Ravens @ Vikings: Pregame

The only bigger game on the NFL's schedule today is Giants@Saints, but this is, in my mind, a must-win game for the Ravens.

Many people may ask. "Why is this a must win? The Ravens even went UNDER .500 early last season and ended up making the playoffs."

That may be true, but the Ravens need to win the division this year. If they win the division, there won't be any doubt in their own minds that they are for real. If they win today against arguably the best team in the NFC, they're team morale will be back in full swing, where it was when they were 3-0.

They will definitely be continuing that "us against the world" mentality with all those questionable calls in the last couple weeks.

Goodbye, Stover. It's Been Nice.

Today veteran kicker Matt Stover signed with the Indianapolis Colts to replace injured kicker Adam Vinateri.

This may seem like a mediocre mid-season pickup to a lot of fans, but this actually means a lot more to Baltimore Ravens fans.

As of the end of last season, Stover was the only player left in Baltimore who played for the original Cleveland Browns and came over in the move. He was also a shining star in community service and had one of the highest jersey sales among any Special Teams kicker/punter of the last 15 years.

But wait, there's more! With the Colts' signing of Stover, he becomes the first, and only player who will ever have played for a team that was moving to Baltimore, a team that played in Baltimore, and a team that moved from Baltimore. This leaves a very bitter taste in the mouths of Ravens fans considering that Barry Levinson's documentary about the Colts leaving Baltimore aired last night. That in itself refueled a very good amount of distaste for the Colts in Baltimore.

Many Ravens fans (including myself), called for the re-signing of Stover this offseason after mediocre pre-season performances by young kickers Graham Gano and Steve Hauschka (who ended up winning the job).

It's a shame to see someone who played his entire 17 year career thus-far with one franchise go off and probably play one more with another, especially such a bitter rival. I'm sure when he goes to he Hall of Fame (which is debatable, but with the lackluster classes coming up is looking rather good), he will retire as a Raven and all will be forgiven...

Sucks that he went to Indy though.

Coming out of Retirement

Well, it wasn't really a retirement, but more of a leave of absence.

I was purely getting into the swing of things at school and I am ready to come back and blog regularly again.

The Ravens are 3-2, and the Orioles are done for the season. Basketball is going to be starting and Hockey has been going on for a little bit, so I will be trying to get regular columns out on this tuff as often as possible.

Oh How the NFL loves being annoying

As always, the NFL's over-strict blackout policy is prominent tonight.

Unlike for Major League Baseball, or even the National Basketball Association, the NFL blacks out all of its preseason games even when on local networks.

Tonight I will not be able to be bringing you live coverage of the Ravens' final preseason game. This is purely because of the NFL's ignorance and it's blackout policy.

 I have the premium package on DirecTV and often watch MASN (the Maryland-based station that is broadcasting the Ravens' game tonight). Even though I have the network, and NEITHER the Orioles or the Nationals are playing (the network's priorities), I have been blacked out for the game.

I just don't get it. The NFL has been stated as the "No Fun League" in so many different places recently and its purely because people compare them to other major sports leagues, which they should. If you are able to go to any network your TV company provides and are able to watch PRESEASON MLB and NBA games, why not the NFL?

Well, after getting off the phone with DirecTV, it has been stated to me that not only does this blackout have to do with the NFL, but my 'NFL Sunday Ticket' package won't even cover the preseason games.

I am well aware that this is a preseason game, but I guarantee that any die-hard fan of the NFL wants to see the developments of this weekend's games for their teams. Most people write off the 4th preseason game since 99% of the teams stars don't play. However, for several teams (especially the Ravens) trying to name winners in position battles, this game could be interesting to see who comes out on top.

As you can all tell, I am very unhappy with the NFL at the moment, and I will sure to be coming back with a feature article very soon.

Back in the Saddle Again

Sorry for another extended absence. With the start of school and such hogging my schedule, I had to take some time off...

But all is well in S.O.S, because our live coverage of the Ravens' game tonight is back!

So, stay tuned, because you wont find as up-to-date and opinionated coverage of tonight's game anywhere!

Some Promise, but not much else

After the Interception, the Jets marched right up to the 3 yard line and the Ravens decided to wake up.

They were able to stop the Jets from scoring another TD, but the Jets were still able to score an easy field goal.

Ravens 21, Jets 17

Quite A Start

The Ravens came into the 2nd half with 100% of the momentum. 

Not Anymore.

The kickoff return by LeDarius Webb looked great until at the end of the play he had the ball forced out of his hands and right into a Jets' player's arms.

Directly after the turnover, Kellen Clemens through a TD Pass.

Once the Ravens got the ball back Troy Smith threw an Interception. That was luckily called back on a bunch of penalties, but it made no difference as Smith threw another one less than 3 downs later.

Ravens 21, Jets 14

Halftime

The Halftime score has the Ravens up, 21-7.

If I were to choose a player of the first half, it would have to go to Haloti Ngata.

There are a few things to look forward to for the 2nd Half:

• Watch out for Steve Hauschka. After Graham Gano missed a field goal, this could be Hauschka's opportunity to take the job
• Pay attention to who is making the tackles among the linebackers. Whoever is the most dominant may find themselves leading the pack for Bart Scott's position.
• McGahee needs to prove he can be as dominant as Rice

"Freight Train" McClain (Not the One You're Thinking Of)

Kellen Clemens just lost all of the possible advantage he came into the game with after Sanchez's rocky performance.

Haloti Ngata was, again, the centerpiece of a turnover. This time, however, was different.

Ngata forced the pocket to collapse on Clemens, who forced a pass that was ultimately intercepted by Jameel McClain for a Pick-6.

Jameel McClain is obviously the lesser known of the McClains on the Ravens, but he could very well be filling in the hole left by Bart Scott. He definitely redeemed his mishap earlier in the game with this play.

Ravens 21, Jets 7

Flags a-Flyin'

I guess this is just as much a workout for the Referees as for the Jets and Ravens. 

There have been flags on what seems like every few plays. That may just be sloppy play by young rookies fighting for spots on the team, but a couple of those holding calls seemed a little harsh for a preseason game.

Flacco's Day

It looks that Joe Flacco's day is over and here is the recap:

8-18, 120 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Now, that may not look too impressive on paper, but Flacco was flat-out dominant tonight. I find myself constantly forgetting how great Joe looks throwing the ball. He has this very easy going delivery, and then the ball comes out of his hand like a laser. He had success down the field and on mid-ranged throws as well. 

His biggest win tonight was his performance under blitz pressure. His pocket presence was phenomenal, and he also reiterated his skill on leaving the pocket to defer pressure.

He was on pace for just short of 300 yards. His under 50% completion rating looks disappointing, but I believe that is more on his receivers and line as much as him.

Finally A Slip Up

Baltimore had no answer for the Jets on that last series.

Leon Washington was the key player for the Jets there, as he executed several plays on the ground in the air.

The drive ended with Washington scoring. Confusion on the linebacker core (no surprise it was by the inexperienced Jameel McClain) led to a mismatch and Sanchez took advantage with a TD Pass to Washington.

Ravens 14, Jets 7

Same Old, Same Old

After another stop on defense, the Ravens came back on the field to show some more swagger.

Flacco is continuing to look great through the air. He matched up for two first downs with Kelley Washington and Derrick Mason, respectively.

The ground game was successful too, as Le'Ron McClain converted on a 4th and 1 play to keep the drive alive.

The penalties ended up being fatal at the end of the drive, however. A holding call forced them into a 3rd and 15. Flacco prevailed and ran for 17 yards and a first down, but that too was called back on a holding play. They were unable to convert on the 3rd and 25.

Graham Gano came up to kick the field goal and missed wide left, losing the advantage he gained earlier in the game. Steve Hauschka should be coming in for the 2nd half.

Powerful Offense

When the Ravens started their next offensive series, it didn't take long for Flacco to do what he is best at.

Joe Cool seamlessly flung the ball in the air for a bomb to Derrick Mason before getting shoved out at the 3. Flacco then threw another perfect pass to the corner of the endzone,  only to have it dropped by Kelley Washington.

All was fine, however, as Flacco performed a perfectly executed modified Statue Of Liberty play. In one graceful move, Flacco (who was lined up in the shotgun) faked a throw and handed off behind the back to Ray Rice who waltzed into the endzone for 6.

Great drive all around for the birds.

Ravens 14, Jets 0

Good and Bad

The Ravens basically summed up their good and bad on offense on that series.

Ray Rice was the centerpiece on all 3 plays on the first set of downs with a reception and a couple of solid runs.

After the first down by Rice, the Jets brought the pressure on every play and Flacco looked great. He didn't convert anything, but he kept his composure in the pocket and took a huge hit from former team mate Bart Scott.

In the end, the Ravens punted it away. Sam Koch reprised his role as the Ravens most little known role-player as he did what he was best in the NFL last year with: pinning the ball inside the 10.

A quick 3 and out for the Jets followed.

Sanchez Feeling The Heat

Not 30 seconds passed after Ngata's Pick-6, Sanchez threw a pass right at Ray Lewis. Lucky for Sanchez, Ray dropped the INT (probably in shock that he had such an open field in front of him).

Sanchez did go on to hit a 25 yard pass, only to have it sent back on an Offensive Pass Interference call.

Mike Tirico on the telecast just described the Ravens Defense as "midseason form".

No Doubt.

Haloti the Horrible (updated)

Haloti Ngata may be the most under appreciated Nose Tackle in football today.

He now can walk with some swagger because he has knocked Mark Sanchez into his place by picking off a flutter pass and taking it to the house.

Watching a big man like that run 25 yards is very exciting. He may be the most important player on the Ravens Defense this season.

INSTANT UPDATE: Graham Gano might have just earned some extra points for his cause as place kicker, because he just saved a Leon Washington TD Return.

Ravens 7, Jets 0

In-Game Coverage

I decided to try something new tonight. Since the Ravens' game is on Monday Night Football, I thought I might as well put my own commentary on each series.

It should be entertaining, so stay tuned!

Get in the hole!

Ok, how asinine can the game of golf get? You have a major, with one of the greatest golfers who ever lived in the hunt, and there are the yahoos screaming on ever single shot. “Get in the hole!”.

Come-on, Tiger is 400 yards away. He was missing 8 ft. puts, yet these guys (heard no women), scream it out on every single shot. Grow up. And this is supposed to be a high brow game?

How about on every pitch we yell – Swing. Just like in the minors of Little League. Tiger-cam is alive and well (they never miss a single shot of his), but it best watched with the sound off.

BTW – who isn’t sick of listening to the announcers, in those hushed tones, telling us how courageous a shot is. It’s flipping golf. It’s not the military, police or firemen, they are courageous, it’s a bunch of well dressed dudes, hitting a little ball, that isn’t even moving.

KStats

Favre Returns From Retirement

Not going to dignify this a-hole with coverage. 

Disappointing or Groundbreaking?

Whatever you want to call today's final round of the PGA Championship, it was nothing short of amazing.

I was personally rooting for Tiger Woods, but Y.E. Yang may very well have opened up golf for the entire Asian population.

Yang's shot on 18 is one of the best I have ever seen, but I still wish it was Tiger. It would have been so much more special because it would have been Tiger Woods.

It's amazing what Tiger does to the game.

Well, it's behind us now, big props to Mr. Yang.

However, something tells me Tiger will be playing with a chip on his shoulder next year. I'm not sure about you, but something smells like a grand slam...

The Luckiest Cycle Ever?

Felix Pie hit for the cycle tonight.

Let me repeat myself.

FELIX PIE hit for the cycle.

Tonight the Orioles faced AL West Powerhouse Los Angeles Angels. Not only are the Orioles arguably the worst team in the American League since the All Star break, but they are the luckiest team in the world tonight with the luckiest player.

Felix Pie, big league disappointment, hit for the cycle tonight and may have bought himself a ticket in the majors for another year.

Call it luck, but we don't have much to root for in Bawlmer anymore, so we'll take this as we wait for the NFL season to start.

Mike Vick To Eagles

I'm not going to spend another feature article on Mike Vick since every single other media outlet is talking about this, but I do have a few things to say.

When the Eagles signed Vick yesterday, I was stunned. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of them before. It really is perfect.

ESPN Analyst and former Eagle QB Ron Jaworski vocalized that Vick will ruin the fragile stability of the Eagles team. I harshly disagree.

Vick will actually take the pressure off of a lot of players by taking the spotlight, and as he said today, he is here to support and idolize Donovan McNabb. After all he has been through and the amount of scrutiny he will be under for the next several years, he will not even go near the rough waters of an ego battle.

All in all, he made a very good impression today and I think he said all the right things in all the right ways.

Welcome back to the NFL, Mr. Vick. Please don't F%@k this up for yourself.

Ravens Game Tonight: Important, but No Judgements To Be Made

I'm happy to see my colleague back, and this is where this blog gets REALLY fun.

Anyways, everything that Matt said about the Ravens are true. Flacco's numbers are not looking to hot this offseason, and it just seems that the entire team is plagued with injuries. However, there are several promising signs coming from camp.

Flacco's numbers are down, but it may be a good thing. The Ravens are trying to improve on their Passing attack this season to open up the field for the three-headed monster of Rice, McGahee, and McClain. This means that Flacco is doing all he can to test his, his receivers', and the defense's limits. According to offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, he is not only fine with Flacco's inconsistent numbers, he's pleased. Now, this could all change in 2 weeks when he is still throwing INT's, but in my opinion, I would like to see a more dominant passing attack this season, so if it means he's throwing INT's now instead of later, I'm fine.

The Injury Report at the moment features the Ravens top 3 Receivers (Mason, Clayton, Williams), and 3 O-Linemen (Gaither, Grubbs, Yanda). This probably means it's going to be a long night for Flacco, Smith, and Beck. However, receivers Justin Harper, and Kelley Washington have done pretty good this offseason and Flacco has a very laid back mentality with who he's passing to. The injuries at O-Line will put the spotlight on First-Rounder Michael Oher and new pro bowl center Matt Birk. 

With the Ravens not re-signing Matt Stover, the battle has come down to two men. One is Kick Off specialist from last season Steve Hauschka. The other is a rookie who won the Lou Groza Award for best Kicker in the NCAA, Graham Gano. This battle is turning out alot like the Redskins battle of Suisham and Rayner. Hauschka is a power kicker who nailed a 54 yarder last season, and Gano seems to have more accuracy, however has shown off power in his career as he hit multiple 60+ yarders in High School.

Another position battle brewing in camp is for the vacated spot of Bart Scott. Right now, second year players Tavares Gooden and Jameel McClain are leading the pack with rookie Dannell Ellerbe close behind. Gooden has the best range of the 3, however Ellerbe has the most certain tackle, and McClain has been noted for a great pass rush that included a safety last season. Special Teams' standouts Antwaan Barnes and Pro Bowler Brendan Ayanbendejo have also been considered for the spot.

The best news from Ravens camp so far is the very deep depth of the team. With the signings of Defensive backs Dominique Foxworth and Chris Carr, the Cornerback position stacked with young talent that accompanies veterans Samari Rolle and Fabian Washington.

The Running Back situation seems to be better than ever with second year player Ray Rice leading the race to the #1 spot. Willis McGahee has also come back healthy for the first time since his debut in Baltimore, with breakout player LeRon "Freight Train" McClain returning to his original Full Back position. The three-headed monster should be back this season, but McClain will probably only see limited snaps at the Half Back position in Singleback formations due to him being the only Full Back on the team. 

Tonight is going to be an interesting test for the Ravens, but nothing hinges on tonight's performance. This is purely the opportunity to see the new Ravens and what they can do.

It is very early to make a judgement on the Ravens. The entire team has looked great except for Flacco, and he has a good reason for sucking. My optimism may be gone in 2 weeks if the team doesn't have a win and Flacco keeps struggling, but as of now, there is no reason not to think that they aren't as good as last season.

It will be fun to watch, no matter what.

Preseason Opener: Washington Redskins

Dear, loyal fans--both of you,

I would formally like to apologize for my absence in the past week. I, like Dan, have been extremely busy. While Dan's being busy constitutes kicking back on the beach, sipping a Shirley Temple and listening to the Orioles game on the radio combined with the eloquent crashing of waves, I have been scurrying around and getting my things together to make the 1,500 mile move from North Jersey to Miami, FL.

Now, that being said, let's talk DC football.

The Redskins officially kick off their season tonight at 7:30 in M&T Bank Stadium taking on their "Beltway Rivals," the Baltimore Edgar Allen Poes...

Now, you may be thinking, "Oh, it's only a preseason game, these don't mean anything, they're just a perfect opportunity for my favorite player to get hurt," well, you're basically right. Coach Zorn is aware of this and has said Portis and Haynesworth will not be in action tonight...

(Insert your own personal sigh of relief here)

On the other hand... This is the first time you get to see your favorite rookies in game action, and it should be great to see. For the Redskins, the names to keep your eyes on are: Brian Orakpo and Marko Mitchell... The Ravens worth noting are Michael Oher and Lardarius Webb. With this in mind, it should be noted, it's expected Orakpo and Oher are set to face off head to head--literally. I hate to brag, but this means Joe Flacco/Troy Smith/John Beck are going to have a 6'3 263 lb beast charging at him on every snap... With the necessary size, speed (4.6 40) and strength (515 bench, 600 squat, 380 power clean), Orakpo has the physical makings of being a defensive monster... I don't care what kind of sad story (although I cried... a little) you bring to the table, Rak is gonna have Oher on his back all day. Now, this is purely speculative, but the camp reports suggest I may be right here.

Moving on, reports out of Ravens camp have Joe Flacco as being horrid, and noting his backups (Smith, Beck), I expect a few picks from the Skins' above average secondary of DeAngelo Hall, Carlos Rogers, LaRon Landry and Chris Horton.

OK, I'll stop bashing the birds and take a look at my own team's faults. The o-line is in less sync then a kindergarten band class; expect a lot of sacks (right where we left off). The kicker battle is being fought between a man who's nickname is Shaun Miss'em and a man who has been on 8 different teams, Dave Rayner. It's some accuracy and no leg vs no accuracy and a big boot. I guess I'll take a flier on those 50 yarders; I'm rooting for Rayner (it's actually so I can rape in Madden '10). Both should, hopefully, see action tonight, with Rayner getting more looks, as our coaching staff has yet to see him kick against a live rush. Aside from that, the boys from ol' DC are remarkably solid. Unfortunately, the o-line and kicker are two of the most pivotal positions on a football team!!!

In other news, the "Cult of Colt" should be happy as Coach Zorn has said that all four of the Redskins QBs are expected to see action. It's clear Jason Campbell has all but locked down the starting job, but the real action is going to be behind him, where Todd Collins, Colt Brennan and former Mizzou star, Chase Daniel (Being 5'10 (reincarnation of Doug Flutie?!) is what killed all hope of his being drafted) are battling to put themselves in some order into just 2 spots behind Campbell.

Coach Zorn, amongst others, continue to insist Collins has that backup job, but they're full of it, and here's why:

• We haven't signed Jason Campbell to an extension, or even discussed one, despite his impending free agency.
• In combination with our dabbling in Jay Cutler, Byron Leftwich, Mark Sanchez and Michael Vick, it proves our being less than committed to Campbell.
• Todd Collins is 37 years old.
• Colt Brennan has yet to see a single snap in-game.
• Both Brennan and Daniel clearly have more upside than the fossil who led us to the '07 playoffs.

All this in mind, Colt Brennan will probably begin to deteriorate, both mentally and physically (much like Matt Leinart), should he continued to be isolated from football like this... He threw 50 touchdowns in a season at a division 1 school (along with 30 other NCAA D1 records), he had a better preseason than any QB last year and he's having a better camp than CAMPBELL, let alone the other backups. I'm not saying cut Campbell and throw Colt into the fire. Just give him that backup job, and get Collins (and his $2+ mil) out of Washington... It's time for a youth movement at QB. Colt has all the weapons to be a premier player; he showed it in college and he's showing us now, move him up, Coach!! Once this is done, Chase Daniel can be our third QB, stashing away a wild card for the future.

All right, so remember to keep your eyes on the rookies (especially the Orakpo-Oher matchups), both QB situations, both receiving corps, the Redskins' O-line, Rayner vs. Miss'em and the Ravens' D (post Ryan era). This should be a good one.

I'm not even going to predict a winner or score... That's crazy, but you know who I'm pulling for.

It's Just Getting Sad...

I am watching the telecast of the Orioles-Athletics game on MASN and I think I just saw a commercial that just about sums up the Baltimore Orioles season.

This commercial was promoting next week's series against the Rays on MASN.

A recurring theme in these 'upcoming series' commercials is stating the biggest individual stats against each team. This is what MASN came up with:

"Evan Longoria is hitting .387 against the O's this season.

Jeremy Guthrie once pitched 6 scoreless innings against the Rays in April.

WHO WILL OWN IT!?"

I don't think I have ever laughed out loud while sobbing to myself, but this did it. It's almost as if they are taunting the Orioles' fans now. The best stat that they could come up with was that Jeremy Guthrie pitched 6 scoreless innings... IN APRIL!?

That's almost like saying this:

'STEELERS-BROWNS

The Steelers have the best overall defense in Football.

The Browns took a lead into the 3rd Quarter against the Steelers in 2006.

WHO WILL OWN IT!?'

Tiger The Rebel

PGA: Tiger, you spoke out against our rulings in a derogatory way. We are going to have to fine you.

Tiger: No you won't.

PGA: Okay, thanks for stopping by!

I think it's safe to say that if someone like Retief Goosen or Sean O'Hair spoke harshly against the PGA, they would have received a fine. But that isn't the problem.

The PGA has been the "stick up the ass" organization in the world of sports for several years. The PGA put the clock on leaders Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington when they decided to take their time on a few holes.

Harrington and Woods were the only pair in contention at the time, and the PGA decided they were taking too long and put the clock on them. This wouldn't normally be a big deal, however, this change of pace rattled Harrington to the core, and messed up his timing to the point that he bombed 2 holes in a row.

The PGA has been so behind the times whether it's mis-signed scorecards or some other act that gets blown way out of proportion simply because it goes against the 'tradition'.

The tour may think they are preserving tradition and the old-style of play, but they are becoming some of the biggest hypocrites in sports. They have already sold out their tournaments to huge sponsors and let their players do the same. They are using high-tech clubs and so much more. I understand you should have a limit on the advancement of the game, but the PGA has to find a way to be a tad more lenient and not seem like it has a stick up its ass all the time.

Sorry For The Delay

Hey, everyone.

I have been very busy in the last several days with some stuff, so I have not been able to get the up-to-date coverage I normally get.

Expect more posts soon.

Shine On,

The Management.

Matusz Mash

The Orioles rebuilding process took another big step tonight.

It seems like less than a week ago I was talking about Chris Tillman and how the Orioles should bring up Brian Matusz to keep fans interested. Well, it just took a line drive off of Brad Bergesen's shin and they listened to me.

Matusz was called up today to make his major league debut. He was the Orioles' first round pick last year and had some great stuff tonight. He went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 6 hits with 5 K's. He's got a 5 pitch arsenal and has a good chance at being #2 or 3 in the rotation going into next season.

The only thing that stinks about Matusz being called up is that it may just be a free sample. This is his first year in pro ball, which means his arm stamina may be lower than anyone else on the team. Due to this, expect a shutdown around the beginning of September. He'll be cool to watch 'till then, though

Mora Update

Sorry for not covering the Melvin Mora drama the last few days. I was just too stunned that ESPN and MLB Network both picked up the story. Anyways, here's a quick recap on what's going on:

Mora is batting .256 with a career-low 3 home runs and 27 RBIs.

This is obviously a vast underachievement for Mora. The Orioles signed Ty Wigginton this offseason as a versatile backup option for virtually every infield position. He was also signed to a 2 year contract, ready and willing to take over Mora's position if his option isn't picked up next year.

Wigginton has 8 home runs and 30 RBIs without playing regularly this season. He is als looking better than Mora recently on the field.

Anywho, manager Dave Trembley has benched Mora 3 out of the last 4 games. Mora took it personally and raged to the media.

Everyone caught up? Okay good.

The reason why Mora is feeling so "disrespected", is that he has been a starter on the Orioles every season since 2000. He is the only person left on the team who started with Cal Ripken before he announced his retirement. And since then, he has been one of the most productive Orioles of the decade. Unfortunately, Mora is the opposite of what the Orioles are trying to develop. Trembley's job is already in serious jeopardy. The Orioles are playing their worst stretch of baseball (record-wise) and he is working for his own option at the end of the season. It's a matter of keeping the team competitive at this point. Mora hasn't been keeping them competitive as the every day Third Basemen, so he might as well try something new.

In the end, Mora is probably feeling disrespected as a veteran and is going with the "if I'm going down, I'm taking you down with me" approach with Trembley. Whether that works or not, both Trembley and Mora will not be in the Charm City much longer.

The Dumbest Thing about MLB

MLB – Boy can they do some dumb things.

Here are a few nuggets, just to name two:

• The DH – some people think that is dumb.
• PEDs – won’t even waste anymore ink on that.

What about the dumbest thing in baseball?
Here goes.

In each league there are two ways to make the playoffs:

• Win your division
• Be the wild card team

There are 30 teams in MLB:

• 20 of them have a 20% chance of winning their division just based on the number of teams.
• 4 of them have a 25% chance of winning their division, AL West
• 6 of them have a 16.7% chance of winning their division, NL Central

The American League West teams have a 50% better shot of making the playoffs than the National League Central teams do. WTF is that.

If I was an owner in the NL Central, I would be screaming bloody murder.

Move the Brewers to the AL West (the franchise is a nomad anyway), so you have 15 teams in each league and 5 in each division. Symmetry, sweet Symmetry.

We understand that means there will ALWAYS be some inter-league games going on, but so what? Isn’t that better than this craziness where if you are a Angels fan (or owner/player) you know you have a better shot at the playoffs than 26 other teams, just because there are only three other teams to beat in your division to make it?

While we are changing things up, how about we rotate through inter-league games evenly, and symmetrically, so each team sees all other teams over a number of years, just like the NFL does.

Boy are they dumb. Why the six NL Central teams don't protest is beyond me.

Football Red Zone Scoring Efficiency

Football Red Zone Scoring Efficiency –

No one, not the NFL stat guys, not the college guys, nor the networks geeks, seems to have figured this out for some reason. It is simple mathematics and is related to expected value.

Note: will ignore the two point conversion and just count that as a bonus.
If a team gets inside the 20 yard line ten times, then their maximum scoring potential is simply 70 points.

• If they kick 4 field goals and score 5 touch downs (+PATs), then they have produced 47 point.
• Their red zone scoring efficiency is simply 47/70 or 67.14%.

Have seen some people call this a 50% RZ efficiency (5 TDs out 10) and have seen others have it as a 90% RZ efficiency (9 scoring out of 10).

The real formula (please):
Points scored after crossing the opponents 20, divided by, seven times the number of times crossed the 20.

You read it here first, soon everyone will be using this formula.

Tiger Does It Again

I guess Tiger shut everyone up by his performance this weekend.

He went out and won what used to be the tournament with his face on it by 3 strokes today at the Buick Invitational.

The fans were going crazy on the last few holes and I don't blame them. Michigan hasn't had much to root for since the difficult economic times have hit, but when Tiger strolled onto the course, they finally let it all out.

Very cool to see. I hope Tiger can come through at the PGA Championship though. I really do. It would be so awesome to see his 70th career win at a major like Tour Championship.

If he doesn't, I'm sure it will be back to questioning Tiger's health and ability in comparison to before the '08 U.S. Open, and I'm not gonna even dignify that with my opinion.

Dear Mr. MacPhail

Dear Mr. MacPhail,

Since you became the Baltimore Orioles' Chief Operating Officer, you have made some amazing strides in the future of the team. We have gone from being hopeless for the next several years to having one of the best group of minor league prospects in the league. 

You turned Erik Bedard into 2 All-Stars and one of the top pitching prospects in Major League Baseball. Adam Jones is arguably the top young Centerfielder in the American League, and was an All-Star this season. George Sherrill became a top closer, a 2008 All-Star, and you traded him just the other day for another 2 prospects.

You turned Miguel Tejada into 3 Pitching prospects and a great young hitter. Matt Albers has been solid as a Long Reliever. Dennis Sarfate has had some amazing stuff in the last couple seasons. Troy Patton is one of the Orioles Top pitching prospects. Luke Scott has found his place as the every day DH/LF and is being converted to play 1B as well. He has been the most consistent power hitter on the Orioles for the last 2 seasons.

As Bedard has been on and off the DL since being dealt and Tejada is busy answering questions about being on 'roids, you have made some serious ground with the franchise. However, there are several moves that have to be done before the Orioles can become the next Tampa Bay Rays. Here is the short list of what needs to happen:

Fire Dave Trembley

You know that most people who see Dave Trembley love him. He worked for 21 years in the minors and you made the right call of giving him the managing job. However, the team is not going able to move on with him as the manager. The Orioles (even for a rebuilding team) is vastly underachieving. The team is crumbling due to bad fundamentals. When you have a team filled with good hitting and prosperous young pitching, the one thing as a manager you have to do is keep the fundamentals strict. You have watched with the fans as he has made wrong decision after wrong decision with keeping in starters and pulling them. He has way too strict of a plan he is following. He only has certain pitchers on line for very specific situations. It is good to give a job to a specific pitcher, but if he is leading the American League in Home Runs allowed, and has already given up 4 earned runs in 6 innings, you just regained the a one run lead, and you have a reliever with a 3.50 ERA warm in the bullpen, you just can't leave the guy out there. And that is only one of the mistakes he has made. Constant baserunning mistakes and awful basic fundamentals are two things that the Manager needs to fix. These have been persisting problems through the entire season and the team can't simply win with him in the future.

Don't Be Afraid To A Couple More Veterans

Veterans such as Melvin Mora, Danys Baez, and Mark Hendrickson are all dead weight on the team right now. As the Orioles continue falling further, and further back in the standings, these 3 veterans can get us some valuable pieces back. I'm not talking about top prospects, but you were able to get Cla Meredith for Oscar Salazar, remember? The team needs a couple more Cla Meredith-like players. And by that I mean young, prosperous relievers. We have this group of young starters emerging, but you don't have much for when they get tired. Jim Johnson has been one of the best set-up men in baseball, but he probably won't cut it as a closer. Until the offseason, we are going to have to keep the game in control between the young starter tiring out in the 6th, and for Johnson to shut the door in the 9th. I know it was a hard decision for you to trade Sherrill, due to the fact it probably cost the Orioles a few losses towards the end of the season. If Trembley isn't getting the team to win now, he wont get the team to win then. Mora, Baez, and Hendrickson could easily reel in some young players ready for the majors like you did with Meredith.

In conclusion, Mr. MacPhail, you have done an amazing job with the Orioles franchise. However, now is your time to prove to the Orioles' fans and the rest of the baseball world that you can do more than just develop young prospects. You are not that far away from being the Chief Operating Officer of a Playoff team. Look at your line-up! It can hit the brains out of a ball. But that doesn't mean you can't make some heavy duty moves this offseason and grab a couple big names. 

You have several prospects in the minors that we all know probably won't cut it in the majors, and if they do, are expendable. If the Phillies were able to get Cliff Lee for that little, don't you think you could trade for a successful veteran starting pitcher? Or maybe a good young closer? 

You have so many pieces we could throw into a trade that could be easily replaced by other players on the team. Players like Cesar Izturis can be replaced seamlessly by players like Robert Andino. Players like Felix Pie can be replaced by Joey Gathright. And remember, you don't have to trade for minor league players. 

Just go for young major leaguers. You did it with Meredith this season and Luke Scott, Dennis Sarfate, Matt Albers, and Adam Jones last season. A side of your mind may argue that if you trade Hendrickson, you won't have a successful reliever with stamina in your bullpen anymore. Well, while he's overproducing, why don't you get a younger one or two? A few moves like that plus 2 stars added to the team and you have a playoff team. Don't think we haven't noticed you stockpiling prospects that we won't use in the majors. We could be major buyers this offseason. That is where you will have to prove to us that you can go all the way with turning this franchise around.

Thanks For Your Time,

Danny Kiddoo

S.O.S.

P.S,

Your team lost 18-8 today, so you better get going.

Derrick Mason: The Story

As NFL Training Camps are in full swing, there is only one retired player that held an entire team's season in his hands with a decision of staying, or coming out of retirement...

Or so we thought.

Brett Favre, NFL legend, has kept his fans at the edge of their seats for the last month and a half as he decided whether or not he was going to be the Quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this season.

On July 28, Favre announced that he was going to remain retired. Although this ended the tease of football and Vikings' fans, the vikings had no more time and now have to go with a Quarterback (Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels) who has never been more than mediocre.

Now, let's rewind to the 4th of July.

As Americans across the United States are Barbecuing and enjoying times with friends and family, the football world takes a stunning blow. Steve McNair is killed in a murder-suicide by his lover.

McNair was a beloved teammate and friend to almost anyone who encountered him in the NFL. As the Quarterback for the Tennessee Titans/Oilers and Baltimore Ravens, he made a name for himself being the toughest man in the sport for every year he played. At the same time, however, he made several very close friendships off the field thanks to his generosity and warm personality.

Arguably his best friend in the game was Derrick Mason. Mason was drafted by the Titans 2 years after McNair. He worked his way up to being McNair's #1 target in the passing game and helped the Titans to reach the Superbowl in 2000.

It's the offseason preceding the 2005 season. Mason is an unrestricted free agent and signs with the team with the 2nd worst receiving core in the NFL. This same team is also about to have a 6-10 season. This team is the Baltimore Ravens.

After the disappointing season in Baltimore, it happened to be that the Ravens were shopping for their first bona-fide Quarterback in the team's history. The Titans were fed up with McNair's injury issues and had just drafted NCAA phenom Vince Young.

The Ravens, then, contacted Bus Cook (McNair's agent) inquiring that they were interested in a veteran Quarterback who has had past success. Following the Ravens sending a 4th round draft pick to the Titans (saving Tennessee the money for cutting McNair) and a passed physical, McNair was a Raven.

Joining Mason and other former teammate Samari Rolle, McNair and Mason led the Ravens to their best regular season since their Superbowl year of 2000. In that same season, Mason caught a pass that set McNair over the 30,000 yard mark for his career.

After an injury plagued 2007, McNair decided to retire. This led Derrick Mason to take rookie Quarterback Joe Flacco under his wing. The new duo went on to become one of the most surprisingly efficient pass combinations of the season. Mason had a shoulder injury mid-season, but kept playing as the Ravens made it all the way to the AFC championship game. Mason went on to have surgery to repair the injured shoulder directly after the season ended.

When McNair died, it shook everyone he knew and loved in the NFL to their very core. Most of all, Derrick Mason. After being a pallbearer at McNair's funeral, Mason announced a sudden retirement through website JockLife.com on July 13.

This decision came as a shock to the Ravens due to the facts that they had gotten no hint from Mason that he was going to retire, and that he announced his retirement through an independent source, not the team.

It also frustrated a lot of fans and members of the NFL. As they understood that Mason had gone through a great loss, he was obviously not in the right mind to make such a rash decision.

This decision rattled the entire Ravens franchise. They had been rumoured to be contenders to acquire younger top-WRs such as Anquan Boldin, but they did not make any official offers due to the fact that they liked where the organization was with Mason as #1 Wide Reciever. Now, due to him retiring, it was too late to do almost any other trade. Boldin and other WRs on the market required '09 draft picks and the draft had long passed. The Ravens were stuck.

Head coach John Harbaugh visited Mason and tried to talk him out of retirement. This meeting showed promise, yet it had no definite result. Mason still was uncertain, but didn't rule out a return. The Ravens had other free agent, veteran Wide Receivers they were looking at, including future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. However, they thought that Mason was the best option for the team. This mindset made it very difficult for the Ravens to go out and buy a big-named receiver.

The Ravens signed veteran wideout Drew Bennett, a former teammate of Mason and McNair's, to potentially fill the spot of Mason, but also try to lure him back to the team. Unfortunately, Bennett retired less than 2 days later due to an old injury arising.

In moves of desperation, Flacco and team leader Ray Lewis both contacted Derrick to see if they could get him to return. They still didn't get any certain answers.

The reason why getting a certain answer was showing to be quite the chore was due to Mason's uncertain mental stability. After losing his former teammate and best friend, he did not know what he himself wanted. It was a harsh realization that life could end at any moment.

Mason unexpectedly showed up in Westminster, Maryland on August 1, at McDaniel College. The college just happened to be the Ravens training facility. After a meeting with coach Harbaugh and General Manager Ozzie Newsome, Mason announced his long-awaited return to the game, and could rejoin the team on the field as soon as the 2nd.

As Favre did with the Vikings, Mason held the entire season of the Ravens passing game in his hands with his decision of whether or not to remain retired.

Like Mason, McNair's death hit Favre very close to home, as just a few weeks earlier, the two had an impromptu passing competition at a Mississippi High School.

The death of Steve McNair had its effect on everyone who followed him, played with him, and knew him. Apparently it hit everyone in a different way. The impact of his death may have led Mason to retirement, but his impact of his glowing soul led him right back to the game they loved together.

Trade Deadline Recap

The MLB Trade Deadline has come and past. As anticipated, this season's trade deadline was very active and included some trades that were confusing, bad, good, long awaited, and surprising.

I'd like to hand out my awards

Biggest Winner: Red Sox 

Between their Acquisition of Victor Martinez and Adam LaRoche (which turned into Casey Kotchman), they have juiced *NPI* their line-up to the point that they are overflowing with All-Stars. They could have used another Starter, but Beckett, Wakefield, Lester, and others will carry on just fine.

Runners Up: Phillies, Mariners

Biggest Loser: Pirates

They have lost 4 very good players. They gained mediocre minor leaguers with very little upside. I feel so sorry for Pirates fans. It's very hard for me to give sympathy to another fan base considering I root for the Orioles

Runners Up: Indians, Pirates again (yes, they are here twice because they were THAT bad)

Best Trade For Both: Tigers acquire Washburn for French and Robles

The Tigers get one of the best pitchers in the A.L. this season for future Rotation Starters. The AL West is going to be one tough division next season (except for the A's who keep going backwards)

Runners Up: Rolen for Encarnacion, Peavy to Sox

Biggest Bargain: Cliff Lee to Phillies

The Phillies went from having to give up their 2 best Pitching Prospects for Halladay to giving up lower ranked prospects for the reigning A.L. Cy Young and the league leader in Quality Starts

Runners Up: Sanchez to Giants, Wilson to Mariners, LaRoche to BoSox, LaRoche to Braves

Biggest Surprise: Peavy To White Sox

No surprise on Biggest surprise. Everyone was waiting upon news on Halladay or Adrian Gonzalez. Ever since Peavy got hurt earlier this season, everyone besides his fantasy owners forgot about him due to the state of the Padres. This move was the perfect encore to a great month of trading. Right around the 4pm deadline, the trade was announced. The most surprising thing about this trade was that Peavy let it through. He didn't let it through a couple months ago, I guess realizing how bad the Padres actually are opened his eyes.

Runners Up: Halladay not moved, Pirates trading away everyone

Conclusion

It was a very cool deadline in my mind. Besides the Pirates looking ridiculous, I think all the teams made personal strides and it was very fun.

I end S.O.S.'s coverage of the MLB Trade Deadline with this statement:

Toronto overplayed the Halladay drama more than Pete Rose plowing through home plate in the All Star Game.

BREAKING NEWS: Peavy Dealt To The South Side... Again

July 31: The clock stroked 4:00 PM and the trade deadline befell, but that didn't stop Kevin Towers and Kenny Williams from striking a last second deal. Current details are unknown, but here's the spin from the last time we heard this:

White Sox acquired: Jake Peavy

Padres acquired: Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard and 2 PTBNL

It was a nice haul for the Friars, but Peavy rejected the trade, reportedly having a strong NL preference. The Padres had to be fuming, as a day after the rejecting a trade, Peavy was placed on the DL and hasn't been off of it since; surely diminishing his value. Rumored to be in today's deal are Poreda (again) and RHP, Adam Russell. No further details have arisen.

UPDATE: The White Sox have confirmed they have landed Peavy, and that he has, indeed, accepted the trade of:

White Sox acquire: Jake Peavy

Padres acquire: Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, Dexter Carter and Adam Russell

Winner: Padres

The White Sox are in the thick of the AL Central, 2.5 back and Peavy is the perfect counter to Detroit's acquisition of Jarrod Washburn. Peavy, however, is still on the DL and the Sox found themselves giving up the same package they offered back in May centered around Poreda & Richard. This move helps the Sox immensely, pending Peavy's recovery, but relatively speaking, they overpaid for damaged goods. San Diego got luuuuuuuuucky. Regardless of how good a healthy Peavy is, he wasn't carrying San Diego anywhere soon.

At least the Sox didn't lose Beckham.

Reds Swap 3rd Basemen with Jays

Today, the Blue Jays acquired 3B Edwin Encarnacion for 3B Scott Rolen.

Rolen is hitting very well this year and is reminding us all of his days back in Veterans Stadium with the Phills.

Encarnacion has been hurt for most of the season, but has some pop in his bat that is often overshadowed by some awful fielding blunders and just as awful swings.

Winner: Tie

This was a swap of Over-achieving has been for Under-Achieving youngster. The Jays are trying to get younger, and the Reds needed a Veteran for the Clubhouse. Hopefully Encarnacion can find his '07 self in Canada.

Nick Johnson to Marlins

Today, Nick Johnson was acquired by the Marlins for minor league pitcher Aaron Thompson.

Nick Johnson, who's been in the Nats/Expos franchise since Montreal, must be doing the happy dance with former teammate Joe Beimel. He has really come into his own the last few years and is at the top of the league in OBP.

Thompson is a future Long Reliever or spot starter who has an ERA around 4 in Double-A this season.

Winner: Marlins

The Marlins needed a 1st basemen and someone who could get on base in front of Hanley. Even though they may lose him at the end of the season, he will be a valued part of their chase of the Phillies.

Jerry Hairston to the Bronx

Today, the Yankees acquired Utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. from the Reds for minor league catcher Chase Weems.

Jerry Hairston Jr. started off as a second basemen for the Orioles and turned himself into one of the most versatile players in the game. He is a speedster with great fielding ability. He hustles like none other and has some hitting skill. Hairston is in no doubt a playoff team's most valuable bench player.

Weems sucks. 

Okay, that may be a little harsh, but he is 5th in line to be the catcher of the Yankees. BEHIND Joe Girardi.

Winner: Yankees.

They got a good Utility man for nothing. Good for them.

Beimel off to The Mountains

Today, the Rockies acquired Lefty Set-Up man Joe Beimel for a player yet to be named

Beimel is a lefty specialist who is dominating against left handed batters this season. He was the Rockies plan B, as the Orioles didn't want to give up Mark Hendrickson (another mind-blowing decision by Andy MacPhail)

Winner: Rockies

I'm sure the Nats recieved some mediocre Minor Leaguer. The Rox now have a bona-fide Set-Up man for closer, Huston Street.

Braves take LaRoche off of Red Sox' Hands

Today, the Braves acquired 1B Adam LaRoche from the Red Sox for 1B Casey Kotchman

Since we covered LaRoche's trade from the Pirates to the Sox already, I won't say much more. He obviously didn't have a place after the V-Mart trade.

Kotchman was acquired last year in the Mark Teixeira deal with the Angels.

Winner: Braves

The Sox needed to do this deal because LaRoche is starting quality and they couldn't have him on the bench behind someone. So they got someone who is a little worse, but will be a GREAT bench player as he normally hits around .300. LaRoche is no doubt better than Kotchman, thats why the Braves win. The Sox did well too.

Victor Martinez is off to The Nation

Today, in the biggest trade since Cliff Lee's trade several days ago, the Red Sox acquired C/1B Victor Martinez from the Indians for pitchers Nick Hagadone and Justin Masterson.

Martinez is a switch hitting catcher. He is one of the best hitting catchers in the game and can play First Base as well. His production went down last year suffering from various injuries, but he is back firing on all cylinders this year and was named to the A.L. All Star team earlier this month.

Masterson was #3 in the Red Sox pitching prospect chain behind Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz. He has had reasonable success in the Majors, but has totally torn up the minors so far.

Hagadone, the lone unrecognizable name in the trade, is a big southpaw who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He resumed pitching regimens in May and is often compared to a Jon Lester-type pitcher. However, his velocity has gone down since the surgery.

Winner: Red Sox

It's become a pattern that the teams receiving the minor league prospects for the MLB All-Star are often the losers. I was very shocked to hear that, like the Phillies in the Lee trade, the Indians didn't ask for the better prospect. They didn't push too hard for Happ OR Drabek for Lee, and now they didn't push for Bucholz or Bard for Martinez. The Indians are about to go through a very dark time in the next 2 or 3 seasons

Orlando Cabrera to Twins

Today the Twins acquired Orlando Cabrera from the A's for minor league shortstop Tyler Ladendorf.

Cabrera is getting up there in age, but is consistently one of the best contact shortstops in the game.

Ladendorf is a Single-A shortstop and was #33 on the Twins top 50 prospects.

Winner: Twins

The trade may have been won by the Twins, but the A's have a prospect at Shortstop they want to make room for.

Claudio Vargas heads back to Brew Crew

Today, a small trade was made by the Brewers as they acquired Claudio Vargas from the Dodgers for minor league catcher Vinny Rottino.

Vargas is a mediocre starting pitcher with a fastball in the mid to low 90s.

Rottino has potential to be a back up catcher. He was the starting catcher for the Italian National Team in the WBC.

Winner: Dodgers

As Vargas heads back to the Brewers (where he played in 2007), he has been nothing more than mediocre so far. Since he can't be optioned, the Dodgers obtained a solid fielding catcher as a future backup. This is an awful trade either way.

Washburn To Tigers

Well it has begun. The first Trade Deadline trade of 2009 has been announced:

The Tigers acquired Jarrod Washburn from the Mariners for pitching prospects Luke French and Mauricio Robles

Washburn is a former closer who may be the hottest pitcher in the American League who doesn't have the last name of Buerhle. He has pitched amazing all season and belongs on a contender.

Luke French is a southpaw won the Tigers Triple-A Pitcher of the year last season. According to scouts, to get an accurate idea of what his ability is, see the Orioles' Brad Bergesen.

Robles is another lefty starter, but he has more of a Daniel Cabrera quality about him. He has an above average fastball for a southpaw.

Winner: Tigers

This could have easily been a tie. I give tremendous props to the Mariners for admitting that they will not be a playoff team this year. The Tigers got a solid starter to fill in their depleting rotation.

What Should Happen By 4pm

I don't think any HUGE names will be traded in the next few hours. Roy Halladay won't be moved, No one will overpay for Adrian Gonzalez, and the Pirates have no more good players to give away.

However, there are a couple of players I do think will be traded today.

Clay Bucholz

The Red Sox have been trying to get rid of this guy all season. It is now looking like a three way trade is starting to form between the Sox, Indians, and a third team that would send Clay to Cleveland, Victor Martinez to Boston, and Adam LaRoche to the third team.

Victor Martinez

The C/1B Martinez is catching a lot of attention from teams in need of 1B depth. After dealing Cliff Lee, The Indians are obviously starting their rebuilding phase. Martinez may be the best hitter for sale.

Willie Bloomquist

The most versatile player left on the market, this Royal has great value to teams with a short bench. Bloomquist can play every infield position and has been a solid hitter for most of his career.

Mark Teahen

Another very versatile Royal, Teahen can play corner infield, corner outfield, and extended training at 2nd base earlier this season. Once known as a .270/15/70 hitter, this year his power numbers are down, but his average is way up in recent months.

Jarrod Washburn

This is a very interesting situation. Are the Mariners buyers or sellers? They have already won a couple trades in the last few days, but I think it may be time to get realistic. The Angels are still a great team, and the Rangers pitching is finally holding up. Washburn has been the Mariners' most consistent pitcher and have a good chance at getting some good pieces back for him.

Jeremy Guthrie

He is in no stretch of the imagination a #1 starter, although he has been the opening day starter for the Orioles 2 years in a row. If he is put on a contending team, he could be a very good 3rd or 4th starter and be very effective.

Stay tuned to S.O.S. for further Deadline Coverage.

BREAKING NEWS: Redskins Sign 1st Rounder, Orakpo

Happy 23rd birthday to Brian Orakpo! (today!) Coincidentally, Orakpo, one of the last first rounders to sign, has finally reached an agreement on a 5-year contract with the Washington Redskins. Details at this time are not known.

This is absolutely huge for the 13th overall selection and Texas Longhorn, as well as the Redskins. According to Redskins writer, Gary Fitzgerald, defensive coordinator, Greg Blache intends to use Orakpo at both Strong Side Linebacker (on rushing downs) and Left End (on passing downs) with H.B. Blades and Phillip Daniels (Maybe a bit of Kentucky rookie, Jeremy Jarmon) coming in where Rak is not.

Avoiding a holdout (Well, technically, he missed 2 days of camp, but for all intensive purposes...) for Orakpo was critical on many levels as not only does he need to learn Blache's complex defensive schemes, but two positions therein. Envisioned as a DE/LB hybrid, Orakpo has drawn comparisons to Shawne Merriman, Terrell Suggs and DeMarcus Ware.

As of now, here is the Skins' first team defense:

LE: Phillip Daniels

DT: Albert Haynesworth

DT: Cornelius Griffin

RE: Andre Carter

SLB: Brian Orakpo

MLB: London Fletcher

WLB: Rocky McIntosh

CB: DeAngelo Hall

SS: Chris Horton

FS: LaRon Landry

CB: Carlos Rogers

Not one weak spot. Call fan bias if you want, but I expect a top 3 defense.

Grabow, Gorzelanny Added To List Of Pirates Giveaway

Today, the Cubs acquired left-handed set-up man John Grabow and southpaw starter Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates for starting pitcher Kevin Hart and minor leaguers Jose Ascanio (pitcher) and Josh Harrison (Third Base)

I honestly think that Pirates are just messing with us now. After everyone (me included) started officially calling them out, they do ANOTHER trade for minor leaguers.

John Grabow has been one of the top holds guys in the Majors this season. He is a lefty, which the Cubs needed after losing out on the George Sherrill Sweepstakes.

Gorzelanny is another lefty pitcher who, as a starter, who used to be at the top of the Pirates prospect lists. After great '06 and '07 seasons, he had a pretty severe drop off last year which landed him in the minor leagues. He was recalled this season for several weeks then optioned back to the minors. It is not certain whether or not he has any upside left, but for someone who is just one year removed from a stellar season, the Cubs are willing to take the risk (ironic, due to the fact that they traded AWAY Rich Hill, who is in a similar situation).

Hart is a young pitcher who was never a top prospect in the Cubs organization. He was acquired as a Player to be Named in a trade with the Orioles for infielder Freddie Bynum in 2006. He worked his way through the organization as a journeyman starter. This season he is posting some very good numbers in 4 starts.

Ascanio is young starter who was traded to the cubs in the Will Ohman trade a couple years back. He hasn't done much in the majors, but was called up earlier this season after posting a 1.01 ERA in Triple A after 26 2/3 innings. 

Not too much to say about Josh Harrison. He was 2008 Big East co-player of the year as a 3rd basemen at the University of Cincinatti.

Winner: Tie

I hate giving out ties, especially two in a row. However, both teams did relatively well. The cubs fill a spot in their bullpen they desperately need, and get a pitcher who (hopefully) can still throw quality starts.

For once, this trade doesn't look too bad for the Pirates. Although 2/3 of the players they recieved have only had success in the minors or college, Kevin Hart is having a pretty good season. If he can keep it up, he will have no problem finding a spot in the rotation to keep behind Maholm and Duke.

Dodgers Acquire Sherrill

Today, the Orioles traded away their closer, George Sherrill for minor leaguers Josh Bell and Steve Johnson.

Sherrill, former Holds Extraordinaire, was acquired in the Erik Bedard trade that brought top prospects Adam Jones and Chris Tillman to the Orioles in '08. He turned himself into a very effective closer and was even an All Star last season.

Johnson, son of former Oriole Dave Johnson, has torn up Single and Double A so far, and is a right handed starting pitcher; which is what the Orioles want to stock up on. 

Bell is the 3rd base prospect the Orioles have been needing. A good average hitter, he was 3rd in line when it came to the Orioles' offers. They couldn't get Stanton from Florida and they couldn't get Wood from the other Los Angeles, so they settled with Bell.

Winner: Tie

Both teams got exactly what they needed in this trade. The Orioles have someone 2 years away from the majors, and they have Ty Wigginton for next season. The Dodgers add beef to a rapidly depleting bullpen and Sherrill will gladly take the roll as the best set up man in baseball on the best team in baseball. 

Royals Give Cash, Get Anderson

July 30: As the trading deadline draws near, the action is beginning to slow (although, expect it to pick up tomorrow--naturally). The Royals have acquired Josh Anderson from Detroit for cash considerations.

Winner: Royals

With money to throw around and no cap, the Royals can't lose here. An excellent baserunner (and that's about all), he's certainly worth the price. Cash considerations are typically minimal.... relatively speaking of course; a few hundred thousand or so. These are baseball players, it's not like they perform open-heart surgery!

Bombers Acquire RHP Jason Hirsh from Rox

July 29: The Yankees have acquired starter, Jason Hirsh from the Rockies for a PTBNL (player to be named later; I'll be using the acronym a lot.). Hirsh was largely average for Colorado in '07, although he has spent his time since in AAA, where he will pick up for New York.

Winner: N/A

It's hard to gauge PTBNL trades, obviously, until we know who the PTBNL actually is. Hirsh isn't of much value to either club, so it would be expected that the return be a career minor leaguer or a fringe prospect.

Freddy Sanchez to Giants

On July 29, The Pirates shipped Freddy Sanchez off to the Giants for minor league pitcher Tim Alderson.

Freddie Sanchez, a three time all star, and former batting champ is having his best season in 3 years. A perennial .300 hitter, Sanchez is one of the best hitting second basemen in the National League

Alderson, 4th ranked prospect in the Giants organization, was a bonus for this trade. What was originally a salary dump is now a fair trade for the Pirates

Winner: Giants

The Pirates may have made off with a top Prospect, but this has just completed a total transition of good major league players for good minor league players. Just doesn't make sense.

Phils Nab Defending Cy Young Winner, Francisco In Blockbuster

July 29: They couldn't be so lucky to get Lincy from San Fran, but the city of brotherly love has everything to be happy about, regardless. Cliff Lee, the defending AL Cy Young Award winner with debatably the best control in the game joins a rotation of Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton and J.A. (Jay) Happ. Also coming to Philadelphia is corner outfielder, Ben Francisco, who was performing remarkably well for Cleveland.

Departing for Cleveland are Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp (Not to be confused with starter, J.A. Happ!)

Winner: Phillies

As I said before, Philly fans have everything in the world to be happy about. Let's face it, while Roy Halladay is the superior pitcher, the difference between him and Lee on the mound is so miniscule, it's hard to argue Roy would've net them more wins than Lee; all at a fraction of the cost. It was reported that Jays GM, JP Riccardi was asking for prospects such as Kyle Drabek and Knapp (and Happ!). Again, I can't stress how well the Phillies did here, and as a Marlins fan, I'm kind of frustrated, as this all but locks Philly in atop the NL East. Then again, we've won 2 Worlds Series' out of the wild card, so I'm not worried in the least.

The centerpiece to this deal (for Cleveland) is pitcher, Carlos Carrasco. Perennially rated as one of MLB's best pitching prospects, Carrasco is having a down year by his standards, with an ERA north of 5.00, but the K rate is still there, so all hope is not lost.

It's become more than clear that Cleveland is in a sell mode, so don't be surprised to see a player like free agent-to-be, Victor Martinez, to get dealt. The Rays and Red Sox have shown interest.

Reds Acquire Balentin From M's

July 29: And there goes another one of Seattle's former top prospects. Balentin, regarded as one of the best power hitters in the system, just never put it together in the majors these past few years. Seattle will be getting right handed reliever, Robert Manuel who has put up masterful stats in the minor leagues: 6-3 / 1.25 ERA / 103:18 K:BB ratio / 0.83 WHIP over 86.2 IP.

Winner: Mariners

The Reds payed full price for a prospect with diminishing value, although they evidently see something they liked, because Seattle DFA'd Balentin this past weekend. The mariners were lucky to get what they did for Balentin; it shouldn't be long before Manuel is the anchor of that pen.

Mariners Acquire Jumpin' Jack Flash, Snell In 7-Player Swap

July 29: Before I delve into details for you all, let's outline who gets what...

Mariners receive: Ian Snell, Jack Wilson, $3,308,702.19 (Yes, 19 cents... The combined value pays all but $400,000 for each player)

Pirates receive: Jeff Clement, Ronny Cedeno, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock.

Winner: Mariners

There's a lot to explain here, and despite not being the "winner," the Bucs did very well for themselves, and this was the best move they've made in years.

At this point, I'm not too sure what the Mariners are doing. It seems they are on a very fine line between buy and sell, 7.5 games out of the AL West and 6.0 out of the wild card. This move, normally would indicate they are truly pushing for the playoffs, but the continued rumors swirling around Jarrod Washburn and Erik Bedard (pre-DL) seem to contradict that. Either way, this move is solid for this year or next. Jack Wilson is a fan favorite with a golden glove (Omar Vizquel has something to do with him not having any "actual" golden gloves) and an above average bat, while Ian Snell is a perennial sleeper, who has absolutely dominated at AAA since his demotion and will certainly benefit from spacious SafeCo Field.

The names to look at for the Bucs are Ronny Cedeno and Jeff Clement. Cedeno has had a mildly productive season in Seattle and figures to jump right in at PNC, while Clement will head to AAA. Clement, a catcher, was at one time Seattle's best prospect, and it was assumed he would take over at catcher with Kenji Johjima moving to first and Richie Sexson to DH, but alas, like the aforementioned fallen stars, Clement has also faded. The potential is still there, but he's going on 26, so it would seem that window is closing.

While the Pirates did well for themselves here, the Mariners reeled in a couple of starters who are better than their predecessors without giving up too much, and for that, they win this deal.

Sox & Sox Swap Mark Kotsay For Brian Anderson

July 28: Mark Kotsay and Brian Anderson will be switching the color of their socks and heading to the South Side and Bean-Town, respectively.

Winner: Red Sox

Theo Epstein does it again! It's not that Mark Kotsay is a horrible player, but he doesn't really have a spot on either team behind Kevin Youkilis and Paul Konerko, who is quietly putting together a fabulous season. On the flip side, it seems as if Brian Anderson was only traded because he demanded one, and quite frankly, it looks like the Sox... the white ones... just took the first offer they got. It doesn't make much sense to trade a guy that is 7 years younger for a journeyman with relatively low upside and no place on the team. Maybe Kenny Williams is just a nice guy in giving Anderson his wish. Will he be happy in AAA though???

Garko to Giants

On July 27, The Tribe sent Ryan Garko to the Giants for left handed pitching prospect Scott Barnes and a player to be named.

Garko has been a spare parts hitter for the Indians for the last few seasons. He was a productive player last year as Travis Hafner's replacement, but has since lost playing time.

Barnes has a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts in High A. However, he is not a player with tremendous upside, as an 8th round pick in '08

Winner: Giants

Following the trend, it seems that the name wins the trade. Unfortunately without the minor leaguer having any visible upside, we can only hope to be pleasantly surprised. Garko should see more playing time at Pac Bell (I know it's not the name, but I like it better than AT&T)

Holliday to Cards for Prospects

On July 24, the Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday from the A's for prospects Brett Wallace, Shane Peterson, and Clayton Mortensen.

Holliday was one of the best all-around hitters in the National League for the last 3 or so seasons. A lot of that had to do with Coors Field. His first half for the A's was nowhere near that. 

Wallace is MLB.com's #42 overall prospect in baseball. A Third Basemen, he is a "pure hitter", as he has good potential as a hitter with good average and reasonable Power

Peterson was drafted in the 2nd round of the draft by the Cardinals in '08. He hit for tremendous average in College (.390). However, this outfielder tends to rack up the Ks. 

Mortensen is a starting pitcher who dominated college and the low part of the minors, but struggled through Triple A, and made his Major League debut in June. He doesn't have much upside

Winner: Cardinals

Holliday may have been disappointing in Oakland, but he's back in the National League. Not only did they not give up any of their top prospects, St Louis was able to get Oakland to contribute $1.5 million of his salary.