Reyes and was a strike far from the series of the world, losing with the unquestionable cardinals of St Louis of champion in seven plays.

What makes the baseball in single New York is nowadays the competition between the Mets and the Yankees. The play of didn’ T of teams in plays of not-exposure until 1997 and the series of underground is the climax of each season. The bassy and the stages of Yankee obtain a mixed but comprised crowd when the two teams are played. Because joined together and Yankee ventilates the root for their teams, you can hear sings for the two clubs in the two directions for each nine turn of beater.

And that with the difference in any other sport in the city. There the plays of hockey tend to have accesses plus violent one in the stands, whereas plays between Knicks and of the nets and Voyagent out of jet counters giants that matches could be played anywhere, since the isn’t right of intensity in the comparison.

Know what position you are buying the glove for. If the player is the catcher or first baseman (first basewoman) you will need to buy a softball mitt which has no fingers and is better at directing incoming hard balls into the pocket. All other positions wear softball gloves (they have fingers). If your child has not yet settled into a position or it is an adult league where positions are rotated – buy a glove. The league will supply at least one set of catchers gear which will come with a catchers mitt. If the softball glove is being purchased for slow pitch softball there is no need to buy a softball catchers mitt, a softball glove is all that is needed. In slowpitch softball the person who will be catching that hardest thrown balls will be the first baseperson and they may want to invest in a softball mitt. If you purchase a mitt you will also want to have a glove in your bat bag in case you are rotated through another position. If you play both baseball and softball, buy for softball and use it for baseball. The large pocket of a softball glove will NOT negatively effect baseball play, the small pocket of a baseball glove WILL negatively effect softball play.

How much to spend. You can buy Mizuno’s (and others brands) that range from 30.00 to 300.00. Today’s gloves are made with soft, malleable leather that are a far cry from those cardboard boxes we got when we were kids. The .00 glove will be less durable than the 0.00 glove. Kids will need larger gloves every year or two depending on your child’s growth rate, so spend the amount of money that you want to invest each year. I have always told the parents of the girls I coach that if the girls are under  11 to buy in the 30.00 range, for those that are 11 to buy a Mizuno in the .00 range.  Following these guidelines I have never seen the kids have problems such as a glove that is too stiff or incorrectly shaped. (And the parents appreciate having some sort of guidelines as they stand in front of the massive wall of gloves at the sports store.)

If this is for an adult softball player, use .00 as the least amount that you will spend and go up from there. You will be using the glove for years.

If you are purchasing for a child, be careful about the size of the glove that you purchase. Typically, 5-6 years old need a youth glove size = 10-10 1/2. 7-8 years old need a youth glove size = 10 1/2 to 11. 9-12 year old need a youth glove size = 11 to 11 1/2. 13 years old and up are out of the youth models. They need adult gloves. For a 13 year old and older buy either an infielder size 11-11 1/2 or and outfielder size 12 – 12 1/2 or both.

I have seen girls get dependant on one glove when they played an entire season in the infield or the outfield. Buying a new glove of a different size can cause an adjustment period. If they have both in their bat bag and move back and forth between gloves when shagging flys during practice or fielding grounders it can help to keep them fluid as they change positions and equipment.
Conditioning gloves. The new gloves do not need nearly as much conditioning as those we used as kids. An occasional oiling is OK but never put a glove in the microwave or heat in the oven as we used to do in the old day.

If buying a fastpitch softball glove search also search for woman’s softball gloves as well. The middle and high school players are many times as large as full grown women. The glove will be made to fit the smaller hand which equates to more control.

And a couple tips that have nothing to do with the Softball Gloves:
Pick up a mitt of your own so you can throw with your child. Or find a kid or a neighbor in the neighborhood that you can throw with if you are an adult player. Repetition is the most important way to gain the muscle strength and transform catching from a thinking act into an instinctual act.

Always focus on the positive. As you are driving home from games and practice review the things that you or your child did well. This will ‘replay the tape’ to place into permanent memor the good play. This will help hardwire the brain to be ready to execute the great play again in the future. You want to avoid replaying the tape of the negative plays.

Every year, those within the fantasy baseball community are free to refer to an abundance of player projections from sports and media websites.  While they do aid people in their selections, nobody can ignore their own gut feelings on specific baseball player’s skills, talent, durability, and production.  Those feelings, teamed with past years statistics and up to minute news and notes have opened the door for anyone to come up with their own projections. 

Here are mine:

1. Albert Pujols – A lot of leagues had him the number 2 ranked fantasy player last year but if I had that pick I would take Pujols no question.  Same goes this year.  With 568 at bats, he’s just as durable as most of the other top 10 players.  I expect another huge season out of him especially with Matt Holliday helping out.  2009 Stats: 47 HR, 135 RBI, .327 AVG, 16 SB, 124 R.  

2. Hanley Ramirez – While I would be upset that I came so close to getting Pujols, Hanley is a phenomenal player.  He will produce well above the norm in all 5 of the standard batting categories.  2009 Stats: 24 HR, 106 RBI, .320 AVG, 27 SB, 101 R.

3. Ryan Braun – In my opinion, the Brewers are blessed with two top ten offensive talents.  Just like the top 2 projected fantasy players, Braun is the complete package.  He also stepped to the plate 635 times last season to prove his durability.  While many others might projected him behind Utley, everyone should agree he is a top ten talent. I believe his consistency merits the number 3 rank.  2009 Stats: 32 HR, 114 RBI, .320 AVG, 20 SB, 113 R.

4. Chase Utley – While he benefits from playing one of the most profound band boxes in the MLB, Utley has proved that his power isn’t limited to his home town park.  Taking him in the first round will guarantee you the best 2B in the draft who will produce even if injured.  Furthermore, he benefits from one of the most potent line ups in the big leagues.  2009 Stats: 31 HR, 93 RBI, .282 AVG, 23 SB, 112 R.

5. Alex Rodriguez – Yet another player who’s supported by a powerful lineup.  Even though he was injured for the first month of the 2009 season he was still able to knock 30 homers and 100 rbis.  Going by projections, he’s a sure thing.  He dropped a few slots in my rankings because of the possible headaches you might get if he doesn’t feel 100%.  Management will make sure the veterans are not overworked as they prepared for another assured playoff push.  This will cut into Arod’s at bats.  Nevertheless, when he’s on the field he’s second to only Pujols.  2009 Stats: 30 HR, 100 RBI, .286 AVG, 14 SB, 78 R.

6. Prince Fielder – You might think there is a significant drop off from the top pick in the draft and the next best 1B available.  Fielder has proven that when it comes to power, that gap is shrinking.  Finding speed in the later rounds is an easy compromise to make in order to take this young talent in the middle of the first round.  In a lineup that includes another top player in Ryan Braun, I don’t believe he will experience a significant drop off from last year.  2009 Stats: 46 HR, 141 RBI, .299 AVG, 2 SB, 103 R.

7. Tim Lincecum – There’s always a great deal of talk about taking a WR in the first round of a fantasy football draft.  In a way, the same can be said with taking a pitcher.  Nevertheless, it’s hard to let this young gun slip too far down.  There is no doubt that he will be the first pitcher taken, the question is who will be bold enough to snatch this guy in the first round to anchor what will be a very strong pitching staff.  2009 Stats: 2.48 ERA, 261 K, 15 W, 1.05 WHIP.

8. Evan Longoria – As long as this guy can stay in the lineup he will continue to excel and add to his already impressive stats.  Expect the Rays to contend with Longoria as the anchor in the lineup.  Along with every other AL East player, he will have to go up against some phenomenal pitchers.  Nevertheless, much like the top AL East talents, he has proven he can handle it.  2009 Stats: 33 HR, 113 RBI, .281 AVG, 9 SB, 100 R.

9. David Wright – Reyes and Wright were both considered top 5 players last year.  Now, Reyes can’t stay healthy and Wright seems to be suffering from the dimensions of Citi Field.  Even though his power was non-existent last year, the addition of Jason Bay to what should be a potent lineup, teamed with adjustments made at Citi Field should give Wright the tools to hit 20+ hrs and knock in 100+ rbis.  The rest of the stats are there.  With that said, my optimism has pushed Wright into the top 10 ranks.  2009 Stats: 10 HR, 72 RBI, .307 AVG, 27 SB, 88 R.

10. Matt Kemp – Even though the Dodgers were winning, I never understood why Kemp was batting late in the lineup at times.  Regardless, his 2009 season was a success and there’s a lot of upside for 2010.  He is the second best offensive OF in the league and he won’t slip lower than 10.  2009 Stats: 26 HR, 101 RBI, .297 AVG, 34 SB, 97 R. 

11. Joe Mauer

12. Miguel Cabrera

13. Mark Teixeira

14. Roy Halladay

15. Ryan Howard

16. Troy Tulowitzki

17. Ian Kinsler

18. Matt Holliday

19. Felix Hernandez

20. Jacoby Ellsbury

21. Zack Greinke

22. Justin Upton

23. Carl Crawford

24. Adrian Gonzalez

25. C.C. Sabathia

26. Mark Reynolds

27. Derek Jeter

28. Pablo Sandoval

29. Dan Haren

30. Jimmy Rollins

31. Dustin Pedroia

32. Ryan Zimmerman

33. Chris Carpenter

34. Brandon Phillips

35. Adam Lind

36. Adam Wainwright

37. Justin Verlander

38. Jason Bay

39. Victor Martinez

40. Jon Lester

41. Justin Morneau

42. Josh Johnson

43. Kevin Youkalis

44. Brian Roberts

45. Andre Eithier

46. Johan Santana

47. Aaron Hill

48. Cliff Lee

49. Grady Sizemore

50. Jose Reyes

Bubble Burst: There aren’t enough slots in the top 50 but these guys deserve a mention -

51.  Brian McCann.. 52. Jayson Werth.. 53. Carlos Lee.. 54. Joey Votto.. 55. Nick Markakis.. 56. Robinson Cano.. 57. Josh Beckett.. 58. Kendry Morales.. 59. Ben Zorbrist.. 60. Yvoni Gallardo

This is a fun and easy way to make an impartial line up and batting order for the little league or tee ball teams that you are coaching.

The first thing I do when I hand out uniforms at the start of the year is have the children or parents write their names on the inside bill of their baseball caps. I also have them do the same thing with their mitts and bats. This helps identify equipment when it is inevitably left behind after a game or practice.

Now…to making the line up and batting order.
Every coach has to deal with the parents when they question “why does Johnny always bat at the bottom of the order?”. At the youngest age groups, like tee ball, I like to keep it fun by making the order totally random.

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What I do is have all of the players take their hats off and hand it to one of the players or coaches. I then have each player take a turn picking a hat out of the pile. Whatever name is on it bats first. Then another player picks another hat, the name on that hat now gets to bat second….and so on.

We do this before each Tee Ball game we play.

This makes the line up totally random and the kids actually have fun doing it. The parents also like the idea that their child will have the opportunity to bat first if they have their hat pulled.

Everyone is happy with this method and it has worked great for me for many years!

http://www.ehow.com/how_4789336_little-league-tee-ball-team.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4663657_powerful-batting-swing-youth-baseball.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4664352_batting-power-youth-baseball-player.html

Article by James Brown

A parent could be a great influence during the selection process that their child goes through to select their favorite baseball team. The parent could indicate which baseball team they prefer by taking their children to major league baseball games and rooting for that team from the stands. That team choice will be a major decision because that child could grow up to be a professional baseball player some day.

The baseball team selection process could have a direct influence on how a child wants to decorate their bedroom at home, and influence the clothes that they wear for school or during playtime. Parents help with this selection process by visiting stores and keeping current on the latest fashion apparel in baseball gear that their child can wear and talk to other parents too to make sure that all friends are dressed in the same styles.

A baseball player might know which baseball team they want to play for when they join the major leagues while they are still in high school. Wanting something like this so early in life does not necessarily guarantee them of a position on any major league baseball team. Some men are not lucky enough to make it that far and must live with that unfulfilled dream for the rest of their life.

Some baseball players have had their dreams come true and did not seem to do anything out of the ordinary to become a professional baseball player. The baseball player might have gone through the selection process for a major league baseball team unknowingly. They might have made a career path choice when they were involved in a friendly baseball game in their neighborhood.

There have been many legends of the game of baseball that got their start after playing in a baseball game with a few close friends. Unbeknownst to them, a professional scout observed them while they were having fun. The baseball team process of selection might have brought that scout to the neighborhood after the man showed off a recognizable talent while playing a certain baseball diamond position for a collegiate baseball team.

To become a major league baseball player, it only takes one baseball scout among many to be impressed by what they see on a baseball playing field. Baseball scouts do not get impressed that often and when exposed to such talent, the scout is very likely to walk over to the player and invite that player to attend tryout’s for a certain baseball team during the spring. What happens at spring training will allow the baseball team process of selection to come full circle.

The selection process for a major league baseball team player could take years to accomplish. A rookie baseball player might have to prove himself for one season before they are given a permanent position on the team roster. Some men exhibit such talent that they achieve notoriety overnight and do not have to go through the proving grounds of many games to negotiate contracts worth millions.

10. John Henry – Red Sox

John William Henry II (born September 13, 1949) is a futures and foreign exchange trading advisor who founded John W. Henry & Company (JWH). He is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. In March 2006, Boston Magazine estimated his net worth at .1 billion, but noted that his company had recently experienced difficulties. In May 2007, reports in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg noted further difficulties with the firm. he is related to Edward Wilton. -Wikipedia.org

9. Pat Bowlen – Broncos

Patrick Dennis Bowlen (born February 18, 1944 in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin) is the Majority Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers and sister, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy. Bowlen is also an alumnus of The Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. -Wikipedia.org

8. Paul Allen – Seahawks

Paul Gardner Allen (born January 21, 1953) is an American industrialist who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates and is one of the wealthiest people in the world with a personal wealth of US.7 billion as of 2010. He is the founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc., which is his private asset management company, and is chairman of Charter Communications.

Allen also has a multi-billion dollar investment portfolio which includes stakes in Digeo, Kiha Software, real estate holdings, and more than 40 other technology, media, and content companies. Allen also owns three professional sports teams: the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Seattle Sounders FC franchise (which began playing in the 2009 season) in Major League Soccer (MLS). -Wikipedia.org

7. Jerry Buss – Lakers

Gerald Hatten “Jerry” Buss M.S., Ph.D. (born 27 January 1934) is the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California. He was announced as a member of the 2010 induction class of the Basketball Hall of Fame on April 5, 2010, and was formally enshrined as a contributor to the sport on August 13 of that year. -Wikipedia.org

6. The City of Green Bay, WI – Packers

The Green Bay Packers were founded on August 11, 1919 by former high-school football rivals Earl “Curly” Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. Lambeau solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company. He was given 0 for uniforms and equipment, on the condition that the team be named for its sponsor. Today “Green Bay Packers” is the oldest team-name still in use in the NFL, both by its nickname and by virtue of remaining in its original city.  

On August 27, 1921, the Packers were granted a franchise in the new national pro football league that had been formed the previous year. Financial troubles plagued the team and the franchise was forfeited within the year, before Lambeau found new financial backers and regained the franchise the next year. These backers, known as the “Hungry Five”, formed the Green Bay Football Corporation. -Wikipedia.org

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5. Mark Cuban – Mavericks

Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958) is an American entrepreneur. He is the owner of the NBA basketball team the Dallas Mavericks, owner of Landmark Theatres, and Chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet. On January 4, 2000, Cuban purchased a majority stake in the NBA Dallas Mavericks basketball team for 5 million from H. Ross Perot, Jr.  In the 20 years before Cuban bought the team, the Mavs had a winning percentage of 40%, and playoff record of 21–32.

In the ten years following, the team won 69% of their regular season games and reached the playoffs in each of those seasons. The Mavs playoff record with Cuban is 49 wins and 57 losses, including their first trip to the NBA Finals in 2006, where they lost to the Miami Heat. Historically, NBA team owners publicly play more passive roles and watch basketball games from skyboxes; Cuban sits alongside fans while donning team jerseys. Cuban flies his private Gulfstream V to attend road games. -Wikipedia.org

4. Jerry Jones – Cowboys

Jerral “Jerry” Wayne Jones (born October 13, 1942, in Los Angeles, California) is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys franchise. In 1989, Jones purchased the Cowboys from H.R. “Bum” Bright. Not long after the takeover, he fired long time coach Tom Landry, to that point the only coach in the team’s history, in favor of his old teammate at Arkansas, Jimmy Johnson. A few months later, he forced out longtime general manager Tex Schramm, and assumed complete control over football matters.

After the 1993 Super Bowl victory, reports began to surface in the media that Jones had made the statement that “any one of 500 coaches could have won those Super Bowls” given the type of talent that he (Jones) had drafted and signed for the team. Jones also stated to reporters at a late night cocktail party that he intended to replace Johnson with former University of Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer.

The next morning, however, Jones famously denied those reports by stating that it “was the whiskey talking”.  Johnson was eventually forced out in 1994 and former Oklahoma Sooners coach Barry Switzer was hired to be the new head coach. He is one of three NFL owners who also have the title or powers of general manager, the others being the Oakland Raiders’ Al Davis and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Mike Brown. -Wikipedia.org

3. Jerry Reinsdorf – Bulls / White Sox

Jerry M. Reinsdorf (born February 25, 1936) is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB’s Chicago White Sox and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.  He made his initial fortune in real estate, taking advantage of the Frank Lyon Co. v. United States decision by the United States Supreme Court which allowed economic owners of realty to sell property and lease it back, while transferring the tax deduction for depreciation to the title owner.  

As the owner and Chairman of the Chicago Bulls since 1985, he has turned the franchise into a lucrative business that won six NBA Championships in the 1990s (1991–1993 and 1996–1998). He is controversial for his involvement (along with Jerry Krause) in breaking up the championship team by not hiring back key personnel such as Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan. He hired Jordan as a baseball player during his sabbatical from basketball. He also moved the Bulls from Chicago Stadium to the United Center. -Wikipedia.org

2. Robert Kraft – Patriots

Robert K. Kraft (born June 5, 1941 in Brookline, Massachusetts) is an American businessman who is the Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio. However, his best-known holdings are the National Football League’s New England Patriots and Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution, as well as the stadium where they play, Gillette Stadium.  He is also currently on the Board of Directors of Viacom and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and serves as a trustee of Boston College and as a trustee emeritus of his alma mater, Columbia University. -Wikipedia.org

1. George Steinbrenner – Yankees

George Michael Steinbrenner III (July 4, 1930 – July 13, 2010) was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner’s 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned 7 World Series titles and 11 pennants. His outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries made him one of the sport’s most controversial figures. Steinbrenner was also involved in the Great Lakes shipping industry.  

Known as a hands-on baseball executive, he earned the nickname “The Boss.” He had a tendency to meddle in daily on-field decisions, and to hire and fire (and sometimes re-hire) managers. Former Yankees manager Dallas Green gave him the derisive nickname “Manager George.” He died after suffering a heart attack in his Tampa home on the morning of July 13, 2010, the day of the 81st All-Star Game. -Wikipedia.org

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All too often baseball players perfect the art of collecting the ball in the pocket of their gloves. This is particularly true for the younger players that are still in the learning curve of using two hands for all catches. An expertly broken in glove will assist in the catching of the ball. Yet relying on the glove to perform all the functions of the catch is just too risky.

The addition of the second hand will help in the control of the baseballs energy but even then a missed alignment can cause the path of the baseball to take just enough geometry to find its way out of the glove. Again, the scramble for control is on.

With predictable proper control during the catch, the rhythm of taking the baseball from the glove and completing the throw action is guaranteed a higher level of success. Repeating a series of events developed through practices and drills is what delivers the baseball from the player who caught the ball to the player who needs to receiver the following throw.

Soft hands allow the baseball player fielding the ball to transfer the energy of the ball into the players arms. The action is similar to that of a shock absorber found in automobiles and motorcycles. Starting fast and out front with the initial contact, then retreating the hands quickly to dissipate the energy put into the baseball from being struck by the baseball bat.

To impart this motion to beginning and younger players, simply toss a ball in the air and let them catch it bare handed. Done correctly, the player will reach for the ball then withdraw their hands to their chest as they grasp it. This an easy catch and the ball will not bounce out of their hands nor will there be any sting.

Once the mechanics of the previous drill are taken to heart, it is time to move onto using the same technique in a fielding drill. Knees bent, bottom down, hands out, the players receive the ball with the same arm action as the over head drill but with grounders provided by the coach. Glove hand takes the line of the ball, off hand covers the ball in the glove, arms retreat quickly to dissipate the energy of the ball.

A key element in the proper use of the soft hands is the position of the baseball glove prior to receiving the baseball. Correct fielding places the glove in a vertical position with heal of the glove at the top and the web on the bottom.

When the glove is less than perpendicular to the path of the ball, any mishap is the fielding process can cause the ball to bounce away and behind the player. Recovery from these events are difficult as the player must turn their back on the field of play and operate under a sense of urgency.

With the glove at a right angle to the path of the ball, mistakes will cause the ball to bounce in front of the player, still within their vision and still playable.

Practice gloves (also known as training mitts, gloves and pancakes) are an excellent tool for both coaches and players. As they have no pocket, two hands are mandatory to field any baseball. An excellent way to reinforce the use of two hands in all catches. These mitts can also be used for drill with pop fly balls with limited height. It is a great policy for coaches to utilize drills that mandate two hands whenever possible.

For the coach training mitts offer the visual cue of the proper hand position and arm action. If the coach can see a full circle outline of the mitt during the drill, then the player is holding the mitt at a right angle as they should. Any oblique circle is a sure sign that the mitt is being held on an angle where the coach can make instant position correction. Balls controlled by the players indicate that they are using soft hands. When the ball bounces away from the mitt then the player is instantly notified of their mistake.

Soft hands is the process of using two hands to catch and control the ball by allowing the hands to retreat quickly as the ball is grasped, as the energy is dissipated, the ball can no longer bounce out of the glove and the player will gain control of the baseball faster and allow them to complete their motion in practiced, predictable way.