Happy (Ellis) Valentine's Day!

In a couple of months, we'll be celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Montreal Expos moving their home games to Olympic Stadium.  And did you know, on April 15, 1977, Expos outfielder Ellis Valentine hit the ballpark's first home run.

It's true...dude took the league's eventual Cy Young Award winner Steve Carlton deep in the third inning.

I had a chance to catch up with Valentine earlier today...fittingly, Valentine's Day.

HOVG: While you played, you were regarded as having one of the best outfield arms in Majors.   Matter of fact, just last week, Mike Francesa and Andre Dawson talked about your throwing prowess during Francesa's radio show on WFAN in New York.  Conversely, whose arm frightened you and why?

VALENTINE: None really. If you were a good base runner you had respect for those that could throw well.

HOVG: You played alongside and, in the case of Dick Williams, for a number of Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame-caliber players. What can you tell me about Andre Dawson?

VALENTINE: The Hawk was a good player, very committed th his talent.

HOVG: How about Tim Raines and his qualifications?

VALENTINE: There are too many to list!

Ellis Valentine played ten seasons in the Majors...seven of them with the Montreal Expos.  In the team's history, he ranks seventh in career batting average (.288) and slugging percentage (.476).  Currently, the 1977 All-Star lives and works in the Dallas ara.

Sumo Star Works Out with Yomiuri Giants

It must be something in the air.

Less than three weeks after the Detroit Tigers inked Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract, the Yomiuri Giants brought in their own big bopper...340-pound sumo star Hakuho Sho.

Sure, he was just hanging out with the club, but isn't seeing a sumo wrestler in uniform far more exciting than the times Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks or even Billy Crystal took their cuts in the cage?

Sadly, there's no word on how the big man did.

***Hooray to Old Time Family Baseball for the link.***

Vlad Makes His Pitch to the Yanks

With Jorge Posada no longer in the Bronx and Jesus Montero taking his promise to Seattle...the New York Yankees have, seemingly, been left without a designate hitter.

But, according to ESPN's Buster Olney...there's one slugger out there that's stumping hard for the gig.

Vladimir Guerrero has made it known to the Yankees that he wants their DH spot. IMO, Raul Ibanez still the frontrunner to sign w/NYY as DH.

Currently, the Yankees have Andruw Jones slated to be their Opening Day DH, but, honestly, I wouldn't be so sure that it doesn't, at some point, end up as Alex Rodriguez's job.

But as far as Jones, Guerrero or Ibanez as your full-time DH?  It's a potential wash if you ask me.  However, you're the New York Yankees, Yankees...why not just get all three under contract and go from there.

And in case any of you were wondering...I'm available as well.

Pete Rose is Still Gambling

Would it be a surprise to anyone to know that disgraced former Major Leaguer Pete Rose was in Las Vegas gambling during the SuperBowl?

I mean, here's a guy who, in 1989, was banned from baseball for gambling...nevermind, I'm not shocked at all to know that dude was in Sin City on SuperBowl Sunday.  Much less, talking slot strategies (for close to 20 minutes!) and posing for pictures.

Anyway...here's Rose and fan Ari Rabin-Havt slotside at the Wynn Casino.

***Props to Terez Owens.***

Jose Canseco Joins Mexican League Team

It seems like just yesterday (surprise...it's been 16 months!) that Jose Canseco hit the Twitters and proclaimed that "Eastbound and Down" was based on him.

Well, what he said was "Easr bound and out"...but we all know what he thinks he meant.

That said, in a case of life imitating art or art imitating Canseco or whatever...the former MVP has agreed to a deal with the Quintana Roo Tigers of the Mexican League.

“I am thrilled to be back in affiliated professional baseball,” the 47-year-old slugger said in a quote I swiped from Larry Brown Sports. “Playing and managing for the independent league Yuma Scorpions last year really rekindled my love for the game and facing the veteran players in that league made me realize that I can still hit at the major league level. I am grateful that Cancun has given me this opportunity and I hope to help them to a championship season and demonstrate that I can help a big league team.”

Canseco reports Monday for spring training.  Next stop...the Myrtle Beach Mermen!

You know, exactly like Kenny Powers.

Now I don't know about you, but I get dizzy every time I confuse Canseco and Powers since the similarities are endless.

Here's the facts...one is a washed up, self absorbed, name dropping joke of a former baseball player who, because of his involvement with steroids and what not has found himself banned from the Majors, evicted from his home and threatening to beat up anyone who looks at him the wrong way.

The other is a fictional character that can be watched on pay cable beginning next Sunday.

Pro Wrestler a Finalist for MLB Fan Cave

Earlier this week, the MLB Fan Cave 2012 contest whittled its list of close to 22,000 candidates to a batch of 50 finalists.

One of those selected to make up the six person MLB Fan Cave...California-based independent wrestler Joey Ryan.

Ryan (real name Joey Meehan) has been competing professionally since 2000 for a number of different outlets...Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, WWE and Ring of Honor. While with the WWE, dude squared off against The Big Show and Mark Henry, so keeping tabs on MLB heavyweights CC Sabathia and Prince Fielder should not be a problem.

So what's next for the former PWG World Champion and Los Angeles Angels fanatic?

At the end of this month, 30 of the current 50 finalists will be selected to attend spring training in Arizona. From that group, six will have the opportunity to live in the Fan Cave in New York City for the entire upcoming baseball season.

Below is Ryan's video which he shot during the recent Ring Ka King promotion in India.

 

 

Of Course There's a Josh Hamilton Sex Tape

For whatever reason, the Josh Hamilton "relapse" story was a big one last week.

And I get it, the Texas Rangers star is the drug and alcohol rehabilitation poster child, but just as the story was fading into the night...there's this.

Not only was dude hammered, but he went all Roethlisberger at the Dallas eatery and relapsed in the bathroom with a lady...ifyouknowwhatImean.

So, naturally, now there are stories about a sex tape.  And, really, why wouldn't there be?

According to Deadspin, video of the former American League MVP's bathroom sexcapade (see what I did there?) has been offered up to a local TV station for a tidy sum of $41,000.

"Had we been interested," a station employee told the website, "I'm sure they would have given us some watermarked photos or something from the video."

But as of yet...no one is biting.

Now, I don't want to judge the guy the guy's actions.  I've never walked in his shoes...never will.  However, if he wants us all to buy the whole act...lose the backwards cap and Kaenon sunglasses.

To me, nothing makes a public apology look more like an obligation or inconvenience than showing up looking like a twat.

Forbes: A-Rod is Baseball's "Most Disliked"

It's official...people really, really hate Alex Rodriguez.

According to Forbes, the New York Yankees third baseman is baseball's "most disliked" player...and the ninth "most disliked" athlete.

Ranking ahead of Rodriguez...football players Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress, Ndamukong Suh, Terrell Owens, basketball players Kris Humphries, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and golfer Tiger Woods.

In recent years, disgraced sluggers Mark McGwire and Manny Ramirez have found their names on the Forbes "most disliked" list.

But, really, what does it matter to A-Rod?

The three-time MVP has one of the game's richest contracts, he's reaching baseball milestones on a yearly basis and the Hall of Fame, even with its character clause, is full of undesirables.