Sunday, May 25, 2008

2007 Upper Deck First Edition Baseball Trading Cards

36 Packs with 10 Packs Per Box. Collect All 300-Cards of 2007's First Upper Deck Set! Look For Unique Insert Cards, Falling One Per Pack, on average! Find rare 1 of 1 Printing Plates! Pull Tomorrows Superstars with First Pitch Foundation Cards! The first RCs of 2007.
This item cannot be shipped to P.O. Boxes or APO or FPO addresses.
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The good thing about wagering on sports this time of year is that with a plethora of activity, you may fine a soft line here or there if you probe hard enough. Two teams who are beginning to get healthy and make some noise are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers.The Philadelphia Phillies seek to push their winning streak to 10 games for the first time in nearly 15 years when they wrap up a three-game series against resurgent Tom Glavine and the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday.

With a 5-4 win in the middle game of the series on Tuesday, Philadelphia (18-14) has won nine in a row for the first time since a 13-game streak from July 30-Aug. 12, 1991.

The streak also has allowed the Phillies to move within two games of the Mets, who sit atop the NL East and are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak of 2006.

The City of Brotherly Love is beginning to embrace the Phils as both the 76ers and Flyers have been banished from their respective sports and the players are brimming with confidence. Having won 9 in a row and facing a pitcher (Glavine), you would think the Phils would be rock solid favorites, but the morning line has the game a pick-em!

The leftys last two outing have been superb however and there should be some Mets money to keep the odds attractive if you are a Cory Liddle fan. The right-hander will try to put together consecutive wins for the first time this season. Against Atlanta on Friday, he gave up three runs and five hits with a season-high three walks over six innings in a 6-3 victory that lifted the Phillies to .500 for the first time this year.

He's had success against his former team, going 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA in five outings, striking out 26 and walking just five. Glavine (4-2, 1.94) will make the start for New York looking for his 280th career win, but also looking to beat the Phillies for the first time in 10 starts.

Since last defeating Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2002, Glavine is 0-7 with a 5.82 ERA and opponents have hit .298 against him. He has dropped his last five starts versus them, allowing 24 runs and 35 hits in 29 innings. Overall, Glavine is 24-16 with a 3.77 ERA in his career against Philadelphia.

At 40, Glavine is pitching recently like the two-time Cy Young Award winner he is. In wins April 29 over Atlanta and Thursday against Pittsburgh, the left-hander has given up just seven hits with 11 strikeouts and just three walks in 14 innings.

Take the Phillies to extend their streak!

In the other game you have two teams passing each other in the express elevator. The Dodgers are on their way to the penthouse, while Houston is freefalling to the outhouse. LA winner of 4 in a row is beginning to get production from their big name players Garciaparra, Drew and as always Jeff Kent.

On the other hand you have Astros slugger Lance Berkman in a terrible funk hitless in five at-bats and is 4-for-20 with no RBIs on the road trip. Only 14 of his 36 RBIs have come on the road. Tonight momentum is in the Dodgers favorite.

Brett Tomko (3-1, 3.41 ERA) has been outstanding in his last three outings for Los Angeles, going 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in that stretch. He did not win his last outing despite allowing five hits over seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 loss to San Diego on Thursday.

"I tweaked a couple of things in the bullpen this week, and it worked. I felt more comfortable with my off-speed stuff," Tomko said. "It would have been a lot nicer if we would have come out with the win." The veteran right-hander is 4-5 with a 4.90 ERA in 13 career starts against Houston.

Impressive Houston rookie Taylor Buchholz (2-1, 2.16) will oppose Tomko in his fifth career start. Buchholz is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA since joining the rotation on April 17.

The right-hander failed to record a decision his last time out after allowing three runs and six hits over seven innings in a 5-4 loss at Colorado last Friday.You have to grab LA at -110!

Sports Betting - Online Casino

Bob Acton is an experienced sports writer and handicapper, who has written for the sports industry for over 10 years. His years of writing for Sports Scene, sports consulting on 33 Made for Television and Major Motion Pictures and his work as an instructor at Pro Teach Baseball Academy, have made Bob a trusted and respected source in the sports world.

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Hit-A-Way® Baseball Swing Trainer (EA)

Hit-A-Way Baseball Jeter Series.   Endorsed by All-Star Derek Jeter! A player can use Hit-A-Way to warm-up or practice most anywhere, even in limited space. Simulates pitches without chasing balls. Develops hand eye coordination and is the perfect tool when learning to switch hit. New materials in cord produce better timing to develop stance and swing mechanics. Hit-A-Way is very easy to carry, weighing less than two pounds. Can be stored in bat bags, back packs or carry- alls. "The hottest new batting aid on the market today." Amazing results in ball players of all ages. New sleeve design improves visibility as well as contact feel and sound. (Post not included).   
Customer Review: Great tool
I bought this item elsewhere, but after reading the reviews here, I felt I needed to add my thoughts. This is a great tool, but it will not teach everything a person needs to be a good hitter. I have used it, and still do, with a 5 year old, and an 8 year old. Both children have used it for the past year. It is true, the timing is different from a real pitch, but this device does help teach "timing". It also is a superior method of teaching hand to eye coordination involving a baseball bat. I can totally understand every negative review posted here as we went through the same problems. Once they got the hang of the timing, and counting the "unwraps", even my youngest son can keep it going. It is also interesting to let the batter see the diffence in bats. The usefulness of this device is similar to the soft toss drills; it builds hand eye coordination while helping build a basic swing. It should also be coupled with lots of real balls thrown. I have seen the effectiveness of this device, and I would buy it again (and the pole). All this being said, it is not something that everyone will be able to keep going without some practice.
Customer Review: this item is not for every young player
my son saw this product on tv and i bought it for him-thinking this is just another gimmick item and will never work. well from the very beginning her took to this thing. he is 11 yrs now and was about 8.5 when he started using it. he is on his third hitaway now-i replace it each year. first of all you need a place that the child can access it. for instance we have ours fixed to an old gas lamp pole right on our front lawn. so when the weather got a little warmer say late march, my son would come home after school and before coming into the front door he would grab the bat that was always waiting next to the hit away pole and hit this thing for between 5 and 15 minutes. then he would come into the house. so after doing this day after day-just a few minutes each day he got pretty good at it. i noticed considerable increase in bat speed. another very important thing is for the father to provide reinforcement and encouragement while he is hacking away at this thing. it is not easy. one gets tired pretty quickly. but like i said with short daily repetitions-this product really pays off. one thing i do recommend-in addition to daily diligence-is to have your son take atleast one batting lesson-you need to be there at the lesson as a father of a young baseball player to remember and reteach the lesson. your son absolutely needs to practice daily the baseball hitting technique learned in his lesson-combine this with repetitions on the hitaway- is a recipe for baseball hitting success. i can assure you my son has one of the best swings(if not the best in his age group) in this town of chaham nj-because he hit this hitaway aid thousands of times- it gives strength and bat speed - at the very least. i could go on but the difference between success and failure with this product is not the products fault. it is a very simple product but like everything else it takes practice and perseverence. again i must say that it should be placed in a very highly visible and accessible location. if the hitaway people need any proof that their product can produce a successful hitter-all they have to do is speak to my son. in my title i say that this product is not for every young player. this statement is made because i see how other young boys react to this product. most of them give up and get frustrated-not my son and maybe not yours-but he will need feedback and encouragement from the person in charge.


Coaching Youth Baseball is a great experience for men and women to be involved in. One of the awesome things about being involved in it is the opportunity to be around young people and motivate them to be their best.

There are tons of books and materials on youth baseball so i wont try to re-invent the wheel here.
I just want to hit on some things that need to mentioned. Keep it simple!! The majority of reasons why teams aren't as good as they could be is because they don't do the simple things!

Coaches want to be smart and try to employ strategies that are just to sophisticated for young players especially for 9-10 year olds. Stick to the basics ground ball practice, fly balls, throwing fundamentals, basis pitching mechanics.

Incorporate games into the drills that way kids can see the result of why they need to use a technique correctly. Keep it light and fun that way your players keep coming back for more.

Remember long after the games are over the players will remember how they were treated, not what the score was!! Here is one for you Dads... Your Son or daughter will never be as good as you Thought you were!

Another important key is using stations, less standing around. lets face it there is never enough time as it is. The secret is to make good use of your time while you have your players.

Bottom line have fun with this great game and enjoy your time with the players it goes by very quickly!!

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers and seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

(800)758-1282

http://www.urticket.org

406-542-1723

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Diamond DOL-1 Official League NFHS Baseball (One Dozen)

The Ball of Choice! Consistend performance from the first inning to the last, durability to help the budget and the perfect raised seam. Just a few of the reasons Diamond remains The Ball of Choice for top notch conferences, leagues and organizations around the world. Don't settle for inferior imitations; experience the Diamond difference.
Customer Review: Easily the best baseball for the money!
This baseball is easily one of the best bargains you will find for 3 BIG reasons: 1. It's NFHS approved - this means it is official and does not contain second-rate materials for the interior. 2. Because the center is made of quality materials, it hits off the bat in a consistent fashion--consistent to what you will find in an official league game where all baseballs must be NFHS approved. Cheaper practice baseballs tend to bounce off the bat more, which does not simulate the real thing. 3. Leather exterior makes it durable. This baseball outlives the cheap ones. My players prefer Diamond baseballs. While Wilson is the premier, Diamond offers a cheaper alternative ($25 less per dozen than Wilson) with virtually all of the same benefits. All in all, the Diamond NFHS baseball is 40 cents more per baseball than a practice ball. It worth spending $5 more for this particular baseball. I've tried almost every baseball on the market and this is the best deal you're going to find for an official NFHS baseball.
Customer Review: baseball review
I believe that Diamond makes one of the higest quality baseballs for competition. I am a coach and have used several other brands that have not stood up. I have been very picky with the baseball equipment that I have purchased and Diamond baseballs have always been a quality product.


It still feels like Alex Rodriguez is the unexpected guest on the New York Yankees. High-priced and controversial, has he finally put in enough Pinstripe time to have it be his Yankees?

Derek Jeter is the captain of the New York Yankees. Alex Rodriguez is his mate at third base, knocking in runs and hitting home runs for the Yankees at a record pace. Still, there is a wall between Alex Rodriguez and the fans. He is not appreciated, nor is he accepted as a real New York Yankee.

Alex Rodriguez, though, for on-field production, has been The Man for the Yankees since his inception on the Bronx Bombers. From that standpoint, he is the most important player on the New York Yankees, but he will never be its heart. The heart and soul of the New York Yankees will be Derek Jeter, as long as Jeter is a member of the team.

Alex Rodriguez can make inroads by playing like the regular-season A-Rod in the post-season. It could become Alex Rodriguez' team, if he could, like Reggie Jackson before him, ignite World Series fire. It was Thurman Munson's team, Yankee fans will recall, until Reggie tore through the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Now, looking back, the highlights and stories all portray it as Reggie Jackson leading the New York Yankees to World Series glory.

Call him Alex Rodriguez, or call him A-Rod. Yankee fans want to love, but that love is granted at the toll where championship dues are paid.

http://www.fastbreakblog.com

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8 Seconds

The title refers to the time required by all rodeo cowboys to stay on a bull if they want a judge's score. For them, such a short time can seem like an eternity. The same is true of the beginning of this true story, a country tale of Lane Frost, a real-life, crowd-pleasing bullrider who rose to rodeo fame in the late '80s. The characters seem so irrepressibly good, so unreal, that the film comes out of the chute without a buck or much of a purpose. But Frost's story, and that of his relationship with his wife, Kellie (Cynthia Geary), eventually gains momentum. Luke Perry is an underrated actor, and he balances an "aw-shucks-ness" with an internal spark that makes that salt-of-the-earth stuff not so salty. When the film is finally over and the end credits show home movies and stills of the real-life Frost, you'll wish the ride was just a little longer. --Keith Simanton
Customer Review: Great movie=one you won't want to miss!
This movie is great. Some of the details are inaccurate to the real life story of Lane Frost. I don't know how many times I've seen this movie-probably more than 10.
Customer Review: Lane Frost Rides Again....
Luke Perry is excellent in this Bio-Pic of Rodeo great, Lane Frost. This is a great film. Stephen Baldwin is a laugh riot as Bull Riding Champion, "Tuff" Heddamen. This is a really well put together film. I really liked it. Nobody can deliver a "feel good" movie like John G. Avildsen (Karate Kid, Rocky)....and this is no exception. You really get a sense of who Lane Frost was, and what the "Rodeo Life" is really like. It will make you laugh, it will make you mad, and it will make you cry. This is a great film that is definetely worth the price of admission. So, saddle up and get ready for a great ride !!! 4 Stars.


Baseball caps serve many functions. They aren't just seen on the field but on the streets, in the stands and almost anyone you look. Baseball caps have an interesting history, the first ones were worn by the New York Knickerbockers and they were made of straw.

There have been many styles of baseball caps throughout the years, ten different styles were advertised in 1888 in Spaulding's Base Ball Guide. You could buy a baseball cap for 12 cents to $2.

Now baseball caps are available in numerous styles and colors. You can get a baseball cap that represents your favorite team. Baseball caps are sold at all the professional games and in sporting good and specialty stores around the world.

Baseball caps are worn by people of all walks of life and income levels. You see baseball caps not only at the games but at restaurants, parties, on the beach and in airports.

People sometimes wear baseball caps to make a statement about which team they support. The lucky ones have had their baseball caps signed by a favorite player. These baseball caps are treasured by their owners.

Baseball caps are comfortable to wear and adjustable. They are often made of fabric that "breathes" making them a cool choice even on a hot day. Baseball caps keep the sun out of your face and even deflect raindrops.

There is no age limit to the wearing of a baseball cap. From the smallest of children to the oldest fan, there is a baseball cap made to suit nearly everyone.

Whether you are a faithful attendee of the pro baseball games or just someone who likes to wear baseball caps, check out all the baseball caps and find one or two or three.... that is calling your name.

Ken Austin
Baseball Gear and Equipment

Sports Resource Guide

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Baseball Jersey Raglan 3/4 sleeve by Augusta Sportswear (Style# 420)

Baseball Jersey with 3/4 sleeve by Augusta Sportswear. 50% polyester/50% cotton, White or athletic heather body, Contrasting 3/4-length raglan sleeves, Scooped shirt tail, Available in White or Athletic Heather body. Perfect for Softball and Baseball, Available in Adult & Youth sizes
Customer Review: Thin shirts
material is thin, I probably wouldn't have bought this item in person.
Customer Review: Thin material and no hem.
While this t-shirt looks good in the picture, it's actually pretty poor quality once you get it in hand. The material is very thin and the bottom of the shirt is not hemmed, which means it has a tendancy to roll up. The price is right, however, but you definitely get what you pay for.


Getting adults to understand the importance of a clear perspective on winning and losing is very difficult let alone do the same with little league baseball players. Here I will show why it is important that adults need to show the way for young athletes to understand the objective in sports.

Let's get right into it shall we. Too often i hear especially at the major boys level (11-12 year olds) it all about winning! Well that's great, I like winning as much as anyone and i get very competitive. However I am an adult and and the coach who needs to keep the players with a great understanding of competition.

The Great and not late John Wooden says you are only a failure if you have not given a complete effort at all times whether on the field of court. What do I mean? if you are get beat by another team or individual it's OK as long as you gave your best. It happens, you tip your hat and move on. Sure we're disappointed in the outcome but not in our effort. After the games are gone what are the players going to take with them about sports and competition?

We are not talking about pro sports here yet that same axiom should and does apply with them most of the time. My point is this you can win a game and not be happy with your players effort and they need to hear about it.

Just last week I watched the team my son is on and that I help with win a game 3-1 against a young team that we should have defeated 8-1 or more. To the other teams credit they played us hard and were right there at the end. Our team made base running blunders that took us out of innings and eliminated additional scoring opportunities.

We had players giving up on plays when they should have been going all out and making the other team beat us with their best instead we gave them easy outs. here is the main point I'm driving here is to make the other team beat you, don't hand it to them. That is not acceptable. I mentioned something to them at practice last night and the best player on the team said well we won anyway! Wrong answer!!

We play one of the better teams in our league and that 3 runs wouldn't have been enough and we left 3-4 runs out there on the field with a lousy effort.

Players need to understand to play aggressive baseball at all times and know that that is what competition is all about. My best against your best!

Remember coaches you are a teacher and these values go way past playing baseball. Teach them the right way to play the game and have fun with it.

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! Working from home on the internet allows him the time to coach little league baseball in western Montana. For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

(800)758-1282
406-542-1723
http://www.urticket.org

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Big Slugger Baseball Bats 12 Pack




Do you know why you teach what you teach to your hitters? If I stopped you right now and asked you to tell me a couple advantages of any part of what you're teaching, could you do it? If not, it's time to kick into gear your learning habit and pick up some instructional strategies.

I've picked a couple parts of the baseball swing mechanics I hear taught repeatedly that are incorrect. Don't worry, I'll follow my own advise and explain why. Don't just take my word for it, however, ask around. Get other perspectives. But most of all, build your baseball swing knowledge base. Baseball instruction is a funny thing. You can find information and hitting "experts" everywhere. However, please for your own sake make sure that you are qualifying your sources of information first before you accept it. If you don't, you'll end up spending a lot of money, and changing your philosophy often.

Two Mechanical Fallacies:

1. Keeping your back elbow up is NECESSARY for a proper baseball swing.

I hear this advice mostly in Little League or in some of the younger age leagues. There is no physical advantage or benefit for a hitter to keep his back elbow up (often sometime much above the back shoulder). I'm not quite sure where the idea originated, but I do know it spreads like wildfire. It's like the cure all for a poor baseball swing. When it doubt, it must be the back elbow! And you can be sure you'll sometimes hear from the dugout or the stands, "Keep your back elbow up, Johnny!"

Keeping the back elbow up for younger hitters is often a source of a slow and long swing. When the bat head travels into the zone, the elbow of the top arm on the bat is down and relaxed close to the hitters body (if done correctly). Because of that, it makes little sense for a younger hitter to move his back elbow from a stiff position in the stance to a relax and collapsed position in mid-swing. Extra parts moving during a baseball swing mean less consistency. As a hitter gets older, his preference may be of a back elbow that is raised some. At this point (assuming he understands swing mechanics) he can make the adjustments as necessary.

2. Rolling your wrists as your bat comes through the zone is a must to create bat speed.

I have to bite my tongue (quite hard actually) when I ever hear this advice being offered for baseball instruction. While the back elbow up philosophy can be dismissed somewhat as a youth baseball strategy that does relatively minimal damage, this wrists rolling business can not be ignored in order to create a fundamentally sound baseball swing.

What "Wrist Rollers" can't do:

A. Hit an inside fastball to the pull side (right field as a lefty and left field as a righty).

B. Hit an outside fastball with any consistency to the opposite field (left field as a lefty and right field as a righty).

C. Hit line drives with back spin consistently (you know the kind that get over an outfielders head in a hurry for a double).

Here is why I can make those statements so confidently. In order to roll the wrists through a baseball swing, your arms must be straight at the elbows on contact with the baseball to do so. Youth hitters can get away with this because the velocity of the pitch is not overpowering yet. Add another 10-15 mph to the pitch and those inside pitches cannot be hit (or if they do, it stings) because the bat will be slow to sweep into the hitting zone. Outside pitches will also be difficult because the barrel of the bat will only cover the outer portion of the plate a fraction of the time necessary.

So what to do?

Teach your athletes when hitting a baseball to have their palm facing up on their top hand as they come in contact with the baseball. As the hands stay close to the body through the swing, the hitter will extend his arms after contact is made with the pitch. This proper extension is extremely important for good bat speed and plate coverage.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball http://bmibaseball.com and is based out of Washington State. His expertise is in the area of hitting, pitching, and mental training. Coach Barnett's passion is working with youth in helping expand their vision for their baseball future. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. His website, launched last year, contains information and videos on various baseball drills and mechanics as well as an instructional blog http://bmibaseball.com/blog designed to aid in the development of well rounded baseball players. His new FREE ebook, Toxic Baseball: Are you polluting your game? can be found on the main BMI Baseball website

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Minnesota Twins Mouse Pad - BASEBALL Sports Merchandise

This colorful mouse pad will brighten up your desk and show your team spirit! The mouse pad has a rubber base so it stays in place, and has a neoprene top for easy mouse movement. Approximately 9"x8 1/4" in size. Made by Hunter.


Easton has been on the forefront of many advances in sporting good technology. It is a company that was started in the 1930's by Doug Easton initially because of his ambition to crafting better quality arrows made of aluminum that would improve traditional archery. Easton has evolved into a leader in making sporting goods because of their advances in the use of aluminum and that has carried into many sports such as baseball, softball, hockey and biking over the last 5 decades, all while standing behind the quality of what they sell in the market.

Years later, Easton dove into creating baseball bats and was recognized for their innovative aluminum baseball bats, a design that was introduced in the early 1970's. They have been the first to improve on new technologies every step of the way throughout the whole aluminum baseball bat evolution. Easton baseball bat makers have lead the way in developing baseball bats out of new lighter weight and more durable metals such as scandium and titanium for enhanced performance as well as using composite metals that are state-of-the-art as of now. Easton also played a role in introducing multi-wall technology which adds to the size and responsiveness of the 'sweet spot' on the barrel. Easton now produces a triple-wall bat known as the 'tri-shell' design and is the only bat producing company to do so. They were the first to create a two-part baseball bat when they started producing their 'Connexion' series, which gives flexibility to the bat for enhanced power. Easton baseball bats are setting trends for other bat making companies today.

Easton now supplies many models of aluminum baseball bats to guarantee that there is a bat out there for every ballplayer. They make youth, high-school, and collegiate certified baseball bats as well as an adult line. Easton baseball bat reviews are always more than satisfactory and the improvements on their products are made to improve your game.

Joe Rodgers is a batting instructor that emphasizes stationary drills to develop the correct mechanics to be a successful batter and offers a website outlining baseball swing mechanics.

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