Baseball’s Winter Meeting

This article originally appeared on Yahoo November 2010

For baseball fans like me winter is a long and empty time. When the last out of the World Series is made and the baseball season is officially over the days begins to drag. The only light at the end of the tunnel is when pitchers and catchers report in mid February. The only real relief those of us who love baseball get during the off-season is the brief respite and excitement the Baseball Winter Meetings offers.

The Winter Meetings are an annual event which take place over a three-and-a-half day period in December. Every Major League team’s general manager meet and with the trades and free agent signings that take place during the meetings they are considered the unofficial end of the “Hot Stove League.” This year’s Winter Meetings, the 109^th annual, is being held in Orlando.

Baseball off-season meetings are nothing new. They can be traced back all the way to 1877 when the then National League was initially formed and such rules as no gambling, no drinking and no games on Sundays were instituted. William Hulbert was also named as the new league President. Over the years the off-season meetings took on a new meaning and importance transforming into the event we recognize today.

The Winter Meetings now include a baseball trade show which includes over 300 companies and their exhibits. This trade show is visited by an estimated 200 representatives of both the Major and Minor Leagues. The Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities holds a job fair as well. This is attended by 400-500 hopeful job seekers looking to capture lightening in a bottle by finding employment with a professional baseball team.

The Rule 5 Draft takes place on the last day of the Winter Meetings. This is when teams can draft players who are not listed on a team’s 40-man roster. Most of these players are fairly young unknowns playing at the lower Minor League level or rookie ball.

This year the Hall of Fame Veteran’s Committee will also be gathering. This committee meets every couple of years to vote on players who are no longer eligible to be voted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writer’s of America. At this year’s Winter Meetings the veterans will be voting on baseball icons like former Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner and former Major League manager, Billy Martin to name a few.

However, most fans, myself included, look forward to the Winter Meetings to see which player will sign where, not to mention the hope a favorite team will pull off a blockbuster trade. This year is no different with names like Cliff Lee, Derek Jeter, Adam Dunn, and Prince Fielder floating out in the baseball ether.

Everything I have read and heard so far leads me to believe the Winter Meetings could be very active. After Cliff Lee signs with either the Yankees or Rangers look for other big name free agents to start falling like dominoes as they sign with various teams. There is a slim possibility both Adrian Gonzalez and Prince Fielder could be moved. If this is the case look for both Chicago teams as well as the Red Sox to be in the mix. The Cubs could also make some noise by trading controversial starting pitcher, Carlos Zambrano and to a lesser degree third baseman, Aramis Ramirez.

In the spirit of the hot stove rumor mill let me put out a potential deal I have heard rumblings about. The trade would include Carlos Zambrano and another pitcher from the Cubs’ roster like Jeff Samardzija to the Brewers fro Prince Fielder and either Manny Parra or Carlos Villanueva. I have heard many variations of this trade which have included names like Kosuke Fukudome and Corey Hart as well as varying amounts of money going to the two teams to help offset some of the higher priced contracts. Now this deal is highly unlikely, but rumors like this are what the Winter Meetings are all about.

Maury Brown, “Inside the 2010 Baseball winter Meetings”, Bizofbaseball.com

“William Hulbert”, Sportsecyclopedia.com

Five Memorable Sports Flops

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Voices November 2010 

The sports word is filled with stories of glory, great comebacks, and the underdog overcoming unbelievable odds to achieve victory. Then, there is the other side of the coin; the failures, the overrated, and simply put, the agony of defeat. Often these disappointments became tales which live on in a sort of sports infamy. With that in mind here is a look back at five such sport flops.

5.         Dan vs. Dave

In 1992 the Summer Olympics were set to be held in Barcelona, Spain. During the months leading up to the those Olympic Games Reebok came up with what seemed like a brilliant advertising campaign featuring two unknown track and field athletes, Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson. Both men were favorites to compete for a Gold Medal in the decathlon.

Reebok’s $25 million dollar campaign was kicked-off with commercials airing during Super Bowl XXVI. America was introduced to the tagline, “Who will be the world’s greatest athlete – Dan or Dave? To be settled in Barcelona,” and we were all hooked.

The ad campaign was supposed to last eight months culminating in the two men competing against each at the Olympics. It was quickly derailed however when Dan O’Brien missed a pole vault at an Olympic trial event five weeks before the Summer Games and did not qualify for the Olympics. To make matters even worse for Reebok, Dave Johnson broke a bone in his foot, and had a poor showing in Barcelona finishing third with a Bronze Medal.

These days O’Brien is a speed and conditioning trainer as well as a motivational speaker. He was able to redeem himself at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta by taking home a Gold Medal in the decathlon. Johnson is a Vice Principal and Athletic Director for Jefferson High School in Salem, Oregon. Both men were inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

4.         2004 USA Olympic Basketball Team

The United States had gotten used to dominating international competition in basketball ever since NBA players began making up the majority of the U.S. team roster. It was thought this domination would continue leading to another Gold Medal at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. However, the team experienced a cold dose of reality when they were embarrassed by Puerto Rico in a 19-point defeat in the first game.

The team was coached by Larry Brown who had just led the Detroit Pistons to the NBA title. The team was made up of a whose-who of young NBA stars including Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Amare Stoudemire, and Dwyane Wade. Though they were loaded with talent the team looked lackluster and made unforgivable fundamental errors. They lost games to Lithuania and Argentina and eventually finished a disappointing third with a Bronze Medal. The 2004 team was only the third USA basketball team ever not to win a Gold Medal at the Olympics earning the nickname, “The Nightmare Team.”

3.         Tony Mandarich

In the 1989 NFL Draft, a draft filled with the likes of Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders, one name stood out above all others – Tony Mandarich. He was a 6’6, 320 pound offensive lineman whose hype was as big as his body.

Before playing a down in the NFL, Mandarich absolutely dominated college football while at Michigan State and had already grabbed the cover of Sports Illustrated who labeled him “the best offensive line prospect ever”. This eventually led to Mandarich being taken by the Green Bay Packers with the second overall pick. He was also the first offensive lineman to sign a seven-figure salary when he inked a 4-year $4.4 million deal.

It was expected Mandarich would go on to a Hall of Fame career in Green Bay, however cracks began to surface in his game almost immediately. For one, Mandarich could not pass block which put him at a great disadvantage in the NFL’s pass happy offenses. Mandarich’s unbelievable strength was largely a byproduct of his use of steroids throughout his college career. He was also heavily addicted to pain killers – so much so he was main-lining many of the substances.

Mandarich’s on-field play became so bad he was benched in 1992 and did not appear in one game that year. He was cut by the Packers after that season. In September of 1992 Sports Illustrated did a follow-up article on Mandarich calling him “The NFL’s Incredible Bust”.

2.         Ryan Leaf

I am sure the mere mention of this name still makes fans in San Diego cringe.

Back in 1998 the Chargers traded a couple of first round picks, a second round pick, and a former Pro-Bowl caliber player in Eric Metcalf so they could move up one spot to the second overall pick to get Leaf. They thought they were getting a franchise QB, but instead were saddled with arguably the biggest bust in NFL Draft history.

Leaf was a stand-out quarterback at Washington State University. His junior year he was a Heisman Trophy finalist and the Pac-10 Player of the Year. It was widely believed Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning would go first and second in the NFL Draft. Debates raged among experts on who was the better player coming out of college. Manning was believed to be the more mature while Leaf was supposed to have the better arm. Those experts were definitely correct about who was more mature.

Leaf had a contentious relationship with the media, and he crumbled under their criticism. His relationship with teammates was not much better. Leaf’s performance on the field did not help matters. In the ten games he played that season Leaf had a meager 2 TD’s and 15 interceptions along with a woeful QB rating of 39. His next two years were filled with frequent injuries, more poor play, and continuous run-ins with the media and Chargers personnel. He was released after only three seasons in San Diego.

Leaf tried comebacks with the Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Seahawks, but a nagging wrist injury, poor attitude, and a growing addiction to pain killers ended any hope of Leaf reviving his NFL career. In 25 career games Leaf threw only 14 TD’s compared to 36 interceptions and managed a career QB rating of only 50.

1.         XFL

The Extreme Football League (XFL) was the brainchild of professional wrestling mogul, Vince McMahon. Thinking he could capitalize on the popularity of his then World Wrestling Federation, McMahon partnered with NBC Entertainment to bring, “Football The Way It Was Meant To Be Played.”

With cheerleaders in skimpy outfits and a number of rule changes including the opening scramble, no point after touchdowns, the allowing of full bump and run coverage, and no fair catches, McMahon figured his wrestling audience would flock to stadiums filling the stands. The league was also heavily promoted by wrestling stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin who would refer to the NFL as the “No Fun League”.

After huge television ratings for the initial opening week’s games the popularity quickly waned and went into a steady decline. McMahon’s wrestling fans did not support the XFL like it was thought, and the league folded after just one season. It has been estimated Vince McMahon and NBC Entertainment lost a combined $60-$70 million on the failed sport venture.

Steve Brandon, “A ‘Dan and Dave’ reunion”, Portlandtribune.com

Jeff Merron, “The List: Biggest sports busts”, Espn.go.com

“2004 Olympics (Athens) – The Nightmare Team”, Everything2.com

Kory Kozak, “Steroids fueled spectacular rise and fall”, Espn.go.com

Betsy Blaney, “Ryan Leaf Tries To Build New Life”, Huffingtonpost.com

“Welcome to the newly revised XFL Home Page”, All-xfl.com

NHL’s Haunted Hall of Fame

This articles was originally published on Yahoo Sports October 2010.

 

The Hockey Hall of Fame located in Toronto is dedicated to not just the NHL, but to the entire sport of ice hockey. It is home to countless pieces of hockey memorabilia, exhibits honoring the many great legends of the sport. The Hall of Fame also houses the famed, Stanley Cup during the NHL season. And, since 1993 when the Hall moved into its permanent address at a former Bank of Montreal building, it is also the residence of Dorothy, a ghost who supposedly haunts hockey’s most hallowed ground.

Dorothy is believed to be the spirit of an employee of the Bank of Montreal who committed suicide while at work. According to Ethan Trex in his article, 5 Ghosts Haunting The Sports World, “As the legend goes, Dorothy was a vivacious teller at the bank when, in 1953, she showed up for work early and promptly shot herself.”

It was not long after Dorothy’s tragic death reports began to surface of odd noises and strange occurrences happening at the bank. These apparent haunting-related activities have continued to occur at the Hockey Hall of Fame since it took up residence in the building in 1993. There have been claims by staff, employees, and fans alike detailing cold spots as well as hearing phantom footsteps walking around the halls.

In Paul McLaughlin’s article, Hockey Hall of Fame ghost revealed at last he wrote, “There have been countless reports of strange occurrences in the building over the decades believed to be connected to Dorothy: lights flicking on and off; doors and windows opening and closing for no apparent reason; and moans, screams, and other eerie sounds echoing through the historic structure. Some staff and employees have heard footsteps when working alone at night. A few have felt a phantom hand on their shoulder or leg.”

One of the more well-known encounters involved Joanna Jordan, a Toronto musician. While playing the harp at an event, Ms. Jordan reported seeing a female spirit watching her from a second floor ceiling. When the Hockey Hall of Fame opened in 1993 Ms. Jordan was again asked to play, and she refused to go to that same second floor alone saying, “It was just too spooky up there.” When asked about her experience Ms. Jordan stated, “I remember it so vividly because it’s one of those things you’ll never forget.”

In Paul McLaughlin’s previously mentioned article he also details the encounter former Hall of Fame employee, Rob Hynes had with Dorothy in a kitchen area. Mr. Hynes reported feeling like he was being watched before seeing a piece of furniture move on its own. Mr. Hynes is quoted as saying, “One of the chairs, and this is the God’s honest truth, was turning, as if a breeze was in there. It actually moved right into my hand. I’m rather skeptical about ghosts, but I just freaked out and ran out of there.”

Over the years the true identity of Dorothy has been heavily scrutinized. There have been all kinds of rumors and wild stories about who she was and why she shot herself. One such theory reported Dorothy had been caught trying to steal money from the bank and another had her helping the Irish Republican Army in a plot to rob the bank to fund their cause. At one point a psychic claimed Dorothy had actually been murdered because she unwittingly uncovered a money embezzling scheme involving a bank manager, judge, and the Chief of Police.

It was not until 2009 when The Star newspaper discovered Dorothy’s true identity as part of their investigation into the reported suicide in 1953. The Star discovered Dorothy was actually Dorothea Mae Elliot, a 19-year old bank teller who had in fact shot herself in March of 1953 at the bank. She died many hours later at St. Michael’s Hospital. After talking to family and former co-workers of Dorothea it was reported she had been having an affair with a married bank employee which unfortunately led to her tragic decision to take her own life.

The sport of hockey is rich in history and tradition. The NHL has probably one of the most rabid and dedicated fanbases in all of professional sports. Many of these same fans flock to Toronto every year to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. While there they can visit the actual Stanley Cup, see exhibits dedicated to the sport, as well as pay homage to their favorite players. Many come as well hoping to catch a glimpse of Dorothy or have a paranormal experience of their own with the ghost purportedly haunting the building for over 50 years making the Hockey Hall of Fame one of the most haunted places in sports.

 

Trex, Ethan, 5 Ghosts Haunting The Sports World, Mental Floss.com

 

McLaughlin, Paul, Hockey Hall of Fame ghost revealed at last, Thestar.com

Chicago Cubs Prospect, Tyler Colvin: Outfielder of the Future…or the Now?

This article was originally published with Associated Content March 2010.

 

As Cactus League games are officially underway in Arizona many of the questions facing the Chicago Cubs as thy headed into Spring Training are starting to be answered. However, due to the play of Tyler Colvin a new question has arisen. Who will be the team’s fourth outfielder?

The Cubs did sign Xavier Nady this past off-season in an effort to bolster their bench and provide a new offensive spark. Nady is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, his second, however and so his playing time will be limited at least for the first few months of the season. Many fans and those in the baseball know assumed Sam Fuld would fill the void left by Nady’s rehab. But, with his play so far this spring young, Tyler Colvin may have something to say about this.

Colvin, the Cubs number 1 pick and the 13^th overall in the June 2006 Amateur Draft, has begun to raise eyebrows and open eyes with his improved skills this spring. Heading into this week’s round of games Colvin is hitting a robust .520 and is leading the team in RBI’s with 6. He has also played flawlessly in the field.

Colvin who has not played above Double A in the minors did make a brief appearance with the Cubs at the end of the 2009 season when he was able to get into 6 games for the big league team. His stats were nothing spectacular as he only hit .176 with a couple of RBI’s, but he did capture the attention of Cubs’ fans and more importantly Cubs’ manager, Lou Piniella with his speed and the way the ball seemed to fly off his bat.

The Cubs who felt the 24-year old outfielder looked tired when he joined the team in ’09 suggested Colvin get on a weight program in the off-season. The young prospect took this to heart and spent two hours a day doing workouts which focused on his core as well as his legs. The workout also included plenty of running. The results of the workouts along with Colvin’s natural physical progression translated into a 25 pound muscle weight gain.

With the numbers he has put up in spring so far I would say the workouts have been a success. Once again, Cubs manager, Lou Piniella has taken notice.

“Colvin is a good looking player,” Piniella said. “It’s a big difference that weight he put on. He’s got more bat speed. The ball is jumping off his bat. He looks like a Major League player.”

That is high praise from Piniella who when asked if Tyler Colvin had a shot at making the team out of spring training had this to say.

“Why not? Jim and I haven’t sat down and talked about what the organization wants to do as far as everyday playing. We haven’t broached that subject. If Colvin keeps going the way he is, the subject will be broached sooner or later.”

The Chicago Cubs outfield as it stands now is a bit crowded, but that does not mean there is not any room for Tyler Colvin. Alfonso Soriano is not going anywhere and Marlon Byrd did sign a multiyear contract in the off-season to play centerfield. As it stands now Kosuke Fukudome is slated to play right field. So, if Colvin were to make the team it would be in a back-up role. That does not necessarily mean limited playing time however.

Soriano’s defensive liabilities have been well documented along with his frequent and nagging injuries he tends to suffer from throughout the season. Fukudome has been a disappointment since signing his 4-yar deal and has yet to put together a solid full season. Byrd is a wild card. He had a career year last season with Texas but there is no telling how a return to the National League and the added pressure of playing in Chicago will affect him. This definitely opens the door for Colvin.

Can Tyler Colvin be that elusive left-handed bat the Cubs have been searching for since being swept out of the Playoffs in 2008? So far all signs are pointing to yes. When asked if he could make the team out of spring trainings Colvin sounded guarded yet confidant.

“There is no telling,” Colvin said. “All I can do is keep hitting the ball here and make it a tough decision and that’s it.”

As Lou Piniella mentioned he and Cubs’ General Manager, Jim Hendry have a decision to make. If Colvin continues to stand out the way he has then I think the choice is an easy one. Either way it is simply a matter of time before Tyler Colvin is impressing fans at Wrigley Field.

 

Carrie Muskrat, “Colvin may leave Cubs with tough choice”, Cubs.com

 

“Tyler Colvin Minor League Statistics & History”, Baseball-Reference.com