All-Snooze Fest

At some point in time, all-star games turned from celebrating the accomplishments of athletes in the particular year, to a popularity contest. Reputation matters more than what has been done in the current year of play.

When did all the commissioners of the professional sports leagues come together and determine that the all-star games of their respective sports would all turn to crap? And was there ever a time when all-star games actually worked?

There are flaws in all the systems.

NBA: fan voting has too much influence. NFL: no one wants to play in it. MLB: again, fan voting messes with starting lineups. NHL: fan voting, but I am not going to pretend that I know what I am talking about in regards to hockey.

As we approach the Pro Bowl for the NFL and the NBA's all-star game I try to remember when I really cared about an all-star game. For me, I care more about the preceding events than the actual exhibition games.

David Stern has gone wrong with the NBA in that the fan voting system doesn't work, especially with worldwide voting. Tracy "First Round" McGrady almost got the starting nod for the Western Conference this year, due largely to Chinese fans voting him in because of his allegiance to Yao Ming's Rockets.

But fans aren't the only ones to blame on this one, coaches are guilty too. The reserves are determined by them, and are the coaches are being influenced by reputation more than looking at players' success for the year. I grew up a Lakers fan and I am all for seeing more purple & gold laced sneakers on the hardwood. However, I have to disagree with the selection of Pau Gasol this year. That was purely a reputation call by the coaches.

Chris Kaman is having a solid year and should have been selected. Gasol's reputation coupled with the name of the team on the front of Kaman's jersey didn't allow Caveman to be on this year's squad.

Look, I understand that this happens; there are only a certain amount of roster spots and for the most part coaches and fans get it right. And I don't want to go into a rant about every sport and have a post that takes you 20 minutes to read, but on a quick note about MLB...

Why have a requirement that every team needs a representative? If a team doesn't have a player deserving of an all-star nod than why have them there. Most of the time that particular player given the sympathy bid doesn't even get into the game.

And the fan voting totally messes with this one in that Red Sox and Yankees players are always voted to start due to their huge following (also see: Yankees and Red Sox nations need a life... I kid, but not really).

I don't have the solution nor do I believe that anyone does, each sport is different and the leagues want to sell tickets, jerseys, and TV rights. It gives us something to discuss allowing more attention to be paid to the all-star selections and games.

As a beginning point to a fix, give the votes for the starting rosters to the players in the leagues. Who knows the players better than those that are actually competing against them? Next, give the rights to the reserves voting to the coaches.

Where do the fans come in? This is the fun part: allow us fans to vote for a lineup that plays for a quarter, period or couple innings together. Create our own dream team to play together based on the rosters created by the players & coaches of the leagues, and ensure that the coaches stick with the lineup the whole predetermined time. Finding the most common lineup selected by fans would be tricky for a human, but plug it into a computer system and let it do the work. Hell, the BCS determines the college championship game, it can determine the most wanted lineup to play together.

Cry, cry all we want, we'll still tune in.

Oh, and Allen Iverson for all-star game MVP honors.

Tonight's post was created while listening to Dam Funk's "Toeachizown" album. Go get it.

It's Not That Bad, Angels Fans

I admit, I lost a lot of faith in Anaheim's Los Angeles squad once the Angels lost Mark Teixeira to the Yankees and stood by its stance not to sign Manny Ramirez. The team made no major moves to improve an offense that sputtered around and came to a halt for the second consecutive year against the Boston Red Sox.

Sure, they signed Bobby Abreu and Brian Fuentes, but does that make them better than when they had Francisco Rodriguez and Teixeira? Call me crazy, but I say yes.

Tony Reagins is putting his trust in the young farm players who have been raised under the Angels' mottos: work hard, run first to third, and keep the drama out of the clubhouse and dugout. And I like it.

This Angels team doesn't have a superstar who has an ego (K-Rod was a little over the top for my tastes) nor one who doesn't seem out of place (as much as I loved Teixeira, he just never seemed good teammate to be around—someone who is there cheering you on no matter what). Teixeira never sold me on the fact that he wanted to be with the Angels, even during the time he was playing with the team. He was a risky rental, but one the Angels gambled on because they had a 25-year-old Cuban ready to burst onto the baseball scene.

And as sad as it was to see Garrett Anderson, the franchise's most successful player and highly under-appreciated, leave, it was time to give Juan Rivera the at-bats to become the player he is capable of being.

Now look at their clubhouse. Young players eager to prove themselves like Morales, Howie Kendrick, Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Sean Rodriguez and Matt Brown. Coupled with quiet superstars like Vladimir Guerrero, Bobby Abreu, and John Lackey. Some will argue they have one of the top pitching staffs in the Majors with the emergence of Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders, and their always strong bullpen. And don't forget Kelvim Escobar is fast on his way to returning to the team, some saying as early as late April.

And most importantly of all, they have players such as Torii Hunter and Lackey who carry a clubhouse presence invaluable to a team.

Anchoring it all is the Angels rock, Howard's TVs finest, Mike Scioscia. There's a reason the Angels locked him up through 2018. He runs a tight ship, and players love his style of play and no-nonsense attitude.

I think this Angels team is exactly that, a team. A group of individual parts coming together to create a baseball atmosphere where they have one common goal. And you can see that in the team's excitement to have Abreu return from his stint in the World Baseball Classic.

I wasn't able to see that when this offseason began. All I saw were dollar signs and heard talks of contracts. And now that the season is a couple weeks away and the winter fog has cleared, it's time for the Angels to return to what they were in 2002: a quiet bunch of baseball players who play loud on the field.

On Opening Day 2009, Scioscia will have a 25-player roster to work with, and he will need all 25 of them to work together to be able to ride down Katella Avenue carrying the 24-inch World Series trophy.

Cubs Better Be Careful

I hope the Cubbies know what they are doing...

As previously mentioned, the Cubs have a diehard 102-year-old fan that would like to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field before his time on Earth has ended.

Well, the man up in years certainly would have thrown the first pitch had he been named at the landmark stadium. Just ask 7-year-old Wrigley Fields.

Jerry and Kathy Fields' son, Wrigley, will throw out the first pitch at the place he was named after. The boy is 7.

Little Wrigley Fields of Lockport will meet his destiny on August 29th at a Cubs' home game against the Philadelphia Phillies when he'll throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field.

His mother Kathy says she mentioned Wrigley's name in front of a former Cubs official, who promised her Wrigley would get to throw out the first pitch.

If Chicago's favorite baseball team is smart, I would immediately get the old-timer on the phone to set up his first pitch at Wrigley. Karma is a bitch, and you know what bitches can do.

Bitches be acting buck wild.

*Note: picture is not Wrigley Fields, just some cute baby Cubs fan.*

Cubbies Fans: The Signs Are There

First To Third caters to Chicago Cubs fans because the best friend of LJ is a huge Cubs fans, and the Cubs is First To Third's second favorite MLB team.

For those reasons, F-to-T finds hope for the faithful like this one or provides ways to receive good karma.

From Baseball Tonight:

The Cubs did something on Wednesday that they hadn't done in almost forever -- swept a doubleheader on the road, winning each game by at least eight runs. The last time they did that, back in 1908 against the Cardinals (according to Elias), they won a World Series.

Cubs v. Angels, World Series.

Hanks Needs Superman

Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner has already declared that 2009 will be the year for the Pinstripes.

And even though he made the brilliant stupid prediction, he hasn't written off the Yankees current season.

"I'm not writing off this season," the team's co-chairman said Tuesday. "They're trying hard to win. There's only so much you can do. They're not supermen."

The Yankees are missing starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, who likely will miss the rest of the season because of a foot injury, and Joba Chamberlain, who hopes to return from right rotator cuff tendinitis. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy have missed most of the season.

"I think it's very simple, we've been devastated by injuries. No team I've ever seen in baseball has been decimated like this. It would kill any team," Steinbrenner said. "Imagine the Red Sox without [Josh] Beckett and [Jon] Lester. Pitching is 70 percent of the game. Wang won 19 games two straight years. Chamberlain became the most dominating pitcher in baseball. You can't lose two guys like that."

Steinbrenner needs to ease up on his mouth movements. Chamberlain, the most dominating pitcher in baseball? He does know that Joba has not done a thing in baseball except prove he has a dead arm?

Brian Cashman is going to kill Hank.

Steinbrenner can find Superman in Beijing. 11 and counting, suck it, bitter Spitz!

Cubs Better Do This, Or Else...

The Chicago Cubs will curse themselves for a guaranteed 100 more years if they do not give in to a loyal 104-year-young fan who wants to throw the first pitch at Wrigley Field, particularly during the playoffs.

Leo Hildebrand, born in 1903, hopes to get his chance this October.

A lifelong Cubs fan, Hildebrand wants to throw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field for a game during the Cubs' expected playoff run. His neighbor and good friend, Henny Kronvold, tried to persuade the Cubs to let Hildebrand pitch last season, but the Cubs politely told her all of the slots were taken, Kronvold said.

"He can't wait much longer," said Arlene Burm, Hildebrand's 69-year-old daughter.

Jason Carr, a Cubs spokesman, said the organization reviews and considers all first-pitch requests.

It is one thing to piss off a goat-keeper who wants to wet his whistle, but to shun a man who has passed the century mark? I would have to console my best friend for the rest of his life because of the curse that would haunt the Cubs forever.

The story goes on:

While Hildebrand remains eager to show the Cubs his stuff, he's got plenty to keep himself occupied.

Once a week, he and his pastor drive around in a black BMW convertible, spreading cheer and hope to parishioners who are too old or too sick to make it to church.

Hildebrand says that's why he's still alive -- because "the Lord up above decided I had more to do."

A lifelong fan and one of God's good-doers? Now you know the Cubbies have to comply to Hildebrand.

[Source: Chicago Sun-Times. Photo: Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times]

Dodgers Fans Do Something Angels Fans Can't...

I cannot believe I overlooked what possibilities the Los Angeles Dodgers-Boston Red Sox exhibition game held at the LA Coliseum would bring.

100,000 fans, majority of which would be Dodgers fans, and majority of which would be Mexicans, sitting with obnoxious, snooty Red Sox fans.



I love how the camera man, or someone next to him says: "there is an Angels fan..."

Red Sox fans waltz into Angels Stadium and do as they please whenever they visit. At worst peanuts get thrown at the Red Sox fans.

But not with Dodgers fans ... they will break off Red Sox fans if they feel slighted in even the littlest bit.

I should have attended the game disguised as a Dodgers fan and pointed out every Red Sox fan that said something to my vato hermanos and watched the beauty that ensued.

1986 Dodgers Are The Boogie Bunch

These dudes make me want to go and purchase a satin jacket on ebay ASAP. Pedro Guerrero and Orel Hershiser own in this video.

Dedicated to my cousin, Grandpa Whiffer, a huge Dodgers fan that likes to go to sleep before 9 p.m.

Side note: I was at a swap a month ago and there was a sports memorabilia vendor there. Written on one of their tables? "Angles suck, Dodgers rule!"

At least Dodgers' fans can spell their own team name right... getting by in this world, one word at a time.

Schilling To Spend The Season Eating

Curt Schilling could be spending much of next season on the bench with shoulder problems according to a report out today.

The Boston Globe and Boston Herald are reporting that Schilling has a shoulder injury that has the right-hander and the club in a dispute over whether he needs surgery and the Red Sox have at least investigated to see if they can void his 2008 contract.

That is bad news for Schilling, even if they cannot void his contract, because his contract has bonuses for keeping his weight down. There is no way the "baconator" keeps the pounds off if he is on the shelf for much of next season.

The one good positive from a possible disabled list destination for Schilling is that we would not hear from him for a while because his mouth will be too full of bacon-wrapped goodies.

That being said, I forgot he has a blog in which he can type and eat at the same time. Dude better get a keyboard endorsement deal if that becomes the case... the grease is going to kill those keyboards.

Bacon.

Bud Selig Is Abusive

This is from a few days back, but we now have video evidence that Bud Selig is abusive towards his wife. The video is from a press conference he held on January 17, 2008 regarding the state of baseball. He is interrupted by his cell phone, and well, just see for yourself...



(Source)

Baseball Winter Meetings

It is that time again.

The time when all baseball fans wonder and dream about moves that their favorite baseball team will make in the offseason. So many expectations all filled with hope.

Who will they sign? Who will be traded? What rumors will come true?

Johan Santana is on the trading block and the AL East rivals, Boston and New York, and fighting for his arm. But will a wild card team pick him up? Does he want to stay on the East Coast versus the West Coast? What about his no-trade clause?

Boston or New York will pay the money to give Santana the extension he is seeking if he is traded. There is no better way to stick it to your rival than to sign the best pitcher in the majors. Like I said in the past, Boston is the new evil empire. Ultimately I think that Boston has the upper hand on a deal over the Yankees. They have the young, talented center fielder in Jacoby Ellsbury to roam around in place of Torii Hunter.

And how about Miguel "Jabba the Hutt" Cabrera?

I think he ends up with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by the end of this week. Arte Moreno has said that they had a deal in place and was frustrated over the talks.

"I've felt we had a deal with them twice," Moreno said of the Marlins, who apparently cut bait and decided they needed more in exchange for the 24-year-old slugger.

Do not mess with a frustrated Mexican. This deal will get done. They have plenty of young talent for the Marlins and have multiple players that play the same position that will not hurt the Angels too badly.

Andruw Jones? Word around the block is that the Dodgers are hot on Jones, with the outfielder seeking the money that Hunter got from the Angels.

Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada are said to be on the trading block as well. Both will help any team, especially Bedard and his strong arm.

There will be some happy fans and some disappointed fans no matter what, and lots of hope will be lost.

Have fun at the bar arguing with your buddies about why your team will be making the best moves. I know I will.

Gold Glove Winners

MLB announced the Rawlings Gold Glove winners today, and it included Los Angeles Angels SS Orlando Cabrera.

Here is the complete list of the winners:
AL
P Johan Santana
C Ivan Rodriguez
1B Kevin Youkilis
2B Placido Polanco
SS Orlando Cabrera
3B Adrian Beltre
OF Torii Hunter
Grady Sizemore
Ichiro Suzuki

NL
P Greg Maddux
C Russell Martin
1B Derrek Lee
2B Orlando Hudson
SS Jimmy Rollins
3B David Wright
OF Carlos Beltran
Andruw Jones
Aaron Rowand*
Jeff Francoeur*
(*Tied in outfield voting)

For Maddux, it was his record-setting 17th Gold Glove award in his stellar career.

I am glad Cabrera got the recognition for the second time in his career. Playing in the AL, voters tend to go with Derek Jeter even though Cabrera puts up better fielding percentage numbers. The voters seem to be in love with the "highlight" plays rather than the consistency.

Now if we could only get a re-vote for the 2007 MLB all-star game... OC deserved to play in the Midsummer Classic this past season.

Tim McCarver is heard to be locked in his own room with Jason Varitek's picture in his arms. Damn, I could not keep count of the times that I wanted to shoot myself because of McCarver gushing about Varitek during the playoff coverage on Fox.

The Beginning

Although it is not the Mitchell Report that is due out this offseason, there were three names in a report today that has them linked to steroids that they purchased from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center in Florida.

Two were former players, Matt Williams and Ismael Valdez, with the other being a current player in Jose Guillen. Just goes to show you that you never who is on the stuff. Williams and Valdez I did not follow much, but did not expect to hear that Williams was using performance-enhancing drugs.

Citing business records, the Chronicle reported Guillen, who played for the Seattle Mariners last season, bought more than $19,000 worth of drugs from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center between May 2002 and June 2005. Guillen had some of the shipment sent to the Oakland Coliseum during the 2003 season, after he was traded to the A's.

Now Guillen on the other hand... I followed this guy because he is a crazy. He was with the Los Angeles Angels in 2004 and was quite a ball player, but was a firecracker waiting to explode. No wonder he would go into psycho-mode anytime the opportunity arose. He has a huge grudge with the Angels and it becomes personal anytime he faces his old squad. Every year it is guaranteed that there will be benches cleared whenever Guillen faces his old team, no matter who he is playing with.

This disturbs me because he was around Angels players and may have provided them with steroids. Dude has balls, getting them delivered straight to the Oakland Coliseum?!?! That is insane.

Sad, sad for baseball. This George Mitchell's Report is going to be nuts. Does it bother anyone else that Mitchell is a Boston Red Sox director? He might leave off Red Sox players from the report in the best interest of the team. God, I hate Boston. More proof that they are the new "Evil Empire" of MLB.

Alex Rodriguez - Where Will He Go?

The best baseball player in the MLB is a free agent, and is looking to get a historical paycheck for the tune of about $30 million per year for ten years.

Is he worth that much money? My answer is yes. Roger Clemens, who was average at best this past season, got a $28 million prorated deal with the Yankees. And without A-Rod, the Yankees would not have made the playoffs.

Here is the look at the highest salaries in the MLB last year (not including Clemens):
1. A-Rod - $27.7 million
2. Jason Giambi - $23.4 million
3. Derek Jeter - $21.6 million
4. Manny Ramirez - $17 million
5. Todd Helton - $16.6 million
6. Bartolo Colon - $16 million
7. Andy Pettite - $16 million
8. Jason Schmidt - $15.7 million

Is he worth $30 million a year? Yes. If Jason Giambi is making $23 million, then you can pay A-Rod the money his agent is requesting.

Colon and Schmidt were scheduled to play once every five games, and both were unable to do that for a full season. A-Rod plays in 150+ games a year, and will be taking his stats with him, wherever that may be.

Another reason this guy should be paid that much is the revenues he will be taking to a team. The media coverage, merchandise sales, ticket sales, and marketibility are all intangibles that make him worth that money.

And now to my list ranking from worst shot to best shot at landing this big fish:

Mariners
I have heard that they may be in the running, but raise my eyebrows at that one. Yes, he has played there before, but why would he go back? They are not a big market team and is not a city that his family would enjoy. Fat chance.

New York Mets
How to stick it to the Yankees further? Join the Mets in their new stadium and put the spotlight on the other baseball team in the Big Apple. They have a better chance than the Mariners because of their location. A-Rod's wife loves New York because she is able follow her ventures in the city. But, they already have all-star players in the two positions A-Rod would play, with third baseman David Wright and shortstop Jose Reyes (although I heard the Mets would be willing to part with Reyes). The looming question: is A-Rod willing to deal with the media scrutiny that comes along with playing in New York, again? I say no.

San Francisco Giants
A-Rod has gushed about playing in San Francisco at AT&T Park, and he could replace Barry Bonds as the "worth the price of admission" player with the Giants. He likes the city and can break the home run record in the same place it was broken. But are the Giants willing to pay him? This is a one of my two sleeper picks, but there is a big reason I have my doubts (*see Dodgers explanation).

Chicago Cubs
Like San Francisco, A-Rod likes Chicago and the history of Wrigley Field. Plus, they have a manager he loves in Lou Piniella. Problem is the Tribune Co. may never let it happen because the sale of the team is still pending. A-Rod is not going to sit around waiting for the team to be sold to its new owner.

Boston Red Sox
You have to throw the Red Sox into the mix because they are the new evil empire in the MLB. But I think the Boston have too much pride to swallow (yes, they swallow) his contract especially with the feuds they have had with him when he was with the Yankees. If they do not re-sign Mike Lowell, they may be a player in the sweepstakes.

Detroit Tigers
My other sleeper pick. They have the money and a squad A-Rod would like to play with. Also, the Tigers have dealt with his agent, Scott Boras, who represents all-stars Magglio "The Perm" Ordonez and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. Jim Leyland is a manager he would like as well.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Now we are getting to the big boys; the teams who can only blow the chance at getting A-Rod. The Dodgers have only given themselves a better chance at A-Rod with the signing of Joe Torre. The familiarity of Torre and his managing might make it a smooth transition for Rodriguez to head out West. It is Hollywood, he can be on the big stage with less media scrutiny (but there will be some) than in New York. They are a storied franchise that appeals to a player like A-Rod, and have a chance to take make a splash in the playoffs next year.

Two glaring factors that make them the number two team:
1. Dodgers Stadium is not a hitter's ballpark. It will not be fun chasing the home run record in his later years in that stadium. Ah, his later years, which brings me to my next point (*the one that applies to San Francisco and the other NL teams)...

2. They are in the National League. Why would he change leagues now? And more importantly, why minimize the days he can get out on the diamond in the later stages of his career? Did you see Barry Bonds play left field with the Giants this past year? It was painful to watch, and I bet he would have given anything to DH for the whole season. In the American League, A-Rod can. No more errors at third base, just getting into the batter's box everyday. He can preserve himself by being a DH in the AL and chase down every record he dreamed of breaking.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Now, this is not a biased pick. This is real, and once you read why, you will understand.

• When Arte Moreno bought the Angels he had a vision of making them as big as the Dodgers. He started putting up Angels billboards in Los Angeles county and asking those who live in that county to give the Angels a look. He is enamored with A-Rod, not only as a player, but at his marketibility. Moreno once talked of starting an Angels television channel, and with A-Rod he could start it.
  
  
• The Dodgers may have just blown their own chance at A-Rod by hiring Joe Torre; not regarding A-Rod's willingness, but based on Moreno's pride. What better way to steal the Dodgers mojo by signing the biggest fish on the pond? The spotlight is currently on the Dodgers and Moreno does not like that. He has worked so hard to get the team to be recognized nationally, and now this is his opportunity to take it to that next level. Dodgers recognition level.
  
  
• Moreno can market the (expletive) out of A-Rod and make money back from the signing. He would love to be the owner of the team when A-Rod breaks the home run record, and be able to say "I signed the home run king."
  
  The media around Anaheim would not be as harsh on A-Rod as they would be in New York and down the freeway in Los Angeles. A pleasing environment for A-Rod and his family. His wife is in Southern California and can continue her ventures down the way in Los Angeles or in Orange County.
  
  
• Mike Scioscia. A-Rod showered Scioscia with praise last year, more so than any other manager (source NY Daily News):
  

  A-Rod couldn’t have enough nice things to say about Mike Scioscia, first throwing some love his way in an on-field interview with Kim Jones on YES, then telling reporters by his locker that Scioscia should be credited with making the Angels into the gritty team they are.
  
  Asked about the Yankees’ huge 14-9 win, A-Rod replied, “It just tells you how tough and competitive a team those guys are over there; that’s a tribute to Mike Scioscia. They never stop.”

  
  He wants to play for him. He has the wheels to run in Scioscia's offense.
  
  
• Angels Stadium. He kills it at Angels Stadium. In three games in 2007, he hit .417 with three home runs and six RBIs in Anaheim. His slugging percentage? 1.167. He has a .332 lifetime average in 77 games at the stadium.
  I have seen it live, he loves to hit the ball into the bullpens of both the Angels' and visiting teams' in left field.
  
  
• He would be welcomed with open arms. Rarely do Angels fans "boo" their own players, and he is what they have been waiting for. They have an open third base position for him to take, and a smiling Vladimir Guerrero who would sigh a breath of relief at his arrival. The pressure will not be as high as in New York, Boston or Los Angeles.
  
  
• His agent, Scott Boras' office is located in Newport Beach and he regulary sits in the Diamond Club behind home plate when A-Rod plays in Anaheim. Him and A-Rod could wine and dine together all they wanted, year round.
  

All signs point to Anaheim, the ball is in Moreno's glove.

---

So there you have it... it will probably be a couple months until we know where he will be going, but at least you have these thoughts on your mind.

Torre To Dodgers

It was reported last night by The Journal News that the Dodgers will fire Grady Little and hire Joe Torre as the new manager for Los Angeles. Don Mattingly will reportedly join Torre as the bench coach.

Torre, 67, could be named manager as soon as tomorrow, according to two sources close to the situation. Don Mattingly is expected to accompany Torre to Los Angeles as his bench coach. Torre is also interested in hiring Kevin Long, his hitting coach with the Yankees.

If this is true then I have to commend the hire by the Dodgers. BIG pickup, especially with their squad. Torre is exactly the kind of manager that they need in Los Angeles, with the veterans fighting with their talented young players. The former Yankees manager is a player's coach and will make an immediate impact on the squad.

Torre is a great man and a very bright baseball mind. He was on the David Letterman show last night and was very funny. I cannot wait to see him in the media around this area.

The "Freeway Series" will have a new twist, as Mike Scioscia owns Joe Torre. Sorry Dodgers fans, that will be the only negative thing about this hire.

End Of An Evil Empire?

Has the evil emire moved to a different city? Is the new Death Star being constructed in Boston with the Red Sox winning their second championship in four years, and the talent to make them the favorites for next year?

The fans are already the stormtroopers; kind of slow, clumsy, and quick to make some unwanted noise. Star Wars references aside, these Red Sox can dominate baseball for years to come with their pitching and young talent that has already shown they are ready for the big stage.

Yesterday, it was Alex Rodriguez trying to steal some thunder from the Red Sox by announcing he was opting out of his Yankees contract. Today, it is the Yankees announcing that they have offered Joe Girardi the vacant manager's position.

First let me talk about Girardi (and it is reported he will accept the job tomorrow). This hire may cause a stir in the Yankees clubhouse because he was offered the job over Don Mattingly. Yes, that Don... "Donnie Baseball," one of the most beloved Yankee players, and a player who already had his number retired by the club.

Mattingly will not accept a position on the Yankees coaching staff, Marchand and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney are reporting.

"Don was extremely disappointed that he wasn't the organization's choice to fill the manager's vacancy," Mattingly's agent, Ray Schulte, said in a statement.

I know Girardi is a great manager, but you have to try to keep your team intact after losing Joe Torre. Several key players with the Yankees were hinging their decisions on whether to stay with the Yankees based on if Torre was retained, and now who replaced him.

I think Mattingly was that guy to help make a smooth transition from the Torre era to a Yankees era that will include younger players.

The key Yankees players who are free agents: Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite, and Mariano Rivera. Pretty hefty names that helped the Yankees strive in their evil empire era. Oh yes, and do not forget that third baseman that decided to opt out.

And it appears that it is officially over between A-Rod and the Yankees, as Hank Steinbrenner had this to say about him opting out:

"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee," Hank Steinbrenner, a son of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and now the figurehead of the club's baseball operations, told the New York Daily News. "He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field.

"I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."

So now the Yankees may or may not have to replace key players from the outside or from within. Hey, they have Wilson Betemit to play third.

The evil empire has changed uniforms, and I couldn't be happier.

Orioles Fans, You Out There?

What do you think about Kevin Millar throwing out the first pitch in game 7 of the ALCS for the Boston Red Sox? Running out of the Red Sox dugout and playing footsies with David Ortiz.

First, does he not know that his current team, the Baltimore Orioles, are in the same division as the Red Sox? Second, how did this guy get the honor to throw out the first pitch of game 7 in the ALCS?

Yes, he won helped them in 2004, but that was ONE World Series. "Well it was the first in 86 years!" Who cares? Why not bring back a Red Sox player from the past. You know, guys who were not fortunate enough to win a ring, yet they played their asses off for Red Sox nation.

If I am Orioles fan, I am pissed right now. Not only because of the first pitch, but because of this video that was aired before game 5:



What the hell. Millar, you do not play for Boston anymore. Try to get a contract with them if you want to play with them so bad. What's that? Oh you can't because you will not make the roster? Then get off their nuts! Stay true to the team you are signed with.

And Red Sox, get over your comeback of 2004. Okay you came back from 0-3 against the Yankees, and yes, it was the first time ever in MLB history. But damn, move on... you too Millar move on.

I understand it if Millar was retired and they brought him back to throw the first pitch. But he is still playing in the MLB, in the SAME division.

It's not 2004 anymore dude. Whatever Millar, keep "cowboying up."
Tell Heath Ledger to not mess up the sequel to Batman Begins and Jake Gyllenhaal to stop trying to kid everyone.

Win $100 From Pete Rose

Want to get a $100 bill from Pete Rose? All you have to do is catch him gambling in Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas Review Journal:

He told me that he does not play at all in Vegas casinos and says that if anyone sees him playing, they can tap him on the shoulder and he'll give them a $100 bill.

That is a pretty good deal, yet I doubt I would be able to collect on that because:
a. Rose is probably gambling in the high stakes room, a place you will never find me venturing into (uh, because I choose to, yes that is why).
b. Option a. is only an "if" because Rose still believes there is a chance to get into the Hall of Fame.

Yet, in a sense isn't this "bet" a form of gambling in itself? Just kidding Kid Hustle, because I cannot throw you a $100 bill if you did not gamble, nor would I throw away the chance to use that $100 towards a 1961 Los Angeles Angels bobblehead/nodder.

"No, No... it's too high, it's too high"

This guy just does not get it. Really. He really is on his own planet... or better yet, he thinks he is the center of the universe.

Manny Ramirez did not get the memo in the sixth inning, but his TEAM, the Boston Red Sox, were down 7-3 after his solo shot that he posed for in the picture shown. He posed like his home run made a difference in the game... like it was a walk off home run.

Well Manny, in case you forgot to check the scoreboard, the Indians were up 7-3 at the time, thanks largely to a THREE-run homerun (not a solo shot) by Jhonny Peralta in the fifth inning.

Paul Byrd gave up two runs over five innings, on the way to a 7-3 victory over the Red Sox, leaving them one victory away from their first World Series appearance since 1997. That is right, Byrd has done it again. He proved all the naysayers wrong by handling the Red Sox lineup.

Memo to ESPN: you should have never proclaimed that the series was in Boston's hands after ONE victory.

Manny seems to forget that this is not about posing for meaningless home runs, but to reach the World Series. WOW. You hit a home run and your team is still down four runs. You have a reason to pose on national television. You did it, guy... you did it.

I hope that pitchers around baseball are taking notice of this guy's antics, because he should be beaned by each team next year... including interleague play. You know it is bad when my grandmother even takes notice and hates the dude... and that is coming from the sweetest lady on Earth.

C.C. Sabathia, do the nation a favor and knock the Red Sox out of the playoffs on Thursday. Do it for Harry Doyle and Monte... even Monte has hit the Jack Daniels in the press box waiting for the Red Sox to be eliminated (ten points if you know who Harry and Monte are).

National League Championship Series Predictions

NLCS - Arizona Diamondbacks versus Colorado Rockies
Baxter the Bobcat vs. Dinger the Dinosaur
NL West vs. NL West

ESPN and other East Coast team lovers have to been kicking themselves right now. "You mean there are good teams on the West Coast?"

Brandon Webb v. Jeff Francis
Doug Davis v. Ubaldo Jimenez
Livan Hernandez v. Franklin Morales
(Rest of the rotations TBD)

Both teams are coming of a sweep of their respective victims. Colorado is extremely hot. Arizona has a killer ace.
The Rockies have won 17 of their past 18 games, with that loss coming at the hands of Brandon Webb and the Diamondbacks.

Many people are making a big deal about that loss, but what else should be known is that Colorado took the next two games against them.

The big bats for the Rockies: Brad Hawpe, Todd Helton, and Matt Holliday, are all batting over .350 against Diamondback pitching this season. Webb may have not pitched well against the Rockies this season (5.77 ERA), but if he pitches like he did in game one in the NLDS then no one will be able to hit him. Hernandez had better success against the Rockies this season, allowing six runs in 35 innings.

Francis was brilliant against the Phillies in the NLDS, erasing the memory of two bad starts against them in the regular season.

I like the Rockies lineup better than the Diamondbacks because their players have essentially been in the playoffs for the past month fighting for a playoff spot. Each night they have a different hero come through in the clutch.

And Holliday is a beast. Rockies in SIX.

Game 1 tonight on TBS, 5:30 p.m. Uggh. I wonder what the broadcasters for TBS are going to talk about since they love the East Coast.