Moyer Monday: September 6, 2010

Coming off of the Labor Day holiday last season, the Philadelphia Phillies were up six games in the National League East and ended up coasting all the way to the World Series.

This year, they're battling Atlanta in the East and if that wasn't enough...they have to do their best to stave off the San Francisco Giants for the Wild Card.

While the Phillies would surely take all the help they could get, one member of that National League Championship team who, unfortunately, won't be able to help down the stretch this year is crafty veteran Jamie Moyer.

Thanks to my partnership with the good folks over at The Moyer Foundation, I present to you this month's "Moyer Monday".

Question: Is there a reason you chose to wear Number 50?

Moyer: No...that was just the number I was given at the start.

Question: What advice did you give to your son Dillon, who is starting college ball this year?

Moyer: First...realize that you have a great opportunity ahead, education-wise, and make the best of it. Second...this is a great opportunity for you to grow as a baseball player, to hone your skills and fine tune them. Also, enjoy playing college baseball on the west coast.

Question: Did sports technology help you with your Major League longevity?

Moyer: Video has the ability to help depending on how you use it. It can be a very beneficiary tool if used appropriately.

Question: I heard you are a big wine expert. What is one of your favorite wines or winemakers?

Moyer: I wouldn’t say I am an expert, but I enjoy dabbling and sharing. One of my favorites is Lafite Rothschild one of the five great French wine producers of the world.

Question: What is the status of your injury?

Moyer: As of today, I’ve thrown/played catch for the third time in the last five days. I feel pretty good. It’s going to be a process, but each day has been a positive move for me. My goal is to be healthy by end of the season.

Remember, you can follow The Moyer Foundation on Twitter at @moyerfoundation. To learn more about the foundation or make a donation to support one of their programs, please visit them online at The Moyer Foundation.

Friday 5: Batting Stance Guy

I hate to stray too far from the norm this Friday, but given I just got back from seeing "Weird Al" Yankovic perform live...I feel like I have to do something to tie-in to the show itself.

Faithful followers of this site know that the "Weird Al" baseball, Gar Ryness (aka "Batting Stance Guy" is a good friend of The Hall and, wait...given Gar's recent successes, should we be calling Yankovic the "Batting Stance Guy of Pop Music"?

Maybe not.

Either way...here's The Batting Stance Guy's five favorite "Weird Al" parodies.

1. "Taco Grande" (parody of "Rico Suave" by Gerardo)

2. "Yoda" (parody "Lola" by the Kinks)

3. "My Bologna" (parody of "My Sharona" by The Knack)

4. "(This Song's Just) Six Words Long" (parody of "Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison)

5. "The Brady Bunch" (parody of "The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats)

"It's tough to rank the polka medleys on each album," Ryness added. "My Bologna gets in because how groundbreaking the burp was for my understanding of unexpected comedy."

After the show Thursday night, my friend "Foodstamp" Davis posted the following on Facebook:

If you get a chance to see weird al, regardless of your opinion of him now, do it. DO IT!

Honestly, he couldn't be more right. I was able to bring five people with me that had never seen the Grammy winning parodist in concert and too say that they were blown away following the two-plus hour set would be an understatement.

And, yeah, I know "Weird Al" has absolutely nothing to do with baseball, but still, I've gotta know...what's your favorite of his work?

Twitter Tuesday: Craig Breslow

Late Monday night, Oakland reliever Craig Breslow tweeted the following:

1,974 followers....who will be #2,000?!

And since I already follow the lefty...you should too.

Why? Because "why not?"...that's why!

In all seriousness, the former All-Ivy League hurler is the kind of player who is using what he's achieved on the field to hope those off of it thanks to his Strike 3 Foundation.

The Strike 3 Foundation (founded in 2008) is a charitable agency that heightens awareness, mobilizes support, and raises funding for childhood cancer research. Breslow's sister was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 14. Now, more than fifteen years later, she lives an unrestricted life as a cancer survivor.

So, hey, follow the big leaguer on Twitter and become Number 2000. Then...go nuts and follow the Strike 3 Foundation.

You can check out Craig Breslow's Strike 3 Foundation at their website. If you'd like to learn more and donate...click HERE.

Manny Heading to Chicago

Ladies and gentlemen...cue the crazy!

Following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez looks to be the latest superstar to look awkward in a White Sox uniform.

In what had to have been the least secretive waiver claim EVER, Ramirez looks to be leaving Los Angeles for the Southside of Chicago.

This past week, the White Sox put in the claim and have until Tuesday to work out a deal with the Dodgers.

But, according to reports late Sunday night, the deal is done...and all it'll cost Chicago is the nearly $4 million the 38 year-old slugger is due. They are hoping the slugger will be able to replicate the late heroics he pulled off in 2008 when he helped the Dodgers win the National League West.

Of course, no one is talking about it officially, but if/when the deal is finalized, the 11-time All-Star would join the White Sox when they travel to the team that he debuted with...Cleveland.

In just 66 games this season, Ramirez is batting .311 with eight home runs and 40 RBI.

Frank Thomas Gets His Number Retired

"I'm from a small town in Georgia and there you can only dream about something like this," future Hall of Famer Frank Thomas told the crowd prior to the White Sox-Yankees game Sunday, "but I've always dreamed."

And with that (and U.S. Cellular's trademark celebratory fireworks), the smiling visage and Number 35 of the the Southside's most productive player was unveiled alongside the nine other former numbers retired by the Sox.

Thomas retired this past February after a 19-year career that saw the two-time American League MVP hit .301 with 521 homers and 1704 RBI.

After making his Major League debut in 1990, "The Big Hurt" went on to set White Sox team records in homers (448) and RBIs (1,465) before splitting his final three seasons with Toronto and Oakland.

He is one of four players to have a .300 average, 500 home runs, 1500 RBIs, 1000 runs and 1500 walks during their career.

Who are the other three? Mel Ott, Ted Williams and Babe Ruth…not too shabby.

Matter of fact, Thomas has a handful of goofball records like that…records that no one really knows how to put into context. You can find some of them HERE.

Lastly, it appears that the White Sox won't just end the overdue Thomas love affair with his number being retired.

In a release sent out just after the start of Sunday’s game, the team announced that a life-size bronze sculpture of "The Big Hurt" will be unveiled in 2011.

He'll become the eighth member of the franchise to get the bronze treatment. The others...Luis Aparicio, Harold Baines, Charles A. Comiskey, Nellie Fox, Carlton Fisk, Minnie Minoso and Billy Pierce.

After that, expect to see Thomas show up next during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend as a member of the jam-packed Class of 2014.

So who should have their number retired by the Chicago White Sox next? What are you waiting for...go vote!

David Ortiz Legs Out His Annual Triple

Pop quiz, Hall members...only three players have at least one triple in each season since 2000.

Can you name them? Can you name one?!?

Ichiro Suzuki?

Nope. He started his U.S. tour of duty in 2001 and while he's racked up 89 since his debut...he doesn't qualify.

Carl Crawford?

Again...no. The league's active leader in triples with 100 didn't debut in Tampa until 2002.

Would you have guessed Johnny Damon? Probably...and you'd be right. The Detroit outfielder is second among active players with 98.

What about Damon's teammate Carlos Guillen? Maybe. With half (50) of the career output of Crawford, Guillen does indeed have a triple in each of the last eleven seasons.

But what about Boston's David Ortiz?

“Yeah, I can believe that,” Red Sox utility man Bill Hall told the Boston Herald after Ortiz legged out his annual triple in the fifth inning of a game last week. “He’s definitely not the fastest person in the world, but he can still beat some guys in a race in this league. It’s obviously got to be a ball that’s well-placed, maybe kicked around a little bit, but he’s not pulling up at second. He expects to go to third.”

For his career, "Big Papi" has 15 triples. To put things in perspective (or not), career triples leader, Hall of Famer Sam Crawford has 309 and 13 times over his 19 year career, he had 15 or more.

But here's the kicker, gang, the Red Sox and Twins (you know...the team that released Papi and opened the door for him to head to BeanTown) are 11-3 in the 14 games where Ortiz has reached third without stopping first for oxygen at either of the previous two bases.

An interesting sidenote...one of those three losses (an 8-3 victory by the Orioles July 22, 2004) marks the only game where Ortiz hit two triples in one contest.

Both times he was stranded at third.

So, American League fans, this October when you are lamenting the fact that your team doesn't have homefield advantage for the World Series...maybe Joe Girardi was right to have not put in a pitch runner for Ortiz in the ninth inning of the All-Star.

Or then again...maybe leaving him in to get forced out at second was a bad decision.

"The Machine" Reaches Number 400

After entering the season 34 home runs shy of 400 for his, yes, young career…the talk turned from IF it was going to happen this season to when Albert Pujols was going to reach the milestone and who was it going to be against.

After failing to go deep against the Pirates Wednesday night, the St. Louis slugger was slated to face off against Washington pitcher Jordan Zimmermann Thursday night.

“The Machine” was three for three lifetime against the righty with one home run and after grounding out in the first…he stopped playing games and sent Zimmermann’s second offering in the fourth deep for the historic homer.

Sure, the Cardinals ended up losing 11-10 in 13 innings, but the history Pujols made against the Nationals is what fans will remember.

As it is…the first baseman became the third youngest overall (following Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr.) to reach 400 home runs and youngest National Leaguer ever to accomplish the feat.

Pujols is 30 years, seven months and ten days old, or (for the sake of the next round of numbers I’m going to throw at ya)…30 years and 222 days old.

Rodriguez was 29 years and 316 days old when he hit his 400th homer, whereas Junior was 30 years and 141 days old.

To answer the question “who else went deep 400 times before their 31st birthday”…Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx did it at 30 years and 248 days and Yankees legend Mickey Mantle was 30 years and 325 days old.

And if you were wondering…only four players of the 46 other players to go deep 400 times have done it in fewer than Pujols’ 5615 at bats.

So what’s next for “Phat Albert”?

This season has already seen him extend his own streak by becoming the only player in Major League history to begin his career with ten straight seasons of 30 or more home runs.

Well, with 93 RBI, dude is only seven shy of becoming the only cat to have started his career with 30 or more home runs and 100 RBI as well. Incidentally, he'll also become the only player to have ever belted 30 home runs and knocked in 100 in ten straight years.

Recently, Hall readers were aked who they thought would be the next player to reach 600 career home runs. Their answer?

Albert Pujols.

Friday 5: Joe Oliver

With the Cincinnati Reds still surprising the baseball world by continuing to widen the gap between them and the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central, it is time to, again, look back at their storied past.

I mean, here is a team (or, if you prefer…a machine) that re-defined baseball in the 1970s. Two decades later, they straight up demoralized the heavily favored Oakland A’s by sweeping them in the 1990 World Series.

And who can forget catcher Joe Oliver ending Game Two with a game-winning RBI (remember when they were called that?) off Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley in the tenth inning?

One of my favorite members of that wire-to-wire World Championship team was Oliver…and I had a chance to catch up with the 19-year pro for this week’s “Friday 5”.

HOVG: You’ve been playing baseball all your life…who has been your biggest influence and why?

OLIVER: My father was at every game and every practice when I was growing up…he was always there to play catch with me. It turns out he had supported me so much growing up, I didn't realize how important that was until I was a father and had saw him attending my kids’ games. It means a lot to a son to see his Dad and Mom there.

HOVG: After playing thirteen seasons for a number of Major League franchises, it is, without saying, that you’ve done some traveling…what is your most memorable travel experience?

OLIVER: Well, I have to say going to Oakland in 1990 and winning the World Series. I had never been there and to go there and win it all makes a great impression on you forever.

HOVG: Being part of that World Series winning team is probably your greatest experience…what is your favorite story from that crazy wire-to-wire season?

OLIVER: There are so many memories from that season…it is hard to name just one. One of the things I remember in the clubhouse after Game Three of the World Series…(Chris) Sabo had just hit his second homer of the game and put us up three games to zip. He was so intense in his interview and was so wired about how good Oakland was and how we couldn't let up. As I look back, he was so right. We had just lost (Eric) Davis and (Billy) Hatcher to injuries. If we played more than four games, we might have lost it all after losing those key parts of our team. It just showed he was so focused like we all were during that post season.

HOVG: This past weekend saw your former manager Lou Piniella hang it up for good. What is Lou’s legacy…Hall of Famer or no?

OLIVER: Lou was the main reason I played for so long! He motivated me and challenged me to be a better player every day. Some players can play for a manager like that and some just can’t perform for a tough manager. What I saw from Lou was a man who hated winning and didn't want anyone to accept losing. It is more infectious than winning. You can accept it and let it divide a team and clubhouse. He wouldn't allow it. He has won a lot of games as a manager and I look at how many franchises he has affected in a positive way and turned them around. Lou saved baseball in Seattle and got Tampa Bay headed in the right direction. The Cubs were doing well, they just fell short with bad breaks and…they are the Cubs. (Laughs) He should be in the Hall someday as a great manager who just loved the game and loved winning.

HOVG: When did you know that you “made it”?

OLIVER: I guess I felt like I made it after my third season. I ended up winning the team MVP in 1993 and from that point on, I felt like I was a big leaguer. You can’t get caught up in the hype and attention and get complacent. It is nice to have people recognize you for your hard work but not needed to make you feel like you belong.

This Sunday, Joe Oliver’s Triple Threat Baseball 15-18 (and under) team in Orlando, Florida will be holding their second set of tryouts at Zinn Beck fields in nearby Sanford. Registration kicks off at 8:30am…with tryouts starting at 9:00am. For more information, check out Triple Threat Baseball on the web.

Aside from coaching the 15-18U squad…Oliver is also at the helm of the baseball team at Pine Castle (FL) Christian Academy.