Great day for baseball. Let's play two.

83752 When Andy Williams sang "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", he may have been talking about Christmas, but I say there is no more wonderful time of the year than October.  The baseball playoffs are upon us.  As a Red Sox fan, this usually means I have a dog in the fight and this year is no different.  Without further ado, the playoff preview (and someone tell Simmons to get JackO on the Subway Fresh Take Hotline!) American League Division Series NYY 3:1 MIN BOS 3:1 LAA These are straightforward.  The Yankees look like an unstoppable force coming out of the regular season, and one wonders if they might've won 114 games had A-Rod not missed so much of the early season and had Teixiera not taken two months to figure out that it's OK to hit the ball at Yankee Stadium.  The Twins will steal one at home but will be ultimately overwhelmed. Boston owns Anaheim the way the Yankees used to own Boston, but the difference here is that the Angels don't have a gang of idiots to change the karma...and in the first round if you go down 3-0 there's no coming back.  I don't think it'll come to that; Anaheim will win Game 2, then the Sox will finish the job at Fenway. National League Division Series Phil Rizzuto, when he was the Yankees play-by-play guy, would write "WW" (for Wasn't Watching) in his scorebook when he missed a play on the field.  I don't know squat about the NL other than the pitchers have to hit and Albert Pujols sure seems to hit lots of homers.  The Dodgers crashed down the stretch, the Rockies aren't on a 22-1 streak, the Phillies pitching staff is watching Matlock at the old folks' home.  So...umm...St. Louis.  Yeah.  Them.  As good a bet as any other, right?  We'll come back to this. American League Championship Series BOS 4:2 NYY October is different and the Red Sox are peaking at the right time, with Lester and Beckett looking like the twin aces they are, and with Matsuzaka looking very solid since coming back off the DL, I think there's enough firepower here to beat New York.  My one major hope is that Francona has enough sense in his head to have Manny Delcarmen kneecapped, put in cement shoes, and tossed in the Charles River because nothing makes me think "oh crap, we're going to lose" quite like taking a six-run lead into the seventh and seeing Delcarmen on the hill.  The Yankees have Phil Hughes; we have "get six innings out of the starter and hope like hell it rains."  Still, that starting pitching is awesome. World Series BOS 4:0 STL Worked in 2004; I figure it'll work now.  Quadruple-A isn't giving a real AL team (read: not Tampa Bay or Detroit) much of a challenge.  All home field from the All-Star game means is that the AL team gets to celebrate on the NL's field after Game 4. Am I a homer?  You bet your #### I am.  But that's how it goes, and I do feel real good about having Beckett and Lester on the mound in October. true

2009-10-07T16:27:10Z

96119 0 Great day for baseball. Let's play two.

2009-10-07T16:27:10Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/monsterdog5/blog/posts/96119

2008-04-22T10:41:16Z

Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport. Games, predictions, commentary, and all points in between. 83752 Monsterdog5: The Worldwide Leader in Snark.

2009-11-04T19:30:33Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/monsterdog5/blog monsterdog5 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/monsterdog5 1375564 Yesterday we opened up the baseball season with a 15-5 win over the North Texas Angles I got to bat twice. I got walked once and got a base hit while hitting on the left side of the plate1 I usually hit on the right side of the plate! true

2009-10-04T14:44:25Z

95879 0 Baseball Game

2009-10-04T14:44:25Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/buckeye75093/blog/posts/95879

2009-10-04T14:40:08Z

Just Another Fan Profile Blog 1375564 buckeye75093's Blog

2009-10-04T14:40:08Z

831301

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/buckeye75093/blog buckeye75093 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/buckeye75093 1373259 anybody see the tigers game just watching it was cute lol just knowing seeing that every time both teams would pitch it would hit the players basically meaning they have there players back awwww how cute lol no but seriously back to baseball the rockies are back in will see what they can do this year but idk im not expecting  alot from them idk why and wow the twins are in like how did they get in ???  but for real tell me what you guys think and don't be afraid to put comments nice or bad ones its a learning experience =]  true

2009-10-02T04:21:19Z

95741 0 Game

2009-10-02T04:21:19Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog/posts/95741

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

Just Another Fan Profile Blog 1373259 Deara 101's Blog

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

9027347

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog Deara 101 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101 25001 In Baseball Money CAN Buy You Love or Playoff appearances anyway…… Out of the 8 Teams in the playoffs 5 of them are in the top 8 in payroll. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise small market teams need not apply. So it goes to show if you are in a small market city good luck seeing a playoff game. There have been a few exceptions like the amazing run the Rays had last year. Why do you think everyone was watching? The shock and awe of a small market team doing so well against the two juggernauts in their own division was a sight to see. As for this year we have the oh so sitting on the edge of your seat, nail bitter Angels vs Red Sox I’m thinking maybe NO! Sorry fans of those two teams but that series is soooo boring for the rest of us and way over played. So I can careless and will not watch and neither will anyone else hence most of the Divisional Series will be on a cable network. The Yankees well they might just have it this year. For the NL I’ll take the Cardinals, Dodgers are blowing it so that would be cool to see them win but looks like they are one and done again. I’d love to see the Rockies do some damage so we’ll see but just for the record Matt Holliday is still not safe. Ok you gotta get that joke… The Phillies no one outside of Philly cares and looks like this year they are using the Mets playbook. Didn’t you love all the parity propaganda that was put out there when most of the front runners were 7 to 10 games out ahead? Just a thought I’d like to throw out there for the cheap seats. Not a fan of the Salary Cap idea but I think something has to be done to change the current state, the revenue sharing plan obviously isn’t working. The big city owners, the marquee players and the player’s union are getting richer but at what cost? What about Us the Fans and the Small Market teams? We need a real Robin Hood and soon…… 1) Yankees $201,449,289 2) Mets $135,773,988 3) Cubs $135,050,000 4) Red Sox $122,696,000  5) Tigers$115,085,145  6) Angles$113,709,000 7) Phillies $113,004,048 8) Astros$102,996,415  9) Dodgers$100,458,101 10) Mariners $98,904,167  11) Braves $96,726,167 - 13) Cardinals $88,528,411 18) Rockies $75,201,000 true

2009-10-01T04:48:52Z

95672 0 In Baseball Money CAN Buy You Love

2009-10-01T04:53:54Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/KiaraK99/blog/posts/95672

2008-04-19T04:17:20Z

25001 KiaraK99's Blog

2008-04-19T04:17:20Z

1630569

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/KiaraK99/blog KiaraK99 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/KiaraK99 1373259 well well the tigers win and the yankees are in the last will see what happens and the phillies ofcourse are going to win =p true

2009-10-01T02:14:31Z

95660 0 Baseball

2009-10-01T02:14:31Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog/posts/95660

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

Just Another Fan Profile Blog 1373259 Deara 101's Blog

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog Deara 101 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101 1373259 Boston is getting their #### whopped lol =] Toronto 10 Boston 0 true

2009-10-01T00:54:32Z

95653 0 Boston

2009-10-01T00:54:32Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog/posts/95653

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

Just Another Fan Profile Blog 1373259 Deara 101's Blog

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog Deara 101 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101 1373259 So the yankees have a great team and they have been winning all their games but what if the yankees dont go to the world series or make it to the world series. I mean every year the yankees have a good team and by the end there crap like they get lazy at last moment what do you guy think ??? oh and what do you guys think about the indians firing their manager  true

2009-10-01T00:46:23Z

95649 0 Yankees/Indians

2009-10-01T00:46:23Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog/posts/95649

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

Just Another Fan Profile Blog 1373259 Deara 101's Blog

2009-10-01T00:44:03Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101/blog Deara 101 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Deara%20101 1139671   During the last few days of my summer vacation I watched a little bit of the Little League World Series and I must say I was pretty impressed with Chula Vista.Not only could every single player hit very well they also had an excellent defense and pitching rotation and although big power hitters Luke Ramirez and Kiko Garcia I thought the teams best player was Andy Rios who had 5 homers and made many double plays and clutch hits.Their game against Georgia was actually one of the best baseball games I've seen. true

2009-09-03T23:27:06Z

93216 0 Little League World series

2009-09-03T23:27:06Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/SlyCooperPTI/blog/posts/93216

2008-12-18T16:46:45Z

hi i'm connor i'm 16 and this is me talking about mostly the nfl but other sports as well my dream is to become a sportswriter 1139671 NFL and More blog

2009-09-08T21:42:37Z

1020290

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/SlyCooperPTI/blog SlyCooperPTI http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/SlyCooperPTI 1080373 If you're a national league pitcher looking to regain your form just go to the Red Sox. You won't win many games, and the team will cut you after a failed experiment, but when you arrive back in the National League you'll be amazing. This rule does not apply to Eric Gagne. He transcends all natural laws. true

2009-09-03T11:35:58Z

93164 0 So the message is...

2009-09-03T11:35:58Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/dfpsports/blog/posts/93164

2008-10-17T09:45:52Z

1080373 dfpsports's Blog

2008-10-17T09:45:52Z

4052406

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/dfpsports/blog dfpsports http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/dfpsports 1233165 <h2 class="date-header"> <h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://chicagosports22.blogspot.com/2009/08/consistently-inconsistent-and-rickett-y.html"></a></h3> Ok Cubbies, we have rooted for, believed in, un-cursed, stood up for, given excuses for, and swore that "next year" would be the year. Well there is one thing that you have absolutely been consistent with, and that is being "inconsistent." The Cubs burst out of the gate in the second half of the season to the best record through the first 15-20 games, looking like a team on a mission. They even flirted with first place for about a week stealing it and giving it back to the St. Louis Cardinals, only to completely abandon hitting with less then two outs, or with runners in scoring position. Ryan Theriot is the only player consistently getting on base, but once he gets there, professional baseball rules very specifically state that he is not allowed to hit again until his spot in the batting order comes up again. At the beginning of the year I P'd and M'd that Milton Bradley was a waste of space, and that letting go of Mark Derosa was the biggest mistake of the 21st century. I still stand by that statement, but Alfonso Soriano is sprinting toward changing my mind. How is it humanly possible for a man that makes more then 15 million a year to hit a baseball to swing and miss as often as he does? The scouting report on him has to be "throw as many sliders as you can in the dirt away and let him get himself out. Lets dwell on some of the positives that we can take out of this weekend. First, where did Sam Fuld come from, and if at all possible can we get a few more of him? I have never seen someone in major league sports give more effort then he does. If we could run nine of him out on the field I think we would be better off. Two stolen bases, and three web gems in two games make him officially the best player on the Cubs. And last but not least the Tribune has officially sold the Cubs to The Ricketts family, something the Cubs have not seen in quite some time. He claims he will not make a public statement until he has been given the keys to the stadium. This has to be a positive move for the Cubs. They have always been like one of the slower learners in the class, and they really need hands on help if they are ever going to pass the test. The family ownership immediately makes it a household thing, and less of a corporate machine. At least we have the Bears right? I mean Jay Cutler was a man on a mission tonight, and Matt Forte has all the right moves to make the big Bears a team to watch this year. Is there any way the Ricketts can sign them for the rest of the season?</h2> true

2009-08-23T13:55:32Z

92300 0 Consistently Inconsistent and Rickett-y

2009-08-23T13:55:32Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/frankiej228/blog/posts/92300

2009-05-14T18:06:04Z

1233165 frankiej228's Blog

2009-05-14T18:06:04Z

7148052

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/frankiej228/blog frankiej228 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/frankiej228 1317202 I came to the sudden realization today that Tim Lincecum looks like a total lesbian. I have utter respect for Tim, due to his obvious greatness, but I do believe the best pitcher in the game can not go around looking like he belongs at an Indigo Girls concert. I should state for the record I have nothing against lesbians, or gays for that matter, although hot lesbians are pretty sweet. Sincerely, Scott true

2009-08-23T08:01:19Z

92294 2 Do People actually read these things?

2009-08-23T11:32:15Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Scott%20BoarAss/blog/posts/92294

2009-08-23T07:55:32Z

The best mother #### ' fan profile blog ever. 1317202 Scott BoarAss's Blog

2009-09-07T08:55:54Z

5458781

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Scott%20BoarAss/blog Scott BoarAss http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Scott%20BoarAss 1295979 The frontrunners could quite possibly be Mauer, Hernandez; Pujols, Lincecum, but here's my reasons why none of them may win any awards, and for the record, no Yankees will win them either. Let's start with the AL MVP.  Joe Mauer.  He's hitting .383, and Ichiro believes he may hit .400.  The power is there, but he only has 77 RBIs and 139 hits.  If he had played another 20 games, let's figure, he may have an additional 24-25 hits, leaving him at 163.  That would be fourth in the AL behind Cano, Jeter and Ichiro.  He could have 30 homers, which would be tied for second behind Carlos Pena, and he's hitting .220, so he's not winning MVP this year.  Now this is what I call the team factor.  The Twins are not a playoff team, so I take 10% of his results away from him in final voting.  That means he's at about .350, 22 homers, 70 RBIs.  The question is, being that he is not a great defensive catcher, is that MVP-caliber?  Give it to the man who's hitting .334 with power, Miguel Cabrera. Now to the AL Cy Young award.  I think Hernandez or Verlander has to be the leading candidate at this point; their ERA is just too good and they have more K's than Beckett.  Their WHIP are both similar, but what about the guy who started 5-0 with the 0.82 ERA and didn't even get to 2.00 ERA until recently?  That would be Zach Greinke.  His 2.33 is still best of those who we're talking about, and he gets the WORST run-support in the American League on the Royals.  If he was on the Tigers, for example (because Verlander is a Cy candidate with his 194 K's), he would get much better run support and you could even argue a bigger ballpark.  On a playoff team, maybe he would have more incentive to pitch.  Greinke could have 16-17 wins right now.  He's walked just 37, only Roy Halladay (21) has walked fewer of the Cy candidates, and Greinke, in just 24 starts, has 177 strikeouts.  He has finished five games this year as well. As for the Senior circuit, Albert Pujols has led the triple crown categories for most of the year, but guess what?  He only leads in one category right now: home runs, and by one (39) over Mark Reynolds (38); and Prince Fielder, who has more RBIs (108 to 105) than Pujols.  Pujols plays sparkling defense, and Fielder's team is on the outside looking into the playoff picture, but they're still in it for now.  Fielder is at .310, Pujols is at .321, so there isn't too much of a difference there.  Hanley has run away with the NL batting title.  Then there's the sleeper, Mark Reynolds, who's 164 strikeouts look ugly, but 38 home runs and a solid .283 average and 21 stolen bases on a lousy D-Backs team can turn some heads.  Other names have been mentioned, maybe a Dodger, maybe a Philly, but it's probably down to Albert and Prince, since you have to do the 10% rule with Reynolds.  I personally think Fielder is putting together a great season.  His OPS is 1.023, right behind Pujols' 1.117.  Considering that Fielder carries that Brewers team and the Cards have Holliday and DeRosa (I'm not saying there's any hitter around who is as good as Pujols), Fielder may be more valuable (more RBIs...). To the NL Cy Young: it's clear that Tim Lincecum is a frontrunner right now, and rightfully so.  His 2.37 ERA isn't best in the NL, but it's close.  He eats innings, he finishes games (4) and he has 207 strikeouts, by far more than anyone else in MLB.  His teammate Matt Cain is solid as well, a similar 2.49 ERA, an even 12 wins, but a higher WHIP.  The guy who I like in this race is Chris Carpenter.  I've always said a healthy Chris Carpenter is the best pitcher in baseball.  Well, he's healthy and he's good this year.  2.27 ERA, (only missed 4 starts) 0.97 WHIP, just 20 walks in 138+ innings and a pair of complete games.  You could mention Wainwright and Josh Johnson, even Johan Santana considering how bad his team is, but in the end, I would have to go with Carpenter. Thoughts? true

2009-08-19T19:26:42Z

91999 0 AL and NL MVP and Cy Young opinion.

2009-09-04T23:09:03Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/YanksDevsGmen33/blog/posts/91999

2009-07-31T13:43:33Z

Just Another Fan Profile Blog 1295979 YanksDevsGmen33's Blog

2009-07-31T13:43:33Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/YanksDevsGmen33/blog YanksDevsGmen33 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/YanksDevsGmen33 1199612 THE LEAGUE NAME IS BUCZ09, THE PASSWORD IS freeman, THE DRAFT DATE IS 8-28-09 AT 8:30 pm.REMBER THAT THE LEAGUE IS PRIVATE,NOT A PUBLIC LEAGUE. true

2009-08-19T14:25:19Z

91958 0 JOIN MY FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE ON NFL.COM !!!!!

2009-08-19T14:25:19Z

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2009-03-18T11:52:23Z

1199612 russelllong's Blog

2009-03-18T11:52:23Z

6050363

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/russelllong/blog russelllong http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/russelllong 1308806 I don't think I can continue to watch Mariner Baseball... For years now I have been watching the Mariners play mediocre baseball. Every year they have a few highlight games, but that's all you ever really see. In my opinion... it seems like this current Mariner team is putting in a minimum effort each game, just enough to keep the fans in the seat, which isnt hard to keep a fan here in the Northwest... the fan base for all sports here in the NW are all pretty loyal. I understand that winning and losing happen. I understand that there are alot of good teams to compete against. That's what makes baseball the competitive team sport that it is. What I don't understand is how you can stand to lose. When I watch the Mariners play, most times I feel like there is no heart in the team. There have been a few emotional games, but not nearly enough. It's easy to get emotional when you win a game... but I rarely see a reaction from this team when they lose. You can call it good sportsmanship, which is never a bad thing, here in the NW our teams tend to be very well mannered and maintain a high quality of professionalism. But how can you do nothing when your losing... nothing. You can't win games if you can stand to lose. I am not saying that I want players to charge the mound or start field brawls. That's not the kind of emotion I am talking about. I am talking about getting fired up when your down 7 to 1 in the 7th inning... you know? When you get on base with a single, fire up the team, spark some emotion, a rally cry. The Mariners do have an emotional player of that caliber, Felix. But just 1 man is not going to cut it. If you want to win games, make the playoffs, win a title... your going to need more then 1 man to rally the team. I want to see more emotion... and that's that. true

2009-08-15T01:13:31Z

91577 1 Where's the emotion?

2009-08-15T01:16:07Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/n_campbell_SEA51/blog/posts/91577

2009-08-14T08:58:27Z

Another blog about sports in our beloved northwest. 1308806 n_campbell_SEA51's Blog

2009-08-15T01:18:20Z

4424547

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/n_campbell_SEA51/blog n_campbell_SEA51 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/n_campbell_SEA51 1279958 With the NFL first regular season game fast approaching, shouldn't you have the best NFL betting system that has a win rate of +60% ? Now lets be honest. Most, if not all of us, bet on the NFL. Wether you fill out parlay cards, wager on NFL games via a bookie or online sports book. Hell, even if you play fantasy football, that's a form of betting on the NFL because in the end, you win something. Well, why not have the best NFL betting system on your side. Are you really ready for NFL season? Head on over to www.love2wager.com and see how the best NFL betting system can make you some money in this weak economy. The beauty of it all is not only will you learn this incredible NFL betting system, but with the NBA season right around the corner, you'll get the greatest NBA betting strategy too that went a perfect 79-0 last NBA season. That's right folks, NO LOSSES. But wait, there's more. You'll also get the incredible MLB betting system that is a perfect 32-0 this season as of 8-14-09. Plus, you'll get a lifetime of FREE picks. Yes! FREE PICKS! Now when was the last time you got anything for free....exactly! Go today to www.love2wager.com and take the gamble out of gambling. Hurry, before this limited time offer is no longer available. GO! false

2009-08-14T15:29:09Z

91509 0 NFL season opener fast approaching....Are you ready?

2009-08-14T15:29:09Z

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2009-07-10T18:33:36Z

A blog to keep users updated on sports betting, betting on sports, baseball betting, betting on football, basketball betting, free picks, betting systems and betting strategies. Plus insight on betting techniques for almost every professional sports. 1279958 love2wager.com's Blog

2009-08-14T21:06:35Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/love2wager.com/blog love2wager.com http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/love2wager.com 1223308 When will the madness end? The bean-ball bonanza needs to be put to an end quickly before someone gets hurt from this. All of the "they hit my guy, so I'm hitting yours" needs to stop. Where does the chain stop? You hit their guy, so they get mad and hit your guy, so you get mad and hit their guy, etc. It doesn't stop! What will put a cap on this tactic of getting revenge? Are Major Leaguers waiting for someone to not get out of the way in time and get drilled in the head? Is that what it will take, for someone to get seriously injured to stop this nonsense? true

2009-08-13T22:34:07Z

91451 1 Bean Balls

2009-08-19T17:56:06Z

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2009-04-15T13:14:31Z

1223308 OHHEAT50's Blog

2009-04-15T13:14:31Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/OHHEAT50/blog OHHEAT50 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/OHHEAT50 1307377 Did anybody watch the Red Sox/Tigers game Monday? If you didn't, you missed out. I will explain. During the second inning, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis was up to bat. Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello hit him, and I will not comment on whether or not I think it was intentional. Either way, Youkilis got mad and charged the mound. After that, many things went wrong. First, Youkilis took off his helmet and threw it at Porcello. What went wrong there is that he missed. Second, when Youkilis tried to tackle Porcello, he couldn't do it and Porcello used the angry batter's momentum to throw him to the ground. Immediately, the benches were cleared and a mob of players and umpires surrounded the mound. Youkilis, who started the whole thing, ended up on the bottom. That has got to be the worst planned baseball fight ever. Youkilis shouldn't have wasted his time with that one, considering the outcome. Both Youkilis and Porcello now face 5-game suspensions. true

2009-08-13T16:23:52Z

91434 2 Red Sox vs. Tigers- Bench-Clearing Brawl

2009-08-13T18:09:41Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/shortyguy101/blog/posts/91434

2009-08-12T19:39:11Z

This is where I spout off about random stuff in the sports world. 1307377 shortyguy101's Blog

2009-08-16T01:46:07Z

7719912

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/shortyguy101/blog shortyguy101 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/shortyguy101 9248   Going into the 2009 season, Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel felt they had one of the stronger outfields in the NL East.  Most fans felt confident that Beltran, Murphy, and Church could put up good numbers and help the Mets back to the postseason.  As we all know now, this was not the case.  Murph could not field the position, Beltran could not stay healthy, and Church could not get in his groove.  The opening day lineup does not look anything close to what we are seeing on the field in August.  With only meaningless baseball left in 2009, it is time to look at what the Amazin outfield will look like in 2010.   With all of the troubles and tribulations that surrounded the Mets organization in 2009, there has been one shining light, Jeff Francoeur.  As a whole, Minaya has done a poor job keeping this roster competitive this season but made one of the better deals early in July.  Minaya shipped Church to Atlanta on July 10th for the very talented and Francoeur.  Church has been in Manuel’s doghouse for most of the season so the Mets had nothing to lose in shipping him to Atlanta.  Even though Church showed glimpses of greatness early in 2008, he has not been able to produce consistently in 2009.  Even though I am a big believer in Church, there is no argument that this deal looks like a steal.  Francoeur has added power and grit to a Mets lineup that has neither.  The Atlanta native has hit .306 with 5 homeruns in his short stint in Flushing.  Francoeur not only adds a lot at the plate but also bring a lot of playmaking ability in right field.  Francoeur’s arm is one of the most feared arms in baseball and has forced opponents to think twice when rounding third.  Francoeur looks to be a big part of the future for the Mets.  Jeff is only 25 years old and has already had solid seasons in the major leagues.  Expect Francouer to be the right fielder for many years to come.   Left field has been a big question mark for most of the 2009 season.  Going into April, Manuel named Daniel Murphy as the everyday left fielder because he felt his bat needed to be in the lineup.  Unfortunately the Murphy experiment did not last long.  Murph looked atrocious in left field in the beginning of the season.  Murph could not catch routine fly balls and also had issues with where to throw in many situations.  Due to his defensive deficiencies, the Mets were forced to push Gary Sheffield back into an everyday role.  The Mets acquired Sheff in late March to platoon with Church in right but found himself playing a larger role.  Even though Sheff has been troubled with leg issues for a majority of the year, he has filled in admirably.  His big bat has added much needed pop to a powerless lineup.  Fortunately for the Wilpons, the Tigers are paying Sheff 13 mil this season while the Mets are only paying 400k.  It will be very interesting to see if they try and keep Sheff for the 2010 campaign.  The other 2010 options could be the young Fernando Martinez.  F-Mart is a big time prospect who got a taste of the bigs early this season.  If Martinez is not ready, the Mets could look to Angel Pagan or possibly acquiring Carlos Lee from the Astros.  With Jason Bay and Matt Holliday most likely staying put, the Mets do not seem to have many options in the free agent pool.  If they do not feel comfortable with Martinez or Pagan, expect the Mets to make a big impact trade.   Fortunately for the Mets, centerfield looks to be locked up for many years to come.  Carlos Beltran is regarded as one of the best centerfielders in the game.  Unfortunately for Manuel, Beltran has not been able to stay healthy this year forcing the manager to mix and match.  Martinez, Reed, Pagan, and Sullivan have all seen time in centerfield trying to fill in for the injury fiddled Mets.  Beltran should be back and healthy in 2010.  After starting 2009 strong, Beltran looks to build upon that in 2010.  Many members of the media have thrown around the idea of shipping Beltran away and breaking up the core.  I am not a member of that small group.  Beltran is a rare five tool outfielder who is still very young.  Beltran should be in Flushing for a long period of time.  He is one of the rare talents that you have to build a franchise around.  Expect Beltran to be patrolling the Citi Field outfield for many years to come.   With many questions marks surrounding left field, the fourth outfielder may play a major role in 2009.  Pagan, Reed, and Sullivan are all good fits for this role.  At least one of three will most likely not be with the team in 2010.  Pagan looks to be the strongest hitter of the group along with the best fielder.  The battle to make the roster should be between Reed and Sullivan.  Reed has shown that he can do well in a pinch hitting role but may not be the answer for the fourth outfielding spot.  There is also a good chance that neither Reed nor Sullivan will be with the team next season.  If the Mets make a move for a strong left fielder in the offseason, the fourth outfielder role will be less of an importance.  Amazin fans can only hope for the latter.   With the 2009 opening day outfield not seeing much success, Mets fans can only hope for better success in 2010.  If Beltran can stay healthy and Franceour can continue to produce, they should be in very good shape going into April 2010.  With the biggest question mark being in left field, hopefully the Mets can find a way to find production in the second corner outfield spot.  I anticipate the Wilpons acquiring a big bat through a trade.  Hopefully they will not prove me wrong.   true

2009-08-12T21:12:58Z

91366 0 Restructuring the Mets: Issue 3: The Outfield

2009-08-12T21:17:14Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/rbhermo/blog/posts/91366

2008-04-10T03:46:33Z

9248 rbhermo's Blog

2008-04-10T03:46:33Z

1334894

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/rbhermo/blog rbhermo http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/rbhermo 1271002 Let's talk about you, your career, and what you would sacrifice to make sure your family is well taken care of. You are doing well, keeping a steady job, and making ends meet. We join our show in progress. Dave and Bob, longtime friends from college who are now both accountants, haven't seen each other for years. They meet one day by chance and decide to have lunch. Dave: Man, I can't believe I ran into you. Bob: Yeah, it really has been too long. But you look exactly like you did in school. Dave: Thanks, I think. You sure don't. You look better! Man, you must be really hitting the gym. Where do you go? Bob: Nah, I'm just lucky. Good metabolism and more running than I have ever done. I stay too busy at the firm to do much gym time. I do have a personal nutritionist who has me on a special diet and taking supplements, but that's about it. Lot's of Vitamin B-12 and Ginko. How's work with you? Dave: Well, decent. We are definitely making ends meet, but I really have to work at it. Constantly training and all that. It's tough. So you are doing well, huh? Bob: Yeah. I'm surprised you didn't see the feature on me in Accounting Illustrated. I just signed a new contract for 5 years, $75 Million dollars. Things couldn't be sweeter, brother. Dave: Holy Shnikees! That is HUGE! Congrats! Bob: Thanks man. My family is definitely set for life. It was a huge deal. Feels great. I have to thank God, first of all, that gave me the strength to work the numbers. Then my agent, who has stuck with me through it all. And of course my family, Without them, I mean, I'd be nothing. Dave: Alright. Dial it back a notch would ya. You've certainly gotten a big head. Bob: I try to stay humble, but.... Dave; No, I mean your head is enormous. What size hat do you wear now? 17 5/8? Steering wheel cover? Bob: Well, we all make small sacrifices. But really, the side effects are totally worth the gain. Dave: Side effects? From what? Bob: Let me let you in on a secret. I have been taking Calculoid. It's a Performance Enhancer. It has made a huge difference. Dave: What? Are you kidding me? Isn't Calculoid illegal? Bob: Yeah, but it's been in the field for years and, really, there is very little punishment for getting caught. if you get caught after you have already made all that money, who cares anyway. They can't take it back. Sure, you'll get suspended for 4 months with no pay, but that's 4 months over a 5 year span. Basically, a $1.25 Million Dollar fine and some R&R.  All the great ones used it in one form or another. You've heard of Herb Poindexter, right? Dave: The one in the CPA Hall of Fame and the guy that the Golden pocket protector Award is named after? No way... Bob: Oh yeah, he was a biggie. And now he's the biggest name in the game. Dave: But if you get caught, you are NEVER getting into the HOF. Bob: So? The HOF ain't paying my bills. And they can't take my records off the books. Even if the put an asterisk by them, that only makes them more visible. People will remember me more than the guy whose name is right under mine. Guaranteed. Dave: Yeah, but there has to be side effects. I mean, other than the planetoid sitting on top of your neck. Right? Bob: Well, the worst is it will probably take some years off your life. 5 or 10. But they are the old, wrinkly, depends-wearing years. Also, your brain will get larger so your head will grow, like mine has. But the good side effects are your pockets get full of cash and your physique will change. You will lose the gut and have more of a Mathlete's build. Dave: But people will see that stuff, right? They'll know just from looking at you. They have to notice. Bob: Yeah, they'll notice. Then they'll ignore all the signs. Probably talk about how your new training regiment is unprecedented and how you have really come on and become one of the greatest accountants of all time. There will be a little backlash from accounting purists, but who cares about those guys? You'll be rich! And the fans of your accounting office will totally ignore all of it. They will just be excited to have you aboard. Getting them huge write-offs and setting all kinds of records. They'll just be glad they are with a winning team. Dave: Man, this is mind-blowing. I make like $45,000 a year right now but do great work and train harder than anyone else. It's so disappointing. Bob: Look man, let me hook you up. Take some Calculoid for a while and see if it helps. I guarantee it will make you a better accountant. If you get busted, tell them you took an ove rthe counter supplement and had no idea this was in it. Dave: i don't know man. I haven't ever done anything illegal like this. Bob: Ask yourself this: Do you want to be able to send your kids to college? By your dream house? Retire someday, when you can't quite make those cuts you used to? 5 years and you are set for life. It was good enough for Herb Poindexter, right? What do you say? Want some Calculoid? Fade to black... So in this scenario, laying out the risk and reward, what would you do? Could you refuse? Even if you knew it would mean enough money so that you and your family are set for life after only a few years? If you get caught, you have to be out of work for 4 months, but then you come right back at the same salary doing the same job. And since you are on contract, you will be getting your money. Could you ignore all that just so the integrity of your career field survived? That's what we are looking at with the PED scandal in MLB. Is it always for money? No. Sometimes, it's just for ego or to squeeze out a few more years as "The Man". But sometimes, it's to get to that next level. To make the kind of money that sets you up for life. So I pose the question again...would you have the strength to say no to Calculoid? Or would you take it, just like many others before you had, and live with the knowledge of what you did to become great at what you do? That's a pretty tough question to answer. And not just for us. It's a tough question to answer for athletes, too. Sometimes, the lure of the dollar is just too strong. Even when it may cost you your reputation or your life. true

2009-08-07T14:19:26Z

90975 1 PEDs: Could you say No?

2009-08-07T14:22:11Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thehunter000/blog/posts/90975

2009-06-24T20:26:15Z

A blog about sports and their relation to the rest of our lives. Touches on a little of everything. 1271002 Sport vs Life

2009-08-07T14:29:07Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thehunter000/blog thehunter000 http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thehunter000 1184066 He’s the center of debates, usually stupid ones. Should Joba Chamberlain be in the bullpen, or should he be a starter? I’ve heard both sides of the debate, and even though I’m pro-starter, let’s go bullet style here to lay out both sides: As a Starter: Will provide more innings as a starter Has good enough stuff to be considered a potential ace, with a top 10 in all of baseball ceiling Through college and most of the minors, he was a starter Only left for the bullpen in 2007 to help out the big league club and to reduce innings Through 26 career MLB starts, his ERA is 3.26. As a Reliever: Was phenomenal as a reliever in 2007 Has absolutely knock out stuff in general, but his fastball-slider combo is top-notch Isn’t that about it, for the reliever concept? Some people have theorized that being a closer would help his arm, but I’m not sure. It seems like pitching provides stress on the arm anyway, be it every five days (and starters generally throw everyday anyway) or several days a week. Read more at: http://www.voicedup.com/index.php/how-good-is-joba-chamberlain/ true

2009-08-06T18:57:07Z

90916 1 How Good Is Joba Chamberlain?

2009-08-06T18:59:21Z

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thevoice@voicedup.com/blog/posts/90916

2009-02-23T23:26:31Z

1184066 thevoice@voicedup.com's Blog

2009-02-23T23:26:31Z

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http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thevoice@voicedup.com/blog thevoice@voicedup.com http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thevoice@voicedup.com