Read the article at NBC Chicago
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Cardinals Would Like Pujols to Be a Cardinal For Life
Earlier this month Albert Pujols made some waves when he said that once he becomes a free agent in two years money will not be the most important factor in his decision. The Cardinals could offer him more money than anybody else, but if he felt that the team wasn't doing enough to try and win another World Series, he'd "somewhere else that I can win."Continue reading at FanHouse
More Reason To Drink Maker's Mark
I know that Brian Cook over at MGoBlog -- and not to mention the man that runs the Blogpoll -- doesn't find this amusing, and is in fact calling for a boycott of Maker's Mark, but as somebody who loves the whiskey and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, I can't help but love this advertisement.
I want to go buy a bottle right now and chug it down to celebrate, but I do that everyday at noon anyway, so it's probably not that great of a celebration. Maybe I'll go for two?
Ryan Feierabend's Season May Be Over
This spring the Seattle Mariners have about 10 pitchers who are competing for the fifth spot in their starting rotation because that's the type of thing that tends to happen when you go 61-101. You need to mix it up and try new things. Ryan Feierabend was one of the many hopefuls on the staff, but odds are that he was going to end up in the Mariners bullpen because of the surplus of southpaws Seattle has starting already...Continue reading at FanHouse
Do the A's Know the Way to San Jose?
After spending the last couple of years working on plans to move the team to nearby Fremont, California, the Oakland Athletics announced on Tuesday that due to complications, they were no longer considering the migration. Of course, just because the team has to stay in Oakland for now, that doesn't mean they're going to be there forever...Continue reading at FanHouse
The Last Hours of the Rextacy
Tonight is the night a lot of Chicago Bears fans have been waiting for. At 11:01pm tonight the NFL free agency period begins and free agents are free to sign with other teams. More importantly for Bears fans, that also means that Rex Grossman will officially no longer be a Chicago Bear.
I was never as big of a Rex hater than a lot of Bears fans, I mean, I didn't particularly like him, but I didn't wish death upon him either. I also don't hate him enough to post an atomic clock counting down until his free agency like some newspapers in the area have done.
Still, I thought I'd be happier than I am about Rex being gone, but honestly, I feel more nervous than anything. It would be one thing if I knew that Grossman was leaving and the Bears were bringing in a competent veteran to compete with Kyle Orton for the starting job next year, but given the fact that Jerry Angelo has said in recent days that the team is fine with Brett Basanez and Caleb Hanie backing up Orton, this move could backfire.
I'm not saying that the Bears should consider bringing Rex back or anything, as there is no reconciling between Grossman and the fans here, Super Bowl appearance or not. What I'm saying is that as crazy as it might sound, I'd be more comfortable with Grossman as the #2 behind Orton than either Basanez or Hanie at this point.
Hopefully those two prove me wrong, but these are the Bears we're talking about, so I know they won't.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Beware The Alyssa Milano Effect
Actress Alyssa Milano has never been a stranger to the game of baseball. From her television debut as the daughter of a washed up baseball player on "Who's The Boss?", to her MLB-themed clothing line Touch, her Dodgers blog, and her penchant for dating pitchers, it's obvious that the woman loves her baseball....Continue reading at FanHouse
Omar Vizquel: Anaconda Hunter
When it comes to playing shortstop, there haven't been very many in the game who did a better job of catching the baseball throughout their career than Omar Vizquel. There's a reason the man has won 11 Gold Gloves in his career, after all. So how does he do it?Continue reading at FanHouse
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Bo Pelini Forced Patrick Witt's Hand
On Sunday the Nebraska Cornhuskers found out that one of the quarterbacks who they were expecting to compete for a starting job this spring, Patrick Witt, was transferring from the school. The news came as a bit of a shock considering that Witt could have been considered the favorite to win the job this spring based on being the most game-tested field general the Huskers had...Continue reading at FanHouse
Boof Bonser Needs Shoulder Surgery
Generally once spring training begins, managers have two key worries that they put before everything else: get players in shape, and keep them healthy. If the role of fifth starter isn't quite settled by the first game in April, it's not good, but it's not horrible either. The team still has 162 games to figure it out, so there's no real rush...Continue reading at FanHouse
Best News I've Heard All Day
Andy Richter will be reuniting with Conan O'Brien as his sidekick when Conan takes over The
The A's Aren't Moving to Fremont
The Oakland Athletics have had plans on moving about a half hours drive south on I-880 to Fremont for quite a while now. After being unable to get a new stadium in Oakland, the team was prepared to make the move and play in the Bay Area's fourth largest town causing an uproar from Oakland fans for leaving the city...Continue reading at FanHouse
J.P. Ricciardi Disagrees With Himself About Roy Halladay's Future
One of the big stories surrounding the Toronto Blue Jays as they prepare to get their 2009 season underway is whether or not Roy Halladay will still be wearing a Jays jersey when the season ends. Halladay is signed with Toronto through the end of the 2010 season, and is scheduled to make $14.25 million this season and $15.75 million in 2010...Continue reading at FanHouse
Konerko Would Be Okay With Trade
While I have loved and appreciated everything Paul Konerko has done for the Chicago White Sox since he's been here, I also haven't been shy about the fact I think he'd be more valuable to the team if he was somewhere else over the last few years.The truth is that Paulie's best days are behind him, and with the Sox needing to get younger and faster, I always thought trading Konerko rather than Jermaine Dye would be a better baseball decision. Now the team probably wouldn't get as much in return for Paulie as they would JD given his declining returns the last few years, but I'd make that trade to open up playing time for others.
So it is nice to know that should the situation present itself, Paulie would be totally cool with the White Sox trading him this season. Of course, he also knows that since he has "Five and Ten" rights, he'd get to approve any deal before it was made.
''You never know because the answer could be you help them by leaving,'' Konerko said. ''I would never be opposed to that. It doesn't have to be a breakup that's antagonistic. It doesn't have to be a thing where heads are butted.Of course, if the Sox were going to trade Konerko at some point this season not only would the team have to be off to a slow start or out of the playoff race, they'd need Konerko to play well and stay healthy too. Odds are if he's hitting in the .210-.240 range like he has been at the beginning of the last few seasons, there won't be many teams willing to take on his $12 million salary over the next two seasons.
''My thought is that if you earn a right like that [the "Ten and Five"] -- and usually because it feels like you have to go through hell to get it -- at the same time, the White Sox are like family to me,'' Konerko said. ''I've always said that I want to do what's best for the organization because they've done so much for me.
''I'm here for this organization -- whether I play for another team or whatever, it won't matter. I'll always be a member of the White Sox. If it ever got to a point like that where it's better for me, better for the team -- I would also look at the team I'm going to because I feel like you do go through hell to get that right. Only a small percentage of players get that right and I've got it, but again, we all hear that if we're not playing well this year, they're going to do something.
''Our goal is to make sure that doesn't happen. If we do well and we keep doing well, then you hope that conversation can stop.''
Dustin Pedroia Says the Red Sox Won't Miss Manny At All
While Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras are still busy trying to get a new contract from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny's old teammates with the Red Sox are in Florida preparing themselves for another rough run through the AL East. After losing to the Rays in the ALCS the Sawx are looking forward to playing for their third World Series title since 2004....Continue reading at FanHouse
Union Head Donald Fehr Says Steroid Problem Is 'Fixed'
Odds are if you're reading this site, you're aware of the fact that on Wednesday afternoon first pitches will be thrown all over Arizona and Florida. Yes, the spring training schedule gets underway tomorrow with 16 games, and I couldn't be happier about it. Now baseball fans can focus on the battle for the fifth spot in their team's rotation instead of who is or who isn't doing steroids...Continue reading at FanHouse
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Academy Awards Were Last Night
I didn't watch the Oscars last night, and I'm pretty okay with that. I mean, sure, I missed out on all the dresses that the starlets wore, but I'll probably get over it.
Someday.
Anyway, there were some funny moments in the show according to Panger who actually pays attention to these things, and thankfully there's YouTube. So if you're like me, and you didn't watch, you could still catch these highlights.
First there's Ben Stiller's impression of Joaquin Phoenix.
Seth Rogen and James Franco reviving their characters from Pineapple Express.
And of course we finish with Will Smith bringing the "Boom! Goes The Dynamite" phenomenon to its apex.
There. The five minutes of fun out of three hours of boredom.
Someday.
Anyway, there were some funny moments in the show according to Panger who actually pays attention to these things, and thankfully there's YouTube. So if you're like me, and you didn't watch, you could still catch these highlights.
First there's Ben Stiller's impression of Joaquin Phoenix.
Seth Rogen and James Franco reviving their characters from Pineapple Express.
And of course we finish with Will Smith bringing the "Boom! Goes The Dynamite" phenomenon to its apex.
There. The five minutes of fun out of three hours of boredom.
Josh Hamilton Kicks Another Addiction
The battles Josh Hamilton has fought in his personal life have been well documented over the last year. After failing in Tampa Bay Hamilton found himself out of baseball and addicted to crack and cocaine along with alcohol. Then he found God and quit all three before ending up in Cincinnati and then being traded to the Rangers before last season...Continue reading at FanHouse
On Scouting And Gay Bars
It's kind of hard to ignore this story today. You may or may not remember the story of former White Sox director of scouting Dave Wilder. He was fired by the team back in May when it was found out that he had been skimming signing bonus money destined for players he'd signed from the Dominican Republic.It was a pretty scandalous story then, and one that Kenny Williams and the White Sox were just hoping to put behind them. Well, if you thought it was scandalous then, check this out.
As Wilder was ascending through the Sox organization, he was pursuing a costly dream of owning a nightclub in Phoenix, where he lives. According to documents obtained by the Tribune, Wilder in November 2006 opened a night spot, Club Burn, that operated "at a great loss" despite being voted Phoenix's top gay bar in 2007. Records show it lost about $570,000 in a matter of months and closed its doors in January 2008.Apparently Dave was scouting for more than just baseball talent while in the Dominican.
Sam Maresh Finally Gets Good News
Minnesota linebacker Sam Maresh has not had many things go his way ever since he decided to play football at Minnesota in 2007. Before Maresh was ever able to step foot on a football field as a Gopher he found out he was going to have to undergo open heart surgery, a procedure doctors told him would end his career before it started...Continue reading at FanHouse
This Is Going To Take Some Getting Used To
I can't describe the feeling I get in my stomach every single time I look at that picture. It's as though my insides are filling with battery acid, yet it won't finish the job and kill me no matter how badly I want it to.
Of all the fucking places he could have gone to...
I'm going to do my best to move on, though. I mean, we still have an entire season to go through here. We haven't even played our first split-squad game, and I don't want to hate this season already. And try as I might, I'm not going to be able to hate Joe Crede. Even though I really want to right now.
Maybe when he comes to Chicago for the first time in a Twins jersey on April 10th he'll hit a home run to beat us, and it'll be a lot easier.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Nebraska's QB Battle Turned Upside Down
With Joe Ganz graduating this year, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were going to have a quarterback competition in the spring with junior Zac Lee and sophomore Patrick Witt. There are a couple of other freshman candidates who will be competing for the spot in Kody Spano and Cody Green, but realistically they're longshots at best...Continue reading at FanHouse
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Say It Ain't So, Joe - UPDATE
While nothing is official and it should be noted that Jon Heyman is generally just Scott Boras' way of speaking to the media, Heyman is reporting that the Twins and Joe Crede are "closing in on a deal."That noise you hear is my heart shattering into a million little pieces. Will I have to burn my Crede jersey? Will I ever find love again? Stay tuned!
Crede had been asking for $7 million, which drove the Giants away, and it looks like the Twins are going to be giving him a lot less than that, though word is that with incentives he could make $7 million this year.
UPDATE - Sigh. It's official. Joe Crede is a Minnesota fucking Twin. Oh joy of joys. Well hello there, Mr. Gun...
Johnny Damon And Xavier Nady Need Your Spare Change
Here's something I'll bet you never thought you'd hear (or read as the case may be): Johnny Damon, who made $13 million last year to play baseball for the New York Yankees, cannot pay his bills. Seriously...Read the post at FanHouse
Orlando Hudson Is a Dodger
All winter we've been sitting by and waiting for the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez to finally come to terms on a contract to keep the dread-locked one in Los Angeles, but yet, here we are on February 20th with teams in spring training and Manny is still a free agent. The thing is, while most people have paid attention to Manny as a top free agent without a home, there have been a whole slew of other Type A guys sitting on their hands waiting for a phone call...Read the post at FanHouse
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thabo Is Gone Too
After bringing in John Salmons from the Kings yesterday, they added another guard to what is already an incredibly crowded backcourt. Thankfully they were able to move Larry Hughes off to New York -- and I don't say thankfully because it makes sense basketball wise, but because we're done with it -- but that didn't open up any minutes for Salmons since Larry wasn't getting any.The Bulls would take care of that about an hour later. Following Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons, Michael Ruffin, and Hughes out the door will be Thabo Sefolosha.
The Bulls have sent Sefolosha to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a first round draft pick. Yep, they actually got a first-rounder for Thabo Sefolosha. Which pick exactly, nobody has said yet, but the Thunder do have five first rounders over the next two years. Whichever pick it turns out to be, for Thabo, I'll take it in a heartbeat.
Larry Hughes Traded To The Knicks
While the first domino to fall with the Bulls dropped yesterday when the team sent Drew Gooden and team mascot Andres Nocioni to the Sacramento Kings for Brad Miller and John Salmons -- a trade I like -- there was still the question of what the team planned on doing with Larry Hughes.Hughes has been getting paid by the team to not play for a while now, and they've been shopping him all over, and today the Bulls finally found a taker. Hughes has been sent to the Knicks for three players, one of whom is rather interesting.
Multiple league sources confirmed that the Bulls traded Hughes to the Knicks for Tim Thomas, seldom-used big man Jerome James and Anthony Roberson.Yes, the same Tim Thomas that the Bulls got as part of the Eddy Curry trade in 2005 who came in, sulked a lot, and was quickly sent to Scott Skiles' doghouse. He had such a bad attitude that he wasn't even allowed to practice with the team.
Sound familiar?
According to the Tribune, Thomas' contract only has one year left on it, but according to ESPN's Trade Machine, he has two. James definitely only has one year remaining on his deal, but he's nothing but an expiring contract that won't see the court here in Chicago.
That tends to happen when you rupture your achilles tendon as James did in January, not that he was seeing much of the court then anyway.
As for Roberson, well, I don't know too much about him. He is averaging 4.7 points in only 23 games with the Knicks this year, but depending on whether or not the Bulls move Kirk Hinrich or Thabo Sefolosha before today's deadline -- and I think Kirk is staying at this point -- I'm not sure how much playing time he'll get here.
Back to Thomas, though. Yeah, he was a pain in the ass under Skiles but I think Vinny's total lack of control over this team will suit his style a bit better. He only shows up to play in contract years, but he has averaged 9.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 46 games for the Knicks this season, and is hitting 40.4% of his three-pointers. So he does give the team another threat from beyond the arc.
FanHouse's MLB Power Rankings
Brinson worked way too hard on this thing not to link to it, even if he does have the White Sox at #24 and the idea of ranking teams before they've even played a spring training game is somewhat ridiculous. [FanHouse]
Orioles Close to Signing Brian Roberts to a Four-Year Extension
For the last couple of years Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts has made it clear he'd love to get a contract extension that would keep him in Baltimore for possibly the rest of his career. Yet, no matter how much Brian wanted to stay, neither he nor the team could ever come to terms, which led to a whole lot of trade rumors....Continue reading at FanHouse
Willie Mays Talked Junior Into Seattle
Over the last seven days there seemed to be a lot of back and forth between the Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners for the services of one Ken Griffey Jr. Last Thursday the word was that Junior was going to be returning to Seattle, and the only thing in the way was passing a physical. A few hours later, Griffey came out and said the report wasn't true...Continue reading at FanHouse
Barry Bonds' Testicles to Testify?
Over the last few years there have probably been more than a few baseball fans who feel like they've learned a bit too much about those who play the sport. Instead of hearing all about their steroid use, these people would prefer to live in denial about any such problems with the sport, and just watch baseball. Bud Selig is no doubt an example of this type of baseball fan...Continue reading at FanHouse
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Brad Penny and Larry Bowa Don't Seem to Like One Another
Rivalries are a part of baseball just like they are in any other sport. Just look at the Mets and Phillies over the last few years. The Phils have taken advantage of two straight September swoons by the Mets to get into the playoffs, and even parlayed all that momentum into a World Series title last season. Things are so bitter that Carlos Beltran is talking about killing Cole Hamels, though only metaphorically, which does seem rather lame....Continue reading at FanHouse
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
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