December 2011
39 posts
4 tags
Andrew Bailey To The Red Sox For Minor Leaguers
Andrew Bailey, All-Star closer for the Oakland Athletics, was traded today to the Boston Red Sox for Minor Leaguers Josh Reddick, Miles Head, and Raul Alcantara. Ryan Sweeney is also coming over to Boston.
The deal, of course, is centered around Andrew Bailey. He will immediately fill the void left by Jonathan Papelbon after he left for the Philadelphia Phillies. Since arriving in the majors with...
6 tags
Matthew Stafford Is The All-Star Snub Of The NFL...
This is going to be an obvious slight to Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
I don’t mind though. Because in the last 24 hours I’ve witnessed one of the worst All-Star snubs in sports and I can’t let it go unnoticed. How does the National Football League (and fans for that matter) justify leaving Matthew Stafford out of this years Pro Bowl? Say what you will about the game not...
5 tags
8 tags
7 tags
4 tags
Senseless (SI Story from May 14. 1990) →
In the wake of recent reports of mayhem with the re-release of the Jordan 11’s we look back at an article from Sports Illustrated for perspective
(click title to be directed to article)
“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?”
– Satchel Page
“It is dangerous for an athlete to believe his own publicity, good or bad.”
– Bob Uecker
3 tags
Bonds Trial An Unnecessary Circus
I would like to take a phrase from famous comedian Dennis Miller by telling you that “I don’t want to go on a rant here” but after eight years of did he or didn’t he, media coverage, legal analysis and an overall circus of mistresses and jilted lovers Barry Bonds sentence was 30-days of house arrest and two years of community service.
I’m so glad we did this.
If...
5 tags
San Diego Padres Score Major Haul In Trade For Mat...
“Don’t focus on making money; focus on protecting what you have.” -Paul Tudor Jones
Mat Latos was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. That was the good news for the Reds.
Now the bad news: Cincy lost this trade in a landslide.
As reported, Mat Latos, the 24-year old Virginia native who went 9-14 with a 3.47 earned run average in 2011 was traded for Edison Volquez, Yasmani Gandal...
3 tags
6 tags
Who is the Better Risk? Yu Darvish vs. Yoennis...
There are two international men of mystery on the free agent market this winter. The market for both has been a relatively quiet one but don’t let that fool you; these two will make an immediate impact with whatever team decides to take a flyer on them and that stove has begun to heat up within the last couple weeks (bidding on Yu Darvish ended today). I won’t begin to speculate which...
3 tags
Ryan Braun Testing Positive For PEDs A Blow For...
Only Ryan Braun saw it coming.
Coming off a season in which he won the National League MVP and led the Milwaukee Brewers to their first division title he was supposed to be one of the faces of baseball’s grand new era. An era where performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) was a thing of the past, and baseball was returning to the way it was when it was all about the athleticism and true five-tool...
Heisman Win Would Be A Special One For Robert...
He understands the importance this win would carry. I’m not talking about the the season-opening triumph against a then-ranked number 14 Texas Christian team coming off a Rose Bowl victory and a number two finish in the Associated Press poll. That win was an opening statement that things for Baylor were changing. That change would be placed in the hands of Robert Griffin III. One of the most...
7 tags
The NBA Almost Had Me Back. Then I Remembered Why...
I’ll admit I’ve been a borderline NBA fan for the better part of a decade. That time between February and April when the headlines are consumed by basketball is the definition of a black hole for me. Which is why last year was strange. I started enjoying basketball again. Maybe it was the night my buddy and I spent in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina watching Duke and UNC play...
Batting Cleanup: And then there are guys like... →
kayliiex3:
“It goes to show you that it’s really not that difficult to do this,” Jones said. “If you want to stay somewhere, you must play at a certain level. And you have to be willing to make sacrifices. Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I’m not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices…
Gotta love him!!
I Know How It Feels When A Legend Leaves: A Letter...
I don’t think that I want to meet any of the icons. I don’t think that anybody can quite live up to your expectations. -Jane Horrocks
My first brush with watching a player I enjoyed leave my favorite team was 1997. David Justice was my favorite player in a Braves uniform and I remember the day he was traded, after a 1996 season that saw him sidelined with a shoulder injury, but I...
8 tags
Albert Pujols Agrees to Contract With Anahem...
As reported, Albert Pujols has agreed to a 10-year/$260 million dollar contract with the Angels on Thursday marking the end of his St. Louis Cardinals playing career. Pujols, who helped lead the Cardinals to an improbable World Series run in 2011, was granted a full no-trade clause in the contract.
During his time in St. Louis Pujols, 31, won three National League MVP awards and made nine...
6 tags
Reyes Introduced, Marlins Sign Buherle And The...
While the Winter Meetings in Dallas have proven to be more about establishing a foundation for deals to be made at a later date, there was some action that took place that could allow for some major chips to begin falling. News of the day (which is a relative term when Albert Pujols is a free agent) revolved around the Marlins continued attempt to imitate the New York Yankees this offseason by...
“What is life, after all, but a challenge? And what better challenge can there be...”
– Warren Spahn
5 tags
Fred McGriff Is A Hall of Famer Of The No Doubt...
When I was younger, growing up in Savannah, Georgia, I remember being glued to Atlanta Braves baseball from the age of six. That year was 1990, and as has been well documented the next year started an unprecedented run of division success in Atlanta that has made it the brand it is today. Sprinkled in were the opportunities to watch legends at work. I watched Steve Avery define what is now...
Pujols Would Be Wise To Stay In St. Louis (Winter...
The news of the day at the winter meetings in Dallas are the reports that representatives of the Marlins have extended a 10-year offer to Albert Pujols. It is said that his agent has had multiple meetings with the Marlins, and that the talks are serious. While Pujols is arguably the best player in the game, I caution his decision to look for greener pastures in south beach.
We’ve seen...
4 tags
“People who live in the past generally are afraid to compete in the present....”
– Sparky Anderson
9 tags
Five Things I Took Away From The Weekend In...
Some of my thoughts on College Football’s happenings this past weekend:
LSU is the slam dunk #1 team in the country: I don’t think there is anyone who can argue that sentiment as they not only ran the table in the SEC, but they also beat the top teams in the SEC (three times), Pac-12 (Oregon), and the Big East (West Virginia). They did it in such a convincing fashion that few can see...
What Jose Reyes Signing Means For Marlins (Winter...
Jose Reyes agreed early Monday morning to a six-year/$106 million dollar contract to become the new shortstop for the Florida Marlins. This signing indicates what many presumed about Miami upon word they would be debuting their new stadium this coming 2012 season. That they would be major players in the free-agent market.
And they’re not done.
Sources are saying they are still in the...
6 tags
Baseball Winter Meetings Provide Opportunity for...
The winter meetings in Dallas, Texas for Major League Baseball kicked off with a bang on Monday with the announcement of Jose Reyes signing with the Miami Marlins (more on that later). This was just one of the many major chips expected to fall this week. Here are the three major themes to keep an eye on during the meetings in Dallas:
Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder signings: They are the marquee...
7 tags
“There is no room in baseball for discrimination. It is our national pastime and...”
– Lou Gehrig
1 tag
Bobby Valentine's Hiring A Coup For Red Sox
Boston made waves this week by signing Bobby Valentine as their new manager to replace the ultra-successful Terry Francona. As has been well documented, Boston had a collapse for the ages and rumors started to surface about behavior issues in the Red Sox clubhouse. In sports it is a known fact that once a coach or manager loses his voice with the team it is time for a change.
Bobby Valentine is...
BYU Should Focus On Winning
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.” — Lou Holtz
There aren’t many times when I agree with Lou Holtz, but this seems to be one of those rare occasions. I’ve had an issue with a lot of the college football realignment going on recently. I’ll admit I’m one for tradition and seeing Missouri and Texas...
“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll...”
– Rogers Hornsby
Baseball's Knack For Getting It Wrong Continues...
In 1999 Chipper Jones won the Most Valuable Player award with a monster month of September that propelled the Atlanta Braves to a world series appearance. That year Jones, entering the prime of his career, batted .319 with 45 home runs, 110 runs batted in and added 25 stolen bases. At the halfway point that year Jones had a line of 21 home runs, 57 runs batted in and an average of .313, yet was...