Things You May Have Missed While You Were Living Your Life

While I try to detox from my own President’s Day weekend (I can feel the casino smoke still trapped inside my pores), here’s a little catch up post of things you may have missed during your own celebrations.

Better than that, every team has now reported to spring training. The long winter is nearly over.

Baseball in the Dominican Republic. I don’t even have a joke for this one, it’s just an article that I demand you read.

The Worst Pitches in 2011. It’s not nice to revel in another person’s failures, but it sure can be fun.

Raul Ibanez signs with Yankees. And all the Yankees had to do was jettison AJ Burnett. Flip Flop Fly Ball breaks this down the only way necessary: with a .gif.

Cubs and Red Sox close to compensation for Theo Epstein. But how can you put a price on a broken heart?

Add published author to Sam Fuld’s resume after this fantastic look inside Game 162.

Manny Ramirez signs with the A’s. How long before the “It’s just Mannyball being Mannyball” refrain is heard?

Buster Posey will not be allowed to block the plate. You know those overprotective mothers who won’t let their children go outside because they once heard of a child catching an untreatable disease? I’m guessing the baseball gods may be angered by this and will see to it that Buster Posey gets a real nasty blister while on a hike next weekend.

Bob Wickman used to throw up to make weight. He’d rather throw up than slim down? My hero.

Jon Niese got a nose job and Carlos Beltran paid for it. You know, Jon, real friends love you for who you are, not what you look like.

Mike Cameron to retire. I wrote a little about Cameron when it looked like he was going to retire this past September. Now it’s official.

The Making of “Homer at the Bat.” This is the kind of journalism I care about.

Tim Wakefield is retired. Long live Tim Wakefield! Also, Jeff Sullivan put together gifs of Wakefield striking people out with his low-70s fastball. It’s beautiful.