MLB, Minor League Baseball, NBA teams

NASA Delivers A Long Shot To The Bronx…While Kansas City Team Pushes A Bit Too Far

The great PR pitch of the day actually didn’t even occur on this planet last night, it was from the International Space Station, with lifelong Yankees fan and astronaut Dr. Garrett Reisman delivering a ball live bia satellite that he had brought with him.  Ironically it was the third time a ball had been “thrown” from space (the first at Yankee Stadium) but nonetheless a nice touch on top of the usual Yanks-Red Sox hype. Conversely, although we usually applaud the minor league hijinx to score some extra publicity, poke fun at society and maybe sell some extra tickets, ya gotta wonder  about the thought process behind  the Independent Kansas City T-Bones “Michael Vick Night” in late May, when the team will done faux prision uniforms.  Now  the uni’s will be auctioned off for charity (an animal shelter) and there may be lots of light hearted jail themed promos, but to have a night making light of a convicted criminal may be pushing the envelope a bit too far.  However it did get them a nice piece on Kansas City.com.

On to some other quick reads…the Oregonian had a nice piece by John Canzano congratulating the Trail Blazers fans for the message that they had sent to the organization of not tolerating all their much-publicized problems and then responding positively when the team changed its on court and off court image…nice way to acknowledge the fan base by the media and a good message to send…in LA, Bill Dwyre had an interesting piece on the great autograph collection amassed by over a period by a 55 year old man while in his youth…a great example of why the Dodgers were smart to reverse  their autograph policy a few weeks ago…lastly, the Hollywood Reporter also had a nice nostalgic look at West Coast baseball today, through the eyes of Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.