Author: Joe D

The National Pastime: A Philatelic History – Part 1

The United States Postal Service has recognized our National Pastime on many occasions over the past 72 years. In 1939, the USPS issued the very first baseball stamp to commemorate the first 100 years of the game, and since then they have continued to produce commemorative baseball stamps through 2010. As a child growing up, I collected stamps for a few years – something I picked up from...

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Tsujimoto Has A Live Arm

While researching RHP Kent Tsujimoto, who the Mets signed to a minor league deal today, I came across some interesting facts to pass along. According to NPB Tracker, Tsujimoto made history a few years ago, when at age 15, he became the youngest player ever drafted in NPB history. Last season, while playing for the independent Golden Baseball League, Tsujimoto’s fastball consistently hit 94...

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Favorite Rites Of Spring: Casey At The Bat

One of my favorite Rites of Spring has always been a hearty re-reading of this great baseball classic that dates back over a hundred years ago. Enjoy. Casey At The Bat By Ernest Lawrence Thayer, San Francisco Examiner – June 3, 1888 The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day; The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play. And then when Cooney died at...

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Spring Update: Castillo Arrives, Paulino Doesn’t, RIP Uncle Leo

Luis Castillo arrived at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie this morning and immediately met with manager Terry Collins. Castillo told Collins that there was a medical issue in his family that prevented him from arriving earlier. On Friday and again on Saturday, Collins commented that he would have preferred that Castillo arrived earlier, but today said if he knew there was a family issue he...

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Carlos Beltran: This Is About The Team

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York posted a full transcript of Carlos Beltran who met with reporters and fielded many questions on a variety of topics including his knee, playing centerfield, and the Mets in general. Here is part of the transcript. How did the meeting go and what was communicated? Well, I told them in order for me to decide if I’m going to play center field or right field, I...

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