Chipper, the MLB All-Star Game & "YT" and the Charlotte Eagles Soccer

Major League Baseball's "Mid-Summer Classic" is a week away and the rosters were announced yesterday (Sunday, July 1st). As has been the custom for just about as long as I can remember the fans get to vote on the starting line-ups for the game. However, after seeing this tradtion for many, many years I have come to the conclusion that the fans voting for the starters might not be such a good thing. Especially since MLB's illustrious commissioner decreed that the All-Star game decided home field advantage for the World Series.

This year's glaring examples of the fans getting it wrong include third base for the National League where the fans voted Carlos Sandoval as the starter over the New York Mets' David Wright. Sandoval has played in a little over half the San Francisco Giants' games which is 30 less games than Wright. In his 45 games Sandoval has 6 homers and 25 rbi while hitting .300. Contrast that with Wright who in 76 games is hitting .354 with 9 homers and 50 rbi. If Sandoval is qualified to be the NL starter at third base then Chipper Jones is doubly qualified since he is in his final season. In 44 games Chipper has 6 homers, 29 rbi and is hitting .292 which is roughly the same stats as Sandoval.

One other fan faux pas on the NL side is the selection of Matt Kemp to a starting spot in the outfield. Kemp who has been on the DL for over half the season has only appeared in 36 games. And while his stats are good enough, voting an injured player to a starting spot is just plain silly. Especially when you consider that there are players like Michael Bourne and Martin Prado of the Atlanta Braves who have played in over twice as many games and have the stats to back it up. Bourne is second in the NL in hits with 100 and third in Major League Baseball in stolen bases with 22. He has hit 7 homers with 29 rbi while hitting .302 all from the leadoff spot for the Braves. Prado is the type of player that is custom made for the All-Star game in that he plays a multitude of positions. This year alone he has played left field, first base, second base and third base. In 76 games Prado is sixth in the league (8th in MLB) in hits with 95. He has 5 homers, 31 rbi and has a batting average of .321.

My big beef with the NL roster is that Chipper Jones is not on the roster. He has to rely on the "Final Fan Vote" in order to be included in an All-Star game that should have been played in his honor. Moreover, he has to go up against his teammate Michael Bourne who also deserved to be included on the roster without having to go up against Chipper for the final spot. Then you have the likes of 19 yeaqr-old rookie Bryce Harper of Washington who is also in the Final Vote Ballot. I certainly hope that fans will give Chipper his due and put him in the All-Star game in his final season.

                                             
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Justin in his #18 Eagles Jersey with "YT" & the rest of

at the Eagles at Justin's 6th Birthday Party at the

Eagles Game.

Over the years I have developed a passion and appreciation for the game of Futbol aka Soccer. Growing up in the 60's and 70's in the foothills of North Carolina my spring and summers were filled with baseball. At that time soccer was some game played in European countries that didn't play "real football". As my children became older and got into sports all three tried baseball or T-ball, my daughter Haley stuck with it through one season of playing machine-pitch baseball with the boys. She was the only girl in a league consisting of over 120 players. At the same time she was introduced to soccer and she switched over and became a good soccer player and later an outstanding goal keeper. My son got hooked on soccer at an early age. When he was around 1 year-old we signed him up for something called Soccer Pals at the daycare where he was enrolled. Soccer Pals was a program started by the Charlotte Eagles, a local professional soccer team here in Charlotte. In particular one of their standout players, Dustin Swinehart or Whitey as he was known ran the program. He and my son almost instantly connected and a soccer star was born.  

"YT",Dustin Swinehart in action
on the field & post game

For 4 years my son, Justin and Whitey were Soccer Pals. Right before Justin left the daycare Whitey gave Justin some tickets to see the Eagles in action. So Justin and I went to Waddell High School to see the Eagles play soccer. The match ended and then I was surprised to learn that this group of "professional athletes" were not the sterotypical bunch. Everyone in attendance was invited to the field to meet the players. Justin and I went down to the field to speak to Whitey and Justin asked for his autograph. Dustin Swinehart signed Justin's ball "YT" followed by a bible verse. I asked, why "YT" and he told me it was short for Whitey. After the post game meet and greet with "YT" and his mates I became a big fan. The next season our family started attending Eagles matches and learned there was also a Lady Eagles soccer team. We were hooked. We have been fans and season ticket holders since...Several years ago after I had rekindled my photography interest by shooting my kids soccer matches, I took things one step further and volunteered my services as photographer for the Eagles and Lady Eagles. Turns out they needed a photographer from time-to-time when their staff photographer, Rusty Burroughs was not available. The rest, as they say, is history.

For 5 years now I have been shooting the Eagles and Lady Eagles matches and I am very proud to say that I have many friends within the organization. This year marks the Eagles 20th Anniversary. They are one of a select few organizations that have been in existance for such a long period of time. They join the Charleston Battery and Richmond Kickers as teams celebrating their 20th year this year. Coming up on July 14th the Eagles will have a reunion of their teams from the past 20 years. Thanks to "YT", I am proud to say I have been part of the Eagles as a fan and part of the organization for half of the 20 years.