There could be some history made on Friday night in Buffalo. Zach Allen Cardinals Jersey . Mike Hessman of the Toledo Mudhens needs one more homer to break the all-time International League career home run mark. Before you say "big deal" as I was tempted to do, you should know who Mike Hessman is and how he made this journey over a long and varied career. First off he was born in Fountain Valley, California, and grew into the dimensions of a true slugger. He is 65" and 215 pounds. He was chosen in the 15th round of the 1996 MLB draft by Atlanta. He made it to the "Show" with the Braves in 2003. He had a long looping swing and struck out too much and generally over a short-lived big league career, the 3B/1B also seemed to be stuck behind better players such as Chipper Jones. Besides Atlanta, Hessman also made pit stops in Detroit and with the New York Mets between 2003 and 2010, hitting .188 with 14 home runs. Over time Hessman became a fixture in the International League. Now 36, he has slugged 258 homers in the "I" to tie the late Ollie Carnegie, who spent the bulk of his career playing in Buffalo. Carnegie played his final season with the Bisons in 1945. These two were a study in physical contrasts. While Hessman is 65", Carnegie was only 57" and weighed 175 pounds. Surely the Major League home run record is more impressive and more prestigious. Babe Ruth broke Roger Connors career mark of 138 back in 1921. The Bambino ran that total up to 714 by 1935, and that mark endured until Hank Aaron broke it on April 8, 1974 at Atlanta against Al Downing and the Dodgers. So Babe Ruth held the career home run record for 53 years. Carnegies mark of 258 has stood since the year he retired as a player in 1945. If you do the math, thats 69 years. Oddly enough Carnegie never played in the Majors, largely because he didnt start playing pro ball on a regular basis until he joined Buffalo at age 32 in 1931. Before that he played mainly semi-pro or amateur ball and held down a regular job. Nowadays 258 home runs doesnt sound like all that imposing a number. But remember today, its all about player development. If you dont make the Majors by your mid-20s or maybe late 20s if youre lucky, youre going to be out of a job. You have to have a special talent and be a unique individual, as Mike Hessman must be to stick around until the age of 36. Hessman had a bit of a scare about a week ago. He had to have some tissue removed from his nose and his forehead. Luckily it proved to be non-cancerous. He missed three games this week waiting for the swelling on his face to go down, then went 0-for-3 at Coca-Cola Field on Thursday afternoon. Friday night is the series finale at Buffalo and it would only seem fitting that he would hit his 259th homer in the city where Ollie Carnegie spent the bulk of his career and is enshrined in the Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. When Hessman ultimately does break this record, he has other mountains to climb. He is also third on the all-time list of homers hit in the minors. Buzz Arlett is number one with 432, Nick Cullop has 420 and Hessman checks in with 403. Scoring Big Pitching and defence may win championships, but you cant deny the fact that the Blue Jays offence could carry them a long way. Theyve scored 311 runs in 61 games and slugged 87 homers, tops in the American League in both categories. You can add the total home runs for the Royals and Yankees and get 77, 10 fewer than the Jays, or the Rangers and Red Sox and get 85, still two less than the Blue Jays. In the runs scored category, the Jays have rung up 57 more than the second-best team in their division - Baltimore (254) - and then you drop off to Boston and the Yankees at 240 and Tampa Bay at a paltry 228. Boston was the runaway leader in runs scored in the American League last season with 853 and ultimately won the World Series. Im just saying. Unusual Moments This is something that happens so rarely in baseball, yet it happened twice in the last week. The Angels Garrett Richards and Clevelands Justin Masterson both struck out the side on nine pitches. Another oddity came on Wednesday when the Phillies 35-year-old shortstop Jimmy Rollins struck out four times in a game for the first time in his career, earning the famed "Golden Sombrero". The opposing pitcher though was Washingtons Stephen Strasburg, so well cut Rollins some slack. Rollins incidently is up to 2,226 hits now for his career. He needs nine more to pass Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt as the Phillies all-time hits leader. Since the Phils are having such a dismal season, the feeling is growing that Rollins will waive his 10-and-5 rights and will agree to a trade once the record is broken. The Tigers would be a perfect fit. The Atlanta Braves lead the National League East. Yet strangely enough, they have been held to 0 or 1 runs in a game a Major League-high 18 times. At the Draft If youre wondering why the Blue Jays used their ninth-overall pick in the Draft Thursday night to take a pitcher who just had Tommy John surgery in May, consider this. Veteran baseball writer Danny Knobler has seen Jeff Hoffman out of East Carolina pitch and said this of him: "He could be Justin Verlanders brother". Say no more! Adrian Wilson Jersey . - While a fast-paced offence has become more of a fixture in recent years, the San Antonio Spurs can still grind out games when needed. Andy Isabella Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- The St. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/Youth-Pat-Tillman-Cardinals-Jersey/ .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open.BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored a long-range goal worthy of the recently awarded Ballon dOr to spark Real Madrids 5-0 rout at Real Betis, provisionally lifting them level with the co-leaders of the Spanish league on Saturday. Ronaldo netted one of his signature free kicks in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday to celebrate being named the world player of the year, and he topped that with a 25-meter blast taken on the run in the 10th minute in Seville. Gareth Bale followed Ronaldos rocket with a delicately placed free kick in the 25th for his first goal since Nov. 30, leaving the hosts demoralized and in tatters at the back. Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria and Alvaro Morata all scored before the demolition of bottom-side Betis was over. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid can both regain their advantage over Madrid when they play matches on Sunday. "Everything went our way," said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. "It was an important opportunity to reach the top of the table. At least we can sleep well tonight." Betis was left eight points from safety just past the leagues midway mark after Elche earned its first in six rounds by beating 10-man Rayo Vallecano 2-0 at home. Entering the match on a 12-round winless streak and showing no improvement since Juan Carlos Garrido replaced Pepe Mel as its coach, Betis desperately needed to repeat its 1-0 win over Madrid from last season. But Madrid dominated possession from the start, and the talent of Ronaldo and company soon crushed any hopes of an upset. Ancelotti said he would ask Ronaldo "for more" after he won his second Ballon dOr on Monday, and his star forward has certainly done that with two more superb goals this week to help his team advance past Osasuna in the Copa del Rey and tiighten the league title race. Adrian Wilson Womens Jersey. Ronaldo was aggressive as ever from the start against Betis and his effort paid off when he unleashed a right-footed strike while dribbling at full speed that sailed past goalkeeper Stephan Andersen and into the roof of the net. The shot increased Ronaldos league-leading tally to 21 goals in 20 rounds. He has 31 goals in 26 appearances overall this season for Madrid. Bale turned Andersen into a helpless bystander for a second time when he lifted a free kick over the wall before it suddenly dipped down and into the net. Modric then set up Benzemas goal in first-half stoppage time when he pounced on a loose ball, drew three defenders to him, changed direction and crossed for the striker to slot home. It was Benzemas 100th goal in his fifth season at Madrid. Ancelotti praised the work of Modric and fellow midfielder Xabi Alonso for triggering Madrids lethal attack. "Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema were very efficient. The entire team game them several scoring option because we played at a fast pace," he said. "The help of our midfielders, above all Modric, was very important." Andersen denied Ronaldo one-on-one after half time, but he couldnt stop Di Maria from sending a rebound from outside the area skidding just inside the upright in the 62nd minute. Substitute Morata scored the fifth in the 90th minute. Elche was up a goal and a player from the 19th minute when Edu Albacar converted a penalty after Rayos Raul Baena was red-carded for fouling Ferran Corominas in the box. Javi Marquez sealed the victory in the 79th to leave Rayo in the relegation zone. Espanyol hosted Celta Vigo later, while Osasuna travelled to Granada. Barcelona visits Levante on Sunday after Atletico hosts Sevilla. ' ' '