We’re considering Dave Kingman for induction into the 7IS MLB Mustache Hall of Fame, but frankly I think his career OBP is just too low. Still Devon Young who runs a nice site blogging the 1982 Topps card set was kind enough to send in this sweet 1982 Topps Dave Kingman with Fu Manchu:

It’s not quite Mutton Chops Yaz, but it is certainly something to ponder.  To read more about Dave Kingman and how he led the National League in home runs in 1982, visit Devon Young’s My First Cards: Blogging The 1982 Topps Set.

In the season’s first blockbuster, Cliff Lee and a prospect was dealt to the Texas Rangers for Justin Smoak and 3 prospects. Naturally, this was not discussed at all in the Hot Stahoviak. Through the process, my Twins were the alleged leader in the race for Lee. The Yankees almost had a deal done today. The Reds apparently had a pretty good offer on the table as well. Let’s look at those poor teams.

Twins: Good news, Twins fans! Cliff Lee wasn’t going to help the team win the World Series anyways, because Cliff Lee wasn’t going to pitch every game (and all 5 starters are scuffling). Cliff Lee wasn’t going to improve Joe Mauer, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer or JJ Hardy’s uninspiring batting averages. Cliff Lee wasn’t going to relieve the other starters. Cliff Lee wasn’t going to keep Nick Punto out of the lineup. Cliff Lee wasn’t going to assemble a lineup that makes sense for the Twins roster. So, hey, Minnesota didn’t over pay for him!

Yankees: Apparently the Yankees are upset with how the Mariners let the Rangers sweep in and nab Lee. This is the first time it has ever happened to the Yankees of course. Everyone else has had it done to them, but somehow, nobody is feeling sorry for you. This is because it’s usually you sweeping in at the last minute. Now, however, the sweeper has become the sweepee and the Randers did the sweeping when the swpt in and swiped Lee. Sweet.

Reds: Good rotation, break out year, doing all you can. I don’t know what to tell you. You should have got him. Sucks to be in Ohio today.

Every Thursday, 7IS Contributor Ryan Henning will take a look at a rumor burning up the hot stove. You may not think it’s important, but it must be important to someone.

That may or may not be Shane Lindsay. I’m not sure, though, because all Australians look the same to me. Lindsay is one of the best players to come out of Australia, because for the most part players from Australia have been atrocious. The youngster was designated for assignment today.

Wait… Do you even know what team he plays for? Or what position he plays? Probably not. He was a member of the Cleveland Wahoos, and is a pitcher. The reesidents of Columbus. will be delighted to have him and show him some good old fashioned American hospitality, I’m sure.

Lindsay is pretty lucky. Last summer I was on vacation in Europe and met a family from Australia on a train in Slovenia (really). They were telling me about a vacation they took to America  where they spend about a month riding Amtrak from city to city, checking out what they wanted to see. They road by train from Washington to New Orleans to Houston to Seattle. By Amtrak! The point is, Australians are desperate to see America. Lindsay has now been up with the Rockies, got picked up by the Yankees, the Indians and is now on his way to Columbus (probably). And he gets to do it for free!

The reason he is getting dropped is because Cleveland picked up Jayson Nix, younger brother of Laynce. (Those Nixes just have y’s to spare, don’t they? Maybe if I change my name to Ryayn Nix, I can develop a mediocre baseball career). What’s this mean for the Indians? Take it away, Wikipedia!

On June 24, 2010, [Nix] was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians, and the team sent down Luis Valbuena to make room for him, which sadly will not make this team any better.

We’ll see how long that stays on the page. I can’t imagine the Jayson Nix page is often checked by Wikipedia’s housekeepers.

How’s Byung-Hyun Kim looking as a starter in the Golden Leagues? Stay tuned to find out…

In Indy Indulgence (I.I.), Kevin Lager whispers sweet nothings in to the ears of Independent Baseball Fans.  Sure, some people can get all the baseball they need from the rigid structure of “Bud” Selig’s heavily commercialized and painstakingly sanitised Major Leagues, but the most sinister of us also crave Indy Ball, where trades are weird, hecklers are louder than the PAs, the players exist in real life, and dammit – it just feels like home.

Byung-Hyun Kim is probably best remembered as the submarining closer who, as an Arizona Diamondback in the 2001 World Series, gave up a series of monumental home runs to a rag-tag (cough) bunch of scrappy (cough) Yankee underdogs (gag). Despite Kim’s pitching, the Big Dback Machine still won it all that year, and Kim’s bad week is more of a lighthearted side note than a Jim Joyce-esque level of f#ckupery.

Byung-Hyun Kim is now a starting pitcher for the Orange County Flyers of Golden League Baseball, which means I got to see him pitch live when he came to town to face the heroes of Foothills Stadium, the Calgary Vipers, during Championship Banner and Championship Rings night for the Vipes.

Here’s what I saw from Kim during his outing last night:

• He’s wearing #16, and his delivery is still as submariney as ever.
• Had a no-hitter through 3 innings of work (although he walked 3 and hit 1), and was given a 6-0 lead to play with.
• Earned an RBI in the 2nd when he drew (the most exciting play in baseball) a bases loaded walk. He promptly requested his jacket while on first, which earned him heckles from the Calgary crowd for the remainder of the evening. We understand that pitchers want to keep their arm warm, but we also like to make fun of people who think 61 degrees F (16 degrees C) is cold.
• Gave up 2 runs on separate wild pitches in the 4th inning, and 4 runs total that inning off three hits. Those two wild pitches were incredibly high. The Friendly Giant couldn’t have caught them.
• Vipers ace RF Jonny “Cowboy” Kaplan chases Kim in the 5th with an RBI single to right. It was the second run Kim allowed in the frame, and the first one earned.
• Kim walked towards the dugout after Kaplan’s hit, which made it look like he was pulling himself. Sure enough, out came the coach.
• Faced 24 batters over 4.1 innings.
• Threw 105 pitches (57 for strikes).
• Allowed 5 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), walked 4, fanned 3 and batted 0-0 with an RBI (his first of the season) and a run scored (also his first).
• His 10.39 ERA on the night inflated his season ERA to 5.27
• After being staked a 6-0 lead, settled for a no-decision. Vipers eventually won the wild affair 15-11 in just under four hours of thrilling ball.
• Apparently has a fan club.

More on that last point, yes, it would appear that Byung-Hyun Kim has a fan club in Calgary. There were about a dozen fans seated right behind the visitor’s dugout who would greet Kim with standing ovations of rhythmic clapping after each inning, including his disastrous 4th and when he got (self?) yanked in the 5th.

One of our best interweb buddies, Sooze! sent us this amazing screen grab of Carl Pavano’s amazing new mustache:

Carl Pavano has never looked so amazingly dashing.

Yankees Fan Eats Reporters’ Pork Chop ( Video ). This is great. YES reporter, Kim Jones, never skips a beat. The slow-mo replay is worth every single penny, and the fact that he has a little broom attached to his necklace just adds to his … classyness.

Hat tip The Couch Warmers

A menacing, rabid squirrel charged Target Field tonight and attacked Twins third baseman Brendan Harris. Here’s the pics:
Continue Reading

Every Thursday, 7IS Contributor Ryan Henning will take a look at a rumor burning up the hot stove. You may not think it’s important, but it must be important to someone.

No. Of course not.

Still, Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post posed the question to the readers of his blog. A young player getting fussy after getting benched is not enough cause to trade him. Sorry. Still, the Palm Beach Post needs to drum up as much interest in the Marlins as possible to draw some of the interest away from…. I don’t know, polo and sailing regattas, I guess.

As if to rub it in the face of the PBP, the first comment on the post begs them to start talking about the Mets and Yankees. Does this happen in any other market in the country? I have scoured posts on the Minneapolis Star Tribune and have never seen anyone clamor for more coverage of the Mariners.

Of course, if someone is asking for more Yankee/Met coverage, that, to me, implies that the Post HAS spent time covering the Yankees and Mets. This makes me wonder; does anyone care about the Marlins? I mean, they are an exciting young team with a good manager and a seemingly endless pipeline of young talent coming in to don the teal and black. Plus, they have awesome weather to play in pretty much year round. And all the commenters do is talk about how they want more New York. Unbelievable

Well, I guess it’s an upgrade over Ethandru7.