CM Punk was NOT a Steve Bartman Fan

This weekend, Madison Square Garden plays hosts to WWE Survivor Series 2011.

Now, as some of you might know, in addition to being rabid about baseball...I'm also a wrestling nut.  So, I couldn't have been happier to hear Jimmy Traina mix in a little baseball talk when he talked to WWE superstar CM Punk.

If you don't like wrestling, you'll have to skip ahead to the 24:18 mark.

Either way...you'll enjoy the one-time champ's take on how he feels about Steve Bartman.

"I wanted to drink his blood back in the day," Punk told Traina.  "You watch that ESPN documentary and you’re just like 'wow, that’s just a dude who was at the wrong place at the wrong time'."

Punk also talks about being prepared for the 2015 “Back to the Future” prophecy coming true.

Good stuff.

Comedian Calls Out Yankees Ace

Years ago, as the story goes, former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star John Kruk was sitting at a bar knocking back some drinks and smoking.

Out of the blue...a woman walks up and tells him that he, a professional athlete, should take better care of himself.

His response?

The immortal phrase..."I ain't an athlete, lady, I'm a baseball player."

And I guess that's the appeal of baseball, isn't it?  That, seemingly, anyone with the talent to play can.  And they can be successful too!

Just look at Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Tony Gwynn and Kirby Puckett.  Big guys CAN do well.

Which leads me to this.

The other night, TMZ cameras caught up with comedian Artie Lange and, for reason, starting talking to him about the New York Yankees...specifically team ace and $25 million dollar man CC Sabathia.

And, well, suffice it to say...the pot called the kettle an "enormous fat guy."

Watch.

 

 

The Chicago Cubs Have Found Their Man

Wednesday afternoon, the Boston Red Sox interviewed their one-time third base coach Dale Sveum for their vacant managerial opening.

He was rumored to be the leading candidate for the job.

Late Wednesday night, multiple sources, including Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman, tweeted that Sveum was offered the Chicago Cubs top spot.

Oh, the off season chicanery between the Red Sox and Cubs continues!

The National League Central is familar territory for the 47-year-old.  The former infielder served as the Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach this past season and has been with their organization since 2006. 

And if Heyman is right, this will be the first full-time managerial gig for Sveum who, in September 2008, assumed the reigns of the Milwaukee Brewers after Ned Yost was let go.

His .583 career winning percentage is better than all but two (Frank Chance and Al Spalding) of the 57 skippers (interim and otherwise) in Cubs history.

But, then again...Sveum only managed the Brewers for those 12 regular season games.

"(Dale's a) great guy who finally will get his chance," Sveum's former Brewers teammate Darryl Hamilton told The Hall. "After taking over for the Brewers (in 2008 and) going into the playoffs, I was surprise that this did not happen sooner."

Alright, a quick, random fun fact about Sveum courtesy of Wikipedia, dude played for five different managers who would, at some point, win a Manager of the Year Award...Tony LaRussa, Joe Torre, Lou Piniella, Jim Leyland and Gene Lamont.

So...how long until the "Fire Dale Sveum" group on Facebook gets re-activated?

This Week in Baseball Cards: November 16

You've gotta love the randomness of the offseason...and nothing gets more random than Bo Rosny's weekly feature This Week in Baseball Cards!

This week we reported that Bill Murray’s old house was for sale. This was baseball-related because he has a swimming pool with a Cubs logo that can be seen from space. At least the logo wasn’t put in upside down, the way Fleer did with Lee Smith’s rookie card.

The only way the Phillies’ Raul Ibanez is going into the Hall of Fame is to buy a ticket, which is exactly what he did last week. However, he has a new teammate who will be going in for free five years after he retires...600-homer man Jim Thome. Now the Phils just have to coax Mike Schmidt out of retirement to reunite the South Philly Sluggers.

Finally, last week in this space we congratulated John Axford for being named Mustached American of the Year. This week, he shaved it off.

However, it was hardly the oldest baseball mustache to hit the blade this week. A’s minor leaguer Jeremy Barfield revealed on Twitter that his dad, former Yankee and Blue Jay slugger Jesse Barfield, shaved his mustache for the first time since 1983...the same year John Axford was born.

And remember, gang, you can check out Bo's daily insights over at his site...Baseball Cards Come to Life.

Jonathan Papelbon Needs New Music

With Jonathan Papelbon having agreed to make make the nearly six hour trip on I-95 from BeanTown to Philly...it's pretty safe to say that he'll kick his entrance music to the curb right?

You see, for the past three seasons, the newly minted Philadelphia Phillies closer has been using "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys every time he heads to the mound.

So, now that the Boston Red Sox are in his rearview mirror (to the tune of  nearly $50 million), I'm curious...what might the enigmatic closer use when he trots to the hill at Citizens Bank Park?

Do you go with an old school Philly local?

"Night Songs"

Cinderella

"Brand New Funk"

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

Or do you go with a song that has Philadelphia in its title?

"Streets of Philadelphia"

Bruce Springsteen

"Philadelphia Freedom"
Elton John

Maybe you like something from the popular TV show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"?

"Going Back to Philly"

Or, rather...do you go with the obvious?

"Gonna Fly Now" (the theme from "Rocky")

Bill Conti

What do I think?

I've gotta go with a mix of all of the above (kinda)...Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger".

Sure, they're not from Philadelphia, the city isn't in the title...but, c'mon, when you hear the song all you can think about is one of the Philly's most iconic characters.

What do you think? What should Jonathan Papelbon use as his entrance music this upcoming season?

Brian Wilson Garden Gnomes?

You know the endless stories of the baseball teams that schedule bobblehead nights prior to the season and, then, when that date finally rolls around...the player immortalized in ceramic is no longer with the club?

I'm guessing the San Francisco Giants are hoping closer Brian Wilson doesn't decide to shave anytime soon.

Why?

When the 2010 World Champs square off against the Oakland A's May 20...they're giving away Brian Wilson garden gnomes to the first 20,000 fans.

While the promo item isn't original to the Giants (the Hagerstown Sun immortalized one of their favorite, um, sons last season)...it is one of the better ones.

Also up for grabs to those planning on hitting AT&T park this upcoming season...Sergio Romo, Pablo Sandoval and Madison Bumgarner bobbleheads, superhero capes, welcome mats and "Texting Gloves".

So, yeah, on May 20, you can your Wilson garden gnome at the park or, naturally, you wait a day later and "Get Heeem" on eBay.

***Props to sfist.com (among others) for making my day.***

Cal Ripken's Kid Commits to South Carolina

Do you know how hard it is to write a catchy lead to a story about a Hall of Famer's son signing a letter of intent to play collegiate baseball without including some hackneyed "like father, like son" reference?

Damn hard.

If only Gilmore (Baltimore) High School senior Ryan Ripken's dad was Billy "Uncle F***face" Ripken...I wouldn't have this problem.

Anyhoo.

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks landed one of the game's most recognizable names in baseball when the junior Ripken (NOT Cal Ripken Jr.) signed his letter of intent Monday.

The six-foot-six Ripken, a first baseman who also pitches, is a three-year starter who batted .353 as a junior.

“He’s been terrific for us and it’s a wonderful opportunity for him and I’m sure he’ll make the most of it,” Gilman's head coach Larry Sheets told the Baltimore Sun. “He had a few choice, quality schools who pursued him. Who wouldn’t want to go to school of the caliber of South Carolina?”

According to South Carolina fan site The Big Spur (was the Big Cock taken?), Ripken chose the Gamecocks over Coastal Carolina, Maryland and Wake Forest.

And if this whole baseball thing doesn't work out...the kid is also a monster on the basketball court, averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 boards a game.

"I want to prove myself in one, and that's baseball," the lanky lefty said in some random interview I dug up. "Baseball, in my opinion, is the tougher sport. It's the greater challenge for me.  And it's something I want to do."

Some online scouting websites have Ripken ranked as the top player in the state of Maryland and the tenth best at his position in the country.  Dude's also reportedly got a 3.7 GPA...not too shabby!

And, yeah, Ripken's coach Larry Sheets is the same Larry Sheets who played alongside Cal (and sometimes Billy) from 1984 to 1989 for the Baltimore Orioles.

Shaq Wants to Fight Jose Canseco

Last week at this time, word came that Lenny Dykstra had dropped out of his "celebrity" boxing match against fellow shamed former big leaguer Jose Canseco.

Thankfully that bout never took place because, in its wake, we were graced with a barrage of anti-semitic tweets from Dykstra and a potential new foe for Canseco.

Ladies and gentlemen...enter "Shaq the Pugilist".

What up Dana white I wanna fight Jose conseco hook it up

Sure, O'Neal mispelled "Canseco", but c'mon...we all know who he meant and, honestly, wouldn't you want to see that fight?

Also, it wouldn't be the first time the 7'1" behemoth has set foot in the ring.  The four-time NBA champ has squared off against both Oscar de la Hoya and "Sugar" Shane Mosley on his show "Shaq Vs.".

Your move Canseco.  We both know you love a paycheck.