Goodbye, Dougie

In a bit of a surprise move, the Red Sox released veteran catcher Doug Mirabelli yesterday, the only man seeminly capable of catching Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. I've been a big Mirabelli fan for years, so I'm a bit sad to see him go. He was a legit power threat for a back-up catcher before 2006 (30+ HRs, 101 RBI in 615 ABs for the Sox in his first 3.5 years as a backup), but he'd been on a steady decline for a while. Still, if you're an avid NESN viewer, you probably recall the typical Mirabelli at-bat: look at the first two pitches, swing late at the heat, and then smack a double or even launch one just when you'd gone to the kitchen for a beer. I'm going to miss him, but we'll see how Kevin Cash does with Wakefield. And I wouldn't count Dougie out yet. The last time the Sox tried to get rid of him, his replacement lasted 93 days and a total of five Wakefield starts. Mirabelli was then quickly back in Boston, escorted from Logan to Fenway at 110 m.p.h. by the Boston police in the only known occasion when the Big Dig actually helped the city of Boston.

Addendum: Dews has informed me that I forgot this. My apologies.

Plug: Obama of Dreams

I'm not a big fan of plugging folks that sell t-shirts, mostly since we (ahem) have our own fashionable line of LSWTF.com shirts for sale, but I thought this was pretty cool if you're warming to Barack Obama as I am. But, Obama of Dreams has some great MLB-themed t-shirts for sale, and each has the script your team uses in its logo. So far, they have Boston, Philly, Mets, and Dodgers-themed shirts, with Oakland, San Fran, Baltimore, San Diego, and a bunch of others coming soon.

Say what you will about the man's politics, his name looks good on a t-shirt, especially in mid-80s Astros script. Not so much in Yankees script though...Oblama?

Red Sox News: Rambo Ramirez?

You know its a good day in Red Sox Nation when the Globe confirms that Manny Ramirez has a new nickname: Rambo. Apparently he's been hitting the weights wicked hard, and is looking ripped heading into spring training. If this keeps him from getting injured this year, I'm all for it. Expect big things from Manny after an off-year during the regular season and two $20 million club options coming up at the end of the year.

In other news, the Sox avoided arbitration, signing Kevin Youkilis to a $3 million, one-year deal. Hopefully the Sean Casey signing will keep Youk from his now-traditional second half cool down.

Only two days left!

Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

Looks like the 2008 wheeling-and-dealing has begun. I have seen some fairly decent action in the past week. Nothing impact but some teams could see a shift up and down; and a gleam of hope may reign down onto Shane, for Im starting to see why Billy Beane is the man genius. As per usual, Dews wont be happy but could feel some satisfaction with my PR. Remember, its referred to as a rebuilding year when you trade your best players, not a rebuilding decade.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- No Jim Rice HOF for Bean Town but Red Sox nation needs to live in the now. You have 2 first ballot HOFers in David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. And if Josh Beckett keeps doing what he is doing, he will be in as well. Im taking a huge risk by saying this, but Jacoby Ellsbury?? Yes, I think this kid has all the tools in the shed. You guys have ALOT to be proud and hopeful for.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Still the best pound for pound lineup in baseball.

3 (3) New York Yankees- Well, looks like those Santana rumors are nothing more than a fart in the wind now. You did manage to sign Jason Lane which gives you additional OF talent.

4.(4) LA Dodgers- When are you going to promote Justin Orenduff??? Yes, another badass VCU Ram alumni!!

5 (5) Chicago Cubs- Still not sure why you traded Angel Pagan. You still have a solid OF but where is the depth??

6 (7) San Diego Padres- No action this week?? Well, even God took a day off.

7 (6) LA Angels- Nothing new. I still think this team is lacking depth.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- I still think this team needs a reliable 3rd SP. I dont see Paul Byrd putting up 2007 stats.

9 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks- The only thing that this team has thats frightful is pitching. They dont have much "umph" in their lineup which could be a liability in the long run.

10 (10) Colorado Rockies- I should be a GM in MLB. They took my advice and signed Marcus Giles. He had a bad year, it happens! He could be a shocker bargain in 2008.

11 (11) Minnesota Twins- You still have Santana AND you gave Hank the cold shoulder. I could cry!!

12 (13) Houston Astros- Does management know something that I dont?? Perhaps, maybe they dont need quality pitching. They are in the NL Central. Who needs pitching?

14 (13) New York Mets- Trading for Pagan was necessary. This team has 3 quality OF's (Even though Shane would say 2 since he hates "Moist Hands" Alou). This move gives them added depth in the OF. Well done.

14 (13) Philadelphia Philly’s- If only Utley and Howard could pitch. They need some reliable starters. Yes, Hamels is awesome, but he missed a month last year. Im sorry, Myers is not a #2 nor Moyer a #3.

15 (15) Milwaukee Brewers- I still believe the addition of Jason Kendell will give this team and extra 15 wins. Not for his hitting, but for his game management. He knows how to get every ounce from his starters. Just look at what Oakland did last year. Not to shabby.

16 (16) Chicago Whitesox- Every article I have read regarding the Swisher trade says the same thing: The Whitesox are a playoff contender. And I agree.

17 (17) Tampa Bay Rays- They picked up the Cardinals #4 OF in John Rodriguez. Ive seen him play and he has loads of talent. The Rays continue to enforce my sleeper pick prediction.

18 (18) Washington Nationals- There are high hopes in Washington. They may not make the playoffs but I guarantee they will prevent other teams from going either in 2008.They knocked out the Mets in 2007. Who will they shoot in the heart this season?

19 (19) Seattle Mariners- Those Erik Bedard rumors are spreading like herpes at the Jenna Jamison household. Think about it, Felix Rodriguez and Erik Bedard?? 2 of the top lefties in all of baseball!! WOW, make this happen Mariners and you may snag a top 10 PR.

20 (20) Atlanta Braves- Someone put a small mirror under Bobby Cox's nose. Do you see fog? Is he alive?? I dont know what this team is doing but its not helping.

21 (21) Toronto Blue jays- They have loads of talent as it is. Maybe they dont need to make a big splash this off-season.

22 (22) San Francisco Giants- Aaron Rowand guaranteed that the Giants will compete in 2007. I like that attitude and I am a believer this year. Unlike the Orioles guarantee of last place and liking it.

23 (23) Cincinnati Reds- They have the talent to dethrone the Cubs this season. Hell, im a believer. Lets just keep Dunns K's under 200 this season.

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- They must still be drunk with champagne after that dynamite Matt Clement deal. Xrist you guys, Pujols and Duncan cant plate ever AB for ya.

25 (27) Oakland A's- Yes they get the bump and Ill tell you why. I think I cracked the Da Beane Code. The A's just gave Justin Duershresheshre (Duchscherer) a 1 year deal. Many forget that he began his career as a Starter and descended to the bullpen in his second year. Many more forget that he was a pretty damn good starter at that. For the sake of Oak-town, I hope he gets placed back in the rotation. He could easily give this team 12-15 wins, if he stays healthy of course. He does have the Albert Belle hip problem. Now back to that lineup......

26 (25) Pittsburgh Pirates- I REALLY want them to compete and it looks like they are getting there. They are stockpiling their minor leagues with MLB experience young'sters. Dessen's was a good pickup as well.

27 (26) Texas Rangers- I guess you dont need pitching in Texas. I guess everything really is bigger in Texas; this includes ERA and opposing teams batting average.

28 (28) Kansas City Royals- Treat the Royals like a newborn baby. Baby Steps. And thats what they are doing. One day they will graduate to stumbling.

29 (30) Baltimore Orioles- They didnt do jack in the past week but the combination of Dews and MoDews convinced me they are only the 2nd worst team in baseball. My apologies go out to Nick Markakis, yes, you are not the AL version of Adam Dunn, but you are certainly not the second coming of Gary Sizemore either. Maybe a raw version Mark Texiera?? Mr. "Skin-peeling of your bones" Angelos- Do B-Town a favor, keep Brian Roberts and offer Erik Bedard a long term deal.

30 (29) Florida Marlins- Easy come easy go. The youth movement looks good on paper but so did the Mets and Cubs clubs last season. They have alot of question marks. In 3 years they could be back in the World Series, and of course in 4 years back to last place.

Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

Not a whole lot of action this week since baseball pretty much shuts down around this time of year. A couple minor signings and a trade that shocked the west coast. With all that has happened; expect alittle relief and a bit of optimism for Shane, while Dews and MoDews prepares for a shocker.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- Great mixture of youth and experience. Life is good in bean town.

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Well, my hopes of Brandon Inge to San Francisco is all but shattered. Detroit says teams are interested but nobody wants to absorb the 3 year 19 million dollars left on his contract.

3 (3) New York Yankees- Hank was a hero and a goat this week. Hero for pretty much distancing the franchise from Roger Clemens. The goat for expecting baseball fans to be sympathetic toward his latest trade offer to the Twins. Hank is confused as to why the Twins havent accepted another offer NOT involving Joba. Get a clue Hank!

4.(4) LA Dodgers- Gonzo is still a Free Agent. Orioles management where are you???

5 (5) Chicago Cubs- I would be shocked if the Cubs made any more player moves. But expect them to remain on the top 5, at least until Spring Training.

6 (7) San Diego Padres- You continue to make noise. Jeff Devannon is a good 5th OF option and Robert Fick isnt half bad either. Well done

7 (6) LA Angels- Dallas McPherson rumors are running wild. This is good news for Chone Figgins.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- No splashes made this offseason. Can ya blame them?? However, your were one solid SP away from beating Boston last year. *Insert hint here*

9 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks- Still in awe with the combo of Haren and Webb. 2 durable winners in my beloved NL West. Sheesh, how many times will my Giants get No-Hit this season.

10 (10) Colorado Rockies- They STILL need a second baseman badly. Marcus Giles is STILL available to. Hell if I were GM this would have been done weeks ago.

11 (11) Minnesota Twins- Im so proud of Twins management. Its like watching your child become potty trained. You may be a small market team but you wont get bullied on the playground. Your holding out for Joba and making Hank sweat. 2 Feats once deemed impossible

12 (13) Houston Astros- Other than Oswalt, who will start games?? Wandy, Bache, Williams?? Yeh, I thought so

13 (12) Philadelphia Philly’s- They could easily move up a slot with the acquisition of a quality SP. Perhaps John Leiber will come back?? Who knows

14 (14) New York Mets- MLB.com did a feature on Carlos Delgado.......Yes, MLB.com has nothing better to do right now.

15 (15) Milwaukee Brewers- People ignore the fact that this team has great quality pitching. But we saw what happened to this team in 2007 when they put an all 25 or younger squad on the field. They need some age. Perhaps Catcher, Jason Kendell is the answer. Think about it....

16 (22) Chicago Whitesox- Yes, Nick Swisher is THAT good. This was the deal that makes you competitors in 2008. He can play everywhere in the OF and 1b. You struck gold with this trade. You lost a few minor leaguers but who cares. Swisher is young and can only get better. More importantly, you got Swishers girlfriend, a playmate bunny in the trade. Not to shabby.

17 (16) Tampa Bay Rays- Rumor has it that Scott Kazmir is on the block. Ok, are you high Rays management?? Sure he always winds up on the DL before September but look at his numbers prior?? Very solid.

18 (19) Washington Nationals- Why the bump?? Well, Barry Larkin is now Elijah Dukes mentor now and word from Nats camp is that Dukes is in Florida right now working with Larkin. Dukes has so much talent but is troubled. Who better than a World Series winning, MVP, future HOF SS to save the day. Washington saw success in Dmitri Young so why not continue to trend of giving "second chances" Nats, you continue to impress me.

19 (17) Seattle Mariners- Carlos Siva's career stats: 55-46, 945IP with only 395K's, and has a 294AVG vs LHB and 282 vs RHB against. Tell me, is he worth 4 years, 55 million dollars to any of you? I know, I need to let this go........

20 (18) Atlanta Braves- Yeh.......Your blowing it guys. Rumor has it that the Braves are doing nothing and liking it.

21 (20) Toronto Blue jays- Nothing doing...

22 (21) San Francisco Giants- Im getting excited with the Dallas McPherson trade rumors. We need a 3b like we need air and he would fit perfectly in our system. Oh, Pedro Feliz may come back after failed attempts to land a 3 year contract elsewhere.......Yeh, im not thrilled either.

23 (23) Cincinnati Reds- The more I analyse the Hamilton trade the more it makes sense. You still have a great OF and you added a legitimate 3rd starter in Volquez. You still need a closer though.

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- Congrats on signing Matt Clement. Mark Mulder will make sure to save him a seat on the DL. What a pointless move.

25 (25) Pittsburgh Pirates- If Bay can stay healthy, they could be my NL sleeper team.

26 (26) Texas Rangers- Hows that pitching hunt going? Not to well from the looks of it. You wont play Baltimore every day ya know.

27 (27) Oakland A's- No, they wont lose any spots here because they managed to fill a need with that Swisher trade. Put Chavez in as DH and keep him healthy and newly acquired Ryan Sweeney will fill in at 3b. Problem solved. Now back to their pitching.....I know they are in a rebuilding year but Beane is to smart to NOT compete for 2007. I expect more action this month in Oaktown.

28 (29) Kansas City Royals- Oakland traded their franchise guy, but at least they had one to trade. KC is slowly earning my respect though. Expect them to move up once Spring training starts

29 (30) Florida Marlins- Congratulations!!! All you had to do was sign Jose Castilla, a veteran 3b to fill that hole. Rumor has it they are talking to Jorge Cantu to also compete for the 3b spot. I REALLY like these move. They may not have Miggy, but at least they are making an effort to replace him. You still have ALONG way to go and you hanging at this spot by a nose hair.

30 (29) Baltimore Orioles- I know im going to get flack for this but what have you done to remedy your dilemma?? You cant be in a rebuilding phase for the entire decade. No off season moves of benefit. All you have right now in terms of offense is Nick Markakis ( he reminds me of the AL version of Adam Dunn. Lots of power but no OBP, AVG, and K's ALOT) and Brian Roberts (who is rumored to be traded) Please, someone, give me a reason to respect this franchise.

Power Rankings- Pre Season MLB

I am really starting to enjoy writing these weekly power rankings. I know we are still in December and nothing much has really changed but it is Friday and I do work for the Government. Nothing much has happened in the world of baseball but a few moves could sway a couple teams’ rankings. Im looking at you San Diego fan! Again, Shane and Dews/MoDews wont be happy.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- I continue to stress that this team will be THAT good. But im preaching to the choir here. Papolbon may be enshrined as the newest member of the "all moron team" with the World Series ball debacle. You do realize, Red Sox nation, that this is how curses begin???

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- And old rumor that I never mentioned is that Brandon Inge has requested a trade. First off, he was a senior at VCU when I was a freshman there. Hell, I watched him dominate as an All-American SS. He is rumored to be traded to SF Giants. That gets me very fired up!

3 (3) New York Yankees- I repeat- The trade rumors involving Santana heating up again. Word has it that Hank is going to do "whatever it takes" to acquire Santana. Finally, his marbles may drop.

4.(4) LA Dodgers- Oh, I absolutely loathe the Dodgers. But they look really good on paper right now. Plus they have the Joe Torre card.

5 (5)Chicago Cubs- Because they still played well and made significant upgrades to there lineup, the loss of Prior (who did not pitch in 2007) does not effect them in the standings.

6 (7) San Diego Padres- If Prior can start at least 20 games this year, he will be regarded as a salary bargain. A healthy Mark Prior will give this team the second best pitching rotation in all of baseball.

7 (6) LA Angels- Nothing to report here.

8 (8) Cleveland Indians- Or here

9 (9) Arizona Diamondbacks- Im still in shock with that Haren trade, however, Shane and I have debated this one ever since my last post. He has a point though, that being Oakland stars do not succeed outside of Oakland. Zito, Mulder, and Hudson (who did manage a decent season last year). But of the Oakland big 4, Who other than me, thinks that Haren may be the most complete?? This move could easily backfire on Oakland

10 (10) Colorado Rockies- They need a second baseman badly. Marcus Giles is still available to. Do the right thing here fella's

11(11) Minnesota Twins- If Santana does stay, they could give Detroit a real problem. The Joe Nathan rumors are all but dead.

12 (13) Houston Astros- They continue to impress me with smart deals. The acquisition of Darren Erstad gives them more depth in the OF and at 1b. They may have the best lineup in the National League but Roy Oswalt cant win 100 games for ya.

13 (12) Philadelphia Philly’s- So Taguchi is no Aaron Rowand. Nice try though.

14 (14) New York Mets- At the rate they are going, they will be in no playoff hunt this year. They still have a solid lineup but have made no attempts to plug any holes. Beltran needs to shut up and listen to Ricky. When Ricky says he will turn you into a base running master, you DONT shrug him off.

15 (15) Milwaukee Brewers- I still like this team. I can easily see them rise in the rankings.

16 (16) Tampa Bay Rays- Cliff Floyd was a good hire, but can he stay healthy? Remember, Tampa Bay is where careers end. Look at Boggs, Canstrikeout, McGriff, and Daulton. Among other players

17 (17) Seattle Mariners- Yawn- Seattle to me is like the wing man of baseball. They took the bullet for every other club and signed Carlos Silva (which i did touch on and who I still think is worthless)

18 (18) Atlanta Braves- Any luck in finding your AndUw Jones replacement?? Didnt think so

19 (19) Washington Nationals- Still my sleeper pick in the national league. Manny Acta is that good of a coach and it looks like Nick Johnson will be healthy. But where are ya gonna put him?? Dmitri Young says he will play OF, but do you want him out there?? He is a modern day Cecil Fielder

20(20) Toronto Bluejays- Nothing doing...

21(21) San Francisco Giants- We did manage to sign a minor league, Keiichi Yabu. He pitched for Oakland in 2005 but never since. I guess its better than what we have in the pen right now. But come on, look at our rotation. Makes me smile every time I think about it. Zito, Lowry, Cain, Lincecom, and Sanchez. *tear*

22 (22) Chicago Whitesox- Nothing....Please, do something.

23 (23) Cincinnati Reds- They made the only trade of the week. Josh Hamilton for Edison Valquez. Im not taking ranking slots away from them because its seems like a very even trade for the Reds. Him and Baily could round out a half decent rotation. But who will replace Hamilton??

24 (24) St Louis Cardinals- Still scratching my head as to why you let go of Eckstein.

25 (25) Pittsburgh Pirates- You need to get those Jason Bay rumors flying again.

26 (25) Texas Rangers- Yes, you lose spots. Volsquez was really the only thing I saw that was good in your pitching rotation.

27 (27) Sacramento River Cats (AKA- Oakland A's)- Still trying to figure out the mind of the "man genius" here. Your rotation reminds me of the hospital ICU and your lineup has more River Cats than Athletics. Shane, do you know something that I dont know???

28 (29) Kansas City Royals- They signed Miguel Oliva which yes, gives you a bump up. They needed a catcher badly and got a pretty damn good one. He knows how to manage a game and thats what the Royals need right now. Well done!!

29 (28) Norfolk Tides (AKA- Baltimore Orioles)- This will mos def stir up the hornets nest. The debates from last week were not strong enough to sway any decisions. And the fact that they havent done a single thing to improve is disturbing. From what I gathered from O's fan, they have a "if you cant compete then why bother" mentality. This would would make me go postal, yet, they accept it. And I know, Angelos is evil.

30 (30) Florida Marlins- The loss of Oliva will hurt. Just ask your rotation. If you could fall further, you would.

Wednesday Tidbits

Not much going on on the blog today, so here are four "of the day" stories for you to peruse while you recover from your hangover and get some Advil both for your headache and Guitar Hero III-weary wrists.

Quote of the day: "We're pretty sure this is not the Santa Claus."

Warning of the day: the Canadians are invading.

"The media sucks" award for the day: Hillary and Barack get more press than Joe Biden.

Idiot of the day: Jonathan Papelbon, cause his dog at the WS ball.

Power Rankings- Pre-Season MLB

Another Friday morning means an update to my pre-season MLB power rankings. With the plethora of trades and free agent signings, these rankings have slightly changed from 2 weeks ago. Needless to say, Shane and Dews wont be happy.

1 (1). Boston Red Sox- Nothing has changed. They have the best rotation, bullpen, and closer in baseball. There lineup is second to only Detroit

2 (2) Detroit Tigers- Again, no significant moves. They have the best lineup in the game and a solid rotation. Willis's contract extension could motivate him to be the pitcher he was in 2006

3 (3) New York Yankees- The trade rumors involving Santana heating up again.

4.(4) LA Dodgers- Rumor has it they are in the hunt for Tony Clark. Yeh, THE Tony Clark. They need to focus on filling some holes in the infield and add some depth. They do have an amazing bullpen and quality starters. I still have them at 4 because they added talent without losing talent.

5 (6)Chicago Cubs- The addition of Fukudome balances out their outfield. I think they overspent to get him but it is the Cubs. Looks like they are prepared to sell the team to Mark Cuban with that add.

6 (5) LA Angels- They could fall further if they trade Casey Kotchman (Which is rumored). They have a very solid lineup but no depth.

7 (9) San Diego Padres- They continue to acquire talent. The additions of Jim Edmonds and Tad Iguchi filled crucial holes.

8 (7) Cleveland Indians- No news is good news

9 (13) Arizona Diamondbacks- Dan Haren is that good and will thrive in the NL West. Arizona has a damn good 1-2 punch with him added into the mix. Whats funny is that they didnt lose much in terms of minor league talent. The A's got no quality prospects in this deal. But there is always a method to Beane's madness.

10 (9) Colorado Rockies- They lost Matsui and failed to snag Iguchi. They have no definitive 2b and nobody in the minors that is good enough to fill in. BUT, All is still good when you have Hawpe, Holliday, and Helton at Coors.

11(10) Minnesota Twins- They could easily lose this generous spot. Like I said before tho, Pedro Liriano is healthy again.

12 (11) Philadelphia Philly’s- The loss of Rowand will haunt this team but they have enough talent to KINDA make up for it. Remember, Rowand is a road warrior!

13 (22) Houston Astros- Sure Tejada might have been juiced during his MVP days, but he was as solid as a 161 games played SS is. He will VASTLY improve this team offensively and with the glove. They also traded for a solid closer in Valverde. Lidge who?? Well done Houston.

14 (13) New York Mets- Im begging to move this team further down on the power rankings. But they havent really lost anyone without finding replacements, i.e. Schnieder for LoDuca. Plus Pedro will be healthy. Oh, and there is always a Rickey factor.

15 (14) Milwaukee Brewers- No changes yet. Jenkins is replaceable in there lineup.

16 (16) Tampa Bay Rays- They are still my shock pick. Yes they moved up only because of Seattle's future regretful FA acquisition

17 (15) Seattle Mariners- Yes, they lost a spot. Have they not learned from there mistakes with Jeff Weaver??? Carlos Siva is now a 10 million dollar pitcher and for what reason?? He is average at best and I think will make this team worse. Stupid Stupid!! Other than that crap move, they havent done much in terms of depth.

18 (17) Atlanta Braves- It will be tough to figure out which Brave team will take the field; Atlanta or Richmond. But Hudson, Smoltz, and Glavine always gives them hope.

19 (23) Washington Nationals- Why the huge move up? They signed talented ex-Braves in Willie Harris and Pete Orr. I do think those moves are THAT significant. Word also has it that their ace John Patterson is healthy. Michael O'Connor (who was released) resigned with the team so that gives them a solid left handed SP. Well played Nats.

20(18) Toronto Bluejays- Not to shabby grabbing David Eckstein.

21(25) San Francisco Giants- YES, WE DID SOMETHING. Aaron Rowand is a huge add for a team with no power and he is a road warrior. Something the Giants have lacked for a few years. Rowand, Winn, and Roberts gives us an air tight OF. We may get a boost of offense here and the best part is that our pitching remains in tact. If Zito can regain his cy young status, we could earn a wild card. Its a HUGE IF though. Rumor has it that Konerko is on the trading block and SF Giants are a contendor. Not sure if we need another salary leach though


22 (20) Chicago Whitesox- WAKE UP!!! Still a solid rotation and bullpen.

23 (24) Cincinnati Reds- They gain spots only because they didnt pull off absolute stupid trades.

24 (21) St Louis Cardinals- Not sure why they traded Edmonds but they also lost Eckstein. What the hell are you thinking??? 2 fan favorites

25 (26) Texas Rangers- Again, you gain spots for not making bonehead trades.

26 (29) Pittsburgh Pirates- No moron trades here, and yes, you have a better team now than the A's and Orioles. Rumors are flying about Bay getting traded. No better time than now I say

27 (19) Oakland A's- Where to begin. You trade your best pitcher, your ace hasnt pitched more than 10 games in 2 straight seasons and you still have no offense. You got very little in return, at least no impact players for 2008 and 2009. You beat out Baltimore only by a thread and that the O's are in a much tough division. But when its all said and done, the biggest enemy in Oaktown will be the injury bug

28 (27) Baltimore Orioles- Stupid Stupid Stupid!!! You traded Tejada away for practically nothing. Who will fill in at SS now, Cal Ripkin Jr might still be the best SS in Baltimore. Do the right thing and keep Bedard!!

29 (28) Kansas City Royals- You snagged a decent Relief pitcher from Atlanta, still not enough to salvage a season here. I could be wrong though

30 (30) Florida Marlins- The city of Miami is used to a last place team so this should come as no shock.

NJ Bans the Death Penalty

So, New Jersey Gov. Corzine signed a bill today that banned the death penalty in NJ. No word on how long before Dews' Sicilian brethern will get the "no-kill" memorandum, but at least the NJ government will officially not be killing anyone any time soon.

This is a good move, regardless of what you think about the death penalty in a moral sense. The death penalty, in a pragmatic sense, doesn't work. It doesn't deter crime, it costs a lot to administer, and there's always the risk that the wrong person will be convicted. Now if we could only get the rest of the country on board with some common freakin' sense.

On a completely different topic, I'm going to go check out the World Series trophy today. It may be ten degrees here in VT, we just got a foot of snow, and we don't have any Sonics anywhere in the state, but the World Series trophy is coming to my town this year, and not yours, suckerz.

This is me rubbing it in.

Also, many thanks for the Christmas wishes. Glad to be known as the voice of reason, although I may get just a lump of coal after that World Series trophy crack.

Pre-Season Baseball Rankings

I know what your thinking but hear me out. There is a reason for this madness and I will explain. Looking at the remainder of this years free agent pool, i dont see one name that could impact a team in any kind of way. Exept maybe Aaron Rowland, but for the sake of this blog, I have him remaining with the Phillies (and why not, he is an amazing talent). Other than a few trades in the works, this is my pre-season rank (more to come).

1. Boston Red Sox- Well, Get used to it. I dont even think a major injury could sway them. If Manny goes down, they have top talent to fill in. This team is BEYOND talented. Kid Genius is that, a genius. He knew not to touch his minor league talent unless necessary (Refer to Josh Beckett). They have the best rotation 1-4 and if they land Santana, make it 1-5. They have loads of talent in their batting order and on the bench. YES, Youk could be a platoon guy. This guy can start on just about any other team.

2. Detroit Tigers- Thanks to Florida for putting the Tigers in the top 2. Prior to the trade, they looked good. Miggy makes them BETTER. They lost 6 of their top 22 prospects but when your in a city that is known for losing, tomorrow matters not. Jim Leyland knows how to manage ego's and did a hell of a job last season. This team has a great lineup top to bottom but they lack in depth. If Sheff goes down who will step in?? I dont see any backups, other than Brandon Inge, and he wants out of Detroit. To the pitching, they are good!! Willis makes them, ehhhh the same but if he gives up 5 runs a game, his offense will put up 6. He is an innings eater and this takes pressure off of Verlander and Bonderman, who usually pitch more innings than they can handle. That and Rogers is back. They are solid in the pen and have a crafty vet in Jones to close out games.

3. New York Yankees- I know, I HATE HATE HATE this but you have to give them some credit. They managed to keep all of their talent and not lose prospects. Sure they failed to pull the trigger during the Winter meetings, but they have Joba, Hughes, and Kennedy to show for it.

4. LA Dodgers- GOD D*MN this pains me but they tapped AndUw Jones. This makes that good outfield that much better. Kemp, Pierre, Either, and Jones rounds up a talented OF corp. Their question mark is can they stay healthy. Their pitching is top 5 in baseball and as long as they stay healthy, they will stay that way. They need to fill that 5 hole though. Wolfe will be missed.

5. LA Angels- I know what your thinking, 5??? Yes, and ill tell you why. I honestly believe that Hunter will have a bad season and Vlad will still be forced to carry the weight of this offense. Pitching is key but can they stay healthy?? That, and can they stay consistent. Krod and Shield were downright crap in September.

6. Chicago Cubs- Laugh all you want but this is a new season. Soriano's injury was more than they could handle in July but they still have the tools to win. They are iffy in the rotation but they managed to win games. The problem is in the pen and the closer role. Wood will help plug that hole if he can stay healthy.

7. Cleveland Indians- The fact they havent made any noise this winter is disturbing. True, they have talent and depth to back that talent up. But they are predictable and play in the Central. They barely contained Detroit last year and its doubtful they can do it again. Pitching is questionable. Carmona and Sabathia is really all they have. Byrd will face suspension for doping, and the pen and closer role is awful. But that offense will win games. Hafner and Sizemore still make one hell of a 1-2 punch.

8. Colorado Rockies- Why do I have them 8? Because like most teams, they havent done anything to improve! They squeaked into the playoffs and yes, dominated. But can they do it again with the same team?? I say unlikely. But they have Coors park and FINALLY a rotation that can pitch like an allstar in Denver. The WS proved they need experience to compliment Matt Holliday.

9. San Diego Padres- I just made some Padre fans happy with this one. They addressed needs early on. Maddox is signed and Peavy has his extension. Bradley is gone as well. They have talent in the lineup and a good pitching staff. Im confident that Youngs injury REALLY hurt this team. But if he can stay healthy, they could give LA problems.

10. Minnesota Twins- With the loss of Hunter and the replacement of Young I think this team will be playoff bound. Again, I never thought much of Hunter BUT Young is the real deal. 162 games played, .290 average and close to 100 runs scored! They also picked up Brandon Harris from TB. This team has talent. But without Santana and Garza things will be tough. But do I have to remind you who is back in 2008?? Mr. Francisco Liriano himself.

11. Philadelphia Philly’s- Why do I have them here you ask? Well, they decided not to show up in the playoffs and have done virtually nothing to improve their team. Sure Lidge is a good add at closer but can he be reliable? Only time will tell.

12. New York Mets- I dont know why I have them THIS high. They have no starting pitching and no bullpen. Pedro is broken down and Glavine is gone. They lost LoDuca and replaced him with a bunch of Nats. Time must be tough when you taking the Nats mediocre players.

13. Arizona Diamondbacks- They are a bit lower than I normally would put them but they traded a productive OF for a 1b man they had then lost then got back and wont even use. Johnson is an old man now. They cannot rely on Webb to win 20 this year. He has talent, but not that much.

14. Milwaukee Brewers- Expect them to move up quickly, and the only reason they are middle of the pack is that they lost 2 key pitchers, Linebrink and Cordero. Gagne seems to have lost his stuff so I dont put much stock into him saving the pen. A pen that looks awful right now. They have decent starters but its that young offense that will carry the load. WOW are they talented, but beatable.

15. Seattle Mariners- I would put them further down the totem pole here but King Felix is finally healthy, Ichiro got paid, and Beltre had a fantastic September. Those three reasons are why they crack the top 15. Other than that, they are mediocre at best.

16. Tampa Bay Rays- Im gonna shock the world with this pick. They traded for a pitcher who will compliment Kazmir and Shields in Matt Garza, but the best of all, they dumped their trouble makers which makes for no distractions. Madden knows how to manage raw talent. They only won 66 games, but that still gave them their best season ever. Look for this team to make some noise.

17. Atlanta Braves- Im wondering why I am doing them this big of a favor. Ok, you drop Jones and replace him with Willie Harris, you drop Pete Orr and replace him with a question mark. They havent really done anything to upgrade, other than Tom Glavine. So why top 20?? They ALWAYS find a way to shock the world. They win, plain and simple.

18. Toronto Bluejays- They dont have much in the tank other than Hollady. Thomas is old, they have no closer, and other than Rios, who can get on base? But, Burnett is healthy and could carry some of the load with Roy. The other starters arent great but they are scrappy. Give them 6-7 innings and pray to the baseball Gods that the pen can keep it close.

19. Oakland A's- Another shocker I know and this MUST make Shane happy. Top 20 isnt a bad place to be. Why 19?? Man-genius Billy Beane, thats why. There is a method for his madness. I dont know what it is but he did in fact write the book on it. Even with the Dan Haren rumors flying, he makes things work.

20. Chicago Whitesox- Please, its bad enough when your team quits on the city of Chicago, its even worse when the manager does the same. I saw more fight into him spatting with Jay Marrioti of the Tribune than opposing pitchers. PS- Dropping Podsednik was a moron move. However, they have a great rotation and pen. The O is aging a tad tho.

21. St Louis Cardinals- Tony is in rehab which doesnt help this teams focus and Walt Jockey isnt there to make offseason noise. What do they have other than Phat Albert? Rolen is unhappy, Carpenter missed a year, they have no bullpen. BUT as liquored up at Tony is, he knows how to win. That and im putting alot of faith into Albert and Duncan. Not a shabby duo

22. Houston Astros- AKA Shanes new team- Come to think of it, I wish i could put them down further into the top 15. But they have no closer and question marks all over the place. Will Kaz fill in for Biggio?? Can Pence repeat his amazing rookie year?? Will Berkman show up?? To soon to tell, but they have Oswalt, not a bad opening day win at least.

23. Washington Nationals- There I did it!! They still have Zim and Kearns, now add LoDuca. A proven Nats killer playing in Nat town. Not to shabby. Church is gone but this only gives Nook Logan a shot for 100SB. Unlikely to happen but without him in the lineup, they suffered. This team still has no pitching, but Acta got the best out of the rooks, such as Chico and Hanrahan. Plus a new stadium you GOTTA be pumped.

24. Cincinnati Reds- They proved that they can pitch, now they need to show the world they can hit. Dunn K's 200 times per year and thats bad. But Brandon Phillips showed Cinci what Joe Morgan must have looked like in the 70's. I dont see much happening here, but they are in the central and anybody’s division to win

25. San Francisco Giants- I know, I betrayed my own team. But even a baseball novice can see we are screwed. We have 1 guy who is a proven hitter, 1 Guy!! We will be starting alot of rookies (shocking they are old grandpa's of the past). Our saving grace is our starting pitching. Cain, Lincecom, Zito, and Lowry make up one HELL of a front 4. Jonathan Sanchez, Kevin Correjia (sp) and or Pat Litsch may take the 5 spot. Still impressive. We have major question marks in the pen and the closer role

26. Texas Rangers- I gave them 26 because they have more offense than the remaining 4. They have no starting pitchers worth bragging about but they do have a reliable bullpen and several closers they can count on. There are alot of high hopes riding on Jarod Salt's jersey

27. Baltimore Orioles- Erik Bedard saved you from last place here. And yes, without Bedard the Marlins are a better team. Tejada isnt getting any younger and I hear he will be traded. You dont have anyone worth mentioning in your farm system as well. My stone cold pick- Orioles season is over RIGHT NOW!

28. Kansas City Royals- I will give this team 2-3 more years til they are playoff bound. That nice crop of rookies are getting better. But the iffy mark is pitching. The Royals have NONE. Granted Gil Meche was a Yankee killer. Im still wondering why you signed Jose Guillen though.

29. Pittsburgh Pirates- You have Gorzellany and thats it for pitching. And he is only as good as the offense, which is still putrid. Bay is healthy so many he can do what he does best and hit .300 with 35 homeruns. If he gets back to his allstar form, I will personally apologize to all the Pirate fans I know for placing them here.

30. Florida Marlins- You traded your franchise away, for that you are last place. HOWEVER, your building for the future. But that means nothing when you treat your players like recylcalable cans and completely alienate your fan base.

I know thats alot to write, but I head on vacation soon. Might as well get it all done now. Enjoy and let the debates begin........

The Greatest Rotation Ever?

With news that the Johan Santana talks between the Red Sox and Twins are heating up, the big question comes to my mind. If Santana is added to the Red Sox, would that make this pitching rotation the greatest pitching rotation ever assembled?

You would have baseball's best lefty, best righty, best Asian import, best knuckleballer, and best youth with potential. Oh, and you also have a pitcher who helped win two world series, one in which he earned MVP honors and the other had a bloody sock involved. Just imagine this lineup for a few seconds.

Josh Beckett
Johan Santana
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Clay Buchholz
Curt Schilling
and Tim Wakefield

Hell, you could easily do a six man rotation and not really hurt. Hell, your pitchers would have an extra day or two rest, which is almost always welcome, especially to save their arms. You could alternate between some, or maybe move a few into the bullpen, but I think I would do a six man rotation.

Oh, and by the way you have Papelbon as your closer, and Okajima as your middle reliever. Add all these factors to the already sick batting line up, and I don't know if you'll see a better team on paper in our lifetimes. So I ask to you, if they do get Santana, is this the best rotation ever and is this the best baseball team on paper that you've ever seen?

Rudy....Rudy....Rudy....Rudy!!

I didnt watch the CNN/Youtube debate last night, im hooked on a little show called Kitchen Nightmares. But maybe I should have. I did manage to watch a few clips of Mitt Romney flat out humiliate himself, but One bold Youtuber asked the best question of the night. Mayor Giulianni, why did you root for the Redsox? The supporting answer is absolutely priceless!!! Although I still dont agree with him on this, he did make some very valid points....

New Yankee's Skipper

"WOW" is all I can say. We all knew it was coming soon and we all knew it was gonna be a close call, but Joe Girardi, 2006 Manager of the Year, is now the NY Yankees manager. I am a bit shocked with this, althought I shouldnt be. Perhaps im just that big of a Donny Baseball, errr Don Mattingly fan. This is a good and bad move. Good that Girardi is AMAZING, let me repeat, AMAZING, at coaching young talent. He proved he can mold raw talent into All-stars with the Marlins. That, and he is a Yankee. He played in NY during the rise of the NY dynasty. He taught Jorge Posada everything he knew about the 2 spot. He has rings and glory. That and he knows how to handle the NY media. Whats the bad SayHey??? The bad is that this job was kinda promised to Mattingly. Mattingly was groomed by Torre and was a bench coach for a couple years, learning the ways of Mr. Torre. Now that Mattingly is passed over, he could easily leave the organization. If he leaves, the rookie hitters will suffer. Mattingly is ready to manage and it wouldnt shock me if he left and perhaps took the Pittsburgh or LA Dodger gig.

Regardless, this move is JUST what the Yankees needed. Hank Steinny already said they are going in a new direction; havesting and molding the minor league system and being a little more fiscal. Who better to lead a bunch of young kids and a few with star power than Mr. Girardi. I applaud this move, yet moarn this because I am a huge Mattingly fan. Again, he deserved it, but you cannot be upset with the placement. This is like choosing a Mercedes or a BMW or a Ford or Chevy. Needless to say, ill be cheering for the Yankees alittle bit more, now that the BeanSox ego's have risen above and beyond Yankee fan. That and Arod opted out of his contract and will no longer be a Yankee.

World Series Recap

Yeh, I dont really care about the end result either. But hey, the Redsox outplayed everyone, especially the Rockies. It would have been nice if 7 other hitters showed up to the ball park to help Matt Holliday at least try to compete for the Rockies, but nahhhhh whats the use. But man, the Redsox manhandled Colorado to sweep yet another Fall Classic. Congrats goes out to Mike Lowell for winning and deserving World Series MVP honors. He shined and I loved what Redsox nation had to say when comparing Arod to Lowell. Something along the lines of, "why do we need Arod, we have Lowell". Which is true. Mikey has 2 WS rings, one with Florida and one with Boston. Arod has, uhm uhm NONE!

But back to the recap. There is really nothing much to say. Redsox pitching was near flawless, hell, cancer survivor John Lester pitched like a Cy Young candidate last night. I was hoping the Rockies would have squeezed one win out, and hell almost did game 3, but Rockies bats couldnt compliment that Matt Holiday 3 run jack, hence, a game lost in which they should have won. But as a baseball fan and purist, I congratulate Redsox nation. I may hate hate HATE their fans, but they won and my Giants didnt.

Mukasey, the rule of law, and the Sox

From the New York Times this morning: should the President obey federal law when "defending the nation?

I want to know how we got back to this point. It seems like we swing back and forth between being a rule of law kind of nation and being a cult-of-the-leader nation. We're heading down a dangerous, dangerous path if we, as a nation, start to think that the President has the inherent authority to ignore federal law so long as he is "defending the nation." What does "defending the nation" even mean? Truman took it to mean controlling steel mills so that the bullets and tanks could continue being built during the Korean War. Bush "defends the nation" by spying on citizens and locking people away. It's too amorphous a concept to really use, and that's why it's so scary. And I'm sure Michael Mukasey knows it.

So why is he saying this stuff?

On another note, just to dilute the bullshit, an article about the Red Sox winning that doesn't include a threat to anyone's life.

Greatest. Post. Ever.

We here at like seriously are very passionate about our sports teams. Some, like CityCat and myself are a part of the greatest group of fans on Earth, we're Browns fans. Others like SayHey are fans of teams (Giants/Noles/Niners) who best years were a decade or two ago, but they keep their faith strong and we can respect them. A few, like Dews, are a part of a fan base (Redskins) that think they're gonna win a championship. That is even when the championship game is taking place and they're not in the game. We all though agree on one thing, we all hate a certain collection of fans that exist in this world. The opening paragraph pretty much sums it up more then I ever could:

With the Red Sox advancing to the World Series, Boston College still undefeated, KG moving to the Celtics, and this year’s Patriots in the process of becoming the best team in the history of the NFL (and you’re deluding yourself if you can't accept the reality of that), we are on the verge of witnessing a perfect storm of douchebaggery emanating from the greater Boston area. We’re talking the absolute zenith of self-important fuckfacery. The sky will turn pitch black and rain vinegar upon us all.

You see, most sports fans don't hate the Patriots, Celtics, or Red Sox. Not at all, we can respect the way they play, how they go about things and feel pitty on the Bruins since their a member of the original 8. No, what we hate are the fuckin fans in New England. Sadly this epidemic was not nationwide, it had been contained to the Northeast. That is it was contained until Tom Brady and the Red Sox removed their curse. Now, you see "Red Sox Nation" nation wide. Hell, you see them almost as much as you see alleged Yankees and Cowboys fans. These are examples of fans that didn't exist until those teams started winning year in and year out and thought it was cool to be a fan of those teams.

Thankfully, Kissing Suzy Kolber also gave us some hints as to how you can spot some of these "New Enlgand Sports Fans".

2. Bitch about Dane Cook “representing” you while, at the same time, rocking his exact same haircut.

5. Be sure to boast about all the hot chicks Tom Brady gets to nail. Because that’s totally something for YOU to brag about.

7. If you put a five into a jukebox at any sports bar, you must play “Satellite” by the Dave Matthews Band at least once.

13. Be sure to grow your hair out under your artificially aged Red Sox hat so that little hair wings sprout out the side. That looks great.

CityCat said recently at our Sunday Football Event at Baileys while looking at a gentleman in a Patriots jersey, "Oh, you just pop your collar don't you." Yes, most Patriots fans in the 20s all look like the douchebags who pop their fucking collar, disgusting. She also has quite the disdain for the NEW ENGLAND Patriots for taking a region as their location and not an actually city. She does have a valid point, though I wonder how long it will be until the San Diego Chargers become the Southern California Chargers.

How ya like that Mel Gibson?!

This is for myself and for Say Hey