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“Good Guy Amongst Bad People:

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Home Runs, what makes baseball special to watch.

Think of home runs, and you tend to forget all the great ones of the early years, because the clouds of the steroid era are like a wet fog that suffocates everything.

Yes, the Babe was a man before his time, and the 714-total George Herman Ruth put up will stand forever.

And he all recall the enormous performances of Hammerin Hank, when the Braves Henry Aaron caught and passed Ruth.

Since then there has been only stain on the record books.

When you think modern day home run hitters, you think of the ilk that Barry Bonds was. You feel cheated by the home run derby era of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. You felt betrayed by all things Manny Ramirez.

You think of all the ugliness that surrounded the career of Alex Rodriguez, the lies and the accomplishments.

Maybe this weekend helps heal that.

Albert Pujos, the iconic Cardinals slugger, who has toiled recently in obscurity with the Angels, just crushed his 600th career homer this weekend. And crushed it was, a grand slam shot too.

He joins an elite group of nine batters in the category of 600-plus.

He and Ken Griffey stand by themselves. They did it without cheating, did it without steroids, did it on athleticism, and dedication.

Pujols is in his 17th year in the majors. Whereas others, like Griffey, were first round picks, Pujols was a 13th round pick of the Cardinals in 1999.

Think of that, a player taken 452nd, will wind up in the record books, and likely in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

As he rounded third base this past weekend, as the many baseball fans in Orange County stood and saluted him at Angels Stadium, as his dugout emptied, you have to feel good about Albert Pujols, player and person..

Yes the Angels overpaid for an aging player. Yes he has had a history of injuries since arriving at the Big A. Yes some of his production has dropped off year by year..

But he has been a quality employee, teammate, and citizen both in St. Louis and now in Anaheim. His at bats are well covered. His non stop charity work is unmatched in both cities, and hardly ever recognized..

Albert Pujols, 600-home runs. Salute him for the accomplishment.

He did it with talent, passion, professionalism and honesty. That’s what baseball players-turned heroes-should be all about.

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“Padres-Flashes of the Future”

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He’s been here 15-years, 14-as the Padres pitching coach.

He’s seen some really good arms com and go. He’s coached up mediocre talents to put in impressive years. And now his role is different.

Counsel, develop, coach the cadre of young arms the organization is force feeding on Andy Green’s staff.

Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley on the cross section of young either he is handling today, with an eye on the future:

DINELSON LAMET
..Real as advertised.
..Stuff is fantastic including 98mph fastball.
..Great work ethic
..Fatigues after 5-innings, but he is so young.
..Not overwhelmed-not afraid
..Impressive-gave up huge HR-came back with strikeout.
..No fear

LUIS PERDOMO
..Has grown a lot after a tough first half of last season.
..Polishing his sinker has put him over the top
..Needs better command of fastball.
..Not yet complete-needs to stay out of the middle zone
..Next-needs to improve changeup-command of slider
..Very strong mentally-has learned so much in one year.

JOSE TORRES
..Big arm
..Level head
..Low ball ratio-lots more strikes
..Young hard throwers can be wild-he’s not.
..Mentally focused

MIGUEL DIAZ
..From Class A to competing in majors-likes challenges.
..Big arm
..More innings he throws-better he will get
..Game speeds up for young pitchers-learning to handle it
..High velocity-needs complete command still
..Ball does have hop on it.

CARTER CAPPS
..Only better 13 months since elbow surgery-ahead of schedule.
..MLB rule change has forced change in his delivery.
..Must find rhythm pushing off rubber keeping right foot on ground
..Rule is rule-can no longer do double hop in delivery
..Always been a long strider in his delivery.
..Velocity in 90s still there
..Hard to perform when he has to think mechanics.
..He’s flashed..has time to solve this mechanical glitch.

Balsley has worked wonders with lots of reclamation projects, witness what he has turned Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter into.

Now he is here, not to babysit the young arms, but develop them. It’s early in the season-so far so good with most of the kids most of the time.

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“Padres-Flashes of the Future”

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He’s been here 15-years, 14-as the Padres pitching coach.

He’s seen some really good arms com and go. He’s coached up mediocre talents to put in impressive years. And now his role is different.

Counsel, develop, coach the cadre of young arms the organization is force feeding on Andy Green’s staff.

Padres pitching coach Darren Baldly on the cross section of young either he is handling today, with an eye on the future:

DINELSON LAMET
..Real as advertised.
..Stuff is fantastic including 98mph fastball.
..Great work ethic
..Fatigues after 5-innings, but he is so young.
..Not overwhelmed-not afraid
..Impressive-gave up huge HR-came back with strikeout.
..No fear

LUIS PERDOMO
..Has grown a lot after a tough first half of last season.
..Polishing his sinker has put him over the top
..Needs better command of fastball.
..Not yet complete-needs to stay out of the middle zone
..Next-needs to improve changeup-command of slider
..Very strong mentally-has learned so much in one year.

JOSE TORRES
..Big arm
..Level head
..Low ball ratio-lots more strikes
..Young hard throwers can be wild-he’s not.
..Mentally focused

MIGUEL DIAZ
..From Class A to competing in majors-likes challenges.
..Big arm
..More innings he throws-better he will get
..Game speeds up for young pitchers-learning to handle it
..High velocity-needs complete command still
..Ball does have hop on it.

CARTER CAPPS
..Only better 13 months since elbow surgery-ahead of schedule.
..MLB rule change has forced change in his delivery.
..Must find rhythm pushing off rubber keeping right foot on ground
..Rule is rule-can no longer do double hop in delivery
..Always been a long strider in his delivery.
..Velocity in 90s still there
..Hard to perform when he has to think mechanics.
..He’s flashed..has time to solve this mechanical glitch.

Balsly has worked wonders with lots of reclamation projects, witness what he has turned Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter into.

Now he is here, not to babysit the young arms, but develop them. It’s early in the season-so far so good with most of the kids, most of the time.

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“What I Think About What I See”

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WARRIORS WHACK CAVS…Way too much firepower in Golden State…not enough help for LeBron James in Cleveland. The Warriors ripped them apart every which way, forcing 20-turnovers, pounding them for 42-points in the paint, letting Kevin Durant loose for a dominant first half, then letting Steph Curry bomb away beyond the arc in the second half. At one point, Cleveland trailed by 24.

GOOD COACH-BAD COACH…Someone is going to have to sales pitch me hard that Tyronne Lue is anything more than LeBron James valet. He sat there thru that wretched first half, called no timeouts, made no adjustments, didn’t lose his temper as the Warriors attacked the basket on virtually every possession, opening up a 21-point lead in that half.

SELFLESS SUPER STARS…Lots of firepower on that Warriors team, lots of selfless players too. Giving up close in baskets to get the guy who has the open look. Everybody to the glass to board. Role players off the bench as hungry as the five starters on the floor. This is a special team.

SHAMEFUL AMERICA…The spray painting of the ‘N” word on the front gate of the Brentwood home of LeBron James, the work of a crack pot. But it is still the symbol of hate that exists in certain pockets of the society. Can happen in LA just like it can happen in Ferguson, Missouri. Intreresting if a white player will stand up and condemn the hatred, and support his African American bretheren.

CIVIL WAR…NBA commissioner Adam Silver is demanding changes in the NBA draft. He wants to remove the ‘one and done’ rule. The union is fighting him on it. Silver says 19-year old players are not ready for the rigors of the NBA. The union, by standing to allow the underclassmen into the draft, are taking money and jobs from veteran players. The rookies are not even union members yet. Silver says college coaches want the rule changed too. Would like to see a petition from Division 1-coaches that could influence this argument. Put your name next to it.

ZEKE FROM CABIN CREEK COMING HOME….That’s the story, that Jerry West is close to being hired as a consultant to work for the Clippers. Imagine the angst across the hallway from the Buss family, if the Lakers legend comes home to work for the team across the hall.

JUST WONDERING OUT LOUD….Loudmouth father LaVar Ball isn’t winning too many friends. Now West has spoken out saying the father is doing a dis-service to the son with all these off the wall statements. What happens if Boston bypassez Lonzo Ball, and the Lakers say no, and the kid starts to drop?

CLOSING COMMENT…The Warriors win only counts as one, but one wonders where the Cavs are going to find the defense they need to body and shutdown all the weapons Golden State puts on the floor, in the paint, at the arc, and in the transition game. Sunday night will say alot about the manhood of the Cavaliers.

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“NBA-Superstars-Super Series”

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It doesn’t get much better than this.

Oh yes, there have been great NBA finals matchups in decades gone by.

You only have to think of the greatness of the Celtics and Lakers to envision what this could be like tonight.

You remember, Boston-LA, Red Auerbach’s legendary teams vs the Lakers firepower. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamaberlain and so much more.

You remember the more vintage Lakers-Celtics rivalry, Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird.

And yes, there was Michael and the Jordanaires, that Bulls dynasty, and the special Kobe-Shaq run in LA too..

Lots of other historical battles amongst talent laden teams.

But tonight the Splash Brothers face King James and his merry men, for the third year in a row. Golden State-vs-Cleveland.

The stats are almost equal.

The Warriors have wiped out alot of records over the last 48-months, and now another, ripping off 12-straight NBA playoff wins. No one has ever done that, in any year, any era.

The Cavs roll in with a (12-1) record in this postseason surge to get back to the finals.

The Warriors went (67-15) while the Cavs came home (51-31).

Cleveland is averaging 116 per game on offense in the postseason, Golden State an amazing 118 on their rampage run.

The Warriors are averaging 12-3’s per night, in typical bombs away fashion. Few realize Cleveland is hitting 14-shots beyond the arc.

The Blue & Gold grab 45-rebounds a night, the Wine & Gold 43-per game.

It’s Cleveland’s big three, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, vs the Warriors brigade of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.

Strategy says the Cavs will run LeBron with that pick and roll till they get Curry and others in foul trouble, or James wears out, of the Warriors find a way to use their fouls to stop it.

Strategy says the Warriors will come out firing threes, take a lead, and make Cleveland play their game.

The intangible though will be guys coming off the bench.

The Warriors like to talk about their “Death Squad”, a package that includes Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Sean Livingston.

But the Cavs bench bunch is very different now than the last two playoff series. Yes JR Smith can launch shots, and Iman Shumpert can run an offense, and Richard Jefferson can lay down some ‘de’, but now Kyle Korver and his 3-point artistry and Damon Williams are part of the mix.

Steve Kerr won’t be on the bench with the on-going health issues. The familiar face, ex-Cavs coach Mike Brown, will run the show. Tyronne Lue, Cleveland’s coach, will sit and watch LeBron do what he does, run the offense.

This won’t be so much about drama on the court, it will just be about shot making, defending, foul trouble, and spurts of scoring.

It’s going to be great, maybe even as great as the good old days, Lakers-vs-Boston, or Michael Jordan-vs-anybody they beat from the West.

The Splash Brothers have too much firepower. The Cavs have to rely on LeBron more than anyone else.

Golden State gets it done, but it will really be fun.

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