Art Shamsky, while playing for the Reds.

C'mon, Counselor, gimme a hard one.

I'm quite impressed, pizzaboy. You're certainly no piker.

What's interesting about that game is Shamsky entered the game in the top of the eighth. His first homer came in the bottom of the eighth off Pirates reliever Al McBean. It was a two run shot that gave the reds the lead. His second homer came in the tenth to tie it, and his the third homer was a two run blast to tie it once again. Both of these came off the esteemed Roy Face. The Pirates wnt on to win it 14-11.

Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente hit homers for Pittsburgh while Pete Rose hit one for the Reds.

Ralph Kiner, being partial to the Pirates, used to mention that game quite a bit, while calling Met games. That's how I remember it so well.

Plus, as you say, I'm no piker.

Winter Meetings start up this week! Baseball is the only sport where I can enjoy the offseason because I love hearing about trade rumors and free agent signings. In the end I'm usually disappointed but it's fun to dream about those great players that could be coming to your team!

Any ideas where some of the big guys are going to land this offseason? Sabathia, Teixeira, Manny?

I am hoping all the rumors about CC wanting to come home to the Bay Area isn't just his way of jacking up the offer from the Yankees. I doubt he will become a Giant, but that's the dreaming I'm talking about that is so fun

Any good or bad news for your teams so far?

I agree. I LOVE the baseball offseason.



As of now, I've heard the Yankees and Brewers have offered CC a contract. The Dodgers probably can't afford him, Anaheim is consumed with Teixeira (their rotation is already good) and I've heard the Giants are probably going to make an offer. Hopefully he'll wind up with the Yankees. I think Teixeira will resign with Aneheim or go to Boston and don't know about Manny. K-Rod or Fuentes are going to the Mets I'm sure. I'm getting tired of waiting though. Let's go, let's see some action!

Apparently the BoSox unveiled a new, retro road logo for '09. Looks like it's keeping in the Christmas spirit.

I kind of like the logo. It might look better on the jersey though, rather than the hat.

On a side note, it looks like I'm going to be disappointed once again with the Giants offseason. The Giants have said they are shooting for .500 this year and competing in the next couple of years. It's disappointing, but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. They want to see how their draft picks turn out as well as some young prospects out of the Dominican Republic. For the first time in a long time they actually have prospects other teams want, other than pitching which they have a lot of still.

Baseball is a sport that really tests ones patience. Unless you are a Yankees or Red Sox fan of course. Then you can buy your top players for instant gratification. For the rest of us.... wait wait wait and pray.

The chasm between the haves and have nots is growing, maybe that's why baseball is the national pasttime.

What do you mean?

Yeah I saw that. I think it's a pretty weak attempt for Boston to try to generate additional revenue to keep pace with the Yankees who are moving into their new stadium next season and are generating A LOT of extra cash from what I hear.

I was just noting that among baseball teams, the gap between the rich teams and the modest market teams has widened just as in America there seems to be an erosion of the middle class, creating a growing gap between the rich and poor.

Much as football did, I think baseball has to take real measures to level the economic playing field of the sport to make the league healthy and credible.

But again, does it really matter? Does financial stability translate to on-the-field success? Not all the time. Look at the Yankees, Mets and Tigers just to name a few. When was the last time any of them won a World Series? Now your logic does hold true for Boston but when teams like Tampa, St. Louis, and Florida have been competing and, in some cases, winnning the World Series, who really cares what their payroll is?

Because Irish, if it were a level playing field, like maybe a salary floor and cap, then teams who never make the playoffs would have a chance. When is the last time the Pirates or the Royals were in the playoffs? Pointing out a certain few teams like Tampa Bay or Florida only hurts the sport even more because it gives the bigger teams a reason to continue buying up the talent, including the talent those two teams have and won't be able to resign in free agency.

Sure you can say the big budget teams don't always win, but their chances of making the playoffs and winning are huge compared to other teams who have to pray they get lucky and have a magical against-all-odds year.

The best thing for the sport would be for the Yankees and Red Sox to win the World Series the next ten years in a row. People won't be able to point out those few small teams that have won and something might finally get done to level things out.

Maybe they should do like they do in the English Premier League. Seperate the league league into two leagues. And each year the bottom three teams are relegated two the lesser league and three teams are bumped up into the top league. It might be more embarrassing for the teams who lose. And then the bottom three of the lesser league could be relegated to the minor leagues and minor league teams could take their place.

So it's been a very unusual offseason for MLB. Because of the economy, there are still players unsigned including Manny Ramirez! It's hard to believe.

How have your favorite teams done? Besides the obvious big names, I am just as interested in the smaller signings that helped fill in holes in the lineup or pitching staff.

i think the cubs did okay...we got milton who could be a big help...that is if he stays healthy. along with that we finally have a owner who isnt cuban, but is a fan of the team and i hope in the next few years we will be like the yankees in the NL.

the A's were the smartest team as usual. Giambi will be a menace in there and the Matt Holliday trade is just genious.

Why do you think the Holliday trade was genius? I don't understand it at all. I see the A's trading him by the trade deadline for more prospects because his contract is up after this season and the A's won't be able to afford him. I feel bad for A's fans. They can never get attached to any of their players before they are shipped out.

they didn't give up much talent in order to acquire Holliday. Huston Street was the big name, and he was eligible for arbitration, will be a free agent in 2 years and is not expect to be a top notch closer anyway. they are rebuilding but they play in a manageable division with the Angels weak lineup. so now they can wait until the deadline and go for a trade if the Angels rise to the top of the division again, with much, much more value to offer. or they'll be contending with a respectable lineup and a lot of young pitchers on the rise and will receive two first round picks after the season when Holliday go. and I bet they can even grab more talent with those picks alone than what they gave away to acquire Holliday in the first place.

I agree the A's didn't give up much, although just last year they acquired Carlos Gonzalez who was supposed to be one of the A's players of the future. So they didn't give up nothing. And Greg Smith is better than his record last year, but not great. And you already mentioned Street.

This is typical of GM Billy Beane. He is considered a genius, yet he doesn't have a World Series appearance. He trades away his top talent to stockpile youth. When is he going to let that youth blossom into a top team without trading away every player who becomes valuable? I still can't figure out why he traded Dan Haren, among others.

That being said, you never know what will happen with the A's. They have to be one of the most interesting small budget teams in the game. They are fun to watch from the outside, but I live with and know too many fans of Oakland and I see the heartbreak once or twice a year when it's time to trade.

yes I agree that the A's way of handling the team might look a lot better to outsiders than to their fanbase. but you still gotta love that they probably got more for Haren than the Twins did for Johan Santana. yes, Carlos Gonzalez is gone but that's the way it goes with prospects. the best player they got might have been Dana Eveland but the great thing about that trade was that they got 6 valuable prospects that are still providing dividends. by mid-season the A's will either be contending or in position to acquire top tier prospects once again.

so, in the end, you can hate what they do but you have to admit that they do it well

They definitely do something well, I'm just not sure if it's working yet. When they win a championship, I'll give in and agree Billy Beane is a genius. They just signed Shortstops Orlando Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra, so it's looking like they are starting to make moves to get better. The AL West should be interesting this season between the A's and Angels.

I saw on the news this morning that Manny made a two year deal with the Dodgers, but now they're saying that it's NOT a done deal.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseb...position=recent

I think they keep making these announcements hoping some other team like the Giants will swoop in at the last second, make an offer, and then the Dodgers will have to raise their offer to keep him. But nobody is biting.

It's apparently going to get done. It sounds like there are only procedural aspects to the contract that can be resolved, but the essential terms and money have been agreed to.

I was kind of surprised the Mets didn't get involved. Who knows? Maybe they did and we didn't hear about it.

The Mets are experiencing some financial hiccups, and I saw an announcement a short while ago that they wouldn't be making any big deals at all. It seems that Mets owners Wilpon and Katz lost about $300 Million to Madoff. And then there's the whole "Citi" problem as well.

TM, I know you are a MLB fan from afar, and we've talked before about how you haven't settled on any team as your favorite yet. Are you becoming an A's fan? I know you've talked about Tampa Bay quite bit as well. It's about time you you let your heart lie with one team over the rest Much like how you became a Detroit Pistons fan in the NBA.

unfortunately, Blibble, I don't think so... but that made me laugh! I've grown friendly towards some teams over the rest, but nothing close to being a fan. I was just about to post how the A's look so well to the outsiders because they're just another small-market team with a cool uniform and logo who spends close to nothing and fights the evil empires and such. I know they have won a lot of WS and that must be why their fanbase can't be fully satisfied with Billy Beane's ways. actually, now I'm interested: what can you tell me about the Athletics Nation's opinion on him? I know that is one of the most active fanbases in baseball.

but as for being a fan, eh, I really don't think so. I feel the exact same way about the Indians and the Braves and the D'Backs and now the Rays and every team who puts together a talented roster and makes good trades and has a great farm system and on and on..

Well that's a good start at finding a team to root for instead of rooting for one of the top spending teams.



I don't really know actually. I think they are scared to say much because he is so highly regarded, but he forces them to root for the logo rather than falling in love with individual players. Can you imagine buying a jersey of your favorite player and then a couple of months later he's on a new team?

As far as fans they are like the angry overachieving sibling who is less popular no matter what they accomplish. In 50 years the Giants have been in SF, not one world championship, yet they are the more popular team (much like the Cubs over White Sox). Yet A's fans act like they still deserve more respect. What makes them angry is that Giants fans don't really care they are there across the bay So they do a lot of whining about the Giants. You rarely hear Giants fans ripping the A's. It's a funny rivalry.

yes I've heard that this rivalry is almost a friendship. anyway, sorry to bring it up, but I did run across this very funny picture.

If it helps, Blibble, I'll be pulling for Aaron Rowand and the Giants in the West.