History

How many times have you heard that the Yankees buy their players? How many times have you heard how the Yankees buy their championships?

I’m a little early on this, I admit. I’m jumping the gun, but this time they can’t call me back to the starting blocks.

You heard it here first, then.

When the Tigers gather for spring training in about three months—it can’t get here fast enough, by the way—it will be 2010 and you can say it.

It’ll be 20 years since Cecil Fielder knocked 51 homers out of the confines of American League ballparks on behalf of the Tigers.

Yep—1990. Even the most mathematically challenged can figure out that 2010 minus 20 equals 1990.

Back in the late 1930s, I used to observe a tall man, laboriously walking along Mechanic Street. Frank Bird’s affliction was that he was paralyzed on one side. Here was the story that I heard when I was a kid.

The old timers in town said that Mr. Bird had been a big league baseball player in his younger days. One extremely hot day he hit a home run. Immediately after scoring at home plate, he quenched his thirst with a drink of ice cold water. He went into shock and he remained partially paralyzed for the rest of his life.

The 2010 MLB free agent market has many players including many former New York Mets.  Here is an in-depth look at the fielders.  This is Part 1.  There will be a pitchers one in the near future.

Catchers

Ramon Castro—Castro was a member of the Mets from 2005 to the middle of this season when he was traded to the White Sox for Lance Broadway.  In 2007, Castro had his best year as a Met, playing in 52 games and batting .285 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs.

We all know how much Curt Schilling stirred up emotions in people, but when it comes down to it, the man was a fantastic pitcher, and belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Let's get it out of the way, shall we? Yes, Curt Schilling was an ass. He said stupid things, stuck his nose where it didn't belong and was a generally annoying person.

I think Ed Wade, Phillies General Manger in the mid-90s and classic Schilling nemesis, said it best: "If he wasnt our horse, he'd be out horse's ass."

Watching the New York Yankees win the World Series this year made me reflect on the past. My mind wandered to a decade ago and to a specific date, October 27, 1999. A date that represents my all-time greatest sports moment. 

Now, I have been to plenty of playoff games in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. I have seen championship boxing matches and I've seen Tiger Woods play the Honda Classic. But nothing can compare to being in the stadium when your favorite team wins a championship. The atmosphere is simply electric.

Welcome to another edition of Thaddeus' Tampa Bay Rays Offseason Report. Each and every Friday, we're going to recap the moves, trades, signings, and other nonsense of the previous week in the wonderful world of Tampa Bay baseball; keeping you, Dear Reader, up to date with the team until Opening Day in April 2010 against the Baltimore Orioles.

Jason Kubel is finally where he belongs, at the top.

After a career-best season in 2009, Kubel, 27, proved to be one of baseball’s premier designated hitters, while working at a considerably lower rate than many of his contemporaries.

At this point, however, Kubel isn’t worried about getting a big payday.

I've pieced together a post elsewhere about Tim Lincecum's success as a high school pitcher at Liberty High, located south of Seattle, in 2002 and 2003 from Seattle Times reports. To celebrate Lincecum's repeat Cy Young award today, here's an excerpt from the Times of May 30, 2003. It describes the story of Lincecum proving himself to Liberty coach Glen Walker in spring 2002:

So, we've arrived in 2004. The Chicago Cubs have just undergone the worst choke in the history of the NLCS. Stunned, Cubs fans could only watch in horror as Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett dominated the mighty New York Yankees in the World Series.

You'll forgive us if we didn't enjoy the Jan Brady-like feeling running through our veins during that entire series and subsequent off-season.

The Marlins have two rings, and the Cubs continue to play foil for teams we fans thought our teams were better than.