Would You Bet on Andruw Jones

With all the players the Dodgers have brought into the Organization over the last couple of years, they have players with great resumes to make decisions on. Andruw Jones happens to be on of them. If you were ever going to have a nightmare as a player, Andruw Jones went through one last season. Everything went wrong on the baseball field and when you play in a big media market like Los Angeles, there is no sympathy. Andruw Jones has always been one of the leagues best players and just became ineffective and not good fast.

Sometimes that is the guy you bet on because he has so much to prove. When you're a big free agent you want everyone to know you are worth the price of admission and you can put so much pressure on yourself that you try to hard and nothing goes right. If they put Andruw Jones back in the lineup will the real Andruw Show up? Do you give him a chance in spring training or trade him if you can. Based on his resume I would give him a chance in spring training to see if he is back to the great players the Dodgers paid 36 million for. To have Anduw Jones in full form and to sign Manny Ramirez that could be a great three four punch in the line up or a great four five punch in the lineup. If you ever wonder what the winter meeting are about these are the major decision that the organization leaders have to make preparing for 2009.

Mike Davis

Is It About the Money...

As a fan of the game of baseball and a former player there are many out there that think that players are so greedy. When we have so many people in the world that are going through hard times and the TOP ball players taking home monopoly money in a down economy.

Let me ask you what would you do when your value has peaked and everyone wants a piece of you? You have excel to the top of your craft and your craft wants to reward you? What would you do. If and organization comes to you and says we want you to work for us, in exchange for your services this is what we want to do for you. Now you hear what they want to do for you and you are blown away. Do you turn it down? do you say I'm not worth all of that... or do you let them bless you so that you can secure your family and bless others down the road?

Mark Teixeira is at the top of his game in baseball, the only people making more money than the top free agents you see in the papers everyday are the CEO, entertainers and Hedge Fund Managers who try to fly under the radar so the world won't take notice.

The fact that an organization is offering Mark Teixeira monopoly money show his value to them. They believe he is worth the price of admission. When the price of admission goes up... don't complain... just buy a hotdog and enjoy the game.

Mike Davis

To Be a Switch Hitting Free Agent with Great Hands

Mark Teixeira happens to be hotter than Manny Ramirez right now. To be a switch hitting free agent who can hit for power plus having every major league team wanting to add you to there roster for a kings ransom has to be nice. This guy can do it all, great hands on defense and a bat that is so potent that they talk about it in both leagues... and the kind of teammate that everyone wants. His value is sky high!

Teixeira is and outstanding player... He stands above all the rest and is about to be paid for his performance in a great way. The Boston Redsox have been out bid for his services. How does that happen? Ever since He came out of college he has been turning heads. The Man that scouted Teixeira should be giving what ever he wants because this guy is special beyond measure. Even when you spell his name right it looks wrong but in the game of baseball everything that Mark Teixeira does it right.

Mike Davis

La Harba Win CIF SS Title Over Tustin

What a great first half for the Tustin Tillers as they battle La Habra High School and held them to a 14 point in the first half. My nephew Anthony Wilkerson did his thing and fought hard for 204 yards in a losing effort. He really showed me something in the kind of character he has as an athete.
Sometimes you go into battle and you are over matched and out numbered. That wasn't the case between the La Habra Highlanders and the Tustin Tillers on Saturday afternoon at Anaheim Stadium. Yes, when you look at the bench of La Habra they had 2 and a half players to every one player the Tillers had. And yes they were the returning Champs from last year. The Tillers played them well but ran out of gas with there top athletes playing both sides of the ball. That was all La Habra needed to open up a couple of holes for Hillman Who is awesome! Look out for this guy next season because he is an impact player. Look for the Tillers to go all the way next year.
The thing that was really strange was to watch the Tiller not try to put point on the board in the last quarter. They had the ball with 6minutes to play and didn't put the ball in the air or do anything out of the ordinary. It was BORING AND STUPID especially when you were still in the game. I mean the Tillers haven't won a Championship in 60 years, and then to get to the big game and Manage it like you're scared; doesn't make any sense to me. It's been 12 years since they have played in a championship game why not try to win?? Yes they had a great season... but its not over getting to the big name. The coach let the team down by not trying to win the game. Maybe he saw something the other 8000 people at Anaheim Stadium missed; I don't know, but it was a sad finish to a great season for the Tustin Tillers. Next year we raise our standards and run through the tape to the end.

Mike Davis

Yankee's Get Sabathia for $161M

Congratulations to CC Sabathia! Who signs the riches contract for a pitcher in the history of baseball. 161 Million dollars is a lot of money and the going rate for one of the top pitchers in the league. A lot of you out there reading this blog might be thinking… “That is ridiculous”
How can you pay one player that kind of money? Listen up, you can do it yourselves… all CC Sabathia did was excel at his craft. He was OUTSTANDING and when you are OUTSTANDING, when you stand out above all the rest… you get all the rewards. You see it in sports all the time. Why do we know David Beckham? Wrong answer: (the movie Bend it Like Beckham) David Beckham excelled in soccer, he was OUTSTANDING he stood out above all the rest… how did they reward him? With one of the richest contracts in the history of Soccer! Brought him to LA, promised him movie deals and a number of other endorsement. Why because he was OUTSTANDING! Another example: Michael Phelps 8 Olympic Gold Medals. Michael Phelps is an American Hero why? 8 Olympic gold Medals he was OUTSTANDING he stood above everyone in the sport of swimming for two straight weeks and excelled at his craft above everyone in the history of the sport. Was he rewarded for it? In a huge way!
Congratulations! Again to CC Sabathia, not because of the huge contract but if you ever sat down with this guy he is an awesome person, the kind of guy you wish the very best for, he gives back to the community and is just a special person. The Yankee’s received a true diamond that will impact the team, the community and their bottom line of winning. CC displays the Spirit of a Champion I wish the Dodgers could have made a play for him but if we can get Manny… lookout for Big Blue.

Mike Davis

FOOTBALL FINALS ANAHEIM STADIUM for Tustin High

You're probably wondering why is this guy writing about High School Football? Well it's my opportunity to brag about my nephew Anthony Wilkerson. Anthony is a junior at Tustin High, 5'11'' 210 lb GPA 3.8 the majors are looking at him as a junior USC, UCLA, STANFORD etc... Plus the Tustin Tillers is going to the CIF Finals at Anaheim Stadium for the first time in 12 years. My nephew has played a major part in the success of the Tustin Tillers. They have a great team this year. To be playing in the CIF finals is testament to the hard work all the players have put in.

Anthony Wilkerson has scored thirty-five touchdown this year... the last game I saw him play he scored five touchdown. As a former professional player myself I have played against some great NFL Stars. My nephew impressed me so much the last time I watched him play, I told him after the game: " you are exciting, you remind me of Marcus Allen the way you run through that line." Do you know what he told me??

Who is Marcus Allen... Who is Marcus Allen... only another Hall of Famer with great NFL numbers who made a big mark on the game of football when the Raiders were the Raiders and the class of the league. This tells me I'm getting older. I have to remember that my nephew is only 16 years old. Orange County Varsity dot com they keep you up to speed on what all the high school players are doing in Orange County. The Game coming up this Saturday afternoon at Anaheim Staduim is something that all the players and their families, the cheerleaders and their families will remember the rest of their lives. The Spirit of a Champion will be a part of every player and student that has been apart of this journey from start to finish, With the right mindset they will be able to accomplish anything. Nephew, do your Thang on Saturday, you have won already... and remember:

good better best,

never let it rest,

until the good get's better,

and the better become the best....

go Tillers!!

Mike Davis

Tiller Football against Canyon: http://shmyl.com/esrgton

Ricky Henderson Time to Join The Hall of Fame

As yahoo sports broaches the subject of Ricky Henderson being top on the list of first time ballot Hall of Famers. You can't forget he wore the Dodgers Blues as well. I believe he was 85 years old and hit a home run in his first at bat... I'm kidding with you because Ricky is my age I was so impressed with what great shape he was in to perform in his mid-forties. He appeared to have the same body that he broke into the league 25 plus years ago. We played in Oakland together when billy Martin was the Manager. I remember it so well because I was the forth outfielder in the best outfield in baseball, which meant I never played. Ricky added so much flair to the game of baseball, his great speed made running glamorous and changed the way that pitchers and catchers managed the game. I Hit behind Ricky Henderson in Oakland when I finally did get a chance to play and when you have a player of his talent on base, you get better pitches to hit. That is the reason I couldn't understand the fuss that Jeff Kent was making when they said he got better because of Manny Ramirez. Jeff is a great player but when you put the right people around the right people everybody benefits. I was a lucky man in my baseball career. When I look back and see the field of future Hall of Famers, five or six where team mates of mine and the rest of the field we had great battles against one another. Looking back to the great players that ran between the white lines to compete... though memories are priceless. Of though great players Ricky Henderson Stands out in a crowd with the true Spirit of a Champion. Congratulation Ricky to you and your family you deserve God's best.

Mike Davis