Latest Gear Live Videos
The headline for the MLB section of ESPN.com is A Helping of Rice. This is a story of Jim Rice belonging to the Hall of Fame, and in my opinion, this story is an absolute joke.
The writer who covers this subject, Sean McAdam states right off the bat: “For 11 years, I’ve resisted voting for Jim Rice for the Hall of Fame. This year, I plan to right that wrong.” Ok let me get this straight, for over a decade, you believed Jim Rice was not Hall of Fame worthy, but now on the 12th year Rice suddenly should be a hall of famer. That statement is just preposterous. This first sentence should negate anything else stated in the rest of his article.
Sometimes these sports beat writers really stretch to make for an interesting story. This just in: the hall of fame doesn’t need to induct boderline players just because there is no one else worthy for that particularly year. Like my dad used to say, “If there is doubt, then that player doesn’t belong”. Bottom line says, if you need to argue for someone to get in - case closed- they don’t deserve to get in.
Advertisement
It’s been reported that Yankee’s skipper, Joe Torre, has placed a phone call to Nomar Garciaparra to let him know that they are interested in him. Some insider reports have said he’d possibly play 1B. Strange? Well, not really. The only thing stopping him from joining the all-star club: Astros would like him in the OF and Indians would like him at 1B/OF. Even the Blue Jays, Pirates, and Dodgers have expressed some sort of interest as a 3rd Baseman.
Catcher Johnny Estrada was dealt to the Arizona D-backs for two young right-handed relievers, Lance Cormier and Oscar Villarreal. Braves Manager Bobby Cox and GM John Schuerholz has kept the Braves dynasty running for longer than most people in the media and analysts have predicted. Estrada became expendable after farmhand Brian McCann played well down the stretch in place of Estrada after a head injury back in June.
Click to continue reading Braves Farm System Keeps Them Winning
Dodgers will have a new look for the 2006 season. Out is manager Jim Tracy, in is ex-Red Sox manager Grady Little. The weak NL West will be up for grabs. Closer Eric Gagne and OF JD Drew will come back from an injury-plagued 2005. Earlier this week, Dodgers signed free agent SS Rafael Furcal to a 3-year, 39 million dollar contract. Furcal looked like he was heading back to the Braves or to the Cubs, but Dodgers stepped in at the 11th hour.
The White Sox retain their big right-handed bat in the line-up, with a deal for 5 years at 60 million. After being pursued by the Orioles, Dodgers and Angels, he decides to take a slight hometown discount. White Sox plan to use right-handers Jermaine Dye and Konerko to sandwich newly acquired lefty bat DH Jim Thome from the Phillies - who was dealt for CF Aaron Rowand. White Sox are planning on shifting LF Scott Podsednik to CF, and bring up farmhand Brian Anderson.
Phillies now have solved their CF issue, with Kenny Lofton a free agent, and no longer have to worry about splitting time between Thome and ROY Ryan Howard at first base. The Phillies staff was able to unload Thome’s contract, who is still owed 43.5 million over 3 years remaining on his contract.
A typical Mets fans’ first knee jerk reaction of OF/ 1B Xavier Nady is probably going to go something like:
“I’ve heard of him, but isn’t he just an average player? Cameron’s glove work and speed makes him a better player. Couldn’t we get back a better player for him? Xavier Nady? Come on, that’s it? All we did was save money?”
So what was Omar Minaya thinking? Here is my take.
Click to continue reading What Are The Mets Saying Swapping Cameron For Nady?
Sometimes I think the Baseball writers of America, just have some magical numerical formula for the yearly awards:
.300 BA + 40+ HR’s +120 RBI = MVP
20 Wins + an ERA under 3.00 = Cy Young award.
A-Rod beating out DH Slugger David Ortiz in a tight race and order has been restored in the baseball universe.
Click to continue reading A-Rod’s MVP Ends an Anti-Yankee era?
Hot Stove fans have been recently tuning into ESPN’s SportsCenter every morning and checking out Steve Phillips’ mock press conferences. Not only have they been highly uninformative, they have been downright corny, and just an overall disappointment. I guess ESPN’s already a winner because we’re talking about it, and they got what they wanted, another viewer, making sure we don’t tune in to the Best Damn Sports Show on FSN. Personally, seeing just one of these press conferences was enough for a lifetime. I was hoping this would be an entertaining poke at MLB, or at least something informative, such as seeing the actually needs for the NL Champion Astro’s for next year. Clemens anyone? Bagwell anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Instead we get a very realistic take on a press conference, were no questions were actually answered, but we did get to see Steve Phillips weasel around questions like his days as a Met GM and excused himself from the media and avoid all scrutiny.
Advertisement
© Gear Live Media, LLC. 2007 – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.