1. The Rangers are just a game out of first!
2. Pujols in on pace to hit 324 home runs this year. (Two in the first game.)
3. It’ll be a rematch of the ‘64 Series. I promise not to make the same mistake by rooting for the Evil Empire–who will likely be in the Series because their payroll is larger than the GNP of several countries. I was young (eight) and thought the world revolved around Mickey Mantle. Now, it’s last year’s NL Cy Young winner (Carpenter) and the best player in baseball (the Mighty Pujols) leading the Cards to a world championship.
4. Most importantly, the BayBears are 1-0. It was so nice, after sitting out a year because of the wreck, to be back in the dugout coaching and to have my son back on the field.
The Astros are undefeated and Oswalt is one game closer to a perfect season after his 8 inning shutout. That’s awesome you’re coaching again. I envision you in that dugout with a mouthful of sunflower seeds spitting seeds with the boys, calling signs for the squeeze play in the bottom of the 9th.
Would love to have the Astros in the playoffs again — this time with a better showing by the Cards.
I looked back, and it doesn’t seem that anyone picked Florida to win. So the $5,000,000 pot rolls over to next year!
We’re glad you two are back. Max’s first game is tonight.
The Cubs are 1-0!
Why hate the Yankees? Don’t we all love a good democracy? If they have the money, why not let them use it? Are all you Yankee haters really interested in a socialistic/communistic league? How un-American!
As for my well-paid Yanks, they did okay last night winning 15-3 over the well-regarded A’s!
And this year’s best player? Once again, the mighty A-Rod who started off the season with a grand slam in the second inning. Not too shabby!
The Yanks will prevail…and you’ll be made to like it!
Candy - I would like to add that as long as JWB is till in the stands watching, recovering from his wreck injuries, it doesn’t feel entirely right!
Everyone will love it when Clemens signs with the Red Sox. And, YES…it was a nice win over a Texas team yesterday.
mike,
i’m glad that the baseball season is back! you mentioned the baybears, did you mean the mobile baybears? i just can not shake my connection with texas. we moved here to mobile almost 2 years ago, and we miss texas so much. things just keep draw my thoughts back to texas and my friends, and family still there.
we go watch the baybears when we get the chance. we enjoyed going to rangers games when were living in arlington. i thought when i moved here to l.a. that i would get the chance to go see the braves, since they are just across the border. that hasn’t happened yet, maybe this year.
ken
The Braves won but used the entire bullpen in the course of a 9 inning game. Leo Mazone, please call home!
Don’t overlook *both* Rolen and Albert are on a pace 648 RBI seasons. Woo.
I was also glad to see scrappy little Jimmy Rolens give the Philly fans (and baseball) something to cheer about by hitting in his #37th straight game in his final AB.
What is a Baybear?
Mike - I know of your fondness for the great Albert Pujols. I came across a story the other day that said Pujols took batting practice at the new Busch Stadium the other day and on his first swing he hit a home run out of the park altogether. His legend continues to grow and he is still only in his mid-20s.
Fifty Reasons Why GOLF is better than Baseball or Football:
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/humor8.shtml
Yeah…is a Baybear kinda like a Sea Bear?
Red Sox undefeated in 2006!!!
Big Papi already has a home-run under his belt!
The “new guys” did well — watch out for Coco Crisp!
Schilling was awesome.
I’m still trying to understand Spring Training
— we were awful!! the whole time in Florida!
Mike, I guess I’ll need to put the Cardinals on my Yahoo home page so I can keep up with scores and know what you’re talking about over there in the NL.
When a was paying in a little league all-star game in Angleton TX, Mickey Mantel signed a ball for me. I would still have that ball today it a big dog had not eaten it.
Baybears are the Abilene Junior team that Mike is coaching, named after the Mobile, Alabama Baybears.
Off to a glorious start as a result of brilliant coaching by Mike.
Chad, Mike cannot afford to have a mouthful of sunflower seeds while he is coaching because then all of the parents and fans would think that he had borrowed from me what I always have in my mouth. The fallout would swamp the Abilene Reporter News.
Best thing about opening day: Only 52 more days until the start of 7-on-7.
Congrats to Chris!
Baseball–what a great game! Got to put a plug in for the Harding Academy high school team here in Searcy (two of my boys on the team) Only their third year to have a program, and their record this season is now 16-1, and about half of those games have been against larger division schools. Outstanding hitting, and I’m in the stands giving them advice, you know, like “hit the ball”– good stuff like that……….
The Angels are in first place! Can you say “wire to wire”?
My bold prediction: We make the playoffs…knock off the Evil Empire (yet again) but are outlasted by the Red Sox. The Cards get squeaked by the new look Mets and it’s 1986 all over again. Bill Buckner throws out the first pitch (passed ball), Mookie Wilson is banned from the stadium, and the Sox take it all.
There is something pure and beautiful about little league baseball. I love MLB but I will take a little league game over MLB any day. Don’t forget that the hot dogs are much cheaper at little league games, too!
Red Sox will win this year. Did you SEE Schilling yesterday? He’s back!
the mobile baybears are the farm team of the san diego padres, and jake peavy’s home town team, and he is the ace of the pads staff. he actually grewup here in the mobile area, and got signed by the pads and played for the baybears before going to the show. pretty cool, huh?
don’t really know if there is such a thing as a”baybear”, but that is their mascot. like i said in my earlier post, i just moved here about two years ago, and my daughter loves the games, because they have give aways or contests between each inning and its just fun to be able to go to a game and not drop $40 just to get in and get good seats. its a fun time.
they also play in hank aaron stadium. that’s cool, too.
http://www.mobilebaybears.com/home.asp
Great to hear about Chris…Hmmmmm, yes….the unbelievable excitement of a 162 season and then 21 playoff games. Wake me up when football season starts.
I like the way you think Therman8er!! But — Buckner? Never! And won’t it be fun to see Pedro against Schill?
Big Mike — yes — Schill’s back. Couldn’t believe he stayed in for that many pitches this early in the season. He was in the zone! Foulke looked OK — we need him all the way back. But, Wake’s my guy — he’s on tonight. Gotta get a nap — when the Sox are west of here, it makes for late games. (yes — I pretty much watch all of them — wierd for a woman, right?)
I think it is great that we can highjack Mike’s blog and make it Red Sox Nation!!! We will gladly open the borders and allow more citizens.
One more preacher who loves baseball season. This was my first “opening day” and throughly enjoyed with my family watching the Red Sox win. The
Rangers fans were very polite and hospitable to the Sox fans at the Ballpark.
This is a blog that endorses: the Cards, the Angels, the Rangers, and the Astros — in that order.
It does give reluctant endorsement to the Red Sox, only because they have the most immediate chance to keep the Evil Empire out of the playoffs.
I was at the Astros Opening Day, in the upper deck, right behind home plate, and did not leave the ballpark for the entire game. It was WONDERFUL to be back!!! GO ASTROS!
HEY!! Mike, there ARE teams east of the Pecos ya’ know.
Pads put the Giants in their place last night. Peavy was incredible, beating Schmidt 6-1 - pitching to the “great” (?) Bonds, allowing him one little double. Mike Piazza hit a welcome-to-San-Diego Home run, as did our great short stop, Kahlil Greene. All this put San Diego in 1st place in the NL West. :O)
“It does give reluctant endorsement to the Red Sox . . .”
Give me a break!
“It does give reluctant endorsement to the Red Sox, only because they have the most immediate chance to keep the Evil Empire out of the playoffs.”
That’s really a poor reason to pull for the Red Sox, Mike. That could apply to every other tream in MLB. Go Sox!
Mike, Sam is having major problems with his back..he had a MRI last thursday and so we will know more this week. So..no baseball this year. Sam was at Parker’s game last night cheering him on. I’ll miss not watching him play.
I am so happy that you are back in the dugout. That must have been such a special moment when Chris first went up to bat. Have a great season…
???”HEY!! Mike, there ARE teams east of the Pecos ya’ know. “???
Never have I ever made a small mistake in my life. lol
Should have read, “there ARE teams WEST of the Pecos…”
LOL at me, silly me! :O)
you know that deep down you were right to pull for #7. The evil empire is still waiting for you to come back.
When your really good, you can take those kind of jabs.
It will be the Yankees in October!
Please don’t kick me off your blog for this. My middle son (6 tommorrow) is a HUGE Cards fan, Albert looks down on him each night, from the poster over his bed. We will go later this year to St. Louis to watch a game. So, I like the Cards. they SHOULD win this year.
Mike - you are 100% right about that.
Go BoSox! - Mike, I hope you’re wearing that Cards hat! If they do it again I will see that you get another one!
What a great season we are in store for with Barry Bonds becoming the all time home run hitter passing up Ruth and Aaron. Something to tell the grandkids about someday and you’ll always know where you were when he hits the all time record homer out of the park. It’s going to be a fun ride! Go Giants!
Yes the Cards are very good, Pujos will be one of the games best but the Astros will be the victors in this rivalry again. Astros have more dept in team and pitching. Go Stros!!!
Go Cards!! It’s been great to live in a fantastic baseball town like St. Louis for 23 years. It’s also been great to worship with a wonderful family at McKnight Road Church!! All of you come see the new stadium and while you’re at it, come worship with us!!
Why are so many of the blogs I read written by baseball fans? They must all be smart. Just an observation.
That’s it, keep ignoring the A’s. Until October…
I think “The Mighty Pujols” would be a cool name for a rock band.
I’m really not up on all the baseball lingo, but, back in my dating days, if a guy had said something to me about a “squeeze play in the bottom of the 9th,” I think I would have slapped him.
Go Yankees!!!
hahahahaha
Mike
grateful you’re getting to coach again. i’m now in round two of coaching: grandkids!
Ris
As a current Houstonian but former St. Louisan…well, Cardinals baseball is the best there is. Mark McGuire said recently that no other baseball fans ever treated him like St. Louis…as a real person.
Pujols never had a rookie year! He was this good from day one, virtually. He still shows up in the spring long before he is required to be at the park…amazing work ethic.
Go Cardinals!
Your coacing the BayBears! I guess I’ll see you at the ballpark.
I live in Mobile, home of the big boy BayBears.
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