The week that was

Did you see the Home Run Derby on Monday night? Josh Hamilton put on a show with 28 home runs in the opening round. It was the quality and not the quantity of his home runs. Of his 28 homers, at one point he hit 13 in a row. Three of them went further then 500 feet. His longest was 518 feet. What makes this story great is that in 2004 he was suspended for violating the MLB drug policy. Between 2002 and 2006 he did not play baseball at all. After getting sober he returned to baseball and made his Major League debut on April 2, 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds. This year in 93 games for the Texas Rangers he’s batting .310 with 21 home runs and 95 RBI. The story of Monday night got better when he selected 71-year-old Clay Caunsil to pitch to him for the derby. Caunsil was a volunteer who threw batting practice to Hamiltion as a kid in North Carolina. To top this all off, in 2006 when he was trying to get back into baseball, Josh had a dream where he participated in a home run derby at Yankee Stadium. Dreams do come true. Josh did not win but was the story of the night; Even the winner Justin Morneau said it was Josh’s night and his stage.

During Josh’s 28 home run show I did think this kid had to be on something. But now that I read his story and the fact that he has to provide urine samples for drug testing at least three times per week, per the MLB drug policy I know that this was real and he was not juiced up. I hope he can keeps this up and continue to do well. If this is the future of baseball, we are in great sharp.

I did not get a change to see the game it self. I was at a Connecticut Sun game. This begs the question of why the WNBA would schedule a national televised double-header versus the MLB All-Star game. The WNBA should have had the double-header today, Wednesday; the most boring day of the sports yea. The WNBA would have had the day to themselves. I could run the WNBA better than this.

This Week in sports

If last weekend was slow this week is very busy. Let’s start with the third major of the golf season, The British Open at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The Open Championship as it is called in England, is the oldest championship and played in some of the hardest conditions in golf. The course is right on the sea with wind and somtines rain. This course is called links style which was played on back in the 18th century. Without Tiger Woods the field is wide open. My pick is Sergio Garcia, he was the runner-up last year in the Open Chanionship. Interesting fact, the last two times the Open has been at Royal Birkdale the Champion has been decided in a playoff. Will be interesting.

One other event this weekend is the first of two Motorcycle GP events in the US this year. This weekend the two-wheel tour comes to Laguna Seca in California. Casey Stoner is the defending race and season champion but 5 time champion Valentino Rossi is in the points lead. Should be interesting and a lot of fun.

The last event of the weekend is the ESPY Awards. This is a celebration of the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. Always a good time and it benefits the V Foundation for Cancer Research, established by ESPN with the late Jim Valvano and announced at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993.

Enjoy a great sports weekend. Talk to you again soon.

That’s my take I would like to hear yours,

Jamie Lazaroff