Posts Tagged ‘Major League Baseball’
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Justin Duchscherer, A’s star pitcher…but is he an All Star?June 19th, 2008
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The Oakland A’s are known for the pitchers they develop. In the past, the A’s have drafted (or traded for) and developed some of the top young pitchers in baseball. Among those are Tim Hudson (All Star and 20 game winner), Mark Mulder (All Star and 20 game winner), Barry Zito (All Star, 20 game winner, CY Young winner), Danny Haren (All Star), Rich Harden, and Joe Blanton.
Of those starters, the only one not drafted by the A’s was Danny Haren. Haren was acquired in a trade with the St Louis Cardinals in exchange for Mulder. That deal turned into another one of Billy Beane’s mastererful fleecings. Read more
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Surrounded By Negativity, Orioles Succumb to ItMay 8th, 2008
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The offseason has transformed from golfing and hunting trips to a several-month period in which to sculpt the perfect athletic body. Players lift weights, perform various cardio exercises, consult nutritionists, and guzzle supplements of the legal and illegal variety.
With so much effort being placed on becoming physically durable, athletes ignore their fragile psyche.
In the first half of the 20th century, scientific studies stated that the human body could not run a mile in four minutes. In 1954, a 25-year-old Brit by the name of Roger Bannister proved them wrong as he crossed the finish line in three minutes and 59.4 seconds. Only 46 days later, another would break the four minute mile. Fifty years later over 350 different runners had run a sub-four mile.
The mind sets limits on the body’s performance and can easily push athletes into a wall of impossibility.
Recently, the Orioles torrid start has cooled and they are stumbling with the finish line still 131 games away. Could the team be second-guessing their abilities because of a constant barrage of questions from the media asking whether or not they are for real?
At the very least, they are tired of answering them.
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Livin’ on the Air in CinncinatiApril 9th, 2008
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Let the enigma continue. Just when you thought it was safe to be a Phillies fan again, just when you thought you had it all figured out, the Phils add another wrinkle. This weekend in Cincinnati was strange to say the least. The pitchers who are supposed to blow up at the mere sight of a big-league hitter are suddenly getting outs. Areas of this team thought to be their strengths –yeah, I’m looking at you defense- are suddenly turning into a proverbial Achilles Heel. What are they putting in the Mississippi River these days? I had hoped to have a clever angle today and avoid another Read more