C.J. Wilson...Tupac Fan?

I've never been much of a "judge a book by its cover" kind of guy...but I would have never thought that pitcher C.J. Wilson was a "Thugluv" kind of guy.

But, as it turns out, the Los Angeles Angels lefty is (or at least "Christopher" Wilson was) just that.

Most high school photos of anyone are pretty embarrassing, but the only thing embarrassing about Wilson's senior pic...the fact that I have no clue what any of that stuff means.

Except for "2PAC lives!" that is.

Some other fun facts about the Wilson's alma mater Fountain Valley High School.

• The FVHS gym was used as a location in the 1997 Academy Award nominated "Wag the Dog"
• In 2005, the school's drumline appeared in Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl' music video
• Other famous alums include...actress Michelle Pfeiffer, Olympic medalists Jack and Shirley Babashoff, "Hustle and Flow" director Craig Brewer and actor David ("Roy" from "The Office") Denman.

Thanks Wikipedia!

 

Straight Edge Worlds Collide!

Newly signed Los Angeles Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson once told me that living drug-free was "the easiest part of (his) life".

WWE Superstar CM Punk lives every day by that same creed.

So, you've gotta wonder what the acronymed athletes talked about when they met up Monday night?  My guess...tattoos.  Or baseball.

The current WWE Champ is a rabid Chicago Cubs fan.  And as for the tattoos?  Both man have "straight edge" tattooed on their torso.

And in case you were wondering.  The dude in the middle is Toby Morse...font man for the hardcore punk band H2O.  Morse tweeted out the picture Tuesday morning.

C.J. Wilson is a Champ

This past week saw some serious cash exchange hands at the Winter Meetings in Dallas.

First off, the Miami Marlins shelled out $191 million for shortstop Jose Reyes and pitchers Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell.

Not to be outdone, the Los Angeles Angels broke the bank when they inked lefty C.J. Wilson and three-time MVP Albert Pujols to contracts in excess of $330 million.

Naturally, fans of the players' former teams were none to pleased when they found out their beloved stars had left for seemingly greener pastures.

New York Mets fans hit Twitter to hurl racial slurs at their former batting champ, while in St. Louis, Cardinal faithful took the the streets to burn their Pujols jerseys.

But in Texas, Rangers fans reacted differently to Wilson signing with a divisional rival.

And my guess is it had something to do with this:

I just want to say thank you to all the ranger fans who have supported me, and my efforts in the community the last six years in Texas. Surely it's both hard for some to understand that I left for a different team let alone a division rival- it was bittersweet for me as well. At the end of the day the rangers didn't make a push to keep me on the team. The angels an marlins wanted me on their... teams and proved it. everything written about an asking price etc was media speculation and never had an ounce of truth. The rangers are a great organization with talented front office and players and will be a difficult team to beat and it's very sad to leave such awesome teammates and fans. The last few years in ranger stadium were special- going from a losing team to bankrupt to american league champs was a complete transformation and obviously everyone should be proud of it. The charity will continue even stronger now and we will continue to support North Texas kids as well as SoCal kids. Please keep that spirit of philanthropy alive for your local causes like cooks children's hospital, Scottish rite, dallas children's and the boys and girls club.

You see, instead of thanking the fans via a press conference while wearing the opposing teams' colors or taking out the cliched full-page ad in the local fishwrap...Wilson did what he always does.

He worked his social media channels and thanked his "friends" directly.

So, yeah, it doesn't matter that Wilson didn't get the biggest contract this past week.  Further more, it doesn't matter if dude ever wins a World Series with his new team.

C.J. Wilson is a champ, folks.

Behind-the-Scenes with C.J. Wilson

During the All-Star Game festivities of a few weeks ago, you saw a bunch of players and their buddies documenting the events.

But, I'd wager, a majority of those videos are going to show the Home Run Derby and, possibly, the game itself.

That's where friend of The Hall (and no stranger to the camera), Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson comes in.

You see, the lefty (and his crew) decided to let the camera roll off the field. And what we're left with, is, well...you can see for yourself.

Oh, and that part where Wilson is happy that now he might get a chance to bat in the World Series? Suffice it to say, it reminds me of the time when The Hall interviewed the All-Star two summers ago.

HOVG: Alright, I had to get that out of the way. It seems every interview with you online talks about three things…you being a technology nut, Tommy John surgery and being a “free spirt”. I’d like to try and take it a different direction…if at all possible. In your first game, you give up a single to the only batter you faced…then in the next inning, you get lifted for a pinch hitter. You’re down 12-5…why not let you hit?!? You were quite the hitter in college, right?

CJ: Why not let me hit? It's a puzzling question that I still am upset about five seasons later.

HOVG: Would you ever petition (Rangers manager) Ron Washington to let you hit in some ballgames or, as a reliever, is that a moot point?

CJ: I'm a decent hitter, but realistically, (I won’t hit) until I'm a starter or a National Leaguer. American League closers don't get a lot of at bats, so I'm just going to take my batting practice homers and call it what it is...unfortunate.

Enjoy!

C.J. Wilson is Ready for Opening Day

Prior to the end of its run, Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson exhibited a pretty well documented relationship with the TV show "LOST" and the show's showrunner Carlton Cuse.

Thankfully, the gang at Funny or Die has found a way to keep Cuse relevant and help get Wilson in shape for his Opening Day start April 1 against the Boston Red Sox.

And it's called exercise. 

"Sweep the Yankees.  Sweep the Yankees.  Sweep the Yankees."

A Year of Talkin' Baseball

'tis the season for plenty of things...returning Christmas presents, going back to work and, of course, year-enders!

The Hall of Very Good is no different.

Next week, following the Hall of Fame announcement (read as: I'm too busy/lazy to do it now), come on back for the Top Ten Stories of the Year.

Today...it's a year of "Talkin' Baseball".  That's right, the best of what has become my favorite part of doing this site...talkin' baseball with whoever will respond to the request.  Click the BOLD text to read the entire piece!

GAR RYNESS, aka "Batting Stance Guy" (February)

Manny (Ramirez) is great to me. I’ve done pre-game shows for visiting teams at Dodgers Stadium and Manny will always scream and whistle across the field while I’m filming. “Do Ethier! Do Ethier!” I’ll then hold up a finger, as if to say, “Hold on Manny, I’ll come over there after this.” The first time that happened the Cardinals TV staff said, “wait, do you know Manny?” That’s when it hit me how weird the last two years have been.

"Diamond King" DICK PEREZ (February)

As far back as I can remember, I had a desire to draw. On the margins around my school notebooks there were caricatures of school mates and images from my imagination. After I realized that there was no way I would ever achieve my real dream of becoming a professional baseball player, I concluded that I had to choose a real life career. I chose art.

Hall of Famer GARY CARTER (May)

The loss of my Mom was a huge impact on my life as we were a very loving family that went to church regularly. I didn’t understand why a loving God would take someone away as dear as her. It helped me to understand how fragile life is.

Author GEORGE CASTLE (May), Talkin' Andre Dawson (July) and Lou Piniella (September)

Sammy (Sosa) is still too raw for Cubs fans. Worse than alleged steroid use, he walked out on the team on the last day of the 2004 season. However, I don’t feel Sammy will be regarded in the same breath as Banks, Williams, Santo, Jenkins, Sandberg. His ego exploded as he got successful, and that will stain him forever.

Talkin' Ken Griffey Jr. with KEN GRIFFEY SR., JEFF MONTGOMERY and C.J. WILSON (June)

After announcing that I would retire at the end of the 1999 season, Junior asked me if I would give him a signed jersey…which I did. The next day in our clubhouse was an autographed Griffey jersey.

Competitive Eater PAT BERTOLETTI (July)

I usually spend most of the game wandering around trying to eat at all the food stands. I think the White Sox have the best food in the league. I would only go to a Cubs game if there were free tickets and Old Style involved.

Reality Show "All Stars" JONNY FAIRPLAY (September), ROB CESTERNINO (September) and RUSSELL KOOK (December)

If I were going to start an alliance with any past Mets, first on the list would be former (and hopefully future) manager Bobby Valentine. I also am very partial to both Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez and think they do a great job calling the game and are both really interesting guys and have great baseball IQ.. And Keith, on day one, would have the greatest mustache in "Survivor" history. Unquestioned.

Outspoken Pitcher JEFF JUDEN (October)

I would still like (a 1999 Yankees World Series ring) if they have any spare change left. I have room on my middle finger for it.

Former O.J. Simpson, nevermind...it's KATO KAELIN (November)

Airline ticket to Milwaukee…$450.00. Car rental…$150.00. Tickets to game…$55.00. Sitting next to Shawn from The Hall of Very Good…PRICELESS.

San Francisco Giants' Biggest Fan ASHKON DAVARAN (December)

I had a chance to meet Steve (Perry) before the World Series Parade, and he seemed to be pretty cool with it. I thanked him for writing one of the best songs of all time…he said thanks and that I did a good job with it.

All in all...a great year for talkin' baseball.  Sure, I'm biased and I wish I could add more of my favorites (for example DANIEL NAVA, GARRETT WITTELS and MATHER ZICKEL from "The Bronx is Burning"), but since most lists are "Top Ten" lists...I decided to keep it at ten.

Which was your favorite?  Please let me know below!

C.J. Wilson Talks "Junior"

Last Wednesday, when Ken Griffey Jr. called it quits, he took with him one of the purest left handed swings that ever graced the game.

For his career, Griffey hit 630 home runs, carried a .284 batting average and fell a couple of seasons short of 3000 hits…finishing with 2781.

Naturally, Junior faired better at the plate against right handed pitchers rather than lefties. One left-hander that seemed to do alright against Griffey was Texas Rangers starter C.J. Wilson.

Head-to-head, the pair squared off only eight times with Wilson getting the best of the future Hall of Famer, striking him out twice and only allowing one hit. I had the chance to catch up with Wilson between starts and asked him about Ken Griffey Jr.

HOVG: Everyone has a favorite memory of Griffey and most of them will get played over and over in the summer of 2016 when he gets enshrined in Cooperstown. What is your favorite memory of Junior?

CJ: My favorite memory is probably that catch he made in the Kingdome. Full sprint into a huge leap...smashing into the wall. (Check out this video of Junior picking some of his favorite catches)

HOVG: You’re playing in an era and a league now that is so full of stars. Where does Junior rank all-time...or among those from his generation?

CJ: Junior is obviously one of the best players of all-time, he's the Willie Mays of his generation.

HOVG: Fifth all-time in home runs, ten straight Gold Gloves and a perennial MVP candidate while in Seattle…what kind of legacy does Junior leave behind?

CJ: To me, he goes down as the best "clean" player of his generation.

HOVG: You faced Griffey twice in 2007 and six more times last season, what were your thoughts when you saw Griffey coming up to the plate?

CJ: I always looked forward to facing him. The first time, I was determined to strike him out. And I did! It was a career highlight for sure

C.J. Wilson is currently tied for the team high in wins for the Texas Rangers. In his first full year as a starter, Wilson is 5-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts. He has 56 strikeouts in 76 innings.

Last summer, Wilson did a full length interview with The Hall (you can read it HERE) and is a Twitter Tuesday favorite. You can catch up with him over at his own site, LeftyLefty.com.

Twitter Tuesday: C.J. Wilson

Last week, I suggested everyone follow one of the bigger douchebags on Twitter...Jose Canseco. This week, I urge you to check out someone who is at the other end of that spectrum.

C.J. Wilson.

The Rangers hurler is very responsive to his followers, injects his posts with a lot of humor and, basically, is just a good guy. Plus...he's a big fan of LOST.

TWITTER HANDLE: @str8edgeracer

SAMPLE TWEETS:

I need a legit haircut asap. Willing to give away nyy game ticket as trade. RT that

Jamba juice is going off right now. And by going off I mean the people working here are going off on each other. Soooo busy. Total zoo!

Larry david is at harvard! http://tweetphoto.com/19336854

Last season, I had the honor of catching up with the lefty. Feel free to read what he had to say HERE. And if you've already read that...you can check out CJ's blog over at LeftyLefty.com.

C.J. Wilson Gets LOST (Part Three)

I'm conflicted and I'm not sure what to do. I'm a Red Sox fan and tonight they square off against the Rangers...and good friend of The Hall, C.J. Wilson.

What should I do?

Thankfully, the blue-gloved one and I can agree on one thing...our love for LOST. Recently, he had an opportunity to visit show writers/producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse at the ABC Studio in Hollywood.

Here's Part Three of their showdown. Feel free to check out Part One and Part Two.



If the embedded video doesn't play for you for some reason...check out the entire thing HERE.

C.J. Wilson Gets LOST (Part Two)

If you follow Texas Rangers hurler C.J. Wilson on Twitter at all...you know he's a huge fan of the hit show "LOST".

What you might not have known is that he recently had an opportunity to visit show writers/producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse at the ABC Studio in Hollywood.

Last week, Part One of his batting challenge hit the interwebs...this week, it's Part Two.

Enjoy.



If the embedded video doesn't play for you for some reason...check out the entire thing HERE.

C.J. Wilson Gets LOST

If you follow Texas Rangers hurler C.J. Wilson on Twitter at all...you know he's a huge fan of the hit show "LOST".

What you might not have known is that he recently had an opportunity to visit show writers/producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse at the ABC Studio in Hollywood.

Check out how Lindelof and Cuse managed taking their cuts against The Hall's favorite blue-gloved lefty. And if you've read the interview that ran here back in June...you'll notice a similarity in one of the questions asked of Wilson.

Enjoy.


If the embedded video doesn't play for you for some reason...check out the entire thing HERE.

2009: The Year That Was

About a week and a half ago, we said “adios” to 2009 and whatever “hello” is to 2010.

Many sites across the interwebs filled the end of the year with their “best of” lists…this is another one of those sites. You see, I’d have been a little more timely, but I was, um…being timely by breaking down the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot.

So, with a big “congrats” to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s newest member Andre Dawson and his supporters and an huge thanks that gave The Hall of Very Good, first, its biggest year to date and second, its biggest day (January 6) to date…here are the Top Ten* stories to hit this site in 2009.

10. On the Eve of 300 (June 4). The night before Randy Johnson notched his 300th career victory, I was able to compile the thoughts of three former Major Leagues that faced off against “The Big Unit”.

9. Talkin’ Baseball with Jeff Cirillo (August 28). The “Talkin’ Baseball” is one of my favorite things to do and they’re pretty popular on the site. I had no idea Jeff played in Mexico.

8. Hall of Fame ballot...2010 style! (December 3). A month before the Hall of Fame announcement was made…The Hall broke down the class of 26. Related, and also popular, was The Hall of Fame Class of 2011 (July 21). It seems people love themselves some Hall of Fame previews and talk of Bert Blyleven (more on that later).

7. Talkin’ Baseball with CJ Wilson (June 22). Talking with CJ and following him on Twitter is what pretty led to me starting “Twitter Tuesday”.

6. Jon Adkins signs Minor League deal with Reds (December 1). When good friend of The Hall Jon Adkins inked his deal with the Reds, I was curious what the Louisville GM had to say. Within minutes he responded and I committed it to the site. Shortly after that, one of my favorite sites, MLBTradeRumors.com, picked up the story.

5. Hall of Fame 2010: Kevin Appier (December 15). Mix together a Hall of Fame profile, a tongue-in-cheek Bert Blyleven reference and the chimps over at Baseball Think Factory and you know what you’ve got? A boatload of hits, gang!

4. Talkin’ Baseball with Seth Swirsky (October 25). Before the season started, I picked up a book by Seth Swirsky at the library. After buying, then reading, his other two…I started exchanging emails with the author and memorabilia collector. On what was the 23rd anniversary of (sorry Red Sox fans) Bill Buckner missing a slow roller up the firstbase line, Seth shared the story of how he came to owning that ball.

3. Twitter Tuesday (every Tuesday). “Infield Chatter”, “The Buzz”, “Follow Friday (Tuesday Style)” and now…“The Wisdom of Tommy Lasorda”, Twitter Tuesday has become a staple over at The Hall.

2. Mustache May (the ENTIRE month of May). Mustache May was conceived years ago when some friends and I decided to celebrate the ‘stache by growing one out. This year, it manifested itself with an endorsement from The American Mustache Institute, interviews with Fergie Jenkins (May 12) and Rollie Fingers (May 29) and, ultimately…an appearance on WGN 720 Radio (May 17).

1. Ten Milestones to Watch for This Season (April 6). The most popular post of the year was one that was initially a slideshow that was conceived to drive traffic (and it did) over at Bleacher Report. One appearance in Hot Clicks and on CBSsportsline.com later…a traffic generator was born.

Honorable Mention: Jim Thome now a Dodger...Hall of Fame next? (September 1). A couple years back, I posted that I didn't think Jim Thome was a first ballot Hall of Fame guy and the Baseball Think Factory chimps lost their collective mind. Almost two years later, I basically say it again...and Rob Neyer links to it.

What story (stories) did you enjoy most? Click on “comments” below and go bananas.

*-“Top Ten”…as defined at The Hall of Very Good’s Facebook page as “a combination of stories I enjoyed combined with the stories that had the most traffic”.

Talkin' baseball with C.J. Wilson

Now, I’m not a tech savvy guy at all…the furthest I get into the world of technology is this site and listening to some of my favorite podcasts on my iPod while mowing the lawn.

Current Texas Rangers relief pitcher C.J. Wilson, on the other hand, has quite a reputation as being “the guy” when it comes to all things "tech" (iPods, computers, etc). I had a chance to talk to him a little about baseball, past teammates and the L.A. Lakers.

HOVG: With the latest release of the iPhone 3GS, I’ve gotta ask...are you getting one?

CJ: I don't like the iPhones. I need a keyboard so I can text accurately, so I use a Sidekick.

HOVG: Alright, I had to get that out of the way. It seems every interview with you online talks about three things…you being a technology nut, Tommy John surgery and being a “free spirt”. I’d like to try and take it a different direction…if at all possible. In your first game, you give up a single to the only batter you faced…then in the next inning, you get lifted for a pinch hitter. You’re down 12-5…why not let you hit?!? You were quite the hitter in college, right?

CJ: Why not let me hit? It's a puzzling question that I still am upset about five seasons later.

HOVG: Would you ever petition (Rangers manager) Ron Washington to let you hit in some ballgames or, as a reliever, is that a moot point?

CJ: I'm a decent hitter, but realistically, (I won’t hit) until I'm a starter or a National Leaguer. American League closers don't get a lot of at bats, so I'm just going to take my batting practice homers and call it what it is...unfortunate.

HOVG: I spoke with Ranger great Fergie Jenkins who, while in Chicago, came to the mound to “Canadian Sunset”. Rollie Fingers told me that if he played today…he’d opt for no music just to make the opposing hitters nervous. What plays when you take to the bump…and why?

CJ: My song this year is "Call Me Up" by Chromeo. It's a really fun jam and hopefully it makes our crowd feel positive and energetic. I've strayed away from former metal songs because our crowd just isn't into it and they get bummed. Energy is contagious, and it's better to have the crowd behind you in that regard.

HOVG: And speaking of coming out of the bullpen, the Rangers are off to a good start…what’s it like being part of, arguably, one of the better relief staffs in the American League? Is it easier to stay loose in the bullpen?

CJ: The entire team dynamic is better this year, and I think the bullpen has always been a source of fun for me. We're like a team within the team. It's pretty impossible to accurately characterize the bullpen lifestyle, so I'll just say that you never really know what to expect…but somehow you get used to it.

HOVG: Let’s talk teammates. You’ve had the pleasure of sharing the clubhouse with some of the game’s greats. Let’s play word association with some of your more colorful teammates...starting with former pitching coach Orel Hershiser.

CJ: Scoreless innings streak. He had tons of ideas on how each pitcher could improve.

HOVG: 2005 teammate, starting pitcher Kenny Rogers.

CJ: Awesome guy and super helpful to me in my rookie season. He also had a lot of advice when he left town and we would run into each other.

HOVG: 2007 teammate,closer Eric Gagne.

CJ: The single player I learned more from than any other player.

HOVG: 2006 teammate and polydactyl Antonio Alfonseca.

CJ: Weirdest body in baseball.

HOVG: Current teammate Omar Vizquel reached a milestone the other night when he tied Luis Aparicio’s mark for most hits by a Venezuelan. Is it safe to call Omar the best shortstop of all-time?

CJ: I think with the "best shortstop ever" discussion, it all comes down to Ozzie Smith versus Omar.

HOVG: Across the diamond…who has been the toughest out for you?

CJ: There are a lot of tough outs, but for whatever reason (Yankees outfielder) Nick Swisher keeps getting hits off me. The last two have been infield singles…it's really frustrating. (NOTE: Swisher has five hits in twelve at bats against Wilson…a .417 batting average)

HOVG: Is there anyone, living or dead, that you would like to go head-to-head and battle?

CJ: The players I would've liked most to play against are Ted Williams, Willie Mays and Babe Ruth

HOVG: Alright, enough baseball. Your Lakers just won their 15th championship…are they the NBA’s best franchise ever given the way the won this last one?

CJ: The two best NBA franchises are the Celtics and the Lakers. It's impossible to compare teams of different eras, but I'll say that Phil Jackson is the best pro basketball coach of all time.

HOVG: As a midwest guy...I agree about Phil.

C.J. Wilson is a native of New Port Beach, California. He has spent his entire career with the Texas Rangers both as their closer and set-up man.

In 2003, his season in Double-A Frisco was cut short due to an elbow injury. Subsequent Tommy John surgery kept him out the entire 2004 season. In 2005, Wilson was able to return to Frisco in before being called up to the majors later that season. He’s been a fixture in the Ranger bullpen ever since.