March 2009
Latest Leaders – March 12-27
Ben’s Biz enjoyed some major publicity this week to claim the No. 2 overall spot (behind MetsBlog), thanks to his burger scoop that was picked up by blogs and websites across the country. Keith Olbermann debuted at No. 22, right behind yours truly. Meanwhile, author Jane Heller’s Confessions of a She-Fan continued its run atop the Fan Blogs. Here are your MLBlogs Latest Leaders ranked by page views for the past two weeks:
PLAYERS
1. Reed Between the Lines
2. Deep Thoughts By Gordon Beckham
3. Torii’s Storiis
4. Dining with ‘Dre
5. Plouffe!
6. Behind the Mask
7. A lesson in Suttle-ty
8. Bally’s Blog
9. Wagner’s Compositions
10. Moskie Madness
11. Laying Down the Lawrie
12. Life in Grey Pants
13. Dorn’s Dish
14. Perk’s Place
15. Looking Through the Mask
16. Disco Hayes
17. kevin slowey’s (offseason) blog
18. The Young and the Braves
19. Koppers’ Kaos
20. Bloggin’ with D-back Dan
MLB PRO
1. MetsBlog
2. Ben’s Biz Blog
3. BronxBanter
4. Mets Minor League Blog
5. MLB.TV Blog
6. Was Watching
7. MLB.com Fantasy 411
8. Pinstriped Bible
9. Inside the Dodgers
10. The Max
11. YES Blog
12. Around the Horn in KC
13. Phillies Insider
14. The Baseball Collector
15. *touch* ‘em all
16. Inside the White Sox
17. Red Sox Insider Blog
18. Inside the Giants Clubhouse
19. Newberg Report
20. Off The Wall with Chris Shearn
21. MLBlogosphere lol
22. Baseball Nerd
23. Vine Line’s Cubs Club Blog
24. The Nets Insider
25. Kaat’s Korner
26. B3: Big, Bald and Beautiful
27. Tommy Lasorda’s World
28. Reds Internal Affairs
29. Friar John’s Blog
30. MLB.com Organizational Report
31. Twins Ballpark Update
32. MLB Urban Youth Academy
33. Brian Anderson’s House of Blogs
34. MURRAY COOK’S FIELD BLOG
35. Down the Line with the Phillies Ballgirls
36. Inside the Chiefs
37. The Blob
38. Gameday
39. got milb?
40. Comerica Park, 48201
FANS
1. Confessions of a She-Fan
2. Julia’s Rants
3. Red State Blue State
4. The Future Blog of the Red Sox
5. Rockpile Rant
6. Plunking Gomez
7. Rays Renegade
8. A Diatribe from a Law Student: Baseball Edition
9. FutureAngels.com
10. Phillies Phollowers
11. Baseball Cleats & Shoes
12. I’m Not A Headline Guy…
13. Life and Indians Baseball through the Eyes of a Clemson Girl
14. Eat, Sleep, Baseball
15. Baseball, The Yankees, and Life…
16. King of Cali
17. The ‘Burgh Blues
18. Pick Me Up Some Mets!
19. Unfinished Business
20. A Misplaced Astros Fan
21. The Yankees Baseball Whisperer
22. THE BOSTON RED SOX BLOG
23. Baseball Canadiana
24. Blogging Dodgers and Baseball
25. Baseball Bats
26. crzblue’s World
27. Bruce Markusen’s Cooperstown Confidential
28. Rocky Mountain Way…Outside Coors looking in
29. Bjarkman’s Latino and Cuban League Baseball History Page
30. Statistician Magician
31. The Watercooler
32. King Yankees
33. Redbird Chatter
34. LA NACION MEDIAS ROJAS
35. I Live for This
36. MLB in the eyes of a 13 year old
37. All Baseball All The Time
38. Totally Tribe
39. Eat Sleep MLB
40. The Happy Youngster…Brew Town’s Ballhawk
41. District Boy
42. The Best of 162
43. Hitless Wanderings in Texas
44. Yankees Chick
45. Rants, Raves, and Random Thoughts
46. sittingstill
47. The Diamond Diva
48. Phillies Red Pinstripes
49. Counting Baseballs
50. We’re talkin Homer, Blue Jays and MLB
51. Flair For The Dramatic
52. Up in Section 360
53. Mets Go
MLB.COM BEAT WRITERS
1. The Zo Zone
2. Bowman’s Blog
3. Bombers Beat
4. Obviously, You’re Not a Golfer
5. Alyson’s Footnotes
6. CastroTurf
7. Major League Bastian
8. Muskat Ramblings
9. Beck’s Blog
10. Postcards from Elysian Fields
11. By Gosh, It’s Langosch
12. Mark My Word
13. Brownie Points
14. Noble Thoughts
15. Being Ozzie Guillen
16. Jim Street Vet Scribe
17. Haft-Baked Ideas
18. The Fish Pond
19. Kenny G Around the Horn
20. Big Urb Baseball
21. Kelly’s Corner
22. The Spence Report
23. Brew Beat
24. Who’s your Padre?
25. rallymonkeys
26. All Nats All the Time
27. Hardball in the Rockies
28. Rays Plays
29. Royals Beat
30. The Tao of Steve
Albert, Ozzie and Spring
I would like to introduce you to Albert and Ozzie. I just moved and they have their own space on one shelf at my home. I found these at a Christmas Tree Shops store, a whole boxful of little wooden Cardinal carvings. It occurred to me that the one on the left has the stance in the right side of the box like Albert Pujols about to go hard, and the other one is looking straight ahead and ready to field at his shortstop position. So now they are my official Birds on a Bat logo brought sort of to life, with a permanent spot at home. I. Live. For. This.
On to spring…
This morning I was greeted by giant snowflakes on my commute into Manhattan and our MLB offices. It was Winter clinging to its last life, hoping for the impossible, forcing you to feel one last blustery chill in its final hours. Indeed, according to Wikipedia, in the last hour the Equinox became official, and Winter is officially gone again, until the next time around.
I say goodbye to Winter. We will remember it for many reasons. Many of them were wonderful, many of them were horrible, and as always it was the one of the four seasons that we deal with rather than embrace as baseball fans. There was no real baseball in that time. There was plenty of news, good and bad. There were plenty of gifts, beautiful holiday spirit and family gatherings, but much talk of a whipped economy. There was a joyous New Year that brought a 24/7 baseball network.
What was your one lasting memory of this past Winter? Mine is of a large Continental jet splashing down just blocks away from where I work, then walking over there in the bitter cold and watching the surreal sight of tugboats hauling this aircraft downstream to Battery Park, while all passengers were somehow safe and sound. I will remember Captain Sully. Mine also is of an Inauguration of a lifetime and what that meant to so many.
According to Tennyson, “In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” I know that our collective fancy is turned to baseball now, as the number of MLBlogs created here the past month has skyrocketed. Everyone is blogging, everyone is hopeful. Yes, this is a paean sung for weeks now since Spring Training began, but let’s pause a moment just to make it official, to bid adieu to Winter, to rejoice in Spring. Now it’s real.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Latest Leaders – March 3-11
Latest Leaders in the MLBlogs Network by page view, for the period from March 3-11.
The Latest Leaders will look a little different this week, as I split them into four categories. Reasons for this include the fast proliferation of player MLBlogs (30 prospect blogs are gradually being rolled out, plus Torii Hunter of the Angels and Reed Johnson of the Cubs are about to start), the incorporation of SNY Network and YES Network blogs into the MLBlogs Network, and the fact all 30 MLB.com beat writers now have MLBlogs. Hope you enjoy the list and thanks for the great MLBlogging!
PLAYERS
1. Deep Thoughts By Gordon Beckham
2. Dining with ‘Dre
3. Disco Hayes
4. Moskie Madness
5. Life in Grey Pants
6. Behind the Mask
7. Bally’s Blog
8. A Lesson in Suttle-ty
9. The Young and the Braves
10. kevin slowey’s (offseason) blog
11. Perk’s Place
12. Wagner’s Compositions
13. The life and times of Javy
14. Looking Through the Mask
15. Koppers’ Kaos
16. Bloggin’ with D-back Dan
MLB PRO
1. MetsBlog
2. Bronx Banter
3. MLB.TV Blog
4. Mets Minor League Blog
5. Was Watching
6. Pinstriped Bible
7. Inside the Dodgers
8. YES Blog
9. MLB.com Fantasy 411
10. Around the Horn in KC
11. *touch* ‘em all
12. Phillies Insider
13. The Baseball Collector
14. Inside the Giants Clubhouse
15. Inside the White Sox
16. Newberg Report
17. Kaat’s Korner
18. The Max
19. MLBlogosphere lol
20. Vine Line’s Cubs Club Blog
21. Red Sox Insider Blog
22. Tommy Lasorda’s World
23. B3: Big, Bald and Beautiful
24. Friar John’s Blog
25. Ben’s Biz Blog
26. Reds Internal Affairs
27. Brian Anderson’s House of Blogs
28. MURRAY COOK’S FIELD BLOG
29. Twins Ballpark Update
30. Down the Line with the Phillies Ballgirls
31. Comerica Park, 48201
32. The Dog Ate Daron’s Homework..Again
33. MLB Urban Youth Academy
34. got milb?
35. From the Booth with Steve Stewart
36. Is this thing on?
37. Gameday
38. It’s a Kind of a Family. It’s a Kind of Insanity.
39. Diggin’ In to the Legends with SuperMario & EBJ
40. Jesse Sanchez at the Park
FANS
1. Confessions of a She-Fan
2. Red State Blue State
3. Julia’s Rants
4. Rockpile Rant
5. The Future Blog of the Red Sox
6. FutureAngels.com
7. Rays Renegade
8. Plunking Gomez
9. King of Cali
10. Baseball, The Yankees, and Life…
11. Baseball Cleats & Shoes
12. Eat, Sleep, Baseball
13. A Diatribe from a Law Student: Baseball Edition
14. Phillies Phollowers
15. Redbird Chatter
16. Pick Me Up Some Mets!
17. The ‘Burgh Blues
18. Life and Indians Baseball through the Eyes of a Clemson Girl
19. Rocky Mountain Way…Outside Coors looking in
20. Braves World
21. Unfinished Business
22. THE BOSTON RED SOX BLOG
23. Bruce Markusen’s Cooperstown Confidential
24. The Closer
25. A Misplaced Astros Fan
26. Phillies Red Pinstripes
27. Cubs Gal Who Loves Baseball
28. The Yankees Baseball Whisperer
29. Baseball Canadiana
30. Statistician Magician
31. Baseball Bats
32. The 1 Constant…Baseball
33. All Baseball All The Time
34. crzblue’s World
35. Flair For The Dramatic
36. Bringing Diamond Back(s)
37. Bjarkman’s Latino and Cuban League Baseball History Page
38. Between The Chalk
39. District Boy
40. King Yankees
41. I Live for This
42. Up in Section 360
43. We’re talkin Homer, Blue Jays and MLB
44. Baby Paul’s Baseball Blog
45. MLB in the eyes of a 13 year old
46. LA NACION MEDIAS ROJAS
47. Mets’ Main Man
48. Totally Tribe
49. The Season Experience
50. Perfect Pitch
MLB.COM BEAT WRITERS
1. Obviously, You’re Not a Golfer
2. Bowman’s Blog
3. The Zo Zone
4. Bombers Beat
5. CastroTurf
6. Muskat Ramblings
7. Beck’s Blog
8. Postcards from Elysian Fields
9. Alyson’s Footnotes
10. By Gosh, It’s Langosch
11. Major League Bastian
12. Mark My Word
13. Brownie Points
14. Being Ozzie Guillen
15. Noble Thoughts
16. Brew Beat
17. Kenny G Around the Horn
18. Jim Street Vet Scribe
19. The Spence Report
20. Big Urb Baseball
21. Haft-Baked Ideas
22. The Fish Pond
23. Kelly’s Corner
24. rallymonkeys
25. Who’s your Padre?
26. Hardball in the Rockies
27. All Nats All the Time
28. Rays Plays
29. Royals Beat
30. The Tao of Steve
Snagged!
Zack Hample is one of our original MLBloggers, saving his first entry for The Baseball Collector on April 21, 2005. Along the way he has introduced the art of snagging baseballs to fans everywhere, resulting in book deals, countless media appearances and a long line of followers and inspired snaggers.
David Rhode is Executive Director of Pitch In For Baseball, an organization that also had its start in 2005. It is well-known as the collector and redistributor of new and
gently used youth baseball and softball equipment to underserved
communities both in the U.S. and around the world. PIFB has
distributed equipment and uniforms to more than 50 countries worldwide
and more than 100 communities around the United States impacting over
60,000 children in need.
It was only natural that these two parties join forces, and below is today’s press release announcing that they have done just that. I hope many MLBloggers and other baseball fans will help contribute to their excellent cause.
Zack Hample joins the Pitch In For Baseball team
New York — Just when the Hot Stove League appeared to be drying up, the dominant player at his position has found his team for 2009. Zack Hample, the recognized leader of snagging baseballs at MLB ballparks, will be bringing his unique talents to the non profit organization Pitch In For Baseball® during the 2009 season.
Zack’s credentials place him at the pinnacle of baseball collectors. Since 1990, he has grabbed more than 3,800 baseballs at 44 different MLB stadiums. What makes this season of snagging so different, however, is that Zack will now be using his unparalleled skills to further the mission of youth baseball and softball non profit partner, Pitch In For Baseball.
Zack’s plan is simple. He will visit various stadiums, snagging baseballs with his usual array of tricks and insights (he can ask for a ball in over 30 languages). Historically, he has been able to accumulate 200-300 balls per season, including balls from batting practice and live play. Individuals and corporate partners can pledge any amount of money for each ball he grabs during the 2009 season by visiting www.zackhample.com/charity.php.
Zack’s goal for the season is to raise at least $50,000. That translates to 1,000 supporters donating 25 cents for a projected 200 balls snagged. Of course, Zack hopes more than 1,000 supporters join the “Sultan of Snag” and he also hopes to reel in more than 200 balls.
“I love baseball and I love kids,” says Zack. “Getting to snag baseballs for a charity that combines both is a dream come true. I can’t wait for Opening Day!”
Zack will be opening the season with a trip to Toronto April 6-9 in pursuit of Gary Sheffield’s 500th career home run ball and any other ball he can grab during that series.
Pitch In For Baseball collects and redistributes new and “gently used” youth baseball equipment to needy children both here in the U.S. and around the world. “We are delighted to be able to bring Zack onto our team,” says David Rhode, Executive Director of Pitch In For Baseball. “His passion and the passion of his many followers provide a unique and fun way for baseball fans to support our charitable mission.”
Max Madness for the Latest Leaders
Great idea by our friends at The Max: “It’s March (in case you didn’t realize), and that means college basketball madness is straight ahead. In anticipation of the NCAA Tournament, The Max has decided to hold a tournament of its own. Max Madness pits the most recent MLBlogs leaders up against each other in a one-on-one tournament to crown the unofficial Max Champion of MLBlogs. Check back every day for a new matchup.” Vote now!
Keep an eye on the Pro Blogs drop-down menu on the MLBlogs homepage, as it is growing fast, especially with players. We are in the process of facilitating prospect blogs for all 30 organizations, and many of them are under way. Casey Weathers (Rockies) and Javy Guerra (Dodgers) just posted their introductions. Torii Hunter, who was among our postseason MLBloggers last October, will resume his blog on a regular basis starting sometime next week. We should have around 40 player MLBlogs scrolling soon.
Get a TOUCH 2009 Sneak Peek over at our friend Alyssa Milano’s MLBlog. Funny to see that she outlasted a few of her comment trolls here in the community. Here is a suggestion for you to spice up your MLBlog: Do what Alyssa did and create your own music video on Animoto.com, then put the embed code in your MLBlogs post.
The Triple-A Indianapolis Indians are now represented on MLBlogs. Daron Sutton, whose MLBlog was created on our Opening Day of April 18, 2005, is now at this URL: http://sutshut.mlblogs.com
I have been posting regular updates on our Official MLBlogs Twitter, so be sure to follow us there so you are current on developments around the MLBlogosphere. Or just follow @mlblogs if you already are on Twitter.
Latest Leaders – Feb. 24-March 2
Latest Leaders in the MLBlogs Network by page view, for the period from Feb. 24-March 2.
MLB PRO BLOGS
Matthew Leach was the first MLB.com writer ever to start an MLBlog, with his intro post nearly four years ago. “So here goes…” he concluded back then, and at this point Obviously You’re Not a Golfer is the most-viewed in the MLBlogs Network of megathousands. Your friendly neighborhood blog-watcher here was an aberration at No. 6 because I used this space for a morning-to-night liveblog of last week’s first full day of live baseball games — and benefitted humbly from the top headline on MLB.com. Daniel Moskos remains the top player blogger (look for Yankee farmhand Bradley Suttle to rise based on early startup returns), and Cub fans are enjoying the latest Vine Line fare from Arizona.
1. Obviously, You’re Not a Golfer
2. Bowman’s Blog
3. Bombers Beat
4. The Zo Zone
5. YES Blog
6. MLBlogosphere lol
7. Inside the Dodgers
8. Pinstriped Bible
9. CastroTurf
10. Muskat Ramblings
11. Postcards from Elysian Fields
12. Beck’s Blog
13. By Gosh, It’s Langosch
14. MLB.com Fantasy 411
15. Mark My Word
16. Being Ozzie Guillen
17. Major League Bastian
18. Brownie Points
19. Alyson’s Footnotes
20. Noble Thoughts
21. Around the Horn in KC
22. Kenny G Around the Horn
23. rallymonkeys
24. Jim Street Vet Scribe
25. Phillies Insider
26. Brew Beat
27. Head First
28. Big Urb Baseball
29. Kelly’s Corner
30. Moskie Madness
31. *touch* ‘em all
32. The Fish Pond
33. Who’s your Padre?
34. Inside the White Sox
35. The Baseball Collector
36. Vine Line’s Cubs Club Blog
37. Haft-Baked Ideas
38. Newberg Report
39. Inside the Giants Clubhouse
40. Dining with ‘Dre
41. Brian Anderson’s House of Blogs
42. Hardball in the Rockies
43. Red Sox Insider Blog
44. Reds Internal Affairs
45. B3: Big, Bald and Beautiful
46. Kaat’s Korner
47. Behind the Mask
48. Tommy Lasorda’s World
49. Royals Beat
50. Ben’s Biz Blog
Honorable mention:
The Max,
Friar John’s Blog,
All Nats All the Time,
Rays Plays,
Bally’s Blog.
FAN BLOGS
It’s been a great Spring Training so far for Erin and her beloved Twins, as Plunking Gomez just shot up from 26 to 10. Watch out for YANKEEOLOGY, which has come out of nowhere to snag the No. 11 spot among fan templates. Our followers at the Official MLBlogs Twitter (@mlblogs) know Rosh well, and save for the occasional snowdrift he’s on a roll. Jane retains the top spot in this category and make sure you check out her book-signing post!
1. Confessions of a She-Fan
2. Red State Blue State
3. Julia’s Rants
4. Rockpile Rant
5. The Future Blog of the Red Sox
6. The ‘Burgh Blues
7. FutureAngels.com
8. Rays Renegade
9. Baseball Cleats & Shoes
10. Plunking Gomez
11. YANKEEOLOGY
12. Eat, Sleep, Baseball
13. The 1 Constant…Baseball
14. Phillies Phollowers
15. Statistician Magician
16. A Diatribe from a Law Student: Baseball Edition
17. King Yankees
18. (:> Bird Brained
19. Pick Me Up Some Mets!
20. Life and Indians Baseball through the Eyes of a Clemson Girl
21. The Closer
22. King of Cali
23. Rocky Mountain Way…Outside Coors looking in
24. THE BOSTON RED SOX BLOG
25. Baseball, The Yankees, and Life…
26. Bruce Markusen’s Cooperstown Confidential
27. The Yankees Baseball Whisperer
28. I Live for This
29. Phillies Red Pinstripes
30. Baseball Canadiana
31. Unfinished Business
32. Baseball Bats
33. MLB in the eyes of a 13 year old
34. Chris’ Yankee Blog
35. Rangers Lowlights for Cynics
36. Mets’ Main Man
37. Red Sox Faithful
38. Up in Section 360
39. LA NACION MEDIAS ROJAS
40. All Baseball All The Time
41. Flair For The Dramatic
42. The Redbird Media
43. San Diego Wannabes
44. Brett’s Mets
45. crzblue’s World
46. Perfect Pitch
47. A Misplaced Astros Fan
48. Totally Tribe
49. The Season Experience
50. Yankees Chick
Honorable mention:
Bringing Diamond Back(s),
Baby Paul’s Baseball Blog,
Confessions Of A Baseball Fan,
District Boy,
Cambios y Curvas.
As always, this list is intended for fun only. No snobbery or sniping. Best way to make the fan list is to comment regular on other MLBlogs and always leave your full URL, and also to be on our Official MLBlogs Twitter and post frequent tweets including a link to your blog.
MLBNewman
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