Latest Gear Live Videos
Barry Bonds Hits Home Run Number 715
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Editorial, Kudos, MLB, News,
Well, it finally happened. San Francisco Giants OF, Barry Bonds, made history today when he went yard against Byung-Hyun Kim in the bottom half of the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies. The Giants eventually lost the contest 6-3, but regardless, there was champagne (and maybe caviar dreams) to be had by all in the Giants clubhouse after the game.
Love him or hate him, and there seems to be no in-between, today’s milestone is a big one as Bonds is now in sole possession of second place on the all-time homerun list, a mythic statistic for baseball because it grasps the attention and causes awe for every fan that witnesses one going over the fence. And equally as mythic is the hold that Babe Ruth has on the game.
And love him or hate him, you have to be impressed by Bonds passing the Babe.
Of course, Bonds will probably never (okay, it’s pretty much a done deal that he won’t) ever have the appeal or legacy of Babe Ruth. Who can forget the stories of a homerun dedicated to a little boy in the hospital, the pointing to the direction Ruth was going to hit a dinger, or the fact that he caused the downfall of an entire organization and there was a curse named after him until the Boston Red Sox finally won the World Series in 2004? Just these few things make the Bambino a legend, plain and simple.
But, what of Bonds? Will he only be remembered for alleged steroid use? The fact that a lot of teammates did not like him? Neither did (does) the media? Is he just a misunderstood man whom we will eventually “know” when his playing days are over? Will his star rise and all we’ll remember are the statistics and that he is the greatest left-handed homerun hitter of all time? Consider, Ruth was an alcoholic and notorious “player” off the field. How about Mickey Mantle, one of the most talented players to step his cleat in the diamond? He was also an alcoholic. Ty Cobb? Just a through and through jerk by all accounts. But all of them are remembered because of the joy and wonder they brought to the game - the mouths agape by the fans as they witnessed greatness before their eyes.
Will we ever tell our grandchildren that we watched, arguably, the greatest player that ever stepped up to the plate and played Gold Glove defense in the outfield?
That is a question that remains open and abstract. However, there is something that is concluded and concrete - Barry Bonds is now second, behind Hammerin’ Hank Aaron, on a list that the general baseball fan holds in highest regard. Today, Bonds hit number 715, whether it was on steroids or not.
Love him or hate him, Bonds made history today.
Advertisement
Diamondbacks’ Pitcher Brandon Webb First to Eight Wins
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Kudos, MLB,
Okay, so I got it wrong. In today’s TSTC, I noted how I thought Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb was going to basically lose and get hit hard by one of the top offenses in all of baseball, the Cincinnati Reds. And in one of the notorious hitter’s parks in all of the Major Leagues nonetheless.
Well, it seems I underestimated the power of the sinker.
Webb simply dominated the Reds, pitching a complete game shutout, giving up seven hits, only one walk, and striking out five. Webb allowed only two doubles and five singles, his above average sinker keeping all balls in the park. Reds’ OF Adam Dunn collected three hits and was the only Red with more than one hit.
The victory improves Webb’s record to an impressive 8-0. A feat no other Diamondbacks pitcher has ever accomplished to start a season. Not Randy Johnson, nor Curt Schilling. This accomplishment isn’t too outlandish to happen, however, since Webb possesses incredible stuff and for his career has a very good K/9 rate(strikeouts per nine innings) of 7.21 and an excellent 3.21 ERA. And Webb is proving this season that when he can control his bases on balls allowed, he can be downright dominant as he was tonight.
In any case, how did the two other pitchers I spotlighted - Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ Scott Kazmir and Chicago White Sox’s Freddie Garcia - do in their quest for their eighth win? Kazmir, against the Boston Red Sox, gave five earned runs in 5.1 innings and needless to say, got the loss. Garcia, against the Toronto Blue Jays, also gave up five earned in 5.1 innings and also got a check in the loss column.
So, if I learned anything tonight, it’s this: Do not underestimate the power of the sinker!
New York Yankees SS Derek Jeter got hit number 2,000 tonight against the Kansas City Royals. The milestone hit, a single, came in the fourth inning against SP Scott Elarton. It’s hard to believe that Jeter, who came up through the Yankees farm system and making his debut during the 1995 season, already has 2,000 hits.
Is he really going to be 32 years old next month? He’ll always seem like the youngster that lifted the Yankees to their first World Series since 1978 during the 1996 season. And, of course, we all know about the spectacular defensive clutch plays he’s made over the past decade during the postseason.
But, this milestone is about his offense. Jeter has hit for 200+ hits four times in his career. To show his consistency, besides his first year when he only stepped up to the plate 48 times and his injury-laden 2003 season, Jeter has collected at least 183 hits every season. No wonder he gets the respect he does around the league… even from Red Sox Nation.
So, what are the prospects of Jeter getting 3,000 hits, the benchmark of being an indubitable Hall of Famer? Considering Jeter has been relatively durable his whole career, he should continue to get the at-bats to have a chance to get hit number 3K. He owns a .315 lifetime BA (batting average), which speaks well of his chances to get hits. However, Jeter’s skills should start to diminish soon and there is no guarantee he’ll stay as healthy as he’s been.
Yet, considering his postseason exploits, the respect he commands from his peers and opposing managers, his impeccable off-the-field reputation, and four World Series rings, I don’t think that there is any doubt Jeter will make it into the Hall of Fame without 3,000 hits.
However, being the competitor and team player that he is, I’m sure Jeter doesn’t really care about individual goals, but rather team goals. So, the thought of getting number 3,000 is a moot point.
And that’s exactly why Jeter is already a guaranteed Hall of Famer. Congrats on 2,000, DJ!
In the second inning of the second game of the Oakland Athletics/San Francisco Giants series, Barry Bonds hit homerun number 714 to tie Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time MLB homerun list. Notice the number of times I use the word, “second”? Well, it’s only appropriate considering that Bonds climb up the list will be “second”-guessed due to allegations of steroid use.
The shot off of A’s starter, Brad Halsey, landed in the first deck of elevated stands in right center. Estimates have it going at 400 feet, clearly not one of those gigantic blasts Bonds is known for. But, what matters is that it went over the fence and history was made.
Of course, Bonds has to get his next dinger to be in second place all by his lonesome. He gets his shot to do that tomorrow against second-year pitcher Joe Blanton.
EndScore Interview: Redleg Nation’s Chad Dotson
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Editorial, Front Office, Kudos, MLB,
EndScore recently had the great privelege to interview Redleg Nation‘s Chad Dotson, a passionate Cincinnati Reds fan who shows his Reds love through one of the best baseball blogs on the internet. He shared his thoughts on his blog, the current Reds team, and what he thinks of the new Reds ownership.
EndScore: Can you tell me about Redleg Nation (RN) - how it started, when, etc.?
Chad: Sure. A couple of years ago, I began to think I’d enjoy writing about the Reds on a regular basis. I’m a lifelong fan of the team, and I enjoyed the Reds blogs that were out there, but I felt that there was a place for another, different type of Reds blog. So I went about designing the page and getting things set up.
Meanwhile, I made the decision to seek out different contributors. I’m a member of a Cincinnati Reds listserv, and there were several members of that listserv that I thought would make excellent contributors to the blog. So I decided to make it a group blog, invited a few others to join in, and it took off from there. We’ve had a blast with it.
EndScore: So how many bloggers are there on RN?
Chad: We have six bloggers, and each person has their own area of expertise, so to speak. This season, we’re trying to focus more on the Reds minor league system, and having five other contributors makes it easier to follow everything. Our talented group of contributors are Bill Lack (who is the founder of the Reds listserv), Chris Garber, Matt Malott, Chris Wilson, and Tom Diesman.
Click to continue reading EndScore Interview: Redleg Nation’s Chad Dotson
New Orleans Saints Running Back Reggie Bush and the Jersey Number Confusion Saga
Posted by Jeff Chan Categories: Athletes, Editorial, Gear, Kudos, NFL,
There is still doubt as to whether Reggie Bush will be able to wear his favorite number 5 on the back of his jersey come the start of the NFL season. Figures from retailers have cooled off in sales, because of the uncertainty. Although to us, that is not the big story. The big story is a heart-warming, charitable one. Bush will donate 25 percent of all royalties he will receive as a result of jersey sales toward Hurricane Katrina charities regardless of what number he has on his jersey. That wasn’t the only good charitable act Bush has been apart of recently. Bush recently contributed $50,000 to the Holy Rosary School, a learning disabilities school in Louisiana that was in danger of closing. I just want to get give my applause to Reggie Bush for his good deeds in the age of the spoiled and pampered athlete.
Read More 
| Darren Rovell
Rafael Nadal Wins Tournament and Ties a Clay Court Record
Posted by Jeff Chan Categories: Athletes, Championship, Kudos, Tennis,
In a grueling five-hour, five-set match, Rafael Nadal defeated the number one seeded Roger Federer for the third time this season. This match has so many interesting tidbits to digest - not only did Nadal fight off two match points, this match also featured three tie-breaker sets. This was the championship match for the Rome Masters tournament, and the win gave the 19 year old Nadal his 16th title for his career, tying him with Bjorn Borg. Oh, Nadal tied a Men’s record with 53 straight clay court victories as well. Nadal has won nine straight tournaments on clay court. The loss by Federer gives him three for the 2006 year, all at the hands of Nadal. The clay court for non-tennis fanatics makes the ball move a bit slower which gives the faster players more of a chance to succeed against the hard-smashing, ace-serving big guys of tennis.
Read More | ESPN
So this is how the sports writers and broadcasters make up for not giving Chauncey Billups the MVP award. Ben Wallace wins the award for the fourth time in five years, which shows how dominate and consistent Ben Wallace has been. Wallace learned to play well because his older brothers never passed him the ball and had to steal and block shots to get any of the glory. So if you want to train your kids to be defensive hounds when they grow older, just torture them by never giving them the ball or the opportunity to shoot. I kind of noticed that Wallace looked pretty bummed despite the fact that he just won the award, the Pistons have been on a roll all season, and they look like they are going to crush the Cleveland Cavaliers this series as well. Keep in mind that Wallace has been unhappy with the touches he has been getting from coach Flip Saunders; when Larry Brown was coach, he used to appease the big man with a couple of plays designed for him in the early minutes of each game. Wallace is a free agent after the season, it will be an interesting summer to see if Wallace feels he has been slighted for his great play the last few years and signs elsewhere.
Read More | Associated Press
Damon Jones: Basketball Jesus
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Kudos, NBA, Playoffs, Scoreboard,
One word… Wow.
Damon Jones, he of very limited minutes during this outstanding series versus the Washington Wizards, came in for the first time in tonight’s Game Six for the Cleveland Cavaliers with 14 seconds remaining in the game. At first a dubious choice to bring in since he was cold off the bench, it actually made sense considering Jones’ ability to shoot from the outside. Still, one would be justified to question Jones’ participation in a game that found the Cavaliers down 113-112 and, in all likelihood, with only one chance to score.
In Game One, Jones played three minutes without a shot attempt. In Game Two, he played six minutes, again, without attempting a shot. In Game Three, Jones hit his lone shot - a three point field goal - in seven minutes of play. In Game Four, he played five minutes, missing his only shot attempt. In Game Five, Jones played less than a minute and statistically, registered a zero in all categories.
So, what does Jones do in Game Six - as critical a game as you can have aside from a series deciding Game Seven? A chance to be a savior of sorts for a whole city that has not seen its basketball team advance in a playoff series since 1993?
Jones comes in cold and hits a jumper from the corner to put the Cavs up by one, 114-113, with four seconds left to play. It was a shot that would be the last one in a very dramatic, nail-biting series. From Damon Jones. Not LeBron James. Not Gilbert Arenas.
Damon Jones… Basketball Jesus.
Chris Paul this season was the only unanimous selection for the NBA All-Rookie Team. The selections are made by 29 out of 30 NBA head coaches. A player is not eligible to be voted by their own coach. The first team includes PG Deron Williams, Forwards Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye and center Andrew Bogut. The second team included Danny Granger, Marvin Williams, Luther Head, Raymond Felton, and Ryan Gomes. Number one overall pick, Andrew Bogut had 26 of 29 first team votes and Charlie Villanueva had 27 of 29 first team votes. The Raptors selecting Villanueva was heavily criticized, but has panned out quite nicely.
Advertisement
© Gear Live Media, LLC. 2007 – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.