March 3, 2011

Ya Just Never Know…

One of the fun things about gearing up for our 2011 travels, is wondering what players we’ll be able to watch who might make it to the big leagues. It takes some players longer to make than others, but some guys just seem to stand out. Last season while in Cedar Rapids, we were lucky enough to watch Mike Trout play, who has been named the top prospect in baseball. His lead-off homer was impressive, but what impressed me more was his attitude. He was nice enough to sign a program for my son who was an Angels fan at the time (he bounces back between the Angels and Cubs..don’t ask). We sat right behind the on deck circle, and our conversation with Mike started when my dad asked him why he had his name and number on his shoes, while his teammates didn’t. He kindly explained that he was their top draft pick and this was part of his deal. He had his own little cheering section which he rewarded with a game ball. It’s nice to see players at this level without the big egos and attitudes. Trout genually seemed gratefull for his fans and to be playing. The next day in DeMoines we saw Hall of Famers Ryne Sandburg again. You really can’t go wrong meeting these guys. We also met some of the Whitecaps players later in the summer, and being a Tigers fan it’s fun to watch these guys progress though the system. So next time you’re travelling by a Minor League ballpark, stop in for a game. Ya just never know who you might see play.

Photos property of M.I.B.

February 23, 2011

Slap-Stick Softball

This past weekend was the Lake Superior State Laker softball team’s annual ‘Take me out to the Ballgame’ dinner to raise money for their trip to Florida to kick off the 2011 season. This has become a tradition for us over the last few years, and the kids have a fun time. This years dinner of hot dogs and hamburgers was actually on campus this year, which is a change brought on by the new head coach. Door prizes, raffles, and silent auctions also took place to help the team raise money needed for the long trip. Lily’s favoite new thing this year was her opportunity to throw a pie in the face of her favorite player. Her aim was true, and the girls got nice and messy. The boys were too busy eating to really notice any of this.

Good luck to the Lakers this season, and we’ll try to make it what few home games they have if the weather holds up.

2011 Laker Softball Schedule

Photos property of M.I.B.

February 14, 2011

Safe At Second?

Once again, the Detroit Tigers start the season with
their starting second baseman up in the air. Last season, former Whitecap Scott Sizemore (pictured) was slated to be the starter, but was coming off an ankle injury. He started anyway and stuggled both in the field and at the plate. He batted only .206 before being sent down to Toledo. Carlos Guillen was moved over to second before (big suprise) going onto Injured Reserve. Coming up to take his place was another ‘Caps alumni, Will Rhymes. Rhymes impressed everyone with his work ethic and the fact that he hit .304 in 191 at bats. Dubbed ‘Mighty Mouse’ by the Detroit announcers, he always seemed to add a much needed spark to the Tigers offense. Sizemore was called back up late in the season (finally healthy) and hit .308 in September and October. With Giullen not expected to be in the Tigers lineup until late March after having micro-fracture surgery on his left knee, Sizemore and Rhymes are the two most likely to be battling for the Opening Day spot during Spring Training. However, also in the mix is Danny Worth. Worth is possibly the best defensive option, but we’ll see how he hits this spring. This triad of player aren’t only battling for the same position for the first month or so of the season, but possibly the starting job if Guillen goes down with another injury at some point during the season (yeah, what are the chances of THAT happening?). M.I.B. Pick: Will Rhymes. I like his left handed bat, and his ability to hit behind runners and just get on base. My feeling is that they’ll go with Sizemore, though, which I wouldn’t mind since he was my favorite player from the ‘Caps 2007 Championship team. Dombrowski likes his power, and will be eager to prove he was right by starting him last season. I’m looking forward to watching these players duke it out this spring and thoughout the season.

Photo courtesy of TigsTown.com

February 1, 2011

Ten Questions With Jacob Turner

This is re-printed from the ’10 Questions’ segment over at MiLB.com composed by Ashley Marshall. Turner played for the Whitecaps the first half of the 2010 season before being promoted to the Class High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers. Jacob represented West Michigan in the All-Star game also, and was one of the most prominant prospects the Tigers have sent to play there. He was drafted ninth overall by the Tigers in 2009 after completing high school in Missouri. In a season split between the Whitecaps and Flying Tigers, Turner was 6-5 with a 3.28 ERA with 102 strikeouts.

MiLB.com: You’ve always thrown hard, but I read that you could throw 92 or 93 mph as a 14-year-old. Is there any truth to that?

Turner: My freshman year was the first year I had been clocked by a radar gun and I was up to 92, and that was when I was 15. Ever since then, I just slowly got stronger and gained more and more velocity. I had never really thought I was throwing that hard because I had never been clocked, so it was hard to tell. But I was definitely surprised to find out.

Not throwing too many curveballs was one of the things that my dad had looked into, and he decided it would be a better idea for me to hold off on throwing any kind of breaking pitch for a while and let my arm develop naturally. And that benefited me in the long run by keeping my arm as healthy as possible.

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MiLB.com: Your pitching coach in high school was former Major Leaguer Todd Worrell. What did you learn from him?

Turner: The biggest thing I learned from him was how to go about your business on the mound from a mental aspect. He also taught me how to throw a curveball. I hadn’t thrown a ton of them and it was pretty far behind my fastball in terms of location and how consistent it was. He really helped me along with that and got it to the point where it was today.

MiLB.com: Heading into the 2009 Draft, can you put into words your emotions and what you were experiencing?

Turner: A lot of things — I was excited, but at the same time I was nervous and I didn’t know what was going to happen. With the baseball Draft, especially for a high school player, it is so unpredictable, so we didn’t really know if I was going to get drafted high enough that I would bypass college or end up at North Carolina.

I just decided to let the chips fall where they may and then decide after that, see how everything shook out and then take a step back, look at both options and see what was best for me. When I was younger, that was every kid’s dream — to be drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft, much less the first round, so it was definitely a dream come true. There were a lot of things going through my mind, but when the Tigers picked me there was a lot of excitement.

MiLB.com: How did it feel to be a multi-millionaire as a teenager?

Turner: It was definitely a weird feeling at first to know you have a certain amount of money from the Tigers. It was a good feeling both ways, without going to college to have some financial security, but at the same time you also feel like the Tigers really made a commitment to you to develop you and make you the best player you can be.

I had a car before I signed and I kept that, and I haven’t bought anything too exciting yet. The contract hasn’t changed me too much as a person, and I always tell my brothers and my parents that if you ever see a change in me, to let me know because I don’t ever want to be someone that gets changed by the money. It is just money, so I didn’t really change my lifestyle because of the contract.

MiLB.com: You had an impressive professional debut on April 10 for West Michigan, striking out seven and allowing two hits over five shutout innings. What do you remember about that day?

Turner: I was actually pretty nervous, considering it was my professional debut in a regular-season game. I wanted to go out there and kinda prove I belonged. Once I got out there, the nerves calmed down and I was able to do my thing. My parents weren’t able to come up for that game, but they got to a few games when I was playing for the Whitecaps because they lived in St. Louis and we played a few teams in the Midwest area.

MiLB.com: You made 11 appearances with West Michigan over three months in the Midwest League before earning a promotion to Lakeland. What differences did you notice at each level?

Turner: The biggest thing at the start was the adjustment to the professional game. It’s a lot faster than high school. The players are a lot better and pitching every five days definitely takes a toll on your body and your arm. And it takes time to get used to it.

When I first got down to Lakeland, I struggled at the beginning and I think that was really good for me because in high school you’re facing lesser competition. The hitters were more patient and stronger here, and if you left pitches up in the zone, they hit balls a little bit harder and a little bit farther. My mechanics got out of whack because I was trying to do a little too much rather than just trying to stay within myself. When I got back to that, I was fine.

To struggle and come back strong definitely gives me a better mind-set coming into next season.

MiLB.com: How would you evaluate your first season?

Turner: I would say there were some ups and downs, but overall it was a solid year. I felt like I learned a lot and improved and that is what the Minor Leagues are all about — improving each and every year and trying to reach your full potential. The biggest thing I want to work on, pitching-wise now, is getting consistency with all three of my pitches — my fastball, my curveball and my changeup. Obviously, right now my fastball is ahead of both my other pitches, but that is one of those things that I’ve been trying to work on. I try to make sure I have the same mechanics and progression through every pitch, throwing it just like a fastball.

MiLB.com: You got an opportunity to travel a lot with the Whitecaps. What cities have you enjoyed playing in?

Turner: My favorite city so far has probably been Grand Rapids, where West Michigan is. I really liked it up there and it reminded me a lot about home in St. Louis. There were a lot of great cities in the Midwest League, but I loved playing in Dayton. They have a great fan base and they really pack out the stadium. Their fans are into every game and it was a fun place to play.

There were a couple bus trips in the Midwest League that were pretty long, but I tried to sleep and make it go by as fast as I could. The other guys would watch movies and try to kill time and we definitely had a few characters on the team that lightened the mood. Once I got to the Florida State League, there weren’t many long trips at all.

MiLB.com: The names of top pitching prospects often get thrown around in the offseason when trade rumors are rampant. With the Tigers possibly looking to make some moves before April, have you been paying attention to what fans and writers have been saying?

Turner: I haven’t really heard anything about that. Rumors are always going to be prevalent when you’re talking about baseball in the offseason, but I don’t really concern myself too much with stuff like that. I’d definitely say it is an honor if other teams value me, but ultimately every Minor Leaguer is in the same position, trying to get to the big leagues as fast as they can.

MiLB.com: Realistically, how far away from the Majors do you think you are?

Turner: I really don’t have any idea. I go out there every single day and do my best and let the Tigers take care of the rest.

We unfortunately never had a chance to see Turner play, as he was promoted before we were able to make it down for a game. I like his props on Grand Rapids, though. I look forward to seeing how his career progresses.

January 13, 2011

Whitecaps Update 1/11/11

Winter Banquet and HOF: The Whitecaps 2011 Winter Banquet will be held on Wednesday, January 19th this year, and will be headlined by Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski. Also speaking at the event, is new ‘Caps skipper Ernie Young and alumni Will Rhymes and Brennan Boesch. This event will also feature the 2011 Whitecaps Hall of Fame ceremony which will induct current Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya, catcher Ramon Hernandez, and groundskeeper Heather Nabozny. Heather took good care of Fifth Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids before becoming the first female head groundskeeper in the Majors with the Tigers.

Alumni Moves: Former Whitecap center fielder Cameron Maybin was shipped from the Florida Marlins to the San Diego Padres for Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica. Maybin was on the Marlins opening day roster in 2009 and 2010. Maybin was sent to Florida from Detroit in the deal for Miguel Cabrera and was part of West Michigan’s 2006 Midwest League championship team. The Padres look for his range in center to be a great asset playing at Petco Park. Also on the move is pitcher Alfredo Figaro. The Tigers sold his contract to the Orix Buffaloes of the Japanese Pacific League. In eight appearances for the Tigers, he was 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA. Figaro was 10-6 with a 4.14 ERA in 23 starts for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens in 2010.

Tiger Fridays: Tigers Fridays are back at Fifth Third Ballpark for this season. Former Tigers Johnny Grubb, Steve Kemp, Frank Lary, Mickey Tettleton, Dick Tracewski, Jason Thompson, and Richie Hebner will be making appearances. The dates are June 3 & 17, July 1, 22, & 29, and August 12 & 26. The team hasn’t released the dates each former Tiger will be attending, though. I hope I have a chance to make it down to meet Tettleton. He’s one of my favorite players of all time.

Non-Roster Invite: Outfielder Avisail Garcia in one of the 18 non-roster players the Tigers have invited to spring training in Lakeland, FL. Garcia has spent the last two seasons with the ‘Caps and is ranked as the Tigers ninth-best prospect by Baseball America. In 2010 he batted .281 with four home runs, 63 doubles, and 20 stolen bases. In 2009 he was a .264 hitter in 81 games in West Michigan. He’ll be at Spring Training with former ‘Caps outfielders Andy Dirks, Ben Guez, Casper Wells, Clete Thomas, and Brennan Boesch.

Fifth Third Burger on TV…Again: Last year the famous West Michigan Whitecaps Fifth Third Burger was featured on Man v. Food. This year, the giant hamburger will be featured on the Food Network’s series ‘Unwrapped’ with host Marc Summers. The show will air at 9:00 p.m. on January 22 in an episode called ‘Game Day Goodies’. I plan on tackling this monsterous burger this season, but I’ll have three hungary kids to help polish it off. In two seasons, the ‘Caps have served 3,253 Fifth Third Burgers to fans, and 761 have attempted the Challenge to eat the whole thing by themselves. A total of 483 people have won the challenge, earning a T-shirt and their pic on the ‘wall of champs’.

A Look Ahead: This should be a fun year for us at the Whitecaps games. I’m trying to get my work schedules manipulated so the kids and I can make it to Opening Day and hopefully Star Wars day again in July. Brian will be making his debut at Fifth Third Ballpark this season, also. Below is a pic of him sporting his new hat he got for his third birthday on the 11th. I’ve also added a ‘Caps game to my baseball trip, as we’re flying back into Michigan via Grand Rapids. Why not stay and catch one more game?

Photos property of M.I.B.

January 6, 2011

My ‘Minor Trips Newletter’ Arrives….Yeah!

I’m always happy to recieve my ‘Minor Trips’ Newsletter, and the January 2011 version does not disappoint. What is ‘Minor Trips’ you ask? Well, it’s a two part publication put together by baseball fans who share my passion for Minor League Baseball. The first part, the newsletter, is packed full of baseball stories, letter from fans, and ballpark reviews, book reviews, contests, and more. The second part is a guide to all of the Minor League and Independant Pro teams in the country. It lists every team by state, along with their home schedule and directions. Really, it’s like my Bible. It’s an easy way to help me plan my baseball trips. The creators are very commited to this printed publication, despite the fact that we live in the computer age where info is only a key stroke away (without the internet, how could I reach out to the 2-3 people who actually read my blogs?). Since the editors actually ENCOURAGE readers to reproduce their work with no rights reserseved, I will be sharing an article from the current newsletter that I really enjoyed.

Reflections Of A Minor League Rookie Fan by Bob Kuntz

I’m heading back to my hometown of Akron, where I havn’t lived for forty years. My destination is the minor league ballpark that no one even imagined when I was growing up. The park was built years ago, but this is my first visit. On a sweltering Sunday afternoon in June, my dad and I are going to our first game.

Downtown, we turn down a street filled with childhood memories. To my left if the big department store where I bought my Cub Scout uniform, rode the clacking wooden escalators, and admired the animated Christmas decorations. We park on the street, right next to the stadium, for free.

We walk down the street. More childhood memories flash through my mind. The ballpark sits where Scott’s 5 & 10 used to be. I remember exploring the store as a child, buying gum and toy soldiers. Now it’s gone. In it’s place, a modern brick stadium rises modestly above the street, surrounded by landscaped corners and strips of shady trees and brightly colored flowers.

We pass through the turnstile. Our first order of business, in this heat, is buying frozen lemonades. Our seats are in the sun, three rows behind the dugout, right at the edge of the field.

I have never sat this close to the field in my life. There’s a great view of the city skyline, tall buildings on the edge of downtown. The advertising signs on the home run fence highlight local businesses and spark memories of a distant Akron when Goodyear and Firestone were city giants. A slight breeze cools us for a moment.

The park is smaller than major league stadiums. But not the diamond. It’s a magic green oasis with baselines and home plate.

On this day of tripical heat and humidity, the stands are more empty than not (attendance is 2,810). But those who are here are fans. They root, cheer, and clap.

I don’t know the players, but I wonder about their stories.

I love sitting this close to the field. The first baseman snags a grounder a few steps behind the bag and I see the subtle wag of his hand as he waves off the pitcher and covers the base. I hear the sharp crack of a grounder smacked toward third. The fielder gloves the ball and throws. For a moment, the ball seems suspended in mid-air on it’s way to first base.

My dad tells me about the old League Stadium where, as kids, he and my Uncle Bill watched the Akron Yankees play. He doesn’t remember why the two of them were let in without paying, only that they were. The family who lived beside the ballpark put lawn chairs on the garage roof to watch the game.

Families are sitting all around us-grandparents, kids, teens and moms and dads, slurping their giant drinks and munching on nachos. The whole place is more relaxed than major league parks. It’s not an impersonal big city, but a friendly small town.

The runs, the Aero’s offense shines, catching a runner off the bag for a put out and slamming the door shut on a steal of second. But, alas, the final score: 8-5 Mets.

During the game, kids too young for T-Ball gather in front of us, right next to the dugout. When the first baseman snags in a foul ball, they wave their hands and shouth, “Here! Throw it here!” He rolls the ball across the dugout roof, one of them grabs it and races to his parents waving the ball in the air.

A batter sends a foul ball soaring out of the stadium. A little boy watches it on it’s high slow journey until it crests the brick work. He shouts to his parents, “That ball went over the house!”

Hearing him, I realize I’m in the place where parents explain the infield fly rule, where dreams of turning double plays and hitting grand slams are born. This is the place where kids fall in love with baseball, and, after the game, get to run the bases. And a big kid like me…I’ll be back.

I hope that piece was as enjoyable for everyone who reads it as it was for me. The newsletters are filled with great stuff like that. To subscribe, just send $15 to the following adress:

Minor Trips

P.O. Box 360105

Strongsville, OH 44136

December 21, 2010

Baseball Trip Finalized for 2011: New England Bound

There’s nothing like lookin to the future, and trying to come up with a trip that we can fit at least six to seven games into a five day span isn’t easy. Next May we’ll be heading east to the New England area, checking out the Minor League teams there, and even hitting a Red Sox game at historic Fenway Park. Our trip will start off on the Triple A level in Rhode Island, watching the Pawtucket Red Sox defend their home field against the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees. It will be a small taste of the Sox-Yanks rivalry, anyway. Day two of our trip we will head up north to Manchester, NH. There we will watch a Double A matchup between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Binghampton Mets. The third day of our trip will take us up to the great state of Maine for a pair of games. First we’ll see a night game as the Portland Sea Dogs face the Reading Phillies, and we’ll watch the same two teams go at it the next day at noon. After the day game concludes, we’ll head south for some Major League action. I know I don’t care to see baseball live at this level that often, but Fenway is a must for any baseball fan, and Boston is facing the Detroit Tigers, so it’s a chance to see our home team on the road. We also plan to take the tour of Fenway Park the next morning. Our trip will end later that night in Conecticicut, where we’ll watch the New Britain Rock Cats play New Hampshire, who we’ll be seeing for the second time. There will be plenty of other sites for us to see in this part of the country, and I plan to have a beer or two at Cheers in Boston.

December 9, 2010

Learning from the Lakers

The Lake Superior State women’s softball team has been busy in the community teaching young players about the game. They hosted weekly hitting and pitching clinics in the weeks before Thanksgiving, and just completed a weekend camp which incorporated all aspects of the game. I was lucky enough to get my daughter to most of the clinics and the camp, in fact, I recieved a call from first year head coach Lori Shimasaki inviting her to join the clinics. She’s become a favorite among the college girls, even hanging out with them for awhile at the local hockey games. She’s having a lot of fun and this will hopefully inspire her to keep playing. She’s been playing baseball since she was 5, but next summer will be her first shot at softball if she decides to play. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, because she’s a good player and this could open up some doors for her in the future. Sorry about the low quality of the pics, but they were taken with my phone. The (ex)wife got the camera in the settlement.

Property of M.I.B.

December 4, 2010

Logo of the Month: Omaha Storm Chasers

Primary Logo:

Secondary Logo:

MLB Affiliate: Kansas City Royals

Home Field: Werner Park

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

League: Pacific Coast League

Fun Facts: The former Omaha Royals decided to change their name while moving into the new state of the art Werner Park in 2011. The team held a contest, and the Storm Chasers were the winners. When I first saw the name and logo…I was like..you gotta be kidding me. As I thought about it, though, this is what the Minors is all about. It’s a fun original name that is significant to the region and city it’s from. Good luck to the Storm Chasers this next season…may your t-shirt sales go through the roof.

Official Storm Chasers website

November 7, 2010

M.I.B. Prime 9: Favorite Baseball Movies

Again, making a list like this was harder than I thought. Narrowing it down to nine, I had to leave some of my favorite off, but I’ll leave my ‘honorable mention’ list for the end. Meanwhile, such movies as Ed and The Slugger’s Wife were fairly easy to cast aside. Here we go:

9) Bang The Drum Slowly: This could be the best movie you’ve never seen. I was able to pick it up for $5.00 and what a good investment. A young Robert DeNiro plays a fatally ill ball player who basically rallies his team around him. The acting is excellent, and the story is original. I was really suprised and impressed when I was able to sit down and watch it. Some of the scenes are a little dated, since it was filmed in the 70’s, but the story itself is just timeless. The ball players are member of the New York Mamoths club, but look ridiculously close to the Yankees. The writing is well done and I have to believe this movie was nominated for some awards at one point in time. You know it has to be pretty good to beat out The Sandlot…which is still one of my favorites, but had to be left off. It’s worth at least checking out if you have a chance.

8) Major League III: Back To The Minors. I know I’m gonna get a lot of flack for this one….I know it can’t compare to the original, but I still find it very entertaining. For some reason I find myself watching it quite a bit, and it’s a tradition to watch during my annual baseball trip. I like it a lot better than the first sequel because of it’s original and not a ‘remake’ of the first one. Also, the fact that it revolves around the Minor Leagues is a plus in my book, too. It doesn’t involve the Indians, but has the Twins as the ‘bad guys’ and the Salt Lake Buzz as the misfit AAA team brought together my rookie coach Gus Cantral (Scott Bakula). There are a few familiar faces, such at Cerano, Tanaka, and ‘Rube’ Baker. There is a lot of good baseball stuff in this movie along with some laughs to go along the way. Not as funny as the first, but I think you’d enjoy it for what it is. Trust me on this one….

7) Bull Durham: Another movie that revolves around the Minors, most of you would have ranked this one a lot higher. As funny as it is, I lose interest at the end when the baseball parts are over and it focuses on the relationship between Kevin Costner and Susan Serandan. It does have some of the funniest one-liners to date. It’s too bad that the original ballpark the Durham Bulls played in isn’t used anymore, but now the Bulls are part of the Triple-A International League instead of the lowly Class A Carolina League. My favorite scenes are when Crash (Costner) tells the batters what pitches Nuke is preparing to throw. The movie also turned the Durham Bulls into one of the most recognized Minor League ball clubs in the country. It’s on my baseball trip ‘to do’ list for sure. With so many ball clubs in North Carilina, you could get a lot of baseball games in a short time. I don’t think I really have to recommend this one, as most either own it or have seen it many times.

6) Everyone’s Hero. This is a sentimental favorite of mine. This is one of the first movies I took my two oldest kids to see at the theater, and my youngest is becoming a big fan of it as well. It’s a good way to expose kids to baseball, history, and Babe Ruth himself. It’s quite a bit off the wall, with a talking baseball and the Babe’s bat ‘Darlin’. The story goes that the evil Cubs owner has Darlin’ stolen to the Babe can’t hit and the Yankees will lose the World Series. The main character, a kid named Yankee Irvine, has his dad blamed for the mishap and fired. Yankee must rescue Darlin, make his way to Chicago, save the World Series for the Yanks, and try to get his dad’s job back. Yeah…that’s a lot of responsibility for a little kid. Of course he makes friends along the way, and learns more about baeball. The main theme of the movie is ‘keep swinging’ and the Babe keeps stating that anythng can happen in baseball. It’s highly recommended for the kids.

5) Field of Dreams. I know for most people, this movie is probably number one. The movie based on the novel ‘Shoeless Joe’ really captured the imagination of baseball lovers everywhere. I enjoyed the novel, but this is one of the few movies that I actually enjoyed more. They did a great job with it, and really got the point accross of the magic of baseball. The scenes with ‘Moonlight’ Graham are my favorite, but lots of memorable moments. I was also lucky enough to visit the movie site in Dyersville, Iowa earlier this year. Unfortunately there was no corn stalks, but it is still a great place to visit. I was able to take some infield, pitch off the mound, and play catch with my dad which is what I’m supposed to do, I guess. I’ll have to take my kid there when they’re a little older and have watched the movie themselves. It’s a timeless classic that I really never get tired of watching.

4) The Bad News Bears (1976). Their are many reasons why I like the original to the remake of 2005. The original has to be one of the funniest baseball movies ever, and the first in sport ‘underdog’ movies. Movies like the Mighty Ducks, Big Green, and Little Giants are all basic remakes substituting hockey, soccer, and football. It doesn’t hurt that I had a mega crush on Tatum O’Neal when I as a little kid, either. How cool would it have been to have a girlfriend who could throw a curve ball? Walter Mathau was great, and this movie works on so many levels. I actually enjoyed the second sequal, Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, and it barely missed the list. If you havn’t seen the original, I highly recommend it. In retrospect, I probably should have named one of my boys Tanner. This kids really makes the movies and provides some of the most memorable moments.

3) The Rookie. I love this movie and have watched it quite a bit. The fact that it’s based on a true story just adds to the magic. The fact that Jim Morris really made it to the Majors and fullfilled his dream is actually amazing. The movie is actually based on his autobiography ‘The Oldest Rookie’. I havn’t read the book yet, but hope to when I get a chance. I’m sure the movie embelishes a lot of the story, but it’s well put together and seems to be as realistic as possible while being entertaining. It’s something I can watch over and over again. My favorite scenes involve Morris coaching his team to the district championship, and telling his son over the phone that he’d been called up to the Majors. The Minor League scenes are really fun, too, and seam to bring the feel of that level to the audience. Dennis Quaid does a good job in the movie, also, in bringing Jim Morris to the big screen. The whole concept if the movie is really inspiring and was perfect fit for a family Disney film.

2) The Final Season. This movie didn’t get a lot of press, but I loved it and have watched it many times over the last year. Another film based on true events, it follows a small Iowa high school on their quest for a 20th state championship. Unfortunately, the school is closing and they fired their legendary coach Jim Van Scoyc in hopes the team will fail to make the merger with a larger school more tolerable to the community. It’s directed by the same guy who did the Sandlot, so that should add to some of it’s credibility. I was so inspired by this film I had to go to Norway, Iowa, where the movie took place and visit the museum there. Everyone was very nice, and I was even able to meet coach Van Scoyc. I asked him how much of the movie was accurate, and he replied, “well…there’s a lot of bullsh!t.” Still a great movie and an ever better true story.

1) Major League. This is simply the funniest baseball movie I’ve ever seen. It rivals my beloved Star Wars for how many times I’ve veiwed it. You can hear a lot of the one-liners form this film at almost any ballpark, and it’s probably impedded in our pop culture more than people realize. The cast was perfect, and the characters they portrayed were original and hilarious. I can watch the second one, but not nearly as much as the original. I don’t think I could ever hate the Indians, no matter what after this movie. My favorite scenes include Lou Brown wizzing on Dorn’s contract, Willie Mays Hayes getting cut early, and the Wild Thing arriving at Spring Training. There’s really nothing I don’t like about his movie, and will continue to watch it whenever I feel the need.

My list of honorable mentions include The Sandlot, A League of Thier Own, Mr. Baseball, 61*, For Love of The Game, and Mr. 3000. No, seriously, Mr. 3000. I also liked The Natural…but I simply dont’ find myself watching it all that much. I like to see what everyone thinks and whay your list would be. This is my Prime 9…what’s yours?