2004: The Year in Pictures

busywinter.jpg (75659 bytes)
It was a busy winter for the BDBL as several
familiar faces tried on new hats.
delgado_signs.jpg (51865 bytes)
January: Ravenswood GM Brian Potrafka signs the
first free agent of 2004, Carlos Delgado.
Delgado would eventually win the OL MVP award.		 clearpix.gif (43 bytes) schilling_signs.jpg (59292 bytes)
January: Salem makes a splash by adding
free agent Curt Schilling.
fouraces.jpg (57067 bytes)
January: Schilling's signing gives the Cowtippers a
rotation of Schilling, Barry Zito, Kerry Wood
and Brandon Webb.  The league speculates
whether or not it is the greatest rotation
ever assembled.  (Note: not even close.)		 monkeyballs.jpg (44464 bytes)
February: "Monkeyballs" makes its
long-awaited debut.
wells_signs.jpg (59851 bytes)
February: Before the season even begins,
Marlboro trades away David Wells.		 zambrano_doh.jpg (58110 bytes)
March: Salem sweeps Marlboro in four
Chapter One games.  The Cowtippers
would win all 12 match-ups against
the Hammerheads in 2004.
walker.jpg (55069 bytes)
March: Silicon Valley becomes the first team to
wave the white flag, trading Larry Walker AND
Greg Myers to the Zoots in exchange for Hee
Seop Choi.		 steve_paul.jpg (52283 bytes)
April: Steve Osborne trades Roy Halladay to
the Zoots, just because he's a big, whiny baby.
...Not!
ch4trades.jpg (49058 bytes)
June: Lots of big names switch uniforms at the
Chapter Four trading deadline.
 bdbl_south.jpg (63004 bytes)
June: a mini-BDBL Weekend takes place
in Atlanta.
thecrew.jpg (57744 bytes)
June: A few weeks later, a larger gathering
occurs in Cleveland.		 chi_pressconf.jpg (46467 bytes)
June: EL GM of the Year John Gill picks up
both Manny Ramirez and Tim Hudson at the deadline.
wood.jpg (43279 bytes)
August: Manchester's Kerry Wood tosses a
no-hitter against Litchfield.		 pujols.jpg (41589 bytes)
October: Wapakoneta's Albert Pujols flirts with .400,
but finishes the season at .396/.481/.733 to win
the EL Babe Ruth award.
bonds_homerun_trot.jpg (51345 bytes)
October: Allentown's Barry Bonds finishes the
season at .332/.495/.717 to capture his fourth
straight BDBL MVP award.		 pedro.jpg (53256 bytes)
October: Akron's Pedro Martinez wins the
EL Cy Young, breaking his own BDBL single-
season ERA record at 1.81.
gagne_yell.jpg (50828 bytes)
October: Los Altos closer Eric Gagne smashes
the BDBL saves record at 62, and allows just
24 hits and 15 walks through 85 innings, while
striking out 132.  He wins OL Cy Young award
by a unanimous vote.		 prior3.jpg (60421 bytes)
October: Mark Prior's 20-game winning streak
comes to an end, but he finishes
with a record of 24-1.
loaiza_celebrate.jpg (65921 bytes)
October: Bob Sylvester, who played most of the
2004 season while stationed overseas, clinches
his third division title in six years.		 playoff_teams.jpg (33783 bytes)
November: the playoff match-ups are set.
schilling_headinhands.jpg (60735 bytes)
November: Salem's prize free agent proved
to be a major disappointment both during
and after the regular season.		 wslogo.jpg (52754 bytes)
November: The Infidels and Black Sox face
off in an all-Chicago Series.
infidels_celebrate.jpg (55206 bytes)
November: ...and in the end, Ravenswood
comes out on top!