Batting Cages - Helping To Improve Skills

By Dave Smith

Baseball has been America's pastime since the sport was started. Baseball is a game played on a diamond with 2 teams of 9 players and one ball. A pitcher pitches to the batter and the batter hits the ball hoping to score runs. Batting skills are a pivotal skill in baseball as the only time a team can score runs in baseball is by hitting the ball.

To help a batter work on their own batting skills, there are batting cages. A batting cage is an enclosed rectangle with a pitcher or a pitching machine at one end and a batter at the other. This cage is enclosed to help with the retrieval of the balls. The baseballs are kept close and are not lost.

Batting cages are both indoor and outdoor. Outdoor cages like the rectangle design are most often found near baseball diamonds. These are used during baseball practice where the players work on their skills. A pitching machine makes this feat so much easier. The machine is placed on one end with the batter at the other end. The balls are thrown at the same constant speed and retrieval of the balls is made easy by the cage enclosure.

Other versions of outdoor cages are of a slightly smaller scale. There are cages that can be purchased for the backyard. There are mini cages which is a smaller version of the enclosed rectangle design. There also are solo trainers. This is basically a stand up net with a ball dangling from the top and you hit the ball at the net. The net stops the ball from flying too far and the string the ball is dangling from keeps the ball close as well.

Indoor versions are available. These batting cages are usually in buildings that are set up only to be batting cages. On one wall are many pitching machines lined up and on the other end is where the batters go in. The floors of these types of facilities are sloped so after the ball is hit, it follows the floor sloped and is returned back to the machine for continuous batting.

Pitching machines can be used by anyone of any age or skill because the speeds of the machine can be adjusted.

Baseball has always been America's pastime and will continue on this path. This sport is played in every city and town across the county. Batting cages allow baseball players and anyone looking for afternoon fun to develop their skill and enjoy baseball at the same time. - 31492

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Dave shows people how to build indoor batting cages and batting cage equipment to consider.

Sports History Of Arlington Texas

By Josh Barnes

Arlington Texas is one of the largest cities in America. It has plenty of attractions for everyone, from Dallas Cowboys to Texas Rangers MLB team. Arlington is the home of the Texas Rangers baseball team, and is the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys' new stadium will host Super Bowl XLV in 2011.

Local sports

As in the rest of Texas, Friday night high school football is a widespread obsession with fans of all ages. Arlington High School owns the city's only state football championship, having won it in'51 under head coach Mayfield Workman. Lamar High School nearly pulled off the same feat in'90, but had to settle for a state runner-up title.

In recent years, Bowie High School, Martin High School and Mansfield Summit High School (a Mansfield ISD school located within Arlington) have enjoyed some success. The University of Texas at Arlington used to field a football team, but the program was canceled in'85 due to funding issues and waning attendance. The football vacancy at the campus stadium, Maverick Stadium, was quickly filled by Arlington High and subsequently Bowie High School. Cravens Field, on the campus of Lamar, and Wilemon Field, on the campus of Sam Houston, are home to the other four teams in the city. Both have enjoyed a history of close and dramatic games.

Did you know that Arlington is the home of several notable athletes.'98 American League Rookie of the Year Ben Grieve graduated from Martin High School in'94. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells grew up in Arlington and attended Bowie High School, Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence attended Arlington High School and played collegiate baseball at UTA, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher John Lackey also played for UTA. Lamar High School alumnus Jeremy Wariner won two gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the 2005 world championship in the 400 meters in Rome. UTA also produced Doug Russell, who won two gold medals in swimming at the Mexico City Olympics in'68 and for whom a park on campus is named.

Champion bodybuilder (Mr. Olympia'98-2005) and former Arlington police officer, Ronnie Coleman resides in Arlington. Houston Comets Guard Erin Grant grew up in Arlington and attended Mansfield high school where she became the first high school basketball player to win four state championships. She currently holds the Big 12 assist record. Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mark Clayton graduated from Sam Houston High School in 2000 and was part of the University of Oklahoma's 2001 national championship team. Jared Connaughton, sprinter for the 2008 Canada Olympic team, was a sprinter for the UT Arlington team. - 31492

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Some Things About Fantasy Baseball Leagues

By Jacob Biggs

Forming and finding Fantasy Baseball Leagues can be a great way to have some good fun. In order to make a league, you need to have at least ten to twelve different teams, and the number can go up to as many as 4. Every team involved needs to have 23 players. Sometimes the rules for these leagues will limit you to either the National or American league.

The first move is to choose yourself a team, and the next move is to start the team building. You have two separate options for building the team. You can choose to use the 'draft' system, or you can go by way of 'auction'. The draft is done by rotation and picking players when your turn comes around. You make the decision at the beginning about whether or not to clean the slate after the season. Or you can opt for 'protecting', or keeping back, a certain number of players and carry them over to the next season.

In the auction bidding, you're given 260 credits to bid with. Deciding player eligibility is based on the player playing in at least 20 games in a certain position. Should the player you have not have a position in which they have played for 20 games, then he will be assigned the one he played the most.

The scoring in fantasy baseball leagues is a pretty involved process. It's based upon the statistics of the games. Home runs are counted, along with batting averages, runs batted in, stolen bases, wins, saves, run average, home runs, and finally the 'WHIP'. The WHIP is a figure that's derived from taking the Walks and dividing them by the Hits. The scores for all the categories get added up at the end of the season to determine the winner.

The roster for each team has a total of nine pitchers, with five outfielders, then two catchers, just one first baseman, and a single second baseman, then one third baseman, one shortstop, than a corner man, a middle infielder, and finally a single miscellaneous player. This miscellaneous player is used differently from the American League (used as a designated hitter) to the National League (he's used as a utility man).

The thing about fantasy baseball leagues is that there are so many different ways to play. There's no way that's chiseled in stone, and the many variations would take you a while to learn. But for many people, it's a past time that they have a real passion for. There are places for playing and making money, if you feel you're up to that caliber of player.

If you're a beginner, and you want a fast-track way to start, then you can go online and order yourself a draft guide. These are great for getting you quick-started into competing. You can sign up for magazines that will feed you information and help you to learn all you need to know about this extremely popular form of baseball.

Fantasy baseball leagues are fun ways to enjoy the sport that so many Americans are so passionate about. There's a lot to learn, but it doesn't take long if you understand baseball. While there's a lot more than you can find out in just this one article, there's plenty of information to be had online if you search for it. Go ahead, take the plunge. You could be the next big winner! - 31492

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Learn more about Fantasy Baseball Leagues. Stop by Jacob Biggs's site where you can find out all about leagues and what it can do for you.

The Bronx Bombers Rule Baseball Once Again

By Marlon Terry

The NY Yankees are the 2009 MLB champions. Having beaten the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6, they denied the defending champions of another title.

It's been a long nine years since the Yankees won a World Series. They dominated baseball back then, and they've finally returned to form after a number of unsuccessful playoff runs.

The Yankees came into the season with big expectations. With some big name signings in CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, the stakes were really high in New York.

Not only did they get some great players, but they spent a boatload of money on a beautiful new stadium. The stars were all aligned in New York for a big win.

Amazingly, some of the original player from the championship Yankees teams were still in New York. Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, Rivera, and others patiently waited for another shot.

The Yankees can thank both their veterans and their newly acquired talent for this win. Mariano Rivera pitched as well as he ever has. Derek Jeter was clutch, and Jorge Posada made some great contributions too. CC Sabathia anchored an incredibly talented starting pitching staff.

And in a surprising twist Alex Rodriguez was one of the Yankees' most clutch players in the postseason. A player constantly criticized for failing to contribute when it mattered finally came through for his team.

The Yankees remained focus through the entire season and never really seemed to let up. This is the mark of a true championship team, and the Yankees epitomized this in 2009.

Congratulations to the Yankees on a magnificent 2009 season. You undoubtedly earned what you got. - 31492

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The Bronx Bombers Rule Baseball Once Again

By Marlon Terry

Allow me to be one of the very first to congratulate the New York Yankees on their World Series win.

It's been a long nine years since the Yankees won a World Series. They dominated baseball back then, and they've finally returned to form after a number of unsuccessful playoff runs.

The Yankees had their eye on a World Series win all along. Having acquired some of the biggest free agent talents in baseball over the winter, the stakes were very high in New York and everyone was looking for a World Series win.

Not only did they get some great players, but they spent a boatload of money on a beautiful new stadium. The stars were all aligned in New York for a big win.

The veterans of the Yankees came together with some newly acquired talent to form a team that was as powerful as any in recent memory, and they played consistently the whole way through.

The Yankees can thank both their veterans and their newly acquired talent for this win. Mariano Rivera pitched as well as he ever has. Derek Jeter was clutch, and Jorge Posada made some great contributions too. CC Sabathia anchored an incredibly talented starting pitching staff.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the fact that Alex Rodriguez was the team's most clutch hitter during the playoffs. Typically a player who would get big hits when they didn't matter and falter under pressure, Rodriguez was anything but that during October.

The Yankees came through and met the expectations that fans had placed on them. It's been a long nine years since the team's last World Series win, and this is one that the Yankees and their fans are sure to cherish.

Congratulations to the Yankees on a magnificent 2009 season. You undoubtedly earned what you got. - 31492

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This writer also blogs about wool berber carpet cost and carpet cleaning costs.

Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Hall of Fame Debate

By Michael Bell

A long standing controversy in major league baseball has been that surrounding Shoeless Joe Jackson and his alleged throwing of the World Series for the Chicago White Sox of'19. Jackson has long been gone from baseball and long deceased, but many have still pushed to carve out his place in Cooperstown. Does he belong?

Whether he actively threw the series or not, we're going to first analyze his numbers to determine whether he's Hall of Fame worthy but for the scandal. Jackson's career spanned- years, and while he's remembered as having played for the White Sox, Jackson also played for the Naps, Athletics, and Indians.

Some of Jackson's career numbers include 1,772 hits, 54 home runs, 785 RBI, and a career batting average of .356. Jackson lacked in the power department, but his averages were clearly impressive.

This may not scream out obvious hall of fame, however, the .356 batting average would easily clear those standards in today's game. Here are some more impressive stats we can deduce by taking a closer look at his numbers.

If we take a further look at some of his stats, we'll see that Jackson had an extremely low strikeout ratio, going down on strikes only once every 24 at bats. Additionally, his on base percentage was .423 and his OPS was .540. All great statistics.

Aside from the numbers, his biggest roadblock is the'19 World Series incident. Jackson's team, opposing the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series, lost, and Jackson and all of his teammates were accused of intentionally throwing the World Series in what became known as the "Black Sox scandal". Despite these accusations, Jackson batted .375 with a World Series record 12 hits. Never made any errors either. One could easily argue that Jackson didn't throw the series.

Many have accused Jackson of allowing multiple Reds triples in left field, where he played for the White Sox. However, further research of mine has shown that no triples were hit to Jackson's part of the field in the'19 series. Jackson, however, did receive a $5,000 payment according to records.

The Legend of Shoeless Joe Jackson. Let him in? It is your decision. - 31492

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The NL Cy Young Award Showdown

By Aaron Scott

2009 in baseball was definitely the year of the pitcher. While it looks like Zack Greinke should definitely win the Cy Young award in the American League, things are much closer in the National League, leaving many to speculate about a very interesting race.

While some great pitching was pretty commonplace throughout the entire National League, the race really boils down to two pitchers. Guys like Matt Cain, Adam Wainwright, Jair Jurrjens, Johan Santana, Wandy Rodriguez, and others were absolutely great this season, with many of them having career years.

Between the St. Louis Cardinals' Chris Carpenter and the San Francisco Giants' Tim Lincecum, the two pitchers pieced together two of the best pitching seasons in baseball that I've witnessed over the last few years. A quick look at their numbers would lead you to agree.

Looking at the stats doesn't tell the whole story with either of these pitchers. That's perhaps what makes this race even more difficult to call, as if it wasn't already hard enough. It's almost painful to deny either of these incredible pitchers of an award they deserve. Maybe they'll somehow tie for the award.

As for Tim Lincecum, the Giants are once again a winning baseball team, thanks largely in part to his reliable presence as the team's ace. He struck out more batters than anyone in the National League, had a handful of complete games, and the second best ERA in the National League.

Chris Carpenter, on the other hand, is more likely to see a movie made out of his story. After missing two consecutive seasons with an injury that threatened his career, he somehow managed to pull it together with the best season of his career. No one in baseball expected anything this drastic out of Carpenter, who led the NL in earned run average.

As for who will win this race, all bets are off. Voters will probably be required to vote based on the surrounding details rather than the stats themselves. After all, the stats themselves would lead someone to mull this over all day. - 31492

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