Bored

A's sweep the Yankees in New York for the first time in 12 years. Street saves all three games. Dan Johnson has risen from the dead as apparantly he was having a problem with "dry eyes" early in the season which was causing him to have blurry vision which led to him being dreadful at the plate but he's been red hot the last couple of weeks. Eye drops are a PED!

Rondell White seemed like a good pick up for the DH spot but he has hit the career wall hard this year.

The #2 pick overall pick in the draft Greg Reynolds (Rockies) is pitching for Stanford tonight but down 1-0 in the 2nd.

UNC wins on a walkoff homerun, 8-7. So the first three teams into the World Series are from the ACC.

God these Alabama fans are annoying yelling "balk" every time the North Carolina pitcher makes a move to first just because the Alabama pitcher got called on a clear balk the previous inning. I had no rooting interest in the game but the crowd now has me rooting for the Heels.

Georgia Tech is the first team in the College World Series as they eliminated Charleston today 12-3. ESPN2's regional coverage starts today at 7 EST/4 PST.

I hadn't known this before hand but according to this article the blood test for HGH can only detect HGH if the individual injected it right before the test. They had it in the Athens Olympics and to no surprise not a single athlete tested positive.

Okay feel good story and all but come on Mike Rouse player of the game? Difference in the game? You know there was that two-run homer by the Big Hurt in a ten pitch at bat that was pretty important. Awww Timmy so upset over Jeter not coming thru in the clutch today he can't say anything at the end. Maybe they can clutch each other after the game.

In fairness to Proctor he should have been out of the inning and Johnson's hit was a bloop.

Why did I not have the mute on or otherwise I could have avoided Buck/McCarver popping boners over Nick Swisher, the team's best hitter, bunting. Ya brilliant fucking strategy. Chavez's back is still bothering him. He's looked awful up there today.

Mike Rouse: Yankee Killer

Street is starting to get my confidence back him in. But he did it against A-Rod, OMG THE MOST UNCLUTCH PLAYER OF ALL-TIME SO IT DOESN'T COUNT!!! Had to win tonight, Saarloos/Mussina is going to be a massacre.

Aw dammit the game has started back up. And Giambi promptly hits a three-run homer, lead down to two. Why do they always prove me right?

But he's a PVC~! I wish they'd call the A's/Yankees game. The A's are perfectly capable of blowing a five run lead late in a game and I'd prefer they not have the chance to do so.

Wow looks like they are airing almost all the Super Regional games on ESPN or ESPN2. Coverage map for tommorrow's games

Perez was 1 for 33 this year before that homerun. Okay maybe it is time for Randy Johnson to retire. He also gave up a hit to light hitting, emergency call up Mike Rouse tonight. And now he walks him. Ouch.

The A's may very well be this year's Dodgers with injuries just killing their season. Both Eric Chavez (back) and Bobby Crosby (hand) are questionable for the entire Yankees series, both out of the lineup tonight.

I really have a hard time believing Grimsley's attorney on the wiring to get Bonds. Could they really be that stupid to think Grimsley could get Bonds to confess what he does when Grimsley probably doesn't even know Bonds?

Amphetamine use has been known for decades and really has never been hidden. Willie Mays and Hank Aaron used them.

Funny I don't remember Yankee fans whining about Jeter's lack of "clutch" last season when he just .261 with a pathetic .355 SLG with RISP. Jeter is off to a hot start and we'll see if he can keep it up. Maybe he can actually have a better year than A-Rod for the first time in seven years.

No I know I need to start typing these entries in Word first. I originally thought I was going to have Mauer in the Top 10 but he got squeezed out as Ramon Hernandez being tied for the league lead in Win Shares threw me for a loop. Mauer was probably 11th or 12th.

I joked last week he'd be on the DL two weeks later. Apparantly I gave him too much credit. I've officially given up on him ever being healthy enough to reach his potential and I think I'm starting to side with re-signing Barry Ztio even at a ridiculous contract.

Ouch, ratting out other players. Ya he won't be very popular in the clubhouse tommorrow.

The draft is tommorrow so I've decided just to do a quick list of the top players of each draft from the 1980's per Win Shares with a couple of other things thrown in. Now when putting this together I was quickly skimming over the list of players who played in the Majors from each draft so it's entirely possible I might have missed a key player or two so feel free to point out any omissions. For each year I only take in account players who signed. 1980 Top Pick Overall: Darryl Strawberry, 252 Win Shares, Mets Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Garry Harris, Blue Jays Most Career Win Shares: Strawberry Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Craig Lefferts 91, 9th Round, Cubs Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Eric Davis 224, 8th Round, Reds 1981 Top Pick Overall: Mike Moore, 133 Win Shares, Mariners Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #11 Mike Sodders, Twins Most Career Win Shares: Tony Gwynn 398, 3rd Round, Padres Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: David Cone 205, 3rd Round, Royals Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Joe Carter 240, #2 Overall, Indians; Kevin McReynolds 202, #6 Overall, Padres; Paul O'Neill 259, 4th Round, Reds; Devon White 207, 6th Round, Angels; Fred McGriff 326, 9th Round, Yankees; Lenny Dykstra 201, 13th Round, Mets Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Mark Langston 184, 2nd Round, Mariners; Frank Viola 187, 2nd Round, Twins; John Franco 183, 5th Round, Dodgers 1982 Top Pick Overall: Shawon Dunston, 151 Win Shares, Cubs Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Augie Schmidt, Blue Jays Most Career Win Shares: Jose Canseco 272, 15th Round, A's Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: David Wells 203, 2nd Round, Blue Jays Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Terry Pendleton 202, 7th Round, Cardinals Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Dwight Gooden 187, #5 Overall, Mets; Jimmy Key 188, 3rd Round, Blue Jays; Bret Saberhagen 193, 19th Round, Royals; Kenny Rogers 185, 39th Round, Rangers 1983 Top Pick Overall: Tim Belcher, 132 Win Shares, Twins (did not sign) Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Stan Hilton, A's Most Career Win Shares: Roger Clemens 421, #19 Overall, Red Sox Most Career Win Shares by a Player: Wally Joyner 253, 3rd Round, Angels Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Ron Gant 206, 4th Round, Braves 1984 Top Pick Overall: Shawn Abner, 13 Win Shares, Mets Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #13 Bob Caffrey, Expos Most Career Win Shares: Greg Maddux 371, 2nd Overall, Cubs Most Career Win Shares by a Player: Mark McGwire 342, #10 Overall, A's Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Jay Bell 245, #8 Overall, Twins; Ken Caminiti 242, 3rd Round, Astros Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: Tom Glavine 290, 2nd Round, Braves; Jamie Moyer 184, 6th Round, Cubs 1985 Top Pick Overall: B.J. Surhoff, 231 Win Shares, Brewers Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Kurt Brown, White Sox Most Career Win Shares: Barry Bonds 661, #6 Overall, Pirates Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Randy Johnson 297, 2nd Round, Expos Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Will Clark 331, #2 Overall, Giants; Barry Larkin 347, #4 Overall, Reds; Rafael Palmeiro 394, #22 Overall, Cubs; David Justice 233, 4th Round, Braves; Mark Grace 294, 24th Round, Cubs Other Pitchers with 180+ Career Win Shares: John Smoltz 257, 22nd Round, Tigers 1986 Top Pick Overall: Jeff King, 115 Win Shares, Pirates Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #14 Greg McMurty, Red Sox (did not sign) Most Career Win Shares: Gary Sheffield 398, #6 Overall, Brewers Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Kevin Brown 241, #4 Overall, Rangers Other Players Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Matt Williams 241, #3 Overall, Giants; Todd Zeile 221, 2nd Round, Cardinals 1987 Top Pick Overall: Ken Griffey Jr., 358 Win Shares, Mariners Highets Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #2 Mark Merchant, Pirates Most Career Win Shares: Craig Biggio 411, #22 Overall, Astros Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Kevin Appier 189, #9 Overall, Royals Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Albert Belle 243, 2nd Round, Indians; Ray Lankford 228, 3rd Round, Cardinals; Reggie Sanders 201, 7th Round, Reds; Steve Finley 286, 13th Round, Orioles 1988 Top Pick Overall: Andy Benes, 139 Win Shares, Padres Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #5 Bill Bene, Dodgers Most Career Win Shares: Mike Piazza 309, 62nd Round, Dodgers Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Benes Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Robin Ventura 272, #10 Overall, White Sox; Tino Martinez 216, #14 Overall, Mariners; Marquis Grissom 248, 3rd Round, Expos; Luis Gonzalez 285, 4th Round, Astros; Jim Edmonds 263, 7th Round, Angels; Kenny Lofton 261, 17th Round, Astros 1989 Top Pick Overall: Ben McDonald, 83 Win Shares, Orioles Highest Pick Not to Play in the Majors: #4 Jeff Jackson, Phillies Most Career Win Shares: Jeff Bagwell 387, 4th Round, Red Sox Most Career Win Shares by a Pitcher: Trevor Hoffman 144, 11th Round, Reds Other Players with 200+ Career Win Shares: Frank Thomas 362, #7 Overall, White Sox; Mo Vaughn 201, #23 Overall, Red Sox; Chuck Knoblauch 231, #25 Overall, Twins; John Olerud 301, 3rd Round, Blue Jays; Tim Salmon 228, 3rd Round, Angels; Ryan Klesko 222, 5th Round, Braves; Jim Thome 279, 13th Round, Indians; Brian Giles 228, 17th Round, Indians; Jeff Kent 295, 20th Round, Blue Jays

To show how slim the chances of Piazza becoming a star, nevermind one of the best hitting catchers of all-time, were just look at the other top players drafted from that decade and you see there is only three of them drafted after the 20th Round (John Smoltz, Mark Grace, Kenny Rogers) with Rogers being the next latest pick in the 39th Round. It's also ironic that the Dodgers #1 pick from the '88 Draft didn't even make it to the Majors.