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My Five - Financial blunders
While watching the Angels sweep the defending champion Red Sox this past weekend, the presence of the Halos' brilliant free agent acquisition, Torii Hunter, stood out. So it got me to thinking: Who are the anti-Toriis, and shouldn't I bash them a little since My Five has been a love-fest for eight weeks? The answers: There are plenty to choose from, and absolutely. Let the roast begin. By Sean Raposa.
KILL - My Five - Financial blunders
While watching the Angels sweep the defending champion Red Sox this past weekend, the presence of the Halos' brilliant free agent acquisition, Torii Hunter, stood out. So it got me to thinking: Who are the anti-Toriis who would leave the Guinness guys speechless, and shouldn't I bash them a little since My Five has been a love-fest for eight weeks? The answers: There are plenty to choose from, and absolutely. Let the roast begin. By Sean Raposa.
Prospect Q&A - Brandon Hicks, Atlanta Braves
The main things pro teams look for in a shortstop are the abilities to field and throw. The Atlanta Braves knew they had a player who could perform both of those tasks in 2007 third-round pick Brandon Hicks, who showed good range while playing for Texas A&M and flashed a 90-plus mile per hour heater as a pitcher in junior college. What they might not have realized was just how much pop Hicks had in his bat. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - Brandon Hicks, Braves
The main things pro teams look for in a shortstop are the abilities to field and throw. The Atlanta Braves knew they had a player who could perform both of those tasks in 2007 third-round pick Brandon Hicks, who showed good range while playing for Texas A&M and flashed a 90-plus mile per hour heater while doubling as a pitcher in junior college. What they might not have realized was just how much pop Hicks had in his bat. By Jay LeBlanc.
Signature Stories - Nomah!
Nomar Garciaparra used to be one of the best players in baseball and a legend in Boston, but has settled into Major League Baseball's version of mediocrity over the past few seasons. Let's forget all of that for a moment and go back to the summer of 1996, when the sky was the limit and Nomar was tearing the cover off the ball as a member of the triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Signature Stories - Nomah!
Nomar Garciaparra used to be one of the best players in baseball and a legend in Boston, but has settled into Major League Baseball's version of mediocrity over the past few seasons. Let's forget all of that for a moment and go back to the summer of 1996, when the sky was the limit and Nomar was tearing the cover off the ball as a member of the triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. By Jay LeBlanc.
Amateur Hour - USA Baseball, etc.
USA Baseball announced 23 of the 24 members of its 2008 Olympic Team - including a star college pitcher - just days after its collegiate National Team defeated international powerhouse Cuba twice during Haarlem Baseball Week in The Netherlands. Tom Stad also checks in on the NCAA summer leagues and keeps you up to date on the latest additions to Buster Posey's trophy case in this week's Amateur Hour.
KILL - Amateur Hour - USA Baseball, etc.
USA Baseball announced 23 of the 24 members of its 2008 Olympic Team - including a star college pitcher - just days after its collegiate National Team defeated international powerhouse Cuba twice during Haarlem Baseball Week in The Netherlands. Tom Stad also checks in on the summer leagues and keeps you up to date on Buster Posey's trophy case in this week's Amateur Hour.
KILL - Amateur Hour - The national scene
USA Baseball announced 23 of the 24 members of its 2008 Olympic Team - including a star college pitcher - just days after its collegiate National Team defeated international powerhouse Cuba twice during Haarlem Baseball Week in The Netherlands. Tom Stad also checks in on the summer leagues and keeps you up to date on Buster Posey's trophy case in this week's Amateur Hour.
Prospect Q&A - Dominic Brown, Philadelphia Phillies
The same traits that make Dominic Brown one of the Phillies' best prospects could have kept him off the baseball field altogether. As a high schooler, he put his 6' 5" frame and above-average speed to use as a wide receiver and was good enough to score a football scholarship offer from the Miami Hurricanes. Luckily for the Phillies, baseball is Brown's first love and he opted instead to sign with them after they selected him in the 2006 draft. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - Dominic Brown, Phillies
The same traits that make Dominic Brown one of the Phillies' best prospects could have kept him off the baseball field altogether. As a high schooler, he put his 6' 5" frame and above-average speed to use as a wide receiver and was good enough to score a football scholarship offer from the Miami Hurricanes. Luckily for the Phillies, baseball is Brown's first love and he opted instead to sign with them after they selected him in the 2006 draft. By Jay LeBlanc.
Cooperstown Bound? - Fred McGriff
If there were a sports Hall of Fame for best nicknames, Fred McGriff would certainly be a first-ballot inductee. Coined "The Crime Dog" by ESPN's Chris Berman, McGriff became synonymous with his nickname and it stuck. But a good nickname is not the only reason baseball fans remember McGriff, who hit 493 career home runs and will be eligible for Hall of Fame enshrinement for the first time in 2009. By Nick Leco.
KILL - Cooperstown Bound? - Fred McGriff
If there was a sports Hall of Fame for best nicknames, Frederick Stanley McGriff would certainly be a first-ballot inductee. Coined "The Crime Dog," after TV's fictional police canine, by ESPN's Chris Berman, McGriff became synonymous with his nickname and it stuck. But a good nickname is not the only reason baseball fans remember McGriff, who'll be eligible for Hall of Fame enshrinement for the first time in 2009. By Nick Leco.
My Five - X-Factors
If you read as much sports as I do, you are definitely over the bombardment of snub columns, complaints about the home-field advantage and selection process of the All-Star Game by now. Since the boys at the networks had those angles covered in a New York minute, I'm just going to kick back, enjoy the show and reserve my words for the games that count in the standings. By Sean Raposa.
KILL - My Five - X-Factors
If you read as much sports as I do, you are definitely over the bombardment of snub columns, complaints about the home-field advantage and selection process of the All-Star Game by now. Since the boys at the networks had those angles covered in a New York minute, I'm just going to kick back, enjoy the show and reserve my words for the games that count in the standings. By Sean Raposa.
