Let's All Go To The Lobby.

       It's been a sad, troubling time the last few weeks for baseball and death (not to mention my Mets have been a worse fate than death to watch...3-11 *rolls eyes*).  So to cheer everyone up, look at this wonderfully goofy page that I just completed:

It combines cards featuring two of my favorite baseball movies.  The Natural cards came with a DVD set from a few years ago and those long overdue Major League cards came out of this year's Topps Archives set.  Now if only they made cards of It Happens Every Spring, Bull Durham, and Field of Dreams I could expand on the concept. 

The backs are fun too, treating the subject with reality and respect:

I hope this post brought a little much needed frivolity into your day.  This hobby is supposed to be fun, dammit.

One Week.

       Rest assured, this post is not about an awful, overplayed Barenaked Ladies song.  This post asks a simple question: what did we just witness? Last week, Josh Hamilton just went off.  Here are his stats in handy chart form:

H/AB		R	HR	RBI					AVG	OPS

14/30

10

9

18

.467

1.962

Zoinks!  That is a pretty good month he just had in six days.  Four of those homers came in one game, only the 16th time that has ever happened in MLB history.

I am not ashamed to admit I root for Josh Hamilton.  As someone who has had an issue or two with illicit substances, I know how much strength and effort it can take to lead an ordinary life, much less excel in a professional athletic endeavor.  While I never gave my life over to god (I am a devout atheist), I do not begrudge anyone who has.  I know how hard it is to live one day at a time.  Josh finds comfort and power in the lord, so, more power to him.  Of course, after hitting nine homers in one week, I don't know how much more power he needs.  And that Roy Hobbs card on the page?  That is no accident.  I have heard the comparisons in a few places and I am apt to agree.  Josh Hamilton could have been one of the all-time greats.  Then again, Josh Hamilton could have been one of the all time cautionary tales.  In a way, he is both.  We will never get to see what he could have done with a full career, but we are getting the pleasure of seeing what he can do now.

With apologies to Ken Griffey, Jr., Don Mattingly, Dale Long, Adam Dunn, and Frank Howard et al, I think we just witnessed the most amazing week of hitting in baseball history.  I have never seen someone so locked in and so relaxed about the whole thing.  I hope in a couple weeks I can write another post about the most incredible month of hitting we have ever seen, but for now, lets just go with what we have.  There really is only one person who can trump Mr. Hamilton's having the best week in baseball ever:

Ah yes, the immortal Johnny Vander Meer.  For all intents and purposes, an average major league pitcher (at best), yet for one crazy week, he was untouchable.  On June 11, 1938, he no-hit the Boston Bees at Crosley Field. Then four nights later, in the first night game ever played at Ebbets Field, he no-hit the Brooklyn Dodgers.  This is the only instance of back-to-back no hitters in major league history.  That is a pretty darn good week, if you ask me.  So tell me, what do you think is the best week anyone ever had in big league history?