(from press release)

Blockade Billy by Stephen King, an original, never-before-published novella that only the King of Horror could have dreamed up, is scheduled to be shipped as an exclusive hardcover from Cemetery Dance Publications on 20 April 2010.

“I love old-school baseball,” Stephen King said, “and I also love the way people who’ve spent a lifetime in the game talk about the game. I tried to combine those things in a story of suspense. People have asked me for years when I was going to write a baseball story. Ask no more; this is it.”

Cemetery Dance Publications and Stephen King kept Blockade Billy under tight wraps so it could be a surprise publication for the beginning of the baseball season.

Even the most diehard baseball fans don’t know the true story of William “Blockade Billy” Blakely. He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first — and only — player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game’s history.

Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse… and only Stephen King, the most gifted storyteller of our age, can reveal the truth to the world, once and for all.

Chuck Verrill, King’s agent, said: “Any time a Red Sox fan, an Orioles fan, and a Yankees fan can cooperate on something, the result is bound to be fantastic.”

For a very limited time only, Cemetery Dance Publications will include an authentic William “Blockade Billy” Blakely baseball card with every copy of the trade hardcover. Please visit http://www.BlockadeBilly.com or http://www.CemeteryDance.com for more information.

Oh say can you see?  By the dawn’s early light…

Recognize that?  It’s the opening line to our National Anthem.  Say what you will about it, criticize it because you can.  It’s your inalienable right and granted to you under the 1st Amendment.

You should respect it.

Take off your ball cap.  Stand and face the flag.  Sing the lyrics if you want to. Refrain from talking.   And please don’t pull a Roseanne and think it’s funny to scratch yourself and spit.

This means you, O’s fans.  Not all y’all.  Just the ones who for whatever reason choose to show their true ignorance during the last part of the singing of Star Spangled Banner.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

If you’ve been to a regular season game at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD, or a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL, you will hear the 1D10T bird fans yelling “Oh” at the singing of the beginning of the last two lines.

It’s not funny.  It’s not cute.  It’s ignorant.

That Oh is not for you to show your allegiance to your team.  That Oh is to show allegiance to your country.

Doing so makes you an 1D10T of the highest order.

Long-time drug abuser and former major league pitcher, Dwight Gooden, was arrested for numerous counts of idiocy early yesterday morning. 

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — Former Major League Baseball star Dwight Gooden has been charged with driving under the influence of drugs and leaving the scene of an accident.

The former pitcher for the New York Mets and New York Yankees had his child in his vehicle at the time of the two-vehicle crash around 9 a.m. Tuesday, Franklin Lakes police Capt. Joseph Seltenrich said.

Gooden was taking his 5-year-old son, Dylan, to school, according to multiple media reports. Police said no one was hurt.

Gooden also was charged with child endangerment and motor vehicle violations, authorities said. They wouldn’t release details, including the type of drugs.

Gooden, 45, was released on his own recognizance until a municipal court hearing. It was unclear whether Gooden, who has waged a well-publicized battle with alcohol and drugs, including cocaine, had an attorney.

The driver of the other car, Ronald Schmidt, of Franklin Lakes, said he recognized Gooden right away.

“I looked at him, and I knew it was Dwight Gooden,” Schmidt told WABC-TV in New York. “I think he was surprised I recognized him, [and] he shook my hand.”

With his drug usage, Gooden blew away a promising sure-fire first ballot Hall of Fame career, he’s frickin’ 45 years old and he’s still doing drugs.   I guess in someway I get that.  

Before 9 AM?  Before taking your 5 year old son to school?

And what’s with the guy who was the driver of the other car involved in the 9AM accident?  Here’s what he may have said to the drug-addled former pitcher:

• “Hey, I know you just hit my car, but you’re a famous ballplayer, will you shake my hand?” 
• “Doc, here’s my cell-phone, it’s my boss on the other end, could you cover for me?”
• “Wait, lemme go get a pen so I can get your autograph?” 
• “Can you hang on second, maybe the cop will get a picture of you and me together?”
• “Hey Officer, you can’t arrest him, he’s Doc Flippin’ Gooden!”

I don’t care who the celebrity is/was…if someone t-bones me at 9 AM, I am not shaking his or her hand.

Not even you, Scarlett Johansson.

Well, maybe you.

Source:  ESPN

Woot!

The Twins‘ hometown kid is staying anchored to home.

All-Star catcher Joe Mauer and Minnesota completed an eight-year, $184 million deal, a contract which will inevitably be hailed within baseball as an example that teams like the Twins do have a chance to keep their homegrown talent.

The deal, which includes a full no-trade clause, ranks in scope with only Alex Rodriguez‘s 10-year, $275 million contract and Derek Jeter‘s 10-year, $189 million contract.

Awesome. 

This is great news for Mauer and for the Twins. 

Joe deserves the money and the no-trade clause.  The Twins pulled out all stops to sign him before Opening Day by signing him to Yankee money. 

It’s a great day for those of us who do not cheer for the Evil Empires of baseball. 

Source:  ESPN

(from the WADA website)

The President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), John Fahey, called on Major League Baseball (MLB) and its players’ association (MLBPA) today to implement human growth hormone (hGH) testing.

“We continue to read statements from the MLB Commissioner (Bud Selig) and MLBPA representatives questioning the appropriateness of implementing blood testing in their league. This is nonsense,” said Mr Fahey. “The blunt reality is that a number of doping substances and methods, including hGH, are currently detectable only through blood testing. International scientific experts agree that hGH is found in extremely small quantities in urine and that a potential detection method for this substance in urine is years away. Joint blood and urine testing is the only way to go for sports organizations to ensure that they use proper means to protect the integrity of their sport.”

Last month, the UK Anti-Doping Agency announced the first completed case involving an analytical finding for hGH. In addition, in the past years, a number of athletes received sporting sanctions for possession of hGH following exchange of information between sports authorities and law enforcement.

“The key for effective hGH detection is enhanced use of intelligence and strategic out-of-competition testing,” said WADA’s President. “If they are serious about getting rid of cheats, the MLB and the MLBPA should listen to those players who supported blood collection in the past few weeks and start implementing a testing program that includes smart out-of-competition testing. Blood sample collection has been conducted for years in many sports around the world without any problem. So why do others still refuse it? Let’s keep in mind that the amount of blood taken from an athlete for hGH detection is only 10 ml. This is so little that it cannot realistically have a negative impact on the athlete’s performance.

We have again reached out to the MLB and we would be pleased to provide them, as well as any other sports organization willing to implement hGH testing, all the scientific and logistical information they may need. Now is time for them to act.”