Sorry to keep everyone hanging for a few days. I have been ill, and, when i'm sick, I don't post. Nothing new, just the joys of juggling a good handful of heath issues everyday. Every now and again, one jumps up and bites me good, and lays me low for a few days.

When the real games return, I should return shortly after.

I hope this area does not die, but, maybe just go dormant for a bit. I hope anyone that would be posting here also has another area to post in, and, that you are kept infomrmed and entertained there until I can return.

Get better BigD!

Well Red.  I think you finally found one of the few details of baseball that I both do not know, and, have never thought about.  You very well may be right though, as player convenience is a relatively new concern for baseball.

Maybe someone will know, but not I.

New York Yankees fans can worship the ground that Derek Jeter walks on — literally.

The team’s official collectibles company, Steiner Sports, is selling plaques — complete with a capsule of infield dirt from Yankee Stadium — from a number of the legendary shortstop’s career milestones. The plaques retail for $19.99 or $29.99 and include moments like “The Flip,” “The Dive,” Jeter’s first home run in the Bronx, 3,000th hit and the farewell speech from the old Yankee Stadium.

Steiner Sports also will be offering a plaque with dirt from Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis, selling for $69.99.

So how can you get your own capsule of Jeter dirt? Starting next week, all you have to do is register on Steiner Sports’ website and will send you a free capsule of dirt from Jeter’s final season.

If that’s not enough, the site also has a plaque that lists each ballpark with how many hits Jeter had in the park on his way to the milestone 3,000th and a vial of dirt from each park. It sells for $349.

Steiner has been Jeter’s official collectibles representative for 18 years and demand is rising as Jeter comes to the end of his career.

“Fans don’t like him – they love him,” said Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports. “It’s an easy gift to give this year, so our sales are up. The interest level is probably twice as much as it normally is.”

Building a better baseball glove -

www.engadget.com/2014/07/15/nike-vapor-360-fielding-glove/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000589

MILWAUKEE -- After enduring personal tragedy, Brewers shortstop Jean Segura has told team officials that he is ready to get back to work.

Segura traveled with members of his family on Thursday to Washington D.C., where he will meet the Brewers to begin the second half of the season on Friday, one week after Segura's 9-month-old son, Janniel, passed away suddenly in the Dominican Republic.

Segura learned that terrible news in the immediate aftermath of a loss to the Cardinals last Friday and traveled home to the Dominican the following morning. According to teammate Aramis Ramirez, who has been a mentor since Segura's August 2012 debut with the Brewers, a funeral service was held Monday.

"I talked to him last night and he sounded good," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Thursday. "We'll sit down with him [Friday] and talk to him and make sure everything is good before we really activate him."

If he wishes, Segura will be in the Brewers' starting lineup. The Brewers plan to place infielder Jeff Bianchi on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right elbow to clear space for Segura's return from the bereavement list.

Roenicke and the Brewers have no blueprint for handling a player in this situation. Director of psychological services Matt Krug, who travels with the team to assist players with on- and off-field concerns, will play a prominent role.

One of Roenicke's challenges, he said, will be keeping tabs on Segura's mindset without constantly dredging up difficult memories.

"Every individual is different, so I don't think you can just come up with a plan," Roenicke said. "I didn't know if 'Seggy' would be back with us this soon. I know he's told me he felt like he needed to do it to take his mind off it. He wanted to get back doing something he enjoys, so that's why he's here and why he plans to play in Washington."

Segura's mother and uncle are among the family members who will be at his side on this brief Brewers road trip.

Segura will also be surrounded by support in the Brewers' clubhouse.

"We're just trying to support him as best we can," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said at the All-Star Game. "It's a really bad, tough situation that I would never wish on anybody. Brutal, man. There's nothing, really, you can do about it. Just when he comes back, take him in and support him as best we can. There's nothing you can do or say that will fix it. Nothing."

Said general manager Doug Melvin: "I think we sort of take young players for granted in our game. You have a young player, [24] years of age, playing at the high level that these players play in front of big crowds of 40,000, and they're away from their families and the traveling they have of 162 games in 180 days. To have that happen, what happened to Jean, it's very tough for the team, too, but mostly for Jean and his family. I don't have any advice other than we're here to help; his teammates are and the organization is. He told Ron that he's ready to go."


Thoughts and prayers still go out to him and his family

Welp Dan Uggla has been released by the Braves


Uggla Released

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves did everything they could over the last year to find a team willing to trade for struggling second baseman Dan Uggla.

There were no takers.

Uggla's frustrating, four-year tenure with the Braves ended Friday when the team requested unconditional release waivers on a former starter still guaranteed over $18 million for the remainder of this year and next.

"We've been very active making calls for the last month," general manager Frank Wren said. "We got to a point where we realized that this was probably our only avenue."

Uggla received the news during an early afternoon meeting at Turner Field with Wren and manager Fredi Gonzalez.

"He was professional, just like he always has been and always will be," Gonzalez said. "Now he goes out and he can explore other opportunities. Somebody will give him a chance, and we wish him the best of luck."

In his fourth season with the Braves, the 34-year-old Uggla was batting .162 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 48 games and 130 at-bats.

He had a 33-game hitting streak in 2011, the franchise's second-longest, but also struck out 495 times in 451 games over the last three years.

Uggla was benched permanently on May 28 when the Braves purchased the contract of second baseman Tommy La Stella from Triple-A Gwinnett.

The team's patience with Uggla appeared to wear thin last Sunday when he was suspended one game for reporting just 30 minutes before the start of a game at the Chicago Cubs.

Uggla, a three-time NL All-Star, hit .179 with 22 homers and 55 RBIs last year and underwent corrective eye surgery last summer. He struggled so much that he was left off the postseason roster after losing his job to Elliot Johnson, a journeyman claimed off waivers in late August.

The Braves reinserted Uggla as the starter at the beginning of spring training this year, but he hit .212 in April and .080 in 25 at-bats during May.

let me guess.  Kershaw has hit more home runs too.

Good factoid!  Never knew that.

Will anyone pick up Uggla?

I thought Soriano would have been picked up by a team (cough Royals cough) that could use some righty power. 

Agreed.  If Mark Reynolds can be employed, I think Soriano would now be, now that he could be had for the veteran minimum.

You'll love this:  Uggla signed minor-leaguel deal with giants. Heads to albuquerque to join triple-a team. @ken_Rosenthal 1st

Told Ya BigD!  LOL

The Red Sox did not have a position player on the American League All-Star team this year. When did this last happen?