The Golden Sombrero Baseball Blog | MLB, Fantasy, College & High School Baseball News

Griffin Phelps

• Response To Buster Olney's Video Blog

  In the game of baseball it is common place to hear somebody talking about “playing the game the right way.”  The right way means a few things.  It means not taking a single pitch off.  It means conducting yourself like a professional.  It means that as a player, you are willing to sacrifice your body [...]

• The Final Chapter of the Ricketts Park Series: Connie Mack World Series Time

  How you doin Sombrero Nation?  I know I have not posted in a while and I apologize for that.  I have been busy handling my coaching duties for the Farmington Cardinals, your 2010 FABC representative Host team in the 2010 Connie Mack World Series.  I say that with pride.  The Cardinals were the winner of [...]

• Sunday's SombreroCast

  In the latest installment of the SombreroCast, Griff and Dee reflect on a recent Farmington Cardinals game, discuss hitting philosophies, talk about some players and player development and touch on ideas regarding coaching theory. Click here to listen to Part I Click here to listen to Part II

• The Golden Sombrero's First Podcast

  Griff and Dee weigh in on Farmington High School players selected in the MLB Draft, the North/South series and Stephen Strasburg. Click here to listen to the podcast

• Will there ever be another VIP in the 40/40 club?

  “Hell, If I’d known 40-40 was going to be a big deal, I’d have done it every year!”- Mickey Mantle “40/40 club/ESPN on the seats” This is exclusivity at it’s best.  Fellow blogger Brett (aka my lil brother) wrote a piece on baseball’s influence over hip-hop music.  I felt that out of tribute, I should find my [...]

• Ricketts Park, Part II: The High School Years

  First off, let me apologize for my delay in releasing any new pieces for all the people of Sombrero Nation.  This last month has been quite a ride.  First there was the state tournament (in which the Scorps lost their semi-final game in heartbreaking fashion), then I had to finish up my first year, as [...]

• Big Ups to the Kid: A Tribute to the Real Life Natural

  As many of you may know, a colossus of baseball has retired recently.  It was a first for me.  It was the first time in my life that I had witnessed the retirement of not only my all-time favorite baseball player, but my boyhood idol.  Griffey did more for me than most fans.  He not [...]

• Slipping Under the Radar

  June 3, 2010 June 1st is a big date in the Fantasy Baseball World.  As TMR alluded to in his article on ESPN.com earlier, it marks the opening of trade season.  It is also about the time that you begin to have substantial enough data sets to start forming a solid opinion as to what kind [...]

• Ricketts Park: A True Diamond in the Rough (Part I)

  April 25, 2010 My first full season as a high school baseball coach has finally come to an end.  For the grand finale, we were able to hook the C-teamers up with a dream come true…playing at Ricketts Park.  They got the whole deal, including pre-game batting practice on the field.  Watching the grins roll across [...]

• Thank You, Baseball: An Epiphany

  April 22, 2010 Late one evening, my assistant coach-for both my high school C-Team and my summer league Connie Mack team-his girlfriend, my girlfriend and I were entertaining ourselves with some rather deep conversation about teaching techniques.  By around 12:15 a.m. an epiphany had found its way through to my brain.  We all began discussing different [...]

• Why It Sucks To Be An Astros' Fan

  April 12, 2010 As an avid, lifelong, true Astros fan, I have experienced bliss as well as turmoil.  It was only 5 years ago that the ‘Stros found themselves in the World Series.  Yet there is now a putrid taste in my mouth when I think of my beloved big league club.  How could this be?  [...]

• Battle to the Mistake

  April 12, 2010 Plan the work, work the plan.  This is a mantra that I heard over and over again while pitching for the University of Arizona.  Thanks Coach Lopez.  It might be one of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard.  It transcends the baseball field and carries over in to the real-life [...]

• Griffin Phelps' 2010 Predictions

  April 6, 2010 NL East: Philly, Atlanta, Florida, New York, Washington NL Central: St. Louis, Milwaukee, Houston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh NL West: Colorado, Los Angeles, Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego NL Wild Card: Atlanta NL Pennant: Colorado NL MVP: Troy “Too Legit” Tulowitzki NL Cy Young: Ricky Nolasco NL ROY: Jason Heyward AL East: New York, Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, Baltimore AL Central: Minnesota, Chicago, [...]

• Work That Wire

  April 6, 2010 Working the waiver wire; who wants to worry about that?  Not many people work the waiver wire correctly.  Too often I hear people talking about, “Oh I don’t need to worry about that.  My guys are doing just fine.”  Or, “Who could there possibly be that is better than anyone I have on [...]