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Prayers For Blowouts will be featuring posts from PFB Members this summer. This submission is from Member #031, Andy Vandergriff.

Here at Prayers for Blowouts, we love hearing stories about the underdog finally getting some recognition (maybe because we are a bit of an underdog in the sports blogging world, but anyway) for their long years of struggle and labor, and what better time to do that than baseball’s upcoming All-Star Game?

Voting is already over, and people have voted for popular players that may or may not have deserved a chance to play in the Midsummer Classic, and likely left these guys at the altar for the pitiful reason of their playing in a small market. Hopefully you’ll hear of some guys you haven’t had a chance to yet, and hopefully you’ll get to see them in the All-Star Game after being voted in by their peers.

American League

1B: Russell Branyan, Seattle

Branyan has quietly put together an All-Star worthy season in Seattle this year, with a
.303 BA, 40 RBI, 19 HR and an OPS of 1.006, but it’s a little hard to get noticed on a barely above .500 team in the AL West.

2B: Aaron Hill, Toronto

Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia are getting all the attention, but Hill is having one monster year at the plate, racking up a .305 BA, 56 RBI, 19 HR and an OPS of .855 for a surprisingly competitive Toronto team.

SS: Marco Scutaro, Toronto

In a thin position dominated by Derek Jeter, Scutaro is also having a season worthy of taking a look at in Toronto, with a .279 BA, 53 BB, 33 RBI, and an OPS of .794.

3B: Scott Rolen, Toronto

There are a lot of players from the Blue Jays on this thing, aren’t there? He’s not hitting for power yet, but he is spraying the ball all over the Skydome, riding a 19 game hitting streak to a .333 BA, and a .888 OPS.

C: Victor Martinez, Cleveland

Martinez has split his time between 1B and catching and has been one of the few bright spots for a suddenly anemic lineup, turning in first half totals that include a .313 BA,
.916 OPS, 14 HR and 57 RBI.

OF: Jermaine Dye, Chicago

Jermaine Dye just keeps on hitting the ball, powering a surging White Sox team to 2.5 games back of the division leading Tigers with first half totals of: .294 BA, 48 RBI, 18 HR, and an OPS of .926.

OF: Johnny Damon, New York

It pains my soul as a Red Sox fan to admit this, but Johnny Damon is playing like an All-Star right now. After all, it is very hard to argue with the stats he’s been putting up in left for the Yankees: .292 BA, 15 HR, 47 RBI, and a .910 OPS.

OF: Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay

The husband of CCM artist Julianne Zobrist (remember, the one with the strange fake feathery eyelashes) has been turning in a solid 2009 as a utility player for the Rays, playing 6 different positions this year and hitting .297 with 16 HR, 46 RBI and an AL leading OPS of 1.051.

National League

1B: Todd Helton, Colorado

Helton had a horrendous (“How horrendous was it?” “It was so horrendous, we almost started remembering him as a former UT quarterback!”) year last year, but seems to have turned it around this year, although his power has yet to make its reappearance in a 2009 first half campaign that has him hitting .312 with 53 RBI and a .895 OPS.

2B: Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh

Non-residents of the Steel City are probably wondering how anyone from the Pirates even made an “Underdog” team, but even through the ineptness of their front office, they still have some talent there, and Sanchez is a perfect example of that, with a batting average of .315, and an OPS of .831 with 6 homers thrown in for good measure.

SS: Yunel Escobar, Atlanta

In his second full year, Escobar is continuing to be a solid at shortstop for the Braves, making them very glad that Rafael Furcal left them at the free agency altar this offseason by hitting .293 with 40 RBI and 7 HR.

3B: Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco

Sandoval is looking like he wants a Rookie Of The Year award a little more than he wants another cheeseburger (which at 246 lbs and just 5’11”, might be a considerable amount) with a first half where he’s hitting at a .332 clip (6th in the NL) with 10 HR and 40 RBI and a .940 OPS.

C: Bengie Molina, San Francisco

The Molina family is having a very good year catching in 2009. Yadier is the one who won the NL All-Star starting spot this year, but it’s Bengie who is really tearing it up at the plate for the Giants this year, with 10 HR, 46 RBI and a .263 average.

OF: Brad Hawpe, Colorado

By now, you’ve probably heard that Raul Ibanez is tearing it up in Philly with an OPS of 1.027, leading all NL outfielders. But do you know who’s in second place? Brad Hawpe, with an OPS of 1.008. Hawpe is also in the top 10 in BA(.333 for 5th) and RBI(56 for 7th).

OF: Justin Upton, Arizona

After an injury-shortened 2008, no one knew quite what to expect from Upton this year, but he has shown himself to be the class of the league during the first half, batting .315, with 14 HR, 45 RBI, 49 R, and a .961 OPS.

OF: Hunter Pence, Houston

Pence is having a great first half so far for a not quite stellar Astros team, hitting .310 with 10 HR, 32 RBI, and an .884 OPS.

Now, we’re done with the position players, but there’s still plenty of underappreciated pitchers out there, so we’ll put together a pitching staff for The PFB All-Underdog Team in a couple of days.

Prayers For Blowouts will be featuring posts from PFB Members this summer. This submission is from Member #020, Christian Arvold.

So Kobe finally got his first Shaq-less ‘ship and now… he can start smiling once in a while! In all the comparisons between Kobe and MJ, the one that always sticks out to me is that both have the “killer” instinct. Both guys HATE losing, whether it’s a game, a drill in practice, ping-pong in the locker room or cards with the fellas. Most of us who play sports (or board games) play to win the game. But apparently, MJ and Kobe have a competitive streak in them that rivals anything mere mortals may have ever known. If you have or had the misfortune to end up an opponent of either guy, neither would think twice about killing you, then grinding your corpse into dust, then mashing the particles back together just to blow them up again. All through the Finals (as Bill Simmons pointed out a few times), we were told over and over again that Kobe was really, really¸serious about winning this Title- and how did we know? He never smiles. In fact when he’s zeroed in, he has a scowl that would frighten most wild animal predators.

Lately, I have decided that this is just strange. Why is it that when the world’s best basketball player (sorry LBJ, you need a couple rings) is playing his best, he looks livid? Why is that when we witness basketball played at its highest level humanly possible, the athlete performing other worldly stunts looks like he’s been told his mamma is ugly, his car has been towed-locked-up-and-the-attendant-won’t-be-back-for-three-hours, his tax guy made a mistake on his taxes and he now owes a couple mil to the government, his Nike shoe contract has been terminated, and his puppet commercials have been pulled all at the same time. Why must it be so painful to be the best in the world at something? I am not really musically inclined, which is why I really enjoy watching a musician who is great and really enjoys being great. It makes me want to learn to play an instrument.

A few weeks ago I was talking to a new friend who had grown up a pastor’s kid and as an adult does not embrace the Christian faith he was brought up in. One of the reasons for this was his experience with Christians in his father’s church who were always angry with him about how he did not live up to their expectations of what a pastor’s kid should be. Even now as a young adult, he is strongly turned off to Christianity by their anger towards him. If that is what a Christian is, he wants no part in it.

It is hard to hear his story, since I have met several Christians like those he encountered. It is frustrating because Christians should be exhibiting joy- it is a fruit of the Spirit. Though we are not “happy all the day” as the old hymn says, we have a living hope in Christ that should remind us that our worst days and issues (that may take some time and prayer and support to work through) pale in comparison to what God has done for us and what he promises to still do for us (Romans 8:18).

My 5 and 3 year old sons have decided that Kobe is their favorite player this spring (though Michael Redd is still their hometown hero). When the Finals’ games came on, I would tell them to come watch the best player in the world. After watching a little bit they would inevitably run from the couch to their hoops set up in our family room and try their best 5 and 3 year old impressions of Kobe with two major differences: they lacked the world-class abilities of Kobe and they laughed and smiled all the time while they played.

It is my hope as a father that as they grow up playing ball, they always remember that it is a game to be enjoyed. But more than that, I hope they grow up in the Faith knowing that their God and the life of faith he offers are also to be enjoyed.

a few things to consider why you figure out how the Red Sox blew a 10-1 lead last night…

+ We’ve written about Josh Hamilton at PFB before, but Guideposts has a new article up on him that he wrote himself. Worth a quick read.

+ Many of you read about the Ohio High School football coach, Ed Thomas, who was murdered last week. But you might not have read the words that Green Bay Packer Aaron Kampman spoke about Thomas after his passing (via Justin Taylor’s Blog):

Coach Thomas was very special to me and many other young men from the Aplington-Parkersburg communities. His legacy for many will be identified with his tremendous success as a football coach. However, I believe his largest legacy comes not in how many football games he won or lost but in the fact that he was a committed follower of Jesus Christ. He lived his life trying to exemplify this faith and convey those values to those under his influence. His faith in Christ pervaded everything that he did and that is why in the midst of the heartache we all feel there is comfort in knowing he is with his Savior.

+ The Bleacher Report has a slideshow of the “Influential Christians in the Sports World”. Not sure why they included the late Reggie White, but there are some good quotes from Pujols and Mo Rivera, to name a few.

So whatifsports.com has declared that the Philadelphia Eagles are going to the Superbowl. Hey, they’ve got the computers and the simulators. Who are we to disagree.

Give those Eagles yet another NFC Championship Trophy

Prayers For Blowouts will be featuring posts from PFB Members this summer. This submission is from Member #024, Matt Ralph.

Mr. Celery,  Artie the Fighting Artichoke, and The Fighting Okra may be getting some company in their small but oh so popular coterie of mascots named after vegetables.

The College of William and Mary in Virginia is reportedly considering among a pool of 400 nominations a suggestion for making a stalk of asparagus their new mascot.

William and Mary is changing its mascot because its feathered logo was considered demeaning to Native Americans but still keeping the name the Tribe.

It wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense, but the merchandise sales and publicity boon the college would undoubtedly experience could be worthwhile. It’s not like the Asparagus lobby will balk over the Tribe of Asparagus.

Feel free to join me in voicing support for the asparagus mascot by going to http://web.wm.edu/contact/contact.php.

Here’s what I just wrote to them:

I just read a story on Sports Illustrated about the brilliant suggestion of William and Mary changing its mascot to a stalk of asparagus.

I think this is an incredible idea, one that would certainly lead me to fork over money for a T-shirt and encourage the future college bound kids I hope to one day have to attend your institution.

Please, please, please take this suggestion seriously and for the life of every Native American who has been demeaned by your feathered Tribe logo, consider the asparagus.

Author Ted Kluck pens an open letter to Mike Tyson in the wake of his daughter’s tragic death.

Kluck, who we’ve interviewed here at PFB in the past, is the author of several books, including Facing Tyson: Fifteen Fighters, Fifteen Stories.

(BPSports.com)

(reprinted from my blog)

We’ve been having some great conversations, and I would hate to distract from that but I can’t help myself. I have a hankering for a sports rant. It hits me every now and again. In this case, it’s why I want the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, which begin tonight. Here are my five reasons:

# 1 Keeping the memory of MJ alive

IMO, Michael Jordan is the best basketball player to have ever played the game. There are fewer and fewer traces of him in the league. Lakers coach Phil Jackson is one of them, and he helps keep the MJ memory alive for me. No disrespect to other NBA greats, and even if Lebron (or someone else surpasses) MJ in numbers, MJ will still be on top in my mind.

# 2 Kobe hasn’t gotten his just due

IMO, Kobe is disadvantaged by the fact that his career has been wedged between two greats - MJ and Lebron. At first he was compared with MJ, which was always destined to be a losing battle for Kobe. Then Lebron came in and stole the show. Even Kobe’s championships are attributed to Shaq. I sometimes feel like Kobe has been robbed in terms of people truly appreciating his superiority as a NBA player. He might end up being one of the best who ever played the game but will still be a footnote in some people’s minds. If the Lakers and Kobe win the Finals, I feel like Kobe puts a period on the sentence of his basketball greatness.

# 3 Goofy Gasol

Sometimes it seems like Gasol just doesn’t fit the stereotype of the typical NBA center. He’s not the mean, lean machine like Orlando’s Howard, and he’s not necessarily the most graceful guy on his feet either. Honestly, there’s a certain goofiness to him that intrigues me. And yet, he gets the job done. Where would the Lakers be without Gasol?

# 4 My daughter Jessica

Jessie was hoping for a Lakers/Cavs NBA Finals. Her favorite player is Lebron. As we know, that didn’t happen, and so Jessica is rooting for the Lakers. We have watched several games together and she made some “Go Lakers” signs with construction paper, which she holds up and yells when the Lakers do something good. She also has some pom poms that she shakes and a few cheerleader moves she does while she chants, “Lakers!!.. Defense!!..Lakers!!..Defense!!”

# 5 Reverse Psychology of Laker Bashing

‘They’ say I’m not supposed like the Lakers because of the LA persona - the glitz, the stars, the bling, the $, the Beverly Hills and Hollywood mentality, blah, blah, blah. Everyone’s waiting for the Lakers to blow it so they can gloat over their demise. Normally I am prone to cheer for the underdog. But in this case, even though I have nothing against the Orlando Magic, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Lakers clean their clock. I would have felt the same way if the Cavs had made it or whoever.

Though I want the Lakers to win, there are also some reasons why I wouldn’t be distraught if the Magic did. Most people didn’t expect them to beat Lebron; finishing off the Lakers would be historic.

Okay, I feel better now.

a few things to check out while you say “can you believe it’s June?” 145 times today…

+ Dwight Howard and his merry band of 3-point shooters vanquish LeBron James. How will they beat the Lakers in a 7-Game series? “God”, according to what Howard told ESPN’s Chris Sheridan:

Earlier, I asked Howard in the locker room to give me one or two reasons why I should consider picking the Magic to defeat the Lakers.

“God” was his answer, which was met with the counterargument that the Lord probably has better things to worry about than who wins a basketball game, and besides, religion and politics are usually best kept out of sports stories.

“That’s the reason, I’m telling you,” Howard replied.

+ Some MLB players go days without hearing their wife’s voice. The Rays’ Ben Zobrist hears his wife’s voice every time he steps into the batter’s box. Julianne Zobrist’s debut CD, The Tree, which “is considered in the Christian rock/alternative genre, (though) she has a broader sound.”, provides the musical backdrop for all of Ben’s at-bats.

+ Former Detroit Piston John Salley talks about his time on “I’m a Celebrity, Get ME Outta Here!” Why is he a Vegan?

Well, I don’t eat anything that has the right to live, meaning, I say this to all those Christians. God said thou shalt not kill. That means everything, not just humans.

So who’s crazier? Dwight, Ben, or John?

Need some inspiration on the last Friday in May? Then please do yourself a favor and watch DJ Gregory’s story.

I know 12 minutes is an eternity in internet video time, but seriously, this one will move and inspire you.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

1 Corinthians 9:25

It’s very hard to discuss self-discipline and ambition with peers who are attempting to recover genuine spirituality from legalistic tradition. Defenses raise up the minute you toss phrases like “spiritual discipline” or “goals.” Having been raised in the church and discovering as a teen that there’s power to be had in religious performance,I get this. It took me into my college years to realize that God wasn’t moved by all with my grocery list of spiritual accomplishments. Grace is tautological:He loved me because he loved me. I’m happy to be caught up in God’s circular reasoning. So why would I ruin a good thing with more unnecessary expectations?

But that’s exactly the discussion that Paul was attempting in 1 Corinthians 9. Paul spent much of his career sparring with believers who considered obedience to Jewish religious customs to a requisite for Salvation. According to these thinkers, you need to follow Jesus and maintain a long list of spiritual disciplines.

So isn’t it strange for Paul to mock legalistic only to turn around use the language of Olympic athletes… running long miles, boxing, beating your body? At first glance it feels like Paul is just swapping a tradition form of legalism for one of his own liking.

I’ve mentioned in another post that I’m working on my second black belt. My first black belt is in tae kwon do and I’m working on a second in a mixed martial arts system. I’m at a place in the training that I despise. I’m just past the halfway mark, and I have about eighteen more months of training to go. I remember the feeling from the last belt, the thought that I’ll never get there.

I’m not enjoying the training right now. Last Saturday I took a shot to the mouth. I still can’t bite into an apple. My incisors are chipped and I lost a filling. Not looking forward to explaining this to my dentist on Monday. I felt a pit in my stomach when I read text telling me to bring my gloves to the workout this AM. Fear never goes away. I’m hobbling around a bit today because my sparring partner missed the focus mitt and kicked my thigh (David, I’m close to being sorry for the names I called you this morning). I’m tired of the morning heavy bag workouts.

I’ve thought of quitting. The truth is, I’m never going to be a cage fighter. I’m forty-years-old and frankly, I’m just not strong enough excel in the sport.I’ve never aspired to having the pooh beaten out of me. So why put myself through this?

I love the game. I used to think MMA was this barbaric game for thugs. But it really is a thinking man’s game– it’s speed chess with gloves. The only way I get to play the game, even at a low level I do, is to make lifestyle changes. I can’t eat what I’d prefer to eat. I need to add muscle, loose fat, and work on my flexibility. Self denial increases my freedom.

So what is Paul doing?

He’s inviting people into an elite contest. Paul is suggesting that building the kingdom of heaven is as demanding as being an Olympic athlete. Kingdom building requires discipline and focused training.

Paul uses ominous language. It’s possible to disqualify yourself. Paul approaches spiritual disciplines with the same intensive of a runner who knows there’s only one medal waiting at finish line. Paul is being smug or self-righteous. He just know the truth; only a handful of people end their lives satisfied with the impact they’ve left on those around them. Only a few people die knowing that they’ve loved, created, or influenced enough.

So Paul takes the risk of being mistaken for being legalistic and tells the church to get control of how they spend their time, how they use their bodies, and what directions they point their lives.God has invited us to participate in the games.

We’ve been given God-shaped dreams. Yours might be to fight an injustice, or to create art. Yours might be to be an excellent parent, to reclaim a blighted neighborhood, or to write poetry that awakens people.

Paul reminds us that dreams mature into intentions and goals; goals must manifest themselves as objectives; and objectives must be achieved with energy and endurance.

(This is cross posted at Burnside Writer’s Collective)