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Photo Gallery: Florida Marlins vs. Washington Nationals; May 9th, 2008 -- W
2008-05-10 19:17:00
Florida Marlins vs. Washington Nationals; May 8th, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.
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The Art of Hitting; The Roundup: O's News...
2008-05-09 20:07:00
There's a bit of stuff to go through in the roundup, but before we any further, Pressbox/MASN/WHFS's Amber Theoharis has a great piece on the art of hitting perhaps inspired by the recent struggles of the Baltimore Orioles. Simply put, she does a fine job explaining more or less why it is so hard to hit a major league pitcher.I played baseball growing and actually have the ability now to play in a fast-pitch men's league and used to play in a wood bat league a few years ago (let's say it's because of my age - 29).Needless to say, hitting is very hard thing to and it's why I am sitting in front a computer and spending half my time in a car than being one the privileged few to ever play the game on a professional level.It's one thing to play in a softball league and get brushed back, it's another to be given the same treatment by a flame thrower going 90+ mph with amazing movement on the ball."But the geometry alone is another reason hitting successfully is difficult. It doesn...
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Danny Boy Kills The Royals; Bynum Returns and Makes an Impact...
2008-05-09 17:46:00
People have complained, whined and bitched about the Orioles this week as their nice start came to an abrupt and complete halt; however, tonight showed why we as fans have a lot to look forward to with the new look Baltimore franchise. Daniel Cabrera won his third game ? a complete game ? thanks to an excellent effort by the tall righty, and Nick Markakis? three run-homer.Back to Daniel, the kid is now focused and in a way ? now in the zone. Granted, we are not only even 1/2 of the way through the season, but if number 40 keeps this up, he will no doubt be the man we hoped he?ll be. Then again, he may be dangled on the market too.I?m going to be cautiously optimistic, but so far, so good. A good start in 2008 for Daniel does not erase several mediocre years, but he right now seems to be a different pitcher and is now actually pitching with a plan, and not throwing. If he keeps it up, Kranitz needs to be given major props for his work.He used groundballs and strikeouts (7) to get him...
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Giveaway! Five Copes Available of MLB 08: The Show Given Out To Loyal Reade
2008-05-09 04:08:00
Well, this is the first I've ever done this on this blog, but I'm announcing there'll be a give away -- good one.What's the prize? A copy of MLB 08: The Show for the Sony Playstation III Console. I did a review on it, and the sponsor was kind enough to give five complimentary copies to give away to readers.The catch, there's none -- however, what I'd like you to do is tell me your favorite baseball story. It could be about the Orioles or anything encompassing the world of the sport -- just as long as it is about it.Anyhow, the story can be tender, heart-wrenching, funny, serious, or it could be even crude (to extent). Email me personally at mdguy2415@aol.com (I'll post your story on the blog), or you can leave a comment and send me a way to contact you.I'll have the contest running until next Friday (May 16th), and then ten stories will be chosen to win the available copies of the game.Good luck!MLB Betting at BetUS.com - America's favorite sports betting destination for al...

Ozzie Guillen (To Give Him Credit) Is A Smart Man...
2008-05-09 03:47:00
Ah, in today's world of celebrity, blogs, sports talk radio, and 24-hour cable, one man in baseball has figured out how to manipulate the media and get himself some face time -- Ozzie Guillen !The boorish and loud White Sox manager, isn't crazy, he knows that controversy creates cash, attention and ratings...White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen knows what sells in the media, what piques interest in baseball and other fields of endeavor. It's people who tend to act a little crazy from time to time."Who cares about Britney Spears? But she's on TV every day. Why do you think people give a ... about Jose Canseco? That ... sells," Guillen said Thursday at the end of a 25-minute pregame meeting with reporters.Managers who stir it up with their comments -- as Guillen has done most of his managerial career -- or with their on-field tantrums, like former Yankees manager Billy Martin and Cubs manager Lou Piniella, stick out."Who's the manager they remember the most? ... Billy Martin. They don...
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UWC Invasion Photos
2008-05-08 21:56:00
UWC Invasion : Fairfax, Va.UWC Invasion photos; not for the faint of heart, but awesome from where I was...Read the original article here...
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Teixeira: Our Hero On A White Horse?
2008-05-08 21:36:00
We'd all be nieve to think that Mark Teixiera will not be headed for a serious payday once the season ends, but the question that has come up in the minds of Oriole fans is will he come to the Yard and back to Baltimore? (he grew up in Anne Arundel County)In Paul Heyman's Daily Scoop on the CNNsi.com website, the slugger chats about possibly returning to Maryland -- this time -- perhaps as an Oriole.I'm still not convinced he'll come to Baltimore as our first baseman, but what he told Heyman is promising -- with a grain of salt."These are things to talk about at the end of the season,'' Teixeira says. "I'm not going to make any predictions. I'm enjoying playing in Atlanta ... and there's no doubt this organization is a winning organization. When I become a free agent, Atlanta's definitely in the mix.''How about his hometown Orioles?"The Orioles are close to my heart,'' Teixeira admitted."I have family in Baltimore,'' he continued. "But I have family in Georgia. And I...
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The Hits Keep Coming Internet Radio Show -- May 7th, 2008
2008-05-08 04:47:00
Topics Discussed: * The Business of Ballparks * The Holy Trinity: Roger Clemens/Alex Rodriguez/Ozzie Guillen * A look back at the month of April * Who?s hot, who?s not * Big names on the disabled listMLB Betting at BetUS.com - America's favorite sports betting destination for all sports fans; adding more excitement and bonuses than any other sportsbook; on the web.
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Are The Orioles Who We Thought They Were?
2008-05-08 03:42:00
Another game on the West Coast, another loss. I have my hands up in the air after another loss -- this time in extra innings; however, just like others -- close game, the Orioles struggle to come back and then lose in the end.What's to say? The one thing we thought would be the problem isn't the problem (the pitching) -- it's the bleeping offense.I said in the beginning of the year, I'd be happy to see the team improving, in a way it has with the competitive ball games and an effective relief/starting corps.But again the bleeping offense is making me wonder if the Orioles are who we thought they were.Now Roberts won't hit in the .250-260's (at least we hope), and Nick Markakis is far better than what he's showing right now. Huff (he's doing ok, but I still really don't care for the guy) is hitting in the .280's, Scott is struggling.But everyone else? What in the world.Um, I have a news flash -- the offense was going to be a problem with a lack of protection, and it's show...
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Still Unemployable: Barry Bonds
2008-05-08 02:58:00
Ah, Barry Bonds . The Orioles and several other teams could use him; however, despite his abilities and numbers from 2007, I say this -- he may not find a job anytime soon.I figured that he'd sign on with someone before the season; alas, it is anything but the case. Now, the union is trying to look into why he's not been offered a job.Good luck.From the AP: The Major League Baseball Players Association has expressed concern to the commissioner's office over the lack of offers to Barry Bonds, asking for additional information about the offseason's free-agent market.The union did not go as far as to file a grievance on behalf of the outfielder, 43, who remains unsigned and hasn't received any offers since the San Francisco Giants decided not to re-sign him last year and he became a free agent."We've raised both general concerns and some player specific concerns," Michael Weiner, the union's general counsel, said yesterday.Weiner said the only player the union specifically brough...

Same Crap, Different Day - Orioles Lose Again in Oakland For Fourth Straigh
2008-05-07 17:22:00
Could the good vibes of being a Baltimore Orioles fan in the short-term be coming to a close?I was going to title this post something else (use your imagination), but I decided to be a good fan and use some decorum when doing this.Again, the Orioles lost out West, 4-2, to the Oakland Athletics.The loss was their fourth in a row, and they need to find answers; according to Spencer Fordin, the Orioles held a meeting at some point on Tuesday.Brian Burres struggled for the most part last night, as he allowed eight hits and four runs (he was charged with three) over a little more than five innings of work. The bullpen was once again solid; however, once again the anemic offense did not do anyone favors despite the relief corps keeping Baltimore in the game.The flighted ones made A?s starter, Justin Duchscherer, look like a Cy Young candidate as he went seven innings and allowed two runs ? on four hits(!) ? while walking two and striking out four batters. Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott each d...
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A-Rod In Touch With Paternal Side: Passes Out Seeing Birth of His Daughter;
2008-05-07 05:13:00
Um, Alex Rodriguez once again is being excoriated by the press -- this time due to the birth of his daughter, ordinarily a watershed event in anyone's life.Why does it seem everything he does PR wise turns out to be so awkward even when it should not be the case?From the Baltimore Sun: Alex Rodriguez passed out during the birth of his first daughter in 2004. "The one nurse had a cold cloth on his head. The other nurse had the blood pressure on his arm. And my mother was, like, rubbing his back. And he is passed out on a couch. And I am there, in the middle of labor," Rodriguez's wife, Cynthia, said on an episode of the YES Network's YESterdays that is scheduled to be broadcast tonight. Natasha Alexander Rodriguez was born Nov. 18, 2004.Is A-Rod a wuss? I don't think it's that big of a deal -- a lot of men, including a lot I know have been through this.Look, we all known he's a built, high-profile, rich athlete; however, I don't see why this is getting play.I do think his wif...
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O's Lose in Oaktown, 2-1 in Ten; What About The Offense: The Rundown?
2008-05-06 17:03:00
The O?s are now back at .500 as they lost to the A?s in Oaktown, 2-1. The loss is their third in a row; however, we should take some positives from the loss. After a devastating series loss to the Angels out in sunny California, they once again lost in a painful fashion.First, Garrett Olson went a little more than six shutout innings, and looked nothing like the wide-eyed kid who could not keep his pitches in the strike zone last year. It?s too bad he didn?t get the decision; however, the A?s starter, Dana Eveland was just as good on the mound as he threw seven shutout innings and allowed only three hits.Emil Brown had three hits, including the game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, to decide the game. Rajai Davis drove in the other run for Oakland on the night with a bases loaded infield single off Jamie Walker. The Orioles fought back in the ninth and tied the score thanks to a Ramon Hernandez RBI. Jim Johnson took the loss in the tenth; however, he?s ...
More About: Rundown , The Rundown

The O's Head to Oaktown...
2008-05-06 02:51:00
The Orioles continue their march -- eh, I mean road trip this evening. After dropping 2 of 3 with the California Angels of Anaheim or Los Angeles (they're confused), they head to the Bay Area.Monday: Garrett Olson (1-0, 2.70) vs. Dana Eveland (3-2, 3.67)Tuesday: Brian Burres (3-2, 2.87) vs. Justin Duchscherer (2-1, 2.40)Wednesday: Jeremy Guthrie (1-3, 4.06) vs. Joe Blanton (2-5, 3.88)The A's have been good -- very good, and a lot of their strength lies on the pitching front. Until yesterday, the O's offense has been dead; thus, they'll need to keep the bats hot against Oakland.Despite the A's trading away some of their name players, the youngsters on that team mixed in with some cheap veterans have come out to a strong start and battling the California Angels for supremacy of the AL West.On paper, the pitching match-ups look fairly even and the game I'm looking forward to seeing is tonight's, as Olson has his second start of the year. He was very good the other day: however, ...
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Yankees-Red Sox Spat Ends In Death?
2008-05-06 00:33:00
Very sad and pathetic; it's just a game...
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Could He Just Go Away?
2008-05-05 20:53:00
If you want someone who seemingly has lied to baseball fans about who he is all these years, look no further to this guy -- now, here's his latest mea culpa...From the AP:HOUSTON - In his first comments since the New York Daily News linked him to a series of extramarital affairs last week, Roger Clemens apologized to his family and friends.In a statement issued Sunday to the Houston Chronicle, the former pitching star admitted making "mistakes" in his life but continued to deny any use of steroids or human growth hormone."I know that many people want to know what I have to say about the recent articles in the media," Clemens said in the statement. "Even though these articles contain many false accusations and mistakes, I need to say that I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry. I have apologized to my family and apologize to my fans. Like everyone, I have flaws. I have sometimes made choices which have not been right." Clemens did not confirm any personal rela...

Ozzie Guillen: Baseball Manager, Sociologist & Someone Who Should Really Wa
2008-05-05 19:01:00
I really like Ozzie Guillen as a manager and as a colorful personality, although I did not care for the man personally during my encounter with him.Know for running his mouth and being more than candid, he's done it again and has now reached out to a another segment of people for criticism -- the fans of Chicago.Ah, here's his latest:From the AP: TORONTO - White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had his own Lee Elia moment, letting forth a stream of obscenities in which he accused Chicago fans of turning on the struggling team after a strong start.During his rant before Sunday's game against Toronto, Guillen said the White Sox are not sufficiently appreciated in their city despite winning the 2005 World Series."That's what ticks me off about Chicago fans and Chicago media, they forget pretty quickly," Guillen said, punctuating his outburst with a healthy dose of vulgarities.He bemoaned the fact that the Cubs are considered the "best" in Chicago even though they haven't won a World Seri...
More About: Baseball , Manager

What To Do With Trachsel? O's Lose Another One Run Game, 6-5
2008-05-05 16:18:00
Right now, Steve Trachsel is 1-4 with a 7.62 ERA, and his performance on Sunday did not help things. Charged with six earned runs, in only three innings of work, could his time in Baltimore be coming to a close?Two horrible starts should not damper his full body of work; however, is it time, considering the solid pitching of the Orioles so far that we give his slot to someone else? He served up three home runs ? including a three run jack to Torii Hunter in the first ? and seemingly was vulnerable on the mound, to put it simply.Baltimore lost to the Los Angeles Angels, 6-5, in a game which the Orioles possibly blew because of poor decisions on the base paths, and giving the Angels extra outs (highlighted by Roberts being thrown out twice on the bases ? he being gunned down in the ninth inning was a killer.)They had 15 hits, but only crossed the plate five times, which served as another problem on the afternoon. The bats woke up as Melvin Mora had three hits, including a solo home ru...
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The Weekend So Far; Some Notes & Thoughts
2008-05-04 10:56:00
So far, the Orioles have played very well on their trip out to sunny California beating the Angels on Friday night, 4-3, thanks a great performance by Jeremy Guthrie, a Markakis homer, and a tight ninth inning; however, on Saturday, they faced a strong hurler in John Garland and lost, 3-1.Cabrera, who pitched this afternoon, was decent and had a shut-out until the sixth inning - that is, until glimpses of inconsistency and walks did him in.In the end, Baltimore held the Angels in check, but in the end, the lack of offense opportunities did the Orioles in, (for example, Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora swapped places in the lineup -- however, that might have not worked too well).The two teams play in the rubber match on Sunday as Steve Trachsel goes against the undefeated Joe Saunders.We all know what we are getting with Steve, and the Baltimore must put some runs on the board, or they?ll lose the series. The Orioles have played some real close and very competitive games; however, their...
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Photo Gallery: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals, May 3rd, 2008
2008-05-04 01:34:00
Photo Gallery : Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals: May 3rd, 2008MLB Betting at BetUS.com - America's favorite sports betting destination for all sports fans; adding more excitement and bonuses than any other sportsbook; on the web.
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Photo Gallery: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals, May 2nd, 2008
2008-05-03 23:52:00
Photo Gallery : Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals
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The O's Hit The Road: First, Onto Anaheim...
2008-05-03 00:32:00
The Baltimore Orioles, right now, the MLB's version of the road warriors once again hit the road -- this time for 10 days. After a brief visit at home where they lost two out of three, they head to the sunny Golden State to face the California Angels.Oops, I mean the so-called Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim .At 18-12, the Los Angeles Angels are riding high in the AL West; however, they are also tied with the surprising Oakland A's. They boast one of the most powerful lineups in baseball, and it's needless to say that the Baltimore Orioles will no doubt have their hands full.Friday: Jeremy Guthrie (0-3, 4.34) vs. Jered Weaver (2-3, 4.21)Saturday: Daniel Cabrera (2-0, 4.14) vs. Jon Garland (3-3, 5.94)Sunday: Steve Trachsel (1-3, 6.08) vs. Joe Saunders (5-0, 2.08)The match-ups are good on Friday and Saturday, but we all know what we are getting with Trachsel on Sunday. The Angels have a tough pitching staff, and the Orioles' offense must get it together and put up some runs or they ...
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ESPN's Thinks The Orioles Are A Trainwreck; MASN To Air Norfolk Tides (AAA)
2008-05-03 00:12:00
Despite the joy we are feeling with the Orioles success in April, most in the media think the gravy train ride may come to a screeching halt.ESPN's Jonah Keri in a piece titled, "The Failure Dynasties", picks the Orioles as one the prime examples of futility in the sport of baseball.Also included in the list are the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates & the Washington Nationals (formerly Expos). In the piece, he goes over some five bad moves each respective franchise made, their lowest moment, horrible staff/players, quotes, and notes for the future.Here's his summary of the franchise as it stands..."The 15-13 start is nice, but the Orioles probably won't see a winning season for a while. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones are great building blocks in the outfield, Luke Scott is an above-average player as the third outfielder, Brian Roberts and George Sherrill should fetch some interesting loot in a trade, and Matt Wieters is a potential franchise player a year a...
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MLB 08: The Show - A Review
2008-05-02 19:07:00
Last month, Sony sent me a free copy of ?MLB 08: The Show ? to review. Due to commitments and work I did not have time to play until recently. I borrowed my little brother's Playstation 3 for a few weeks, so I got the game especially for that platform.Over the past few years, I have had a major attachment to MVP Baseball 2005, which I consider perhaps my favorite video baseball game of all time.However, ?MLB 08: The Show?, might have kicked MVP Baseball 2005 off the perch.There are so many features in this game, I have no idea where to begin, but if you?re a serious baseball nerd like me, you could not do any better.First off, everything is so life-like. You feel like you?re actually in the game and part of the action ? well, as far as a video game could possibly let you. Granted, the features in the game will get someone like, who has not played video games in a while a bit of getting used to; however, for the veteran, they should be able to play with some ease after some time.The ...
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Youth & Contracts: Should Markakis and Jones Get Their Big Deals Now?
2008-05-02 15:39:00
The erstwhile Ian of Sox and Dawgs sent me this little piece that was featured on the CNNsi.com website the other day on both Nick Marakakis and Adam Jones from featured writer, Paul Heyman that was featured on Buster Olney's blog.From CNNsi: "Most major-league teams are working to sign their best young players to multi-year deals. But right now, the Orioles' internal philosophy is to wait for at least three years before discussing a multi-year deal with the likes of Adam Jones and Nick Markakis.Surprising, isn't it? If the Orioles eschew long-term deals, their best players will be much more expensive when the team is ready to compete. Markakis, their star player, will be up for arbitration after this season. Maybe he won't get the $10MM Ryan Howard did, but $7MM seems reasonable. There were already rumblings that Markakis was angered by this year's $55K raise."I think Adam Jones has plenty of time on his side to earn a contract, so I'll omit him from the conversation; how...
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UWC ?Invasion? Storms the D.C. Area; My First Foray Into The World of Mixed
2008-05-02 08:21:00
Folks, I covered my first mixed martial arts event last weekend in Fairfax, Va. It's a little different from the baseball fare, but yet was exciting to see.It's not for the faint of heart.***It?s needless to say these days that the sport of mixed martial arts is on the rise and is part of the lexicon of the American sports landscape. In fact, it would probably be a gross understatement. On Saturday, the mixed martial arts world came to the Washington Metropolitan region as the Ultimate Warrior Challenge?s ?Invasion ? was held at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University. The event was only the second ever held at the Patriot Center, and drew a little under 5,000 people in spite of rainy conditions outside.The crowd was uniquely diverse, almost all adult; however, unlike in most sporting events, the crowd seemed to be into the action from the beginning to the very end. When the action was hot, the crowd hollered and pumped up their fists in excitement. Having th...
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O's Lose to Rays, 4-2; Ball Park Ranking in SI
2008-05-02 03:47:00
Well, the home stand for the Baltimore Orioles ended up being disappointing as the offense could not back a strong outing by Brian Burres and they lost a matinée to the Tampa Bay Rays , 4-2.Buress left the game with a tie in 7th inning; however Carl Crawford broke open the tie in the seventh inning with a two-run hit that made all the difference off reliever Jamie Walker.Adam Jones provided all the offense for the Orioles with a two-run homer off Tampa starter Matt Garza in the fourth inning.Despite Jones' hit, the Orioles only mustered three hits on the afternoon and went quietly.In light of the loss, the Orioles had a great April, going 15-12 and holding the top spot of the division.Now what will May hold for us? We have a tough, tough road trip as we head out to Anaheim to face the California, I mean the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for 3, then onto Oakland and then Kansas City. It's needless to say the next two weeks will be tough, but if Baltimore can finish at .500 or above ...
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O's Lose to Rays, 8-1; The Rundown...
2008-05-01 16:59:00
There was not much to yesterday's game at for the Orioles. We entrusted our young pitching to carry us, but an explosive Tampa Bay and a stellar performance by their starting pitcher Andy Sonnanstine's dominant doomed Baltimore.As well, thanks to a five-run seventh by Tampa, the Orioles went quietly into the night as they lost to Tampa by a score of 8-1.Sonnanstine only allowed one run on six hits and struck out five. Veteran Eric Hinske hit a two-run bomb in the fourth; meanwhile, Carlos Pena & Dioner Navarro each drove in two runs -- all in the fateful seventh inning.O's rookie, Matt Albers looked solid through the first six innings, but was charged with the loss. Bob McCrory came into game in the seventh for his major league debut, but got touched up.B-Rob was 2-3, and drove in the the only run for Baltimore.The Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, Orioles.com, Orioles Hangout has more on the game.Nick Markakis got a rest last night, while the test on Adam L...
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Luke Scott At The ESPN Zone in Downtown Baltimore: April 30th, 2008
2008-04-30 23:47:00
The newest member of the Orioles, and perhaps now an instant fan favorite with his now infamous cat-call ?Luuuuukkkkkkkeeeeee?, today spent some of his afternoon at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore ?s Inner Harbor. He held a Q&A and an autograph session for fans during the lunch hour in the busy city.A seemingly humble and reflective man, Luke talked about his life in the minors in the Astros organization, his road to the majors and his personal experiences along with perseverance have shaped his time in the big leagues.A main of faith; he told the crowd upon being called to the majors, he broke down and cried. In the past few weeks, I gotten to see him up close on the field, and we all as fans can agree, he?s had a hot start to the 2008 campaign and is nothing but a welcome addition to the organization,Although he?s 29, and is in no shape or form still a prospect ? he knows all too well that being in the majors is a not a right ? but a privilege, and he intends to stay here.All in all, he...
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Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles; Balto., Md - April 29th, 2008
2008-04-30 06:19:00
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles ; Balto., Md - April 29th, 2008MLB Betting at BetUS.com - America's favorite sports betting destination for all sports fans; adding more excitement and bonuses than any other sportsbook; on the web.
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