December 2008

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa

Well the time has come for good old St. Nick to come to a town near you.  Well I just wanted to say to everyone who reads Bally’s Blogs that I hope you all have a Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and a wonderful holiday season and I also hope you enjoy being with all your family and have a great time, also I really hope everyone gets what they asked for from Santa.  From everyone here on Bally’s Blog (Me), we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa and a very Happy New Year, don’t worry I will be writing on here way before new years so don’t get worried

  My plans consist of:
                                - Hanging with Family
                                - Eating lots of good food
                                - Opening gifts
                                - Battling with BAD,ICY,COLD,SNOWY,SLUSHY weather
                                - Eating more Food
                                - Resting  
    So anything else that goes on you know you guys will be the first to hear about it, so once again Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.  You guys are the best bloggers this side of the Mississippi. See ya
  
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Santa Looking at Ballys Blog 
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Bally minute # 5

  Hey everyone I just wanted to say in regards to the things I said on XM radio, I am very excited about this up coming season and I had no idea that my comments would be getting this much attention.  That being said I truly believe that with or without Mark Teixeira we are taking the right steps towards being a contender for years to come.  

Bally Minute # 4

Well it’s college football bowl time.  This is the best time of the year, except for the NCAA basketball playoffs.  So I decided to make a bowl pick ‘em league on ESPN (No money involved) and I thought it would be fun to get all my buddies and some guys from the team to join so I could show them how to dominate in picks.  So let’s see, I invited Ryan Zimmerman, Austin Kearns, Aaron Boone, and Nick Johnson and the only one of those 4 that got in was Ryan.  So Ryan’s the man and the rest of you guys are bums.  So anyway, on to the picks, I’ll just say this starting out: I am doing horrible.  I can’t seem to make the right picks, or it’s just that the teams I’m picking suck and lose when they are supposed to win.  So right now I’m looking like an idiot but don’t worry, I will pick it up and when I win this league then I will be writing a blog about it.  

Some of the games I am looking forward to and my guess on the out come are….
1. Oklahoma State vs Oregon- Remember I am and always will be Pac 10 biased. Oregon wins 35-21
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2. Georiga vs Michigan State- I really think this is going to be a great game and I’m going with Michigan State 21-14
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3. Ohio State vs Texas- I mean my fiance goes to Ohio State but what can I say, Texas is going to crush  35-14
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4. Florida vs Oklahoma- At first I really thought that Oklahoma was going to win but now I changed my mind and I’m going with Florida 21-20
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5. Now on to the main event: USC vs Penn State- and all of you guys know this already that I love USC so I’m going with the Trojans 42-10
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  Feel free to copy these picks 
                                                                                                                                       
  So other than that, all that I have been doing is just getting ready for spring training.  I recently saw that they are doing the annual Caravan Fan Fest thing up in DC, I was kind of hoping I was going to be a part of this event because I would really like to give back to the community with my teammates and I really think it would be a blast.  So we will see in the next couple weeks if I will be a part of this and I will definitely let everyone here know where I will be and what I will be doing.  Thank you all for all the feedback, it is really helping me out.  I think that I am going to have a Q&A session again in a week or so and I was thinking about doing some sort of contest but I needed some help from you guys, so let me know what you guys would want to do and maybe I could give away some game used stuff as prizes. Once again, thank you all and talk to you soon.
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Bally Minute # 3

  I have a couple things to touch on today…Being in Columbus, Ohio and having to start throwing is a little difficult.  I mean unless you have some snow cleats that break through ice, you are probably going to have to throw indoors somewhere.  So I am lucky enough to be able to throw at the indoor football facility at Ohio State, and let me tell you, it is really top notch.  So every other day my throwing partner, Mike Barber, and I go there to throw and usually have no problems doing so.  Well the other day was a little different.  We walked in and there was a sign that said “Ohio State Football Personnel Only – No Cameras Allowed,” so obviously the team was practicing for the game coming up against Texas.  So we just kinda sat there and watched the practice for about 15-20 minutes and most of you reading this are probably thinking well why is this so cool and why would you waste a blog on it,well to all those people who are thinking that heres why: I’m a sports nerd and I really appreciate watching, listening, attending, and learning about all sports.  I really have so much respect for athletes and I really enjoy watching them perform, so being able to watch an elite program such as Ohio State practice when most people don’t get to ever see that, was a special thing.      

 
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So now to the main event…This morning Christian (my brother in law to be) and I go to the YMCA to play catch, and we are thinking we will go to the basketball court inside (because there’s 3 inches of snow on the ground) and there will be no one in there and we will throw and get out.  Wrong.  Let me tell you something else its 6 AM and we walk in and theres a full on 5 on 5 basketball game going on.  Not only are they playing at 6 AM but all their shirts were soaking wet with sweat so they had to been playing for at least an hour before we got there.  So thats my first problem: Who ARE these guys who get up before daybreak to hit the Y for a basketball game?!  And let me fill you in with another thing these guys aren’t in the 25-30 age range, these guys are grown men I would say 32-60 range and thats not the problem I see in this.  See, I think it’s great that these guys are going to the Y at 4am, but what I didn’t get  is why these guys were treating this break-of-dawn pick up bball game like the NBA Semi-Finals.  Getting mad when they miss a 28 footer.  Kicking the ball against the padded wall panels like Adam Vinatieri in his prime when they fumble a no-look pass.  I mean come on.  Obviously there was “That Guy” on the team thats about 28 and while everyone else is just trying to have a good time, this guy is hogging the ball, calling out his teammates when they miss a foul shot, and in his head he has a full on count of how many points, assists, rebounds and fouls eveyone else has.  So my advice is just have a fun friendly game of basketball and leave the kicking to Adam Vinatieri.IMG_3425.jpg
 
Listen to Jim Rome’s Rant on the different Softball Guys- it’s hilarious.


                                                                                                                                      
Top 5 songs of the week for me
5-Through fire and flames- Dragonforce 
4-Im yours- Jason Mraz
3-Afterlife- Avenged Sevenfold (Huntington Beach Highschool Alums)
2-Dont bring me down- Electric Light Orchestera
1-Hell Yeah- Rev Theory
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Bally Minute # 2

   Well lets see its been a couple days since my last Bally’s minute, so other than just lifting weights, throwing, and crushing people in Ncaa Football online not much new.  But one thing thats new is a song that has really been pumping me up while im lifting and I have been listening to about 35 times daily.  Its called Just Dance by Lady GaGa and Colby O’Donis, I need everyone that looks at this blog to go download it well actually go to ITunes and buy it so you dont get in trouble (haha) its a great song and im thinking about using it as my come out song when I hit.

                                                                                                                                        
 
  
   Also Ryan Zimmerman, Arron Boone, Nick Johnson, and last but not least John Lannan 

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 made the cut this week, after that first week of Ballys minute who would have known that my phone gets blown 
up by these guys haha, so they all read my blog after all.  But yeah ill touch base on all them cause I mean they made it right?  Zimmerman Aka Zim, I mean if you dont know about him then you dont know anything at all. this guy is the best third baseman in the league and one of the cooler guys too.  Boone, this guy right here you can never tell if hes playing around with you or if he likes you or hates you haha, he came up to me one day and little did I know that him, Nick, Lo Duca, and Kearns were all in on this, so he comes up to me and says why were you going through my locker and I was up for about 2 weeks at this point, so I was nervous and to make a long story short he said he had a camera on me the whole time  and that I better just say I went through his locker or else haha.  So hes a jokester and I hope he signs back with us.  Everyone already knows about Nick so I dont have to go there unless he does something out of the blue to me.  Lannan, the one guy that since AA where I was looking out for him and showing him the ropes, then all of a sudden he went to AAA before me and the big leagues and he was there for me and showing me the ropes, so Lannan and I are pretty close.

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Let me know what you guys think of this new thing im doing. If you think its dumb,boring, stupid or cool,funny,interesting, just let me know because I want feedback either way. Thank you everyone I hope you enjoy
Bally Star

Thanksgiving Break in California & Debut of ‘Bally’s Minute’

   Well for Thanksgiving Ashley and I went to California to be with my family and to enjoy nicer, warmer, better weather.  We got in to California on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and my buddies Joel and Hank picked us up from the John Wayne Airport (Hank Conger is a HS friend who is now with the Angels).  Let me tell you, it was really kinda weird to be home because it was the first time I was in Huntington Beach since January, so a lot of stuff had changed.  Joel and Hank dropped us off at my house and the one thing I really was looking forward to doing was seeing my best friend and next door neighbor, Sam Olivé. He has been in Paraguay on his mission for the past two years and had just gotten home three weeks prior.  I went over to his house and it was awesome to see him and catch up with him, he looked great, and a lot tanner from the last time I saw him!  So the rest of the day and night we just caught up with my parents and sister in this sweet little tiki hut thing my dad just built in the backyard. 
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So obviously the next day was Thanksgiving and our whole family was getting together at my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jay’s house in Aliso Viejo.  It’s always nice to see the whole family that you really don’t get to see too often throughout the year playing ball.  And let me tell you, I truly have the best, most fun family in the whole world.  I had a blast catching up with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandmas.  So, just like any other family does during Thanksgiving, we all huddled around a huge table and crushed food. But unlike all your typical Thanksgiving dinners, we had dancing and singing humans being loud and having a blast while serving us food, no joke.  My dad had a plate of food in his hand and acting like he was one of the penguin waiters from Mary Poppins; spinning and singing songs while serving us.  That’s why I love my family so much, you just never know what you’re going to get.  During my visit to my aunts I also got introduced to a video game called Little Big Planet, thanks to my cousin Gary (aka “G”), and I now own it.  So I stuffed my face and had fun with my family. All in all I had a great Thanksgiving.
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  Some of the other things we did was go check out the place that Ashley and I are going to get married at in October ’09.  It will be at the Hyatt Regency Resort in HB, right on PCH.  It is unreal and it was an awesome feeling to actually see the place that we will be getting married at in under a year from now.  We went out in downtown HB one night too, with my sister, her boyfriend Anthony Slama (he’s ironically a pro-ball player too, with the Twins), and my buddy Joel.  We drank the famed “rainbows” from Aloha Grill.  We also went to a little high school friends get-together and wow it was crazy to see everyone, there were so many 
people that I hadn’t seen in forever and it’s always nice to see how everyone is doing… you know I miss my friends (awwww haha).  Also, if you read the Viva Las Vegas blog, you will know already how my weekend ended and just what I thought about it (haha). 
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At this point of my successful blogging career I want to take this last section of each blog to just tell you what’s going through my mind.  I guess we will call it “Bally’s Minute” from now on. 
 
Bally’s Minute
This week what I really would like to do is just tell you how my teammates are treating me this offseason as of today.  You know I thought it would be fun to pick on some of them and give some of them love because I know and have heard that some of my teammates read my blog, so here we go.  There has been 1 person and 1 person only on my team that has texted me or called me to see how I’m doing this offseason, and that’s Nick Johnson.  Let me tell you it’s not just like once every 3 or 4 weeks to say what’s up …we talk everyday.  Nick Johnson might be the coolest guy I have met in baseball and I’m not just saying this because I want to give him a shoutout, I mean us California guys stick together and we are one and the same, even t
hough he’s a NorCal guy.  (Most of you guys won’t know what that means, but, anywho).  I mean let me tell you a little story about Nick and I, and you be the judge.  So he was hurt and there was like a month or so left in the season and he was cleaning out his locker, and I come over and he’s like “take whatever you want,” and I say “what?” and he’s like “take anything you want in my locker it’s the least I can do, you’re my boy.”  So he ends up giving me all these bobble heads and wrist bands and stuff but the best thing he gave me was a pink mothers day bat.  I’m talking about a one-of-a-kind thing.  He said it was between me and his mom who got it and he gave it to me haha.  So there you go right there.  So this week my “Minute Man” was Nick Johnson and next blog it could be you.  You guys have to give me reasons that you should be on Bally’s Minute.  Honorable mention this week goes to: Ryan Zimmerman, Jeremey Plexico, Clint Everts,Colin Cowherd, (PS3: me online beating people in NCAA Football.)
  GO USC in the Rose Bowl 
Bally Star

Funny Stuff

   

    This is my new favorite video of all time. Its super funny, Colin Cowherd is a very funny guy. Check it out.  Funny Video
Thanksgiving Blog will go up tomorrow.  
 Bally Star

Viva Las Vegas: Long travel days are the worst

    Well I’m here in Las Vegas, NV. Thanksgiving break is now over and we had to get back to Columbus.  The day started at about 8 AM at the DMV, you know how you have to get there early so that it wont take 14 hours (haha).  So it opens at 8 and I was there 4 minutes past the hour and there was a line out the door.  I was like wow thats something new at the DMV right (haha) so it took me about 30 minutes to get to the front of the line just to get a number to start waiting.  Let’s get this straight: I have to wait in a line for 30 minutes to get a little ticket with a number on it so that I can officially start waiting for what I need, hmmm that doesn’t make sense.  The reason I was going to the DMV was because I had to renew my license, that didn’t expire till june of next year but I wasn’t going to be in CA so I had to do it on my vacation. So anyway, after waiting in the line I get to the front and I do my vision test and she says go to camera 1 for the picture and written test, and I think to myself “a written test? oh great.”  At this point I’m thinking this may be the last time I drive, because I am not ready for a written test at this point.  However, to make a long story short, I get a 100% on my test and get out of the DMV.  Phew!

 
   So after the DMV we go eat breakfast at Breadcrumb in Huntington Beach with my agents Pat Murphy and Larry Reynolds (here’s your shout out guys haha) and let me tell you it was a beautiful breakfast.  I got the California omelet and boy was it delicious.  So after breakfast we finished up our packing and my dad took us to the airport.  Well from this point of the story it seems like wow what a nice day now you will get on the plane and have no delays. WRONG…. So we go to check in and I look on the screen it says DELAYED, and I don’t know about all you guys but I hate getting delayed, hate it hate it hate it.  There might not be anything worse than that.  So we get to the gate and we were supposed to leave at 2:00 p.m. and it was first delayed to 2:30 then to 3:00 then 3:30.  And not to mention we had a connecting flight to catch at 5:00 in Vegas.  So after all the delays we didn’t end up leaving Orange County til 4:45 and get into Vegas at about 5:30. Mind you, this was after I talked to the lady about what would happen if we miss the connecting flight.  She was telling us “Theres no way you will miss your flight” over and over again.  So yes we get to Vegas at 5:30 and its hard to catch a flight at 5 when you get in at 5:30 let me tell you.  So we get to the desk and ask them what they can do, the only flight they have to get to Columbus leaves at 10:45 p.m., goes to Charlotte, NC and then to Columbus and we get in at 9:30 in the morning.  So that brings us to now where I am in the Las Vegas Airport using the free internet, listening to the repeating, “Wheel of Fortune!” in the background and blogging away… see how much I like you guys? (haha).  So thats what’s going on right now I hope you guys like my story (sorry if its long).
Thanksgiving Blog to come in the next day or so… Enjoy
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