Monthly Archives: June 2015

Jun30

MLB ALL-STAR Voting: Get your votes in NOW!

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Miss Baseball

All Star Game will be soon be upon us and if you are complaining about how the voting process is well you need to read my article MLB All Star Game: Vote love not WAR. Deadline for voting is July 2. I got my votes in

My votes for the MLB All star game.

American League: National League

Catcher: Salvador Perez Yasmani Grandal,

1st: Eric Hosmer Adrian Gonzalez,

2nd: Jose Altuve Brandon Phillips,

3rd: Mike Moustakas Justin Turner

SS: Elvis Andrus Troy Tulowitzki

DH: Mitch Moreland

Outfield:

Mike Trout Bryce Harper,

Lorenzo Cain Hunter Pence

Alex Gordon Joc Pederson

To catch the latest standing in the voting go to :MLB All Star voting stats

After checking the latest stats, the rumors that the Royals are taking over the All Star game are false.

The battle for 1st base is:

FIRST BASE
1. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 11,594,518
2. Eric Hosmer, Royals: 9,150,908

Come on Royals Fans you are slacking off.

The battle for third base is a little closer but with voting ending on July 2. I don’t see a Moose sighting as a starter.

THIRD BASE
1. Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays: 11,738,206
2. Mike Moustakas, Royals: 10,372,868

Find out who is starting in the All Star game this Sunday.

Jun29

MLB trade talk: Is Cole Hamels coming to the Texas Rangers?

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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July 31 is the trade deadline and rumors are running rapid. Miss Baseball had to answer some Texas Ranger fans’ queries about whether Cole Hamels was really in talks with the team. The story popped up and then faded away. This showed me there was no real talk about it.

Then there was this article from Fox: Cole Hamels open to all trades. To quote Hamels:

“I have not been approached,” Hamels said about accepting a potential trade, via CSN Philly. “When I’m approached, then I can make a decision and provide an answer about a team. But I’m open-minded on everybody and everything.”

Reports were that he turned down trades to the Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros. Rumors were that he had waived his no-trade clause for the New York Yankees and the Rangers, but according to Hamels, that was just scuttlebutt.

What can Cole Hamels bring to a new team?

Year	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	SO	WHIP
2015 Stats	5	6	3.26	15	15	0	99.1	106	1.17
MLB Career Stats	113	89	3.27	290	289	0	1900.2	1813	1.14

The Yankees and Blue Jays could sure use his help. He could also solidify a surprisingly good Astros team.

We will have to wait to see if the Rangers throw their hat into the ring, so to say, but Miss Baseball has been very impressed with the Rangers thus far, and some of our regular pitchers are coming back from injury. So I don’t see a Ranger need for a pitcher. Sorry, no Cole Hamels, as of right now.

Jun25

Another side of being released, a sad fan’s tale

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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I met Jayson Nix one day in September in 2004. He was kind and sweet, and he signed my program. After the exchange, I was his fan. You don’t choose love, love chooses you. I would of course write him, but I never got any responses to my letters. I even wrote him as a Yankee. Oh, that killed me. On Tuesday, June 23, Jayson was released from the Iron Pigs Triple-A affiliate of the Phillies. He was batting .167. I was never quite sure he knew that I was cheering for him, so the rest of this is to Jayson.

Dear Jayson,

Here is where we met. Do you remember that day? I will never forget it. It’s tucked in my mind and my heart. This is the day I became your fan. Your brother was a Ranger, and I had to cheer for you. You went 4 for 5 that day. After the game, I went to get your autograph. I called out your name, and I will never forget what you asked:

“Were you the fan cheering for me?”

You looked so serious. I thought I had embarrassed you, but when I answered that it was me, a smile came across your face. You shouted to your teammates and said:

“It’s my fan.”

Your fan. That’s what I became. I watched this guy playing for double-A Tulsa against my team, the San Antonio Missions, and he had a wonderful glove and I just saw something in him. He was going to make it the show. I just knew it.

I watched you sign with Colorado, watched you make it on Team USA and was so scared when I heard the news that you had been hit in the head. I wouldn’t hear any good news until I saw you playing in Chicago for the White Sox. I followed your career, and any chance I could watch you on television, I was glued to my set. I hated you being a Yankee. Not even my love for you could make me cheer for the Yankees, but I still cheered for you. Years later, I tracked down a baseball card.

I saw you as a member of the Phillies, and then you were gone, sent down to the minors. And then a free agent and brought up as a Pirate. Then out again, and then the Royals got you. I was so proud, I even had made a shirt made.

I screamed out and jumped up and down when I saw your name on the World Series roster. I saved this picture. I was so happy to see you smile.

Then the World Series was lost, and I knew you would go to another team. I was excited about you being an O and thought for sure you were going to make the team. I watched all the spring training games you were in.

Then you got sent to Norfolk, and I was still watching, on Milb.tv, and still cheering. Then I had hope that the Phillies would bring you up to the show. I watched you as an Iron Pig too.

I always believed that if you got back to the show, you would tear it up. I always thought that was possible. Now I write this and I just wanted you to know I have been cheering for you. I believe in you and I always will. I hope you keep chasing the dream, but if you decide to retire, I understand. I just wanted you to know that I have loved these 10 years. I have loved being your fan.

Sincerely your fan,

Hollie

Jun22

Melissa Mayeux: baseball not just for boys

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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Melissa Mayeux, a 16-year-old French female baseball player

Melissa Mayeux is a name I just learned about today. She is 16 years old, French and plays baseball. Not softball, BASEBALL!!!! She is a name I will not soon forget. I have an obsession with anything French. I was equally excited to write about French professional baseball. I wrote about it in December 2014. https://missbaseball.net/tbt-parlez-vous-baseball/ At the time, I had not heard of Melissa Mayeux, but her story has created excitment for me.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/132044338/melissa-mayeux-france-eligible-sign-mlb

In short, she has been put on the international registration list. Players who have serious potential are on this list. All she wants to do is keep playing baseball for as long as she can. Being placed on this list also gives her a way to play in the American university system.

The article stated that Mayeux is going to open doors. Well, sorry, but I disagree with this notion. She is not opening doors. A door assumes that there is a path there. She is a trail blazer, opening a way for girls to play baseball.

When I was a kid, there were no girls playing baseball, and if I wanted to play, there was only softball. I wasn’t given the opportunity. I have a lot of respect for softball players, but would they be softball players if they had a chance to play baseball? There is a growing presence of women and girls who want to play baseball.

http://www.baseballforall.com/

Justine Siegal, founder of a nonprofit that supports girls playing the game of baseball, is MLB’s first female to throw batting practice and coach men’s baseball. In this video, Justine talks about the importance of girls in baseball.

I want to see more females in baseball and for them to follow the path that Justine and Melissa and others have blazed for women. Melissa, I only speak a little French, so I will wish you luck. Bonne chance à vous.

Jun19

Baseball is life

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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I once read a Twitter post that said, “Baseball is not life, it is something you do. Life is something you live.” A former ballplayer wrote that, and I can understand it. But I disagree with it. Baseball IS life.

I am back from a much- needed vacation. I toured the city of Corpus Christi while avoiding Tropical Storm Bill. While my intention to go to a single game was washed out, I was treated to a double header the next day. The USS Lexington is close by, and I took my boys to view the massive museum. We toured the ship, and when my youngest was too tired to go on, we headed over to the mess deck to get a drink. We passed by this case full of baseball artifacts from 1933 and ’34 Navy baseball teams.

The vision of sailors, playing baseball — I think about them on the flight deck, with gloves on, tossing a ball around. I have a vision of the stands in the ballpark and sailors watching and cheering the other sailors playing.

I think a little bit about the Twitter quote as I walk over to Whataburger Field. The Frisco RoughRiders and the Corpus Christi Hooks are Double A-ing my fun with a double header. I get the last ticket behind home plate.

Manger for the Hooks Rodney Linares and acting as manger for the Rough Riders Jason Hart

Hooks Manager Rodney Linares and RoughRiders Acting Manager Jason Hart exchange lineups.

I am in my seat ready to watch some baseball, when my seat neighbor appears, a nice woman with her mom and a family friend. That’s right, I am sitting behind home plate and it is girls’ night out. My neighbor is a huge Hooks fan, and the teasing commenced as I cheered for the RoughRiders. She and I talk about baseball throughout the game. She had her favorite players, ones she liked because they were kind to her child and others that were kind to the eyes. Yes, I was giggling like a schoolgirl over some cute ballplayers; not going to apologize for that. Baseball pants are the world’s greatest invention. Two games, 7 innings each, and the RoughRiders lost both, but there was some good ball in there, and I see a great team. I even have a favorite RoughRider. His name is Drew Robinson, and he wears 16 (Dean Palmer’s Ranger number) and he has a passion for the game.

The game is over, and I find the Frisco team bus. And while I couldn’t wait for the players to come out, I did meet more people.

I met the founders of Keeper of the Game Foundation, and the business card read, “Serving kids with special needs and disabilities while promoting servant leadership.” As a mom, of two children with autism, I am in awe. I am then handed a photo of my favorite player, Drew Robinson, and I hang it here near my desk.

After saying my goodbyes and getting in the car to head back to my hotel, I am just as relaxed after a double header as I was playing in the ocean. Baseball is life — it keeps popping in my mind. Seeing baseball artifacts on the USS Lexington, going to a double header and being with other women who love baseball as much as I do, meeting people who understand how important baseball could be to special needs children. It just made me think, this is life.

Baseball is life. Baseball connects us. It moves us, it bonds us into a community. Baseball has all the markers of life: passion, love, hatred, obsession, lust. Baseball is the perfect euphemism for life. You may strike out more than you hit a home run, but you never stop swinging.

Jun15

I’m Outta Here

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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Miss Baseball is going on a much needed vacation but I will be around on Facebook and Twitter.

https://www.facebook.com/missbaseballhollie?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

https://twitter.com/hollieham0

In the meantime you can read some wonderful writing from the other Kap Lifestyle Family members.

http://kaplifestyle.com/kaplifestyle-family/

Jun12

Fun Fact Friday: Saltalamacchia is how long?

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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Watching the Dodgers play the D-Backs, I saw a familiar face. Salty as I call him from his Texas Ranger days has the longest name in MLB with 14 letters. Anyone else come close in MLB? The only ones who came close have 12 letters.

Padres: Will Middlebrooks

Rays: C.J. Riefenhauser

Indians: Marc Rzepczynski

Tigers: Al Alburquerque

Jun11

MLB All Star Game: Vote Love not WAR

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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infante has 2.5 times as many AS votes as kipnis. kipnis leads AL with 3.7 war. infante has 0.0 war (also 0 HR, 0 SB) #joke

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) June 10, 2015

I saw this on Twitter, and my response was fans vote for love not WAR. Heyman has forgotten that this is the All Star Game, where the FANS get to vote. This is not about who should go it’s about who is going to go to the All Star Game. Fans make the decision. FANS VOTE. Speaking as a fan, I have always voted with my heart and not by how good someone is playing. I love the underdogs and the comebacks most of all. I think the Royal fans would agree with me.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/13038015/record-seven-kansas-city-royals-line-start-all-star-game

Is there something wrong with voting for your heart? I don’t think so, this is a known popularity contest. The only requirement is you play ball and have some talent, I can guarantee you that the biggest bats in the game are not going to be home . Fans dig the longball. Baseball purist want someone “technically” the best. I make no apologies for my votes which do include a lot of Royals. The players even understand this.

Mike Trout when asked about the Royals being the majority on the All Star ballot:

“The majority of those guys are having great years, so you can’t take it away from them. The fans have a right to vote, and they’re out there voting.”

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trout-665438-mike-petersburg.html

Here is a little metric for the baseball purist: Sabr, has only 24.4K followers on Twitter, while MLB has 4.84M that Million followers. I am not unsympathetic to your cause, I think the best players should go to the All Star game but if you are going to make it a fan vote then there should be no complaining about how the fans vote.

http://player.espn.com/player.js?playerBrandingId=4ef8000cbaf34c1687a7d9a26fe0e89e&adSetCode=91cDU6NuXTGKz3OdjOxFdAgJVtQcKJnI&pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:13038884&thruParam_espn-ui%5BautoPlay%5D=false&thruParam_espn-ui%5BplayRelatedExternally%5D=true

Jun10

MLB owners: I want the Nets!

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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Brett Lawrie sent these flowers to Tonya Carpenter

I am not going to show the gruesome pictures. You have seen them, and you don’t need me to show you. My thoughts and prayers go out to Tonya Carpenter, and I wish her a speedy recovery. Her injury brings up the question of more protection for the fans. Lawrie used a maple bat, which is stronger and breaks less than, say, an ash bat. But when it breaks, well, we all see what happens when it breaks. I personally would like to see the maple bats go. MLB is talking about stadium improvements, with more nets from home plate to at least to the dugout. Owners have rejected this twice, in 2007 and 2012 during labor agreements. The players want more netting. The owners don’t want to obstruct the view.

You mean this view:

Yes, that’s me, on the first row. No nets right by the on-deck circle. No, Joey Gallo didn’t hit me with his bat, but he came pretty damn close. I did not eat during the game; I would take a drink between pitches. I watched every ball leave the bat. You see that black thing in the bottom of the picture? That’s my glove, which I would put on. I’d be as poised as an infielder to get a hot grounder that came my way.

I even joked with my fellow ticket holders. “I am going to eat now (an hour before the game) because I know if I try to eat during the game, right when I am eating a hot dog, that’s when a ball will come right to my face, and that’s what will be on Sportscenter.”

No one besides me had a glove. There was the person to my left who was grateful I had a glove and told his buddies.

“She’s going to protect me.”

This is not the first time I have protected my fellow fans. I always bring my glove, and I always pay attention. My dad taught us that while we were growing up. While it was nice to watch the game, there was an element of being on guard that exhausted me, and when the game was over, I wanted to go home and relax.

I am a fan, and I paid good money to sit up close. I want the nets! While I am here asking the MLB fairies for things, I also want maple bats to go away. And players to come up and down the baseline and interact with the fans.

Let me be clear on Tonya Carpenter. I do not blame her. If there is any blame, it is on MLB, which does not make it clear how dangerous it is to sit close at a game. I think there needs to be rules like no babies and no small children. I almost want to say that everyone should bring a glove. but that’s not a foolproof plan. A glove is a safety device only if you know how to use it.

Let me say it again in crystal-clear terms : To the MLB owners: I WANT THE NETS!!!!!

For more information on this check out: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/boston-red-sox-fenway-park-mlb-broken-bat-injured-fan-safety-netting-060715

Jun8

MLB Draft Day

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Miss Baseball

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Today is the 50th anniversary of the MLB draft, everyone lining up to pick the player they think will be good for the future. I am not really interested in the draft. It one of those things you never know. You could pick a guy and he’s great but then injuries plague a wonderful career then it is over. (Ken Griffey Jr) Then there is a guy who is released and is picked up and turns out to be wonderful.(Anyone want J.D. Martinez?) You never know what is going to happen. Maybe it sounds cheeky but good luck draftees but the only way to the ballpark is a lot of hard work and focus and a little bit of luck.

Want to see the past draft picks well check this out: http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/