Week 25

Hey All,

As you can see by the final standings, that the Sierra Vista Coachwhips are the 2011 Longball League Champions!!! Congratulations, Robert!!!

Well, as for the rest of us, there is always next year!

Thanks to everyone for playing this season and I hope you all enjoy watching the playoffs and World Series. It's always fun to see who will step up and etch his name into baseball lore alongside all those other October heroes.

Have a great offseason!

-The Commissioner

Week 24

Hey All,

Two weeks remain in the MLB regular season. Many teams are being eliminated from the pennant chase, while others are fighting like mad to make the postseason. Meanwhile, the Longball League is still a tight race.

The SV Coachwhips are holding onto an 18 point lead as the Invisible Hands are hot on their heels. Meanwhile, the Tax Dodgers are making a run down the stretch as well. The last two weeks will be exciting ones.

This week's Three Things From The Major Leagues...

One, The Tampa Bay Rays have put a huge scare into the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox are feeling like it's 1978 all over again.

Two, the Angels look like they were given a TKO from the AL West race by losing two of three games at lowly Baltimore. Well, maybe not a TKO, but certainly a standing eight count.

Three, Justin Verlander is gonna win 25 games this year. WOW!!!!!

Trivia: as Justin Verlander looks to be on the verge of a 25 win season. Here's a look back at Baseball's last 25 game winner. Back in 1990, Bob Welch of the Oakland A's won 27 games. He finished the year at 27-6 with a 2.95 ERA.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of his 27 wins in 1990, here's a look at Bob Welch's 1990 Topps card.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is still hitting just .219!

-The Commissioner

Week 23

Hey All!

There are 20 days left in the regular season and 18 points separate first and second places in the Longball League. The SV Coachwhips are holding on to to first place in hopes of claiming their second league crown. Meanwhile, right on their tails are the Invisible Hands. The Hands are seeking their first pennant.

This Week's Three Things From The Major Leagues...

One, earlier this week v. the A's, the Kansas City Royals had a starting lineup that featured three players with the same batting average. Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera, and Billy Butler all had a .303 batting average coming into the game. I've never seen that happen this late with any team.

Two, the Angels three top starters are as tough as any three top starters in baseball.

Three, If Detroit's Justin Verlander doesn't win the AL Cy Young by a unanimous vote, it would be a shame. The guy is just incredible.

Trivia: Exactly, 92 years ago this past Saturday in 1919, the first baseman for the Chicago White Sox had a meeting with a friend. Chick Gandil's friend was a gambler named Joseph "Sport" Sullivan. It was in this meeting that Gandil pitched the gambler the idea that he could get a group of his teammates to throw the upcoming World Series. It led to one of the worst moments in baseball history. Gandil and seven other White Sox would go down in history as the Black Sox. The bums who threw the World Series.

Baseball Card of the Week: This week's honor is a dubious one, as we see pictured here the T2-6 card of Chick Gandil.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is hitting just .218!

-The Commissioner

Week 22

Hey all!

Labor day is here and that means that the stretch drive is in full swing and the playoffs are right around the corner. It also looks like we've got our stretch drive teams for the Longball League crown. The SV Coachwhips and the Invisible Hands are the teams with their eyes on the pennant. 20 points are all that separates the two squads with a little over three weeks to go.

Here's this week's Three Things from the Major Leagues...

One, the Giants have hit the wall and are fading fast in the NL west. A .238 team BA won't get it done.

Two, nobody told the Dodgers they were out of the NL west. They are playing some of their best baseball of the season and could make life interesting for Arizona down the stretch.

Three, the Angels are determined to make me suffer for a few more weeks. This team really isn't good enough to win it all, but they just might sneak into the playoffs.

Trivia: 70 years ago in 1941, Ted Williams was the last man to hit .400 for a season. Ted played in 143 of 154 games that year and his average never dipped below .400 in the last 80 games of the season. Amazing.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of Ted Williams, here's a look at his rookie card, 1939 Play Ball #92.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is still hitting just .221

-The Commissioner

Week 21

Hey All,

What a week! The east coast got hit with an Earthquake and a Hurricane. The weather sure played havoc with the MLB schedule. There will be a not of makeup games down the stretch. Those games will have a big impact on the Longball League standings. Once again in the LL, we see the SV Coachwhips are hanging onto the top spot. Can they hang on for one more month?

Here's this week's Three Things from the Major Leagues...

One, it's a rare thing when you see something that has never happened before in an MLB game, but that did happen this week, when the New York Yankees blasted three grand slams off the hapless Oakland A's. The Yankees won the game, 22-9. So, always be aware at the ballpark, you just might see something that you've never seen before.

Two, Hurricane Irene is causing rainouts all over the east coast. This will make for some crazy makeup games and could really alter the pennant races in the east.

Three, September is almost here. That means roster call ups and new players who could have big impacts on the pennant races. An extra pitcher down the stretch or fresh set of legs on the bases could be huge factors down the stretch.

Trivia: With Hurricane Irene whipping on the east coast this week and causing rainouts all over, I decided to find out what team has been rained out the most over the last decade. The Boston Red Sox have been rained out the most over the last decade. They've had 35 games postponed due to bad weather. In contrast, there has only been one game rained out on the west coast during the same time span. The lone west coast rainout was in San Diego on April 4, 2006. The Padres game with San Francisco Giants was postponed due to the wet stuff.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of his hitting the Yankees' 3rd Grand Slam v. the A's, the honor goes to Curtis Granderson. Here, we see him pictured on his 2011 Topps Heritage #169.

Until next week folks, remember the Angels are now starting to phase Vernon Wells and his .205 batting average out of the lineup.

-The Commissioner

Week 20

Hey All,

The last week of August is at hand. Football season is around the corner, but baseball is season is getting ready for its' stretch run. Scoreboard watching and September callups are soon at hand. Meanwhile, in the Longball League it looks like we've got a two team race down the stretch for the pennant. The SV Coachwhips and the Invisible Hands look to fight it out down to the wire.

Here's this week's Three Things from the Major Leagues...

One, The Philadelphia Phillies are on their way to 108 wins and nobody is saying a word about it. It must be weird to be that good and draw no attention.

Two, The San Francisco Giants are hanging in the NL West race depute losing seven players to injury in the last five days. A week ago the G-Men had so many players that they couldn't find roster spots for them all. Now, they look like a MASH unit.

Three, The Angels are keeping hope alive. With some dramatic wins in the last few days and some fun players to watch like ROY candidate Mark Trumbo and speedster Peter Bourjos, the stretch drive will be interesting.

Trivia: The Houston Astros are on pace to lose 111 games this season, however that wouldn't be the worst record in the majors since 2000. That would belong to the 2003 Detroit Tigers. The toothless Tigers were a dismal 43-119 that year. Lefty pitcher Mike Maroth was the staff ace with a big 9-21 record.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of that lousy Tigers team, here's a look at the card of their manager, Alan Trammell. The great old Tiger player, couldn't manage the club at all. Here we see Alan pictured on his 1990 Topps card.

Until next week folks, remember it's time to get your fantasy football teams in order. HaHa!

-The Commissioner

Week 19

Hey All,

Scoreboard watching can be tough when your team has a bad week, but such is life in the Major Leagues and the Longball League. Boy, those SV Coachwhips just keep hang in' on despite a lousy week from Mark Teixeira.

This week's Three Things in the Major Leagues...

One, Dan Uggla's hit streak ended at 33 games on Sunday. Congrats to the big Atlanta Brave on hitting .377 during that streak along with 15 homers. Rest easy Joe DiMaggio, your record looks safer than ever.

Two, where would the Angels be this year without 12 blown saves? Rookie Jordan Walden has eight to lead the majors and Fernando Rodney owns the other four. Well, one thing is for sure, they wouldn't be four games back in the AL West coming into this week.

Three, the Brewers are hot and looking at an NL Central title. They just look like a team that is on a mission to win it.

Trivia: On this date in 1919, the Brooklyn Robins and the Chicago Cubs split a double header. They played both games in a total of 2:17! The first game, the Cubs won 2-0 behind the arm of Grover Cleveland Alexander in a quick 1:10. In the second game, the Dodgers won, 1-0 behind Zach Wheat's 5th inning hit. That game took a whole 1:07.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of that quick double header, here's a look at Brooklyn star Zach Wheat's 1909 T-206 card.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is still hitting just .204, that makes him 154th out of the 155 players that qualify for the batting title.

-The Commissioner

Week 18

Hey All,

August doesn't bring the dog days of summer to us, it also starts us on our scoreboard watch for the season. If your team is in a pennant race right now, odds are you are a scoreboard watcher. Now it's time to watch the scoreboard in the Longball League.

There's a small jumble to the standings this week, but it's clear there are five teams left with a legitimate shot at the title. On top still are the SV Coachwhips with a lineup that has been strong every week of the season.

Here's this week's three things from the Major Leagues

One, "The Curse of Jerry Meals" has hit the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ever since losing that 19 inning game in Atlanta where HP Ump Jerry Meals' blown call cost them the game, the Pirates have gone 1-12. They have lost 10 in a row and are now back in fourth place, 10 full games back of NL Central Division leader Milwaukee.

Two, Thank God for the MLB Network! Without 'em all we'd ever hear is about are the Yankees and Red Sox. ESPN's baseball coverage just flat out sucks and has for years.

Three, Dan Uggla's hitting streak has reached 28 games. His streak is great, but he is just halfway to catching Joe DiMggio.

Trivia: After throwing a no-hitter last week, Ervin Santana won his next start, but failed in his attempt to tie Johnny Vander Meer's great feat throwing two consecutive no-hitters. Vander Meer did his feat back in 1935 for the Cincinnati Reds. So, who has come closest to tying JVM? It was Ewell Blackwell. Blackwell was also pitching for the Cincinnati Reds when he threw a no-hitter v. the Boston Braves on June 18, 1947. Four days later vs. Brooklyn, Blackwell took another no-no into the ninth inning only to have it broken up by the Dodgers' Eddie Stanky. Blackwell finished a mere three outs away from tying Vander Meer.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of those who come close, Ewell Blackwell gets this week's honor. He's pictured here on his 1951 Bowman issue.

Until next week, remember that Vernon Wells is still hitting just .212

-The Commissioner

Week 17

Hey All,

With the beginning of August comes the dog days of summer. The heat is beating down on the country while tempers become short and ejections become commonplace. However, the game rolls on in both the Majors and the Longball League.

In the Longball League, the Sierra Vista Coachwhips are just looking stronger as the season wears on. Justin Verlander is a big key to the snakes' success. Meanwhile, the Invisible Hands are still within striking distance of the lead.

This week's Three Things form the Major Leagues...

One, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in it to win it!!! With trading deadline additions of Ryan Ludwick and Derek Lee, the Bucs are looking for a division title. Pirate baseball hasn't been this exciting since Jim Leyland was the manager.

Two, speaking of Jim Leyland, I agree with his opinion that Magglio Ordonez wasn't trying to show-up Angel Ace Jered Weaver after he homered off Weaver early in Sunday's game with the Halos. However, Weaver didn't think so and if you saw the highlights you know how the game deteriorated.

Three, it must just be painful to be an Orioles fan. They haven't won in 20 years and it looks like they won't win for 20 more.

Trivia: Hooray for Ervin Santana ninth no-hit game in Angels history on July 27th. What makes this no-no even more rare is that it is the only one in Halo history where the opposing team scored a run. On the way to his no-hitter, Santana allowed a run by throwing a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning.

Baseball Card of the Week: Who else but Ervin Santana? Here he is pictured on his 2010 Topps card.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is hitting just .212.

-The Commissioner

Week 16

Hey All,

I, The Commissioner, am back after a good summer vacation where I relaxed in Lake Tahoe for a few days, then spent some time with some old friends in northern California. One of the highlights of the trip was a 48 hour period where I packed in 38 innings of baseball ranging from low A ball to Triple A to the Major Leagues. It was a blast!!! As for the Longball League we can see that the standings remain the same, but some significant separation has occurred in the league. The SV Coachwhips and the Invisible Hands look to be firmly entrenched in the upper echelon of the league this year.

This week's three things from the Major Leagues...

The Seattle Mariners are done. A franchise record 15-game losing streak and a .260 hitting Ichiro spells doom for the Safeco boys.

The Pirates are hanging in there, but will they fade down the stretch? Could they be this year's version of last year's Padres? Only time will tell.

Upon further review, the Oakland Coliseum is just a bad ballpark. After my last trip there, I'm pretty sure it is the worst park in the majors. It has no soul.

Trivia: The Mariners need to lose eight more straight to tie the Modern MLB record of 23 losses in a row that was set by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies finished in last place, 46 games behind the NL Champion Cincinnati Reds.

Baseball Card of The Week: For the first time ever in this blog, I will honor a player with a second appearance as the BBCOTW. It is the one and only Clarence Choo Choo Coleman. Here we see Clarence on his 1961 Topps card as a member of that awful 1961 Phillies team. Coleman's first appearance here was on a card as the representative of the 1962 New York Mets. Yes folks, Coleman played for two of the worst MLB teams ever assembled in back-to-back seasons.

Until next wee folks, remember Vernon Wells hit a grand slam this week off the Baltimore Orioles.

-The Commissioner

Week 13

Hey All, I hope everyone had a great Independence Day weekend! After several weeks of the standings growing ever tighter in the Longball League, this week saw the point spread open up a bit. Also, we have a new leader. The Sierra Vista Coachwhips are in first place this week by one big point over the Invisible Hands. Also, we see the Tax Dodgers have made a move and are now in third place. It's been a great first half as the league rolls into the All-Star Break at the end of the week.

This week's three things from the Major Leagues

1. The San Diego Padres walked away with a 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners the other night. What makes this result so unusual is that the Padres lone run scored after originally reaching base on three ball walk. Yes, a three ball walk. The scoreboard showed a 3-2 count on Padre Cameron Maybin. So, when the next pitch was a ball, the umpire, Phil Cuzzi, awarded Maybin first base. Only the count was really 2-2 and the umpire, and both teams missed it. The official scorer had it right, but he was never consulted. Maybin later scored the game's only run in the inning on an Alberto Gonzalez single. Wow.

2. Two games were won in walk-off fashion on the 4th of July without a hit being recorded. In Washington D.C., the Nationals won when Jason Werth scored on a wild pitch thrown by the Cubs' Carlos Marmol. Later in the day, the Chicago White Sox won when A.J. Pierzynski was balked home by Kansas City pitcher Aaron Crow. Is that called a balk-off win instead of a walk-off win?

3. Thank you, and good-bye. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Vance Worley pitched seven strong innings to lead the Phigten' Phils to a 1-0 win over the Florida Marlins. So, how was he rewarded for his effort? He was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Phillies' management said that with their rotation set for the next 10 days, they wanted Worley to remain hot and keep pitching eve if that meant another stint at the Triple-A level.

Trivia: Here's a neat bit of trivia for this weekend. On July 4, 1929 the New York Giants became the first team to use an electric public address system. Until then, only starting lineups were introduced, then you had to rely on the scoreboard and your mind to remember who was up to bat. Pretty scary, Huh? hahahah.

Baseball Card of the Week: Here's to Cameron Maybin and his three ball walk. I honor Cameron by showing him on his 2011 Topps card.

Until next week folks, remember Vernon Wells is up over the Mendoza line, hitting .215

-The Commissioner

Week 12

Hey All,

June is ending this week and the All-Star break is looming on the horizon. There were some controversial calls in the bigs this week as well, but what isn't controversial is the fact that Longball League has been a blast this year. The standings have seemed to settle down a bit with the Invisible Hands still riding atop the league, but seven of the eight other teams have a legitimate shot to win the pennant.

This Week's Three Things From the Major Leagues...

1. New York Yankee pitcher A.J. Burnett accomplished something no Yankee hurler had ever done this past week. He struck out four batters in one inning v. the Colorado Rockies. The inning was the top of the seventh and the strikeout victims were Chris Ianetta (looking), Carlos Gonzalez (looking), Chris Nelson (swinging, who then reached first on the wild pitch that was the third strike) and Todd Helton (swinging). I know striking out four guys in an inning is a rare feat, but it's hard to believe no Yankee had ever done it before.

2. San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner had a real bummer of a game last week when he gave up eight runs on nine hits in the first inning in a 9-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The boys from Minneapolis racked up five doubles in the inning. So it was fitting that when Giants relief pitcher Guillermo Mota came into the game, he got his team out of the inning when the Twins' Joe Mauer hit into a double play.

3. I've watched the replay about a hundred times and the Dodgers' Dee Gordon still hasn't touched home plate yet. That umpire is pure Sears and Roebuck material.

Trivia: A.J. Burnett's four strikeout inning marked the second time he had accomplished such a feat. However, that leaves him one shy of the all-time leader in this category. Former California Angels and Cleveland Indians hurler Chuck Finley holds the MLB record by recording four strikeouts in an inning three different times.

Baseball Card of the Week: Well Chuck, here's to you and your three, four strikeout innings. Here's a look at Chuck's 1987 Fleer card.

Until next week folks, remember Vernon Wells hit five home runs on this last road trip for the Halos, including one that should have been Sunday's game winner v. the Dodgers.

-The Commissioner

Week 11

Hey All,

I hope everyone had a good Father's Day weekend. The Invisible Hands are still in first, but the point differential between 1st and 7th place is down to 43 points. Also, many owners are waiting anxiously to hear how Albert Pujols' wrist and shoulder are doing. A big injury to him could really shake up the league.

This Week's Three Things From the Major Leagues:

1. The winning run was scored on a balk? Yes folks, it was. In Atlanta last Thursday night, the Mets were tied 8-8 with the Braves. NY reliever D.J. Carrasco was in a jam. He had runners on second and third and Braves' stud outfielder Jason Heyward. Then, Carrasco flinched. Home Plate Umpire James Hoye called a balk. Diory Hernandez strolled in from home plate and the Braves walked off with a 9-8 victory. It was the second time in Mets franchise history that they lost a game due to balk.

2. Cleveland won't cut this Cord soon. Rookie Cord Phelps smashed a walkoff 3-run homer to give the Indians a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday night. What's cool about this homer is that Phelps is the son of one of our league members' old college roommates. Welcome to the show, kid.

3. The Florida Marlins have gone 1-18 so far in the month of June. Florida Manager Edwin Rodriguez resigned Sunday in the wake of his team's poor performance. The Fish have nine games left this month and could easily set the record for the worst month ever by a major league team.

Trivia: As of Sunday night, Jack McKeon has been named interim manager of the Florida Marlins. That makes him the big leagues' oldest manager at 80 years old. McKeon is not the oldest manager of all-time, however. That title is still held by Connie Mack. Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia A's in 1950 when he was 87 years old.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of taking the helm of the Marlins again at 80, here's a look at Jack McKeon's 1974 Topps card #166. It's from his first ever year as a manager when he was the skipper of the Kansas City Royals.

Until next week folks, remember Vernon Wells has finally broken above the Mendoza Line. He's batting a cool .202.

-The Commissioner

Week 10

Hey All,

Just when things couldn't get much closer in the Longball League standings, the have. Now, only 50 points marks the distance between first and eighth place with over half of the season left to play.

This week's Three Things From the Major Leagues...

1. The Red Sox are hitting on all cylinders. They didn't just sweep Toronto over the weekend, they crushed 'em. The Red Sox outscored the Blue Jays 35-6 in the three games. The rest of the AL better be ready when the Beantown Nine comes calling.

2. This just in.... the Angels stink. They couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. It's got to be demoralizing to the pitching staff. Take pitcher Tyler Chatwood for example, he has received zero run support from the team in half of his starts. That's just pathetic.

3. The Padres are making the Angels look like the 1927 Yankees. The Friars lost the last three games of their four game series to a Washington team that didn't score more than two runs in any of those final three games. Now, that's futility.

Trivia: So what do Sammy Sosa and Mickey Mouse have in common? It deals with Sammy Sosa holding the record for hitting home runs in the most MLB ballparks during his career. He homered in 45 different big league parks. One of those parks was Disney's ballpark in their Wide World of Sports complex in Florida. Back in 2007, the Tampa Bay Devil rays hosted the Texas Rangers in a three game set. He homered in that series. Samy Sosa and Mickey Mouse are now forever tied in baseball history.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of Sosa's record, here's a look at Sammy 2007 Topps Update card.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is back from the disabled list and still hitting under the Mendoza Line.

-The Commissioner

Week 9

Hey All,

School is out almost everywhere and families art starting to fill the stadiums on baseball trips. This is when summer truly takes hold in America and the daily pennant races take over that part of peoples' minds where homework and class projects have been. Meanwhile, the Longball League keeps chugging along with the tightest pennant race in league history. We see the Invisible Hands are on top of the ladder, where a mere 12 points separate the top five teams. What a race!

This week's three things from the Major Leagues:

1. Do you think the Texas Rangers missed Josh Hamilton? Since his return the Rangers have gone 10-3, including a four game sweep of the Cleveland Indians this past weekend.

2. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's power shortage is really beginning to show. With Kendrys Morales gone for the year, Vernon Wells looking like a free agent bust, and Torii Hunter just plain not hitting, the Halos will continue to slide farther and farther back in the AL West.

3. StubHub tells a lot about a ballclub. Do you want to know if fans are backing their team? Go to StubHub. Popular teams command good prices for their tickets, bad or marginal teams have cheap, cheap tickets for sale. Heck, you can sit behind home plate for a San Diego Padres game for the price of a good outfield seat at Anaheim.

Trivia: For this fun fact, I went deep into the minor league archives and found this gem. Back on August 19, 1958 The Bisebee-Douglas Copper Kings accomplished a feat that I do not believe has occurred before or since. Each member of the starting lineup hit a home run in their 22-8 win over the Chihuahua Dorados. Yes, even the pitcher homered in this game. None of the nine starters in the game for Bisbee-Douglas ever made it to the major leagues.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of his triumphant return to the Texas Rangers, Josh Hamilton gets the honor. Here's a look at Josh's 2011 Topps Heritage card.

Until next week folks, remember Vernon Wells is on a rehab stint in the California League.

-The Commissioner

Week 8: Memorial Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey All,

Well, it may be Memorial Day weekend, but the Longball League kept rolling along. Yes, there has been another shuffling of the standings and another tie for first place this week between the Invisible Hands and The Thunder Mountain Lightning.

This week's Three Things from the big leagues...

1. In case you didn't notice, the Phillies beat the Reds in a 19 inning game last week. What isn't important wasn't the fact that the Phillies won the game, 5-4. What is important is that Wilson Valdez, normally a second baseman by trade, earned the win for the Phightin' Phils as their pitcher. He worked a scoreless top of the 19th, then got the win when his squad scored in the bottom of the inning. With the win, he became the third position player since 1968 to earn a pitching victory.

2. From the "You've go to be kidding me?!" department, Bartolo Colon has officially resurrected his career. Pitching for the Yankees on Memorial Day, Colon threw a four-hit shutout to lead his squad to a 5-0 win over the Athletics.

3. The Angels picked up power bat Russell Branyan this past week. Halo management maintains that they picked up Branyan to help mentor young power bat Mark Trumbo. I think they picked him up to cover up for Vernon Wells' nightmare season.

Trivia: I had a friend at work this past week ask me why sports reporters say a pitcher has been "knocked out of the box" when he pitches poor enough to be taken out of a game. I thought I'd share the answer with you all. Way back when, in the early days of the game, the 1870s or so, pitchers didn't have a mound to stand on, they had a little area that was a box to stand in. The "Pitching Box" was a lined with the same chalk as they baselines. The pitcher could only deliver the ball from that box. So, when the pitcher was doing badly and replaced by his manager, it was said he was "knocked out of the box" by the opposing team.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of his pitching win for the Phils, Here's Wilson Valdez's 2011 Topps Card.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is still on the disabled list.

-The Commissioner

Week 7

Hey All,

As the big leagues keep rolling along, so does the Longball League. The standings have flipped again with the Thunder Mountain Lightning taking their turn atop the heap. Meanwhile, the rest of the league is nipping at their heels. Maybe I should just copy and paste this paragraph each week? Hahahaha!

Three Things about this week in the Major Leagues:

1: Seriously, just how do you win a game in which you make five errors? On Saturday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame five errors to beat the Minnesota Twins, 9-6. The Diamondbacks scored six runs in a wild eighth inning that featured a grand slam by Arizona's Kelly Johnson. Meanwhile, the Twins rotten season continues as they fell to 15-29 on the season with the loss.

2. Interleague play is upon us again. I have to say I do like it, but some matchups I could do without. I don't think we need to see Houston go to Toronto or Minnesota take on Arizona.

3. Diamondbacks-Twins Redux: In that wild game I mentioned earlier, I saw one of the worst bunts ever executed in the big leagues. Diamondbacks' LF, Gerardo Parra turned to lay down a bunt in the eighth inning. He made contact so poorly that he popped it up. However, he hit it so hard that it went over the head of the the third baseman who was charging in at the time. It fell in for the cheapest infield single I'd ever seen.

Trivia: I was fooling around on the BaseballReference.com website and decided to look at their list of players who made it to the majors and played in only one game. Coming into the 2011 season, 1,480 players played in only one game in their big league careers. I see now that Moonlight Graham has plenty of company in the annals of baseball.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of all those guys who played just one game in the bigs, here's a look at a fan-made card of Moonlight Graham.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is still on the disabled list.

-The Commissioner

Week 6

Hey All,

Another week, another shake-up in the standings. The winning combo in the Longball League this week was to have slugger Jose Bautista and pitcher Roy Halladay. That combo enabled the Tax Dodgers to vault to the top of the standings. On the other hand, it was Mark Teixeira's poor week that helped the Tax Dodgers make their move. Also, we still have a logjam at the top with a couple of teams poised to make a move of their own.

Three things about this week in the Majors:

1. The Cardinals and the Reds are developing some real hatred between them. Could most of the tension between the two squads be coming from Cards skipper Tony La Russa who is trying to fire up his underachieving ballclub? I think so.

2. Looking ahead to the Cubs trip to Boston this week, I wonder how many times will Steve Bartman and Aaron Boone be mentioned? After all, these two teams were the World Series matchup a lot of people were hoping to see in 2003. The matchup didn't happen as both teams lost and we got the Marlins-Yankees instead.

3. Can anybody in the AL or NL west hit with runners in scoring position? This past weekend was pretty bad in that respect.

Trivia: The last time the Chicago Cubs visited Fenway Park was back in the 1918 World Series. It was game six to be exact. Cub Right Fielder Max Flack's error in the bottom of the third inning allowed two Red Sox runs to score. Those two runs would be all the Red Sox needed as they won the game, 2-1 and the series, 4 games to 2. The Cubs lone run came when first baseman Fred Merkle singled in Flack in the top of the fourth. Yes, that Fred Merkle. The Fred Merkle whose own base running error cost the New York Giants the 1908 pennant was on the field for another key error in baseball history. It's funny how Flack's error didn't make it into the lore of the game like Merkle's or Bill Buckner's in 1986.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of his big error, here's a look at Flack's 1916 M101-4 card.

It was a card given out at a local Chicago department store with a purchase of baseball equipment.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is on the 15 day disabled list with a pulled groin.

-The Commissioner

Week 5

Hey All,

Wow, what a week in the major leagues! Justin Verlander hurls the season's second no-hitter and Andre Ethier had his hitting streak end at 30 games. This week also had a big impact on the Longball League standings. Let's take a look...

What a logjam at the top! The Invisible Hands are back on top, but the Sierra Vista Coachwhips, Mighty Mollusks, Thunder Mountain Lightning, and Tax Dodgers are all within 10 points of the lead. Then, behind them lie the San Pedro Sea Monkeys, Demis, and 'Vettes, who are all poised to make a run. Unfortunately, the AngelSox are still in the cellar. The pennant race has never been this tight and shows no sign of loosening up in the near future.

Three things about this week in the majors:

1. The Dodgers' Andre Ethier deserves a big salute for his 30 game hitting streak. It's the second longest one in Dodger history and one of the longest in over 20 years.

2. Another big round of applause for Justin Verlander for throwing the second no-hitter of his career. Only a single walk kept this no-no from being a perfect game.

3. A final round of applause goes to Angels Manager Mike Scioscia for picking up his 1,000 win as Halos chief. He's easily the best skipper the Halos have ever had and one of the biggest mistakes ever made by the Dodgers for not hiring him back in 2000.

Trivia: In honor of Mike Scioscia's 1000th win, here's a bit of trivia about Scioscia's first win as the Halos skipper. The win came on April 4, 2000. The Angels dropped their first two games, but came out swinging against the New York Yankees in game three. Darrin Erstad went 4 for 5 with a home run and five RBIs to lead the Anaheim Angels to a 12-6 win at the Big A. The winning pitcher for the Halos was Scot Schoenweis. The loser was David Cone. The Halos lineup included Tim Salmon, Troy Glaus, Garret Anderson, and Mo Vaughn.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of Mike Scioscia's achievement, here we see the skipper pictured on his 2003 Topps card #262.

Until next week folks, remember that Vernon Wells is still hitting only .179,

-The Commissioner

Week 4

Hey All,

We are one month into the season and we have another flip-flop in the standings in the Longball League. Some of it is due to a few teams that had some bats come alive and some of it is due to me correcting a few errors that were made in last week's totals. One thing is clear after looking at this week's scores. This pennant race will come down to the last day of the season with several squads in the hunt for the flag.

Three things about week four in the major leagues...

1. I don't believe Jered Weaver had the flu today. I think Angels' skipper Mike Scioscia just pushed Jered's start back a day so he could pitch at Boston Monday night.

2. The Dodgers' Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 26 games on Sunday. Hitting streaks are fun to watch because they rarely happen and they are incredible feats of consistency. Funny thing is that as impressive as Ethier's streak is he's still two games away from being halfway to Joe DiMaggio's epic streak hitting streak of 56 games.

3. It's May 2nd and the best team in baseball is...the Cleveland Indians!?! Yes folks, the Erie Warriors are 19-8 and have a 4 1/2 game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central. Can they keep this up for the whole year? we'll see.

Trivia: The Cleveland Indians are currently riding a 13-game home winning streak. The longest home winning streak in baseball history belongs to the 1916 New York Giants. From September 7 through September 30 of 1916, the Giants rattled of a 26 game home winning streak. The funny thing is that earlier in the year, the Giants had a 17-game road winning streak. So, how did these streaky giants do in 1916? They finished in fourth place, seven games back of Brooklyn.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of those 1916 Giants here the T-311 Turkey Red Cabinet Card of NY outfielder Fred Merkle. He Hit a blistering .237 for the fourth place G-Men.

Until next week folks, remember Vernon Wells is still only hitting .170.

-The Commissioner

Week 3

Happy Easter Everybody!!!

It was a big week in the major leagues. The Orioles seem to have come back to earth after a hot start, the Cubs are falling apart and the Indians and Royals are still among the best in baseball so far. Let's take a look at the Longball League standings...

Wow, look at who is on top! It's the Invisible Hands! The Hands haven't been on top of the heap in awhile and they will fight hard to stay there. The SV Coachwhips are holding onto second, while the SP Sea Monkeys have slipped into third place. Quickly rising up the ranks are the Tax Dodgers. Could MLB's ousting of Frank McCourt of the LA Dodgers also be brining a lift to the Tax Dodgers? Hmmm. Meanwhile, the Demis and Mo's Mollusks are just a tad off the pace, but hanging in there. Finally, it looks like the 'Vettes and the AngelSox have taken up residence in the cellar.

Three things about week three in the majors:

1. If you need a no-hitter broken up call Dexter Fowler. The speedy center fielder for the Colorado Rockies broke up a pair on no-hitters this weekend against the Florida Marlins. The first was Friday night when he hit a broken bat single to end Anibal Sanchez's no-hit bid in the ninth inning. Then, he hit a ringing double to centerfield to break up Josh Johnson' no-no in the sixth inning on Easter Sunday.

2. There's no help for the Angels v. the Red Sox. The Halos were swept at home four straight by the Beantowners over the weekend. In fact, the Angels didn't score a run in the last 19 innings of the series. The LAA have lost 12 of their last 13 vs. Boston going back to the 2010 campaign.

3. Florida Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson is a flat out ace. He has taken no-bids into the fifth, sixth , seventh, and eighth innings this season. He's only given up 13 hits in 5 starts this season.

Trivia: After thinking about how many times Josh Johnson has flirted with pitching a no-hitter without getting one recently, I wondered what pitcher has won the most games in history without recording a no-hitter? The answer is Grover Cleveland Alexander. Alexander the Great won 373 games in his incredible career without ever pitching a no-hitter.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of Alexander's 373 wins without a no-no, he's pictured here on his 1915 Cracker Jack # 38 for us to enjoy.

Until next week, remember to use your glove to shade your eyes from the sun when trying catch a fly ball.

-The Commissioner

Week 2

Hey All,

Bad early season weather took its' toll on the majors this week with many games being postponed and others being played in miserable conditions. However the weather was good in the Longball League again this week. Let's look at the standings.

The SV Coachwhips are still on top, but the SP Sea Monkeys have risen to second place behind the great pitching of Jered Weaver. Meanwhile, the ever-steady Mighty Mollusks are just trucking along in third place. One point of the pace in fourth are the Invisible Hands who are led by Mark Teixeira's big bat. As for the bottom five spots of the league, injuries and poor starts have taken their toll.

Three things about week two in the majors:

1. I'm one those among us who likes to listen to the great voices of baseball's past, well I got a big treat on Saturday night. I tuned into the Arizona-San Francisco game where in the booth with the Diamondbacks announce team was Joe Garagiola. He's still sharp, told great stories and added some good commentary to the game at hand. I felt like I was watchng to the old NBC Game of the Week.

2. How have they won 7 games? the San Diego Padres are in the middle of the NL west race despite hitting just slightly over the Mendoza Line. I think Petco Park has a lot to do with it. It's the most pitcher friendly park since the Astrodome.

3. The Angels have gotten pretty young, pretty fast. With some youngsters called up to the club due to injuries, the Halos have a roster full of kids that are barely old enough to order a beer in a bar. In Saturday' game against the White Sox, the Angel battery of Tyler Chatwood and Hank Conger added up to 44 total years old. If this team gets any younger, they won't have a seventh inning stretch, they'll have seventh inning nap time.

Trivia: There were several games this week where one team hit into multiple double plays, heck the Yankees hit into six against the Rangers alone. So, I wondered, what is the record for double plays hit into by one team in a game? After a little reaserch, I found out the record is seven. On May 4, 1969, the San Francisco Giants hit into seven twin-killings in a 3-1 loss to the Houston Astros. The pitcher who got the win and induced four of those seven double plays was Dooley Womack. Way to go, Dooley!!! Oh, and Joe Morgan helped the Houston cause with a long HR off Juan Marichal in the bottom of the third.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of his being on the mound that day in 1969, Dooley Womack's 1969 Topps card #594 gets the honor.

Until next week folks, remember that as of now instant replay only exists in the majors for home run calls.

-The Commissioner

Week 1.5

Hey All,

It's been a fun start to the MLB season with all kinds of things happening at the ballpark. Heck, I've seen runner's interference called twice in two days. I hadn't seen that called twice in the last 20 years. It's been a big starting week in the Longball League too.

The Sierra Vista Coachwhips have vaulted into the early lead on the big bats of Miguel Cabrera and Mark Teixeira. Sitting in second are The Mighty Mollusks. They just seem to be there at the top of the standings every week. Sitting in third place are the San Pedro Sea Monkeys with the AngelSox and the Invisible Hands hot on their heels tied for fourth. The Thunder Mountain Lightning are sitting down in the lower division while the Tax Dodgers, 'Vettes, and Demis are all off to staggering starts. The Demis didn't get a full week into the 2011 campaign without having to drop a player when that total jerk Manny Ramirez tested dirty again for PEDs and promptly retired from baseball. What a loser.

Trivia: With all the talk this week about the awful starts to the season by the Red Sox and Rays, I thought I'd bring back up the worst start of all time by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles. The '88 O's didn't just stumble out of the gate. They stumbled, staggered, fell, got up and staggered some more while opening the season with 21 straight losses. Yeah folks, they started 0-21. The Orioles finally won their first game on April 29th. It was a 9-0 drubbing of the Chicago White Sox.

Baseball Card of the Week: In honor of those awful Orioles of 1988, I put a card here of catcher Mickey Tettleton who firmly believed that he hit more home runs when he ate Fruit Loops for breakfast. That earned him the nickname "The Looper" and a spot as our first Baseball Card of the Week for 2011.

Until next week folks, remember that the baserunner can't impede the fielders path to a batted ball or they will be called out for intereference.

-The Commissioner

The Rules: 2011

Hey Folks,

While the Major League clubs are in their last week or so of spring training in the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues, it's time for you put your squad together for this year's Longball League. Here are the rules for 2011.

Scoring:

1. Rosters will consist of three hitters and two pitchers this year.

2. Hitters score points based on the number of home runs they hit and the runs they bat in. Example: If player A hits three homers and drives in ten runs , then his total is 13 points.

3. Pitchers score points by the number of games they win and the number of batters they strike out. Example: If pitcher A wins two games and strikes out nine batters, then his total is 11 points.

Roster Moves:

Each owner gets five roster moves for the season. These moves are used for players who aren't doing well on a team.

In addition to the five roster moves, owners also get unlimited roster moves for injured players. You can sub out for an injured player without it being counted toward one of your five roster moves. You can also replace that player in your lineup after he comes off being injured with no penalty as well.

So, put together a team and have some fun!!!!

Odds and Ends

I read a great book recently about a bucket List for baseball fans. I was thinking it would be a great idea if I could get some ideas from the owners in the league about what would be on their individual baseball bucket lists. I'd take in the ideas and feature one each week during the season. So, send me your ideas.

I find it interesting that now fully half the teams in MLB conduct their spring training in Arizona. However, it's the first time in about 60 years that no teams are training in Tucson.

As for my baseball projects, I just finished a 1982 season replay of my California Angels. I did manage to get the team to the World Series, but in total Gene Mauch fashion, I had a 2-0 lead over the Cardinals in the World Series, only to drop four straight and lose. My only real bright spot in the series was that Reggie Jackson hit .500. As for the Cardinals, stud pitcher Joaquin Andujar threw a 1 hittter in game three and Bruce Sutter picked up three saves. Well, my next replay will start soon with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves.

Reminder

The baseball season starts on March 31. Please get your rosters into me by then.

-The Commissioner