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Take your game outside and SPALDING has the ball for you. This SPALDING basketball has incredible feel and grip for every skill level.Take it to the streets with Spalding's officially sized and affordably priced NBA Street basketball. It's designed to withstand the street game with a durable outdoor rubber cover. It features deep, black channels for expert handling on the court and all-ball pebbling for a good grip. This official NBA sized ball--with the official NBA logo and NBA Commissioner David Stern's signature--has a 29.5-inch circumference.

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Spalding 63249 Official Size NBA Street Basketball

If you have heard about the professional independent minor league baseball teams and leagues, sometimes called the "indy leagues", then you may have wondered why you should pay attention to them.  Since the leagues are not affiliated with the Minor League Baseball teams, many people dismiss these leagues and teams without much thought.  

Here are four reasons why you should pay attention to independent baseball:

First, independent baseball virtually guarantees that fans get something which they claim to want for a long time:  seeing professional athletes who make less than the fans do!  The players rarely receive any money during the off-season, and most have to work jobs from September through April in order to have the ability to play during the summer.  Many people do not know this, but a Major League superstar making million a year oftentimes makes more per game than the entire season's player payroll of an independent baseball team!  

Since many players in independent baseball get signed to contracts with affiliated Minor League teams, the perceived discrepancy in talent is not as wide as many may think.  This means that fans get to see quality professional baseball at a great price and have the opportunity to cheer for the underdog player who may have been overlooked.  Over 30 players who have MLB experience started their pro careers in the independent leagues, having never been signed to a Minor League contract before throwing their first professional pitch or at bat.  Kevin Millar and Chris Coste are just two examples of players whose careers started in the independent leagues.

Second, you may want to consider following independent baseball because you get to see players who truly play for the love of the game.  An "insider's secret" about professional baseball is that there are many guys sitting at home who, after a few weeks of getting in shape, could play in the independent leagues.  Whether the guys are beginning careers, families, have legal concerns, nagging injuries, or simply didn't have the funds to travel to several tryouts, they are not in uniform for one reason or another.  Many times, however, a player will not play because he believes - oftentimes incorrectly - that he is "worth more money" than what an independent team is paying.

This means that fans get to see players who genuinely care about playing baseball regardless of the financial situation.  The other benefit is that many independent leagues, depending on your geography, often offer a caliber of play which is superior to a lower-level affiliated team.  This claim is justified by looking at the rosters of several independent baseball teams which have lots of former Major Leaguers and Triple-A players.  Odds are that they would beat many "rookie" teams and other lower-level teams simply due to their physical maturity and level of professional playing experience.  Again, this means that fans get terrific baseball at a great price.

Finally, consider following independent baseball because you get to see former Major Leaguers who are managing these teams.  During the 2009 season there were at least 20 independent baseball team managers and coaches with Major League playing experience.  Many of these managers sign autographs, share stories with fans at games, and pass along some tremendous knowledge to their players.  Their experience lends credibility to the independent baseball industry and gives the fans reassurance that they are watching quality baseball.

The next time you read a story about an independent baseball team hopefully you will have a greater appreciation for the players and managers.  Should you have the opportunity to attend an independent league game then be sure to enjoy your time at the game and remember that you will be seeing some terrific baseball.

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Has there been anybody in the history of baseball that have thrown with both right and left hand in the same game.

Best answer:

Answer by JtoJ
no

Add your own answer in the comments!
Baseball banter: Son of Barnesville natives in majors; Yakubik caps fine rookie year; Ritz' record in jeopardy
Baseball banter: Son of Barnesville natives in majors; Yakubik caps fine rookie year; Ritz' record in jeopardy Football may be on the minds of most local sports fans right now, but there's plenty of baseball news to discuss including a Major League pitch
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Reasons Why Independent League Baseball Is Worth Following

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Hockey hecklers make noise at Ice Arena
While the Illinois hockey team prepares for each game by practicing drills, its fans are at home doing research on each of the team's opponents. These fans are not searching the stat books to see how good the other squad is or what kind of season its best player is having.
Read more on Daily Illini

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Franklin NHL Mini Hockey Goal Set

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Soccer clipboard with dry erase pen... More >>

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Kwik Goal Soccer Clipboard

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Japan stops Hawaii to win Little League title

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adidas 3-Stripes II Soccer Sock

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‘It feels good’ — Tiger roars to tie for lead

The Opening Pitch: Let's call it "Last Call."

This will be the final edition of the Wake-Up Call on SportingNews.com.

For more than two and a half years, I have had the pleasure of writing this column for you here, and I hope it has made your mornings a little more ... well, at the very least, full of more shallow analysis of the biggest stories of the sports day.

From the Olympic glory of Michael Phelps in 2008 to the self-glorification of LeBron James in 2010, every day has been its own treat. I particularly appreciate your indulgence for my obsessive coverage of Tim Tebow. (Not that he didn't earn it!)

Sports fans know: There is always something new to keep us entertained, appalled, laughing or cheering. I hope you will continue to keep up with me at DanShanoff.com and through Twitter (@danshanoff). I look forward to hearing from you.

I sincerely appreciate your time, attention and support (and even our disagreements!), and I hope we will cross paths again soon. Now, where's that snooze button. ...

Titans give Chris Johnson his new deal: I'm glad to see this tense situation get some closure, while there was still a moment to praise the Titans for doing the right thing and giving the most valuable and dominant RB in the league the pay raise he has earned.

Florida football scandal? Speaking of Tebow, it sure would be a shame if his record-breaking performance in the Sugar Bowl was wiped out because the Gators had to vacate the win because center Maurkice Pouncey did something he shouldn't have with an agent. (FWIW, the Pouncey family denies any wrongdoing.)

MLB Talking Points: Neither Miguel Cabrera nor Josh Hamilton are going to end up winning the AL Triple Crown, but it sure is fun watching them slug it out. (Last night, head-to-head: Cabrera 2 HR, Hamilton 4 H)

More:

• Trade Talk: Dodgers want an ace?

• Ubaldomania: Can't beat Marlins.

• Ouch: Hope Dustin Nippert is OK.

• Media: Well, THIS only enables him.

• Fantasy Stud: Cabrera (obv).

SEC Media Days Preview: It won't be quite the same as last year's "Tebow Media Days," but between the defending national champ, the most intriguing QB story line in the country (John Brantley replacing Tim Tebow) and the hilarity that inevitably ensues when you enter the Spurrier-Nutt-Miles triangle, it remains the premier media-day(s) event in college sports.

CFB Countdown: No. 45 BYU. Remember at the start of last season when BYU beat Oklahoma and they were briefly in the mix at No. 1? It's a bit of a drop-off from that.

NBA Offseason: Rich Cho -- top assistant to Sam Presti in Oklahoma City -- is the best GM hire since ... Sam Presti. You know what would help make Cho look really, really good? Healthy Greg Oden.

Favre Watch: The Brad Childress visit is usually a sign that Favre is ready to signal his comeback, right? At this point, if he doesn't want to go to training camp, why doesn't he just say so publicly? We all know he doesn't want to deal -- and assume that's why he isn't announcing his return until later this month -- so why put up a charade?

NBA Summer Summary: John Wall? Even better than we thought. Evan Turner? Told you he was overrated. (Full recap from Deveney here.)

D-Wade is sorry: For the WTC insensitivity. Solid crisis management: A quick, presumably sincere apology within 24 hours of an issue popping up, and it's all put behind us.

CBB Offseason: I said this last week and I lament it as much as the rest of you -- Duke is going to win another national title next season, sitting at No. 1 from the preseason until the end of the Final Four. (One big reason? Freshman PG sensation Kyrie Irving.)

NCAA Tournament Expansion: Let's hope that UConn AD Jeff Hathaway can talk glibly about the reason a 96-team NCAA Tournament is a great thing. As the head of the selection committee in 2011-2012, he may be on the watch when it gets approved.

Business: Derek Jeter being named the most marketable player in baseball isn't nearly as interesting as Stephen Strasburg being named No. 4 on the list, after less than two months of playing at the MLB level.

The Last Word: Thanks again for reading. And special thanks from me to my editors Kathy Sheldon and Alisha Hord, to longtime Sporting Blog editor Chris Littmann and my talented colleagues at Sporting Blog and to Sporting News programming guru Shawn Schrager, who originally recruited me to Sporting News to write the column.

Dan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/danshanoff.

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Shanoff’s WUC: Your Final Wake-Up Call

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Adidas RESPONSE Junior Soccer Goalkeeper’s Glove

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Vikings lose to 49ers in Favre’s return

The Titans and Chris Johnson have agreed to a revised deal that will pay him $2.5 million this season. That's not exactly the $30 million in guaranteed coin he once demanded, but at least it's a raise.

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Offsides: Chris Johnson’s Payday Arrives … Sort Of

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60% ethylene vinyl acetate / 30% thermoplastic polyurethane / 10% polyester.Amazon.com Product Description
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adidas World Cup 2010 Capitano Spain Soccer Ball

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adidas World Cup 2010 Capitano Spain Soccer Ball

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Florio: Few can avoid NFL’s coaching hot seat

"Hello everyone. Today I made the podium and I am happy about that. But there's a problem with the circumstances. Just when I attacked, Andy had a mechanical problem, on the last climb. The race was on, and maybe I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

Contador is specifically apologizing for taking advantage of Schleck's mechanical problem by blowing past him while his bike wasn't working properly. Per The Telegraph:

Schleck started the day 31 seconds ahead of Contador and needing to extend that lead ahead of Saturday’s time-trial. After biding his time on another sweltering day … he attacked with a savage burst 4km short of the summit of the mighty Port de Balès 24km from the finish.

In no time Schleck had put 45 yards on Contador and was stretching that lead when his chain slipped and tangled and he came to grinding halt.
Contador, chasing hard by now, had to swerve as he passed the stationary Schleck on the inside and narrowly avoided colliding with a parked car as he attacked the yellow jersey.

Afterwards, however, he insisted he did not realise Schleck had stopped and encountered a problem. Replays clearly show Contador constantly looking back over his shoulder to check the progress of his rival as he accelerated hard to ram home his advantage.

Per the report, Schleck and Contador are friends, but the defending champ not only left his challenger in the proverbial dust, but also in a fit of rage. Schleck told reporters, "[m]y stomach is full of anger. The race is not finished and I will take my revenge. I can end it like a champion. I would never have raced like that and taken advantage of that situation. For sure these guys don’t get the fair-play prize today.”

Excuse me if I take an American point of view in this situation. First, cycling has more reports of cheating – yes it's mostly doping – than any sport in the world, so it's somewhat hilarious to the outsider to read about a moral and ethical code within a race. Second, it's a bike race! Men…riding bikes. There are only two things in that equation. The men, and the bikes. If something happens to the man – a knee injury or a back problem – does the race stop so he can grab a massage and an ice pack? Why, then, if something happens to the bike, should the other competitors hold up the rest of the race until one rider can fix his problem?

If a NASCAR driver got a flat tire or had a belt snap, would the rest of the drivers wait for him to fix it in the pits before getting back to full speed? If a marathon runners shoe falls off, does everyone wait until he can secure a proper double knot?

You can make the case that it's understandable for other riders to slow down after a competitor crashes – if for nothing else, like car racing, to not add to the carnage – and there's probably some karmic value to making sure you don’t benefit from another racer's injury. But bike malfunction?

Contador shouldn’t be apologizing to Schleck, he should be telling him to get a better bike. Alas, this is what happens in the Tour de France. With a race that's completed in stages, there is ample time for a racer to let the press, and the sentiment of the fans, get into his head. Contador wants to win, but he clearly doesn't want to be the villain in the process.

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Contador Apologizes For Tour de France Pass, Showing Cycling Does Have Some Ethics

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Champion Sports Soccer Referee Wallet