This post doesn't really need words, but I wanted to give a little bit of a background story...
A couple weeks ago, Jon Wells took me over to Brown's Cooperstown (great store, BTW - check it out!). I was looking through all the great baseball cards for sale when I found a box of old minor league programs, marked at $1 each. I started flipping through the box and found some good stuff. I found a Richmond Braves program from 1997 with Andruw Jones on the cover, and I was really excited when I found a 1996 Birmingham Barons program with Mike Cameron on the cover. If you know me, you know that I collect Cameron cards and memorabilia, so this was a great find! But then I found a Boise Hawks program from 1994 and I thought to myself, "Hmm...let's see who was on this team!" Honest to God, I flipped it open and the first thing I saw was this...

Grant Desme is a junior outfielder for the Cal Poly Mustangs. Desme had a great season, winning the Big West Conference triple crown with a .405 average, 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. Unfortunately, his season was cut short when he was hit by a pitch on May 13th, resulting in a broken wrist. Desme ranked as Baseball America's 99th-best draft-eligible prospect and should be drafted in the first three rounds. I caught up with Grant via e-mail and here is what he had to say about how his wrist is healing, why he transferred to Cal Poly from San Diego State, about his approach at the plate, and more!


GoPoly.com

Start off by telling everyone where you grew up, how you became interested in baseball and a little about your prep baseball career.

I grew up in Bakersfield California and I have loved baseball ever since I was a little boy. I attended Stockdale High School where I was a middle infielder.



You played as a freshman at San Diego State, under Tony Gwynn. What did you learn from Tony, and what led to your transfer to Cal Poly?

I learned a lot from coach Gwynn, most of which didn’t set in until recently. San Diego was fun but it wasn’t a good fit for me. There is no bad blood between myself and the coaching staff there. Cal Poly recruited me out of high school and it has been a good fit for me. 



Recently, you were hit by a pitch – resulting in a broken wrist. Which arm is it and how is that progressing? Are you in a cast? Please tell everyone about the injury, how it's coming along, and when you expect to be hitting again.
The injury occurred during the Sunday game against UC Davis. I was hit by a pitch during my third at bat. There's a fracture in my right wrist and it is in a cast for four weeks. I will start rehab after that, which should take two weeks and should be ready to play after that. 



How would you describe yourself as a ballplayer to someone who hasn't seen you play? Write your autobiographical scouting report!

I love to play the game and I play it hard. I try to do everything I can to help the team win - both offensively and defensively. Offensively, I will hit for average and power but also tend to strike out. I also have pretty good speed. Defensively, I have a plus arm and I am an average outfielder. 



Last summer, you played for the Bend Elks in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League. Tell me about that experience. How did you handle the transition to wood bats?
I had fun playing in Bend. Playing everyday really helped speed up the learning curve and the transition to wood bats wasn’t really that big of a deal for me because I like swinging wood better than aluminum.



What player have you played with or against that makes you say, "That
guy is going places!"?
I played with Eric Sogard from Arizona State this summer and his ability to make solid contact and have quality at bats really impressed me. 



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

The best pitcher I have faced is Tim Lincecum - he had electric stuff.


Statistically, you've improved each season in college – culminating with a very impressive line of .405/.494/.733, with 15 HRs and 12 stolen bases. What clicked for you this season? Talk about your approach to hitting.

What clicked for me this year has been my approach. I watch the pitcher throw and get an idea of what he is going to do to me before I even step in the box. When I’m actually hitting I try to let the ball get as deep as possible and stay between center field and right center. 



Do you have a favorite MLB team?

The New York Yankees. 



Who is your favorite pro baseball player?
Derek Jeter



What has been the most memorable moment in your baseball career?
Hitting a walk-off home run against UC Davis because that was the first time I have had a walk-off hit and it came in extra innings. 



Do you have any superstitions? If so, how did they develop?

I don’t really have any superstitions


We've now heard about Grant Desme, the ballplayer, but tell us about Grant Desme, the person. What do you like to do when you're not playing baseball? What is something unique about yourself?
Above all, my faith comes first and I dedicate myself to church. I enjoy to go fishing and to be with my friends and family. 



Favorite Movie? Music group/artist? Book?

My favorite movie is "Field of Dreams," I listen to country music and my favorite book is Derek Jeter’s autobiography.

Check out MiLB.com's scouting report & draft video of Grant Desme!

Imagine for a second that you catch Barry Bonds' 756th homerun. As the crowd roars - a mixture applause and boos - you are at the bottom of a dogpile, with the ball securely in your grip. Security guards come to your rescue and you are escorted to a safe place with only a few scratches, a bruise, one bite mark and an atomic wedgie. But, most importantly, you have the ball. The ball of all balls. Now, the only question is: what do you do with it? Basically, there are four choices...

A) Sell it
This will most likely be the most popular answer. Catching Bonds' 756th is basically like buying a winning lottery ticket. When the time comes, it will actually be interesting to see how much the ball will be auctioned off for - if that's what happens to it. McGwire's 70th home run ball was auctioned off for $3 million, but he was a lot more popular than Bonds. But, then again it was a single-season record, not the all-time record. Even if you couldn't get $3 million for it, it's safe to say that you could fetch a nice chunk of change.

B) Donate it to the Hall of Fame
This would be the noble thing to do, and it's easy to say, "Yeah, that's what I would do!" but, if it really came down to it, the temptation to auction it off would be pretty hard to pass up. Plus, Bonds is saying that he might not give any memorabilia to the Hall, but c'om, they'll get some some stuff and how exciting is it to look at a ball anyway? I've never understood the alure, myself.

C) Trade it to Bonds
I guess if you were a huge Bonds fan, this would cross your mind. Maybe you don't want to auction it, because of the headache it will cause when taxes are due. Maybe you don't want to donate it to the Hall of Fame, because you think Bonds should have first dibs on it. So, you decide to trade it to him. What do you ask for? I wouldn't know, because this wouldn't really be an option for me.

D) Keep it.
Sure, it would make a nice addition to any collection, but with the other options available, I don't think anyone would really keep it. Even if you were the biggest Bonds fan in the world, you'd probably either trade it to him or sell it.

What would you do?

On Thursday, May 24th, John Smoltz out dueled ex-teammate Tom Glavine to notch his 200th career win. A lot of pitchers have recorded 200 wins – Orel Hershiser, Jamie Moyer, Kevin Brown and Dennis Martinez have all done it relatively recently, and they joined older guys such as Joe Niekro, Mickey Lolich, Vida Blue and Lew Burdette in the 200-win club. However, Smoltz has done something those other guys haven’t – he became the first player in Major League history to have both 200 wins and 150 saves. Smoltz recorded 154 saves as Atlanta’s closer from 2001-2004. In fact, before Smoltz accomplished the feat, no pitcher had ever recorded 200 wins and even 100 saves, let alone 154. Dennis Eckersley came close – he had 197 wins and 390 saves. Charlie Hough is the closest to Smoltz, with 216 wins, but only 61 saves. Smoltz, who just celebrated his 40th birthday, is having a fantastic season thus far. He’s off to a 7-2 start with a 2.58 ERA in his 20th season with the Braves.

No, his career isn’t over yet – Smoltz is signed through 2009, with a team option for 2010. And yet, I think if he retired tomorrow, Smoltz would be a sure-fire Hall of Famer. But, it doesn’t seem that that’s the consensus, and I’m not really sure why. Let’s put Smotzy through Bill James’ “Keltner Test” real quick…

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?
No. While always very good, Smoltz was never regarded as the best player in baseball.

2. Was he the best player on his team? Hmm…again, close but no cigar. Smoltz would have been the best player on a lot of teams, but the Braves have always had great teams during Smoltz’ tenure and he was generally overshadowed by Greg Maddux, David Justice, Chipper Jones and the like.

3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?
Smoltz was the best pitcher in baseball in 1996, when he went 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA, 9.79 K/9 and a 1.95 BB/9. But, that’s about it. Like I mentioned earlier, Smoltz has been outshined in his career by Clemens, Maddux and the Big Unit.

4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?
Yes. The Braves went to the playoffs every year from ’91-’05 and John Smoltz was a big part of why they were able to have such a great run. During the postseason, Smoltz’s performance has been stellar. Over 24 postseason series, Smoltz is 15-4 with 4 saves and a 2.65 ERA.

5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime? Oh yeah – there’s no doubt about that. Smoltz missed all of 2000 because of Tommy John surgery, but came back as the Braves’ closer and was dominant. After slamming the door in Atlanta for four seasons, Smoltz is now the Braves’ all-time leader in saves. In 2005 he was back in the rotation, and threw 229.1 great innings – posting a 3.06 ERA and finishing 7th in Cy Young voting. This year, as a 40-year-old, Smoltz is off to a fantastic start, on pace to record the second 20-win season of his career.

6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame?
This is obviously tough because we’re talking about a player that’s still playing. But, I would still say that Blyleven is more worthy. Seriously – it’s a crime that he’s not in yet…

7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame?
Like I mentioned previously, Smoltz is unique because of his success as a starter and a closer. At 200 wins and a career 3.26 ERA, Smoltz is very comparable to Hall of Famers Hal Newhouser (207 wins, 3.06 ERA) , Bob Lemon (207, 3.23) and Don Drysdale (209, 2.95). Throw in the 150 saves and I think Smoltz should be a lock. If he remains healthy and pitches through 2010, he should end up with somewhere between 240-270 wins and there wouldn’t be any doubt about his HOF credentials.

8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?
I would say yes if he retired tomorrow. The fact that probably pitch until 2010 (perhaps longer) should only help his cause.

9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?
Actually, yes, I think Smoltz is better than his statistics show – especially when it comes to wins. Doesn’t it surprise you that Smoltz has only one 20-win season? I mean, especially when you consider how well he’s pitched during his career and how good the Braves have been, it seems like he should have more. In fact, 51 times in his career, Smoltz has pitched 7+ innings while allowing 2 or fewer runs and either received a loss or a no-decision.

10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame?
No – as of right now, this would still be Blyleven.

11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?
Smoltz won a Cy Young in 1996 and came close in ’98 (4th place), ’03 (3rd place) and ’06 (7th place).

12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame?
So far, Smoltz has been on the NL All-Star team 7 times, and he’ll almost definitely play in his 8th this season. Not that I put a lot of stock into All-Star game appearances, but I couldn’t find a pitcher that was a 7-time All Star that isn’t already in the HOF, or surely on their way. Position players were a little bit of a different story. Andre Dawson played in 8 All-Star games and probably won’t (and shouldn’t) get in the Hall of Fame. Tim Raines played in 7 and his HOF credentials are debatable.

13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?
That’s tough to say. I mentioned earlier that, had it not been for Maddux, Justice and Jones during different periods of time, Smoltz would have been the best player on the Braves and could have been the best player on many other teams. However, if you take those players away, the Braves would have obviously been worse. Could they have won anyway? I’m not sure.

14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?
His transition from staff ace to top-shelf closer and back to staff ace is basically unprecedented. But, it probably didn’t have much of an impact on the game itself. He wasn’t responsible for any rule changes and he didn’t invent anything.

15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?
Unless ironing your shirt while you’re wearing it is against the Hall of Fame guidelines, then yes.

To me, the case for Smoltz seems a lot more convincing than the case against. And yet, he doesn’t seem to be a sure thing. While Smoltz is obviously a great pitcher, he’s pitched in an era when we’ve seen some of the best ever. Smoltz is clearly a notch below guys like Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux and probably Pedro Martinez. But, he’s still going strong at 40 and perhaps his final numbers will make the argument now seem silly in a few years. That said, if Smoltz retired tomorrow, I think he would be a worthy Hall of Famer. What do you think?

Sorry I didn’t post YouTube Friday last week. I wasn’t watching Heroes at all because I missed the first few episodes and didn’t want to start in the middle of the season. So, I was always really jealous when my wife would get together with her mom and sister and would gush about how good the show is. Then, I realized that you could watch all the episodes on NBC.com, so from last Thursday – Monday, I watched 22 episodes of Heroes so that I could see the season finale live. It was so worth it!

Kids in the Dominican use rocks and socks and doll heads for baseballs. Kids in the US use their cell phones. Idiots…


A really funny Dunkin’ Donuts commercial with Curt Schilling


Melky Cabrera flashing some LEATHER!


Where’s the ball?


Matt Harvey, one of the nation’s top prep pitchers, can hit a little too!

It looks like Jeff Weaver made his last appearance for the Mariners yesterday. Dave over at USSMariner indicated that Weaver will be DFA’d today, and it’s about time! Although he only made six starts, Weaver’s ’07 campaign is cemented as the worst pitching season for a Mariner…ever. This got me thinking about who else would be on that list, and here’s what I came up with:

1) Jeff Weaver – 2007
I heard on ESPN last night that no pitcher has ever started a season by going 0-6 with an ERA as high as Weaver’s 14.32. So, not only is he the worst Mariner pitcher ever, he’s in the running for worst season by a pitcher in the history of the game. Good use of $8 million, right?

2) Jeff Fassero – 1999
Another crappy Jeff for the Mariners, Fassero’s ’99 ranks as the second-worst season by a Mariners pitcher because, not only did he go 4-14 with a 7.38 ERA, but he was the second-highest paid player on the team, making $5,016,667. Only Ken Griffey Jr. was making more money for the M’s. Seattle shipped him off to Texas in late August for a PTBNL.

3) Bobby Ayala - 1998
If you asked M’s fans who they thought of when they thought of crappy Mariners pitchers, I’m guessing Ayala’s name would top the list. Ayala’s ’98 was a nightmare. Appearing in 68 games, Ayala threw 75.1 innings while racking up an ERA of 7.29. He went 1-10 and he blew more games (9 blown saves) than he saved (8).

4) Steve Trout - 1988
Steve Trout started 13 games for the 1988 Mariners and it’s amazing that he went 4-7. Trout started his season by walking five guys, giving up four earned runs and not making it out of the first inning. He started off with a nice, fat ERA of 54.00. He never had a 6-inning outing and would have had an ERA north of 8 if he didn’t finish the season by pitching two scoreless mop-up innings to end the season.

5) Mike Parrott - 1980
Parrott’s ERA fluctuated between 4.26 and 8.06 while he was shuffled between the rotation and the bullpen. He finished the season with a 1-16 record and a 7.28 ERA. It’s not hard to see why he was out of baseball at age 26. Polly want a pitcher?

6) Russ Swan – 1993
This list features a lot of guys with animal last names, doesn’t it? The M’s always liked Russ Swan. They drafted him in the second round of the 1984 draft, but he didn’t sign. The Giants drafted him in ’86 and then traded him to Seattle in 1990. Swan came out of the bullpen 23 times for the Mariners in 1993 and there were only eight times when he didn’t walk someone. He only pitched 19.1 innings, but gave up 20 earned runs. The Mariners released him that November. The Indians took a chance on him, but it was more of the same. After 8 innings with Cleveland in ’94, Swan’s career was over.

7) Joel Pineiro - 2006
You know the story here. The season started out well enough - Pineiro went 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA through his first three starts. Then, the wheels started to fall off. He lost 10 out of his next 15 decisions and finished the season 8-13 with a 6.36 ERA. The M’s needed Pineiro to step up and, instead, he turned in the worst performance of his disappointing career.

8) Lee Guetterman - 1986
Lee Guetterman’s career was generally good, but his 1986 was the eighth-worst season ever by a Mariners pitcher. Guetterman tossed 76 innings, mostly in relief and compiled an ERA of 7.34. In 1987, the Mariners traded Guetterman (with Clay Parker and Wade Taylor) to get Steve Trout and Henry Cotto. Go figure.

9) Norm Charlton
Like Guetterman, “The Sheriff” had a great career. I love Norm and it was tough for me to put him on this list, but you can’t deny that his 1997 season was just awful. Three appearances in early April where he threw a combined 3.1 innings and gave up six earned runs put his ERA at 13.50 on April 9th. He battled to get it back down, and it was as low as 3.95 on April 27th. But on May 3rd he threw 0.2 innings and gave up 5 earned runs and his ERA stayed above 5.00 for the rest of the season. My wife hates Norm because she said whenever she went to a game as a kid, Charlton blew it. Maybe she went to a lot of games in 1997 when Charlton blew 11 saves. He ended the season with a record of 3-8 and an ERA of 7.27.

10) Jim Beattie – 1985
Jim Beattie threw the first one-hitter in Mariners history. But, that was in 1983. By 1985 – he was worthless. Over 70.1 innings, Beattie posted an ERA of 7.29. Check out some of Beattie’s lines from ’85…
4/21 @ California: 1 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3BB, 1 K
4/26 vs California: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2BB, 1 K
6/8 @ Cleveland: 0.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Beattie, of course, went on to have a front-office career with the Mariners, Expos and Orioles. It went about as well as his pitching career did.

So, there’s my list. Here are some guys just missed the cut…

Diego Segui going 0-7 in 1977
Mike Campbell getting 5 starts in 1989 and posting a 7.29 ERA
Ryan Franklin in 2005, where he went 8-15 with a 5.10 ERA
Or, for that matter, Aaron Sele in 2005 (6-12, 5.66)
Mac Suzuki or Ken Cloude in 1999
Paul Abbott in 2002 when he posted an 11.26 ERA over 26.1 innings
Travis Blackley & Clint Nageotte in 2004. Yes, they pitched poorly, but it was twice as bad because it was so unexpected. They were supposed to be our aces in the hole and they totally flopped.

Would you pee your pants if your favorite team made it to the playoffs? If you're a Brewers fan, you might...

PeeYourPantsForTheBrewers.com is a new site trying to get fans to wet themselves for the good of the team. Here's an explanation from the site...

"Hopefully the Brewers will clinch their first playoff spot in 24 years with a win at Miller Park. Go the Park with some of your bestest friends and pee your pants at the moment we officially clinch. If we can get a 1000 or so fans at Miller Park to do this simultaneously it would be the world's largest collective pants-peeing party since Mount Sinai's 10 buses were late picking up all the players from Seniors Night at Potawatomi Bingo."

Check it out!

It’s Friday! You now what that means…

Have you seen David Ortiz’s new Vitamin Water commercial? If not, here it is. With Ryan Howard in a new Subway commercial, it’s good to see more MLB players getting marketing deals.


Slash playing The Star Spangled Banner and O Canada for the 2005 Blue Jays home opener. Notice his jersey…


A so-bad-it’s-good baseball-themed commercial for Bazooka Joe bubblegum


Some footage of soon-to-be first-round draft pick, LHP Madison Bumgarner


Homer Bailey throwing in the bullpen

Corey Brown is an outfielder for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. In 2005, the 6’2” lefty slugger was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year after hitting .360/.496/.691 and leading OSU in average, walks, triples and stolen bases. Last season, Brown hit .347/.462/.644, earning third-team All-American honors from Baseball America. During the summer, Brown ventured out to the Cape, where he played for the Chatham Athletics. Like many great college hitters, Brown struggled with the adjustment to wood bats, but it seemed to be a good learning experience. This year, as a junior at Oklahoma State, Brown is continuing to destroy opposing hitters. At press time, Brown is hitting .367/.506/.808 with 18 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Brown will be a high draft pick come June and answered some questions for me via e-mail.


okstate.com

Let's start off by going back and learning about your pre-Oklahoma State baseball career. Tell everyone where you grew up, how you became interested in baseball and a little about your prep baseball career.
I grew up in Tampa, FL. Baseball became a part of my life before I could even play T-ball because my older brothers were already playing, so we all would play together when we had free time at the park.

Being from Florida, what drew you to Oklahoma State University? What other schools did you consider?
I looked into a lot of schools – Florida, Florida State, Virginia, Miami and a few others. I just felt like I wanted to get away from home and experience something different. When I visited Oklahoma State, I just had a great connection with one of my assistant coaches right away. I also noticed that OSU had a great baseball program and the field was made for hitters like me.

How would you describe yourself as a ballplayer to someone who hasn't seen you play? Write your autobiographical scouting report!
Well, I’m a 5-tool player. I hit for average and power, I have speed, a good arm and I play good defense. I do tend to strike out a lot, but I also walk a good amount, which really helps.

You've hit well throughout your collegiate career, but you're really on a tear this season, hitting an unreal .367/.506/.808 at press time. What's clicked for you this season?
To be honest with you, I’m not really sure. I just try to go out there everyday and play every game to my best ability. I know there’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders, but I try not to think about it. Every year I go through slumps and I didn’t take them well my first 2 years. So this year I told myself that, if I get in a slump, I’m not going to let it get to me and just work my way through it.

What have you learned while playing for Coach Anderson? What is the best piece of advice he's given you?
I’ve learned to always go 100%. No matter who we’re playing, just always give it your all. You never want to regret a game you played in. So I try to do everything I can to help this team out and have Frank be satisfied with me everyday.

Your little brother, Dylan, is a freshman for Oklahoma State this season. How has it been having him around this year?
It’s been great because we are best friends. The one reason Dylan is out here is because I’m here. We loved playing together when we were younger so by him coming here we knew we would have a great time together.

Please describe the experience you had out on the Cape this summer. Did you enjoy playing out there? Had you been to New England before? What did you take away from that experience?
The experience was great. It was definitely my worst season ever, but I had a lot of fun. The guys on the team were great, the coaches were awesome, and Chatham was just an amazing place to be. I had never been to New England before, but my mom is from around there so she was sharing all her stories with me the whole time I was there. What I took from this experience was, one, if I’m struggling in baseball, it can’t get any worse than I had it on the Cape, so don’t stress too much! And two, I was able to make a lot of friends that I still stay in touch with.

What player have you played with or against that makes you say, "That guy is going places!"?
I’ve played with a few guys but two that come to mind right now that I can say are definitely going to make it to the bigs one day are my teammates Tyler Mach and Matt Mangini. Tyler is just a great hitter. I never see him struggle. He has a great swing and has the same approach with every pitcher he faces. And with Matt, I saw him play some this summer and he did a phenomenal job and won the Cape Cod batting title. Here at OSU he is just another great hitter that can do so many things well.


On a related note, who is the best pitcher you've faced?
I don’t know - there are so many. I guess one that was pretty good was Max Scherzer from Missouri. He threw about 95 consistently and could paint the corners. He also had some really good off-speed stuff.

What makes Jim Edmonds your favorite MLB player?
I really like that he goes out there every game trying to do his best. I think at first what made me really like him when I was younger was that he played CF and he was left handed.

Do you have a favorite MLB team?
I like the New York Yankees.

What is your conditioning regimen during the season and during the off-season?
In the fall we do a lot of conditioning - probably three times a week. During the season we don’t run too much - maybe once a week.

What is a specific part of your game that you are working to improve?
One part of my game that I wanted to work on this year was my arm strength and accuracy. Lately it’s gotten a lot better and my teammates are joking around with me saying I’m actually hitting my targets now. I also wanted to work on cutting down my strikeouts. But I’ve still done that quite a few times this year. I guess being a slugging hitter, the K’s come with it sometimes.

How much time does your commitment to baseball take each week? Will you complete your education degree?
My commitment to baseball takes up a lot of my time every week. I’m always up at the field early trying to work on things to get better. Right now my focus is on baseball. But when that is done and over with, yes I’ll come back and get my degree.

What has been the most memorable moment in your baseball career?
The most memorable moment right now for me would probably be when I was in high school and my little brother got the game-winning hit in this tournament that is huge in Tampa. I was just so happy for Dylan when he did it. The game went 14 innings so it was a pretty intense game!

Do you have any superstitions? If so, how did they develop?
Yeah, I have a good amount. I always have to wear two pairs of socks for the games, I have the same warm-up when I’m on deck, I’ll wear the same undershirt if I’m doing really good, the list goes on an on. I think they develop because when a baseball player is doing so well and they’re wearing something that they think helped, they will continue to wear it.

We've now heard about Corey Brown, the ballplayer, but tell us about Corey Brown, the person. What do you like to do when you're not playing baseball? What is something unique about yourself?
I really enjoy hanging out with my friends and brothers, but especially my brothers. We were brought up to be such a close family. Whenever were all home for the holidays, we spend almost every single day with each other. I’m just a fun, sometimes shy, humble person. My mom brought me up like that. Growing up and getting a lot of awards, I have always tried to stay humble. You get a lot more respect when you’re like that.

Favorite Movie?
Four Brothers

Favorite music group / artist?
Lil Wayne

Happy Friday, everyone! If you’re planning on attending the UW vs. Oregon State game tonight at Safeco Field, try to find me and say hello – I’ll be there. Have a great weekend!

Here’s a 2-year-old “baseball prodigy.” Pretty impressive!


Some guy running on the field at a recent Indians game…during a brawl!


A very unusual submarine pitcher for the University of Utah


You might have seen this on Baseball Prospectus, but here’s Angels prospect Hank Conger…running for president? WTF?


I could have done without the lame Kermit the Frog song, but this is a pretty cool video of a pitcher making hitters look silly with an eephus (“rainbow”) pitch. P.S. Is that umpire wearing a backpack for a chest protector? Haha…


BONUS! Here’s a MySpace video of a kid I umpired the other day (you can see me, ringing kids up). The kid’s name is Robby Ryan and he’s a 9th grader at Kamiakan Junior High in Kirkland. Remember that name, because he’s the best pitcher I’ve seen all year. He’s a lefty that was almost untouchable – and, as you’ll see in the video, he can hit too! Check it out…
Highlights VS Inglewood

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I went to the game last night with my dad. Here are some things that I was thinking about...

OMG…WiFi DS!
You may have heard by now, but Nintendo is testing some new features and capabilities for the DS system this season at Safeco Field. They unveiled the plan tonight and it looks really cool. I’m excited to bring my DS to the stadium and test it out. For $5 per game, you can log onto the WiFi network with your DS and that will enable you to do many things. Stop getting up and bothering people around you; with your DS, you can order food and drinks directly from your seat! Ever been at the game and wished you could see a replay, but they won’t show it on the big screen? With a DS you can watch the broadcast of the game. You can get real-time scores and stats from around the league, play a baseball trivia game and a Mariners word search. I’m all for technology enhancing my ballpark experience, especially when it also deals with video games. Good stuff!

The new Nasty Boys
I think I mentioned this in my season prediction post, but I really like the White Sox bullpen. Kenny Williams has done a great job of acquiring a bunch of hard throwers and pitching coach Don Cooper is one of the most underrated in the game. Bobby Jenks, Mike MacDougal, David Aardsma, Andy Sisco, Boone Logan and yes, even Matt Thornton combine to make one of the most fierce relief corps in baseball. Better yet, those six guys are making a little over $7 million combined – or, to put it differently, about a million dollars less than Jeff Weaver. Yep.

Thinking ahead to 2009
Looking at The Grand Salami during the game got me thinking about what players will be coming off the books soon and what the 2009 roster could look like. We have a lot of money coming off the books after next season. Ibanez, Sexson, Kenji and Vidro are all eligible to be free agents after the ’08 season, which could potentially give us almost $35 million going into the off-season before the 2009 season. It will be very interesting to see what that team looks like because there could be a lot of holes opening up, a lot of minor-league talent could be converging in Seattle and they’ll have some money to throw around. It’s late and I’m tired, so I couldn’t find out who will be a free agent heading into that winter, but I’ll dig around later and see what I can find. But…the M’s need to save money so they can offer Miguel Cabrera a 10-year, $300 million contract in 2010. I’m not kidding.