I “Stumbled” on this great post that lists the origins of all 30 Major League Baseball Teams. It appears the Boston Red Sox hold the oldest named team dating back to the 1860’s, popularized by the Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1867-1870 and used by Boston’s National League franchise from 1871-1876.
But the actual team name origin that’s with the same team is the San Francisco Giants, formerly the New York Giants, that dates back to 1885.
Read the original Post Stumbleupon.com, written by Scott Allen.
Thank you very much for your letter regarding the potential demise of baseball. Some have suggested it was a rhetorical squeeze play or a hit and run since the letter was posted online before it was actually mailed to me. Of course, it could be languishing in the post office. Sometimes, it’s hard to know when the mail service is open or closed.
I agree with you that Republicans and the Braves have much in common. You could say that the Republicans “Bravely” take on tough issues such as defunding Obamacare and trying to curtail runaway spending. And we don’t mind clearing the dugout for a good brawl. We also agree that Dodgers is a fitting name for the Democrats as they often “Dodge” serious issues such as balancing the budget or cutting spending.
Where we disagree is the game itself. If Uribe had decent bunting skills, he would have simply tied the score. Thus, the game would have continued. In such a situation, neither the Dodgers nor the Braves would have walked off the field crying “I will not ‘negotiate’ or, in this case, bat.” No, they would have stayed engaged and slugged it out. But, alas, Uribe can’t bunt — so game over.
On the bright side, winning the pennant doesn’t guarantee world peace. In fact, there are other glimmers of hope in the universe. Did you see the UGA-Tennessee game? Obviously, there is a God in Heaven. Or as we say in Athens: How ‘bout them Dawgs?
GFBB Comment: Loved this post by Craig Calcaterra. I was one of those naysayers, but he hit the nail on the head. I think Puig’s going to be one of those love em or hate em guys. And right now I’m sorta loving him. After that great base running performance last night I kept waiting for him to do something stupid, like sticking his tongue out at the opposing bench, but he refrained and I’m glad. Hang in there Dodger fans. Only a month or so to go!
Brandon Belt made a comment yesterday about the Dodgers and their incredible 1st place NL West ranking this year, something to the effect, “that’s where they’re supposed to be”. I thought it to be a rather odd comment and did a little research to find that the Dodgers have the highest average salary this year in all of MLB, besting the Atlanta Braves who will undoubtedly be their biggest contender in the playoffs by more than double ~ Dodgers average salary $7,468,882 vs the Braves average salary of $3,095,800.
Personally, I’m cheering for the Braves for that reason alone. Even though my home team is the SF Giants, I’ve never bought into the “Giants-hating-Dodgers” routine that’s prevalent in both ball clubs. But I am a fan of getting those ridiculous obscene salaries in line with what the average Joe can afford to pay at the gate i.e., cut the cost of the tickets in half and halve the players salaries. or something like that. The players would still be making tons.
And I guess I’m still just a little peeved that the Giants, back in 2011, after winning the 2010 World Series and all the profits that go with that, raised the price of their season tickets. I know baseball’s a business but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. Just one fan’s opinion.
Here’s the 2012 update to our 2011 listing published August 27, 2011. This comes to us compliments of USA Today. If you’ll click the individual teams, you can access the individual players salaries. It will be interesting to note the annual salaries of the teams that make the playoffs; in other words, did they get what they paid for?For example; the Washington Nationals have the best record in the Majors this year, but have the 11th Lowest Salary out of 30 Teams. Salary Chart Linked Here
Here’s the 2011 update to our 2010 Major League Baseball listing published November 22, 2010. This comes to us compliments of USA Today. If you’ll click the individual teams, you can access the individual players salaries. It will be interesting to note the annual salaries of the teams that make the playoffs; in other words, did they get what they paid for?
Wow! Take a look at this. You won’t believe it. This makes that Jim Jarvis call on the Armando Galarraga play look like play-doh! Unfortunately, it’s another reason for the instant replay pundits to continue beating their drums. I’m not a fan of instant replay, but I have to admit I sometimes wonder if maybe Selig might, just once in a while, override a call. You know, like maybe once or twice a year?
The call was made by umpire Jerry Meals during the 19th Inning of the Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates game last night, giving Atlanta the win by a score of 4-3. The Braves’ runner, Julio Lugo, was clearly out as seen in the video and appears to be as surprised as the catcher was at the call. I guess Jerry Meals wanted to go back to his hotel room and either sleep or eat a meal since it was already 2am in Atlanta.
The blog title’s a little skewed since I’m sure the runner thought the umpire made a fabulous call as did a lot of the Braves fans. It depends a lot on your perspective, doesn’t it? Videos and some of the commentary provided from D’Wizzle’s World, a Yardbarker network.
David Letterman’s Top 10 List of Things you Don’t want to hear During Spring Training!
Pablo Sandoval "Before"
I’m not a huge fan of David Letterman, but still ……. this was kinda sorta funny. I’ve been following Spring Training this year, more than in the past and I’m seriously thinking about running down to Arizona next year to see what all the fuss is about! One of the things that struck my funnybone this year was all the
Pablo Sandoval "After"
hubbub that’s going around about Tim Lincecum‘s In ‘n Out Burger runs. When one of the analysts asked him today if he took the Panda with him, Tim assured him he always went solo, at least during spring training. Panda, if you’re not from the Bay Area, refers to Pablo Sandoval who, at the end of last season, weighed in around 289 pounds much to the dismay of management. At the threat of being sent back to the Minors this year if he didn’t get back into serious shape, Panda Pablo managed to drop 38 pounds, while adding some muscle, and looks and acts fit as a fiddle. Good news for Giants fans, that’s for sure! But the conversation about Timmy’s lunch relates to his daily routine of three double-decker burgers, two orders of fries and a vanilla/chocolate combo milkshake. That’s about 3,400 calories just for lunch each day and Tim only weighs 165 pounds! Sure would be great to have a metabolism that could burn that off!
Luis Salazar
One thing that always bothers me about spring training is how many players get injured. I’m pretty sure the reason for spring training is to get back in shape after the three months “vacation” from regular and postseason. One of the injured this year is Chase Utley, who’s always been a powerhouse for Philadelphia. But a real casualty this year happened not to a player, but to a spectator. Actually, he’s Luis Salazar, a Minor League Manager for the Atlanta Braves and he was hit in the face by a line drive during a Spring Training game on March 9. Salazar, 54, was leaning up against the railing on the top step of the dugout when Brian McCann slammed a foul ball directly towards Salazar, who didn’t see it coming. He ended up losing his left eye, a real tragedy in any ballpark. I know, I know, accidents happen, and this was indeed a tragic accident, but it’s still really sad when we hear about them. We still have a few more weeks of Spring Training left and let’s cross our fingers we can get through without any more casualties. A big hug and a “get well soon” to Luis!
Philly Schmilly …….Don’t you just love it when someone in the know has the guts to speak what’s on his mind instead of jumping on the eternal pundit bandwagon? That’s just exactly what Hank Aaron did yesterday. Hank’s predicting a 2011 World Series between the Giants and Red Sox. Whew ~ where did that come from? Hasn’t he been listening to the pundits and bloggers and baseball experts? Could it be that Henry knows something the rest of the baseball world doesn’t? Could it be these so-called experts have fallen into the same trap they did last year and have totally overlooked the obvious? In other words, they didn’t learn a thing. I’m not talking about the regular season. I mean, for pete’s sake, I’m a Giant’s fan and there’s no way I would have imagined, say, in August, the Giants would end up taking their Division. So what do you think Hank Aaron might possibly be thinking?
For one thing, Aaron’s predicting 2011’s going to be a hitters year, unlike the pitcher’s year of 2010. Well if that’s true it sure takes the wind out of the sails for that $120 Million contract the Phillies signed Clifton Phifer “Cliff” Lee to in the off-season. I’ve never understood the reasoning that the Phillies are now unbeatable, invincible, the next undisputable World Champions, just by virtue of having Cliff Lee on their roster. Uhhh, seems to me the unbeaten Cliff Lee was beaten TWICE by the Giants in this year’s World Series. So please tell me what Cliff Lee has done recently that would make him now “unbeatable”? It just doesn’t make sense. He was unbeatable last season and the Giants whooped the stuffing out of him, not once, but twice,and now he’s wearing a Phillies uniform, and he’s once again unbeatable?
Is it possible the Phillies might be able to pull it off and win the Division? Oh sure. Is it possible they might go on and win the World Series? Maybe. But it’s not a foregone conclusion. Thank you, Hank Aaron, for bringing some good old fashioned common sense to the subject. It’s a lot more fun letting the teams play out the season instead of letting the self-proclaimed pundits and experts crown the Philadelphia Phillies the anointed ones in February. It’s obvious the only reason Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies is he sees it as his only chance to vindicate himself from the embarrassment he obviously felt (or should have felt) of not only being outpitched in the World Series, but of being so “mouthy” about it before hand.
Philly Phanatic
To say the Phillies might be my least favorite team is probably a huge understatement. Go ahead, ask the teams and players who’ve had to endure the wrath, anger and profanity of the Phillie phanatics on and off the field. I’m just saying, when it comes to baseball, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is definitely NOT the city of brotherly love.
I never knew much about Bobby Cox. Oh sure, I heard a lot about him through the years. After all he’s been managing the Braves since 1986 and it seems his name was always out there, usually for arguing with the umps or being ejected from a game, not necessarily what you want to be known for. But during this last playoff series and especially during his last interview, I was struck by one comment he made. It referred to a controversial call by an umpire at 2nd base. The play was a head-first slide by Giants’ Buster Posey into 2nd and a safe call by the ump. Replay shows Posey was clearly out, and it ended up being a deciding factor in the 1 run win by the Giants over Atlanta and eventually eliminated Atlanta from the series, ending Cox’s career. Yet Bobby Cox didn’t utter a peep! Why?
On August 14, 2010, Bobby Cox broke the MLB ejections record with 131 career ejections. He’s a player’s manager. Just getting ejected certainly doesn’t make one great, but when Bobby Cox got ejected he was doing it for the right reason. He wasn’t just arguing a call to get the ump to change his mind, or to grandstand, or slow up the game. He was always arguing in defense of his players. Always! He was out there every game defending his players, trying to even up the playing field making sure the other team wasn’t getting an unfair advantage. When he felt his players had been treated unfairly by a call, he never, ever backed down. That is his legacy.
In an interview after this last game Cox was asked about that call at 2nd base. He was told the replay clearly showed the runner was out and was asked why he didn’t challenge the call. After all, his career and reputation was built on challenging umpire calls these past 32 years. His response surprised me. The reason he didn’t challenge the call was simple. He was watching his 2nd baseman and outfielders and they showed no reaction. Had any of them reacted as though they thought the runner was out, he would have been out on that field immediately in protest of the call. Cox said it’s impossible to see what’s going on from the manager’s viewpoint so he’s always trusted his player’s reactions on how the play should have been called. That’ s how he managed his entire career and his players loved him for it. Of course, some players could easily have taken advantage of Bobby’s trust in them and I’m sure they did, but they always knew he had their back and that’s how loyalties are made.
I could write pages and pages about the career of this man. It might surprise you that he only played in the major leagues for two years, as a 3rd baseman for the New York Yankees. And did you know he ranks 4th on the Baseball All-time Managerial “Wins” list? It goes on and on. Check out the Related Articles below. They’ll keep you reading for days.
The team got together and gave Bobby and his wife a going away gift. It’s a cruise and they’re leaving next April! April? That’s the beginning of another baseball season! You don’t retire from baseball. No one retires from baseball. Welcome to Baseball Fandom Bobby Cox. The only thing that’s changed is the players!
"I was the worst hitter ever. I never even broke a bat until last year when I was backing out of the garage." Lefty Gomez, Yankees pitcher.
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. ~George F. Will.
"Does Pete Rose hustle? Before the All Star game he came into the clubhouse and took off his shoes and they ran another mile without him." Hank Aaron.
More Baseball Quotes!
“You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.” - Jim Bouton
"I was such a dangerous hitter I even got intentional walks during batting practice." - Casey Stengel
"This isn't a job. This is a privilege, that's what this is!" - Mike Krukow, TV Commentator, on being at the ballpark each day.
"I've found that the knowledge of the game is usually in inverse proportion to the price of the seats." -Bill Veeck, Chicago White Sox owner.
"Derek Jeter's accomplishment puts Pete Rose's hits record in perspective. 3,000 hits is phenomenal. 4,000? Freakish!" - Anthony Castrovince via Twitter
"The best possible thing in baseball is winning the World Series. The second best thing is losing the World Series." - Tommy Lasorda
"You teach me baseball and I’ll teach you relativity.... You will learn about relativity faster than I learn baseball." - Albert Einstein
"Baseball is a game of race, creed, and color. The race is to first base. The creed is the rules of the game. The color? Well, the home team wears white uniforms, and the visiting team wears gray."
Joe Garagiola
GARLICFRIESANDBASEBALL is written by a long-time fan who simply loves the game. I write my own articles (hence the grammar and occasional misspellings). If I include an article from another source, credit is given to that source and will include links when appropriate. The opinions are my own.
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