Minor League Flame Out Wins $1 Million

Usually a dream ends after being cut from a minor league baseball team. Just don’t tell that to Joel Torres.

Torres, a 21 year old outfielder, was recently cut from a Cleveland Indians minor league affiliate, won $1 million on a scratch off lottery game.

Torres bought the “Sweet Millions” ticket February 24th, while staying at his mom’s house in Queens, New York. Imagine the joy he felt after realizing he won a quick million. Especially after being cut from a team.

Torres says he plans to buy his mom a new home and continue his dream of playing professional baseball.

“The first thing I plan to do with the money is buy my mom a new house,” said Torres. He said the money will allow him to pursue his hopes of playing ball in the major leagues.



“My dream, since I was a kid, is baseball. That’s what I’m going to continue doing. I’m going to keep swinging, swinging for the fences,” Torres said.

  

Champagne Dreams Gone In The Wind

For the Cleveland Cavaliers organization and their fans their championship dreams are LeGone. Gone down to Miami, with the dozens of fans and thousands of others that have jumped on the bandwagon in South Beach. Right now is a desperate time for Cleveland and their fans. A group of people that have had the dagger in their heart over and over. The champagne dreams they had had with LeBron are now replaced with thirst and the taste of Steel Reserve.

From way back in 1954, when Willie Mays robbed Vic Wertz in the World Series, sports in Cleveland hasn’t been the same. Sure they still can hold on to the black and white footage of Jim Brown running over the Colts back in 1964, but that’s about all they have to hold on to. Let’s see, there was 1981 when Mike Davis picked off Brian Sipe on that cold day in Municipal Stadium. How about The Drive and The Fumble in consecutive years, the latter which the fans of Cleveland ran Earnest Byner out of town. Never mind he was the reason the Browns were in the position they were because of him. There also was another AFC title game loss to the Broncos. There was The Shot, which brought Craig Ehlo into kids’ bedrooms across America (posterized). Brad Daughtery’s bad back, Danny Ferry being a bust. Art Modell moving the Browns franchise out of Cleveland. The city to reap the benefits of a Super Bowl winner, Baltimore. There was 1994, when the Indians finally righted the ship only to have a  the rug pulled out from a possible World Series winning team due to a strike/lockout. There was World Series loss to Atlanta. The memory of Joe Table (Jose Mesa) not being able to close the deal against the Marlins in 97. Or was it 98? The playoff loss to the Steelers in which the Browns wasted a sizable lead. The ALCS where the Indians blew a 3-1 lead against the Red Sox.

Cleveland’s luck looked to change for the better when the Cavs drafted LeBron James. He led them to the brink of the playoffs, then went on to crash the big stage,dethroning the Detroit Pistons as kings of the East. He never made it back to the Finals,as the last two years proved to be disappointing, bowing out to the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics in six games both years. Which leads us to this. Owner Dan Gilbert says that the “curse” will go down south with James. Sorry Dan, this ain’t the Bobby Layne Lions curse here. The champagne will be replaced with Steel Reserve and Cleveland fans will remain thirsty for another 50 plus years, because as I see it right now there is no hope with the Browns, Indians, or Cavaliers. Hey Clevelanders, at least you have the Buckeyes and old Jim Brown footage. How about this, you guys can come up here and pull for our perennial losers, the Detroit Lions.