As someone that grew up in Chicago, and as someone who is still a big time White Sox fan, to me this trade is simply AWESOME!

Griffey is one of the best players over the last 20-30 years. Yeah he has slowed down a little bit but that comes with age. He still plays almost everyday and has 15 HR's this season.

He has always hit well in Chicago and will add a bat in the White Sox line-up that will almost guarantee the White Sox another post season appearance.

Unfortunately living out here in Southern California I only get to see the White Sox once a year although there is always the playoffs.

In other news the Red Sox are still trying to deal Manny Ramirez. In fact the Red Sox have been trying to deal Ramirez for the past 5 years I think. I guess we will see where it goes today with the deadline looming.

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez is now a Yankee. That is pretty cool since the Yankees come in to Anaheim next week. Of course for me it doesn't mean much since he will hit almost everything into the bullpens at Anaheim. By the way there is only one PUDGE and that is Carlton Fisk!

I almost left out the Angels getting Mark Texiera from the Braves. Texiera will many more balls up in the right field seats at Anaheim during BP. The only problem is that with him batting 3rd he may hit in an early group before the gates open.

I am guessing there will be some more action on the trade front. STAY TUNED!

Check out http://mlballhawk.ecrater.com

That is my online MLBallhawk Sports Memorabilia Store with autographs, game used items and much much more!

We have added some new game used bats, autographs and even some other cool stuff!!

TED WILLIAMS COMMEMORATIVE BOOK  $9.95

Ok so it has been over 2 years since my last game home run ball. The Angles are winning and crowds are huge. The Dodgers want to linger in first place because the Dodgers think they actually have a chance to make the playoffs and that is making it tough at Dodger Stadium as well.

I think that I might have to wait until September to have a shot at a HR ball unless I go to Coors in Denver. I actually thought about taking a trip up there since I have a riend that lives in the area. He actually caught a Marquis Grissom HR on the fly while on his cell phone. If I can find the video again I will post it.

Don't forget to check out the COOL SPORTS MEMORABILIA I have for sale at http://mlballhawk.ecrater.com

You can also get a Major League Ballhawk or Baseball Collector T-Shirt at http://mlballhawk.logosoftwear.com/

If you buy a T-Shirt email me and I will send you a SURPRISE GIFT!! It could be a ball, and autographed card or something else!

I really don't have much of anything to say about last night. I went out to Anaheim thinking that it would be no problem to get 2 or 3 balls. I was first in line to get in and was basically the first person to the Right Field Pavilion seats.

The Angels last 2 groups combined for 1 ball in the seats. That ball was off the bat of Kasey Kotchman and was hit to the farthest side of the section away from me so no chance to get it.

The Indians were even worse, they only hit 1 ball total in their 45 minutes. The only ball that the Indians hit up was an opposite field shot off of the bat of Ryan Garko. It was hit about 2 sections to my right and there were just to many people in the way to get to it. Not to mention the fact that I am old and slow.

Thankfully the tickets was free for last nights game or it would have been a complete waste of time and money.

I am not going to whine or complain but just chalk it up to a team without Travis Hafner and the Angels who are basically an old school National League team.

I definitely will not be at any more games this week in Anaheim. It looks like my next game won't be for at least a couple of weeks but ya never know!

The Red Sox were in over the weekend and ticket prices were jacked up by the Angels for that reason. The seats that were usually $12 went up to $17 because it was their Premium games. This week there are a few promotions that make it cheaper to go to games including half price tickets on Wednesday.

Hey gas is $4.25 a gallon out here so you have to pick and choose the games you go to. At least the Dodgers have promotions running all year where tickets are discounted.

Anyway, I don't know if I will make it out to the game tonight or not but I am going to try. It has been a week since I last got to a game and I am itchin to get some autographs and of course run down some baseballs.

If anyone happens to know if Travis Hafner is on the road with the team please email me ( mlballhawk@gmail.com ) and let me know. I was the clubhouse manager in Port Charlotte, Florida in 2000 when Haf was there. It really sucks that he is hurt right now but hopefully his shoulder will be better soon and he will be back in the line up.

Don't forget if you are at a game that I am at ask me for one of my Major League Ballhawk Cards. I will have a couple on me each game I attend and I will give them to the first 2 or 3 people that ask me for them!

No I am not talking about your first girlfriend or the first time you got .............. well you get the idea. I am talking about the first baseball you ever caught at a Major League Baseball game.

I have a few "firsts" that I remember as far as getting baseballs. Obviously the first ball I ever caught way back in 1977 I remember as if it happened yesterday.

I was down the left field line standing in the aisle in the second row of Box 85. Back then the bullpen was still down the line. There was an usher standing near the bullpen mound and a ball that was hit pretty hard was rolling towards him. He stuck out his foot and the ball hit it and then jumped over the first row of people. I stuck my glove up in the air and the ball went in! I was just about to turn 8 and I got my first baseball. I actually got a 2nd ball that night too!

Then there is the first game HR that I caught. It was in the upper deck of Old Comiskey Park in 1986. It came off the bat of the Oakland A's Mike Davis.

Other firsts:

First HR ball at Dodger Stadium: Mike Schmidts 523rd career HR (my 1st Dodger game ever)

First HR ball at Anaheim: Frank White (KC) at my 3rd game ever in Anaheim

First HR ball at Wrigley Field: Jose Cruz Sr (Houston) 1986

First HR ball at County Stadium Milwaukee B.J Surhoff (Brewers) not sure of the year

First HR ball at Fenway Park: Herbert Perry (Rangers) in just my 2nd game ever outside Fenway

First HR ball at New Comiskey Park (now US Cellular Field) Albert "Joey" Belle 1998

Well there you have my "firsts" email me with some of yours!! mlballhawk@gmail.com

The Official Major League Ballhawk Baseball Card

is Now Available

The ONLY way to get one is to ask me for one when you see me at a game*!!

*WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

Today I thought maybe I would try the Red Sox team hotel for a few autographs.The hotel is right across  the street from a pretty nice mall. There is a long bridge that goes over the street from the hotel to the mall. I parked my car in the Mall lot near the end of the bridge. Once I saw a couple of other collectors I got out and walked up there. One of the guys asked if I was John. To say I was stunned was an understatement. I already forgot his name but he does read this blog and has checked out my website. Thanks for reading!

Anyway, when I first got there Kevin Youkilis walked across the bridge and only one person go him to sign something. A few other guys strayed acoross and either no one knew who they were (ME) or no one wanted their autograph.

About 11am 2008 All Star Game MVP J.D. Drew walked across. Drew was very nice and signed one item for each person out there. I got a Topps Turkey Red Baseball card signed by him as you can see in the picture.

This one autograph made the entire morning well worth the wait. I was still hoping that a few other Red Sox players would wander out across the bridge over to the mall.

Tim Wakefield came across but when asked for an autograph politely declined saying he would not sign here but would at the ballpark. I can totally respect this! There were guys that went into the mall to hunt down players, that is not cool! If you wait outside and are polite to the guys they will sign if they want to. It's bad enough we are staking out the mall. If they say NO then respect that and let them know you are sory ot have bothered them and good luck tonight or the rest of the season.

Shortly after Wakefield came across I was about to give up. Just as I was about to walk away Kevin Youkilis came out of the mall headed back to the hotel. He was nice enough to sign a baseball for me on the sweet spot. This is a ball that I caught during BP last week at Dodger Stadium. It is in good shape with no major scrapes or marks.

So 2 autographs from a couple of ALL STARS and all around nice guys!

If you are interested in either of these items feel free to email me at MLBallhawk@gmail.com 

It is a lot of work keeping up your own website and MLBlog. While I intend to do both most of my work will be dedicated to my new website at MLBallhawk.com.

Please take time to head over to MLBallhawk.com and check it out!

Don't forget you too can become a Ballhawk. Spend a day at a baseball game with Major League Ballhawk, John Witt!! Check out the tab marked "Ballhawk with John"

See you there!!

MLBALLHAWK.COM

Here is a great deal on a 2003 ALL STAR BALL -- $12.50 includes shipping -- WOW!

On Ebay you can't find the ball for less than $15.99 + shipping and that is if you can find it at all!! This is definitely a great deal and there is only 1 left!!

FIRST PERSON TO EMAIL ME AT MLBALLHAWK@GMAIL.COM will get it!!

Must pay with Paypal!

I ended up at Cal State Fullerton's Goodwin Field on Friday night to check out the Orange County Flyers and their new Hall Of Fame manager Gary Carter.

I actually worked for the Flyers in their first 2 years as the Director of Concessions (05) and Clubhouse Manager(06). It was great to see our old GM Ed Hart at the game. Another familiar face wandering the ballpark in the late innings was Brian Giles. No not the current Padres Brian Giles but the original Padres Brian Giles.

I really didn't go to the game expecting to get a ball. We simply went to get a couple of things signed by Gary Carter. As I made my way over to 1st base side to get Carter after the game I stood at the top of the stands. The last batter of the game hit a foul ball off of the big net that protects the softball field seats. It fell down and off a seat and bounced right to me where I bare handed it.

2 pitches later the Flyers won the game and clinched the first half championship of the Southern Division of the GBL. I did get a ball and a catchers helmet signed after the game by Carter as well. All in all it was a good night!

Congratulations to the OC Flyer, Gary Carter, Darrell Evans and Dan DiPace!

Game Total = 1 ball

In doing a little summer cleaning and cleaning out an old closet and going through boxes I came across some old notes from spring training games that I went to.

I found that I have caught 13 game home runs at spring training games. Most of those were retrieved at Port Charlotte, Florida. I DO NOT count spring training home runs in my GAME HOME RUN TOTALS.

I also found that of the 2,037 baseballs that I have picked up at minor league and spring training games that 917 of those are Major League Baseballs from spring training and exhibition games(some AL & NL balls from before 2000). That would bring my total to 3,724 total balls from Major League Baseball games whether they are regular season or spring training.

So I have decided to change up my stat list.

2008 Balls Reg. Season
0 MLB Balls
0 Minor League Baseballs
0 - baseballs total in 2007