Your most handsome baseball player please...

[samhexum]

Almost the entire Houston Astros roster makes me weak.

 

I've had a thing for Justin Verlander-Upton since he was a rookie. His face has never changed. He's not gorgeous, just very masculine. His nude pics were a disappointment, though.

 

The only other Astro that turns me on is Altuve.

 

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.3528532.1506634252!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/star-rosters-baseball.jpg

 

http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/66/65/50/14375433/3/920x920.jpg

[samhexum]

I've had a thing for Justin Verlander-Upton since he was a rookie.

 

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander didn’t just want awedding in Italy, they wanted a true experience.

 

“It was really important to Justin and me that it feel like we were on vacation with our closest friends and family,” Upton told Vogue. “We set up an entire afternoon dedicated to interactive games, which we called the Uplander Olympics.”

 

Guests participated in a “ping-pong tournament, cornhole, a football toss, relay races, and an epic water balloon fight” ahead of the couple’s rehearsal dinner that evening, where they requested guests wear red. Upton donned a red Valentino gown while Verlander sported a custom-made red tuxedo jacket. The next day, the ceremony and reception took place at the Rosewood Castiglion Del Bosco resort.

 

“We found a beautiful corner of paradise that Tuscany Flowers helped transform into our ‘secret garden,’” Upton shared. “It was the first time the property had ever held a ceremony in this location.”

 

Upton kept with Valentino when designing her ceremony dress because it’s “the best at creating delicate, beautiful lace and details, and their Italian heritage kept the fashion and feel authentic to our venue,” she said.

 

During the reception, which took place in a greenhouse custom built for the couple, Upton ditched the conservative gown and opted for a sheer number, designed by Christy Rilling Studio.

 

“I wanted a dress that I could have fun in,” she shared, “but that still brought the glamour.”

 

Their first dance was set to Michael Bublé‘s “Everything.”

[gallahadesquire]

He is cute ... all 5'6" of him.

 

I've had a thing for Justin Verlander-Upton since he was a rookie. His face has never changed. He's not gorgeous, just very masculine. His nude pics were a disappointment, though.

 

The only other Astro that turns me on is Altuve.

 

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.3528532.1506634252!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/star-rosters-baseball.jpg

 

http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/66/65/50/14375433/3/920x920.jpg

[samhexum]

Two definitive words: Mike Trout.

 

You beat me to the punch on Mike Trout. He's my angel in the outfield 24/7/365.~Boomer~

 

 

Mike Trout might not belong in Los Angeles for a reason that has nothing to do with baseball.

 

The Angels superstar has made his affinity for the weather known in recent years, striking up a relationship with meteorologist Jim Cantore and posting videos and messages about a variety of storms on his Twitter account. The snowstorm that hit the Northeast on Thursday, deemed the “bomb cyclone,” caught Trout’s interest a day earlier and led to an onslaught of weather-related messages to his wife.

 

 

It didn’t take long for Jessica Cox, who wed Trout in December fittingly in a snow-covered setting, to grow tired of her husband’s hobby.

 

 

“He’s about one weather map photo short of me muting his text message alerts… #theobsessionsisreal,” she wrote on Twitter, in response to Cantore’s high praise for Trout’s knowledge of meteorology.

 

Cantore, who has had Trout call into his show on The Weather Channel and sent him a weather balloon in 2016 to track trends, said the two have been actively discussing the blizzard as details kept surfacing this week.

 

“I’ve been talking to Mike Trout all week. He’s so excited about this storm right now. He’s been blowing up my phone,” Cantore said on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio. “There’s no question that he would have been a meteorologist if he wasn’t a phenomenal baseball player. He really loves weather. He’s a total geek about it, and it’s great talking to him.”

 

 

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http://www.homorazzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mike-trout-shirtless.jpg

 

[samhexum]

 

 

 

[samhexum]

Kevin Kiermaier needs thumb surgery, reportedly expected to miss 8-12 weeks

 

Kevin Kiermaier is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

 

The Rays announced the injury Monday and placed Kiermaier on the 10-day disabled list but did not disclose a timeline for how long the two-time Gold Glove winner will be sidelined.

 

Kiermaier suffered the injury on a headfirst slide into second base during Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Rays manager Kevin Cash said after the game that Kiermaier could “miss a chunk” of the season.

 

The injury-plagued Kiermaier, who had been scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, also acknowledged after the game that “the odds are [not] in my favor.”

 

Kiermaier, 27, has missed significant time each of the last three seasons because of injuries. He missed nearly two months in 2016 because of a broken hand and appeared in just 98 games last season because of a fractured hip.

 

Make a wish… and blow!

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Boston+Red+Sox+v+Tampa+Bay+Rays+G6ak_YKZsQwx.jpg

 

 

 

 

[gallahadesquire]

OMG ... those EYES ... reminds me of [named deleted to protect the innocent].

 

The lights are on AND someone's home.

[samhexum]

Yankee minor leaguer Dom Thompson-Williams

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[samhexum]

Catcher Drew Butera, KC Royals

 

 

 

 

Drew Butera is a man of his word. And because of that, he's got a new 'do.

 

And it's pink.

 

Butera said he made a promise to 7-year-old Dagan Lingenfelter when the boy was in the hospital getting chemotherapy treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2016. His promise: When Lingenfelter beat cancer, he could dye Butera's hair any color that he wanted.

 

"So, he comes in and says that when I kick cancer's butt, I can dye his hair any color he wanted, and we made a deal and we did that today," Dagan told reporters before Friday night's game.

[samhexum]

Nick Markakis, Outfielder, Baltimore Orioles

 

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Nick Markakis, Ryan Flaherty more than just Braves teammates

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Not only do Nick Markakis and Ryan Flaherty have differing fashion sense, they get to show their wardrobes off at family holiday gatherings.

 

Ryan Flaherty's first major league locker mates, Nick Johnson and Nick Markakis, were firm believers that rookies should never speak unless expressly asked for their opinion. Johnson retired after Flaherty's rookie year, while Markakis dressed beside Flaherty in the Baltimore Orioles' home clubhouse at Camden Yards from 2012 through 2014.

 

"He didn't talk to me for three years," Flaherty said. "The first conversation we had was about his sister-in-law, who I ended up marrying. He's a man of few words."

 

That's the way most people see Markakis -- as a stoic producer who churns out numbers in a publicity vacuum. He is about to become the first player since World War II to have 2,000 career hits, 400 doubles and 1,000 runs (he's at 997) without ever making an All-Star team.

 

Flaherty has tapped into an alternate side of Markakis as his commuting partner, workout buddy, comic foil, daily antagonist and the guy who passes the gravy at holiday dinners. They're sharing a clubhouse and National League East title hopes this summer as teammates and brothers-in-law on a surprise contender in the Atlanta Braves.

 

Markakis married Christina Dutko of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2008. Flaherty became part of the family in 2016 when he wed Christina's sister, Ashley. As a tandem, the two Braves aren't quite as entertaining as Ozzie Albies legging out a triple or Ronald Acuña Jr. ranging into the gap to steal an extra-base hit. But their biting humor and incessant jibes have provided a nice diversion for teammates during the 162-game hamster wheel of a season.

 

"I think generally they get on pretty well," Braves reliever Peter Moylan said. "But they're the first at each other when something isn't up to speed, so to speak. They'll say things you probably couldn't say to another teammate. They get all the bulls--- out of the way early and there's no holding back. They're like, 'This is what I think and I'm going to tell you,' and it works both ways. I think it's hilarious."

 

Baseball has a rich history of fathers, sons and brothers, from the Boones and Alous to the DiMaggios, Niekros, Alomars and Bells. Brothers-in-law aren't quite as prominent in MLB lore, but several prominent players have been linked by marriage through the years. The list includes Manny Machado and Yonder Alonso, Ian Desmond and Josh Roenicke, Neil Walker and Don Kelly, and Brandon Crawford and Gerrit Cole, who were in the news recently when Crawford took Cole deep during a San Francisco Giants-Houston Astros matchup.

 

Every now and then, brothers-in-law wear the same uniform. Outfielder Rick Miller married Carlton Fisk's sister, Janet, in 1973, and they played together for four more seasons in Boston. In 2014, pitcher Michael Tonkinand outfielder Jason Kubel were in-laws and teammates in Minnesota.

 

The Atlanta tandem has contributed its share of impact moments in April and May. Markakis is batting .340 with a National League-leading 71 hits and is driving the ball with authority three years after neck surgery threatened to derail his career. He has caught enough of a second wind to leave Kirk Gibson, Tim Salmon, Eric Chavez and a select few others behind on the list of "best players to never make an All-Star team."

 

Flaherty, a former Vanderbilt Commodore who was a first-round pick by the Cubs in the 2008 draft, ranks third among Maine natives behind Del Bissonette and George Gore with 37 career home runs. He led the National League in hitting three weeks into April before losing the starting third-base job to Jose Bautista and, more recently, Johan Camargo. But he remains a handy piece for Braves manager Brian Snitker off the bench because of his versatility, reliable glove and ability to run into a fastball.

 

As teammates in Atlanta, Flaherty and Markakis are baseball's answer to Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in "Step Brothers" -- minus the bunk beds. They'll bicker or needle each other in the clubhouse, the dugout, in airport terminals and on bus rides to and from the ballpark.

 

"We ride to the field together every day, and he'll give his opinion on some nonsense," Flaherty said. "Then we get to the field and we hardly ever talk until the next day, unless we're working out or he's telling me how bad my swing looked. I'll come back to the dugout and he'll say, 'What kind of swing was that?'"

 

Flaherty has a stock response whenever it appears Markakis is gaining the upper hand in the relationship.

 

"Nick has more hits than me," he said. "He has a bigger bank account than me. He's got a bigger car than me. But I have better hair than him."

 

Darren O'Day sliced up eight articles of his clothing during their time together in Baltimore.

 

Flaherty achieved a measure of revenge in 2015, when he gained secret access to O'Day's gear as it was being packed for a trip to the All-Star Game. O'Day, who loathes the New England Patriots, arrived in the visiting clubhouse at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati to find a Tom Brady jersey hanging in his locker.

 

Markakis, the stoic brother-in-law, is most comfortable when engaged in four activities: playing baseball, working out in preparation for baseball, hanging out with his wife and three sons, or sitting in a tree stand on a hunting trip. With his dark eyes, brooding countenance and ultra-quiet demeanor, he has been known to intimidate teammates in the clubhouse without even trying.

 

"Guys think he's probably got a body count somewhere," Flaherty said, laughing. During Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas gift exchanges, the respective wives see the same dynamic on display.

 

"If you're a fly on the wall listening to them and you really don't know them, you're like, 'Is this really being said right now?'" Christina Markakis said.

 

"Ryan is Mr. Social Butterfly, and Nick is the polar opposite," Ashley Flaherty said. "You see them and you're like, 'What in the world do they have in common?'"

 

The foundation of the relationship was laid in 2012 in Baltimore, after the Cubs left Flaherty off their 40-man roster and the Orioles chose him in the Rule 5 draft. Markakis, who has a softer, more generous side than he likes to reveal publicly, went on an annual shopping trip to buy Louis Vuitton wallets for the rookies, and he asked Christina to accompany him to help pick out a special gift for Flaherty.

 

A couple of years later, Christina mentioned Flaherty as a potential match for her sister Ashley, who was working as an attorney in Florida. When Markakis casually raised the topic in the Baltimore clubhouse, heads snapped in unison, because the gesture was so out of character.

 

"I just relayed the message and one thing led to another," Markakis said. "I don't do matchmaking."

[samhexum]

[continued]

 

The night Flaherty met Ashley Dutko, he had just

from Adam Jones and emerged from the clubhouse with remnants of pie cream still in his ears. He took her to the Abbey Burger Bistro on their first date, and the relationship blossomed over time before they were married in Florida in December 2016.

 

As Flaherty gradually infiltrated the Dutko-Markakis family dynamic, he and his brother-in-law grew more comfortable probing each other's weak spots. They live five minutes apart in suburban Atlanta, and Flaherty swings by Markakis' house for the commute to SunTrust Park. During the drive, Markakis typically will complain about Flaherty's insistence on blasting rap music on the car stereo. Or he'll give Flaherty grief over his addiction to his cellphone.

 

"Nick calls Ryan a 'damn millennial,'" said Christina Markakis. This might be a salient observation if Markakis weren't 34 years old and Flaherty 31.

 

The fellow Braves snipe at each other over their golf games or respective diets. Markakis has a sweet tooth and a fondness for Wendy's cheeseburgers, while Flaherty is a stickler for nutrition and never touches fast food. "Ryan eats like a bird," Markakis frequently tells his wife.

 

But nothing bonds or divides them more than the debate over their wardrobes. Flaherty is partial to skinny jeans, sweatpants, hoodies and tube socks over Jordan sneakers. He likes camouflage gear because it's fashionable, while Markakis prefers camo because it's functional and great for hunting.

 

During a recent bus trip, Flaherty and Markakis sent photos of their outfits on a family text chain and declared each an embarrassment to the entire clan. In one text, Flaherty derided Markakis for wearing a pair of slacks that looked like "my grandmother's curtains."

 

So where do the other Braves come down on the topic? Pitcher Brandon McCarthy prefers to remain neutral.

 

"They're at opposite-but-equal ends of the terrible fashion spectrum," McCarthy said.

 

 

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On the field, the brothers-in-law are bonded by a love of the game and an appreciation for old-school fundamentals. Flaherty's father, Ed, is an accomplished Division III coach who recently logged his 1,000th career victory at the University of Southern Maine. Flaherty was a longtime favorite of Orioles manager Buck Showalter, who saw a value in him that far surpassed his .639 career OPS with Baltimore.

 

Markakis has never hit with prototypical corner outfield power. But he's a two-time Gold Glove winner who appeared in 155 or more games in 10 of his first 12 seasons. He has shown a discerning eye, an appreciation for the craft of hitting, and professional staying power at a time when the game is increasingly skewing young.

 

Among modern-day athletes, Markakis stands out for his aversion to self-promotion. He doesn't have accounts on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and he tells his wife he would rather be anonymous than succumb to the temptation of raising his profile as a social media gadfly.

 

"He does things so quietly, and he doesn't want any of the attention," Moylan said. "He's quite happy just going out there, being a professional, playing the game the right way and leading by example. Sometimes in this day and age, it's more about trying to get the attention than it is trying to do the job, and he's the complete opposite. That's a nice, refreshing change."

 

Contrary to public perception, Markakis insists that he is not the joyless, robotic presence people make him out to be.

 

"We spend a lot of time together [as teammates] and you can't be serious 24/7," Markakis said. "You have to have a little fun with it. If I'm at the plate and I get jammed so bad I pop it up to the pitcher, I'm cool with people making jokes about it. That's one of the single most embarrassing things that can happen as a hitter. When that happened to another player when I was in Baltimore, Adam Jones and I would die laughing in the outfield. I'd rather strike out than pop up to the pitcher."

 

When Markakis looks back on his career post-retirement, it might be hard to top events of this summer for entertainment value. He has been energized by Atlanta's young roster and the daily commutes to the park with his brother-in-law, who has loosened him up and allowed him to have more fun than ever around family and teammates.

 

Markakis, in turn, has reinforced Flaherty's faith in the importance of dedication and commitment to the job. Beneath the insults and put-downs, they're just two ballplayers with shared values and a common affinity for winning.

 

"It's funny," Flaherty said. "The first thing every teammate asks me is, 'What's Nick like at home?' The first time you meet him you're like, 'Do you not like me?' But that's not it at all. He's just a quiet human being.

 

"You always hear people talk about athletes and say, 'He doesn't care about the fame.' But Nick literally doesn't care about anything except baseball and his family. He doesn't pay attention to any other external stuff going on in the world, which is a special character trait he has. It's the same reason a lot of people don't know how good he is."

 

Lest those comments come across as overly sentimental -- or give people the impression these two guys actually like each other -- Markakis has no plans to cut Flaherty any slack when they're getting after it in the gym. He will continue to push and prod Flaherty to be better because the Braves are counting on both of them. And isn't that what a good brother-in-law is supposed to do?

 

"I think deep down, they really do respect each other and admire each other," said Ashley Flaherty. "And we're all glad that they have each other."

[samhexum]

Dansby Swanson

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http://www.baseballdailydigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1-6.jpg

[samhexum]

Honk if you love baseball...

 

A goose was on the loose Wednesday night in Detroit until a scoreboard at Comerica Park intervened.

 

As the Angels and Tigers waited out their second rain delay in the top of the sixth inning, a goose flew onto the outfield grass at Comerica.

 

JaCoby Jones tried, too, taking a swat at the goose with his glove but missing.

 

The goose ultimately took off and began flying out of Comerica. Fans in attendance applauded as the goose made its ascent, with the Fox Sports West telecast saying, "There he goes. He gone. In cruise control now."

 

If only it were that easy.

 

In midair, the goose tried to slam on the breaks when it spotted a big blue scoreboard on its way out of the stadium, but it was too late. The goose slammed into the scoreboard and went crashing into the seats below, as the fans who were cheering seconds earlier exhaled in despair.

 

The good news: The goose turned out OK, getting onto its feet after crashing before being taken away from the seats by a Tigers fan.

 

And the whole situation seemed to inspire the Tigers, who rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 6-1 win.

 

Afterward, they chalked it up to the #RallyGoose.

 

"My wife would have had a heart attack if she saw that," Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We're glad the goose is OK. That was not fun to watch when they were chasing him around and he went into the stands; that was scary."

 

As for the charms of the so-called rally goose, Gardenhire said, "I don't know -- we broke up the goose eggs, OK."

 

Angels manager Mike Scioscia laughed when asked about the goose.

 

"They're a beautiful animal," he said. "Looked like me trying to get off the ground with the wings for a while. He had about six inches of altitude, but he finally got up."

 

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[samhexum]

 

 

 

 

[samhexum]

 

 

Singing the national anthem

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Besides singing the anthem before a game, here's another interesting tidbit... He (a PITCHER) did not strike out until his 35th plate appearance as a hitter. Few position players manage that.

[samhexum]

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[Bearofdistinction]

Pat Burrell during his Phillies days --- Met him one night at an after hours club - drunk - shirtless - sweaty - dancing and I licked him - nearly came in my pants right then

 

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[samhexum]

Bucky Dent

Bucky 'bleeping' Dent is throwing out the first pitch tonight.

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[MartyB]

Bucky 'bleeping' Dent is throwing out the first pitch tonight.

He was my apartment neighbor in NYC for about 3 months.

http://media.nj.com/njv_impact/photo/bucky-dentjpg-3d55b98e10e53795.jpg

[+ friendofsheila]

This is the picture to beat, guys: Kapler in animal print bikini!!!

 

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Nobody has come up with anyone wearing anything as much like a thong as Kapler's teeensy weeeensy bikini in this picture, so nobody has challenged Kapler yet!

[+ oldNbusted]

I hardly watch any baseball, but for some reason, if Andrew McCutchen appears on the screen, he always turns my head, even if I don't know it's him at first, it's kinda odd, there is something about his body language that catches my eye.

 

http://fanpagepress.net/m/A/Andrew-Mccutchen-new-pic-5.jpg

[MassageDrew]

Kris Bryant of Chicago Cubs

 

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[samhexum]

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Jack Leiter shares dad’s gifts but may choose own road to majors

 

Jack Leiter was always going to pitch, and he always wanted to, from the time he was a kid. It was in his blood. Even before his growth spurt, when he was one of the smallest kids on his travel team and mostly played infield, he made sure to pitch on the side.

 

“We pitch,” his father Al, the former Met and Yankee left-hander, said. “We’re pitchers.”

 

Jack is following in the family business, developing into one of the premier high school pitching prospects in the country. Delbarton’s senior ace right-hander with the mid-90s fastball and polished off-speed repertoire to match drew dozens of scouts to every one of his starts this spring. In Monday night’s MLB draft, he could surpass his father, a second-round pick of the Yankees in 1984. Some have projected him as a first-rounder, if his commitment to national powerhouse Vanderbilt and price tag that would go along with it doesn’t scare teams away. Baseball America ranks him 22nd of all draft-eligible prospects.

 

“If Jack wants to play pro ball and he wants to go in the draft, he’ll be a top-15 pick — no ifs, ands or buts,” Delbarton coach Bruce Shatel said of the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey. “That’s the consensus. It’s basically up to him.”

 

No matters what happens, this has been a year the family won’t soon forget. Jack, 19, has pitched Delbarton into Wednesday’s Non-Public A state final — going 8-0 with 88 strikeouts, just 23 hits allowed in 53 innings pitched and a 0.53 ERA. Al has attended every game, after stepping away from his job as a Yankees announcer with the YES Network. He’s behind the backstop for every start — charting his son’s pitches, offering insight in between innings.

 

“What’s it been like? Fantastic. Terrific,” Al said. “Stuff you hope as a parent you get a chance to experience.”

 

Jack’s meteoric rise began a few years ago. Al saw his son had a love for pitching, so he created a workout plan based on what he did when he was a major league pitcher. He never pushed him. He simply gave him the formula that Jack has followed to a tee.

 

“I’ll come home and I’ll hear the thump of a heavy ball into the cement wall and I know he’s down there [in the

 

Shatel has marveled at how meticulous his star pitcher is. He’s always doing something to get better. There is no down time at the park. He’s either running, throwing, working on his pickoff move or mechanics. He treats drill work like he’s on the mound in the state championship game. The work ethic and determination reminds his mother Lori of when Al was pitching in the big leagues.

 

“When it comes to working hard and improvement, I would say, yeah, I guess I am a perfectionist,” Jack said after finding fault with his shutout performance over 6 ²/₃ innings in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Non-Public A final victory over Don Bosco Prep on Friday.

 

Shatel didn’t see this when Jack joined his program as a freshman. He was small and didn’t throw overall hard. He knew how to pitch, and did well with a chance late in the year on the varsity. But it wasn’t until the following spring the longtime coach realized he had a legitimate prospect on his hands. Jack went through a growth spurt and during the team’s spring training in Florida, his velocity shot up.

 

Shatel and Al were behind the backstop chatting and clocking the team’s pitchers. Jack got their attention: 89, 90, 91.

“We both looked at each other in disbelief,” recalled Shatel, who said the only New Jersey prep pitcher he’s ever seen comparable to Jack is Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello.

 

Jack is just the latest in a long line of Leiters with a gift for throwing a baseball. Al was a 19-year veteran in the big leagues, winning three World Series titles and reaching two All-Star games. His brother Mark pitched for a decade in the majors. Mark’s son is still pitching professionally. Their brother Kurt pitched for Oklahoma State in the College World Series and in the minor leagues.

 

Al hoped his son would take another path, maybe become a third baseman. But he had the Leiter family flaw — Jack was frequently out in front at the plate, lunging at the ball — and possessed the pitching gift all the Leiter men seem to have.

 

“People might think that expectations are high, whatever it is, and that comes from [being his son], but I really don’t think the expectations are high,” Jack said. “I’m my own person. I’m trying to make a name for myself.”

 

Al said he believes his son is ahead of where he was at the same age. Jack throws harder, has better mechanics and a more polished set of pitches. He’s poised on the mound, and Al was admittedly a “nutjob” who took years to mature. The one drawback: Jack is just 6-foot; Al stands 6-foot-3. That, in addition to his scholarship to Vanderbilt, could hold him back Monday night.

 

“He has everything except for height,” a scout who has closely followed Jack said. “He has a chance for plus stuff across the board.”

 

Al’s love for pitching was clearly passed on to his son. Jack has roughly 40 quotes from famous pitchers hung up in his room, mostly about focus, poise and thinking the game. There, however, is not one from his dad.

 

“I get those every day,” he joked.

 

The two will talk pitching constantly. Jack basically lives with his personal pitching coach. Just the other day, Al showed him how David Cone would grip his slider. Jack tried it in a bullpen session, and is now throwing the pitch that way. They talk pitching at the dinner table. They talk pitching while watching television.

 

“Since Jack could talk and walk, it’s been baseball,” his mother said.

 

The next step is uncertain. The draft is Monday, but Jack said he is more focused on Wednesday’s state final. When the subject was broached with Al, he made it sound like college is in his son’s future, pointing to his prowess in the classroom and how important academics were in picking a school.

 

“I think he got straight A’s except two classes in four years of high school,” Al said. “He didn’t commit to Vanderbilt just because they’re really good at baseball. School matters to him, it matters to me and it matters to my wife.”

 

For now, father and son are just enjoying the present, reveling in this potential run to a state championship. Whatever comes Monday is gravy. Two days later he’ll be back on the mound, and Al will be behind the backstop following every pitch.

 

 

[+ Gar1eth]

Did anyone (possibly even me) earlier in this thread mention Jose Canseco back in his salad days?

 

 

Gman

[gallahadesquire]

Did anyone (possibly even me) earlier in this thread mention Jose Canseco back in his salad days?

 

 

Gman

Yes, you did. Twice.