Scott Green's Blog

In 2 weeks patp will be in (hopefully) warm and sunny Bradenton at a new venue, Pirate City. It’s our first winter event, which also included a stay and play, with meals etc. We didn’t think the event was going to happen 6 or 7 weeks ago, but the Pirates, who have been great to deal with, agreed to waive the minimum amount of stay and plays, and we reduced the price for day trippers, so the event will now happen, and we’ll have 4 full teams for a first time venue. I have heard nothing but great things about place, in particular the lodgings and the food. We go to new places to keep it fresh and watch it grow. Some of my competitors unfortunately are stuck in the area’s they play, due to long term relationships with the fields or stadiums and their past history. We meanwhile have only one event we will always have and that is Palm Beach. Is it wrong for us to branch out to other area’s at different times of year? If you heard the bitching and moaning from some of the people I just mentioned, I am an infringer, a pariah, etc.

As most of you know, I am a die hard Cardinals fan. When I heard that Mark McGwire had agreed to take the position of hitting coach of the Cardinals, I knew we would have to listen to his side of the steroid story before the season began.  Most of it I believed, but please Mark, you have to know that steroids and HGH helped you achieve at the very least a good portion of your success. I have agrued that no pill or shot can make you hit a ball. But to rebound from injury so fully and to try and feel “normal” was an advantage that other players with the same problems and same length of schedule didn’t have………………..what do you think?

Sorry for the long break between blogs…………Why is it every time HOF elections come around there is always a controversy. The best second baseman of our era doesn’t get in because a couple of sportswriters need to punish him for an unexcetpable moment. One player does get in who in my opinion was a hell of a player, but NOT a Hall of Famer. Another pitcher with 287 wins and is 5th in all time strike outs just misses again……….did you know that the catcher with the most hits by a catcher, second in RBI’s, first in doubles, and was a switch hitter will never even make it to Cooperstwon unless he decides to bring his family there on a vacation…….that player is Ted Simmons. Anothert player who is in the same boat, although a miserable prick, still put up the numbers…Albert Belle. Look at Richie Allens numbers, Ken Boyer,and Ron Santo. All comparable to George Kells, Rabbit Maranville, Rick Ferrell. The real problem is, sportswriters elect the players. Not the people who should…..former players……………take away the vote now from selfish, ill informed “journalists”