Posts Tagged ‘Major League Baseball’

It’s major league baseball season again! And whether we are baseball fans or not, experiencing the thrill of a live baseball game, coupled with the architecture of a particular stadium, you are bound to be in for a great time.

So just what makes a great baseball park? I would argue that it would be the trend of modern culture and technology, coupled with the atmosphere of early 20th century baseball parks. One needs to look no further than Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which opened in 1992, and is the home of the Baltimore Orioles. This stadium is unique in that it blends right into the downtown culture of Baltimore, while still similar in design to many traditional baseball stadiums of the early 1900s. For example, Oriole Park at Camden Yards gets the modern feel of stadiums with its sunroof over the upper deck, arched brick faade, and steel trusses. But to keep with such great early 20th Century stadiums as Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium, Oriole Park uses natural grass turf and an asymmetrical playing field.

Coors Field, opened in 1995, and home of the Colorado Rockies is also unique in blending modern and traditional baseball parks. It was made with hand-made brick and is asymmetrical. Should snow hit the field, an underground heating system melts the snow. Five inches of water can be drained per hour from the natural grass.

Ballpark at Arlington, opened in 1994, and home of the Texas Rangers, also uses a mix of state-of-the-art architecture with its brick and granite faade, asymmetrical playing field, and even a home-run porch in right field. The playing field is also natural grass with the outfield dimensions asymmetrical. Fans in the lower seats feel like they are part of the action, as the proximity of the fans to the playing field is one of closet of all baseball parks.

Location and view is also critical for baseball parks. Dodgers stadium, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, offers an awe-inspiring view of downtown Los Angeles to the south, hills to the north and east, not to mention the San Gabriel Mountains as well. Likewise, seating at Safeco Stadium, home of the Seattle Mariners, provides fans with a magnificent view of downtown Seattle.

After the MLB labor dispute in the mid 1990′s, many people think that Major League Baseball has been in the “Steroids Era” ever since. Numerous high profile MLB players have been accused of steroid use and a few, like Jose Canseco, even admitted it openly, crediting the use of steroids for his entire career. In fact, Conseco wrote a book called “Juiced” which documented the use and impact of steroids in baseball.

According to Canseco, up to 85% of MLB players currently playing today are using performance enhancing drugs. Jose’s book titled “Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits and How Baseball Got Big” names many well-known players who have used steroids during their professional careers.

Another player, Ken Caminiti, came forward about his steroid use and detailed the damage the drug has done to his body. Caminiti admitted that his body had mostly stopped producing testosterone and that his testicles have gotten much smaller. As a matter of fact, his body only had 20% of the normal level of testosterone. And although Ken Caminiti clearly knew the damage it did to his body, he still confessed that he would have done it all over again if he had another chance. Ken eventually died as a result of his steroid use. (from Wikipedia)

Several beloved MLB players have stood accused of using these performance boosting drugs. Names like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Jason Giambi have been tarnished by the claims. Their records and awards have all come under question since they were not achieved naturally, but with chemical assistance banned by MLB commissioner Bud Selig.

A company known as BALCO, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative has been cited as a central source of steroids to athletes in many sports. BALCO was an American based nutritional supplements company run by Victor Conte.

BALCO made and marketed a steroid dubbed “The Clear”, also known as THG, or tetrahydrogestrinone, which was created by a BALCO chemist named Patrick Arnold (from Washington Post)

In 2003, the company’s role in a drug sports scandal was investigated by two journalists; Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada. The scandal was referred to as the BALCO Affair and focused on the distribution of the Clear to several high profile athletes in America and Europe over a period of several years by Conte, Greg Anderson, a weight trainer and Remi Korchemni, a coach.

The investigation was aided by a tip from US Olympic sprint coach Trevor Graham in 2003. Graham supplied a syringe containing traces of the substance known as “the Clear”. A test to detect the Clear was developed and some 20 Olympic class athletes tested positive for the drug. Marion Jones, an Olympic track star, just admitted to using steroids after years of public denial. She said she used them to prepare for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the Olympics committee has now taken away all her medals. (from the Washington Post)

Later, a search of the BALCO facilities uncovered a client list with names including Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Gary Sheffield and a few other MLB players.

Arizona D-Backs pitcher Jason Grimsley’s home was searched in 2006 by U.S. federal agents and Grimsley admitted that he had used amphetamines, steroids and human growth hormones. In the end, Grimsley was released from his contract with the D-Backs and suspended for fifty games by the MLB.

After all this time, steroid use is still a big issue in the MLB. And since Barry Bonds has been mixed up in it and he broke the home run record this year, the story continues to have legs. Perhaps the MLB should institute tougher penalties for steroid use. For example, give out suspensions when catching any player during regulated unannounced testing. If the player tests dirty again, his contract is void and he is banned from Major League Baseball for life.

The penalty has to be severe enough to detract these players from using performance-enhancing drugs. Indeed, baseball has been criticized for being so lackadaisical about steroid use and for not handing out stiff enough penalties. But it is not just the players and their families who get hurt. It’s the fans and children who look up to these players as role models.

All the players in the farm leagues and minors are hurt as well. In their drive to achieve that dream of a multimillion dollar major league contract, they have to perform at the same level or better than the athletes presently playing. That creates huge pressure to use steroids that can be hard to overcome. Some say that amphetamine use is widespread among players in the minor leagues and that steroids are also used a lot.

One thing that makes sense is that if only some players are using performance-enhancing drugs while the rest are not, the former have an unfair advantage, making fair competition impossible. And sports are defined by fair competition, that’s one of the big reasons people love sports. Life is full of grays, but sports are black and white. There is always a clear winner in the end and everyone expects that the winner achieved the success in a fair and ethical way.

Either none of the MLB players should be using steroids or all of them should be to make it fair. Although many people say that achieving new records while using steroids, such as Barry Bonds allegedly using steroids while achieving the new all-time home run record, shouldn’t count, others argue that he was batting against many pitchers who were also on steroids. Therefore, it all evens out, they say. But we don’t know which pitchers were using steroids and which ones weren’t, making it next to impossible to determine what’s fair.

Unfortunately, athletes like Ken Caminiti die because of steroid use. Children lose their fathers, wives lose husbands, Major League Baseball increasingly loses its good reputation, and fans lose respect for the sports figures they look up to. There are probably many reasons why baseball players choose to use steroids. They may feel heavy pressure to be the best and win.

They may perceive this pressure from society, from the fans or their families and friends, or from themselves. It could be that they are driven into steroid use because of greed, or it could even be that they think all the players around them are using steroids and feel they have no choice but to partake as well if they are to successfully compete. An easy shortcut like using steroids must be very appealing to many ball players.

Because steroid use is a relatively new phenomenon, and there are numerous subjective issues that need to be hashed out, Major League Baseball is still seriously struggling with the entire subject. The MLB has not been able to stem the tide, they’ve not been able to successfully curtail its use or make it so undesirable that players choose to abstain. It has proven difficult to determine where the line ought to be drawn. After all, one could argue that equipment has improved over the years, and that things like foot wear are so technologically advanced today that they are performance enhancing too. Fairness is paramount in sports, so the use of steroids by some players continues to have a terrible affect on baseball.

Colorado Rockies baseball tickets, especially premium tickets, can be hard to obtain but not unattainable if you know the right place to look for them. Die hard Rockies fans will do almost anything to get just about any ticket to the games and if you are one of them, you will know what it means! With the spectacular 2007 season, fans as well as the team are eager to get back into action in 2008. The team made history by winning the National League Pennant for the first time in 2007 with many people attributing the success partly to the team’s manager Clinton Merrick Hurdle. It is no mean feat to win 14 games out of the 15 that were played!

Buying Cheap Colorado Rockies Baseball Tickets

Fans are eager to catch all the action that they can in the Coors field this season and it is no wonder that these games are some of the hottest and most looked-forward to this season. Colorado Rockies baseball tickets will definitely be hard to come by if you do not act quickly! Fans are hoping that the team’s superb performance will be even better this season enabling them to win the World Series.

Fans are hungry to watch the team take on the National League West as well as the other Major League Baseball teams. Watching the games at Coors Field, a 76 acre ballpark, promises to be an experience surely not to be missed. It is not only considered to be one of the most liked baseball stadiums but also offers the fans an amazing view of the Rocky Mountains. The thin mountain air has contributed to the high scores and the nail-biting games that have been played. The demand for Colorado Rockies baseball tickets seemed to be amazing, forcing the authorities to make certain renovations until the ballpark could accommodate 50,000 people.

Fans will be frenzied to secure Colorado Rockies baseball tickets to see the likes of Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, Brad Hawpe, and Garret Atkins giving the game their best. Fans are expecting that Willy Taveras will return to the game with all his force and in better health. As far as pitchers are concerned, the team can rely on Jeff Francis to do a good job.

Fans who seek the Rockies tickets have the choice of opting for cheap tickets that will not tax your pocket or premium tickets including corporate suites that can help them watch the game in style. Whatever your budget is, the best place to purchase the Rockies tickets is at an authorized ticket broker’s website.

They can offer you a huge array of tickets to the games that are scheduled to be played. They can get information about the schedule of the games as well as look up the seating information that would help them secure the perfect seats to the games. The sooner the tickets are booked, the lesser they will cost. One can relax after purchasing Colorado Rockies baseball tickets from an authorized ticket broker as they come with a money back guarantee. The tickets can be delivered right at your doorstep making it extremely convenient for the fans.

Hitting a home run may be the single most exciting thing about Baseball Hitting. The thrill of being able to touch them all is something that all players should get to experience. One thing that can help this become a reality, is having a proper stance at the plate.

Proper weight distribution is very important in Baseball Hitting because it allows the hitter to have more control at the plate. With good balance, a hitter can consistently use all his power to hit the baseball. Also, good balance allows the hitter to recover from being fooled by an off-speed pitch and either foul off the pitch or hit it to the opposite field.

One little known technique to help Baseball Hitting is to develop your body balance by using Tai Chi principles. For those who do not know, Tai Chi is a martial arts that focuses on balance and controlling one’s center of gravity. A number of major league baseball players use Tai Chi drills to improve their baseball hitting stance.

One such exercise is as follows:

1. Stand upright and lift your right leg off the ground where it is perpendicular to the body. (It is okay if the leg is bent).

2. Place you hands together in a prayer position roughly three inches from your chest.

3. Hold this position for 1 minute and 30 seconds by trying to stay completely upright.

4. Then repeat steps 1-3 with your other leg.

As you practice this technique, try to get to the point where you can hold this position for a number of minutes. To make this exercise even more of a challenge, close your eyes during this exercise and move your hands above your head. (The hands should still remain touching each other in this position). This will require you to have even greater control and more concentration. In addition, this training is also very good for improving your baseball pitching motion.

The end result of this exercise will be improved balance for your Baseball Hitting. With an improved stance, you just might be closing in on putting one in the cheap seats.

Over the last ten years there has been an incredible increase in people participating in baseball fantasy leagues, and fantasy sports in general. There is really only one rule for those involved, and that is they must have a real and ongoing interest and appreciation of the game of baseball. Starting your own fantasy league is easy follow the simple steps below and you will quickly have a league you can enjoy throughout the season.

Fantasy League Step #1 Get your teams together
The first step to creating a baseball fantasy league is getting your teams together. You need to find between 8 and 12 friends to participate and create their own team. Why 8-12 teams? This is the range of numbers that will give you a competitive league, which you will need for it to be as enjoyable as possible.

Fantasy League Step #2 The Commish
Just like Major League Baseball, someone needs to be in charge. Elect a responsible and committed Commissioner to manage the statistics weekly, and is someone who has the opportunity and resources to distribute them to every player in the fantasy league.

Fantasy League Step #3 One League or Two
One of the oldest questions in baseball do we need both the American and National Leagues? Your group will need to decide whether to play with the traditional favourites, or establish a single league.

Fantasy League Step #4 Player draft or auction
Teams need players, and the group will need to decide the best way to individually acquire players. Both draft and auction methods work, but whichever method you choose, stay with it throughout the season.

Fantasy League Step #5 Rules
You can’t escape rules, even in a fantasy league. Accumulation of points and recording statistics need to be done consistently and to a standard. Agree the rules, and ensure all teams are aware of the compliance requirements, and what happens when they don’t follow them!

Fantasy League #6 Enjoy yourself
Americans in their millions play fantasy league baseball to win money, trophies or simply for the sake of it. No matter what your reason, make sure the final prize is agreed by all as this gives you every player the best chance of enjoying themselves.

For those who want to catch some championship baseball, Detroit Tigers tickets are about the best you can get. While most teams are described as being consistent players, the Tigers are a team who are consistent winners, notching up American League pennants and World Series titles with apparent ease.

The Detroit Tigers are affiliated with the American League and the Central Division within Major League baseball. Their home ground is Comerica Park and the team is also known as the Bless You Boys. They have four World Series titles to their name, ten American League pennants and three titles from their former East Division.

A Slow Start

It might be hard to believe, but at one time nobody was interested in Detroit Tigers tickets. In fact, baseball in Detroit seemed to be in doldrums and the team was unable to pull in the fans that they needed to be a force to reckon with in the major leagues. For a team that had its beginnings in 1894, it wouldn’t be until 1905, when Ty Cobb, one of the biggest names in baseball took over the reigns of the team that things would begin to change.

It would take time but slowly the team began to find its strength and by the 1930s they were ranked among the best in the league. 1934 and 1935 in particular were great years for the Tigers as they pulled in World Series titles and an American League pennant. The fans loved it and Detroit Tigers tickets were in demand.

Highs And Lows

It seemed like the Tigers were a team that just wouldn’t quit. They grew from strength to strength, rising to the top yet again in 1968 when they scored another double World Series and American League win. But the Tigers seemed to run out of steam in the early seventies. Although the fans kept buying Detroit Tigers tickets and packing the stadiums, it was obvious that the team was mostly made up of veterans who had passed their prime.

It wouldn’t be until 1979 that the Tigers would have a turn-around under Sparky Anderson. He predicted a win for the team in five years and sure enough, the Tigers brought in an American League pennant in 1984. Though their performance had definitely improved, another World Series title kept eluding them. Many believe this played on team morale because the Tigers entered a slump which lasted until 2000. However, in 2006 the Tigers came back with a resounding roar, taking back their American League champ status and making it to the World Series. Today, the Tigers are a serious force to contend with for any baseball team.

Many baseball fans love to get Detroit Tigers tickets to watch them battle it out with their rivals, which include the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers have also put some outstanding names in the Baseball Hall of Fame, including Ty Cobb, Sparky Anderson, Mickey Cochrane, Sam Crawford and Goose Goslin. You can always count on great baseball action with the Tigers so an investment in Detroit Tigers tickets is an investment in a great baseball game. For fans buying their tickets online, make sure you get them from an authorized ticket vendor.

Baseball fans can really experience a royal baseball treat with Royals tickets. Despite their name, the Kansas City Royals are often seen as the underdogs in major league baseball, particularly following their recent slump. However, like true underdogs, the Royals have always put up a great game and baseball observers have noted that the Royals seem poised for a big comeback this year.

The Kansas City Royals are part of the Central Division and the American League, within Major League baseball. They play out of Kauffman Stadium when they are at home and are known as The Boys in Blue. So far, they have one World Series title to their name as well as two American League pennants.

The New Kid On The Block

Compared to other baseball teams that have been around since the 1800s, the Royals are relative newcomers, hitting the field for the first time in 1969. However, the Royals were able to make a hard-hitting impact early on, scoring a win in their first official game and maintaining a good edge from then on. Game attendance rose as more fans bought Royals tickets and came to see the games.

By the early eighties, the Royals were doing pretty well for themselves. In 1984, the team was involved in what is known as the Pine Tar Incident. George Brett had just smashed a home run when the umpire noticed a heavy amount of pine tar on Brett’s bat. The home run was disallowed, Brett stormed off and a piece of baseball folklore was born.

Hitting High And Hitting Low

The infamous Pine Tar Incident also did not stop fans from purchasing their Royals tickets and they weren’t disappointed. The Royals pulled off a splendid World Series win in 1985, crowning themselves as the true kings of the field. For many, this would prove to be the high point, after which the Royals would keep playing a steady game without doing anything remarkable. And as is natural, the Royals began to hit a slump in 1995.

Many factors contributed to this slump. Not only did the Royals lose their manager and owner in quick succession, the team also got their payrolls pinched. All this combined to lower the team’s morale and by 2006, the Royals were at the very bottom of the pile. By 2007, efforts were made to shake the team up and as a result, the current line up appears to be one of the most aggressive so far. With a new motto and a new look, the Royals are ready to win back their crown.

Due to the fact that the Kansas City Royals are still relatively new as a team, they have not yet established any long-standing or fierce rivalries. However, Royals tickets are always a hot commodity because they have always had a good roster of players. In fact, despite its youth, the team has managed to add a few good names to the Baseball Hall of Fame, including George Brett, Gaylord Perry and Orlando Cepeda. Don’t miss your chance to see some great baseball the next time the Kansas City Royals play close by. You can even buy your tickets online from an authorized ticket vendor.

Major League Baseball, through issuer Bank of America, has cast its giant footprint on the credit card industry.  Like many schools, airlines, and retail stores have done for decades, baseball teams are now being featured on consumer credit cards.  These credit cards, picturing the major league baseball team of choice on their face, are rapidly growing in popularity and proving to be a hit with baseball fans across the country.  

The Major League Baseball™ Extra Bases™ Credit Card from Bank of America boasts no annual fee and a 0% introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on balance transfers and cash advance checks for the first 12 billing cycles.   As incentives to gain customer share in the extraordinarily competitive credit card market, the baseball credit card also offers an official MLB™ licensed jersey after the first qualifying transaction using the card.  In addition to the no annual fee and 0% introductory APR, the card offers a point based incentive system whereby card holders earn 1 point for every net retail dollar spent redeemable for MLB™ autographed memorabilia, coveted MLB™ life experiences, travel and cash rewards.

A review of the internet landscape makes clear that every major league baseball team can be represented on a credit card.  For example, www.mlbcreditcardoffers.com highlights the card, its features and allows consumers to apply.  Other websites like www.metscreditcard.com and numerous others in which you simple insert the [team name] followed by creditcard.com, like www.redsoxcreditcard.com for example, offer the same Major League Baseball™ Extra Bases™ Credit online application. 

Historically, baseball has given the public something to believe in and something to hope for, particularly in tough economic times.  With this credit card, consumers can be reminded of their favorite team every time they open their wallets.

Bank of America and Major League Baseball are creating excitement in the credit card industry.  Like many colleges, airlines, and department stores have done in the past, Major League Baseball team logos are now being displayed on consumer credit cards.  These team logo credit cards are rapidly growing in popularity and proving to be a hit with baseball fans throughout the country. 

The Major League Baseball® Extra Bases™ Credit Card from Bank of America offers no annual fee and a 0% introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on balance transfers and cash advance checks for the first 12 billing cycles.   As incentives designed to gain customer share in the extraordinarily competitive credit card market, the baseball credit card also offers an official MLB™ licensed jersey after the first qualifying transaction using the card.  In addition to the no annual fee and 0% introductory APR, the card offers a point based incentive system whereby card holders earn 1 point for every net retail dollar spent redeemable for MLB™ autographed memorabilia, coveted MLB™ life experiences, travel and cash rewards.

Every major league baseball team can be represented on a credit card.  Visit www.majorleaguecreditcard.com  or www.collegecreditbuilder.com to access the Major League Baseball™ Extra Bases™ Credit online application.  Chicago Cubs fans and Los Angeles Dodgers fans and New York Yankees fans now have something in common aside from their love of baseball.  Real fans carry the card.  With this credit card, consumers can be reminded of their favorite team every time they look into their wallets.

The team logo of any Major League Baseball™ team can now be featured on the Major League Baseball™ Extra Bases™ Credit Card issued by Bank of America.  (www.majorleaguecreditcard.com ).   This rewards credit card is scoring big with avid baseball fans and credit card consumers across the country.  Like many department stores, universities and airlines have done for decades, Major League Baseball™ teams are now being displayed on consumer credit cards.  These sports oriented rewards credit cards — a great way for fans to express their undying team loyalty –  are proving to be a home run in the credit card industry.

Features offered by the Major League Baseball™ Extra Bases™ Credit Card from Bank of America include:

•           No annual fee.

•           0% introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on balance transfers and cash advance checks for your first 12 billing cycles.

•           Earn 1 point for every net retail dollar spent redeemable for MLB™ autographed memorabilia, once-in-a-lifetime MLB™ experiences, cash rewards and travel with no blackout dates.

•           Get an official MLB™ licensed jersey after your first qualifying transaction(s) using your MLB™ Extra Bases™ credit card.

During a period of economic instability, uncertainty in the stock market, illiquidity in the credit markets and the softening real estate market, one thing remains constant – sports fans are crazy about Major League Baseball.  Historically, baseball has given the public something to believe in and something to hope for, particularly during difficult economic times.   With the MLB™ Extra Bases™ credit card, baseball fans can be reminded of their favorite team every time they take out their wallets.  Real fans carry the card with pride.  Visit www.majorleaguecreditcard.com to complete the credit card application online in a few short minutes.