Results tagged ‘ book ’
Coming Soon …
Coming soon …
Jim Salisbury and I are excited about our book The Rotation: A Season with the Phillies and One of the Greatest Pitching Staffs Ever Assembled , which is scheduled for release in late February/early March. It should be out just in time for that flight to Clearwater for spring training (or to get you thinking about baseball again after spending the last few months in the cold). We follow the 2010 season through The Rotation, which historically was one of the greatest in baseball history. Salisbury and I got lots of great inside information that hasn’t been read before and much more, so I’m sure you will enjoy it.
More information to come …
Need A Holiday Gift?
Looking for a gift for the holidays?
Well, today is your lucky day.
Head out to the Barnes & Noble across from the Willow Grove Mall at 7 p.m. tonight for the Sports Writers Extravaganza. Lots of sportswriters signing a bunch of different books. If you’re a baseball fan, I’ll be signing copies of my book. Other baseball related authors include Jayson Stark, Chris Wheeler and Steve Bucci. But there’s really a little something for everybody, so stop down!
It’s Lee or Losing Streak
The Phillies put their “Four Aces” theory to the test this afternoon — the theory being they won’t have many losing streaks — when Cliff Lee pitches against the Brewers. The Phillies must beat the Brewers today to avoid a sweep and a three-game losing streak.
Of course, it would make life easier on Lee with a little run support.
A few notes:
- The Phillies have scored 23 runs from April 10-19, which ranks last in the National League. They have hit .204 with a .269 on-base percentage and a .270 slugging percentage. Each of those marks ranks last in the league.
- They also have just 10 extra-base hits, which are the fewest in the league.
- Elias Sports Bureau says: The 9-0 loss tied the largest margin of defeat in a Roy Halladay start in 11 seasons. The Blue Jays lost to the Rangers, 11-2, on July 16, 2004. The only larger margin of defeat came April 15, 2000, when the Mariners beat the Blue Jays, 17-6.
- Paging Michael Stutes …
- The Phanatic has been named the best sports mascot in the country. You don’t realize how good the Phanatic is until you travel the country and see how bad other mascots are.
- Did you know Shane Victorino has a book? It’s called Shane Victorino: The Flyin’ Hawaiian by Alan Maimon. Victorino said he will be signing books at the ballpark sometime in May. If I come across the date I’ll let you know.
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Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter. Looking for a Phillies book to kick off the season? Try this one.
The Lee Contract
I know much of Cliff Lee‘s $120 million contract has been written and dissected, but here are the complete details, including performance bonuses, if you’re interested:
- 2011: $11 million
- 2012: $21.5 million
- 2013: $25 million
- 2014: $25 million
- 2015: $25 million
The Phillies have a $27.5 million club option for 2016, or a $12.5 million buyout. The option vests if Lee is NOT on the disabled list at the end of the 2015 season with either a left shoulder or left elbow injury AND either (a) 200 innings pitched in 2015 or (b) 400 innings pitched in 2014-15. Lee also has awards bonuses: $50,000 for All-Star appearances; $100,000 for World Series MVP; $50,000 for LCS MVP; $100,000 for Cy Young ($75,000 for second; $50,000 for third); $50,000 for Gold Glove; and $50,000 for Silver Slugger.
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Don’t forget about the 4th annual Philadelphia Sports Book Signing Extravaganza on Wednesday night beginning at 7 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble at the Willow Grove Mall.
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I’ve got a new Facebook page. Check it out here. Follow me on Twitter.
Need A Last Minute Christmas Gift?
Heads up! We’ve got the 4th annual Philadelphia Sports Book Signing Extravaganza tomorrow night (Wednesday night) beginning at 7 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble at the Willow Grove Mall.
Who will be there?
Glad I asked.
The lineup includes Merrill Reese, Chris Wheeler, Ray Didinger, Anthony Gargano, Glen Macnow, Jayson Stark, Mike Missanelli, Reuben Frank, Sal Paolantonio, Randy Miller, Greg Cosell, Mark Eckel, myself and others.
If you’re looking for my book, I’ve been told by several people it’s near impossible to find in local bookstores. I like to tell myself it’s because we can’t keep the book in stock, and not because the ball has been dropped. Regardless, hope you can stop by. We had a tremendous turnout earlier this month at the Barnes & Noble at the Oxford Valley Mall, so we’re hoping for the same.
Click the link above for more information.
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Check the blog a little later today. I’m sure you’ve seen the video of the country music song about the boy wishing for Roy Halladay‘s baseball glove for Christmas. If you haven’t, here it is. I talked to the singer and songwriter Gord Bamford last Friday. I’ll post some of what he said here. The story (with thoughts from Halladay) will appear on MLB.com on Christmas Eve Day.
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If you haven’t seen it, I’ve got a new Facebook page. Check it out here. I’m trying to get a million friends by Christmas Day. Follow me on Twitter.
The Mad Dog Sushi Roll
You know you’ve made it when you’re a sandwich or a sushi roll.
Sadly, I’m not either, but Ryan Madson is a sushi roll at Zama.
(Been to Zama. It’s good.)
A part of the proceeds go to a children’s charity.
If I had a sushi roll, I might put grouper on top. There was a place on Clearwater Beach that had garlic grouper on top of a California roll. It was very, very good. Sadly, it has closed and is now a hot dog joint. Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn’t so good.
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Dallas Green is being enshrined tonight in the Delaware Legends Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Crossing Broad has a look at last night’s episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which featured cameos from Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. … Yes, still plugging my book signings tonight and tomorrow. Come one, come all! … I’ve got a new Facebook page, where I’ll post stories, blogs, thoughts, etc. Check it out here. (If you’re a friend on my other Facebook page make sure to switch over because the other one is closing its doors soon. … Follow me on Twitter.
A Quiet Winter for the Phillies?
If everything is happening like it seems to be happening, the Phillies’ offseason checklist looks like this:
- Improve the bullpen.
- Resign Jayson Werth (or find his replacement).
- Find a replacement on the bench for Greg Dobbs.
- Acquire starting pitching depth.
Nowhere on that list are the words, “Shake up the lineup,” or, “Move some pieces around.” No, if everybody is to be believed, the Phillies could be relatively quiet the remainder of the offseason, certainly compared to winters past when they acquired Roy Halladay, Raul Ibanez, Brad Lidge, etc.
“Right now, I’m actually pretty pleased with what we have,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said yesterday. “That doesn’t mean that I’m satisfied with where we’re at. We do need to try to improve our bullpen and give ourselves more depth and such, but if we were to open the season today I would feel very confident with what kind of team we would be fielding. I still think it’s a championship-caliber type of club.”
Based on e-mails, tweets and Facebook messages, some fans think the Phillies need to make a big move. I don’t get the sense they will. It sounds like the only big move they might make is resigning Werth, although nearly nobody in baseball expects that to happen. (Disclaimer: Amaro said before, during and after last year’s Winter Meetings they were not in the hunt for Halladay and a few days later they made one of the biggest trades in franchise history — not only trading for Halladay, but trading away Cliff Lee. In other words, just because the Phillies said it could be quiet doesn’t mean it will be quiet.)
Moyer to Have Surgery
Jamie Moyer wants one more shot.
He announced on The Moyer Foundation’s Facebook page yesterday he plans to have surgery on his left elbow, which he injured in July with the Phillies and injured again this month pitching in Winter Ball. It is believed he is having Tommy John surgery tomorrow, which would give him the opportunity to try pitching again in 2012.
“We are cautiously optimistic superman will make a comeback!” he and his wife wrote on the page.
Moyer turned 48 on Nov. 18, so he would be heading into 2012 Spring Training at 49.
It would be an interesting story to watch.
Moyer, who is a free agent, went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA in 19 starts this season before he injured his elbow during a July 20 start in St. Louis. Moyer rehabbed the elbow with his eye on competing for a job somewhere this upcoming spring. But his plans derailed when he injured his elbow again during his first Winter Ball start.
Bored at Work on Monday?
It could be a quiet week for the Phillies other than Jayson Werth declining salary arbitration tomorrow, which is expected and should not be made into a big deal. But I would think things could pick up next week during the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
In the meantime, I’m sure you’re looking for something to read regarding the Phillies so here’s a look at the Jose Contreras deal, if you’re interested:
2011: $2.5 million
2012: $2.5 million
2013 club option: $2.5 million or $500,000 buyout.
Performance bonuses: $50,000 for 50 games pitched; $50,000 for 55 games pitched; $50,000 for 60 games pitched; $100,000 for 65 games pitched; $100,000 for 70 games pitched; $100,000 for 30 games finished; $100,000 for 35 games finished; $100,000 for 40 games finished; $250,000 for 45 games finished; $250,000 for 50 games finished; $500,000 for 55 games finished; $500,000 for 60 games finished.
Award bonuses: $50,000 for All Star; $100,000 for World Series MVP; $50,000 for League Championship Series MVP; $100,000 for Rolaids ($75,000 for second; $50,000 for third); $25,000 for Gold Glove; $25,000 for Silver Slugger.
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Looking for a holiday gift(s)? The 4th annual Philadelphia Sports Book Signing Extravaganza is Friday from 7-10pm at Barnes & Noble, The Court @ Oxford Valley Mall, 210 Commerce Blvd., Fairless Hills, Pa. Ray Didinger, Anthony Gargano, Glen Macnow, Jayson Stark, Randy Miller, Greg Cosell, Reuben Frank, Mark Eckel and myself will be on hand to sign copies of our books and talk sports.
I’m also signing my book from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park. So if you can’t get to Barnes & Noble on Friday night, try the ballpark on Saturday afternoon. Thanks!
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I’ve got a new Facebook page, where I’ll post stories, blogs, thoughts, etc. Check it out here.
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Follow me on Twitter.
Todd Zolecki
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