Whether you cheer for Dodgers or Yankees, you are in pretty good company. There are more than 100,000,000 baseball fans in the US. For more interesting baseball tidbits, take a look at the picture below.
The Winners of 2011 MLB Draft
August 18th, 2011During the draft this year, some teams were able to make the most of the selections. Take a look at which teams were able to recruit some of the best young ball players into their teams.
Pittsburgh Pirates, who took on UCLA’s Gerrit Cole for a $ million bonus made the most of their overall pick. Cole is a very dominant starter and is the player to watch out for. The Pirates also tabbed Josh Bell in the second round though he had told everyone that was off to Texas to be a Longhorn. Bell is needed for the Pirates to have a strong base of young players who can develop into great players for in the future. Bell signed for $5 million, the largest contract ever that anyone outside the first round has signed.
Washington Nationals have always used the draft not only to find young talents, but also to find players who will in future uphold the organization. Nationals came away with Matt Purke and Anthony Rendon, both of them as brilliant as Gerrit Cole and were often touted as the first round overall pick. Some talent scouts even rate Rendon as a better player than Bryce Harper whom the Nationals recruited last year. Rendon was paid $6 million and Purke signed for 2.75 million.
Boston Red Sox got Blake Swihart for $3 million. Blake is an excellent hitting catcher who also has a scholarship to Texas. The Red Sox also signed Matt Barnes and Jackie Bradley. The team paid more than $q0 million for the drafts this year.
Arizona Diamondbacks took Trevor Bauer for a $5 million contract. He was there are the No. 3 pick and for the Diamondbacks, it was an obvious choice. Bradley can work magic on the baseball field. He also had a scholarship to go and play quarterback at Oklahoma, so it was tough to reel him in. But the Diamondbacks finally got him for 5 million.
What’s Magic Johnson Got to Do with Dodgers?
August 11th, 2011Should the Dodgers go up for sale, Magic Johnson would like to be its new owner, as the legendary basketball player admitted to a Loyola Marymount University audience. Johnson was all praise about the Dodgers brand and said that the organization already has an owner. He said that the Dodgers brand is amazing.
Magic Johnson had sold his stake in the Los Angeles Lakers about a year ago and has been trying to get the NFL back to Los Angeles. As such, having Magic Johnson as the owner of Dodgers, if it ever happens, may not be such a bad thing for the team because Johnson is known for his business savvy.
He will be a lot better than Frank McCourt who has made Dodgers just an asset that must be fought over a divorce custody battle. Baseball fans are not sympathetic to Frank McCourt, not at all. Mismanagement of the team has put it in such a perilous position that it is difficult to meet players’ payroll this season. Even with Matt Kemp putting up some brilliant performances, attendance is down.
There is an expectation that McCourt will soon be out and the Dodgers will need a new owner. Someone who is passionate and committed to bringing Dodgers back to the days of glory. Could Magic Johnson be the man? Some magic will do the Dodgers no harm. Johnson could very well be the touch of magic that the Dodgers seem to so desperately need.
Top 10 Baseball Movies
August 4th, 2011Which is your favorite baseball movie? One that you would love to watch over and over again? We are pretty sure you will find this in the list below.
10. The Sandlot (1993)
This 1993 film is set in the 60’s. it is the story of a kid who gains acceptance in the new neighborhood through baseball.
9. Comrades of Summer (1992)
Comrades of Summer is a HBO film. A story of a coach teaching baseball to Russians.
8. Eight Men Out (1988)
The movie version of the 1919 Chicago Sox scandal. John Cusack and David Strathairn performed remarkably well in the movie.
7. Little Big League (1994)
A 12 year old baseball franchise owner teaches the big players what the game is really about.
6. The Fan (1996)
An unforgettable stalker-thriller-baseball movie all rolled into one. Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes deliver great performances.
5. Field of Dreams (1989)
“If you build it, he will come,” the line which has become part of our regular vocabulary, came from this movie. A masterpiece. Unforgettable acting by Kevin Costner.
4. For the Love of the Game (1999)
Another great Kevin Costner movie. The story of a washed up veteran pitcher, Billy Chapel, played by Kevin Costner.
3. The Rookie (2002)
Dennis Quaid plays the talented baseball coach who finds courage to try out for Devil Rays.
2. Bill Durham (1988)
For multiple viewing, to learn both about the great game of baseball and about life, Bill Durham is the best movie of all time.
1. The Natural (1984)
Who can forget the scene from this movie where Robert Redford hits a home run? One of the finest baseball movies that will give you goose bumps each time you watch it.
