Monday, November 15, 2004
Mike Piazza Autographed Jersey Auction: MLB.com is hosting an online auction and the proceeds will be contributed in Dernell Stenson's name to the recipient of the Sportsmanship award winner's favorite charity. This year, the AFL has donated a one-of-a-kind AFL jersey worn by Mike Piazza in 1993 and later autographed by the Met's All-Star catcher.
Q & A: Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Freddy Sanchez will be answering your questions on MLB.com. Log on to the website today and send in your questions then stay tuned for their responses.
SATURDAY'S RECAPS
Top Dogs: The Mesa Solar Sox had their chances to beat the Phoenix Desert Dogs Saturday, but left 11 runners on base in a 6-2 loss. Down 4-2 in the seventh inning, the Solar Sox had their first two hitters reach base but did not push across a run. Phoenix leadoff hitter Chris Roberson (PHI) was 2-for-5 in the win. Roberson tied the game in the top of the third on a solo home run down the left field line. Jeremy Brown (OAK) added a two-run home run. Three insurance runs in the late innings sealed the win for the Desert Dogs.
Spoilers: Four runs scored on six consecutive walks, followed by a RBI sac-fly to give the Javelinas a 8-6 win. Padres' prospect Paul McAnulty and Expos' prospect Shawn Norris led the Javelinas offense with two hits apiece. Padres pitching prospects Wilmer Villatoro and R.D. Sphiehs were solid on the mound holding the Rafters to one run in four combined innings. Villatoro earned his first win and Spiehs was credited with his second save.
All Tied Up: In a battle for the playoffs, the Scorpions and Saguaros ended in a 2-2 tie Saturday at Peoria Sports Complex. Scottsdale jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a RBI-single by Anthony Gwynn Jr. (MIL) in the third inning and a solo shot off the bat of Corey Myers (AZ) in the fourth inning. The Saguaros got on board in the fifth inning when Sheldon Fulse (BOS) drove in Vito Chiaravalloti (TOR) and tied the game in the eighth inning on a RBI-double by Ian Kinsler (TEX). In an effort to preserve each teams bullpen, the Arizona Fall League suspends games after 11 innings of play.
Dolan on MLB.com Radio: Today Brett Dolan will call the action of the Desert Dogs-Saguaros game at Peoria Sports Complex. The game will be heard live 1:05 pm (MST) on MLB.com.
MLB.com: Log on to MLB.com for the latest news on the Arizona Fall League. Click on the Minors tab to access the Fall League website where you will find player journals, stories and more. You can sign up for an Arizona Fall League weekly newsletter emailed directly to your inbox.
Hall of Fame: The Arizona Fall League continues its tradition of honoring former player and managers by inducting them into the Hall of Fame. This years inductees are Garret Anderson (Rafters), Albert Pujols (Scorpions) and Tony Peña Sr. (Saguaros). Anderson's ceremony (10/29) and Peña's ceremony (11/3) were both completed at Scottsdale Stadium. The ceremony for Albert Pujols will be postponed until the 2005 Arizona Fall League season. Due to Pujols' extended season participating in the World Series and his prior commitment to the Nike Tour, there was not sufficient time to schedule for the 2004 AFL season. We look forward to honoring him next year.
Championship Game: The winner of the National Division and the American Division will face off for a one game playoff to determine the 2004 AFL Championship. The Championship game will be played at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday, November 20th at 1:05 pm. The winner of the Joe Black MVP Award will be presented in a pre-game ceremony.
Promotion Corner: Saturday, November 20th the Arizona Fall League will be giving fans a chance to win autographed baseball's from the AFL class of 1994. Autographs include: Jason Giambi, Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Grudzielanek, Joe Randa, Bobby Higginson, Brian Giles, Phil Nevin, Trot Nixon and Jason Kendall. All fans in attendance will have an equal chance of winning. Winner's will be selected via lucky numbers.
Sportsmanship Award: MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, and the Arizona Fall League (AFL), regarded throughout professional baseball as the "graduate school" for Major League Baseball's top prospects, announced Wednesday, November 3rd the creation of the Dernell Stenson AFL Sportsmanship Award.
This new annual award, named for Dernell Stenson, a 2003 player in the AFL who was tragically killed, will be given to the AFL player who demonstrates the qualities that Dernell brought to the ball park every day; a quiet, hard-nosed attitude, a player who does his job without complaint, who - as many who played with Dernell said - played the game the way it was meant to be played.
The managers, coaches and players from each of the six AFL teams will nominate one player each year. The AFL, in conjunction with MLB.com will then select a winner from the six nominees. The winner will be presented with a commemorative plaque in a special on-field presentation on November 18th, the final day of the AFL regular season.
MLB.com will also host an online auction later this month and the proceeds will be contributed in Dernell Stenson's name to the award winner's favorite charity. This year, the AFL has donated a one-of-a-kind AFL jersey worn by Mike Piazza in 1993 and later autographed by the Met's All-Star catcher.
"Dernell's death was a very difficult situation for the league," said Steve Cobb, Executive Vice President of the Arizona Fall League. "We suffered a tremendous loss but we came together as a family last year. At this point, we want to remember the contributions Dernell Stenson made to this league, in his work ethic and his dedication to the game. We think this is a fitting way to remember Dernell and we are pleased to work hand-in-hand with MLB.com to make this happen."
STANDINGS
American Division W L GB National Division W L GB
Scorpions 18 14 - Desert Dogs 20 12 -
Saguaros 16 14 1.0 Rafters 16 15 3.5
Solar Sox 12 20 6.0 Javelinas 13 20 7.5
TODAY'S GAMES
Javelinas @ Solar Sox 1:05 p.m. LHP Richard Stahl (0-2) vs. RHP Brad Thompson (0-0)
Desert Dogs @ Saguaros 1:05 p.m. RHP Keith Bucktrot (1-1) vs. LHP Kason Gabbard (1-1)
Rafters @ Scorpions 1:05 p.m. LHP Macay McBride (0-0) vs. LHP Jeff Housman (0-1)
TUESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTERS
Solar Sox @ Javelinas 1:05 p.m. RHP Zach McClellan (1-0) vs. RHP Chris Oxspring (1-2)
Saguaros @ Desert Dogs 1:05 p.m. RHP John Hudgins (1-1) vs. RHP Jeff Fulchino (0-0)
Scorpions @ Rafters 1:05 p.m. RHP Dennis Sarfate (0-4) vs. RHP Zach Miner (2-1)
Sunday, November 14, 2004
WORCESTER, Mass., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autograph collectors
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Forward Looking Statements:
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as
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There is something about this time of year — just after the leaves have fallen and just before Thanksgiving — that is essentially perfect for the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort.
It fits as comfortably in this seasonal window as a favorite woolen sweater, a cup of hot cider, logs crackling on the fire and a good book.
Carl West, editor of the State Journal in Frankfort, and other visionaries who organized the Kentucky Book Fair in 1982 brought 40 to 50 authors together for the first fairs at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.
"They did start out small," West said. "Then all of a sudden we jumped to 100 authors, then 150, then one year close to 180. We started out selling $40,000 or $50,000 worth of books. ... Then we jumped to $100,000, and last year it was almost $170,000."
More than a book sale
Regional media publicity, a partnership with Joseph-Beth Booksellers and an ever-growing Internet influence have helped the Kentucky Book Fair become something more than just a book sale for the estimated 5,000 people who attend the Saturday event.
"It just became a tradition of November," West said. "People began to look forward to it. It was always at the same time of the year — in time for Christmas shopping. I've been told that many people now come to it not so much to buy books but to schmooze with politicians, journalists and writers."
As the event has grown to fill the arena of downtown Frankfort's Farnham Dudgeon Civic Center, it has welcomed many celebrity authors from around the nation who join many of the best authors from Kentucky and the region to chat with book browsers as well as to sign their works.
This evening at 7, a number of Kentucky authors in town for the book fair will gather for readings, music and refreshments at the Kentucky History Center in Frankfort. Proceeds from admission donations will benefit a coalition of environmental organizations.
A mix of writers
The weekend fair will include book signings by popular American broadcaster and Louisville native Bob Edwards; fellow Kentuckian and former network correspondent David Dick, who just completed a biography of Jesse Stuart; New York Times Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Bragg; internationally popular Kentucky essayist Wendell Berry; poet Frank X. Walker; Associated Press political writer Walter Mears; Newsweek's Eleanor Clift; political commentator Jack Germond; Kentucky historian laureate Dr. Thomas Clark; novelist Bobbie Ann Mason; and more than 150 other regional and national authors.
"People are so loyal to the regional authors, and I think that will always been a mainstay," said Leila Salisbury of the University Press of Kentucky. "The national figures sort of change more from year to year, so it helps give a different flavor to personality and augments a nice mix. I think a lot of what we've been able to increase is the interaction between patrons and authors."
Hours for the Kentucky Book Fair are 9 a.m. to 4:30p.m. tomorrow at the civic center at the Capital Plaza. For more information on authors and events, check online at www.kybookfair.org.
Sure, it's a premium pair. And yeah, it's one of only 10 hands that world-class pro Phil Hellmuth recommends that novices play (the others are A-A through 7-7 and A-K and A-Q).
But even Hellmuth, author of "Play Poker Like the Pros," has a dicey time with J-J.
At this year's $2,000 buy-in pot-limit World Series of Poker event, Hellmuth was one of 12 players remaining when he drew pocket jacks with a chip count of $32,000.
With the blinds at $1,500-$3,000, Hellmuth made it $9,500 to go from under the gun. The action folded around to Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari in the big blind. Esfandiari reraised Hellmuth's remaining $22,500.
"I sat at 1:30 a.m., tired - the tournament started at noon - and facing a tough decision," Hellmuth said. "On the one hand, if I called, I could be eliminated without making the precious final table, while knowing that we were done playing for the night at 2 a.m., and I could come back fresh the next day.
"On the other hand, I could improve my chip position to almost $65,000 if I called and won."
Hellmuth wasn't sure he had the best hand, but he did know that Esfandiari had been playing solid the last 90 minutes.
"I thought he had something strong, although it could have been pocket 8s, 9s or 10s," Hellmuth said.
Knowing how troublesome J-J can be, and knowing how important it is to reach the final table, Hellmuth folded.
"I felt like a better chance to double my chips would come around the corner soon enough," Hellmuth said. "Also, I felt like I would have a chance to build up to over $100,000 in chips without ever being all-in - without a chance of going broke - by moving chips around flawlessly in the next few tournament hours."
Hellmuth's decision allowed him to reach the final table, but he again ran into Esfandiari - twice - one time losing an $80,000 pot that would help Esfandiari win the tournament and capture his first WSOP gold bracelet.
"I do feel like I made the right play because I depended on my skill later on," said Hellmuth, who has won a record-tying nine gold bracelets at the WSOP. "If you're not quite as experienced as me, then you should go with your read. If you think you have the best hand, then put the chips in the pot."
Table talk
Pot limit: A game where the biggest bet can be only the size of the pot.
