Archive for the ‘Baseball’ Category

Independent Professional Baseball Players: Why They Play For Such Little Money

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
If you have attended an independent professional baseball game then you know that the level of play is equivalent to different levels of the regular “affiliated” Minor Leagues. What is not known by many fans, however, is how little money many of the independent baseball players make.

Unlike many jobs across North America, independent baseball players do not have a union or company department like Human Resources. They can be released almost at any time, for almost any reason, and there is usually nothing in their contracts which guarantees any sort of payment after players retire. When told all about this, many fans say, “Why would these players do that?!?”

Here are a few of the reasons:

A genuine love of the game: Many players in independent baseball believe that they have been overlooked by the Major League teams’ scouting departments. They genuinely believe that they deserve a chance to be in an “affiliated” farm team with one of the Major League organizations; and they truly love playing baseball. Many fans whom have attended independent baseball games comment on the hustle and passion of the players. A player who believes that he was overlooked may play with a “chip on his shoulder” in order to prove that he belongs with a Major League-affiliated farm team.

A need to be closer to home: Often, there are a few guys in each independent league who genuinely belong in a higher level of baseball. For whatever reason, however, they need to be closer to home with a less-grueling travel schedule. Sometimes players just started a family, others need to help out with a sick family member, and others need the support of friends and family in order to be comfortable with playing at the professional level.

A desire to continue his career in baseball: Many players will play in an independent baseball league in order to gain credibility for his post-playing career. Certain players want to manage or coach in professional baseball, others want to coach at the college level, and others want to transition to the front office of a professional sports team after they retire.

A need for camaraderie: If you have ever watched any documentary about “life in the minors” then you know that the players love playing baseball, enjoy crazy antics with their teammates, playing cards in the clubhouse, and the chance to develop lifelong friends especially on those long bus trips! If a player is good enough to be considered professional then many will take the opportunity to play in the independent leagues because he knows how competitive the demand is. Other players from around the continent are more than willing to take his spot, so he knows that he part of an elite level of baseball even though it is considered to be independent of the affiliated organizations.

A chance to rebuild his career: Sometimes an extremely talented player ends up in an independent league due to an injury, salary cap move, or simply due to “politics” in organized baseball. Such a player will play on an independent baseball team in order to prove to scouts that he is healthy, willing to go back at a more economical price, or simply that the other team which released him made a mistake. In a given year, dozens of players in independent baseball sign contracts with affiliated Minor League teams; and each year a few will get to play in the Major Leagues.

The next time you see an independent baseball game, or if you meet some independent baseball players around town, now you have a better understanding of why they do what they do regardless of the price at which they play. If you ever have said that you think pro athletes need to play with more passion and that they are overpaid, then be sure to attend an independent pro baseball game. You will be pleasantly surprised!



By: Independent Baseball

About the Author:

If you ever played or worked in independent baseball then you can relate to this article! Be sure to join the free membership for independent baseball veterans at http://www.IndependentBaseballAlumni.com

Where Can I Watch Baseball Games Online

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009


Where Can I Watch Baseball Games Online

Hey fellow sports fans – thanks for visiting the “Where Can I Watch Baseball Games online” informational article. In this article I wanted to provide some information about this new software program that actually provides access to all MLB Baseball Games online.

Created by “World Wide Online Sports” television software, this is been referred to as something similar to the “NFL Sunday ticket” for baseball -online.

Watch MLB Baseball Games Online

Watch 100’s of MLB baseball Games Online -Including the Playoffs and more.

For many of us, working long hours, traveling and many other reasons can prevent us from watching baseball games.Personally, I have found that , without this software, I would miss many, many of my teams best games and matchups.

Because I live 3 states away from my original home (thanks to my job), I miss 90-95% of my favorite teams games -(GO Detroit!) Or – I used to. Not anymore -thank God- because as of now, we are in a dogfight with the Minnesota Twins -and if I had to miss these games it would totally KILL ME.



But not only can we watch all the MLB baseball games online -but we dont have to pay the ridiculous payments that we are charged when we go through our satellite providers. As a matter of fact -

There are ABSOLUTELY NO MONTHLY FEE’S

And we get more than juts 1 season -actually, we get more than just 1 sport.

With this awesome sports entertainment system -we get over 3,000 Channels of sports tv , from anywhere in the world. As long as we have a Laptop/PC and an Internet Connection, we have instant access to MLB baseball and more.

From the 4 major sports -to other popular sports, like Golf , Tennis, Soccer, outdoor sports ,college sports, and more. If there is a camera at the sporting event -than we will have access to it on our laptop or PC.

Its totally amazing -and we dont pay outrageous fee’s to watch all these sports either.



Dont think you have to spend $100’s of dollars to watch MLB Baseball Games Online – Its all available to us , from our PC or Laptop.

Not to mention, EVERY CHANNEL is in HD TV as well- connect your PC to the Family TV and have friends over to watch all the best games and important sporting events  -even NFL Blackout Games.

I hope that this Information was helpful – I know how important it is to keep up with favorite teams and the Playoff’s.

If you want the complete Review of the sports television software and the links to the actual sports software -here’s the Link:



By: Joshua Mintz

About the Author:

Watch MLB Baseball Games Online

– Plus Over 3,000 Channels Of Live Sports Entertainment

Dice Sports Games That Are Fun; The Baseball Game

Monday, November 30th, 2009
This is the third installment in a world of incredibly fun sports games played with dice. In the first installment I taught you how to play the college version of Dice Football. Then in the second you learned the Pro Football dice game. Now it is Dice Baseball, which is the first dice game that I ever invented. Just as in my football games you will need two dice, notebook paper and a pen or pencil to play dice baseball.

You will recall that in the college football game you got your box score set up so that you can begin the game and just take turns for four quarters. In the baseball game you will have to make a box score sheet that has nine boxes split in half. These two halves represent the home team and the visitors. Remember that in baseball the home team always bats last and should be on the bottom of the two box halves.

As in real baseball each team rolls for nine innings. The exception of course is the home team. If the home team is winning after the visitor has finished his half of the ninth, then there is no need for the home boys to roll the ninth. Just like in real baseball the game is over and the dice can hit the showers.

Batting is pretty simple. Each team gets to start their half of an inning by rolling the dice once. If the two die total an even number then they can roll again. That is because even dice totals equal one single. An even dice total will be one of the following combinations; 1+3=4, 1+5=6, 2+4=6, 2+6=8, 3+5=8, 4+6=10. If the next roll yields an even number then there has been another hit. Now in baseball terms this means that there are, two men on base. The rolling player now gets a third roll. As you can see where this is going, another even number means that the bases are loaded. A fourth consecutive even dice result will bring home the first run and each consecutive roll will continue to bring home runners until the roller finally rolls an odd dice total.

Any odd dice total represents the end of an inning. Thus, if a player rolls an odd number on his first roll, then that inning is over. The odd dice totals are as follows; 1+2=3, 1+4=5, 1+6=7, 2+3=5, 2+5=7, 3+4=7, 3+6=9, 4+5=9, 5+6=11. A really cool thing to do during this game is to see if you can get a no-hit game. You can do this by simply putting a dot in the innings that a player rolls an odd number. You can start this on their initial first inning roll. Each consecutive inning thereafter that the player continues to perform a first odd roll continues the no-hitter up until the player finally rolls an even number. If they fail to roll at least one even number in nine innings that means you pitched a no-hitter. Time to call Cooperstown!

So where are the homeruns? I bet you are glad that I asked. Any time a player rolls a double-dice roll, he has hit a Homerun! That is all that it takes; doubles aka, two of a kind. Better yet, if there are any men on base then they score with the homerun. Yes, with the bases loaded a homerun is a grand slam.

This is an example of how the baseball game can be played. Let us say the visitors roll a 2+3 on his initial first inning roll. The visitors inning is considered over and with no hits. The home team rolls a 4+6 (10) on the first roll. That represents a base hit or one man on base. The home player then rolls a 3+5 (8) thus getting a second man on base. Then he rolls a 1+4 (5). The inning is over. End result of the first inning is 0 to 0.

The visitor starts his second inning with a pair of threes (3+3). Boom, he hit a homerun. He then rolls a 2+5 (7), which means the inning is over. The visitor has scored a run in their half of the second and leads the game, 1 to 0. The home team starts with a 2+4 (6) single. Then on the next roll the home player rolls a pair of fours (4+4). The home player has hit a two run homerun since there was a man already on base. The next roll is a 3+4 (7) out and that ends the second inning with the home team ahead, 2-1.

Now for the rest of the game neither team scores again until the ninth inning when the visitor strings together six consecutive even numbers before rolling the inevitable odd number. That means the visitor scored three runs and now leads the game, 4-2. Then the home team follows with three consecutive rolls of doubles (homeruns); which means they won the game, 5-4. What a comeback!

If the score ends in a tie after nine innings then just keep playing one inning at a time until someone finally wins. That is what baseball calls, extra-innings. In the next article I will attempt to teach you about the college basketball dice games. Till then, keep on rolling.



By: John Dejong

About the Author:
John DeJong is the lead creative designer for NotMeUSA. He has been writing humorous advertisements for over twenty-five years. All of the funny t-shirts, pill bottles, and gag spray bottles were created by him.You can view these by visiting him at NotMeUSA