Welcome, Mr. Irrelevant Readers

I have been honored by Jamie Mottram at Mr. Irrelevant to be a partcipant in his Top 40 Sports Figures of 2006, which includes contributions from several prominent sports bloggers. If you’re a regular here at Knuckle Curve, be sure to check out the list.

If you’re just coming to Knuckle Curve via Jamie’s fine list, welcome! Right now we’re knee deep in analyzing off-season moves in baseball — mostly ridiculing the Baltimore Orioles for spending way too much money on mediocre relievers (although the Rangers are about to incur my wrath for the price they paid to keep Vicente “Stop Calling Me Chan Ho” Padilla) and of course the obligatory Daisuke Matsuzaka discussion.

The two figures that made Jamie’s list and also made mine are guys cut from the same cloth, Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols — two superstar athletes who don’t seem to be content to let their numbers do the talking. Whether it’s Bonds allegedly refusing to bat in a key situation or Pujols running smack about opposing pitchers who get him out, both players delight with their abilities while infuriating with their personalities.

I’m also excited about the fact that baseball is gaining popularity around the globe. To that end, I’ve sprinkled in a little coverage of the Intercontinental Cup held in Taiwan last month, as well as the Japan All-Star Series. Heck, there’s even baseball going on in Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Who knew?

Last, but not least (well, maybe least), there are the ever-popular rookie hazing photos. Hey, I’m not above pandering.

Okay, that should be enough to get you started. Have a look around; leave comments; drop me a line; tell your friends, neighbors, and countrymen about Knuckle Curve. Thanks again for stopping by the site…