soupcan

="RealityChuck"] (Shot just outside Cooperstown, where Bud works security for the Hall of Fame.) That's funny.

I can't do a top 10 either but Seaver's return is on it if I could. Glavine getting clobbered for 900 runs in his debut would not be.

Yeah. Vroman from Staples. My son attended a little hitting workshop he ran this past fall . NIce kid. I guess his dad was a big deal in the Westport LL. Do you know him?

Sandgnat wrote: Flying up from Savannah. Upper deck 4th row behind home plate. 850 miles can't stop the opening day tradition. Hey I just got this - Savannah Sandgnats. Know Doug Vroman?

How about that Carter game - Freakin' cold right?

You want hard core? This will be (I think) my 25th consecutive Opening Day attended. I'll give you that I never had to fly in for it and the farthest I've to travel was from Syracuse, but still. Best Opening Day memory for me was Carter's game winning ding-dong in the 10th off Neil Allen in '85 in the BITTER FREAKIN' COLD! Ordonez debut when he threw the runner out at the plate from his knees from short left field was pretty cool too.

="Yancy Street Gang"]How does that pre-paid parking thing work? Last time I went to Shea I took the train so I could avoid the parking lot, but it was a long journey by train. NJ Transit, subway, missed connections, etc. Pre-paid parking comes with certain season ticket packages and lots of times if you buy expensive seats in advance, parking is included. I like it cause I park right near the exit and I'm outta there and on the highway in no time no matter how crowded the lot is.

KC wrote: I have pre-paid parking for this game and I'm not doing my normal tailgate routine otherwise I'd be happy to feed you. Maybe we can all meet for a pop or two somewhere, let's see who all chimes in. Pre-paid parking? Well excuuuuuse me. Elitist bastard. Pre-paid parking is THE way to go. Been doing it for years. Zip in, zip out. You are moving up in the world my friend. You're allowed to tailgate in the pre-paid lot. In fact its probably easier because its not as crowded.

That can't be true. I'm guessing April Fool's.

KC wrote: We're going - if anyone is meeting up post some coordinates. I'm meeting 3 of my brothers-in-law in the stadium. If you know where you'll be in the parking lot, let me know and I'll swing by and steal some food.

Okay - who's going? Raise your hands. I'll be there.

]"America hasn't had a white hope since the retirement of (NBA star) Larry Bird, and once Bonds passes Ruth, there's nothing that will make (Ruth) unique, and they're scared. And I'm scared for Bonds.. So many things here - Michael Jordan & Tiger Woods aren't embraced by 'White America'? Ruth will always be legendary. Hell, he hasn't held that record for 30 years! I'm scared? The only fear I have is to not be able to feed or shelter my family. I don't think Barry Bonds' steroid-laden pursuit of baseball's all-time home run record will have a hell of a lot of effect on that. No sir I'm not scared, I just don't particularly care for cheaters.

I know a little about him. He's 33 and can play third and short. He's also written two books.

I did chuckle when I read it if that's any consolation.

Doesn't look like anybody's sporting 32 right now. I'll go with that. Always liked that for a Mets pitcher.

Well she has a nice body but she looked a bit skanky in some of those FHM pics. Think they airbrushed the Orioles hat in on the picture of her in the baseball-themed bikini?

That was him. That was the question he asked and after trying to figure out what his strategy was - that was his answer. Thanks.

ScarletKnight41 wrote: I think I saw Soup's kid being interviewed about getting autographs in St. Lucie! Tell me more, tell me more. When, where, what?

Excellent.

Good riddance.

I'd love to see just one manager go against tradition and throw a non-conforming batting order out on the field. I'm betting it won't happen.

Okay that was easy to find on my own... From Uni Watch on espn.com... Let's start with the batting helmets. As you may recall, a new helmet design, featuring side vents and reptilian-looking molded crown, was unveiled during last year's All-Star Game. At the time, a Rawlings marketing manager gave Uni Watch a simple reason for the new design: "MLB doesn't allow outside logos on headwear, so this gives us the opportunity to kinda put our mark on the helmet without actually using the Rawlings logo." The new helmet model, called the CoolFlo, wasn't seen again last year. But all MLB teams were given the option to wear it this season, and 11 clubs have chosen to be early adopters. Seven of those teams are already wearing the CoolFlo in spring training: the Cubs, Angels, Diamondbacks, Devil Rays, Orioles, Dodgers and Mets. The other four CoolFlo teams -- the Twins, A's, Braves and Padres -- are wearing regular helmets for now but will switch to the new model when the regular season starts. Looking at the pictures of players on the different teams using the CoolFlo though, it appears the Mets are the only team using a multicolored helmet. Yet one more fashion faux pas for the Flushing Flashes.

]"...and the story behind those reptilian-looking batting helmets the Mets are sporting in spring training." Noticed those for the first time yesterday. What IS the story with those?

]At one point, in a bid to describe how many people he had interviewed, Mr. Pearlman told Mr. Bonds that he'd interviewed Mr. Bonds' Cub Scout den mother. Mr. Bonds, in a loud voice that carried through the locker room of the San Francisco Giants, replied that he'd never been in the Cub Scouts. "He's bizarre," says Mr. Pearlman. Barry Bonds is bizarre? Tell me something I don't know.

Team Korea has extra incentive... March 14, 2006 On Baseball South Korea Continues to Find Motivation By MURRAY CHASS Anaheim, Calif. BEFORE the World Baseball Classic, South Korea was not considered on the level of the United States, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba, or even Japan. But the South Koreans won Pool A by beating Japan in the final game of the first round and were the tournament's only undefeated team as they entered last night's game against the United States. South Korea, it was learned earlier yesterday, had a good reason for winning its games and refusing to lose. Jae Seo, the former Mets pitcher now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, explained. "The big difference between us and the other teams," Seo said, "is if we qualify for the semifinals, which means we go to San Diego, the government is going to give a waiver to the players for military service." Military service in South Korea is mandatory for 26 months, explained Joon Choi, the press liaison for the team. He translated replies by Seo and Seung Yeop Lee, the team's home run hitter, in pregame interviews in the South Korean dugout. "These two gentlemen got waivers from the military when they won the bronze medal in the 2000 Olympics," Choi said, "but they're trying their best to help the younger players so they can have a longer baseball life." Lee and Seo have been instrumental in South Korea's march to San Diego. Lee, whose 56 home runs in 2003 broke Sadaharu Oh's Asian record, whacked his fifth homer in South Korea's five games last night. His two-run homer in the eighth inning beat Japan, 3-2, and his two-run home run against Rodrigo Lopez of the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning beat Mexico, 2-1, in the opening game of the second round. His home run last night, which he hit on the first pitch he saw from Dontrelle Willis, gave him 7 hits in 15 at bats (.467) and a 1.467 slugging percentage. He had driven in 10 of the 18 South Korea had scored. Even more impressive, though, were the South Korean pitchers. Led by Seo, who was the starting and winning pitcher in the first game of each round, they had a tournament best 1.00 earned run average, allowing only four runs in the first four games. The staff also has Dae Sung Koo, formerly of the Mets; Chan Ho Park, a veteran major leaguer who gained a tournament-high three saves in the first four games; and two Colorado pitchers, Byung Hyun Kim and Sun Woo Kim. While the pitching is populated by major leaguers, the other part of the roster is filled with players named Lee. All three outfielders are named Lee, and the first baseman and third baseman are, too. How is the home run hitter, the first baseman, distinguished from the other Lees? "He's the most handsome," Seo said, and both players immediately broke up laughing. A left-handed hitter who plays for the Tokyo Giants, Seung Yeop Lee became the youngest player in the world to hit 300 home runs, in 2003. He reached that milestone en route to hitting 56 that season. Ken Griffey Jr., a center fielder for the United States team, was the youngest player to hit 350, 400 and 450. Others call Lee's 56 homers the Asian record, but Lee modestly said it was only the Korean record. "He's a very low-key guy," Koo Youn Heo, the noted South Korean television baseball commentator, said. "He respects other people. That's why he may answer that way." Lee was a pitcher when he played in high school and, Heo suggested, could be considered the Babe Ruth of South Korea. The 29-year-old Lee, who is also called the Lion King, has won five most valuable player awards in the South Korea Baseball Organization. He has played in Japan the last two years and has thoughts of playing in the United States. "My dream is to play in three big leagues," he said. "It all depends on this year's statistics. I'm going to play in Japan this year and after this season I'll be a free agent, so it depends on this year's record and this year's success." Choi said, "If they fit him in, he will come." Lee was asked if Seo had told him about life in the major leagues. "Not at all," Lee replied, grinning, and again both broke up laughing. Seo had a good partial season last year with the Mets, registering an 8-2 record and 2.59 earned run average in 14 starts, but the Mets needed relief pitching and traded him to the Dodgers for Duaner Sanchez. "It was a very good trade," Seo said. "The Mets were a great team and the atmosphere was great, but the Dodgers have more atmosphere for me. It's going to be a great opportunity for me to play for the Dodgers." Meanwhile, Seo and Lee will concentrate on the World Baseball Classic. Lee said he hadn't been able to enjoy the experience as much as he would have liked because he had a cold and was "kind of sick now." When Seo was asked what his most enjoyable experience had been, he replied: "The best thing is beating Japan. There was a controversial issue between Ichiro and the Korean team. Ichiro said they will not let Korea beat Japan for the next 30 years. That made us very motivated. "Because of that, beating Japan is the most memorable thing so far." Had any of the United States players said anything? "No," Seo said. The military waiver would be motivation enough.