One item jumped off the page today. Admittedly a pretty obscure thing but not to me. It was on this date back in 1978 that Giants slugger Willie McCovey blasted his 500th career shot. The reason it made an impact with yours truly is this. When I was a youngster growing up my dad made every effort to take me to as many Cardinals games at Busch Stadium as feasible. We lived in a small community called Moberly which was a 2.5 hour drive at least to St Louis. Some seasons we would make that trip a dozen times. Here is where McCovey comes into the picture. Like most kids I wanted to be at the stadium as soon as possible. I loved watching batting practice. We were at a Cards-Giants game back I think around 1968 and I was sitting behind the Cardinals dugout watching BP and I saw McCovey absolutely crush a ball. I mean he mashed it guys, the old Busch Stadium had an upper deck that was very, very rarely reached. He drove that damn ball a good 20 rows into the CENTER field upper deck. Being batting practice there was not that many people really around to witness it. But everyone there just gasped and the players on the field all just whistled at once. I will never forget it. The only other balls I saw that were even in that discussion were shots hit by the Padres Nate Colbert and Richie Allen the year he was with the Cardinals before being dealt to the Dodgers. Anyway, a neat memory. Those trips with my pop were priceless. I realize that now more than ever since he is gone.
Okay, I will quit babbling. A free play. Tonight I am suggesting a small wager on #971 the Indians over the Dodgers and Dan Haren. On the business side I have not had a featured release since last thursday night when the Dodgers got by Wainright and the Cardinals 1-0. Those who know me from my years here as a pregame pro know I don't publish featured releases on a daily basis. If I don't feel a game has the legs to justify it won't put it out there, period. Tonight I do have not only a featured release but a Triple Star. It's my opinion the odds makers screwed this one up. No, it's not a lock or game of the, well, anything. But I love the game. I'm up 247 units with the Triples so I hit on them a helluva lot more than not.
Okay, that's it for today. Thanks as always for stopping in and best of luck with your action.