http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com My Love Affair with Baseball Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:08:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Be sure to watch the Tournament of the Roses Parade (better known as the Rose Parade) airing at 11am EST, 8am PST.  Why?  Because MLB will be represented with a float.  That's right at college football's most famous parade, baseball will be making an appearance.  Personally, I think this is a ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/12/29/baseball-at-the-rose-bowl-parade/ Yunieski Maya pitched for Cuba in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.   Last September he defected from Cuba.  Recently he threw for scouts in the Dominican Republic.Maya performed well in his limited World Baseball Classic experience.  Over 7.1 innings he posted a 1.23 ERA, struck out 4 and walked 2. He didn't ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/12/28/cuban-defector-could-be-ready-for-the-majors/ Is it possible to switch your favorite team without being a traitor?  For me, the answer comes down to the reasons that you've picked the team (more on this can be found in my post on Team Loyalty).  Let me tell you the story of my journey to become the Braves ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/12/22/fan-crisis-can-you-switch-favorite-teams/ Well, it finally happened.  Roy Halladay left the Toronto Blue Jays. The Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and Oakland A's completed a 9-player trade yesterday.  The highlights were Halladay going to the Phillies and Cliff Lee going to the Seattle Mariners. Roy Halladay won the 2003 AL Cy Young award.  ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/12/17/cliff-lee-roy-halladay-and-friends-blockbuster-trade/ Staying loyal to your team is an important part of sport culture in the United States.  Nobody likes being called a fair-weather fan or being accused of jumping on the bandwagon.  But how many of you have thought about why you are a fan of a particular team?  Here's your ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/12/16/where-do-your-loyalties-lie/ Don't worry, my almost month long absence does not mean that nothing has happened in the baseball world since the end of the World Series.  It had everything to do with the onslaught of the end of the semester in grad school (something I'm still facing, but I can't stay ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/12/05/im-still-here/ Two nights ago, the Yankees won the World Series.  Due to an incredible amount of homework, I'm mentioning that for the first time right now. But then again, the Yankees have now won the World Series 27 times, so it's not really news. Ok, that was a little unfair.  After all, isn't ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/11/06/can-i-get-a-price-check-on-these-free-agents/ There are few things sweeter than the sound of the ball hitting the sweet spot of a baseball bat.  Well, as long as it's a wooden bat.  There's a reason the expression is "the crack of the bat" not "the ping of the bat." While less than impressive, the sound of ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/11/02/i-call-em-as-i-see-em-aluminum-bats/ As I was fact checking my last post to make sure that the Red Sox were indeed the only team to win more than one World Series in the decade, I noticed something interesting.  Since the Wild Card and three division set up made it through a full season (the ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/10/15/has-the-wild-card-diluted-world-series-excitement/ Well, as the next round of the MLB Postseason kicks off tomorrow, I find myself wondering if it's the Dodgers turn to win it all. The Dodgers are the only team of the four left that has yet to win a World Series title this decade.  The Phillies won last year ... http://stillamericaspasttime.today.com/2009/10/14/the-dodgers-turn/