Spring Training

Here's a slideshow of Spring Training stadiums. This is the time of year that I miss Florida a little.

Sidney Ponson empanada bets

I will consider any Ponson empanada bets that are thrown my way. You name the terms and we can negotiate. Based on number of wins, ERA at end of season, X number of strikeouts.... you name it I'll consider it.

Roger Clemens gives up his first homer of Spring Training . . .

. . . to his son Koby! Read all about it courtesy of ESPN.

Team Sells Player for Meat- and Gets the Better Part of the Deal

A Romanian soccer team sold one of its players for 33 lbs of meat, and got the better part of the deal when the player promptly decided to retire. So now the other team has no player and no food. I wonder what type of meat it was?

Congratulations, Brian Lawrence!

You're bobblehead eligible, and you haven't even played a game as a National yet!

In other news, the Soriano situation still hasn't been resolved.

PH4H Goes Curling!

On Saturday, PH4Hers Dara, Debby, Justin, and Jeff went curling at the Potomac Curling Club in Laurel, MD. After waiting over 3 hours, we experienced curling through several stations: learning to walk on ice without killing yourself, throwing the rock and not falling flat on your face, sweeping, and finally putting it all together. It's a lot harder than it looks on tv! Check out pictures of the experience here.

Puppy Curling- the Sport PETA Would Hate

The curling craze has spawned an online spinoff- Puppy Curling. Yes, you curl virtual puppies (that bark, growl, make odd noises, etc.) across a kitchen floor to score points. What will they come up with next?

Everyone Loves Curling!

It's all over the internet! This guy even blogged about angry Curlers!

Everybody Wants to Be a Jew

The Baltimore Sun reports that a predominantly black Catholic School in East Baltimore requires students to take a full year in Jewish studies and employs a full time rabbi as a teacher in a classroom containing a crucifix. Talk about interfaith studies!

Whatever can go wrong, inevitably will

Now a judge wants a solid lease agreement in place before seizing private land for the stadium. Imagine that!

U.S. Men's Curling Team Streaks to Bronze

The U.S. Men's Curling Team won bronze today by defeating the Brits 8-6 in the sport the Brits (or specifically, the Scots) invented in the 17th Century. And yes, there was a streaker during the match. Who's up for forming the Israeli National Curling Team for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver? :-)

Thank you MASN and MLB

Fewer Nats games on TV this year? How is this possible?

This is a great way to take a profitable franchise and run it into the ground.

Equal time for O's Fans

Here's the Orioles' Spring Training blog, courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

Sammy Sosa

The Onion has the scoop on Sammy Sosa's impending retirement.

Also, funny articles about Kobe Bryant and the Devil Rays

Nationals Spring Training Online

The Washington Post has posted the Nationals Journal, which apparently is a blog about the happenings down in Viera.

In the meantime, there was an article about Cristian Guzman, his offseason laser eye surgery, and his hopes for a much-improved season.

What's next?

Yikes! The Nationals might not even own the rights to their name.

Ricky Williams, back at it again

Ricky Williams is finally back to his old form, with his first violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy since coming back from retirement. ESPN is reporting that it is indeed a failed drug test.

This is not a sports post

There's a neat article in today's New York Times about the lead singer of Weezer going to Harvard and living in a dorm.

PH4H Magnetic Ribbons?

Just what it sounds like. Who's going to be the first on their block to order one?

http://www.supportourribbons.com/.

You can customize those magnetic fridge word things there too.

Arbitration Update

Orioles 1, Rodrigo Lopez 0

The arbitration ruling is in, and the Orioles get their first win of the season by defeating their own starting pitcher, Rodrigo Lopez, in salary arbitration. This makes Orioles lead counsel Russell Smouse 6-0 in arbitration cases, and the Orioles are now 8-1 since Peter Angelos took over the team. Can Smouse pitch?

The words I've waited for since October . . .

Spring Training begins Saturday. We ought to start thinking about our reverse-scoring Fantasy Baseball league soon, and devise the scoring system.

Nats update

So, despite all the controversy, there's a lease, albeit one that MLB baseball might not go for. And we've all been hearing about the negative impact that this has had on the team's ability to go about its business during the offseason.

But Sammy Sosa? Is everything really that bad?

Fundraising ideas

On Monday, Dan e-mailed a link to the NY Times article about the perfect fundraiser for PH4H.

Outstanding empanada bets

Justin S. owes Dan G. one empanada because the Yankees were not alone in last place in the AL East for more than 15 days during the 2005 season.

Dan G. owes Justin S. dinner from Carribean Grill because the Nationals were alone in first place in the NL East for more than 15 games during the 2005 season.

Tom P. owes Justin S. an empanada because of bets related to Cardinals-Brewers series' during the 2005 season.

Jeff S. will owe Dara O. an empanada if the Devil Rays finish higher in the standings in the AL East in 2006 than the Orioles, and Dara O. will owe Jeff S. an empanada if the Orioles finish higher than the Devil Rays.

Justin S. will owe Dara O. an empanada if the Blue Jays finish in first place in the AL East in the 2006 season.

Dara O. will owe Justin S. an empanada if the Blue Jays finish below .500 in the 2006 season.

Please make updates and corrections as warranted.

Welcome to the official PH4H blog!