Thursday, May 31, 2012

BBA Linkfest - General May Flowers

Welcome to the last May edition of the BBA Linkfest where the best of the week's posts from the General Chapter of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance are linked for your reading pleasure. The flowers part of the heading do not refer to those beautiful plants that have even arrived this far north in Maine by this time of year. Instead, it speaks to the flowering of the writing of this group of baseball writers at this time of the year when baseball is in full swing with action packed games every night. Do yourself a favor and click a link or eight and enjoy some really good walks around the diamond.

Let's start our journey through the chapter at Call to the Pen, one of the most reliably good sites around. There is great content every day to enjoy there with excellent writing. Case in point, check out Spencer Hendrick's piece on how Roy Oswalt's patience paid off.

This compiler always has to check out Justin Jabs' weekly Emma Awards and it is not because of the picture. Nope. Not at all. This week's winner is bitttersweet because the guy who won it this week got hurt and will be out a while. Check it out over at Baseblog. Nice job from Sam Valenti who is filling in for the vacationing Justin.

FHPromos over at Baseballism wrote a really great piece on baseball and parents. Excellent.

Baseball Unrated has a good look at starting pitchers if fantasy baseball is your thing. 

This compiler's good buddy over at The Ball Caps Blog really touched a nerve and one of this Fan's biggest pet peeves. Sing the dang National Anthem the way it was written and get it right. Right on, brother.

Eugene Tierney's power rankings are a day late, but never a dollar short over at 85% Sports.

The X-Log always features excellent writing. One of this compiler's favorites is Jonathan Dyer, who this week has a review of the 3,000 Hit Club.

Danny Zyskind of Through the Fence Baseball makes a great argument for trading Cole Hamels. But the Phillies might not be out of this thing yet and Halladay is hurt, thus the rub.

Sully of Sully Baseball fame applauds the climb of the Boston Red Sox to over .500. That team is far from dead too.

Speaking of the Phillies, Replacement Level Baseball Blog has an excellent comparison between the Phillies and the Angels.

The Common Man has triumphed again with a rousing piece that talks about the real tragedy of Curt Schilling's company. It's much better than the piece written here. Only on the one, the only The Platoon Advantage.

Pop Fly Boys speculates about five players who will likely be traded by the trade deadline. By Mark Zell.

It is only one sentence and a picture. But Old Time Family Baseball perfectly sums up the news that Jamie Moyer was DFA'd this week.

Giancarlo Stanton for MVP? Nik of Niktig's Baseball Blog thinks he has a chance.

Ah! Don Mattingly. One of this compiler's all time heroes is the feature of a Chuck Booth piece on MLB Reports on how Mattingly has led the Dodgers to the best record in baseball. Made this compiler's week.

Johan Santana is one of the best stories of the 2012 season and Jonathan Mitchell of MLB Dirt has an excellent post on how Santana is as good as he's ever been.

Major League A**holes has a very good piece about how the Giants are moving up but have a problem with their ace. Good stuff.

Left Field is a blog with great writing. Whether it is about baseball or beer or music. This week's post is about music. But definitely worth the read.

Day in and day out, Theo of Hot Corner Harbor writes great baseball posts. He is a machine! He has a great take on the Adam Jones extension.

In easily this compiler's favorite post of the week, The Hall of Very Good shares a very special anniversary with us and includes terrific pictures. Loved this!

The post of the week, though, goes to Grubby Glove. No previews here. Too emotional after reading it. Just go read it. Please. Read it.

Loved this gif presented to us by Mike Rosenbaum at The Golden Sombrero.

Full Spectrum Baseball is an all-encompassing baseball site. But their fantasy baseball stuff is fantastic. Check out this post called Panic in Pitchertown. Terrific.

The Baseball Index shows us that help is on the way for the Washington Nationals. That's a good thing as the team is flagging just a little bit.

Love baseball trivia like this compiler does? Then try out this question for size over at For Baseball Junkies.

Like the rest of us, Dugout 24 tries to sort out this topsy-turvy baseball season.

Diamond Hoggers has had a great week! There was the great podcast with the great Craig Calccaterra (quite the accomplishment!) and a great knock on ESPN. But this compiler really liked this piece on Carlos Zambrano.

The Crum-Bum Beat has a beautiful black and white picture of The Great American Ballpark. Special!

Matt Whitener re-posts some thoughts on Barry Bonds re-entering baseball at his Cheap.Seats.Please. site.

And last but certainly not least, Che Palle! and Mario Salvini celebrate a thirty year anniversary for Cal Ripken, Jr.

Have a great week, everyone!

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