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Join The Lowdown Blog 2012 Fantasy Baseball Pool

If you thought that we were only hockey, football and Formula One fans around here at The Lowdown Blog, you would’ve been wrong. We’re also baseball fans. This year, we’ve got a couple of different rotisserie baseball pools for you to join.

The first is a classic rotisserie league. You compete against the rest of the league on ten different traditional roto stats including runs, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, batting average, strikeouts, pitcher wins, saves, ERA and WHIP. Click here to join the classic LowdownBlog.com Roto Pool.

Our other rotisserie baseball league is based on Moneyball. Bill James would be proud of this fantasy pool because we’ve picked ten stats that follow the classic Moneyball principles. These stats are runs, extra base hits, RBIs, pitches per plate appearance, OPS, pitcher wins, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine innings and saves plus holds. Click here to join the LowdownBlog.com Moneyball Roto Pool.

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Angels In The Outfield (The Complete Movie)

So baseball’s most coveted free agent, Albert Pujols, has left St. Louis high and dry and will become a Los Angeles Angel of Anaheim (of California of America of Earth of the Terran Solar System of the Milky Way Galaxy of the Known Universe). He signed a ten-year, $250 million dollar contract. In other personnel news, they signed one of the of free agent pitchers in C.J. Wilson. It’s almost like a miracle occurred for Angels fans.

And that (along with jet lag) brings us to this post. To celebrate what Angels fans will likely eventually come to know as the Failed Free Agent Miracle of 2011, here’s video of the last Angels miracle. It’s the 1994 movie Angels In The Outfield. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Big Hits

Believe it or not, I’ve actually gotten a complaint that the photos I’ve been running are too tame. Hopefully Canadian model Daria Werbowy will satisfy all.

I’m no baseball fan by any stretch of the definition. However, even I thought the final day of the regular season was amazing. If you missed the final minutes of the season (or just want to relive it), here are the final two games in the AL wild card chase as they happened in real-time. (Deadspin)

A study says that hockey players are more aggressive when wearing black jerseys. That can’t be right. Philly wears orange jerseys. (Larry Brown Sports)

Florida Panthers prospect Rocco Grimaldi isn’t making a splash for trying to make the league as a 5’6″ forward but for his Twitter rants. Grimaldi is a pretty serious Christian and doesn’t like women running around in revealing clothing. (Puck Daddy) Two things: 1) Rocco, your team doesn’t suck because they’re distracted by pretty ladies; and 2) Ladies, keep wearing whatever you want. He’ll see the light eventually.

After the jump, Ken Dryden talks head injuries, political stupidity and what would happen if computer problems were real? Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Kick-Off

I don’t watch NCIS:LA but I can’t fault people who do if Daniela Ruah is on the show.

With the NFL pre-season underway, that means it’s time we’re kicking off fantasy football season. Did you know that it’s a billion-dollar industry? (Hollywood Reporter)

Nobody’s asking but it’s not a bad question: How will the recent US economic debt crisis / double-dip recession affect the economics of the NHL? (On The Forecheck)

Bad news for pay-per-view providers: Cable/satellite users are buying less PPV porn. That’s what the internet does for you. (Wall Street Journal)

After the jump, Punk vs. Cena II, baseball’s fake attendance numbers and Brokeback About Nothing. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Fireworks

Did you know that tomorrow is Independence Day? Well, since this is a Canadian blog, let’s kick of with some non-American eye candy. We’ve got a treat for the Yanks tomorrow, though. In the meantime, here’s British WAG and model Abbey Clancy.

We all know sports owners try to cry poor but is it all just show? Deadspin found some old New Jersey Nets financial statements and examine how they exaggerate their loss. (Deadspin)

But sometimes losses are a result of the product on the field. Take the Toronto Blue Jays who’ve been out of the post-season hunt for almost 20 years. (Grantland)

And speaking of baseball and losses, Charlie Sheen is back in the news. In an interview, he says that he took steroids while filming Major League and his fastball gained 5 MPH. (Sports Illustrated)

After the jump, wrestling is real to Jim Rome, Costas and Michaels get reunited and blowing up bridges. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: The Boys of Summer

It’s time for the Sunday links. Since it’s been a while since I’ve done a linkdump, I’ll have some old ones in here. But in the meantime, here’s Blake Lively because we’re seeing a lot more of her lately (pun intended).

There’s a new show on FX starring Frodo Baggins and an imaginary dog… I don’t get it either. Anyway, Fox decided to promo it during their baseball games in the worst way possible. (MockSession)

The NFLPA’s latest move to get more money for the players? Stay decertified. (Yahoo Sports)

Having fun at school is verboten! Two high school seniors had some fun by performing a lightsaber fight in the cafeteria. The principal didn’t like it so much. (WHDH)

After the jump, other NHL disciplinarian candidates, strange TLC shows and Ukrainian parliament vs. Mortal Kombat. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Go Big

I know we’re still some weeks away from the premiere of Fast Five but here’s Jordana Brewster who is the only reason to watch it near as I can figure.

The gang at MLB Trade Rumors had one of the biggest finds of the year when they published a Major League Baseball contract. Here’s a look at the more fascinating points found on a standard contract. (Business Insider)

It looks like the Big Four North American sports leagues are going to go global sooner or later. But just how will they look when they go worldwide? (Unathletic)

Sex and politics haven’t really gone together since the political administration. That isn’t stopping one ex-staffer from telling all in an upcoming book. (Washington Post)

After the jump, all about cricket, Rick Rolling Oregon and NBA lockout attack ads. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Play Ball

It’s Wednesday! Wednesday! Gotta get down on Wednesday! Sorry, I’ll eventually stop those jokes. Anyway, here’s Brooklyn Decker.

What happens when an April Fools joke is joked itself? Well, that’s what happened when some techies at USC made GMail Motion a reality. (New York Times)

Planning on going to a baseball game this season? You might want to plan your visit around one of these crazy promotions. (Mental Floss)

Just because March Madness is over doesn’t mean that bracket madness is over. Now we’ve got the bracket for the most powerful person in sports. (Business Insider)

After the jump, the future of beer vendors, betting on WrestleMania 27, and Colbert gets down on Friday. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Opening Weekend

I’m back for another edition of the Sunday links. This one is slightly less rushed than Wednesday’s edition but to make up for that one, here’s Lowdown favourite Kate Upton.

WrestleMania 27 is tonight in Atlanta. I’m excited because The Rock will be there an almost certainly make an impact. Even more exciting is the fact that you can bet on the outcome of the matches. (Bodog)

As we kick off the 2011 MLB season, legendary baseball writer and statistician Bill James laments the lack of quality up-and-coming sports writers. (Slate)

It’s easy to understand his concern when you realize that computers are pumping out better game stories than real writers. (Deadspin)

After the jump, some more baseball links, hot women won’t go Dutch and Everybody Loves Raymond goes to Russia. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: Not Winning

So Steve is away for the weekend, so it’s actually Jackie here writing your latest edition of the Sunday Link-Off. Since he has been nice enough to cover for my Entertainment Link-Offs while I was away, it would be nice of me to return the favour. Kicking off this entry is Vanessa Hudgens. She’s starring in the film Beastly this weekend… and from the looks of it, it’s not looking like it’ll be winning any Oscars next year.

After the jump, more Charlie Sheen moments, a flowchart to help you figure out which MLB team to root for, a new extreme form of hockey has emerged, and Canadian national anthem fail. Continue reading →