So at least Grady Sizemore is not the first player to go down with injury.
At least it won’t get snowed out.
It’s opening day and the stands in Miami look like they’re about half-full. Somehow that seems really depressing.
Yeah, yeah…I know. He’s a rookie. Hopefully he’ll get there. Once on base he’s pretty unstoppable. Hopefully he isn’t another Deion Sanders in a Reds uniform.
ETA: Reds former CF Shin Soo Choo 0-4 1k 1BB
Ugh.
There are, sadly, a disproportionate number of stupid people walking around who think that being a fan of a team is like being part of a gang. At least this one didn’t have the same tragic consequence.
In other news, the Dodgers and Tribe get past opening day with winning records. I’m pleased. And as much as I despise Nyjer Morgan, I will root for him so long as he wears the Cleveland uniform and keeps his mouth shut.
He is Jose Reyes, the crystal shortstop. The trainer deserves no blame for him or Brandon Morrow or Jose Bautista or Brett Lawrie. All of whom will miss significant time because that is what they do.
In their 53 year old history, The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have suffered an alarmingly high number of freak accidents and off-field tragedies that make one wonder if the team is just plain jinxed.
Last night, while honoring former Angel great, Vladimir Guerrero, hitting coach, Don Baylor suffered a fractured femur,while catching the ceremonial first pitch from Vlad. Baylor is a 2003 survivor from multiple myeloma, a form of bone-cancer which leaves the bones weakened. Hopefully, it’s just that and not a case of recurrence of the cancer, itself.
Other freak accidents & tragedies in Angel history:
2010, Kendry Morales fractures his ankle by jumping on home plate after hitting walkoff homerun – misses most of 2010 and all of 2011, and further limits his ability to play 1B
2009, Rookie Pitcher, Nick Adenhart killed by drunk driver, just hours after pitching in his season debut.
1992, The Angels team bus is in an accident injuring 12 players and manager.
1989, Donnie Moore, former Angels relief pitcher, commits suicide. He had become despondent and alcoholic after blowing game 5 of the 1985 ALCS, which allowed the Red Sox to come back from a 3-1 deficit.
1978, Angels’ outfielder, Lyman Bostock, is shot and killed in Chicago after a game.
1977, Mike Miley, 23 year old Angels infielder, dies in a car crash
1968, Minnie Rojas, a top relief pitcher for the Angels is involved in a car crash, killing 2 of his children and paralyzing him from the waist down.
Thank god the Angels have the 2002 World Series Championship to hold on to.
Giants won the opener in a brawl. I’m grinning today.
Interesting map of baseball fandom based on Facebook stats - where people are from who are “Likers” or “followers” of each team’s Facebook page.
There are no “plurality” of A’s or Mets fans (hard to tell with the Mets and all that orange over there but the accompanying article agrees) or Blue Jays.
Looks like the Nationals have the smallest little niche, and surprisingly the White Sox are very unpopular. Not surprisingly, the Padres are too.
I am surprised at the lack of Red Sox fans across the country. I guess all of those people who show up to Indians/Sox games in Cleveland to root for the Red Sox don’t bother to actually “Like” the team on Facebook.
Nebraska…those people will root for anyone!
I wish this map didn’t use so many shades of orange. It looks like Louisiana has two little enclaves of different color orange but I’ll be damned if I can tell which. But I am curious to know!
The Yankees will open against the Astros today in what will technically be a game of baseball.
Most of them probably aren’t *from *Cleveland - or from Baltimore or Tampa Bay, to name other cities where you’ll find even more Boston regalia in the stands than the home team’s. Got a lot to do with ticket prices and availability, and air fares and distances.
I was watching yesterday when the Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez made the first successful replay challenge on an infield base umpire call. Brewers runner was called safe at first on a bang-bang play, Braves challenged, it was overturned on replay. He was clearly out.
Actually went pretty quickly, helluva lot faster than football challenges.
On another note I was disappointed in two things yesterday. First off, was kinda surprised the Braun got such a rousing ovation when introduced, and then secondly, disappointed that Teheran (Brave’s pitcher) didn’t immediately drill him in the ribs.
Oh, and the Braves lost, so three things I guess.
Hey…see that little spot where Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky all meet? That’s where I live! It’s the epicenter of Reds country!
Well, they are in Anaheim.
Notice on the map linked above that nobody are Oakland fans. Not even Oakland.
BTW, the Angels blew the 86 LCS.
Emphasis mine.
Well, that’s hardly fair, considering that the map doesn’t show any of Canada. I would hardly expect any part of the United States to be dominated by Blue Jays fans.
I’ll bet that if you had a whole map of Canada up there, much of the country would show a Blue Jays fan base. I lived in Vancouver when Joe Carter blasted the Jays to a World Series win, and the bar where i worked was absolutely rocking with happy Canadians, most of whom were not from Toronto.
It’s unfair to Expos fans not having the map include Canada as well. They should be represented too.
And Puig hits his first homer of the season. May it not be his last…
…today.
Indeed.