Today the big news is the witch hunt, err "investigation." But I also find the Tavarez suspension a bit curious. Its touched on a bit in the story, that Julian gets 10 days, but with the off days it is just 8 games. And of course if he appeals, they will likely reduce the suspension to 8 games, which is essentially the same (except of course the extra toll on the bullpen with a lack of off days).
So the shenanigans are, why 10 days? With the exception of the steroid suspensions, since when did the commish hand out suspension in terms of days. last year Wells got six games for yelling at the ump. Nixon I think 5 games for his roll in the fight. A-Rod and Tek were suspended 4 games for the famous fight. so why now?
Thursday, March 30, 2006
BREAKING NEWS
Anna Benson has filed for divorce from her husband Kris. And he didn't even sleep with another woman. Well, maybe he did, but that's not why she's leaving him. And if he didn't, he's probably pretty pissed off about it and is about to make up for lost time. Of course, we geniuses at GYS saw this coming a while back. And no one else did.
And so it begins
The vogue among sportwriters - whom as well all know, are never wrong - is to pick the Blue Jays finishing in the East ahead of the Sox. You know, the "Sox have too many question marks" thing - as if the Yankees and Blue Jays don't have any of their own. Four days before the season begins, Burnett's going on the DL- JP's gotta be thrilled.
What is it with these former Marlins starters? Pavano, Penny, Burnett...hopefully Beckett will be the exception, but suddenly I'm not so optimistic.
What is it with these former Marlins starters? Pavano, Penny, Burnett...hopefully Beckett will be the exception, but suddenly I'm not so optimistic.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Out in right field
Trot Nixon is saying incidents like the Tavarez punch could be avoided if baseball had a balanced schedule. “This is a prime example of why Bud Selig needs to take a look at teams playing each other 19 ... times a year.” Okay, I love Trot, in a non-gay sort of way, but this makes almost zero sense to me.
- Tavarez has only been on the Red Sox for a couple weeks. I suppose one could argue that he was "just trying to fit in with the new team", but come on - the guy's obviously a bit of a headcase, as this list shows. He actually has some history with the D-Rays, back in 2003...when he was with the Pirates. Can't imagine the imbalanced schedule caused that.
- Trot says going back to the balanced schedule might prevent the brawls. Of course, the bad blood between the Sox and the Rays goes back to August 2000 (the Pedro/Williams/Flaherty game). The imbalanced schedule hadn't begun yet. (And I'm pretty some Sox-Yankees fighting had happened by that point?)
- Then, just to prove he doesn't know when to stop talking, Trot then goes on to blame the fans for the problems. "Fans (are) all out of control. Look what happened last year. One of our fans hit Sheffield in the face."
Ugh. Say it ain't so, Trot.
- Tavarez has only been on the Red Sox for a couple weeks. I suppose one could argue that he was "just trying to fit in with the new team", but come on - the guy's obviously a bit of a headcase, as this list shows. He actually has some history with the D-Rays, back in 2003...when he was with the Pirates. Can't imagine the imbalanced schedule caused that.
- Trot says going back to the balanced schedule might prevent the brawls. Of course, the bad blood between the Sox and the Rays goes back to August 2000 (the Pedro/Williams/Flaherty game). The imbalanced schedule hadn't begun yet. (And I'm pretty some Sox-Yankees fighting had happened by that point?)
- Then, just to prove he doesn't know when to stop talking, Trot then goes on to blame the fans for the problems. "Fans (are) all out of control. Look what happened last year. One of our fans hit Sheffield in the face."
Ugh. Say it ain't so, Trot.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Whoa.
“All that personality and the lighthearted comments? How about hitting .350? How about October? If he doesn’t help us win a championship, he’ll be at the Laugh House in the meatpacking district on open-mike night, and it will be, ‘Here’s Johnny,’ and then Cashman will come out and say, ‘Johnny’s gone’...And we’ll bring in a new comedian.”
Reggie Jackson, on Johnny Damon, as quoted in a New York Magazine article. Way to welcome the new guy!
Reggie Jackson, on Johnny Damon, as quoted in a New York Magazine article. Way to welcome the new guy!
Well, we know he has brought his temper.
Lets hope Tavarez has brought the same results from the last 3 years. I know we notice these things more because it is "our" team, but for crying out loud, I just want to NOT be a soap opera.
That's a Bold Statement...AL Style
Ok, I don't remember doing this, yet...And with only a few days left until opening day, it is time for predictions.
Let's start with the AL East.
Boston 97-65 (with their pitching, solid lineup, and very good "d" up the middle, their consistency will win this division. They are also deep on the bench and in the minors (with pitching)...Let's not count them out of the Clemens race, too...)
New York 94-68 (not having upgraded their pitching will hurt them. Mussina is set to have a bad year, Wright is cooked, Where's Pavano? Small will not do what he did last year...Their bullpen is worse than last year. They have a great lineup, but they had one last year, too.)
Toronto 88-74 (Very strong rotation, but I don't know if Ryan will repeat his mastery as a closer. I also think their general lack of depth will keep them from making a serious run at the division this year. One injury (Wells, Halladay) could be trouble.
Tampa Bay 81-81 (That's right...a team that hasn't won 70 games, yet (that I am aware of) will go .500. Think of them as the George Mason of MLB. They have a boat load of young talent and will win many games with their aggressiveness and speed.)
Baltimore...who cares? This team has not gotten better. Millar might improve chemistry, but I don't see this team as a contender at all...
I don't know if it is possible with the unbalanced schedule to have that many .500+ teams in the division, but that is my order of finish.
CENTRAL
Indians
White Sox
Twins
Detroit
Kansas City
WEST
Oakland
LAA
Texas
Seattle
Let's start with the AL East.
Boston 97-65 (with their pitching, solid lineup, and very good "d" up the middle, their consistency will win this division. They are also deep on the bench and in the minors (with pitching)...Let's not count them out of the Clemens race, too...)
New York 94-68 (not having upgraded their pitching will hurt them. Mussina is set to have a bad year, Wright is cooked, Where's Pavano? Small will not do what he did last year...Their bullpen is worse than last year. They have a great lineup, but they had one last year, too.)
Toronto 88-74 (Very strong rotation, but I don't know if Ryan will repeat his mastery as a closer. I also think their general lack of depth will keep them from making a serious run at the division this year. One injury (Wells, Halladay) could be trouble.
Tampa Bay 81-81 (That's right...a team that hasn't won 70 games, yet (that I am aware of) will go .500. Think of them as the George Mason of MLB. They have a boat load of young talent and will win many games with their aggressiveness and speed.)
Baltimore...who cares? This team has not gotten better. Millar might improve chemistry, but I don't see this team as a contender at all...
I don't know if it is possible with the unbalanced schedule to have that many .500+ teams in the division, but that is my order of finish.
CENTRAL
Indians
White Sox
Twins
Detroit
Kansas City
WEST
Oakland
LAA
Texas
Seattle
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Choiful
In January I compiled lists of all the punny headlines I could find after the signings of Coco Crisp and J.T. Snow. I was sure we'd see tons with the Hee Seop Choi pickup. Here's what I've found:
Choice Pickup - Empyreal Environs
Hee Sop Joy - 12eight
Happy Happy Choi Choi - Surviving Grady
What the hell? That's all? No "Ode to Choi"? No "No Choi in Mudville"? No "Choi of Sox"?!? C'mon, people. I really hope the puns return before the season begins - I mean, for chrissakes, we have a dude named "Riske" in the bullpen.
Probably the most positive comments on the Choi pickup can be found on a Yankees site, Bronx Banter. Best line: "Choi is a twenty-seven-year-old lefty-hitting first baseman with a severe platoon split who has yet to live up to his potential. Three years ago, the Twins released another twenty-seven-year-old lefty-hitting first baseman with a severe platoon split who had never lived up to his potential..." Nice. It's also pointed out that the tiebreaker rules which gave the Yanks the division last year without a playoff - basically bragging rights, nothing more - ended up hurting the Yanks, who probably would've loved to pick up Choi themselves. As it stands now, their backup 1B is Andy Phillips.
Choice Pickup - Empyreal Environs
Hee Sop Joy - 12eight
Happy Happy Choi Choi - Surviving Grady
What the hell? That's all? No "Ode to Choi"? No "No Choi in Mudville"? No "Choi of Sox"?!? C'mon, people. I really hope the puns return before the season begins - I mean, for chrissakes, we have a dude named "Riske" in the bullpen.
Probably the most positive comments on the Choi pickup can be found on a Yankees site, Bronx Banter. Best line: "Choi is a twenty-seven-year-old lefty-hitting first baseman with a severe platoon split who has yet to live up to his potential. Three years ago, the Twins released another twenty-seven-year-old lefty-hitting first baseman with a severe platoon split who had never lived up to his potential..." Nice. It's also pointed out that the tiebreaker rules which gave the Yanks the division last year without a playoff - basically bragging rights, nothing more - ended up hurting the Yanks, who probably would've loved to pick up Choi themselves. As it stands now, their backup 1B is Andy Phillips.
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