Day three of the Four Ballparks trip began at the Hilton in beautiful Anaheim, California, just minutes from Angel Stadium.  Hungry and bored and with the game not until six PM, we were two weary travelers with some time to kill.  So we figured that, since we were staying right near the ballpark, there must be some place to grab a quick bite before the ballgame.

Wrong.  After twenty minutes of fruitless searching, we settled for a coffee cake and a second pack of skittles—breakfast of champions–from Dildar, a clerk at a convenience store a few blocks away.  Another trip to the OC Sports Bar (and Ubaldo Jimenez’s 18^th win) followed, after which it was time for Angels vs. Indians at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

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The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes Playoff Edition: Joba Chamberlain and Stetson Allie

Keep checking back over the course of the weekend, as there will be several other Joba look-alikes posted.

On any given baseball team there are endless off the field, inside jokes that permeate the clubhouse and in the end, define the team.  More often than not, the humor is completely spontaneous, childish and crude.  And it has to be.  With 162+ games in a season, it is foregone conclusion that every team will experience ups and downs.

The inside jokes and endless ragging on teammates are what keep a team optimistic  –yes, I know that actually having good players goes a long way, as well– in their darkest hour.  Similarly, when a team is winning and feeling good, the jokes are always more hilarious and enjoyable than they already are.  Every couple of years, there is a team whose jokes gradually become indicative of the team chemistry and synonymous with the overall success of the season.  And it is then that we truly see just how much being a part of that team means to the players.

This season, the Texas Rangers have had their clubhouse humor on full display in the form of the claw and antlers.  And considering that they are headed to the American League Championship Series for the first time in the organization’s history, it’s time that baseball fans familiarized themselves with the gestures and their meaning.

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Willie Mays Award (Rookie of the Year)

National League:
First Place Vote – Buster Posey (San Francisco)
Second Place Vote – Jason Heyward (Atlanta)
Third Place Vote – Daniel Hudson (Arizona)

American League:
First Place Vote – Neftali Feliz (Texas)
Second Place Vote – Austin Jackson (Detroit)
Third Place Vote – Danny Valencia (Minnesota)

The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes: Cliff Lee and Hugh Laurie