• Optic yellow
• 1.5 oz.
• Sponge-like texture makes these safe for indoor hitting without a batting cage
• Players see a realistic throw or pitch
• Players do not get stung if this ball bouces off their arms or body
• Works in any Jugs pitching machine
• Lightweight!
• Pitch to batters at normal hitting distance
• Won't scuff gym floors or damage walls or bleachers

Customer Review: Great for Practice
These balls are great for batting practice as well teaching kids how to catch. They are the same size as a real baseball but will not bruise a kid if they miss a catch. Once the kids see how soft they are compared to a real ball they are a little more confident about staying behind the glove to make a catch.

Three week ago when the Phillies acquired 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz off of the Free Agency market for $ 8.5M over 2 years. My reaction was that Charlie Manuel can kiss his 3rd base problems goodbye and focus on more pressing problems like bolstering the starting rotation with another starter and adding bullpen insurance.

I see Feliz as slick with the glove, capable of high 20's to 30's in homers, particularly playing half of his games in Citizens Bank Park, near 100 RBIs and capable of hitting in the .270's to .280's. Apparently, no less than all-time great and Hall of Fame 3rd baseman Mike Schmidt would seem to agree with my assessment.

The News Journal's Scott Lauber reports that Schmidt, who is spending the next two weeks as a spring training guest instructor, noted;

"He's an impressive young man," Schmidt said. "Tremendously impressive hands, good arm, good batting stroke. I think he's going to be a big key for the club this year."

"Just watching [Feliz] on TV, he caught my eye. I can see a good, solid fundamental hitter. I don't know what his best year has been. I just know him as a mid-20s home run, 80-RBI guy. I don't know if he's ever gotten to 30 home runs or 100 RBIs, but he has that potential, without a doubt."

Homers and RBIs from a 3rd baseman. We sure didn't see that in the era of Abraham Nunez and Wes Helms. And we didn't see enough of Greg Dobbs there, but undoubtedly Feliz is superior to the three.

Phillies fans haven't seen slick fielding at 3rd base since Schmitty's day and since Scott Rolen's years with the team. So, it will be interesting to watch and see if Feliz lives up to regular 3rd base projections in the coming season.

In other spring training news, the punking of young pitcher Kyle Kendrick has received national notoriety. Brett Myers and Kendrick were guests on the "The Today Show." After the hosts and guests shared guffaws about "The Trade", Myers himself got "punked" of sorts.

Near the end of the interview, Myers received the Soupy Sales treatment by way of a 'shaving cream pie in the face' by projected starting centerfielder Shane Victorino as the Phillies again showed themselves to loose, reminiscent (but without Mitch Williams) of the Dykstra, "Dutch" Dalton and Kruk 1993 team which went to the World Series. Check out this video about the day after the punking.

Well, today's the day of the Ryan Howard salary arbitration hearing, but noone's talking.

Howard has been low-key, concentrating on getting into shape for a big season, having report to spring training 15 pounds lighter than his overweight status last season and feeling far better than he felt last year when his season was disrupted by a quad injury.

The Yahoo sports Phillies Team Report notes;

"We're just going to have to wait and see what happens," Howard said about his thorny arbitration case.

There are no indications that the Phillies are close to an agreement with Casey Close, Howard's Beverly Hills-based agent, so barring an 11th-hour settlement, Howard's 2008 salary will be decided by a three-person panel of arbitrators. And an army of Phillies fans, disguised as amateur psychologists, is wary of the effect a hearing may have on Howard's psyche.

But regardless of what gets said with Howard present at the arbitration table when the Phillies make their case for paying him less than he wants, the 2006 National League MVP insists it won't change how he approaches his job.

Since the two sides were still unable to come up with a long-term deal as the clock struck 12, the fans and media in Philadelphia seem hoping that the Phils tank the hearing and let Howard win.

Inquirer columnist Phil Sheridan said it best;

If Howard gets his $10 million, he will finally be on the positive side of the ledger book, and that will shift the responsibility for what follows to Howard.

If he proves he's worth the $10 million and more in the years to come, that will mean the Phillies got another great season from him. That big long-term deal will not look at all risky.

If Howard has a dropoff in production, the Phillies have an interesting decision to make. They could continue to work toward a long-term deal on the good-faith assumption that Howard will be worth it over his career, or they could return to the arbitration process without looking like tightwads.

Lose tomorrow and the Phillies make their fans happy, appease a superstar player, and set themselves up for a better relationship with him for years - all for $3 million.

Heck, that's more than they got out of Rod Barajas last year.

Mark Burt has been a lifelong baseball fan, particularly of the Philadelphia Phillies. Shortly before the 2006 season, Mark decided to start a baseball blog -- http://www.blogging-baseball.com which is now entering it's 3rd year online.

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Officially Licensed Major League Baseball furniture! This hand carved, hand painted table lamp bears the official logo, colors and markings of your favorite team.

After the death of my grandfather, a few years passed and I began to hear about a friend of mine who was having quite a health challenge.

Juan Chesson was probably the nicest guy you would ever meet. He was a year older than me. I was in several classes with his younger brother, Harold. Their father was a teacher and coached high school football and baseball. Consequently, Juan participated in sports and grew up playing whiffle ball, basketball and football with his brother and friends in their backyard. When he got older, Juan played high school football and baseball. Of course, he received all of the sportsmanship awards.

An avid runner, Juan stayed in better shape than any of us once we graduated high school. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, many of us would get together and play basketball full-court. Several of the players had been all-conference and all-state athletes. Yet no one wanted to guard Juan, because he was always in such great shape!

A good student, he graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Mathematics. He eventually became a high school teacher and baseball coach in Asheville, North Carolina. He had a happy and satisfying career and was making a difference in the lives of his young students.

Then he found out he had leukemia.

Juan went through the traditional medical treatments, using chemotherapy. After a lengthy battle, the leukemia went into remission. When we heard the news, we all let out a sigh of relief. After all, Juan was one of the good guys. But he was not yet out of the woods.

Eventually the leukemia came back again, this time stronger than ever. Juan fought the good fight, but this time the disease won. Shelton Juan Chesson, Jr. passed away in the fall of 1999. He was just thirty-two years old. He left behind a wife who was eight months pregnant.

Juan's death made me think long and hard about a few things. I realized that I could take nothing for granted in life, especially my health. If it could happen to Juan, it could happen to anybody.

Every once in awhile, I find myself wondering about my friend. I bet they play whiffle ball now in heaven. All because of Juan.

Paul F. Eilers is an independent nutrition researcher and writer. His main interest is in cutting-edge nutrition that improves health and reverses illness. For further information, visit http://www.PaulEilers.com

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