The Orioles are on a Roll!

Click the picture for the video and excitement!

Wow. Where do I begin? After the addition of ex-Ranger/Yankee/Diamondback manager Buck Showalter (who was an ESPN analyst prior to his position as O's manager), the Orioles are now 6-1 - with three of those wins as walk-offs (game-winning hits).

Imagine if they had fired Dave Trembley at the beginning of the season - they could have possibly been in the hunt for the Wild Card slot!

Showalter was a GREAT addition to the Orioles' franchise. He was the Manager of the Year in '94 for the Yanks, and 10 years later for the Rangers. He has changed the Orioles' environment for the better, from their listless state to now a new, promising state.

From this...

On April 10, the Orioles had a paid attendance of 9,129 - the smallest crowd at Oriole Park EVER. On the day Buck Showalter managed his first MLB game for the Orioles, the attendance was 16,723- a 16% increase in attendance. Such shows that one person can change a franchise for the better - heck, look what LeBron did with the Cleveland Cavaliers' organization when he first entered the league!

To hopefully this in the future!

With young players in pitchers Jake Arrieta (age 24), Brian Matusz (age 23), Matt Albers (age 27); catcher Matt Wieters (age 24); center-fielder Adam Jones (age 25) and right-fielder Nick Markakis (age 27), the Orioles have a bright future in front of them, and it all starts with the manager - Buck Showalter.

Run, Forrest, Run!

After watching Milwaukee Brewers' second baseman Rickie Weeks speed around the bases for an inside-the-park home run (where a player hits the ball and runs around the bases and touches home without being called out) on Saturday, that got me thinking...

What are the top 10 best inside-the park home runs this year? (We've had 17 inside-the-park HR's in 2010).

(Clicking on each picture will link you to the specific home run. All videos and images are courtesy of MLB)

10. Run, Rickie, Run!

By the time the center fielder caught the ball off the wall, Rickie was already at third base! Man, he's fast!

9. Double Trouble

It's amazing when a player gets one inside-the-parker in a season. It's surprising when a player gets two before the All-Star break! But Tony Gwynn Jr, the son of Hall-of-Fame first baseman Tony Gwynn Sr., is lightning fast, and I bet will get more of these kinds of home runs in the future.

8. A Bautista Bomb!

Even home run kings (Jose Bautista has a MLB-leading 34 home runs as of August 7) have their share of inside-the-park HRs. He Michael Jordans himself (sticking his tongue out) after touching home base.

7. The Good...

David DeJesus of the Kansas City Royals got really lucky on this play. Michael Cuddyer, the outfielder, thought the ball went over the wall for a home run, but DeJesus kept on running... and got himself a round-tripper!

6. ...And the Bad and the Ugly

A few months later, DeJesus found himself on the wrong side of an inside-the-park home run. On Derek Jeter's first home run of that sort - yes, that is NOT a typo - DeJesus rams his right hand into the padding - the injury was a broken wrist, which would end DeJesus's promising season - He will miss the rest of the year with that injury.

5. Can you say 'Ouch'?

Detroit Tigers' outfielder Ryan Rayburn tried to catch this fly ball - but ended up colliding with the Indians' bullpen door. Luckily he was okay, but the team wasn't, with Johnny Peralta scoring an inside-the-park home run.

4. Drawing up an Opening Day Home Run

What an opening day for Arizona Diamondbacks' shortstop Stephen Drew! He caromed a shot off the center field wall - with the Padres' centerfielder misplaying the ball - and scoring an easy home run.

3.Bam!

If you thought that the previous seven players that hit these home runs were fortunate because of a defensive lapse, then Gerardo Parra must have been really fortunate. Two Atlanta Braves' outfielders - rookie Jason Heyward and veteran Nate McLouth - both newbies to the Braves' franchise this year - collided, with McLouth receiving the worst of the hit. He would never play the same way he did in 2009 with the Pirates after that collision

2. Anger Management in Action

Washington Nationals' centerfielder Nyjer Morgan - thinking that the ball left his glove and went over the wall - threw his glove in frustration, only to realize that the ball was still in play. Orioles' batter Adam "my name is not Pac-Man" Jones had an easy inside-the-park home run after that gaffe.

1. Huffin' and Puffin' his way home

San Francisco Giants' first baseman Aubrey Huff (the ex-Ray and Oriole) is not one of the nimblest baseball players in the League. He gets the #1 spot for both his quick feet and the announcer's amazement that Huff would hit a round-tripper.

Which play do you think deserves the #1 spot?

First Jim Joyce, now Bob Davidson?

This year, we have heard many of the referee/umpire blunders - whether the event is the semifinals of the World Cup in July or the one of hundreds of Major League Baseball games. This time last night, the latter occurred.

First, some background. Two months ago, on June 1, the Detroit Tigers had a perfect game going into the bottom half of the ninth and final inning. The pitcher was Armando Galarraga, and the first base umpire was Jim Joyce. On the supposed final at-bat of the game, Cleveland Indians' hitter Jason Donald hit a ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera, who was too far from the first base bag, lofted the ball to his pitcher, Galarraga. By the time Galarraga caught the ball, Joyce called the play safe. The perfect game was perfect no longer. Upon looking at the instant replay, Joyce knew he made a mistake, and, after the game, apologized to both the Tigers' organization and its fans (and those who had Galarraga in their fantasy baseball league)

The photo links to the youtube video of what actually happened during the game.

Now, fast-forward to yesterday, August 5. The game was between division rivals - the Philadelphia Phillies and the Florida Marlins in Miami. The game was tied at 4-all in the bottom of the ninth inning, with star shortstop Hanley Ramirez at second base (Runner in scoring position) and rookie Gaby Sanchez up to bat. I'll let you see as to what unfolded:

Video courtesy of MLB

As you see in the disgust of Marlins' manager Edwin Rodriguez and the outrage by Marlins' radio announcer, the ball was clearly fair, and third base umpire Bob Davidson did not see it that way. And, unlike Joyce, but similar to Koman Coulibaly - the infamous soccer referee that gave a no goal for the US when there was no penalty nor an offsides call - Davidson did NOT apologize - to the dismay of the Marlins' organization - to the fans, the front office and the players. 

I believe that, like Joyce, Davidson should come out tomorrow morning to apologize for the gaffe he made in a crucial division game. Such small cases can actually make or break a team's season.

What is your take on the Davidson situation?

The Brawl that started it all

What I have noticed this year in MLB is that there are fewer dugout-emptying brawls than in previous years. Yesterday's game between the Indians and the Red Sox may have proved me wrong.

In the third inning, Red Sox starting pitcher hits Indians' right fielder Sin-Soo-Choo in the lower right leg. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Indians' relief pitcher Justin Germano pitches behind Red Sox designated hitter David "Big Papi" Ortiz.

Then, here's where bad turns to worse. The next Indians' relief pitcher - Jensen Lewis - throws behind All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre. Beltre starts to storm the mound, but is held back by the umpire and Indians' catcher Lou Marson. Then, this happens:

Click on the image to see the drama! (photo and video courtesy of MLB)

I think this is the spark of a new rivalry this year - we'll see in the upcoming Red Sox - Indians games this week if more tempers flare after this mess.

Better Shimmy?

This tweet by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Kevin Durant got me thinking... who does have the better shimmy? I'll let you take a look and decide for yourself.

Greivis Vazquez	Antoine Walker

I think, hands-down, Greivis has the best shimmy, and is more creative with it.

What do you guys think?

I am not sure if this is a ruse or to actually believe him. Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Brett Favre has text-messaged his teammates saying "I'm done!" and that he is leaving the game - but is he bluffing? My guess is that Favre WILL pull a Houdini and on September 9, 2010, surprise everyone by coming out of the tunnel and starting for the Vikings when the play the Saints to open the 2010 season.

His on-again, off-again statements drive nearly every football fan, media member and me insane. I think Favre is trying to make headline news after the Albert Haynesworth fiasco, since he cannot live without profession football and the adoration of his fanson-and-off the field. Many columnists and television analysts (myself included) believe he cannot live without playing the sport he clearly loves, which is why I think he will return to the Vikings on Opening Day. But, then again, I am the same person that thought LeBron James would sign with the Chicago Bulls this offseason and McNabb would still be playing with the Eagles in 2010.

But, then again, he had surgery in the offseason to repair an ankle injury he suffered in the Saints-Vikings NFC Championship game last year, so, if the ankle is not fully healed, maybe he does not have enough to continue playing.


Will this pass be the last one he ever throws with the Vikings? I sure hope not.

After all, like the Energizer Bunny, he just "keeps going and going and going..."