Hey Cansecoites...

Today is a big day for us Jose fans. The final two segments of The Big
League Challenge will be aired on ESPN2 today. The first show is at 5:30
EST, and then the Canseco/Palmeiro final is from 6:00-700 EST. Remember, I
was in Las Vegas for the taping, and I am telling you, this will be the
most impressive power display you've EVER seen Jose put on. If at all
possible, do NOT miss this, and make sure you tape it - I know you'll want
to see it again!

BEFORE the Home Run Derby, at 5:00 EST, Jose will be taking part in a live
chat on ESPN.com. Here is the exact address:
http://chat1.starwave.com/chat/chat.dll?room=szBIGLEAGUERS

Jose will be swinging for the fences for charity before today's final
spring training game. Check out the details of that and all the rest of
the latest news below...

Tomorrow is the last day to enter the 2000 Jose Canseco Home Run Contest
for your chance to win a PSA Graded rookie card AND an autographed bat. If
you haven't made your predictions yet, head on over to
http://www.canseconet.com/contest.htm now...

Enjoy today's festivities!
Mark

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From the Tampa Tribune:
Notes from Camp
By Bill Chastain

Canseco in the finals: If Jose Canseco vs. Mark McGwire wasn't enough,
check out the finals of ESPN's home run hitting contest Friday at 6.

The Devil Rays' resident basher squared off against Texas slugger Rafael
Palmeiro and (cover your eyes if you don't want to know who won) got the
job done to claim the championship, which was taped in Las Vegas shortly
before the start of spring training.

Canseco defeated Mike Piazza, McGwire and Chipper Jones en route to his
championship tilt against Palmeiro.

Canseco put on a show in the final, hitting 28 home runs. Putting the big
guy's effort into perspective, consider that Canseco put away McGwire by a
score of 9-8.

In one inning, Canseco hit eight home runs and had one stretch during which
he went seven straight swings without making an out (any result other than
a home run was an out).

``That air is thin out there,'' Canseco said. ``By the last inning I was
gassing.''

Initially, Canseco's friend, Glenn Dunn, was going to pitch to him in the
contest, but during practice Dunn had control problems.

``Glenn had a good sinking fastball and he threw one that nearly hit me in
the head,'' Canseco said, enjoying a laugh at Dunn's expense.

Canseco finally turned to old Toronto teammate Shawn Green, who now plays
for the Dodgers.

``He had a kid who put it right there,'' Canseco said.

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From CNN/SI:
No way, Jose

...And finally, this from the strange but true department: Devil Rays DH
Jose Canseco has opened his own mortgage and financial investments firm,
the Canseco Financial Group. He says he loves playing the stock market,
compares it to gambling. And he admits this was something he never could
have envisioned when he started out. "Are you crazy?" he said. "I was
investing in Ferraris."

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From the St. Petersburg Times:

HOME RUN CHARITY: Florida Power will introduce its Score One for Education
program today using Jose Canseco in a home run demonstration. The program
provides scholarships and mentors for low-income youths.

Florida Power will donate money each time a Devil Ray hits a home run with
the amount escalating as more home runs are hit in a game. The first homer
in a game is worth $250, followed by $500 for the second, $1,000 for the
third, $2,000 for the fourth and $4,000 if a fifth home run is hit.

The first donations will be made today with Canseco attempting to hit home
runs on five batting practice swings before the game.

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:
Canseco swings for charity

Before today's spring finale at Florida Power Park, Jose Canseco will try
to clear the fences for charity.

Canseco will take five swings and for every ball he hits out of Florida
Power Park he will donate money to ``Take Stock in Children,'' an innovative
partnership providing college scholarships, mentors and hope to deserving,
youth from low-income families. More than 3,000 scholarships have been
awarded throughout the state of Florida.

Charlie Slowes of WFLA-970 AM will do play-by-play as Canseco swings.

Canseco's show will kickoff a season-long campaign in which Florida Power
will donate money each time a Devil Ray hits a home run.

The donations will have an escalating format. For the first home run in a
game, Florida Power will donate $250. The second home run will be worth
$500 and the sum can escalate to a donation of $7,500 for five home runs in
a game.

==========
From The Sporting News 3/30 Devil Rays Report:
FIVE REASONS TO GET EXCITED

1. Power. Jose Canseco, Fred McGriff, Greg Vaughn and Vinny Castilla have
combined for 305 homers over the last two years. No other team's quartet is
even close. McGriff is just 10 away from joining Canseco in the 400-homer
club....

==========
From ESPN.com:

On Friday, to help promote the Big Leaguer's Challenge (5:30 p.m. ET
ESPN2), slugger Jose Canseco will stop by take your questions on the art of
hitting home runs. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays designated hitter is entering
his second season with the Devil Rays after coming to the team last season
as a free agent. Last season, Canseco played in 113 games and hit .279 with
34 home runs and 95 RBI. He became the first player in history to hit
30-plus homers for four different teams.

The 15-year veteran is one of the games all-time great sluggers. He has 413
career home runs, hitting 40 or more home runs three different times and 30
or more in eight different seasons. On top of that he also has 1,309 RBI
and 196 stolen bases. In 1988, he became the first player in baseball
history to hit over 40 home runs and steal 40 bases. That year he became
only the seventh unanimous selection for the AL's Most Valuable Player Award.

This is your chance to chat with one of the greats about the home run and
maybe he'll even give his pick as to who will win the home run title this
year. Canseco will hit chat on Friday at 5 p.m. ET. Feel free to drop him a
question now and we'll save it for his arrival.

For more information on Canseco and the Big League Challenge, check out
bigleaguers.com

==========================
From bigleaguers.com:
Big League Challenge Down To Four

We're down to four home run hitters from the original 12 who entered the
Big League Challenge competition.

Semifinals begin tonight at 5:30 p ET (ESPN2) with Jose Canseco taking on
Chipper Jones and continue Friday (same time, same channel) with Rafael
Palmeiro going blast-for-blast against relative youngster Andruw Jones.

"I've kind of grown into being a home run hitter, but it sure wasn't always
that way. The most I ever hit in the minors was 15," Chipper said after
stepping out of the batter's box at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, where the
event was taped in late February.

Nontheless, Chipper muscled his way to the semifinal-round match with
Canseco, who's been swinging in the fences since his days in Oakland when
he and Mark McGwire were known as the "Bash Brothers."

A series of injuries over the years has slowed Canseco's home run pace, but
he was rested and healthy in Vegas, swinging free and easy.

"A lot of people might have told you there was no way I could qualify after
so many injuries, but there I was, and it was great to be part of it - and
exciting for the fans," Canseco said afterward, satisfied that he had made
a good showing in the charity contest.

"I guess everyone has seen the old Home Run Derbies. I know I have," he
said. "Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Banks, Robinson, Maris. Man, it was great to
watch those guys tee off. Maybe ours was even more interesting because
everything today has so much attention drawn to it."

Chipper said regardless of his power display in the Challenge he wasn't
about to mess with the offensive style that's made him one of the game's
rising stars.

"I'm still not thinking home run whenever I go to bat. I go up there and
try to hit the ball as hard as I can. There's a quarter inch difference
between a line drive single and a home run, so there's not that much
difference.

"It's a bit lucky to be able to hit a home run, so I'm concerned with going
up and hitting .300, hitting the ball hard, and letting the home runs take
care of themselves."

Palmeiro, who like Canseco was born in Havana, had a different take on
swinging for the fences. The veteran first baseman understands there are
situations when the big swing is appropriate, but said bad things can
happen when you try too hard.

"Sometimes people think you always try to hit the ball as far as you can.
And this is a home run era, so you figure, get it in the air, and maybe it
will go. And sure, there are times when you go up there and your team needs
a home run or you need to get a big three-run homer or something," he said.

"You don't' really go up there looking for the home run, but you set your
mind to get in that state where if you get the right pitch, it just
happens. You don't force it. You try to set your mind to be ready in case
the pitch is made where you can drive the ball out of the park."

Andruw Jones, the youngest semfinalist at 22, joined the 12-man field at
the last moment when Sammy Sosa came down with the flu in Las Vegas on the
morning of the competition.

"I look around at these guys and wonder what I'm doing here!" Andruw said.
"What an honor. I was actually picked to be an alternate, and I didn't
expect to play - it was just nice to be with everyone, and great to be
asked to come. But then Sammy got the flu, he was hospitalized, and I had
to step in.

"That's a great, great feeling, when you can play the game with your peers
at their level."

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Mark Petrillo
mark@...
Canseconet.com - The Jose Canseco Site