• Josh Fogg allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits through 7 innings to hold down the Cubs as the Rockies beat Chicago, 5-2
• Mike Lowell went 2-for 3 with three RBIs to help the Red Sox past the Orioles, 4-3
• Aaron Harang pitched a complete game, and Rich Aurilia had 3 hits, a homer, and 3 RBI as the Reds kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 5-2 win over the Pirates
• Chuck James outpitched Roger Clemens, and Chipper Jones delivered a knockout blow with a 2-run homer as the Braves defeated the Astros, 4-1
• Curtis Granderson hit 2 home runs and Carlos Guillen had 3 hits and 3 RBI, but the Royals shelled Jamie Walker and the Tigers bullpen with 3 -11th inning home runs to beat Detroit, 9-7
• John Maine pitched 6 solid innings, and the Mets bullpen did their normal reliable job as New York topped Washington, 4-3
• Shane Victorino went 5-for-6 with 3 runs and 3 RBI, and Pat Burrell hit 2 home runs, reached base 5 times, scored 4 runs and drove in 4 runs to give Jamie Moyer and the Phillies all the offense they needed to crush the Marlins, 14-2
• Four consecutive walks by the Indians in the 9th inning lead to a literal walk-off win as Cleveland edged Tampa Bay, 2-1
• Gary Sheffield hit a 3-run homer, and Jorge Posada added a 2-run shot, and the Yankees cruised to 7-2 win over the Blue Jays behind the arm of Mike Mussina
• Jermaine Dye hit his 44th home run, and Freddy Garcia allowed just one run in 7 1/3 innings as the White Sox held off the Twins, 4-3
• Albert Pujols hit a 3-run homer, and Juan Encarnacion and Scott Rolen combined to go 7-for-10 with 5 runs scored as the Cardinals doubled up the Brewers, 10-5
• Livan Hernandez allowed just one run on 4 hits over 7 innings of work, and Eric Byrnes hit a 2-run homer to lead Arizona past San Diego, 3-1
• Ervin Santana pitched 7 scoreless innings, and Chone Figgins doubled, homered, and drove in 4 runs as the Angels shutout the A's, 6-0
• J.D. Drew hit a 2-run homer in the 7th inning, and the Dodgers scored twice more in the 9th inning to stage a dramatic come-from-behind win over the Giants, 4-3
• Nelson Cruz and Michael Young each drove in 2 runs as the Rangers rallied to beat the Mariners, 6-5

I created the blog section of the site so I could have a little fun. It's also a place where I get to post some funny, off-beat things from time to time. Tonight I received this email from my brother, Steve Hamrahi...

"I swear, if Pujols hits another homerun and stands there at home plate watching it and flips his bat, I am flying to whatever city (the Cardinals) play in and will bean him from the stands!!!

Put that on your website :)

I used to like him, now he is just an ass like the rest of them."

Whether I agree or not is irrelevant. I just thought the comments were hysterical! If you know my brother, you'd REALLY know what I mean!

• Eric Byrnes homered and drove in 3 runs to lead the Diamondbacks to a 6-3 win over the Giants
• Wes Helms doubled, tripled, had 4 hits, and drove in 2 runs, and Miguel Cabrera and Hanley Ramirez (2 homers) tacked on 3 hits apiece as the Marlins beat the Reds, 7-2
• Brandon McCarthy made an impressive spot start, allowing just one run on 2 hits in 5 1/3 innings to help the White Sox defeat the Indians, 2-1, in an 8 inning rain-shortened game
• Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada drove in 4 runs, and Robinson Cano added 3 RBI as the Yankees demolished the Orioles, 16-5
• Rocco Baldelli, Greg Norton, and Ty Wigginton each drove in 3 runs, and three Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a 5-hitter as the Devil Rays shutout the Red Sox, 11-0
• Aaron Hill and Gregg Zaun each had 4 hits, and the Blue Jays bashed 4 home runs en route to a 7-4 win over the Tigers
• Jeff Francoeur homered twice, and Chipper Jones and Brian McCann added 3 RBI apiece as the Braves shelled Pedro Martinez and the Mets, 13-1
• Wilson Betemit homered, and Nomar Garciaparra had 3 hits as the Dodgers won their 3rd straight, a 6-4 win over the Rockies
• Albert Pujols hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning to bring the Cardinals back from the dead to defeat the Padres, 4-2. Anthony Reyes and Chris Young had impressive outings for their respective teams
• Dave Bush allowed just 3 hits over 8 innings, but the Cubs rallied to score two runs off Francisco Cordero in the 9th inning to walk off with a 3-2 win over the Brewers
• David DeJesus and Mike Sweeney homered to lead the Royals to a 6-4 win over the Twins
• Lance Berkman homered and reached base 5 times to lead the Astros to a 15 inning, come from behind win over the Pirates, 7-6
• Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley each had 3 hits and drove in 4 and 2 runs respectively as the Phillies pulled out an 8-7 win over the Nationals
• Mark Teixeira hit 2 home runs and drove in 5, but that wasn't enough for Texas as the Angels went on to nip the Rangers, 6-5. Tim Salmon homered and drove in 3 for Anaheim
• Oakland rallied for 2 runs in the 9th inning to tie the game and then scored again in the 10th to sneak by the Mariners 7-6

It is with great pleasure that I introduce three of our new writers here at Baseball Digest Daily. After reviewing the credentials and writing samples of various individuals, these gentlemen demonstrated the knowledge and passion we were really looking for. We believe you will enjoy reading their work as much as they will enjoy writing for BDD. We hope to add two more writers during the post-season, but for right now, please join me in welcoming Craig Brown, Jim Correll, and John Flakes!

Craig Brown

Craig Brown hasn't missed a Kansas City Royals post season game since 1980. Unfortunately, that's not quite as impressive as it sounds.

Craig began blogging about the Royals prior to the 2005 season, which was just in time to chronicle their franchise record 106 loss season. Since he began jotting down words on the cyber pages, he's contributed to Creative Sports, HEATER Magazine and The Hardball Times. Currently, Craig's Royal musings appear on the Most Valuable Network at Royals Authority.

A lefthander, Craig is disappointed he didn't understand the value of being a LOOGY until it was too late.

When not thinking about the Royals, Craig works as a post production video editor in Kansas City where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

Jim Correll

Jim Correll is a systems engineer with a background in GIS and software development. Recently married, Jim now resides in Northern Virginia, a transplant from San Diego, CA via Machias, Maine.

Jim grew up a huge fan of the San Diego Padres and follows them religiously to this day. He attends about 20-25 games a year, dividing his time between the local Washington Nationals and several minor league franchises in the area, including the Bowie BaySox, Potomac Nationals, and Frederick Keys. As a result, Jim has developed a strong interest in minor league and amateur baseball.

Jim will be providing extensive high school, college, and minor league coverage, but will, of course, be dabbling in the majors as well.

John Flakes

John Flakes has been involved with baseball from the little league level up through the collegiate ranks. He is an avid Strat-O-Matic player and has lead teams to multiple championships in both the USBA and WASP leagues. He has a true love for the game and its history.

John is the proud father of three daughters and the grandfather of five. He worked as a pastoral administrator and minister for seventeen years. Currently, John is self-employed as a computer consultant.

Here is the list of league openings for this week.. Please contact the league directly and NOT BDD. This list will also be posted to the blog section of the web site by Monday evening.

Remember, for guidelines on submitting league openings, please read through the post here Ads for Sim League Openings

Strat-O-Matic Leagues

The RFBA is a 24 team draft league with a salary cap and active participation. The league makes great use of its professionally designed web site. We’re currently looking for 2 managers to take over existing teams. If interested please email David at sadiecody@aol.com.

The PSBL (www.psbl.us) has 3 openings for our 2006 season. The season runs May through October. All games are played on the commissioner's computer on a daily basis (1 game per day). The league website is updated daily to reflect the previous night's action. League members may update their computer manager's as frequently as they wish. All transactions occur in real-time. The PSBL is currently playing it's 6th World Series. Our constitution may be viewed on our website. The available teams are: the Atlanta Crackers, Havana Cuban Stars, and Mt. Sinai Mad Dogs. It is imperative that new owners join soon as we have some critical off-season business to conduct in March. If interested, please contact Greg at greg.brooking@cox.net.

The Dugout Baseball League is in it's 7th year has opening for a new manager (and maybe 2). There are 20 teams - American and National conferences - so 1/2 the teams play with DH, other half doesn't. 4 divisions - division winners plus wild cards (next 2 best records) make playoffs.
-No salary cap. Roster size is 36. Keepers. For annual draft, we use Draft Web Site (see: http://www.promonmc.com/_iba/draft/login.asp)
Contact themurfs@yahoo.com for more information and serious inquiries.

The Global Baseball Association is a computer simulation baseball league that uses the SOM CD version. We just completed our 15th year in 2006 and are looking forward to an exciting year next spring. We draft non-carded players (future big leaguers). Many of the members have been in the league for over 14 years. We have had only one repeat champion and only two teams have won the championship more than once. We have career stats for all the players and teams. Our teams are linked with their Major League organization in order to protect future players from that organization. We are looking for candidates that enjoy competition and the history of the game but also like to track future players. Each team plays it away games to even out the home field advantage and let the gamer view the opponents field instead of always seeing the same ballpark. It also allows your team to use strategy based on the opponent's park. Home winning percentages have usually been around 52%. Website: http://rdeaner9.tripod.com/sportsweb/id1.html. Contact rdean@spike.dor.state.co.us if interested.

League Name: WRLB
Simulation Game: Strat-o-Matic
Web Site: None
Contact Name: Dennis Marsh
Contact Email: dennismarsh@comcast.net
Description: WRLB is the winter version of our highly successful “REALISTIC” brand Strat-o-Matic baseball. Its an all internet league with unique usage rules that eliminates the bizarre cards and limits the platoon system lineups. 80 percent usage required to keep players so full time players are just that, FULL TIME PLAYERS. We need 2 owners for a couple of teams that were poorly drafted but if you love to trade you can take one of these teams and go crazy. Apply now since October 1 is opening day.

League Name: MLSW
Simulation Game: SOM Net Play
Web Site: N/A
Contact Name: Gino Mello
Contact Email: gmellout@msn.com
Description All Net play league has 2 teams available. 2nd year league, great teams available. Season is scheduled to start Sept 29th. Games are played in order on a weekly basis. You just need to play 2 series a week. All unplayed series are autoplayed on Sunday and move on to the next week. You can also use sub mgr's on weekends if opponents are unavailable.

League Name: Cooperstown Baseball League
Simulation Game: Strat-o-Matic
Web Site:http://members.cox.net/dshillen
Contact Name: Tony ManninoContact Email: tmannino@cisco.com
Description: The CBL is looking for serious and dedicated managers for its 2007 season. We have an active off-season starting in October 2006.We are a thirty team summer league that plays from April to October. The league is split with an AL and an NL. Some of the features our league offers are: free agency, salary cap, Rule 5 draft, amateur draft , web site, and message board. We use the latest computer version. Net Play is optional. If you're bored of the usual 18-24 team leagues and want something totally different with the goal towards realism, join our unique league. If you have questions, please contact Tony at or visit our web site.

League Name: CTCBL (Coast To Coast Baseball League)
Simulation Game: Strat-o-Matic
Web Site: www.ctcbl.org
Contact Name: Bob Lind
Contact Email: LindInMoskva@gmail.com
Description: The Coast To Coast Baseball League is currently full, with a cadre of experienced dedicated managers, but we are accepting applications for our wait list. You will have to be patient, as established, mature leagues do not suffer from frequent turnover. But we may have an opening in the future. The CTCBL offers the following unique features that you rarely find in other leagues:- A yearly convention where we discuss rule changes, draft new players, dine together (and drink together) and generally celebrate strat-o-matic. A historical online archive of past statistics and standings. If you are an experienced Strat manager, looking to forge long term relationships in an established league, willing to take the time to attend our functions, play games according to a strict schedule, and respond to a constant flow of strat and baseball chatter, then you may find our league rewarding. Wait list members will be expected to help out with league operations, participate in our mailing list, attend league events, and our convention in the spring of 2007. Contact Bob Lind at LindInMoskva@gmail.com for more details.

League Name: NOMBL
Simulation Game: STRAT O MATIC
Web Site: www.geocities.com/nombl2006/NOMBL/index.html, Contact Name: ROBERT WHITE
Contact Email: VASQUIRES@JUNO.COM, Description: NOMBL is a summer computer baseball league with 20 teams. NOMBL has 1 maybe a 2nd team available for the 2007 season which started in April. Join now so you can be a member in time for our 2007 season. Team available is Tidewater with Tori Hunter, Jacque Jones, Bedard, Harang, Brian Roberts and Baltimore O's loaded (was his favorite team). We use super advanced rules. We are a keeper league which drafts rookies, minor leaguers with net play allowed. We use a 40 man roster, 162 game schedule using both AL and NL players.Contact me at vasquires@juno.comor 757-235-4494.

League Name: Way Retro League: 1951-Infinity
Simulation Game: Strat-o-matic
Web Site: www.geocities.com/wrl1901, Contact Name: Rene Bernard, Contact Email: edog9@maine.rr.com, Description: The WRL is a draft league that has the goal of replaying the entire history of Major League Baseball in a "alternative universe" sort of way. We split the history up and began with 1901 and also 1951. We started with 10 teams and expanded to 12 recently in the 1951-infinity league. We use minimum AB and IP requirements to determine who is eligible for the league. This league is a lot of fun and allows us to answer some great questions. What would Mickey Mantle accomplish playing somewhere besides Yankee Stadium in New York? (599 homers playing for the Giants mostly) How would Sandy Koufax do in St Louis?(126-80 3.05) so far with the rest of 1966 to go. Those questions are already mostly answered. Check the website to see the results in detail. Future questions: How will Nolan Ryan fare on a great team? How many homers will Hank Aaron end up with? (He has 421 now through 30 games in 1966) Check out our constitution and email me with any questions. We also have an opening in our early league for the 1917 season.

League Name: USBL
Simulation Game: Strat o Matic baseball
Web Site: www.usbl.net, Contact Name:Carmine
Contact Email: carmbosco@rogers.com, Description: This is a 23 yer old face to face league using super advanced rules based in toronto canada. We are currently at 7 members and would like to add 3 new managers next season. This league has it all rookie draft, free agents, waiver, salary cap..please view site for more league details.

APBA Leagues

The Canadian Baseball League is looking for managers to be on our waiting list in anticipation of openings over the winter for next season.
* We are a 24-team league and have been around since 1974, when the 1972 season was our first season. We are currently finishing our 2006 CBL season (2005 APBA disk).
* We use real franchise names, and are divided into two Associations, each with two six-team Divisions.
* Owners are all over North America, and are clustered somewhat geographically into the divisions so as to maintain some opportunity for face-to-face play when possible. Otherwise it's by good old-fashioned (e)mail instructions or over Netmeeting or some similar computer-linking software. We do not use c-files, f-files, or AIM. A few owners request the use of a micromanager to play their road games.
* Owners may use any version of APBA to play... we are totally flexible. Annual league dues are $15 US, for trophies, some mailouts and to pay for the league's CBS Sportsline stat service.
* Many of us trade a lot... the CBL has had upwards of 450 transactions in a year not counting the players who moved in the annual draft. Some people, however, make very few trades.
* When a franchise comes open, first crack is given to members internally to switch (one change only, per member). So if you come in with the Padres and your favorite team, the Rockies, opens up, you have a chance to switch.

Our league website below has the League Constitution, teams and managers, and lots of other information and links. Check it out, and e-mail me if you are interested in applying to become a member. Web site: http://jimreid5.tripod.com/. Contact: Jim Reid, Commissioner jrreid@shaw.ca

SABLUSA is looking for 2 active managers to fill open teams. SABLUSA is a current day continuous ownership league that has been around for about 15 years. We use BBW 5.5 and are looking for owners who are willing to be active in building and managing a team. Our website is www.sablusa.com. Anyone interested in more information should contact the league commissioner, Chuck McKay at cmckayboi@msn.com.

I have 2 salary leagues with contracts with modern day players and this is an APBA league.
RMSL is a free league http://www.angelfire.com/ak5/salary/Home.html
NOSL is 15.00 per season, http://www.apba-jerry-whitson.org/
Any questions, contact jerrywhitson@comcast.net

Southern APBA Baseball Association - Starting our 34th season. Advanced mail league with enhancements. Retro league. No website at this time, but one in the near future. Bob Grant: League Commissioner: RGRANT1@neb.rr.com

We are current playing the 1986 season. We are a winter league running from October to May and we are just about to start playing and sending out our instructions as we speak. We are looking for 2 GMs to take over 2 established teams. We use a Master Game Pitching Grades Conversion to start the game. 2 to 3 series a month. Please contact Bob Grant for any details.

League Name: Iowa Baseball Confederacy (IBC)
Simulation Game: APBA Baseball for Windows
Web Site: www.a22d.com/ibcleague/
Contact Name: Bob Scharnberger
Contact Email: ibcleague@yahoo.com
Description: The IBC is a 24-team league that is just finishing its 19th season. We feature 42-man rosters, including drafting minor leaguers, and we emphasize playing live over the internet using PCAnywhere. Games take about 20-25 minutes each to play and we play 5-6 per week.We currently have one opening and may have others this fall. The currently available team is South Dakota. If you are interested in the IBC please get in touch with me at the above email address. Thanks

The Mid-West Winter League has ONE OPEN TEAM. We have one team open for the current 1978 Season and beyond.http://www.straybaseball.com/mwwl. Do the following statements describe you?. Passionate about the game of baseball / APBA / BBW?. Interested in both on-field strategy and front-office maneuvering?. Knowledgeable about baseball during the late 1970's, & early1980's.. Capable of giving at least a five-year commitment to a fantasybaseball league.. Willing to put in pre and post-season work, such as preparing forthe draft, making off-season trades and voting on post-season awardsand rule changes.. Possesses the time to play weekly series from Friday afternoonthrough Tuesday morning, as well as the time for short summary write-ups.. Owns Baseball for Windows v5.5 or higher.. Plays well with others.. Has E-Mail access for sending and receiving league files.. Has AOL Instant Messenger program and uses it on a regular basis.(if you don't have it, it's a free download).If this describes you, then you're just the type of owner we're looking for. You could be one of us. You belong in one of the best leagues around, and that's what we have in the MWWL. Contact John at stray@straybaseball.com.

Diamond Mind Leagues

The DeepFly Baseball League currently has 4 openings. The league is a 24 team Diamond Mind Baseball League (2 Leagues with 3 Divisions). We have a 35 man Major league Roster and a 20 man Minor league roster with a $95 Million Salary Cap for the Major League Roster. The DFBL Season begins October and ends in March. We are currently finishing up with our Draft. We report Weekly results currently, but are looking to change to Bi-weekly or Monthly.We are looking for 4 dedicated individuals who have VG knowledge of the game (Both Major and Minor League). This league needs a relaxed owner with a desire to interact with the other members of the league on a regular basis to help contribute to the success of the league.We are working on developing a website (www.geocities.com/dfblleague) to help improve the future of the league. I can be reached by email at colby.whetstone@knology.net

“Other” Leagues

League Name: The Chuck Taylor All-Star Basketball League (CTASBL)
Simulation Game: PC Action Basketball (Dave Koch Sports)
Website: www.geocities.com/ctasbl
Contact Name: Steve Feldheim
Contact Email: Tinmansteve@nyc.rr.com
Description: The CTASBL is a draft retro league that began with the 65-66 season. We are currently in the 70-71 playoffs and have three openings. Detroit (a current playoff team), Buffalo and Portland (1st year draft teams).

KANSAS CITY, MO (Sept. 25, 2006) – Royals Manager Buddy Bell was released from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., this afternoon after undergoing successful surgery on Friday to remove his tonsils and a growth behind his left tonsil. Results of the biopsy on the growth are pending.

I hope everyone is getting results from the sim league ads posted this week. Since this appears to be a popular little "extra" associated with BDD, I will continue to provide this advertising service on a weekly basis. I'm receiving more and more openings each day so I decided to lay out some ground rules.

Each Monday evening I will email the list of openings I've received from the previous week. I will also post the openings to the blog section of the web site. In order to be included in that week's list, I need to receive your opening by noon on Saturday. Otherwise, the ad won't run until the following week. I also want to standardize the ads a little so please copy and paste this template and fill in the relevant information. All ads must be in this format to limit the time it takes for me to post the list:

League Name:

Simulation Game:

Web Site:

Contact Name:

Contact Email:

Description (whatever you want can go here):

Notes

• I'm going to make a few requests of everyone. In order for me to accept league ads, the person submitting the ad and the contact person must be registered members of BDD. I don't think that's a lot to ask. I want to grow the community and by adding members to our mailing list, I will be doing just that. I have received a number of advertising requests from people who just happened to hear about our service through other people. They have no ties to BDD at all. Since there is no cost to be a member, all anyone has to do is sign up at the bottom of a page.
• Please encourage your league members to register for BDD and use our Player Tracker. It's a great tool specifically designed to assist simulation league players. JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, THIS IS COMPLETELY FREE.
  
• Finally, if at all possible, please try to link to BDD on your league sites and other web pages. Like I said the other day, the more traffic we get, the more financing opportunities arise. The more financing we get, the better the site will be.

The Nationals just issued this statement on Nick Johnson:

Johnson suffered a fractured right femur in the bottom of the eighth inning of Saturday’s game against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. He underwent surgery to repair the femur last night at New York Hospital Queens. Dr. Peter Dzenis performed the surgery with assistance from Dr. Shaffer.

“In a two-hour procedure, a titanium rod was inserted into Nick’s fractured right femur. The surgery went well. He is expected to make a full recovery, and be ready for 2007 Spring Training. Nick will remain in the hospital for one or two days, and begin his rehabilitation today.”

There was some concern as to how quickly Johnson would be able to resume activity given the nature of the injury and the severity of the break. Thankfully, the prognosis is good.

The Tigers today announced the club reinstated infielder Placido Polanco from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals.

HOUSTON, TX, September 22, 2006 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have elected to exercise the 2008 contract option for Senior Vice President/General Manager Walt Jocketty.

Jocketty, 55, has served as the Cardinals general manager since October of 1994 and is currently the third longest tenured general manager in baseball as well as the longest tenured general manager in club history.

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have exercised the option on the contract of right-handed pitcher John Smoltz for the 2007 season. Executive Vice President and General Manager John Schuerholz informed Smoltz of the decision Wednesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., and the transaction was completed when Schuerholz returned to Atlanta today.

Thanks again to Atlanta's media relations department for the info.

The Atlanta Braves have agreed to terms with closer Bob Wickman on a one-year contract extension for the 2007 campaign. Financial terms of the deal were not announced and a formal press conference will be held at Turner Field on Tuesday, Sept. 26, after the team returns from its current road trip to Washington and Colorado.

Thanks to Brad Hainje for the update.

As promised, here is the list of league openings I’ve received. Please contact the league directly and NOT BDD.

Strat-O-Matic Leagues

-- The USBL Strat-O-Matic league is a Mega-league (draft style), with 30 teams of 150-man rosters, and a salary structure with MLB-style arbitration years, and free agency. At present, we have multiple openings, and are interviewing candidates to take on a team or to help out as a "co-manager", or to join the waiting list.

Requirements: An extensive knowledge of players and willingness to join a league with long-term focus are the most important requirements. SOM experience is not required, although the game's ins and outs will need to be learned. Managers will play their home games each season (broken into monthly "blocks"). This will require the managers to each own the software, and NetPlay is desired but not mandatory.

Contact: All the league information is available at http://www.the-usbl.org/. Right now, the following teams are open, although some managers are being interviewed: Pittsburgh, State College, Tampa Bay, Hudson Valley. New managers will be free to rename their franchises. Interested parties should contact Ed at rosedander@aol.com.

-- The Cooperstown Baseball League (CBL) is looking for serious and dedicated managers for its 2007 season. We have an active off-season starting in October 2006.

We are a thirty team summer league that plays from April to October. The league is split with an AL and an NL. Some of the features our league offers are: free agency, salary cap, Rule 5 draft, amateur draft , web site, and message board. We use the latest computer version. Net Play is optional.

If you're bored of the usual 18-24 team leagues and want something totally different with the goal towards realism, join our unique league. If you have questions, please contact John at file:///C:/Business%20Organization/League%20Openings/successlegacy@aol.com or visit our web site at to learn more about the league at http://members.cox.net/dshillen.

-- The Millenium Baseball League is a 20 Team league in its 2nd season. We play 9 blocks of approx 15-21 games for a total of 162 games per season. We currently have 2 open teams (NYY and K.C.) Both teams have good talent and are currently in the middle of good playoff races. We have been autoplaying their games and have frozen all transactions with the 2 teams to lock in all their talent.

All games are played via computer, using the most current version of the games software. Netplay is optional during the regular season and mandatory in the playoffs. We are currently playing the 2001 season. 2002, 2003,etc will be played until we catch up with the current MLB season. We currently play 1 full season per calendar year and start a second after that season's draft is held. Each team is allowed 17 keepers prior to the draft. All carded players can be drafted.

We have a very solid base of owners and would like to fill our last 2 teams with dedicated owners who are looking for a league with a long term plan for the future. Our league website is http://www.angelfire.com/mb2/msl/ and anyone interested or needing more info should contact our league Commissioner John via email at helmbrej@hotmail.com.

-- NOMBL is a summer computer baseball league with 20 teams. NOMBL has 1, maybe 2 teams available for the 2006/7 season which started in April.

Join now so you can be a member in time for our 2007 season. Team available is Tidewater which has Tori Hunter, Jacque Jones, Bedard, Harang, Brian Roberts and very Baltimore O's loaded (as this was his favorite team). We use super-advanced using all new rules.

We are a keeper league which drafts rookies and minor leaguers with net play allowed. We use a 40 man roster, 162 game schedule using both AL and NL players. Contact me at vasquires@juno.comor 757-235-4494.

-- The DBA is a 20-team, salary based league; we have an email Rookie Draft in October thru February, followed by a Free Agent Auction in March. Our site, baseball.dawning-ray.com. We have two immediate openings. If you like the challenge of a salary cap and excitement of a day-long Free Agent Auction, email dba_commish@yahoo.com (Jamie Imhoff).

-- The Continental Baseball League (CBL) is currently wrapping up its 22nd season and is looking for a few punctual, dedicated baseball fans for 2007. The CBL is a 24 team strat-o-matic play-by-mail league with a unique team identity rule. The draft is held in February, followed by an abbreviated free agent draft in March. The season runs from April - September. Newsletters are published quarterly and also during the offseason. There are currently three openings with the Nationals, Astros, and Cardinals franchises available. Interested parties should visit the website at http://www.cblbaseball.com/ and follow the "Email Commissioner" link.

-- The WTBL Strat Baseball PBM league is looking for a few good owners for the upcoming season. There are currently 2 lousy teams that need general managers who know how to rebuild a team and love a challenge.

http://www.untrading.com/wtbl/

24 teams, combined AL/NL, DH, 35 man rosters, all managers on computer, some using netplay. 162 game schedule. FA Draft of carded players in Spring. Special rules for struggling teams. If interested Contact Brian Beal at: file:///C:/Business%20Organization/League%20Openings/rmb@exop.net.

-- The RFBA is a 24 team draft league with a salary cap and active participation. The league makes great use of its professionally designed web site. We’re currently looking for 2 managers to take over existing teams. If interested please email David at sadiecody@aol.com.


APBA Leagues

-- The O.Z. League, an APBA Baseball League, is getting ready to conclude its 25th season. We have been around since 1982, and were featured in the NY Daily News in 1988. Our 26th season begins in January of 2007. Interested parties can contact Dom at NYAPBA@yahoo.com.

--The Mid-West Baseball League http://www.straybaseball.com/mwbl

Quite possibly has a team opening up for this season & is always looking for quality managers, who meet the following requirements.Do the following statements describe you?

• Passionate about the game of baseball.• Interested in both on-field strategy and front-office maneuvering.• Knowledgeable about Major League Baseball players' worth, beyond their statistics.• Focused on the minor leagues, with a good eye for who the next MLB stars will be.• Capable of giving at least a five-year commitment to a fantasy baseball league.• Willing to put in Pre & Post season work, such as preparing for draft, off-season trades & voting on post season awards and rule changes.• Possesses the time to play weekly series from Friday afternoon through Tuesday morning, as well as the time for short summary write-ups.• Is able to attend the MWBL draft either in person or on-line on the first Saturday after the Super Bowl. (Saturday February 10th, 2007)• Has in depth knowledge of Minor League Players as we draft 200+ each year.• Plays & interacts well with others, in a professional yet fun filled environment.• Has E-Mail access for sending and receiving league files.• Has AOL Instant Messenger program and uses it on a regular basis. (If you don't have it it's a free download).• Owns Baseball for Windows v5.5, or will purchase it prior to being accepted into the MWBL

If that's you, then you're just the type of owner we're looking for. You could be one of us. You belong in the best present day league around, and that's what we've have. Chances are you already know something about the MWBL by now, but in case you don't, here are a few reasons why you won't find a better simulation baseball experience:

• The BEST league website around, without a doubt. More info, more records, more stats than anywhere other league.• Inexpensive dues- only $25 per year.• Great owners- intelligent guys who care about the game and are ready to talk trade any time, all the time.• Twelve-man minor league roster. Build your team form the ground up, but snag those guys early- by the time he's ready to be a star, chances are someone's already got him.• In-depth post-season awards- MVP, CY Young, Rookie of the Year, Gold Gloves, Reliever of the Year, enjoy the feeling of watching your player win one of these coveted awards.• The MWBL All-Star game, featuring the best of the best, and rotating yearly to deserving owners.• The Draft- the biggest day of the year. Christmas time for baseball junkies, where 24 guys from all over the country spend hours making the decisions that will (hopefully) put their team in the World Series that year or perhaps five years down the road.

So there you have it- the best league around is, naturally, looking for the best owners around. If you're one of them, don't hesitate to send in your application. We look forward to hearing back from you.

http://www.straybaseball.com/mwbl
John (STRAY) Corrado at mwbl@straybaseball.com


Action PC Leagues

-- We'll need mangers for the best baseball sim out there in Action Baseball. Heres our website: http://gdbl.netfirms.com/. Interested parties should contact Phil at Matsikoudis@Comcast.net.


“Other” Leagues

-- Current NBA draft league (with keepers) needs owners. We use all teams in the NBA for any given season. The league web site is www.geocities.com/ctasbl. We are currently in the 1st round of the 70-71 playoffs. Teams available are Detroit (Pete Maravich, Jimmy Walker, Gus Johnson), and two 1st year expansion teams: Portland (Spencer Haywood, Rick Adelman) and Buffalo (McCoy McLemore, Geoff Petrie). If interested, contact Steve at tinmansteve@nyc.rr.com.

Players Looking for Leagues

-- I'd be interested in joining an APBA simulation league. I was a regular player in multiple leagues years ago but haven't done anything recently. Let me know if you need more information. Please contact Bob Dutton at bdutton@aol.com.

-- I am an oldtime APBA Basic Game dice and cards player. I just completed my 3rd Replay. I'd like to see if there might be some who would like to play face to face, the old-fashioned way! I'd travel a bit if players are on the Gulf Coast, Alabama, Mississippi or the panhandle of Florida. Thanks. Please contact Charlie Lord at clord@ymcasalabama.org.

I'd like to congratulate the New York Mets and their entire staff on winning the National League Eastern Division title. Since starting BDD, I've become more of a baseball generalist, opting to follow all teams and developing relationships with many different players. I've obviously become close with teams like the Braves, Brewers, Giants, Nationals, and Devil Rays.

But deep down inside, the kid in me will always root for the Mets. I guess that's what drove me to the game tonight. And for a variety of reasons, I'm glad I went.

What makes baseball so great is that anything can happen on any given day. Sure, the analysts will tell you that things average out over time...the good players will be good, and the bad will be bad. But nobody can tell me that the emotion and electricity of a game like tonight doesn't affect players one way or the other. Do I have physical evidence for that? Of course not. But then again, how exactly do you measure emotion, excitement, and adrenaline? All I know is that the last two players I expected to be tonight’s heroes were Jose Valentin and Steve Trachsel.

Watching this Mets team tonight conjures up memories of the 1986 club. Sure, the pitching isn't as good, but the '86 team never had this kind of lineup either. But both teams seemed to always find ways to win. One thing is for sure, this is definitely the best Mets ball club I have seen in 20 years.

So many things came to mind watching tonight's game that I thought I'd share some with you...

• Steve Trachsel actually worked quickly tonight and was extremely effective. Anytime a Trachsel pitched game ends in under 2 ½ hours, you’ve seen a bit of history! I've only seen Trachsel pitch this way in person on three occasions, and every time he works at a faster pace, he appears to be successful. Note to Rick Peterson!
• This Florida Marlins are going to be a damn good team if they add a solid centerfielder and a few good relievers. It will be an absolute shame if money winds up tearing this team apart again.
• Hanley Ramirez has really stepped up. This was the first game I've seen Hanley in person since last year's Futures Game in Detroit. He's like a different person altogether. He reminds me of...you guessed it, Jose Reyes. He's strong, flashy, has incredible bat speed and a developing body. He’s really matured all around. After a called third strike tonight, Ramirez questioned the pitch and had a few words with home plate umpire Dana DeMuth. Hanley kept his cool though and walked calmly back to the dugout. The Hanley Ramirez of a few years ago would have more than likely exploded and been tossed from the game.
• Dan Uggla has a real nice swing, Josh Willingham may hit 40 homers one day, and Miguel Cabrera is just plain awesome. He works the count so well and will foul off pitch after pitch until he gets one he likes. It's almost as though he controls where he fouls the ball off.
• Getting back to the Mets...watching Jose Reyes run the bases has become the single most exciting thing for me to see when I take in a Mets game.
• I still think the Mets will have trouble with left-handed pitchers. I'm also starting to wonder if it may not be better playing Lastings Milledge in RF instead of Shawn Green. Something is missing with Green. He's just a shadow of his former self. He's still a fairly good defender though so if he's the lone weak spot in the batting order, the Mets will be fine.
• Every time I see Guillermo Mota pitch, I think of Mike Piazza. I really wish Mike were here for this little run. But I'm also pretty damn impressed at how Mota has pitched since coming over from Cleveland. It wouldn't be safe to have Mota on the team with Piazza around anyway!
• If the Mets and Yankees meet in the World Series this year, it will be an absolute war. You can already start to sense it.
• There's only one event that came to mind as Cliff Floyd caught the final out in the 9th inning, and the crowd went wild. I should say...only one name came to mind... Matteau, Matteau, Stephane Matteau! New York Rangers fans will indeed remember that moment. I had the pleasure of being at Madison Square Garden that night as well when the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils in double OT to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. The emotion that night and the emotion tonight at Shea Stadium were eerily similar for me.

Just like that night in 1994, the electricity in the air after the game tonight proved why the Big Apple remains the "city that never sleeps."

And as Bob Murphy would say…”That, my friends, is the happy recap!”


*** A Few Quick Notes***

To read more about the Mets, check out our latest interview with Matt Cerrone of Metsblog.com right here: Meet the Mets: Interview with Metsblog.com's Matt Cerrone

I’ll be making a few announcements tomorrow. They’ll be more information on simulation league openings, and I’ll be discussing the addition of new writers to the BDD staff.

I’m also going to talk a little bit about networking and growth of the site.

The regular newsletter will be back in full force tomorrow evening.

Thanks everybody!

After getting ahead of Shawn Green 0-2, Brian Moehler let's one go, hitting the Mets rightfielder.Jose Valentin follows and lauches a laser over the rightfield wall for a 2-run homer!

Reyes comes up, lays down a great bunt which Moehler proceeds to throw away. Jose ends up on second, but is promptly erased trying to steal 3rd.

At the end of 3 innings, amidst "Yankees suck" chants, the Mets lead Florida, 2-0.

I will be attending tonight's Mets - Marlins game as New York tries once again to clinch the National League East title. I'm going to try to blog a little bit, if possible, and provide a little commentary on some of the things you might not normally see or hear. Hopefully I won't have any technical difficulties!

• Ramon Hernandez went 4-for-4, Chris Gomez went 4-for-6 with 3 RBI, and Kevin Millar added 3 more RBI as Baltimore salvaged the last game of the series against Detroit with a 12-8 win
• David Ortiz hit his 49th homer, and Kevin Youkilis drove in 3 runs as the Red Sox won the first game of Sunday's doubleheader with a 6-3 win over the Yankees
• Jeff Francoeur homered, doubled, and had 3 hits, and Marcus Giles knocked in the winning run in a wild 10th inning to help Atlanta take 2 of 3 from Florida, 8-7. The Marlins had scored 4 times in the top of the 10th, only to see Atlanta come back with 5 runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame to win the game
• Austin Kearns homered and drove in 2 runs, and Felipe Lopez chipped in 3 RBI as Washington downed the Brewers, 6-1
• Scott Baker allowed just one run over 6 innings, and Jason Tyner had 3 hits as Minnesota knocked off Cleveland, 6-1
• Reed Johnson and Benjie Molina each had 3 hits to lead the Blue Jays past the Devil Rays, 5-3
• Zach Duke pitched 8 scoreless innings, and Freddy Sanchez drove in 2 runs as the Pirates swept the 3 game series from the Mets, 3-0
• Vicente Padilla pitched 7 scoreless innings, and Michael Young had 3 more hits today as the Rangers blew out the Angels, 8-1
• Mike Lieberthal had 3 hits, including 2 home runs, as the Phillies swept the Astros this weekend with a 6-4 win on Sunday
• Kenji Johjima homered and drove in 3 runs to lead a 14-hit Seattle attack that saw the Mariners double up the Royals, 10-5
• Ryan Theriot homered twice, had 3 hits, scored 3 runs, and drove in 2 as the Cubs blasted the Reds, 11-3
• Frank Thomas was at it again, hitting another 3-run homer Sunday to lead the A's to a 5-4 win over the White Sox
• Chris Young pitched 6 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit as the Padres edged the Dodgers, 2-1. Derek Lowe allowed just one run on 7 hits while striking out 9 through 7 innings of work for Los Angeles
• Jeff Francis allowed just one run on 3 hits over 8 innings as Colorado rebounded to beat the Diamondbacks, 6-1
• Trot Nixon homered and drove in 2 runs as the Red Sox beat the Yankees, 5-4, to sweep today's doubleheader
  

• Josh Beckett pitched a solid game, and David Ortiz reached base 5 times as the Red Sox beat the Yankees, 5-2, in game one of today's doubleheader
• In game 2, Jorge Posada had 3 hits and Bernie Williams drove in 2 runs to help New York come from behind and defeat Boston, 7-5
• Cole Hamels struck out 11 over 7 2/3 innings while allowing just 2 runs on 3 hits as Philadelphia beat Houston, 7-2
• Frank Thomas hit his 37th home run and drove in 4 today to lead the Athletics to a 7-4 victory over the White Sox
• Rich Hill pitched a complete game, 2-hit shutout while walking just one and striking out 10 as the Cubs blanked the Reds, 4-0
• Albert Pujols went 4-for-4, and Juan Encarnacion hit a 3-run homer to help Chris Carpenter pick up his 15th victory in the Cardinals 6-1 win over the Giants
• Ted Lilly allowed just one run over 6 innings as Toronto knocked off Tampa Bay, 6-1. Delmon Young had 3 hits for the Devil Rays in defeat
• Nate Robertson pitched 8 scoreless innings to lead the Tigers to a 2-0 shutout over the Orioles. Kris Benson pitched an 8-inning complete game for Baltimore, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits
• Anibal Sanchez and John Smoltz locked up in another well pitched game Saturday with the Braves coming out on top of the Marlins, 2-1
• Austin Kearns, Brian Schneider, and Bernie Castro (2 triples) each had 2 hits and 2 RBI as the Nationals defeated the Brewers 8-5. Prince Fielder hit his 26th homer and drove in 3 for Milwaukee, and Alfonso Soriano stole his 40th base to become just the 4th player in history to accumulate 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases
• Mike Redmond had 3 hits and 3 RBI, and Carlos Silva allowed just one run over 7 innings as the Twins beat the Indians, 4-1
• Despite a solid outing from Orlando Hernandez, the Mets had to leave the champagne on ice for another night as the Pirates rallied for a 9th inning walk-off win on Ronny Paulino's RBI double
• Joey Gathright had 2 hits (including his first ML homer), scored 2 runs, and drove in 2 as Kansas City held off Seattle, 7-4
• Chone Figgins hit for the cycle, scored 3 runs, and drove in 3 runs, but was outdone this evening by Mark Teixeira (4-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI) and Michael Young (3-for-4, 4 runs, 1 RBI) as Texas doubled up the Angels, 12-6
• Adrian Gonzalez doubled, homered, scored 3 runs, and drove in 4, and Mike Cameron added 2 hits, a home run, and 3 RBI as the Padres beat up on the Dodgers, 11-2
• Chad Tracy homered and drove in 3 runs, but it took the Diamondbacks 16 innings to trip up the Rockies, 7-6

Nationals left fielder Alfonso Soriano became the fourth player in Major League history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season with his steal against the Brewers at RFK Stadium on Saturday night.

Today we are back with Part II of our interview with the very beautiful and very intelligent Jenn Sterger. Check it out!

JH: Well since we are a baseball site, I have to ask a few baseball questions! You said you grew up a Braves fan. Do you have any favorite players?

JS: I’m definitely more of a passionate football girl. But I am absolutely in love with (Brian) McCann and (Jeff) Francoeur. They’re like “my boys.” I don’t know…maybe because they are the youngest on the team. I would sit in right field any day to watch that boy (Francoeur). I would trade in my seats behind home plate any day!

JH: Well, coincidently…I happen to know Jeff a little! So if you ever would like me to put you in touch with him…!

JS: (laughs) That’s hilarious! I wouldn’t know what to do. I would be like a giddy school girl…oh my God!

JH: You recently went to a promotion at a Devil Rays game. Did you get to meet any of the players there?

JS: I met some of them. They’re awesome guys too. It’s funny. As part of the initiation with the new kids, they make them carry around a “Dora the Explorer” book bag! It’s the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life. I didn’t realize there’s hazing going on in Major League Baseball!

JH: Just getting back to the lecture you gave on campus, how did that come about? Did they just ask you to talk about your experience with the students?

JS: They asked me to come in and speak to the class about how the Internet changed my life…about the dangers of being [that exposed] on the Internet…stalkers, identity threats.

The one thing about that lecture is that some of it can be taken out of context. What people don’t realize is that I was answering questions from students. Some people say that I come across as a bitch or sound like I’m complaining. In all honesty, I was just answering their questions. At the end of the day they interviewed the kids after everyone left the classroom, and most said they felt sorry for what I had to go through because they thought I was such a down to earth girl. I didn’t ask for these things to happen. They just…happened.

JH: That’s interesting because it kind of leads to my last question. Knowing what you know now, if this situation presented itself to you again, would you do anything differently?

JS: I mean even with those things that hurt me, I still don’t think I would do anything differently because they were my own decisions. It’s just a matter of learning what I’ve done and where I’ve been.

JH: Well, it’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you today Jenn. I think that anyone who takes the time to actually talk to you will realize that you’re going to go places. You’re extremely articulate and you have a good idea of the right thing to do.

JS: Sometimes it’s just frustrating. While they let me get my story out, people think I’m complaining. In all honesty, I’m just warning people that what’s happened to me is an amazing story…it’s funny. It can have some great times, but it can also have rough times too. At the end of the day, I just want people to know that what I’ve been through can happen to anyone, and I don’t think anyone is really prepared for something like that. I just want to give [people] the honest outlook of what has happened to me.

JH: Thank you again for taking the time out to talk with us. We wish you the best of luck with everything.

JS: Thank you. I really appreciate that.


We’d like to thank Jenn Sterger and her management team for giving us a generous amount of time last week. When you talk to Jenn, you get the sense that she will succeed at whatever she does and not just because she’s beautiful. This is an intelligent woman with a strong personality who loves sports! What more can you ask for??? We certainly have not heard the last from this rising star from FSU. That’s for sure!

Be sure to check out Jenn’s OFFICIAL web site at http://www.jennsterger.com/

Minneapolis, MN– The Minnesota Twins announced that the results of lefthanded pitcher Francisco Liriano’s MRI scan from yesterday were favorable. The scan shows no acute structural damage and no acute ligament damage.

Liriano has started a rehabilitation program, with the goal being to have him ready for the start of the 2007 season.

General Manager Terry Ryan and Manager Ron Gardenhire will work closely with the club’s medical and athletic training staff as Liriano continues through the rehabilitation process.

With the baseball season winding down and football kicking up this weekend, we thought we’d take a look at the lighter side of sports while examining a fantastic story that originated around this time last year.

Down in Tallahassee, Florida a young student was about to see her life change forever. When Jenn Sterger was caught on camera as ABC broke for a commercial during the Florida State – Miami 2005 football season opener, and Brent Musberger made his now famous comments, the Seminoles’ co-ed had no idea what was in store for her next.

Those few moments on camera have led to opportunities that Sterger could never have imagined possible. Not only is she now arguably the most popular Internet pin-up girl, she has since landed photo opportunities with both Maxim and Playboy. But the Jennifer Sterger story is just beginning!

We thought it would be fun and interesting to catch up with Jenn to discuss this past year, find out more about the girl behind the pretty face, and see what’s up next for the FSU Cowgirl.

So today, BDD is proud to present an exclusive “one year later” interview with Jenn Sterger.

Joe Hamrahi (JH): We’d like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us today Jenn.

We’re all pretty familiar with how this story came about, but can you tell us a little about how crazy this past year has been for you?

Jenn Sterger (JS): Honestly, it’s really just made me realize who my true friends are and who will stick by me in situations like this. People will come up to me sometimes when they recognize me, and sometimes they will have great things to say, and sometimes they won’t have such great things to say. It’s just really made me realize what actual celebrities go through.

JH: You obviously did the magazine shoots in Maxim and Playboy. Did you have any hesitation about doing them beforehand?

JS: Playboy I didn’t know if I’d do. It’s no father’s aspiration to have his daughter pose in Playboy (laughs). My family is the main reason I shot my pictures the way I did for them (Playboy). Someone brought up to me whether I would do it again, and I have since turned [Playboy] down twice already. Right now it’s just not something I want to do to move my career ahead.

JH: What other kinds of projects are you working on right now?

JS: I’m actually trying to work this whole Internet video type deal. It’s kind of cool. I’m doing some stuff where I can interact with the fans at the major rivalry games. It’s my take on the college game situation…sort of what the people at the school would be thinking.

JH: So is the situation with Sports Illustrated going to be a long-term deal?

JS: I really have a good working relationship with SI, and I’m going to be writing a football column for them and continue my mailbag. We get some pretty interesting questions there sometimes!

JH: So your plan right now is to go to law school still?

JS: In the future. It’s still in the cards. I have an opportunity right now, a small window of opportunity to see what’s interesting out there in the entertainment and sports industry. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen now. If I went to law school right away, I might miss out on that opportunity. So we’ll see where it goes. I’m going to keep all my options open.

JH: You mentioned that you were very shy in high school. Was there anything that made you overcome that shyness at this point in your life?

JS: I went through a very nasty breakup in my junior year of college, and it took me a really long time to get over it and get my confidence back. It was almost like an enlightenment. I woke up and said I don’t want to be this person anymore. I want to be who I am, and if people aren’t going to like me because of that, don’t worry about it. Just be true to myself. That’s kind of how this whole thing started. I just woke up with this whole new outlook on life, and the cowgirl was the manifestation of that. I didn’t expect it to happen. The Miami game experience was just me going out and having fun with my girlfriends. Then I got noticed, and it sort of evolved into this character…then Warchant.com and my pictures all over the Internet.

JH: How did you become such a big sports fan?

JS: I think my dad was really disappointed I wasn’t a boy! So I’ve actually grown up with Miami football in my blood…The U. There were strict days you just didn’t talk to my dad when they lost. And you definitely didn’t want to bother him on game day. It’s something I’ve always grown up with. My dad raised me a Braves fan. I was always a big Braves fan back in their heyday, and even to this day, even though they aren’t as good as they used to be, I still cheer for the Braves.

I actually learned more about football though back in high school when I was the drum major for my band. I think I had the band play at the wrong time or something my junior year. I got the most horrible death glare from the football coach who said “that girl needs to learn my game.” So I sat down and learned it and absolutely fell in love with it. I found myself cheering for [the football team] more than conducting the band. I got in trouble for that a few times. But that’s definitely how I learned the game.

In college it kind of progressed when I would help my then-boyfriend with his sports management homework. One [of the assignments] was to make a football playbook. I was like…wow! I picked the wrong major.

JH: Have you ever had the chance to talk to Brent Musberger?

JS: I’ve never been able to talk to him directly. I’ve spoken to a lot of his crew, and they’re really nice guys. They always take the time to write me.

Everyone says he (Musberger) knows about the situation and thinks it’s absolutely hilarious.

I’d like to someday thank him if for nothing else than for taking me on this crazy ride of my life.

JH: So now let’s get down to the nitty gritty…Do the (Semi)Noles have a real chance at making a run at the National Championship?

JS: National Championship…I’m not quite convinced they’re at that level yet. We’re definitely rebuilding after losing a lot of talent in the draft. I’m going to need to see some improvement after the game at Miami. To be perfectly honest, it was a pretty horrible game. It was not an offensive display at all. It was all about defense. (Buster) Davis is an absolute animal, and he proved that again. But I would really like to see them improve their offense and be able to run the ball. I don’t know if (Lorenzo) Booker has the size…he’s just not as big as a lot of the other running backs in the game and he’s a bit of a dancer. Hopefully he turns that into an advantage at some point in time. We just have to get our running game and offensive strategies under control.

JH: If you had to pick another team who you think might be the best in the country, which would that be? Is there anyone that stands out to you?

JS: Best in the country…I’m getting ready to go to Austin to watch what is basically an early look at the national championship [between Texas and Ohio State]. It’s really going to determine who the big boys are in the league this year. So, I’d say that (Ohio) State would be one of the ones to watch for sure.

There’s always this dark horse out there. For some reason I keep wanting to go back to West Virginia. I don’t know…maybe it’s the couch burning! I don’t know. I think they are really underrated and deserve a lot more credit.

JH: As far as pro football goes…are you a Dolphins fan or a Bucs fan?

JS: Bucs!


Part II will continue tomorrow...in the mean time, don't forget to visit Jenn's official web site at www.jennsterger.com.

Photo courtesy of jennsterger.com

Last week we had a 7 shutout night. This week we have a 6 shutout night. What is going on???!!!

San Diego 10 vs. Cincinnati 0
Los Angeles 6 vs. Chicago 0
Oakland 1 vs. Minnesota 0
Chicago 9 vs. Anaheim 0
Toronto 10 vs. Seattle 0
Boston 0 vs. Baltimore 4

From now through December 31, 2006, Baseball Digest Daily will be running a very special advertising campaign. For just $15/month, you or your organization will be able to promote your business by placing an ad banner on one of BDD's many pages!

You supply the banner (at 468 x 60 pixels, no larger than 20k) and the linked URL. We will post your banner and provide you with a secure site to track hits or clickthroughs that you receive. It's as simple as that!

If interested, please email