I Enjoy Slapping Balls..And I'd Do It Again

The Soxaholix have another great post making fun of my favorite person to make fun of, Slappy McSlaperton.

"I was brought here as the final piece of the puzzle, and we were supposed to win," Rodriguez says. "For that, I accept the blame."

It's not the first time A-Rod has issued a blanket mea culpa, but he knows words won't soften the memory of him slapping the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove in the eighth inning of Game 6. Rodriguez still says it was a "smart play, one I would make again" but it was an unforgettable landmark on the way to the Yankees' collapse. It also started an off-season newspaper war between Rodriguez and Curt Schilling, who called the third baseman "classless." A-Rod has decided against further escalation, insisting, "I'm done talking about him."

How was that smart again? Look no further than rule 7.08 from the Major League Baseball rulebook to prove that he is cheater through and through.

7.08 Any runner is out when_(b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not. A player is especially out if he makes an attempt to dislodge the ball with a feminine slap.

Look, it was the playoffs. It was the heat of moment. I can excuse the move, just admit you were a cheater and you made a mistake. It was a smart play? One you'd make again? A-Rod is a joke of player on a team that suffered the worst defeat in the history of this storied game by watching a seemingly insurmountable three game lead blown to pieces. Admit you made a mistake and it was the heat of the moment. Even Roger Clemens tried to make an excuse for throwing a piece of bat at Mr. New York baseball, Mike Piazza, by saying he thought it was the ball even though no where in the rulebook does it allude to baseball turning into dodgeball at any time. A-Rod is not even trying to make any excuses. Not only does he admit to cheating, but he would do it again! That is like Sammy saying that corking his bat was a smart move and he would do it again. That is like Gary Sheffield saying ingesting steroids was a smart move and he would do it again. Get a clue you ball slapping pretty boy. Also, no one likes your "it's all my fault, blame me routine". No one cares.

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For me, the start of spring training no only represents the greatest game on the Earth being close to starting, but it also means that more abuse is coming my way.

The small of the freshly cut grass…the crack of the bat….the sound of “Play Ball!!”

Ah…baseball is almost here.

12 days until Met pitchers and catchers report
60 days until Pedro loses his first game as a Metropolitan
61 days until Heredia gives up his first long ball as a Met
67 days until Franco records his ninth career save against the Mets
74 days until Reyes blows out a hammy
90 days until Floyd is officially placed on the DL
157 days until Kaz reaches the 100 mark for strikeouts
178 days until Glavine is traded to a contender
204 days until Piazza pulls up gimp running to first base – season over
213 days until the Mets are officially eliminated from playoff contention

Yes, that is the first email of many to come from Yankee fans trashing the Mets.

Cause and effect is a simple concept. To determine causes, ask, "Why did this happen?" To identify effects, ask, "What happened because of this?". I do not think Fred Wilpon will need to pay someone a lot of money to research why he's receiving such early positive returns on ticket sales. In 2004, the Mets fooled 2,318,951 people into coming out to Shea stadium and in 2003 they fooled 2,140,599 into coming out to Shea.

According to Dave Howard, the team's executive vice president of business operations, sales of season- and partial-season ticket packages have increased by between 200 and 300 percent over last season.

They have already topped one million tickets sold and hope to be at two million by opening day. Can they hit three million this season? They absolutely can if they can get off to a quick start. The buzz is already here any they need to capitalize of that. Wilpon can almost pay for his new investments in gate receipts alone.

According to Steve Popper:

A Mets official said Thursday that the team is considering sending someone to watch the upcoming workouts by Magglio Ordonez in California. The hard-hitting outfielder still holds some intrigue to the team even after two knee operations left some wondering what he has left.

According to another team official, "We're monitoring the situation." What the Mets likely are wondering is how high the competition will go for the services of Ordonez. The Tigers have reportedly offered him a five-year deal despite his problems, and if workouts go well, others could jump into the chase - including the Mets.

Anthony Reyes, who is the Cardinals top prospect according to BA, had a ridiculous 7.85 K/BB ratio at AA last season. The Cardinals top six prospects are right handed starting pitchers and there are seven pitchers in their top ten all together. You think they maybe feel like they are deep enough in that area?

Farnsworth is being shopped by the Cubbies.

They are in negotiations about a possible trade of reliever Kyle Farnsworth, the likeliest move general manager Jim Hendry might make before pitchers and catchers report for spring training in Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 16. Farnsworth could be dealt for another major-league reliever, and other scenarios have the Cubs landing two or three prospects for the strong-armed but enigmatic 28-year-old.

The talk of imminent deals by the D-Backs is being downgraded to not-so-imminent.

Ken Kendrick, one of the team's four general partners, said earlier this week that a deal to secure a replacement for Steve Finley was well on course and virtually imminent, but when a new team entered negotiations late Wednesday, it put the Diamondbacks in neutral again.