Limpert Tech on iHeartRadio 8/15/23 - Dick Perez, Sports Artist and Donruss Diamond Kings

Rick talks with sports artist Dick Perez this week:

Think Donruss Diamond Kings.

Perez’s entry into baseball started in 1972 as a team artist for the Philadelphia Phillies. His paintings of all the Hall of Famers with ties to Philadelphia reside in a permanent collection at Citizens Bank Park.

While working with the Phillies, he also became the official artist for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Perez has painted every Hall of Famer’s official portrait.

In 1980, the popular Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcards were released and updated every year with every new induction until 2002. By the end of the project’s run, there were 270 postcards. The larger postcards have become favorites among autograph collectors.

There were also the popular Diamond King baseball cards put out by Donruss.

“I loved doing them because I had the freedom,” stated Perez who was appearing at the Robert Edwards Auctions booth at The National. “(Donruss) got the license to do cards and they wanted to separate themselves from the pack.”

Great to talk to a legend in Dick Perez.

Limpert Tech on iHeartRadio 3/26/21 - Kevin Gallagher, Autor 'Teach Your Kids to Hit'

Rick talks to Kevin Gallagher this week.

Baseball and more!

SAVE THE GAME ™ is a grass roots initiative to invigorate Major League Baseball and increase youth participation in the game; the initiative was launched by the nine-year veteran former MLB player Jeff Frye (Rangers, Red Sox, Rockies, Blue Jays), and two New York college standouts - Kevin Gallagher (Pace University) and Pat Geoghegan (Mercy College). Gallagher’s book, “Teach Your Kid to Hit … So they Don’t Quit,” was the genesis of the “Save the Game” ™ movement. The hope is that the initiative will ensure the revitalization of the game toward a healthy business future.

Visit www.savethegameus.com for more information and to sign the petition.
The initiative starts a one million signature petition-for-change effort to gain momentum toward a National movement, while grabbing the attention of MLB executives on a league and team level.  Visit www.savethegameus.com for more information and to sign the petition.
 
Simply stated, Gallagher, Frye and Geoghegan contend that MLB has lost its entertainment value because of its reliance on the power swing and little action between home runs. America’s youth is not engaged with MLB because the game has become too slow for this generation. Without the next generation’s involvement, MLB’s customer base will be diminished and baseball could lose its relevance and becomes a niche sport.
 
SAVE THE GAME ™ group wants to align with MLB on issues it has raised and problems already recognized in a grassroots effort.
Some of the focuses of SAVE THE GAME ™ include:
·       Give a Voice to the American baseball fan.
·       increasing youth participation in baseball with instruction from the book, and aligning with MLB to partner on the message.
·       reaching out to the RBI Foundations of each team (Revive Baseball in Inner Cities) to provide support and tools to help kids play the game
·       developing an app for parents which will provide a process to teaching kids, so they enjoy the game
·       Creating new fans.
 
It is the belief of the trio, and many experts are in agreement, that baseball has lost its luster because of its lack of action and strategy. Once America’s pastime, today it lags in television ratings (down 50 percent since 2003), sponsorship dollars and younger fan interest (only 7 percent under 18 watch baseball).
 
The hope is to revive baseball by bringing it back to its quicker pace of bygone years. The strategy, beginning with a player’s swing in youth baseball, includes: contact hitting and keeping the ball in play instead of swinging for the fences to increase action, thus making the game more entertaining; and by engaging younger fans and instructing younger players on the art of the game from Little League to High School to College.
 
Gallagher gives this example of the current “All or Nothing” approach: “There are only 2.46 home runs hit per game. In a three-hour game, you’re only getting a home run every hour. In between home runs is what is killing baseball. There is no action. We have to restore the game to the way it was historically played.”
 
An advisory board is being formed and a National Save The Game Day will both be announced in February.
 
Thanks for taking a look, John C., 914-260-7436
1.   “Save the Game” ™ is a movement brought about by our concern that Major League Baseball could be irrelevant or just a niche sports in Ameriica in 15 years.
 
2.   The reason is that MLB has changed the Fundamentals of the game that have been successful for 125 years and shifted to an all-power game, reducing the amount of action and entertainment for the viewer.
 
3.   Longtime fans are watching less, and younger people are not watching at all. The game is too boring for the younger generation who has many other entertainment venues from which to choose.            
 
4.   In 15 years MLB will depend on this younger generation to support the game. Unless the trend is reversed, baseball will be a secondary sport in America.
 
5.   We want to “Save the Game”™ by Harnessing the “Energy of Discontent” of the baseball fan across America and collect 1 million digital signatures which we will bring to MLB to help them realize their game is in jeopardy and needs change.
 
6.   We want to give the Fan of America a Voice to MLB.
We will then work with MLB providing solutions to bring back action and engage with the younger generation.     

Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on ALT 105.7 and iHeartRadio 12/26/20 - Todd Stottlemyre, Former MLB Pitcher, New Book

Rick talks with former Major League pitcher, Todd Stottlemyre, this week on “Tech of Sports.”

Have a listen:

Although Todd Stottlemyre may be best known for his successful MLB career, his accomplishments off the field are just as impressive. After leaving baseball, he pursued a career in finance building an asset management business at a high-profile Wall Street firm. He then, founded a private equity fund that owns, manages, and oversees several companies.

Today, Stottlemyre is a global entrepreneur, speaker, and high performance business coach with a highly personal, transformative story to tell through his new book, “The Observer”. Far from being a fiction novel, “The Observer” offers actionable strategies for professional and personal growth and it is also the fable of Todd Stottlemyre’s life. He rose to superstardom winning two World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays but had yet to reach his true “peak” until the journey that began afterward…

The Book:

Kat has it all (money, success, recognition, influence) except the one thing she desires desperately: a fulfilled life. A business entrepreneur in the high-end sportswear industry, Kat is driven in relentless pursuit of ever-greater success. The two anchors in Kat’s frenzied life have been her father; a famous baseball pitcher turned team manager, and her son, who is following in his grandfather’s footsteps. When both anchors become unstable, Kat’s life tips dangerously out of balance. The market and her finances flip, and relationships start slipping through her fingers. Eager for solutions, she turns to find uncanny wisdom from places she never expected.

The Observer unpacks the idea of 180-degree thinking, which changes everything for Kat. Now, seemingly impossible goals now come into focus with crystal clear clarity. As Kat focuses on the right things, the impossible becomes her new reality.

-Release Date: December 29, 2020
-Publisher: Made for Success Publishing
-ISBN-10: 1641465344
-ISBN-13: 9781641465342
-Purchasing Details: “The Observer” is available for Pre-Order on Amazon, Books-a-Million, Bookshop, and Barnes & Noble.

Stottlemyre is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 15 seasons most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays with whom he won two World Series championships. He also played for the Oakland Athletics, St Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Awarded for his outstanding integrity and dedication to community service, he received the prestigious Branch Ricky Award and the Lou Gehrig Award.

After leaving professional baseball, he pursued a career in finance building an asset management business at a high-profile Wall Street firm. He is the co-founder and owner of a private equity fund that owns, manages, and oversees a number of companies.

Today, Stottlemyre channels his passion for winning as a high-performance business coach, best-selling author, and keynote speaker. Taking all he has learned both on and off the field, he works to help people achieve unparalleled success in every dimension of their lives.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:

https://toddofficial.com/the-observer

Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on Radio 105.7 - Rick Tours SunTrust Park

Rick had the chance this week to tour the new home of the Atlanta Braves, SunTrust Park.

While the Braves have been in the news this week for making a decision not to allow outside food into the ballpark, and then reversing that decision, various media had the chance to get a behind the scenes look at SunTrust Park this week.

What did Rick see? Sully and Rick discuss on iHeartRadio:

 

1. Baseball has gone high end and high tech in Atlanta

While we used to just have the 755 Club. Now there are multiple high end lounges and areas for special pass holders, the Delta Sky 360 Club, the SunTrust Club, Infiniti Club. All are very calming to the eye, comfortable and will serve all the food and drink one can handle.

2. Plentiful Wi-Fi

With more than 1100 Wi-Fi access points (Routers) fans at SunTrust Park and the surrounding The Battery will have use of the fastest Wi-Fi in the Metro Atlanta area.

Fans will be able to check emails, share pictures and videos, etc.

 
3. Zip Line

Everyone has a zip line now, including SunTrust Park.  Actually it's part of the midway area of Suntrust in The Sand Lot part of The Battery. The Zip Line will take reservations ahead of time to cut down on waits. I hear the view is spectacular.


4. The Chop House is Back!

Everyone has a story to tell about an experience they had at the Chop House. Well, the Chop House is back. It's now the Coors Light Chop House. Comfortable seating, nice views and great ambiance Hope the food is good!

 
5. Xfinity Roof Top

Area where any one can go with a ticket. You are high up, but the view is great. There are concessions and a Waffle House up here.

This is an indoor/outdoor area.
 

6. Braves Clubhouse, Under the stadium batting cages and nice-sized granite tables between the seats on field level.

WGST's "The Sully Show" for 2/26/16 - Baseball Spring Training Tech

Spring Training has sprung at places in Florida and Arizona as the MLB season prepares to throw it's first pitch.

All the teams have reported and are getting ready for Exhibition Games where some new technology will be tested and introduced.

Rick and Sully feel it's never too early to talk about baseball, so here's some of the hot tech to look for at Spring Training 2016.
 


1.   Protective Headwear for Pitchers

Seeing a pitcher, at any level of baseball, struck by a powerful hit is one of the more gruesome aspects of baseball. This type of contact is extremely dangerous, and could even result in death by internal bleeding in the brain.

The protective cap, designed by Boombang, essentially looks like a helmet with the top cut off to look more like a hat. Each helmet is specifically made to protect the most vulnerable areas of contact for both left-handed and right-handed pitchers. The headwear is 0.7 inches thick, made with a carbon fiber shell—it has been tested to protect pitchers at around 85 mph.

The list of pitchers that are set to receive this new cap varies from ones that have been struck by hits in the past, like Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb, to pitchers that recently expressed interest.
 



2. Coolbase Technology in the Jerseys

Cool Base jerseys are made of 100 percent Polyester Performance Mesh and feature Cool Base technology, which helps wick away moisture quickly to keep you dry and comfortable.

You too can order your own Coolbase jersey at Fanatics.com

 

3.  Three-wheeled Pitching Machines

Allow balls to come at batters not only at Major Leage speeds, but with Major League movement on the ball.
They throw Major League cutters and sliders on and off the edge of the plate. Also helps catchers with their technique and are great for simulated games.

 
4.  Minnesota Twins To Use Kinduct Technologies To Try And Prevent Injuries

The Minnesota Twins and Kinduct Technologies have announced a merge to try and prevent injuries.

Kinduct Technologies is dedicated to making people better by providing products to address information challenges of organizations who work with athletes, students, patients, employees and clients. Their software solutions help organize, collect, share and analyze data in one centralized platform that leads to better and more informed results.

The Twins will be able to use the technology to modernize their performance and operational capabilities. The tools provided by Kinduct will be utilized across the Twins’ organization, even in their minor league clubs.
Kinduct gives the Twins a centralized platform to collect, share, monitor and measure health, wellness and player performance data. Kinduct Technologies include performance, health, clinic and fitness solutions. The performance aspect of Kinduct allows coaches to collect any type of data, whether it is fitness testing or wearables, in order to get a full picture of the athletes’ ability. Kinduct Health helps collect and organize patient information on one platform

5. Use Of Extended Protective Netting Starts In Spring Training

The new experience of looking through extended protective netting in more of the best field-level seats of the ballpark will first occur for Cubs fans at spring training games in Mesa, Ariz. Sloan Park will have netting from dugout to dugout, going 70 feet from home plate. This new feature will be in place on March 4 when the Cubs play the first of their 15 home games in the Cactus League.

The decision to enhance fan safety here by the Cubs is consistent with the MLB’s recommendation in December to further protect fans by extending the netting down the foul lines. Clubs aren’t being forced to put up the protective netting in spring training, MLB chief communications officer Pat Courtney said, but the Cubs chose to do so anyway.

The view of the playing field will be different with more netting in place and could be a big adjustment for the fans paying the top prices for premium seats.

 
----  Don't forget about the big NASCAR weekend at AMS, this coming weekend!