The 2003 major league season officially gets underway on Thursday when the first exhibition games are played in Arizona and Florida.

Having observed baseball for a long time, I have some thoughts on the value of the performances you will see coming from the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues.

Also, the new procedure for inducting worthy former players and executives into the Hall of Fame got off to a terrible start Wednesday when the pompous Hall of Famers couldn’t find anyone worthy of joining their private club.

More on both of these topics below. [Read more →]

There is plenty of blame to go around

Orioles’ pitcher Steve Bechler dies at 23

by Ray Mileur

Note from Marty Lurie: This is a quality article submitted by Ray, I appreciate the view point. Take a moment to read the text below.
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Anybody out there

with this this type

of money can get

themselves a Major sport

franchise in one of the

four main pro leagues:

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

If you have been anywhere near the Bay Area the past week, the most debated baseball topic has been the public request by Hall of Famer to be Rickey Henderson that he be allowed to play his final season (I guess he means 2003) with his home town Oakland A’s.

His request has fallen upon deaf ears within the A’s hierarchy. Not surprising, because Rickey has been here before, most recently in 1998, and his skills had dropped so noticeably that Billy Beane let him go at season’s end with hardly a handshake good bye.

Now, it’s 2003, the team has been in the playoffs three consecutive years without advancing beyond the first round.

Rickey is still playing. Can Rickey help this team achieve its goal of a World Series appearance?

Click “Read more” and I’ll tell you my opinion. [Read more →]

The Aguilas(Eagles)of Cibao

won their fourth Caribbean

World Series title by defeating

the Puertorican champions

Indios(Indians)of Mayaguez.

The Dominican stars: Tejada,

Mondesí, Ortíz and Batista.

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

Marty Lurie here on Memories of the Game with Joe Pignatano. Joe, baseball stories are special. This game’s been around 125 years, and what makes it live on are the stories of the game. You were born in Brooklyn and you signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. I don’t know if there’s a better story than that. [Read more →]

On Opening Day at Safeco Field in

Seattle, April 8, 2003 when the

Mariners face the World Champion

Anaheim Angels, the Mariners

will have their historical first

broadcast in Spanish.

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

by Raymond Mileur

The St. Louis Cardinals were well represented, with a total of 11 Cardinal alumni, in the recent announcement of Hall of Fame Candidates for the 2003. The first question that comes to mind when reading this impressive list is that, is there anyone missing?

The former Cardinal candidates included are, Ken Boyer, Marty Marion, Roger Maris, Joe Torre, August Busch Jr., Whitey Herzog, Bill White, Curt Flood, Lee Smith, Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso and Vada Pinson. Missing from this list of candidates is former Cardinal Manager, Billy Southworth also known as “Billy the Kid” or the “Little General.”

click “read more” for a look at one of the most successful baseball managers of all time…Billy Southworth.
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He stands tall and alone at the edge of Cooperstown.

Ken Boyer is one of the leading candidates for enshrinement into the Hall of Fame. Ray Mileur, a free lance writer who specializes in St. Louis Cardinal features, makes a compelling case for the former Cardinal thirdbaseman.

Coincidentally, Boyer impressed me in one of my earliest memories of Ebbets Field in Brooklyn when as a young player he stole bases and hit the ball all over Brooklyn in one Dodger-Cardinal doubleheader in the mid fifties. (Marty Lurie)

Click “read more” for a terrific look at Ken Boyer and the argument for Cooperstown. [Read more →]