Search

The article discusses the career of baseball Cal Ripken Jr. as the shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles. Ripken acquired the nickname "iron man" because of his record as the man who played in the most consecutive ball games, after smashing the record of Lou Gehrig in 1995. The author looks into the personal motivations in Ripken's life and how his love for baseball was the driving force behind his success.

Discusses the game within the game concerning the practice of stealing the opposing players' signs during a professional baseball game. Whether it is acceptable baseball or the lowest form of cheating; Examples of sign stealing in the 1997 season and seasons past; How managers combat the situation;

Reviews the incident of Roberto Alomar spitting in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck on September 27, 1996 in a game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Indians. Alomar's suspension from five games at the start of the 1997 season by American League president Gene Budig; The threat of strike by umpires; The reaction of fans and fellows players; Comparisons to Ty Cobbs; Alomar's other run-ins; Alomar's apologetic gestures; Alomar's reaction to the incident.

Presents the highlights in the world of professional baseball for each day of the week beginning September 16, 1996. The 3,000th hit of the Minnesota Twins' Paul Molitor; The resignation of Jim Leyland as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates; The no-hitter by the Los Angeles Dodgers' Hideo Nomo; The games pitting division leaders against their closest pursuers; The Atlanta Braves; The Montreal Expos; The Seattle Mariners; The Texas Rangers; The San Diego Padres.

Discusses the defensive wizardry of Cleveland Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel. Defensive tricks he has taught himself; His propensity to make incredible barehanded plays; His admirable work ethic; Vizquel getting the recognition he deserves after his stellar play in the 1995 World Series.

Forwards the notion that baseball players in 1996 are fielding their positions better than their predecessors ever did. The evolution of equipment, playing conditions and overall athletic ability contributing to the improved defense; Modern players lacking the instincts and fundamentals of old school players; Position by position ranking of the top three defensive players in 1996 and of all time.

Offers insight into ten serious questions that major league baseball teams are attending to during spring training in 1996. Stopping the Cleveland Indians from winning the American League pennant; The comeback of Jimmy Key after rotator-cuff surgery; Whether Dennis Eckersley will bounce back from a subpar 1995 season for the St. Louis Cardinals; Transition of Rick Aguilera from a closer to a starter; Jose Canseco to play defense for the Boston Red Sox; Ozzie Smith; Rey Ordonez; More.

Profiles the Baltimore Orioles second baseman, Roberto Alomar. The fact that he keeps a low profile off the baseball field; Alomar as an introvert; His dislike for endorsements; His need to achieve perfection; Induction into the Hall of Fame as Alomar's ultimate goal.

Details the victory by the Atlanta Braves baseball team against the Cincinnati Reds for the National League Division Series title for 1995. Analysis of the Braves' performance; Details of the series; Major players who starred in the series; Prospects of the Braves' chances in the 1995 the World Series. INSETS: Red-faced (Reggie Sanders performance versus the Braves).;Just for.. (Indians' series against Mariners), by Tom Verducci..

Reports on the slumping performance of the California Angels baseball team in the 1995 season of Major League Baseball in the United States. Team's 64-38 win-loss record before the slump in September; Players as being bothered by consecutive losses; Player performance dips during the slump; Possibility of missing the playoffs.

Profiles Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. Attitude towards baseball; Fans; Family; Training; Games won; Total scores earned; Accidents and injuries.

Focuses on Colorado Rockies leftfielder Dante Bichette. Adoration from fans; Fund raising for Bichette; Performance in the baseball field; Baseball career; Family life.

Focuses on major league baseball pitchers. Includes Pedro Martinez; Kenny Rogers; Bob Tewksbury. INSETS: Between the lines.;A walk on the wild side..

Looks at the frenetic week of baseball player trading and free- agent signing that began on April 3, 1995. Trades of John Wetteland, David Cone, Ken Hill, Marquis Grissom, Brian McRae and Scott Cooper; Free-agents Kevin Brown, John Burkett, Bill Swift and others; Examples of pay cuts and raises; Cost cutting in small-revenue clubs.

Announces that with replacement players poised to open the 1995 baseball season, `Sports Illustrated' offers its plan for ending the strike. How a week in March of a meeting at The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach Florida went; Arbitration; Free agency; Luxury tax; Collective bargaining.

Reports that the St. Louis Cardinals' Joe Torre, like other managers, finds replacement players to be excess baggage. How in 13 previous years as a manager, with the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves and Cardinals he never had more than 58 players in spring training; How like several other teams, St, Louis has signed everyone to a minor league contract; How Torre has never encountered anything like what is happening in the 1995 spring season.

States that Jamie Nelson, 35, is just one of hundreds of guys that major league teams have collected to use either as replacement players or to fill minor league rosters, in case major leaguers aren't back to work by Opening Day, April 2, 1995. How President Bill Clinton was scheduled to present his own plan for ending the strike; Why owners instituted a signing freeze of their own. INSET: The perfect substitutes by T.K..

Presents several anxious baseball players who are trying to resolve career crises brought on by the strike. How the strike is affecting Baltimore Oriole shortstop Cal Ripken Jr.; Shane Mack's move to Japan; What Dave Stewart is hoping to do; Tim Fortugno; Billy Ashley; Joe Mikulik.

States that with an imposed salary cap in place and court battles looming, baseball spins out of control. Lists baseball transactions that happened over the 1994 holiday season; How the Texas Rangers traded slugger Jose Canseco to the Boston Red Sox; Who White Sox's designated hitter Julio Franco signed a contract with. INSET: Throwing curves..

Relates the Triple A International League's West Division showdown between the Richmond Braves and the Charlotte Knights, the top farm teams for the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves. The Richmond Braves' 3-2 victory; Charlotte's David Bell and Brian Giles; The confrontation highlight between Charlotte's Paul Shuey and Richmond's Jose Oliva.

Contends that after two World Series wins, the Toronto Blue Jays have crash-landed. The team's last place standing the American League East; The June 26, 1994 7-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles; How the team dropped so far so fast; Steve Karsay.

Focuses on the managerial career of John Oates of the Baltimore Orioles. The low point of his career; Comments from Detroit Tiger manager Sparky Anderson on the job of managing; Some of the reasons why the manager's job is more difficult in the 1990s; Expansion; Division realignment.

Tells how Mitch Williams' torturous fall from hero to outcast ended with his release by the Houston Astros. Why Williams is turning his back on baseball; How he was affected by his trade from Philadelphia to Houston in December 1993.

Looks at the no-hitter thrown by Atlanta's Kent Mercker during 1994's opening week of baseball. The Atlanta Braves; Karl Rhodes and his three homers on opening day; Carlos Delgado; Other opening week heroes.

Comments on how batting statistics are going through the roof in the 1993 baseball season. The thirteen-run first inning of the San Diego Padres; Quote from Texas Ranger reliever Tom Henke; Statistics on David Gwynn; Views about the ball being livelier; Thoughts about pitching; More. INSET: Monster year for monster statistics, by T.K..

States that a new and charismatic group of home run hitters has made clearing the fences look easy. Exploits of Ken Griffey Jr.; Shots slugged by Juan Gonzalez; Dean Palmer's fence busting abilities; Other major league standouts who can clear the stadium walls.

Chronicles the amazing comeback of the Boston Red Sox, a baseball team that has won 25 of its last 30 games. How Boston is now in a 3-way tie for first place in the American League East division; Play of slugger Mo Vaughn; Strength of the team's pitching; Additional observations.

Presents a collection of professional baseball games that various sports writers consider to be the best game that they have ever seen. Boston Red Sox versus the California Angels on October 12, 1986; Brooklyn Dodgers vs. the New York Giants on June 29, 1954; San Francisco Giants vs. the Milwaukee Braves on July 2, 1963; More. INSET: Personal favorites..

Discusses the success of the Philadelphia Phillies early in the 1993 season. The wildest, funniest, crudest clubhouse in the big leagues; The Phillies' pitching rotation and offense; The Phillies as a team of misfits; John Kruk; Dave `Mikey' Hollins; Darren Daulton and Lenny Dykstra's car accident; Larry Anderson's sense of humor and low earned-run average; More.

Discusses the Florida Marlins, major league baseball's newest team. Opening day featuring Marlin pitcher Charlie Hough pitching against the Los Angeles Dodgers; Enthusiasm of fans; The Marlins' victory; Injury early in Hough's career that forced Hough to throw the knuckleball; Lack of control of the knuckleball; Andy Van Slyke, Rich Renteria, and other players for the Marlins; More.

Discusses the designated hitter (DH) rule in baseball and how the performance of pitchers at bat presents the best argument in support of the rule. Pitcher forgetting bat when going to the on-deck circle; Pitiful performances of some pitchers; Lack of batting practice for pitchers; Pitchers' fear of the ball; Pitchers hitting from the wrong side of the plate; More.

Discusses the cost cutting in the San Diego Padres' organization and how it is affecting the baseball team. Free agents Randy Myers and Benito Santiago leaving the team without getting and offer from the Padres; Players acquired earning low salaries; Talk of trading centerfielder Darrin Jackson and pitcher Bruce Hurst; Dropping one of San Diego's Class A farm teams; More.

Discusses how well Bo Jackson's artificial hip will hold up and other questions about baseball. The Astros; Replacing Barry Bonds in leftfield for the Pirates; The Blue Jays and Tom Henke; Andre Dawson and the Red Sox; The Phillies chances; Bad baseball in Southern California this year; The Mets' acquisitions; The Padres; More.

Reports on the cruelest game for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just one more out; Pirates denied for the third straight year; Andy Van Slyke sits alone in the outfield; Like a death in the family; People took it hard; Silence and despair in the Pirates' clubhouse; Grown men cry; Didn't deserve to lose; Recount of the game; Inevitable dismantling of the team; The sun will rise tomorrow.

Presents the hypothetical dealings of Florida and Colorado prompted by the forthcoming expansion baseball draft. Draft details; The free-spending Marlins; The Penurious Rockies; Monetary expectation; Advanced ticket sales; Respective stadiums, advantages and drawbacks; Impact of geographical locations; Evaluations of available players and free-agents; Timeframe for becoming a contender; Proposed line-up for each team.