BigEdWalsh

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Jul 15, 2009 -> 05:30 PM) Bristol v Bluefield Upchurch dealing in this one so far. good to see. And Shoemaker (2-3 so far) continuing his ridiculous hitting.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jul 15, 2009 -> 01:44 PM) I collect records. Nothing really worth any money, but like hard to find stuff. Records here too. A few years back I sold lots on eBay and made some pretty good money. I still have thousands and hardly listen to 'em any more. I recently moved and it's a pain in the a$$ moving countless numbers of boxes of albums. I used to collect baseball cards pretty seriously but don't buy too much any more.

I can't believe there's even debate on why people booed Obama. It's plain and simple. When you're at a baseball game most people are gonna boo the guy they didn't vote for. People are passionate about their politics. It had nothing to do with his Sox jacket. Now, like I said previously, if he were wearing a Cubs jacket the boos would certainly have been even more so.

Ask some goofy non-baseball questions like what's your favorite movie, song/type of music, food, vacation spot, etc. It's kinda neat to know stuff like that, I think.

QUOTE (Pants Rowland @ Jul 15, 2009 -> 02:33 PM) Yep. I vaguely remember them being on Monday Night Baseball versus the Indians(?) in mid July to finally climb into first place in a relatively weak AL West. At the end of July they were still only a few games over break even. Then they went on an absolute tear and ended up winning 99 games overall and the division by 20 games. The midseason trade of Tony Bernazard to the Mariners for Julio "Juice" Cruz really helped balance the lineup and the starting pitching was bolstered by a strong second half performance of Floyd Bannister. The first half swoon was the reason for only Kittle getting selected. They were 22-9 in August. 22-6 in September and 2-0 in October = 46-15!!

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Jul 15, 2009 -> 01:45 PM) Man, Esteban Loaiza in 2003 and 2004. Turning him into a 21 game winner and All Star (who could have had 23 or 24 wins that year when you consider he lost to the all time bad Detroit Tigers 1-0 twice that year, and lost 3-2 to Tampa Bay another game) in 2003, into an All Star again in 2004, and then into Jose Contreras in a deadline trade just as Esteban started to go down the tubes still amazes me. I would call it the ultimate case of "Coop can fix him", but really, he wasn't very good and needed a "fix", so maybe it was just the ultimate example of how good a pitching coach Don Cooper is. Of all the great things we've done with "fixing" players this decade, that might be the most remarkable. Easily. That's probably the best "fix-it" of all-time. Kinda makes you scratch your head and wonder how it happened. I remember thinking every time Esteban would take the mound thinking...that's a W. He was that good.

Griffith lost 3-1. Reading the play by play line, it sounds like he deserved a better fate. Good line though: 6 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K...very encouraging.

Uh-oh. He passed the audition.

Imagine how much more he might have been booed if he were wearing a Cubs jacket. Of course, that'll never happen.

So....Lucy was demoted to Birmingham?

I put watching any women's sports right up there with watching the lovable Cubbies.

I think it was a few weeks later, but Chicago had a parade for the astronauts. I took my little brother to it. Unfortunately, due to my drug usage at the time, I hardly remember it. I'm sure my little brother remembers it. The only thing I really remember was seeing Mayor Daley.

Back from the Great Falls game. They lost 6-5. Down 6-1 the Voyagers got 4 in the 8th to make for an exciting finish. All three games in the series were decided by a run. Zach Larson was the starting catcher. He wasn't even on the roster sheet. I had no idea who he even was. He's a pretty big guy with a real good arm. He threw out one guy trying to steal 2nd and picked another off 1st. In the 8th inning he got beaned. It was a scary moment, but he walked off the field and seemed ok. 1st inning: * Jeffrey Tezak grounds out, pitcher Orangel Arenas to first baseman Tyler Mann. * Jesus Avila reaches on throwing error by shortstop Jon Karcich. * Ryan Hamme singles on a line drive to left fielder Richard Cates. Jesus Avila to 2nd. * Johny Celis grounds out, second baseman Jean Segura to first baseman Tyler Mann. Jesus Avila to 3rd. Ryan Hamme to 2nd. * Jordan Cheatham singles on a line drive to left fielder Richard Cates. Jesus Avila scores. Ryan Hamme out at home on the throw, left fielder Richard Cates to catcher Braulio Pardo. Bad call...Hamme was safe. 2nd inning: * Matthew Harughty grounds out, second baseman Jean Segura to first baseman Tyler Mann. * Kenneth Gilbert singles on a line drive to center fielder Daniel Eichelberger. * Zach Larson walks. Kenneth Gilbert to 2nd. * Todd Gossage flies out to center fielder Daniel Eichelberger. Kenneth Gilbert to 3rd. * Kenneth Gilbert out at home, catcher Braulio Pardo to pitcher Orangel Arenas. Bad call...Gilbert was safe. Bautista came out to argue and he was hot. I had a lot of fun at these games and took a bunch of pictures which I'll hope to get up soon.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jul 13, 2009 -> 03:41 PM) That's Jared! Ka-ching!

QUOTE (T R U @ Jul 13, 2009 -> 02:21 PM) That doesn't prove anything, whats her height/weight? Strength? Even though there are those muscle chicks out there, most of the time they aren't THAT strong and freakish. That's freakish in my book.

OK, Princess.

We've got a catcher at Great Falls named Chase Blackwood. I love that name. Rusty Kuntz's last name was pronounced Koonts by the way, not you know what.

2008: 2008 All-Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention selection ... played and started in all 50 games for the Sycamores ... hit .300 with 13 doubles, three triples, a team-leading nine home runs and drove in a team-high 68 RBI ... posted a slugging percentage of .556 ... was also 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts ... also added four outfield assists ... set new school records with three home runs, including two grand slams, 10 RBI and 12 total bases in the season finale against Illinois State (5/17) ... also had a team-high four walks against Miami-Ohio (5/13). Shoemaker hit .389 this past season and led the team in slugging percentage (.700), on base percentage (.508), runs scored (65), doubles (19), home runs (14), total bases (142), walks (43) and stolen base percentage (1.000, 7-7).2008: 2008 All-Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention selection ... played and started in all 50 games for the Sycamores ... hit .300 with 13 doubles, three triples, a team-leading nine home runs and drove in a team-high 68 RBI ... posted a slugging percentage of .556 ... was also 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts ... also added four outfield assists ... set new school records with three home runs, including two grand slams, 10 RBI and 12 total bases in the season finale against Illinois State (5/17) ... also had a team-high four walks against Miami-Ohio (5/13). Olney Central JC: Played two years for head coach Dennis Conley ... was named the Freshman of the Year in the conference in 2006. Northview HS: Four-year letterwinner in baseball ... also a three-year letterwinner in football ... was named all-state in football and all-state in baseball as a senior Personal: Born on May 10, 1987, in Terre Haute, Ind. ... son of Brian and Lorie Shoemaker ... has one sister, Natalie ... his father was a member of the wrestling team at Indiana State for two years ... majoring in physical education. Height: 6' 0" Weight: 200 Bats: R Throws: R Just days after being selected in the 19th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox, Shoemaker was named to the 2009 American Baseball Coaches Association Midwest All-Region Second Team. At Bristol Shoemaker has been on a rampage. In his last 3 games he's 10-12, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 4RBI, 1 BB. Overall in 14 games he's hitting .472, .508 OBP, .679 SLG, 1.188 OPS.

QUOTE (Tex @ Jul 13, 2009 -> 08:40 AM) William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Charles "Round Mound of Rebound" Barkley, Red "Galloping Ghost" Grange, and Ted "The Splendid Splinter" Williams all say hello. And Dominique "The Human Highlight Film" Wilkins says bonjour.

QUOTE (hogan873 @ Jul 13, 2009 -> 08:47 AM) And his brother as a back-up 2nd baseman. Then Billy Koch as a back-up temper tantrum thrower. And then Don Cooper Jr. to a minor league contract.

QUOTE (hogan873 @ Jul 13, 2009 -> 07:58 AM) I think we'll see one or two that are not exciting but will elicit some head scratching. You mean like signing Sandy Alomar Jr. for a backup catcher role?

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jul 12, 2009 -> 06:46 PM) I think part of the problem was the unrealistic expectations we had for a 19-year-old, playing his first minor league season in his first year ever in the United States. Granted, I had lofty expectations for him, but I think the Sox are certainly not worried about him otherwise they would have demoted him. We just need to remember how young and were he is playing. Usually, AA has more future talent than AAA. He is still so young. If I'm not mistaken, he's younger than every player on the Great Falls roster.

I was not there. I watched the game on TV and was pretty pissed about how things turned out. Jeez, I just realized I wasn't "young" even then. I had turned 29 a week before.

Hey lostfan........ .......you suck!!

I have to believe he'd be a September call up.