The Stars Are Out: April & May 2022

 

Yes, folks, my ongoing chronicle of famous people throwing out the first pitch at baseball games continues  with 2022. And through the first few months of the season, we've already got some nice ones.

Let's start out with one that pissed off Gerrit Cole. First home game of the Yankees' season, and who do they get to throw out the first pitch but legendary Yankee fan and Broadway headliner Billy Crystal. I feel like anytime they ask Billy to do it, he'll say yes, and he loves it. This particular time, the ceremony for him lasted a bit longer than Gerrit Cole was thinking, and Cole blamed Crystal for messing up his mojo and leading to a trickier start for him against the Sox. That's a good way to align yourself with the Yankee fans, Gerrit. 'IT'S ALL NATIONAL TREASURE BILLY CRYSTAL'S FAULT.' 

A less problematic first pitch incident came in Cincinnati, still hyped from February, and still proud of their Bengals for making the Super Bowl. Joe Burrow had a fantastic NFL season, redeemed himself for a late injury during his rookie season, and made the Bengals a big deal for the first time in years. I think the Reds fans were happy to see him, and seeing as they've done other Bengals first pitches since this, they're still very happy with their season.

As promised by their preview ad for their name change, the Cleveland Guardians could, in fact, get Tom Hanks to throw out the first pitch at their opener. To paraphrase The Simpsons Movie, The Guardians had lost all their credibility, so now they're borrowing some of his. Hanks spent some formative years in Cleveland, and while he leans more towards Oakland as a football fan, he never forgot his loyalty to the Tribe. I'm glad he was not only able to lean into his movie star presence, but even throw in Wilson the volleyball. Happy he knows who he is.

One of the best first pitches you're gonna see this century came from Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki, who couldn't do wrong in Seattle even if he retired in the middle of a season. Ichiro not only showed up to throw out the first pitch for their opener, but threw GENUINE HEAT on it. He's 48, clearly not hitting to MLB level anymore, but Ichiro has retained his rocket arm to this day, which is pretty awesome. 

For the Sox's home opener, they got their MVP of the 90s and home run hitting giant [literally] Mo Vaughn, who brought his kid to throw out the first pitch. I'm glad people still cheer for Mo, despite his career drop-off after leaving Boston. 

Similarly, Braves fans still cheer for Ron Gant for everything he did for them, despite his big years coming for Cincinnati and St. Louis. I feel like I'd have really appreciated Gant more if I'd grown up fully in the 90s. Solid hitter, played for all the red teams including the hometown one, well liked pretty much. 

May didn't have a ton of good first pitches, though...Bill Burr is a pretty damn good one, I have to say. As good of a comedy presence Burr has been for the last decade or so, Burr has become even bigger in the past few years, and even more of a Boston icon. So I'm glad he can throw one out at Fenway and get applause.

Niche one for the road- Michelle Zauner is the lead singer of the indie pop band Japanese Breakfast, who I saw live a few years ago in Philly, where the band is from. That's right, Michelle is from Philly...which is why I was puzzled to see Michelle throw out the first pitch at a METS GAME. She jokingly tweeted afterwards that she was wearing Phanatic socks the whole time, but...still. Glad she's getting acclaim and fame right now, but...the Mets, Michelle?

Hopefully we get some cool ones in the next few months as well. 

Topps Cards That Should Have Been: Ichiro in New York

It seemed like the most cruel of timings. 

In 2012, Ichiro Suzuki is traded to the New York Yankees, gets a Yankees card in Topps Update, and in the offseason signs a two year deal to remain in New York. Ichiro is no longer the perennial all-star, lineup staple that he was in the mid-2000s, but he's still a relevant name, and a name that people still love pulling in packs.

Then, tragedy strikes. Ichiro's deal with Topps expires, and he doesn't re-sign with them. Which means Ichiro's only baseball cards in 2013 and 2014 will be unlicensed, non-logo Panini cards. Meaning for two years, the only cards of one of my favorite players on MY TEAM were crappy PS jobs in Donruss, Pinnacle and Prizm sets.

And, of course, the following year, as he's joined the Marlins, Topps MIRACULOUSLY re-signs with him, meaning the only two years they couldn't make cards of him were his Yankees years. That...hurt.

So, one of the priorities of this project was to restore these lost years of Ichiro's career to Topps canon. Cause at the very least, I would have loved to see him. 

So, 2013: 150 games, being phased into more of a bench presence than a starter though still starts a ton of games. Hits .262 with 136 hits, 20 steals and 35 RBIs. He's beginning to separate from his prime years, but he's still helpful in numerous places. 

2014- As the outfield will be Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran, Suzuki humbly accepts a more bench-heavy presence on the team. In 359 plate appearances he hits .284 with 102 hits and 22 RBIs. 

While these aren't prime years for Ichiro, they're still solid enough years for the Yankees, and they're enough to get the Marlins to bring him on for 3 years as a bench-outfield supporter. I just wished Topps would acknowledge them every now and then.

Oh, By the Way, Customs are Back

I was kinda worried back there.

About a month ago, I faced a dilemma about my photo source for customs, as it wasn't giving any MLB updates, and I thought I'd have to stop doing customs. Which...was not preferable. I mean, I love talking about baseball, but the customs are my means of doing so. Y'all are here for analysis, but a thumbnail looks nice, too. There's a reason so many blogs have worked both the writing AND visual angles, and succeeded. And I didn't want to be left without visuals.

So I found another source. This one is a little more strenuous, on my part, to accumulate, but it's a system that I can get well into, and will make the eventual process of photo selection a ton easier, especially during Uncustomed Heroes. I'm gonna try to get on a good routine in production before I can go back to my two-per-day routine, but at this rate that'll probably happen quite soon.

I usually save the First Custom of the Year for an amusing acquisition, a rookie, or a Japanese import, but...I went for Ichiro.

Ichiro's been in the leagues as long as I've been making customs, and he's definitely one of my favorites. You can't NOT love somebody whose style of play is almost entirely based around contact. Last month, as Ichiro began to make his final appearances, I thought I was about to make mine. But I found a way.

Having seen Ichiro's final game, and how emotional it was for everyone involved, especially the man himself, I couldn't not commemorate the man. Even if I'm starting right off with a retired player...it's someone I respect. And we all do.

So, it's official. Customs are back. And so am I.

Farewell (for now)

The press release says you're not retiring, but...it's pretty clear this is probably the end. So thank you, Ichiro. For an amazing career, and never giving up, from that insane rookie season all the way to the finish.

Thank you. You're one of the greats, and I hope kids of all nationalities get to see your plaque in Cooperstown in a few years.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Marlins

I think it's very fitting that we're doing this Marlins post right now, as they're currently being gutted and sent all across the leagues. Even Ichiro, the guy who's been a great bench player for the last few years, was let go at the request of his old teammate, Derek Jeter. Ichiro likely has another year left in him, but it's a question of which team actually wants to sign him.

Miguel Rojas, seen here as the result of either a postgame celebration or an unwise clubhouse prank, took over for Adeiny Hechavarria, and later J.T. Riddle, as shortstop, and he did a pretty nice job of it, despite the fact that the position was still a weak spot as far as the lineup is concerned. Maybe in 2018 he'll be stronger with less competition.

Wei-Yin Chen had another disappointing, injury-prone season, but managed to do well when he was healthy. As Volquez has been released, Chen may need to be relied upon to proctor the rotation with Dan Straily and Jose Urena.

Derek Dietrich continued his role as the backup infielder that...well, that inevitably has to be used for most of the season. This time, with Martin Prado injured, Dietrich was the perennial third baseman for the Marlins, and, again, did a well enough job. I'm hesitant to say whether or not he'll be starting in 2018, or whether Miami will give Prado another shot.

...Then there's the MVP.

Giancarlo Stanton had one of the best seasons of his career, surpassing his injury-prone ones and hitting 59 home runs, absolutely dominating the league. Now, in 2018, Stanton will be playing for my team. I'll repeat my skepticism, and say that I hope he'll keep these 2017 numbers up (so we don't get, like, Albert Belle or Mo Vaughn). Still, having him in the same lineup as Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Didi Gregorius is DANGEROUS. So it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

Coming Tomorrow- A less than miraculous offering from a team that nearly won it all a few years ago.

The Legend at Work

Somewhere in the next week or so, I'm guessing, Ichiro Suzuki is going to hit is 3000th hit in the US.

This may be one of the last chances we all get to see Ichiro in his element, in his complete glory. He's one of the best hitters of our time, and he's a definite Hall of Famer, so every opportunity to see Ichiro be amazing is a good one.

Plus, this is probably one of the best customs I've made in years, and I wanted to make sure Ichiro got an amazing custom to accent what's probably going to be his last year in the bigs.

Til he bows out, though, I'm gonna keep watching. Especially the next 6 hits...

Coming Tonight: Another future Hall of Famer, this one still in his prime, and still hitting 'em out in Detroit.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2015: Marlins

It's hard to exemplify a season through just one guy, but Dee Gordon was basically like the Marlins in 2015. Started strong, was injured for a bit, finished decent enough. If it hadn't been for injuries to Giancarlo Stanton, Henderson Alvarez, Jose Fernandez and Dee Gordon, the Marlins might have been able to compete this year. But sadly, they came in third.

Dee Gordon, meanwhile, is still an ASG-caliber second baseman, with enough speed to keep them rolling for a while.

Jose Fernandez didn't get a ton of playing time in 2015, but when he was on, he was unstoppable, and is still one of the strongest arms in the NL, regardless of the time he's missed on the DL. It's looking like he might be traded this month, though you really never know.

I love this card, and I already adore Ichiro. Even if he wasn't the main focal point of the Marlins lineup, he still did a lot off the bench, and still was able to get a ton of playing time late in the season thanks to the carousel of injuries in the outfield. Plus, he's sticking around for one more season in Miami.

Martin Prado...man, he could have been a Yankee in 2015, but we so BAAADLY wanted Garrett Jones and his limited bench ability, didn't we? Still, Prado had a nice season, playing great 2nd base and hitting well...stuff he could have been doing in New York this year...

In Fernandez' absence, Tom Koehler was the main guy in the rotation this year, and for what it was, he didn't do the worst job. True, some people are very excited to have Fernandez back next year, but Koehler is a great arm, and had some very nice games this year.

Justin Bour came up at first this year, and replaced Garrett Jones, and this was another reason the Marlins got the better end of the deal, because Bour was wonderful, getting a ton of hits and keeping the infield strong, like a Matt Adams-type.

JT Realmuto took over for Jarrod Saltalamacchia at the plate, and was a defensive upgrade, giving some youth and talent to the position, and making things a little easier for the pitchers.

Finally, AJ Ramos took over the ninth inning job after Steve Cishek he was more suited for a setup-man position (in St. Louis), and did a very nice job, getting 30+ saves.

Coming Tomorrow- That little 'ol NL East team that almost won the World Series.

Spring Training Custom of the Day: Ichiro Edition

Andre Dawson, over the course of his Hall of Fame career, hit a ton of home runs, won an MVP award with Chicago in 1987, and built a reputation as one of the strongest talents in MLB history. However, when it came time for him to settle and mellow out, he chose to spend his last two seasons with the Florida Marlins, then a recently-established expansion team. When he did retire, he retired out of the spotlight, out of the playoff attention.

This may be the sort of tactic that Ichiro Suzuki is attempting to replicate in signing with the Marlins for the season. He's not gonna get a ton of playing time, and he's definitely showing his age, but he wants to play somewhere easy, with a bunch of young players that can learn from him.

Any other season it would seem like Ichiro's taking the Andre Dawson approach, jumping out of the playoff drama. However, this is the 2015 season, and this season it looks like the Marlins are going to do very, very big things, thanks to a quietly building infield and outfield, and a suddenly rejuvenated pitching staff. Ichiro may just wind up as an extra part in a very well oiled machine.

Even if he doesn't get a lot of playing time, he's still Ichiro, and he's still one of the greatest hitters in MLB history. Also, he's only 156 hits away from 3000. Not saying it's a definite, but it's a possibility. Either way, he's a Hall of Famer, he's a legend, and the Marlins are lucky to have him.

Coming Tomorrow(?)- The Rangers are looking to get back on top, and their veteran infielder is trying to aid this.

Custom Card of the Day: Ichiro Edition

I think it's kind of fitting that we post a card of a New York Yankee on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Because people want us to remember, I guess. My uncle saved a lot of lives that day, as a fireman. Don't worry, he's still around. This isn't gonna be one of those sappy stories where I talk about the people who died. There's already enough of that today, and while I don't disparage it...I really don't have much to add. I was a kindergartener when it happened, and all I remember was leaving school early.

Wish my 9/11 anecdote was more interesting than that, but I'm a bit young. Sorry about that.

We should probably get to talking about Ichiro Suzuki. I'm guessing this is going to be his last season, unless he goes somewhere else next season, hopefully still in the AL. Honestly, I'm really glad I could see him play for my team, because he's such a fun player, and he's definitely a Hall of Famer in a few years. Plus, people in twenty years will still be calling him one of the greatest hitters in baseball history.

Who knows, maybe next season he'll return to Seattle. But either way, his career's a landmark one, and I'm glad he was a Yankee.

Coming Tonight- A member of the Washington Nationals.

4,000

I'd say that's a Hall-worthy achievement. I know it's a combined number, split between here and Japan, but still, that's a hell of a statistic.

I'm glad he was on the Yankees when he hit it.

Custom Card of the Day: Ichiro Edition

Right now, the Yankees have a very nice team, despite falling 2nd in the standings currently. Still, the roster is full of future Hall of Famers like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, quite possibly Andy Pettite, and of course Ichiro.

Ichiro, without any question, is the greatest Japanese baseball player ever to come to the US. I know there are a lot of Matsui purists, and a lot of people who think I should consider Hideo Nomo or Yu Darvish, but no. Nobody else comes close to the achievements Ichiro's pulled off in the last 13 seasons. He's had a number of consistently hit seasons, with some homers and fielding in there to boot.

What makes Ichiro so awesome is the fact that I can say that he played for my team. When all of this goes down, he'll probably enter Cooperstown in a Mariners cap, but he'll still have that speck in the corner that says he was a Yankee, and in my mind that's pretty awesome. I don't even care what the Yanks do with him after 2013, as long as he doesn't go to Boston. Just the feeling of Ichiro on the Yanks is enough to get me by.

Even though he hasn't had the greatest season so far, he's still one of the best, and he's still a favorite of mine.

Coming Tomorrow- Another Diamondback. This one's different. This one's NOT a pitcher!

It's Official...

...Kevin Youkilis is no longer my least favorite player. Not even in the top 10 anymore.

Sorry, Cody. You're a troll, and I hate you. Don't sign with the Yanks or I'll keep hating you.

So yeah. Kevin Youkilis is a member of my team. I'm a bit relieved that we don't have to rely on the terrible fielding of Eduardo Nunez, and the terrible everythinging of A-Rod. He'll be a solid third for a while, and then A-Rod'll come back and HOPEFULLY play DH for a while.

So yeah. This deal makes me happy.

In other news, the Yankees are closing in on re-signing Ichiro. This will make me happier.

The Ten Most Crucial Trade Deadline Deals

Oooh, this one's a doozy.

Remember...yesterday, when the Phillies had a reliable outfield? Oh, gosh. They picked us clean. They left us with only Juan Pierre, John Mayberry and a pair of socks. It was terrible. But...more on that later.

This was an inredibly crazy month of July, much crazier than the otherwise subtle July 2011. People were flying across the leagues left and right, and the deadline was ugly. The last trade of the deadline was the deadliest, especially for all the Yankee fans. But I'll get there later.

I'll get to the list finally. Top 10 most crucial moves of the trade deadline.

10. Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez to Detroit, Jacob Turner and prospects to Marlins. Who won- Tigers. Not only did they need a new starter in Anibal, but Omar Infante, a former Tiger who got his stardom elsewhere, is back in his old town, a better player than when he left for Atlanta.  How the Marlins benefit- Jacob Turner is one of the best young Detroit prospects, and he will be a good piece for the team.

9. Francisco Liriano to White Sox, prospects to Twins. Who won- White Sox. They needed more pitching to add to the already-strong rotation. Liriano may not be reliable every season, but when he's on, he's reall on. Hopefully he'll reclaim the magic from the 2009 and 2010 seasons. How the Twins benefit- prospects for the future will hopefully get them out of the mess they're in currently.

8. Paul Maholm to the Braves, Aroydis Vizcaino and prospects to Cubs. Who won? Braves. Maholm gives the young rotation some experience,as Maholm will be the older, wiser member to the mostly young and up and coming staff. How it helps the Cubs: The team lost alot today, and the prospects can help them gain it back. Vizcaino is a young sar who hopefully has a spot.

7. Carlos Lee to Marlins, prospects to Astros. Who won? Marlins. Carlos Lee obviously isn't what he used to be, but what he is is a nice, strong back. The Marlins need some of that in order to stay in the race. Lee will lend his bat to a growing roster. How it helps the Astros- come on, they need something. They're getting a crapload of prospects this July, and hopefully they'll do something to help.

6. Shane Victorino to Dodgers, prospects to Philly. Who won? Phillies, surprisingly. I know, they robbed an important piece of our lineup, but he wasn't hitting, and he wasn't playing like he did when we won the championship in 2008. The Dodgers can have him. What the Phils need was helpto the farm system, and this gives them just that. They need pitching and infield help for the future, and this gives them that. How it helps the Dodgers- Victorino will help in the outfield with Ethier and Kemp, I guess...

5. Ryan Dempster to Rangers, prospects to Cubs. Who won? Rangers. The strongest team in the Majors got even stronger with this one. Dempster is a great pitcher, and will aid the already strong rotation. This was a steal, because I thought the Yankees had him at the end. Sadly, the rich got richer, and the Rangers got a replacement for the struggling Roy Oswalt. How it helps the Cubs- more prospects.

4. Hanley Ramirez to Dodgers, prospects to Marlins. Who won? Dodgers. They needed a shortstop, and they need a bat. They got both in Hanley. In his last few games, Hanley has gtten a lot of RBI, and has become a reliable member of the lineup. Him and Victorino are great additions to a staff that needs some. How it helps the Marlins- An aging team needs some youth.

3. Hunter Pence to Giants, Nate Schierholtz and prospects to Phillies. Who won- Giants. This kills me, because I loved Pence as a Phillie,and it pains me to see him join the enemy. The Giants do need another outfielder, and Pence will add moreof a bat to the lineup. It's sad, but it might work. How it helps the Phillies- again, more prospects, because we need some,

2. Zack Grienke to the Angels, prospects to the Brewers. Who won- Angels. I've said before that the Angels have the best rotation in the AL, with Weaver, Haren, Santana and Wilson. This adds a strong fifth man to the hat, and it makes the team an even bigger force. The Rangers should be afraid. How it helps the Brewers- after Braun goes, the team will be in trouble. They're gonna need some young stars.

1. Ichiro to the Yankees, prospects to the Mariners. Admit it, you saw this coming. I don't have to say much about how this helps us, because he's Ichiro. He's awesome. How it helps the Mariners- more prospects.

Hopefully this is the end of the moves during the season...I don't want to screw up the already done Update set.

Custom Card of the Day: Ichiro Edition

 

Yeah, I know I said today's would be Asdrubal Cabrera, but today's my 900th post, a milestone that took me 4 years to get to, and isn't nearly as good as my 1000th, which might be later this year. I figured I'd commemorate it with a Yankee, and a good one at that.

Ichiro...somehow has always been a perennial favorite of mine, maybe because he's such a fun player to watch. Now that he's a Yankee, he's a bit more fun. I know he's 38, and the end of his playing time is coming, but even if he doesn't hit, it'll be great to see him play for the Yanks. Sorta like seeing Jim Thome as a Phillie again, or as an Oriole. He's not gonna have a massive home run season (Leave that to Raul), but he's gonna do a great job, and he's gonna make the fans love him, cause he's Ichiro.

Of course, now everybody else hates him. But would you rather him as a Yankee or Pujols? 

Coming Tomorrow- Now I'll get you that Asdrubal Cabrera...

To Ich His Own

 

Would you believe me if I said I didn't see this coming at all?

Ichiro Suzuki, as long as I can remember, has been one of baseball's biggest stars. He's a big deal, and everyone knows it. Another thing that everyone knows is that his ten year hitting record and consistency will likely land him in the Hall of Fame before any other Japanese player. 

And that's a big honking deal.

 

And then, while readying customs at home for the first time in a week, I hear he's batting eighth for my team tonight.

Isn't that the wackiest thing ever?

Possibly one of the best personalities in the game, and one of the biggest stars of the last decade, is now a New York Yankee. I couldn't be more surprised.

 

Ichiro has been Seattle's Golden boy for twelve seasons now, and I realize how shocking it is for them, as well as for us. 

It's Ichiro, man! 

Ichiro IS Seattle. 

There's nobody else, not even King Felix, that can compare to Ichiro. 

I know that team is in last place, and I know that team hasn't seen October since they won more games than anyone else, but at least they could have held onto him, just for the fans sake.

Seattle must be pissed at us now. First we steal Pineda and ruin him arm, and now we steal their biggest star, possibly ever. They will likely send an angry mob down to the Bronx and complain.

Unless they wanna watch the game. They're more than welcome to see a game played in weather other than rain.

The bottom line- am I happy to see Ichiro Suzuki playing right field? You bet your ass. Am I happy that Brian Cashman actually made a decent move this July? You bet your ass. Could this team resemble the Titanic any more? No. 

Will I make a custom of him by the end of the week? You know me. 

Custom Card of the Day: Ichiro Edition

My Gosh, if this guy doesn't end up in the Hall of Fame first ballot, it will be for one sole reason: his team has never made, let alone won, a World Series. For the past twelve seasons, the Mariners have started off kinda strong, then sank into mediocrity. Hell, I actually thought they'd get to the World Series back in 2001, then I remembered- THEY WERE PLAYING THE YANKEES.

Ichiro, hands down, is the greatest Japanese player ever to play the game. No one else comes a yardstick's worth close. He had a numerous amount of 200 hit seasons, until last season. And it's likely that, since his career is on the downslope, he may not ever make a World Series. But will that stop his entry into Cooperstown? No. He ruled the Major Leagues for a brief period of time, and he's still one of the biggest stars. Hell, at a Baltimore game I attended vs. Seattle, the free prize was an Ichiro customized ball. He was so huge that the attendees of the OTHER TEAM were giving out balls with his face on it.

But still, I hope Ichiro's 2012 season is an upgrade from last year. And I hope no loss of rings can keep him from Enshrinement.

Coming Tomorrow- One never knows.

Custom Card of the Day: Ichiro edition

I think the correct phrase is "RUN, ICHIRO, RUN!"

Not much else to say, because I'm kinda lacking in originality today. Just...I hope you like the custom

Tomorrow- I really don't know. Any ideas from you guys?

The Obligatory Ichiro Custom

You all knew this one was coming. Ichiro is basically one of the biggest stars in baseball, and I had to make a custom of him. Of course, I did one early last year, back when I wasn't that good at photoshop. Now I'm an expert, and here's an even better Ichiro.

I love that photo, by the way. How he's in mid air jumping for the ball. Few have tried that manuever, and while few have succeeded (Just ask Jose Canseco), mainly only Ken Griffey Jr. has made the leap and catch famous.

So I hope for Ichiro to keep on churning out the hits, and pretty soon he'll be next to Griffey in Cooperstown.

Tomorrow- The Giants have 2 major prospects this year. In hitting, there is Buster Posey. In pitching, there is this guy.

Custom Card of the Day

You knew that I'd had to put up an Ichiro. He's one of the best known players in the game right now. And coincedenatally, he just hit his 2000th hit yesterday. That takes skill. Either way, we're looking at a possible HOFer here, and the first to hail from Japan. The 83 design is one of my faves, and it looks even better when Ichiro's on it. This was another fun one to make.

Another trend these days- One hitters. Yesterday, Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals only allowed one run against the Brewers, with the only hit coming from Jody Gerut. JODY GERUT? Not even the world's largest vegetarian could get a hit? But Carp still did a great job, and this is going to be one tough offseason if ESPN is calling the series against these guys.

Also, in my region, school starts today, which is why I'm posting a little bit earlier. Let's just say I'm younger than the rest of you collectors and still have to go to this thing (But, hey. Forgivable, right? No one's unsuscribing if they know that these cards are coming from a teen). Don't worry, I still have time for you, my loyal reader. I will be making more custom cards later today, and a 999 post will be the headliner tomorrow.

The Real Custom Card of the Day

You know I wouldn't let you down. You knew that even though I had no time yesterday, I could still crank out a custom Albert today. Overall, this was one of the harder ones, being that there was a little player in the bottom left corner. Oh, well. Still a pretty good card.

Today, I will be awaiting the return of the oldest pitcher in the game to starting. That's right- Jamie "Why am I still playing" Moyer will be starting today's game. Seriously, this is getting worse than Darrell Hammond on SNL. Jamie, you're a great player, you're a possible HOF candidate, but please, go home already! You've pitched beautifully. Just ask the Cubs, Rangers, Cardinals, Mariners and Phillies. But you've done enough. You're 47. Mike Piazza is 41 and yet he's not playing. Julio Franco is 51, but no one told him there was a door out of the MLB. My point is this- Jamie Moyer has made his mark on the game of Baseball. He just needs to retire before that mark becomes a rip.

Two records were broken yesterday. Ichiro became the 2nd fastest to hit 2000 hits. Wow! The guy has been playing 9 seasons and he's already hit 2000 hits. Of course, it took Alex Rodriguez 9 years to get to 450 Home Runs, so...

The other record, is that the Pirates have had 17 straight losing seasons. Hmm, and why might that be? Ask Barry Bonds. Ask Jason Kendall. Ask Brian Giles and Jason Bay. Ask anyone who grew up playing for Pittsburgh and ended their career with their loyalty snapped and their playing ability wasted. The pirates can't afford to resign anyone big, and that's why Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Tom Gorzellany and Nyjer Morgan all went to other teams this past season. I say move the team to another state, one with more money. One that actually has fans that can go to its games. Like...NEW JERSEY!!!