MLB

Doesn't April seem to last an eternity?

For those of us working in the financial services industry, the word April conjures up images of angry and impatient taxpayers. 

Across most of the country, torrential downpours and volatile temperature swings are the norm. For a select few, April is the start of a long and grueling baseball season.

April has never been kind to the Phillies. The inaugural first pitch barely left the hands of ex-GM Pat Gillick and the natives were already sharpening their spears. 

Controversial former No. 1 pick Matt Bush was cut from his hometown San Diego Padres  to clear room for Cliff Floyd.

Although a pretty lame draft class, Bush was taken ahead of Justin Verlander, Jeremy Sowers, Homer Bailey, Jered Weaver, Billy Butler, Stephen Drew, Josh Fields, Glen Perkins, Phil Hughes, and Huston Street (like I said, a pretty crappy draft class).

Bush's professional career got off to a rough start.

Spring has always been my favorite time of year.

This is the case not only because of the weather becoming nicer, but also because it's baseball season, still America's National Pastime - despite the popularity of the NFL.

When you combine that with the fact that I'm a movie buff, with over 300 films in my collection, it can safely be said that baseball movies hold a special place with me.

I've seen many diamond flicks through the years, but these 10 are the ones I particularly recommend, starting with (in chronological order)...

Welp, here we go again.

Another superstar caught with a failed PED test. Another person Jose Canseco has busted before an official leak came out.

By this time today, you've all heard the story.

Manny Ramirez has tested positive for a banned substance and will be suspended for 50 days by Major League Baseball.

First, let me preface my comments by saying that as someone who spent many years attending a Baptist church (like Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane), I'm sure he's a nice guy. Heck, he teaches Sunday School. Any nicer, he'd probably be driving an ice cream truck and giving kids Popsicles and Rocky Road ice cream cones for free.

But I digress. While McLane is a wonderful guy, I question his skills as an owner.

Here's why.

I do not like Manny Ramirez.

I think he’s lazy. I don’t like his persona while playing the game. He’s greedy in my opinion. And now, he’s a cheater.

.

Say it ain’t so Manny! Say it was a mistake by the doctor. Say I didn’t mean to take it. Say it wasn’t my fault.

You probably remember him as being one of the league’s top pitching coaches on baseball’s last dynasty. Yet as marvelous a job he did, during the darkest years in New York Yankee’s history he was one of the league’s top hurlers.

Manny, go ahead and tell me again. It’s just Manny being Manny. That phrase has turned out to be synonymous with “stupid is as stupid does.”

Instead, now we find maybe it’s nothing more than Manny being juiced.