Dr Razz

Our analysis has consistently shown us that home teams perform better against non-divisional rivals but we have always lumped Interleague teams into this category. There is reason to believe that Interleague home teams have a larger advantage. It makes sense for home teams to perform better in Interleague play for a variety of reasons. AL teams have an advantage at home and a disadvantage on the road because of the DH. When allowed to use the DH, AL teams are able to use a vastly superior #9 hitter than the NL teams are used to. If AL teams are not allowed to use the DH, this will often cause the AL team to either drop their DH, who is generally one of their best hitters or move him into a position...

Changes, changes, changes. It seems like now more than ever we are experiencing change in our lives at such a pace that our heads are spinning. Many of our jobs have been cut back or are threatened to be lost entirely, our incomes have shriveled or been eliminated altogether and the value of our homes has taken a nose dive along with any retirement savings we may have been lucky enough to put away. Our faith in the government has eroded and we're left with less and less certainty about what we can count on for the long haul. Hopefully, our spiritual faith remains a constant in these troubling times as well as our relationships with those we love; our families and our friends. Aside from these things...

I am a punter. I like to gamble on the horses and the greyhounds- more especially the greyhounds. One day I thought to myself, what would be more fun than betting on the greyhounds? The answer I came up with, not surprisingly is- owning my own greyhound! Wouldn't you agree that there would be nothing more exciting than seeing your greyhound pass the finishing post first? One thing that keeps most people out of the greyhound game is costs. Getting your hands on a top class greyhound is expensive! You could be looking at more than ten thousand dollars. And, on top of that, you also have feed and rearing costs. The expenses associated with a greyhound do not mean you cannot be an owner. This is where...

Today fencers specialize, at the elite level in a single weapon and at the club level usually in a single weapon, but occasionally in two. There have always been specialists, but in the earlier days of the sport three weapon fencers were quite commonplace. From a practical point of view, even through the 1960s, small clubs widely spaced in much of the country meant that if you only fenced one weapon, your choice of opponents and competitions could be quite limited. The three weapon generalist had a specific competition format as late as 1948, with United States individual national championships being held in Three Weapons. Two options exist for three weapons bouts: (1) a bout fenced with 5 touches...

One of the toughest things for people who hate the cold, is finding activities to entertain oneself with in the winter. Where the summer offers great weather to go to the beach, or the park, or even to go into the city to entertain oneself for the day, these activities become immensely less enjoyable when winter and the cold air rolls around. Here are a few ideas of fun activities to do. First, forget spring cleaning, do winter cleaning. Why wait until springtime when the weather is nice to clear out your house? The winter time is a great time to do this cleaning as you are already stuck in the house anyway. Try and organize all of your clutter, clean the floors, maybe even paint the walls if you've...

In the 1700s student fraternities in many German Universities adopted the duel with sharp swords as a ceremonial right of passage. Each university dueling corps community had different rules, known as the comment. The comment regulated the weapons to be used, the number of blows to be exchanged as a phrase, and the number of phrases the fencers would engage in. They also regulated the amount of protective equipment that could be worn. There were two basic forms of weapons used in academical fencing - the rapier and the heavy saber and its descendants. At the University of Jena and the University of Leipzig, the thrusting sword or dish-hilt rapier (termed tellerrapier), generally similar to the epee...

Games bring people together and games help people to have fun - something we all need in our lives. Sportcraft products have been around for over eighty years, first helping families to enjoy outdoor games like badminton, croquet, horseshoes and volleyball, then going on to focus on indoor activities like darts, foosball, billiards and air hockey. Playing games together is a family tradition and can really help bring the family closer as you compete and teach one another. The Sportcraft air hockey table line is one of the most reliable and innovative lines of hockey being manufactured today. They currently have about twenty six air hockey tables to choose from, all unique in their own way. Classic...

Several gentlemen of the cloth made a considerable bet to skate thirty miles in three hours on the lovely Aqualate Mere belonging to Sir C. Boughey, Bart, in the presence of most of the beauty and fashion of the neighbourhood. They won their bets with ease. It is amusing to try and visualise half a dozen parsons, with their black coat tails flying, skating for money which probably doubled their meager stipends. Sweepstakes and betting were apparently the sole incentive to speed amongst amateurs and professionals alike, in fact, except that the professionals seem to have been a little faster one can see no difference. The great winter of the Crimean war, 1854, gave an enormous impetus to skating and...

The traditional wisdom is that fencers should attack in an open line. The reality is that you should neither attack in a closed line nor in an open line. First it seems obvious that an attack directed into a closed line will not hit, and therefore is a waste of time, effort, and opportunity while making you vulnerable to riposte. But why should we not attack into an open line? The most instructive answer is that your opponent knows the line is open and is waiting for you to attack there. If the opponent is stable and in control of his or her movements, this is a parry and riposte waiting to happen. If there are only two types of lines (open and closed), and we cannot attack into either, what are we...

Not many Golf lovers can afford to buy the same apparel or sports equipments that Tiger woods could buy. This is because they do not make any money out of the game that is dear to their heart. Apart from Golf many other sports lovers can not manage to pay for costly sports equipments and would have to settle for cheap sports equipment. These sports equipments would be needed by the masses in large quantities regularly. Any one would admit that there is a definite advantage to buying expensive and reputed sports goods. There is no need to get any body's advice as these brands have stood the test of time. They are well known for their durability and always help a player to enhance his performance...

Puzzle mania reached its peak in USA in 1933. People found them so entertaining that they wanted them last forever and ever. So, all jigsaw puzzles at the time were made of wood. And as ideas flowed forth gustily, the concept of custom jigsaw puzzles came into being. Custom jigsaw puzzles are usually made of wood. Experts in the field add special touches to make the puzzles unique. For example a jigsaw puzzle with a flower theme will have flower shaped pieces. Custom jigsaw puzzles can be used to propose marriage, celebrate family traditions, and create cherished family heirlooms. A very popular idea in marriage proposal jigsaw puzzles, is to keep the message in a single piece. The ploy suggested...

Safety is the main concern when you are considering participation in any type of racing. You won't be doing your loved ones any favors if you put yourself in jeopardy. You certainly won't win any races if you are spending your time benched and wounded. Like other kinds of motorsports, the safety side of racing mowers has progressed. The lawn mower racing authorities now have devoted safety resources. The manufacturers of protective equipment have constantly developed new and better gear. The regulations order the use of an ignition kill switch tether for racing lawn mowers - how could you disagree? The tether is connected to the kill switch of the vehicle and the racer's wrist. If a crash happens...

If you're Micheal Jordan serious about playing at the next level, it's time to put a game plan in action. - Academics: GPA and Testing Scores - Athletics: Setting goals and improving constantly! - Mental Attitude: Must have a focused positive mentality to make the leap to the next level! - Funding: Something 95% of high school athletes need to think about. - Marketing: Take it from me, someone who has been there and knows how it works. If you're a step slow marketing yourself, you'll be riding the pine so to speak. My senior year I averaged 26.1 points per game with a high game of 41 twice. I assumed my level of play would be enough to get mid level to big schools knocking down my door...

Whether you're a softball coach or player, you're probably aware that it takes a lot of time and dedication to be the best that you can ever be. Even the world's top coaches and players had to start from scratch like everyone else. But we have to admit that there are also times when we simply can't spend too much time learning something. Take for example a situation wherein your best pitcher was injured, and therefore, your secondary pitcher should step up. You could spend an entire season refining her technique. But it would also help if you have a quick remedy to the situation under your sleeve. That's why I came up with these quick yet effective softball hitting tips. I made this for coaches and...

If you have never tried playing the guessing game of Taboo you should immediately visit the board game selves of your local toy-store and purchase a box that hides inside numerous moments of fun and true creative spirit. I was introduced to Taboo one evening at a friend's house and since then I have been playing this extremely entertaining game with family and friends in different occasions. Taboo is a word guessing party game that is commercially produced and distributed by Hasbro. With a few hundred cards, which contain words on both sides, taboo can transform a boring evening into a exhilarating event. The rules of the game are rather simple, but it will manage to attract the attention of even...

Disc golfing is still a fairly obscure sport although it has gained popularity over the years. There are many courses and people that play all over North America and other parts of the world. The hard part is knowing where to find the courses and people to play with. With the use of the internet, this has become much easier. First of all, do a search in your town for disc golf courses. There are many sites online now that are trying to document the locations of these courses to make it easier for players to find what they need. Some even have pictures of each tee and basket to give you an idea of what kind of course it is. Use the official PDGA site for official courses that might be nearby. You...

It's likely to happen eventually. Your daughter picked a sport, was enjoying it, but now is ready to quit. Or maybe she never liked it from the very start. Do you let her quit or push her to keep going? This is a tough decision for any parent. You've probably spent money signing her up for the sport and on equipment, and it can be hard to see it wasted. There may also be teammates depending on her. Talk to Her The first thing to do if you daughter wants to quit a sport she's been playing is find out why, especially if she was the one to suggest playing it in the first place. Sometimes the reason will be very good. If the sport is getting in the way of doing well in school, you probably need to let...

The sports equipment business has grown from very humble beginnings to a multi-billion dollar industry in the last 100 years. What is the main thing that spurred this growth? In some ways, you might say there has been a sports gear industry for thousands of years. Man has always engaged in sport and recreational activities whenever his quest for survival allowed him any leisure time at all. In ancient Rome, games like chariot races and gladiatorial contests entertained the people. It might be said that the suppliers of the chariots and the makers of swords were involved in industry, but in each case, the product was used for other things and was adapted to the sporting or leisure event. Some early...

Birds are a wonder of nature. They are beauty and grace in motion. Humans have always looked at birds through their own eyes or through binoculars with a sense of awe and wonder. In ancient Roman times, they were thought to be omens. It was believed that their flight patterns and calls were actually foretelling the future. Even today, scientists look to birds for the answers to questions. Their patterns of flight and changes in their numbers can be a signal of important environmental changes. It is no wonder then, that bird watching has been a pastime that has sustained in popularity through the ages. Bird watching is just what it says it is. It is the observation of birds, usually in their natural...

"> History 1900 America's Margaret Abbott won the gold medal at the Second Summer Games in Paris, France. She became the first American woman to win a gold medal in Olympic history. 1926 Gertrude Ederle -at the age of 19-- became the first woman to swim the English Channel. She accomplished the feat in 14 hrs and 31 minutes. Miss Ederle hails from New York City. 1928 Amelia Earhart became first woman to fly the Atlantic. She flew across the Atlantic Ocean alone - the first woman to do this. She met King George V of England and became friends with the U.S. president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. 1960 African-American Wilma Rudolph was one of the world's best athletes. Without a doubt, she attracted...

With warmer days just around the corner, it's easy for one's mind to start wandering to thoughts of outdoor amusements in the warm sun and fresh air. What could be more enjoyable than a soft breeze and colorful kites soaring high in the sky? Browse through a selection of kites and you'll find there's more to flying than grabbing your favorite colored flyer off the shelf. There are a dizzying variety of shapes, materials and prices. Knowing a little more about the most popular types will help you make the right choice. Diamonds: For Anyone, Anytime Simple and traditional, the diamond is the classic shape. They're usually made of nylon or plastic, although paper or Mylar are occasionally used. While...

The accepted opinion is that darts was first conceived due to the boredom connected with being a soldier during medieval times. In the course of downtime between brawls, troops might challenge one another to games of throwing short spears at a thin piece of a cut down tree. The age rings within the timber as well as the splits that developed from drying out created a basic likeness to a present day dart board comprised of numerous lines and several various scoring regions. The sport evolved into somewhat accepted in the middle ages as it was used to maintain soldiers' hurling arms in practice. The sport of darts eventually grew to become a lot more prevalent and even noblemen would be known to throw...

Since almost the beginning of flight, RC hobbies have been around as an off shoot of Aero modelling. There is a tremendous variety of models and propulsion available when you begin your hobby in the RC universe. Everything must ultimately work together when flying RC planes and there are many aspects such as appropriate components, needed skills, handling wood and composite materials, mechanics, electronics, drafting and other aerodynamic issues in this exciting outdoor activity. You can find fellowship and new friends if you join a radio control plane club in your community. Being operated by unpaid volunteers, you can find organizations that focus on radio controlled planes and radio controlled...

It is commonly accepted in the armed forces that you will fight the way you train. Many martial arts now emphasize greater realism in technique and execution, so that the skills learned are valuable in combat. Why then do so many fencers think they are training realistically when they "fence some touches" with no score and no structure? Fencing is a simple sport; you win when you hit the other person more times in a set time period. With the exception of classical 1 touch epee where a double hit results in a double defeat, someone always wins a fencing bout in a competition. There are no ties. There is always a final score. And in the pool round that final score determines your seeding in direct...

Recording sports events is always difficult. Because players move so fast, and one ball can change the course of the whole game, much of sports recording is being one step ahead of the team you are watching. Thankfully recording your children's sporting matches is a lot easier than professionals. Though these tips will also be helpful for recording professional matches, this article is geared towards recording recreational games. Your recording can go a few ways. If you have just one camera, you should focus on the team as a whole and not just one player. If you have more than one, you can designate one camera to your child (or the team's top player) for close ups, and have one camera focused more...

Many members of our society cringe when they hear the word exercise. Visions of laborious repetitions of sit-ups and mindless miles on a treadmill are not motivators to get one up and moving. Table tennis is a wonderful alternative to other tedious exercise options. It can be played any time of the year. Most equipment is inexpensive and does not require a lot of space. Foldable tables can be stored when not in use and moved indoors or out depending on the weather. The tabletop sport is a good aerobic activity. It is, after all, one of the fastest sports around. Achieving an effective aerobic workout does not require one to push him or herself to exertion. Accumulating a couple of hours each week...

The standard format for most amateur fencing competitions is a round of pools to seed the fencers on the day, followed by a direct elimination round to determine the final placing of the fencers. The direct elimination format is what other sports call a single elimination; one loss and you are eliminated from the tournament. The tactical environment of the direct or single elimination portion of a fencing tournament is fundamentally different from the environment of the pool round. First, the fencer no longer faces a representative selection of opponents. Instead the fencers he or she faces are the numerical opposite in the seeding. If the fencer is seeded in the upper half of the tableau the first...

Kids personify energy and enthusiasm. They constantly seek an outlet to dispel this vigor and vitality and a trampoline is one of the best options parents can provide. It is a common sight to see children having the time of their life jumping on a trampoline. In fact, trampolines are so popular among children that they are a common sight in most parks, schools and even homes. Trampolines are not restricted to children. Adults also use them for recreational and exercise purposes. However, general use trampolines might not be safe for children owing to their height and high bounce. For this reason, special trampolines are designed only for kids. Kids' trampolines are much smaller in size as compared...

Modular holsters are a means of carrying weapons on a platform. They can be strapped in using an interchangeable system. There are several different types which allow the user to move weapons to different locations with adaptable holsters. Those that disconnect quickly have 5 useful features. Interchangeable A Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system allows all tactical gear designed for the interwoven attachment device to be worn securely without threat of it coming off. An elaborate grid of straps holds the holster adapters in place for safety. Any piece of gear or clothing that uses a MOLLE weave can accommodate a modular holster. Numbers Depending on the type of operation the...

Gymnastics has existed for more than 2,000 years, but its development as a modern competitive sport began about 100 years ago. It was first introduced in the school systems of U.S. in the 1830's. The first women's gymnastics instruction in the United States was given at Mount Holyoke College in 1862. In 1928, after gymnastics became an Olympic sport, many women began to compete at the Olympic level. U.S. women first competed at an international level in the gymnastics discipline at the 1936 Olympic games, in Berlin, Germany. There are many other international events of gymnastics where women from all around the world actively participate and win medals for their countries. Gymnastics as a sport...

Sports bras for larger breasts are an exceptionally good way of adding extra support when you need it most. Women with larger breasts are usually weary of the chest support they are getting when they indulge in various activities. Nonetheless various companies have designed sports bras for larger breasts in order to cater to the needs of women who are bustier. Sports bras avail women of security and peace of mind when playing sports, chasing around their children or nephews and nieces or partaking in work in the office or at home. They are lingerie which each woman should invest in. However, here is some piece of information you need to know before getting yourself a pair or so: There are three...

Many professional sporting events are thought to always be surrounded by team events and end with a championship event. In most cases there are playoffs to determine which teams are allowed to participate to be the overall champion. However, there are many sports, even sporting events that are overlooked but still declare a champion. Tournaments are held in several different forms, which include round robin, double elimination, Olympic format and most popular, single elimination. Tennis is the most popular annual sporting event that stands by single elimination Tournaments as their regular format. However, sporting events such as the World Cup for soccer and rugby have round robin tournaments, which...

Everyone is excited in Great Britain as its largest city, London, will be the host city for the coming Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. Representing the United Kingdom and the British flag, London is the only city to date to be the venue of the prestigious gathering of the world's best athletes for the third time. It hosted for the years 1908 and 1948. The Olympic Games has come a long way from its conception in Olympia, Greece. Before, during the ancient times of 8th century BC to 5th century AD, the games were combat sports and racing using chariots. Now, the games have evolved to fit the ever-changing needs of the world community. From the four-year gap of each Olympiad to the next...

Finally the long awaited Olympic Games in Vancouver have started. The future Olympic champions: who are they? As of today we cannot list the names of all the athletes that will be awarded medals during these games, but the fact that most of them were musically gifted in their childhood, is beyond doubt. Only a narrow-minded person or a dilettante could believe that all a good athlete needs to be successful are muscles of steel. And what does one need to get strong muscles? Right, he needs persistent training. Any sport is very physically demanding on the body. Have you ever heard the saying; might makes right? Does it work in reality? Whatever the sport might be - team, pair, or single - there are...