I love Baseball

I have since I played the game as a kid in little league. I was a very good defensive player, but could not hit very well. I took up Tennis, hoping that it would improve my hitting, but it didn't, though I got pretty good at Tennis. Anyway I have paid the game far too little attention this year, as I have been focused on keeping track of the disaster that is the Bush and Delay show. So I'm looking for some other angles to hammer the idiots, and come across a nice baseball story. I am a Cincinatti Reds fan, partly because they are the closest team to my hometown and also as a catcher and second baseman, I could not have had better role models for those positions than, Johnny Bench and Joe morgan. It didn't hurt that my little league carreer coincided with the days of the Big Red Machine.

Enough bullshit about me, lets get on to the story I stumbled across, ok a little more about me. I love the game period, sure I like it when the Reds win, but my appreciation for the sport transcends team loyalty, I was overjoyed by the possibility of a Cubs/Red Sox series, after the Marlins, knocked San Francisco out of the playoffs, and when the Marlins Came from behind for the second time to knock out the cubs, I rejoiced in their dismantling of the Yankees a Great Post season it was. Enough with the preface already.

One of my favorite players who has never worn a Red's uniform is Larry Walker, a perrenial Gold Glove winner, lifetime batting average of .315, a Solid Player and he has a great sense of humor, not quite in Kruk's league (another favorite) but funny. Turns out that he is going to leave Colorado and play for the Cardinals, getting a chance to get to the world series. In a classy move this is what the Rockies General manager had to say:

"This is a great opportunity for him to go to a great baseball city and have a chance to win a world championship," Colorado general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "We tried very hard to put him in a city where he can accomplish his dream of winning a world championship."

Walker is on a short list of Players that I would really be happy to see leave the game with a world series ring and it is a testiment to his carreer in Colorado that management would work to help that dream along.

"He has had a great career here and accomplished so much in a Rockies uniform, it is really bittersweet," O'Dowd said. "He didn't initiate it at all. I initiated all the conversations. When a player is at a certain point in his career, then you know there are certain things that he is looking for."

Walker was batting .324 with six homers and 20 RBIs in 108 at-bats this season. He said in recent weeks he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to a playoff-contending team. One of his two Colorado homes is on the market.

Burch, 21, was 5-5 with a 3.61 ERA and 21 saves at Class-A Peoria. He was selected in the 21st round of the 2003 draft out of Nebraska.

Colorado began the night fourth in the NL West at 47-61.

"He was not going to be with us after next year," O'Dowd said. "This gave us the best opportunity to put him somewhere with a chance to win, and it gives Matt Holliday the opportunity to play every day.

Good Luck Larry, I'll be rooting for you and the Cardinals if you make it to the big dance. And kudo's to 'O Dowd for enabling this good man's dream.