Straight up now tell me, have you ever wondered what Barry Bonds would look like as a girl? Yeah...me either. This is just freaky. Aparently Bonds dressed up like Paula Abdul for a rookie-hazing American Idol event. I wonder what Simon Cowell would say about this. Personally, I'm not sure whether to laugh or puke.

We all know there's no "I" in "team." But, if you know anything about Bret Boone, there's certainly a "me." According to the NY Times, Boone said he would only play second base and wouldn't consider being a bench player.

"When I start moving around positions, that's when I know it's time to really go home," Boone told the newspaper.

I just don't understand this mentality. It should boil down to whether you want to play or not. If you're in camp on a minor-league deal, how much leverage do you really have? Even if Boone makes the team, I don't think he'll last a month in New York.

If you can't login to the NY Times site, use this.

UPDATE! Well, that didn't last long...

On January 27th, MLB.com's Doug Miller interviewed the M's new pitching coach, Rafael Chaves. One of the interesting things Chaves mentioned was this...

"We need to improve how we pitch on the road compared to how we pitch at home. Everyone says Safeco Field is a pitcher-friendly ballpark, but I'm a big fan of making quality pitches at home and on the road, so it won't make a difference. They key is getting ground balls. I always say there isn't a ground ball that ever got over the fence. So if we make guys hit the ball on the ground, with the defensive infield we have, we should get a lot of outs."

That is certainly good to hear. Today, Miller mentioned this in his weekly Mailbag feature...

"As far as major comebacks go, keep an eye on starter Joel Pineiro. If he stays healthy this spring, he'll be miles ahead of where he was when the 2005 season started. He's still got upside and could add a new dimension with a refined sinker." (Emphasis added)

Last year, Joel's 1.29 was in the middle of the pack in terms of qualified pitchers' GB/FB ratio. Will the new sinker help Joel get more groundballs? We'll have to wait and see, but I'm happy to hear that, presumably, Chaves is trying to get more groundballs out of our staff.

No, the headline isn't a joke. Theo Epstein will be going up to Maine on May 6th to attend Cape Elizabeth High School's prom with 17-year-old Grace Needleman.

UPDATE: No, he's not. Bummer...I guess he won't be coming to my wedding either.

Although I've expressed here that I think the World Baseball Classic is poorly organized and pretty lame, I'm not a guy who's going to pass on watching baseball in early March. The offseason is long and painful for diehard baseball fans, so, yes, I will be tuned in to the WBC. Actually, I'm very excited to see Daisuke Matsuzaka and his infamous gyroball, as well as the players I haven't seen from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

You can check out the TV schedule here, and here are the games from the first rounds that I'm going to TiVo...

3/3: Japan vs. China - 4:30 AM EST - ESPN2

3/7: Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela - 1 PM EST - ESPN

3/8: Cuba vs. Panama - 1 PM EST - ESPN2

3/8: USA vs. Canada - 4 PM EST - ESPN2

It's a nice mix because I'll get to see eight different teams play. Don't get me wrong, I still think that the timing is bad, that it's just a big commercial for MLB, the pitch limits (while necessary) are lame, and there are mercy rules - which is ridiculous. But, if there's baseball on TV, I'll watch it. You don't have to twist my arm!

One year ago today, I put up the first post on ConorGlassey.com. As a journalism student at the time, I had a passion for writing, but no satisfying outlet. The thought of becoming a small-town reporter and having to write about high school swim meets wasn’t appealing at all. I wanted to write about baseball! To do so, I decided to start my own website. Here, I have the chance to write frequently about the game I love, express my opinions and meet other people with similar interests. And, how can you talk about baseball without talking statistics? With that in mind, let’s check out some of my statistics for my first year as a blogger…

After bringing in Roberto Petagine to Spring Training to compete for a bench spot, the Mariners didn't want anyone to think they're *too* smart. Heaven forbid Bavasi gets lumped in with the "nerdy" GMs with their laptops and spreadsheets. So, just to make sure everyone knew the Petagine signing was a fluke, the Mariners went out and resigned Raul Ibanez to a 2-year contract extension worth $11 million.

Ok, I'm sorry - that first part was probably a little harsh. I just heard the news and it's obvious that I'm having trouble expressing myself rationally at the moment. Yes, this is a rant. Honestly...I wish this was an early April Fool's Day joke, but no...we're stuck with Raul for two more years. We're spending $11 million for the guy's age-35 and 36 seasons. In some cases, that's a steal. This one? Not so much...

This signing also blocks the way for some of the Mariners' best prospects. Ichiro's obviously set. Reed has the shallowest roots, but will bouce back with the bat and plays good enough defense that his spot should be secure. Now, there's an Ibanez/Everett (next year's option pending) logjam that seriously blocks Adam Jones and Chris Snelling.

This sucks. I think I'm going to go cry myself to sleep.

Jim Negrych is the second baseman for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. Negrych is from Buffalo, NY where he earned all-Western New York honors for both his junior and senior seasons. The accolades continued when he arrived at Pitt. He was a Baseball America Freshman All-American and was named the Big East Rookie of the Year. His sophomore year was just as impressive. Negrych was named Baseball America's Best Defensive Second Baseman and Best Pure Hitter for the Big East. Negrych proved his hitting skills in last year's Big East tournament semifinal game against Boston College. With Pittsburgh trailing by one in the bottom of the 12th inning, Negrych hit a two-run home run to win the game and send the Panthers into the title game. Entering his junior season, the 5'10", 180 lb. second baseman has a .364 average at Pitt with 34 doubles and 23 home runs. I caught up with Baseball America's third-team, pre-season All American via e-mail, and here is what he had to say...

Jim, first off, can you please talk about yourself a little bit? Tell everyone where you grew up, a little about your youth baseball career and what made you choose to attend the University of Pittsburgh.

I was born and raised in Buffalo, New York and played in a lot of leagues when I was younger. My dad was usually my coach and we did not lose much around Buffalo, which always made it fun.  My choice to go to Pitt was an easy one.  It was a program on the rise, in a great conference, with a location that was close enough for my family to watch me play.

What has been the most memorable moment in your baseball career?

There have been a lot, but as of right now I'd have to say getting to the Big East Championship last year with Pitt.

You played in the Cape Cod League last summer. Please tell me about that experience. How did your adjustment to wood bats go? At Pitt, do you take batting practice with wood bats?

Playing in the Cape was exciting and was another one of my most memorable moments. The Cape Cod League will go down as the greatest summer league ever, and it was great honor to get a chance to go out and play with some of the best college players. The adjustment to wood bats takes about a week, but it’s more of just going out and hitting than it is the bats.  At Pitt some of us take BP with wood, but we try to swing metal for at least one round during BP.

What player have you played with or against that makes you say, "That guy is going places!"?

There's been so many, especially after this past summer, but I'd have to say Tim Lincecum who pitches for UW.

On a related note, who is the best pitcher you've faced?

I'd have to say Craig Hanson, who pitched for St. John’s and was drafted by the Boston Red Sox last year.

What is a specific part of your game that you are working to improve this season?

I’m working to improve my footwork at second base, and I’m always just trying to help my team win any way we can.

How much time does your commitment to baseball take each week? How do you keep up with classes? Will you complete your history degree?

Baseball takes up a good amount of time, but a lot of work is on your own and you just learn how to get the classes done with.  Hopefully I will be completing my degree within a year.

What is your conditioning regimen during the season and during the off-season?

We have a great trainer at Pitt who gives us a workout for the summer and while we’re in school. Let’s just say he doesn’t let you get by without working hard.  There’s definitely alot of running and lifting weights.

Is it difficult to maintain a healthy diet while you're in school?
To some degree it gets hard when you start playing and you’re traveling. Since we drive everywhere, we end up eating a lot of fast food.

Do you have any superstitions? If so, how did they develop?
I have to get three mini swings in before I get ready to hit.  I started
it in high school and it seemed to be working, so I just kept with it.

THE LIGHTNING ROUND…

Who is your favorite MLB team?
New York Yankees

Who is your favorite baseball player?
Derek Jeter

If you make it to the big leagues, what pitcher would you most like to
hit against?
Roger Clemens

What is your favorite movie?
Anchorman

Who is your favorite band / musician?
Jack Johnson

What is your favorite food?
Chicken Wings.....from Buffalo

COMING SOON: Interviews with David Price, Shane Robinson...and more!

This is very good news.

The gnome is back in the news!

While reading Baseball America today, I suddenly remembered that there was an interview I never posted on this website. I feel really bad about it but, in my defense, May was a very busy month for me because I had just graduated school and had started a new job.  Anyway...back to business. Micah Owings was kind enough to answer some questions for me via e-mail and I'm sorry I didn't post this earlier. For those who don't know, Owings was a standout two-way player at Tulane. Last year he hit .355/.470/.719 for the Green Wave and was just as dominant on the mound, going 12-4 with a 3.26 ERA, 135 strikeouts and only 25 walks in 129.2 innings. After being named the Conference USA Player of the Year, Owings was drafted in the 3^rd Round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs decided to use Owings’ talent on the mound – and it appears that they made the correct decision. In 22 innings at Lancaster of the California League, Owings dominated hitters – posting a 2.45 ERA with 30 strikeouts and a mere 4 walks. Micah’s brother, John Mark, is in the Braves’ orginazion.

*Please note that this interview was conducted in May of 2005

1. First off, can you please talk about yourself a little bit? Tell everyone where you grew up, a little about your youth baseball career and what made you choose college over signing with the Rockies out of high school.
I grew up in Forsyth County, a small town in north Georgia where I played ball on rec. teams for my Dad until I was 11. Some of the greatest joys of my life were playing for my father while I was growing up! He decided that it would be best for me to begin travel ball at age 11, so that is what we did. I spent every summer since traveling all over to play this game that I have always loved. In high school I transferred my junior year to Gainesville High School, another town about an hour north of Atlanta. After winning two state titles and playing with my younger brother at Gainesville, it was time to go pro or off to college. I chose college because I felt that was where God was leading me. It was not an easy decision to give up a lot of money at a young age but I thought it was the best thing for me to do!

2. What made you transfer from Georgia Tech to Tulane?
Many reasons led up to my decision of leaving Ga. Tech and my home in Atlanta. Most are personal but the main reason was that I felt that God was telling me to move on and open another chapter in my life.

3. Which do you prefer: Playing infield or pitching?
That question comes up quite often and I wish I had a good answer. I enjoy playing the game and doing whatever I can to help my team win. I have been blessed in certain areas both ways and love each!

4. What has been your most memorable moment in your baseball career?
 First of all, I have been fortunate enough to be a part of many great teams. I am a part of two state titles, two summer World Series championships, and an ACC regular season and tournament championship. Above all my most memorable moment would have to be growing up just tossing in the yard with my Dad and brothers. That is really where my love for the game began so it is a very fond memory.

5. What player have you played with or against that makes you say, "That guy is going places!"?
This is a tough one because I have played with and against so many great ball players. However, two come to mind...Matt Murton – I played with him my freshman year at Tech and he is now in double-A with the Cubs, and Brian Bogusevic – whom I am currently playing with at Tulane. Both of these guys are tremendous players and great friends of mine!

6. On a related note, who is the best hitter/pitcher you've faced?
The best pitcher that I have ever faced is Kyle Sleeth from Wake Forest who is now in the Detroit Tigers’ organization. The best hitter that I have ever faced is probably Stephen Drew from Florida State.

7. What part of your game would you say needs the most work?
I would have to say that I can improve in every area of my game and work hard all the time at doing so. Don't really want to disclose my true weaknesses if you know what I mean.

8. What is something specific that you are currently working on?
Just doing whatever I can to help our team continue to win ball games.

9. How much time does your commitment to baseball take each week? How do you keep up with classes? Will you finish your degree?
I'd say fifteen to twenty hours a week...approx. 2 or 3 hours a day six days a week. It is tough sometimes to get motivated to study after a long day at practice or a game, but something that I have to do to play. I do plan on getting my degree.

10. What is your conditioning regimen during the season and during the off-season?
In the off-season, I tend to hit the weights and conditioning a little harder...about five days a week including two upper body lifts and two lower body lifts with an ab/conditioning day in the middle. In season is a little lighter but just as important. I usually get three lifts a week in to try and maintain my strength through the duration of the season. Have to be careful lifting in season because we play so many games.

11. Is it difficult to maintain a healthy diet while you're in school?
At times it is, but I eat my share of whatever is in front of me. I just have to stay away from the sweets more.

12. Do you have any superstitions? If so, how did they develop?
 I like to think of my superstitions more as routines – Things that I do on a regular basis. If they qualify as superstitions, I do not tell anyone, but they are welcome to try and pick up on them.

13. Can you please talk about your experiences on the 2003 USA National Team?
It was one of those things that I will never forget! I got to play with some of the country's best college players and for some of the country's best coaches. Not to mention, every game we had the country's initials across our chests! I am sorry every kid does not get to experience it, but I feel very fortunate and blessed!

14. Who is your favorite MLB team?
 I don't really have one anymore. I grew up a huge Braves fan and I guess I still am because my brother is in their organization.

15. How often do you talk to your brother, and what advice has he given you about, not only the game of baseball, but also what you can expect for life in the minor leagues?
I talk to my brother about every day. Unlike me, he decided to sign out of high school and it has worked out great for him! We are two different people and he decided that he was ready for pro ball. He played in the Gulf Coast League for the Braves rookie team last summer after he signed and is currently in extended spring training in Orlando. He had a rough injury at the end of the season that has set him back a little. I have spoken with other friends of mine that have played in the same league and moved up the last few years, and they have said it is the hardest place to play. Jon Mark has a tremendous drive and I have the
utmost respect for him. He realizes that he is where God wants him but works daily to do whatever he can to make a move to the next level. He said it gets pretty rough at times but loves the game.

16. Who is your favorite baseball player?
 Growing up, I always loved watching Greg Maddux pitch and Frank Thomas swing!

17. What will be the first thing you buy if you get a signing bonus?
 I will have to think about that once it comes...right now I am trying to help my team win a National Championship!

18. If you make it to the big leagues, what player would you most like to hit against?
Partial to this answer but I would love to see what Randy Johnson's 100 mph fastball looks like from the left side...notice how I said looks!

19. And finally, please tell me something interesting/unique about yourself.
 I have been blessed with a great family that I love very much. "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength" -PHIL 4:13

Ever since Bryan Price left for Arizona, I’ve been waiting for the M’s to announce that King Felix will be wearing number 34 next season. The kid idolizes Freddy Garcia, and 34 is the number The Chief wore in Seattle and wears for the World Champion Chicago White Sox. Felix wore 34 in Tacoma in honor of Freddy, and it’s basically inevitable that he’ll be wearing number 34 on the mound at Safeco this season. So, why haven’t the M’s announced it yet? Money. Remember, Jeremy Reed wore number 58 in 2004 and during Spring Training of 2005. In fact, according to the M’s official site, he didn’t switch to number 7 until April 3^rd – just days before 2005’s Opening Day. Why wait so long? It’s not as if Reed making the team surprised anyone. The reason I believe they’re waiting so long with Felix is because they have a lot of jerseys and T-shirts with number 59 on them. They want to sell as many of those as possible before Felix switches to number 34 and the 59’s go on sale. It’s all about the Benjamins….

I recently received the first issue from my subscription to Baseball America. It’s awesome…but that’s not what this post is about. When I opened the magazine, the first thing I saw was an advertisement for the new MVP ’06 NCAA Baseball. Now, I was a huge All Star Baseball fan for a while, never really giving MVP a chance, even though I love the Madden series. However, when ASB died out, I switched over to MVP and wondered what the hell took me so long! EA Sports is awesome and I absolutely fell in love with MVP Baseball from day one. So…I was really bummed to find out that they lost their MLB licensing rights or something and are not releasing a Major League Baseball video game this year. Bummer. So…they decided to do the next best thing: college baseball. At first you might think, “College baseball? What’s next…Arena Football?” However, if you think about it from a business perspective, it was probably a good move. With ESPN airing more and more of the College World Series every year, college baseball is gaining popularity. Plus, because the college season begins earlier than the MLB season, EA gets to release its game before MLB 2K6 comes out. EA obviously has a solid reputation and I’m sure I’m not alone in my love for the MVP game – therefore I was willing to trust their collegiate endeavor.  After playing several games, fiddling with all of the options and simming through a couple of dynasty seasons with Jeremy Reed’s Long Beach State Dirtbags, here are my thoughts…

THE GOOD

• First of all, the gameplay is basically the same as MVP ’05. For me, that’s certainly a plus – because MVP Baseball ’05 is one of my favorite games of all time.
• During the intro, there are some cool video clips of current MLB players during their college days. You get to see Roger Clemens pitching for Texas, Bonds as a Sun Devil, Giambi and his mullet playing for the Long Beach State, Nomar at Georgia Tech and Todd Helton at Tennessee…among others.
• You may think the metal bats are annoying, but they sound perfect. And, if you hate them, you can switch the settings to “Summer League” rules and use wood bats.
• After the Tony Hawk series let you create your own skatepark, the create-a-stadium feature is something that I always wanted to see in a baseball game. Although it’s not too in-depth, it’s still a neat option for MVP ’06 NCAA Baseball.
• The throwing is better in this game than it was on MVP ’05. In the old game, when you were using the throwing meter to make a throw, if you only went a little way up on the meter, you would throw a little dribbler to your target. This time around, if you only use a little bit of throwing power, you still throw it to your target on the fly, it’s just a very soft throw. Obviously that’s not true if you’re throwing home from the warning track, but this is a lot more realistic and made me glad.
• The batter steps out between pitches and the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher. These are minor details – but they make a nice difference in adding to the realistic quality of the game.
• And finally, there is a mid-game tuning option for all of the elements. Personally, I like to crank the pitch speed up all the way – it makes it more realistic.

Overall, the game is pretty good. It’s fun to play, but there are still some things that I didn’t like…

THE  BAD

• When I first discovered that a college baseball game was in the works, I was very excited for a “Golden Spikes Challenge.” In the NCAA Football game, there is a Heisman Challenge – where you create a player, they go through training camp and then are recruited by different schools. You pick which one you want to attend and then join the team as a freshman. You then have four years to play with that team and your ultimate goal is to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. I know that the Golden Spikes award isn’t as prestigious as the Heisman, but…c’mon…it only makes sense to have a Golden Spikes challenge. I was disappointed that it didn’t make it onto the game.
• EA is really hyping up their new “Load & Fire Batting” system. The ad in Baseball America states,

  “Past baseball video games have never succeeded in recreating the essence of what it’s like for a player to step up to the plate and take a swing at a pitch. Simply pressing a button just does not capture this feeling. There is no sense of being in total control of your swing. However, in MVP 06 the all-new Load and Fire Batting system does recreate that experience at the plate by using the right thumbstick. It’s similar to the hitting mechanic used in Tiger Woods PGA Tour with one notable difference. In golf the ball is just sitting there, while in baseball the pitch is flying at varying speeds and in different directions. Your job with Load and Fire Batting is to Load your back swing at the proper time and Fire your swing through the zone towards the pitch with the proper timing based upon where the pitch is located.”

  Sure, it sounds fun, but my first reaction is that it really blows. Often times I will try to hit the ball and it feels fine, but then I end up doing some half-assed check swing and I hit a six-hopper back to the pitcher. I can’t afford to break any more controllers! Now…perhaps I just need more time with it. I’ll admit that I absolutely hated the new Madden QB vision feature at first, but have since grown to love it. But I already switched my default MVP ’06 settings back to the classic zone hitting technique.
• You can’t change the names of the players. With my first issue for my Baseball America subscription being the college preview, I was ready to enter the names for the top prospects, only to be really disappointed that it wasn’t even possible. What gives? You can put in names in the EA Sports NCAA Football game!
• And, why can’t you save replays in the baseball games? I love saving cool replays on Madden and wish I could do the same for this game. I realize that Madden brings in a LOT more money, but it doesn’t seem like it would be that difficult to add.
• There’s no batting practice. I would much rather take plain old BP than the shitty arcade-style batting practice game they make you play. For a company that has the motto, “If it’s in the game, it’s in the game!” you’d think they would have normal batting practice. I don’t go to as many college games as I would like, but I don’t think any teams are taking BP with ramps and tractors out in the field. I would also love to see pitching and fielding practice.
• The baserunning can be clunky at times. It says that to advance all runners, you hold down the left trigger – however, I’m still not sure that works and I’ve been thrown out several times when I had plenty of time to beat the throw- it’s just that my guy either didn’t go when he was supposed to, or stopped, came back to the bag and then tried again. Also, players don’t run automatically when there’s two outs.
• The swings look really funky sometimes. Most everything from EA Sports looks fantastic, but some of the swings in this game are downright awful. Oftentimes, players will slide their back foot toward home plate when they’re swinging. No college hitter in the nation does this, and you would think that EA would try to perfect an aspect that is about 75% of the gameplay. Check out these screenshots I took of a bad swing and notice how much the hitter’s foot slides toward home plate upon missing the pitch…

• And finally, there are just a few minor quibbles I have about the game. One thing I really liked about All Star Baseball was that hitters could wave their bat through the strike zone, like many players do, while they’re waiting for the pitcher to start his delivery. You couldn’t do this with MVP ’05, and it’s still not possible with this year’s installment. Again, this is minor – but it’s something that I would enjoy and I think that it adds a nice element in making the game more realistic. The final minor quibble is that all games have four umpires. Again, I don’t make it out to many college games (although that’s one of my New Year’s Resolutions), but I really doubt that very many NCAA games before the College World Series have more than two men in blue.

So, as you can see, the bad traits of the game seem to outweigh the good ones, but obviously I’m grading on quality instead of quantity. Sure, there are a lot of complaints I have with the game, but they’re not equal – either to each other or to the things I enjoy about the game. The most important thing is that it plays virtually the same as MVP ’05, and that’s important. I loved that game and, although this one is different and it doesn’t seem that as much care was put into it, it’s still fun to play and I’m sure help me kill some time before MLB 2K6 comes along.