Baseball Bats for the Professional and AmateurWritten by Ken Austin
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If you are wanting to buy a baseball bat consider who will be using it. Age and which league you are playing in is also a deciding factor. Little League bats can’t be more than 2 1/4 inches in diameter or more than 33 inches long for instance. Adult leagues have rules about baseball bats also. Speed and control are most crucial factors to consider when buying a baseball bat. Check weight of bat, if it’s too heavy it won’t work for you. When checking grip, your fingertips should meet when closed around handle. You can buy a small wooden baseball bat for $10-$20. An aluminum bat will cost between $20-$200 or more but it won’t chip or peel and balance and weight will remain constant. There are thousands of baseball bats to choose from. Talk to an expert who can help you decide which is perfect baseball bat for you.
Ken Austin http://baseball-gear.1stdiscountshopping.com http://1stinroses.com
| | Could Baseball Ever Return to the City of Saints?Written by Terry Mitchell
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During 2002 labor negotiations late in that season, owners negotiated away their rights to contract any team until 2007 season. No longer having power to contract them, MLB owners would certainly have to sell and relocate Expos. At that time, D.C. and Northern Virginia were only two serious contenders for team. However, Relocation Committee had just been formed and had gotten such a late start on this process in 2002 that MLB decided to retain ownership in team for one more season and keep them in Montreal along with having them play part of their schedule in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Surely 2003 was going to be Expos’ last year in Montreal, most baseball fans thought. By then, Portland, Oregon had entered scene as another major contender for Expos. During 2003 season, Relocation Committee met at various times with three major contenders. They kept setting deadlines and kept missing them. They were supposedly going to decide on Expos’ fate by All-star game and then by end of regular season and then shortly after World Series, but clock ran out with no decision being made other than to keep team in Montreal one more year along with having them play even more games in Puerto Rico. 2004 rolled around and several more possible suitors for Expos had emerged, including Las Vegas; Monterrey, Mexico; Norfolk, Virginia; and even San Juan. The Relocation Committee was once again setting deadlines and missing them. Mercifully, decision to relocate team to D.C. finally came and Montreal fans were put out of their misery. The long nightmare of a rollercoaster ride was finally over. No more fire sales. No more games in front of fans disguised as empty seats. No more "home" games in Puerto Rico. No more "final" years of baseball in Montreal. However, ending was obviously bittersweet. Montreal had welcomed Major League Baseball with open arms in 1969. From friendly confines of Jarry Park to spaciousness of Olympic Stadium, fans in Montreal had cheered on greats like Rusty Staub, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Andres Galarraga, Dennis Martinez, Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou, Larry Walker, and Vladimir Guerrero. Even before MLB came to town, City of Saints had a rich history of baseball as minor league city. The great Jackie Robinson played his AAA ball in Montreal with Royals. Baseball's departure from Montreal, in many ways, was like a nasty divorce. The bitterness on both sides will probably last for years. MLB is bitter at Montreal fans for not supporting team. In addition, it is bitter at Montreal government officials for failing to finance a new stadium for team. Montreal fans are bitter at MLB because of their perception that it undermined baseball in Montreal. Montreal government officials are bitter at MLB for being so greedy. In light of all of this, it would seem impossible that baseball could possibly ever return to Montreal. However, I think it could happen, given right set of circumstances. Before anything could happen toward that end, however, enough time must go by for bitterness to subside. They say time heals all wounds. That includes wound of bitterness as well if people will only let it. Once bitterness is gone (or greatly diminished), three things need to happen. First, a potential ownership group with ties to Montreal area must come forward. They must also prove that they are committed to baseball in Montreal. Second, a new downtown stadium must be built (not just promised). It must be financed by private interests, city of Montreal, province of Quebec, or any combination of three. Third, fans must commit themselves to a potential new franchise by purchasing an adequate number of season tickets for several years in advance. This advance purchase campaign could be modeled after what NBA fans in Charlotte, N.C. did in order to secure expansion Bobcats franchise. If and when all of these requirements have been met, way would be cleared for baseball's return to Montreal. As unlikely as it might seem now, crack of bat might once again be heard in Montreal and its love affair with baseball could be restored.
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.
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