Week 6 Picks

This season is flying by. So many surprises this season, the titans being 0-5, which makes me look like an absolute fool, because I picked them to go 14-2. The biggest surprise is probabley the Broncos. Josh McDaniels is becoming a great coach, something the last two understudies for Belichick could not do cough cough Romeo Cornel cough cough Charlie Weis. Oh, and last week i saved a draft for a post saying that a team would win be 3, and they won 17-14.

Bengals over Texans
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Packers over Lions
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Vikings over Ravens
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Giants over Saints
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Panthers over Bucs
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Redskins over Chiefs
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Jaguars over Rams
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Steelers over Browns
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Seahwaks over Cardinals
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Eagles over Raiders
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Jets over Bills
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Pats over Titans
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Falcons over Bears
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Broncos over Chargers

My fantasy team

i have made a few trades, but my roster is still great, as usual, here it is;

QB: Joe Flacco
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RB:Brandon Jacobs
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RB:Chris Johnson
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RB/WR:Leon Washington
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WR:Calvin Johnson
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WR:Reggie Wayne
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WR:Steve Smith (NYG)
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TE:Benjamin Watson
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K:Laurence Tynes
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D/ST:Ravens
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New!

From now on I will be keeping track of my record each week by picking the winner of every NFL game. Please leave comments, and become a follower! i haven't done a post in a while, but still, read!

The Return of Tom Brady

As I analyzed the mechanics of the once all-pro quarterback, who started off slow vs. a weak Bills defense, I noticed a few things. When Brady was injured by a hit to his knee, he had stepped up in the pocket. In the game Monday night, Brady didn't step up into the pocket when the outside rush came. I wasn't sure if he didn't realize the space, or he didn't feel comfortable going into the space. The trademark of Wes Welker was horrible on Monday night, as he dropped many passes while a screen was being set up, which didn't exactly help Brady. Moss dropped a few passes, and my primary reason for concern for the Pats is their mechanics. Many times in those dropped pass situations, the wide out started to run before they got the ball. I am also curious to see how the defense does without Richard Seymour and Tedy Bruschi.

USC-Ohio State

There is a lot of hype building up to the Buckeyes and Trojans game tonight. A lot of times the hype is for nothing, but I think this game will be great, and that is why I will be watching it myself. My prediction to win is Ohio State. When Matt Barkley can prove how good he is, that's when they beat the Buckeyes. Terelle Pryor is super athletic, as a good arm, and can run the ball if he wishes, so a sophomore quarterback vs a freshman quarterback? I think it is obvious that the Buckeyes get the victory tonight. Matt Barkley could have 300+ yards and 3 TD's and still lose. Defense will be the X factor, and a Freshman Quarterback doesn't seem like the best idea in a big game like this. I also have an immense amount of confidence in Terelle Pryor. Pete Caroll is the best coach in college football, but coaching isn't everything, especially in the beginning of the season. Upset? No. But definitely a learning experience for the Trojans.

Cal Golden Bears

The Pac-10 is probably one of the best conferences in the NCAA. Teams like USC, UCLA, and Cal themselves have dominated for years and years. In the NFL, defense wins championships, but down in college, its offense. Last year Florida won, with a good defense, but more importantly, explosive players like Percy Harvin and Tim Tebow. This year, I think Jahvid Best and the Golden Bears have a good shot to win the PAC-10. I respect USC. I consider them the best in the PAC-10, but now it seems like there is some contention. If all the great things about Freshman Matt Barkley are true, then Cal will be definitely finished, but you must have your doubts. Expect Barkley to have an OK year, and next year be the elite college quarterback he can be. Getting back to Cal, I think that they are so good because of their offensive line. This allows Best to do his best, haha yea I know isn't that funny. Anyways, look for the Golden Bears to be a dark horse in the Race for the PAC-10 championship. I never made it clear who I predict to win the BCS National Championship bowl game. Lets just say it has something to do with this article...

NFL Predictions

Today I shall gather the records of every team in the NFL. I will predict a super bowl champ. When it gets to the playoffs i will also pick a champ from the teams still left. Last year I picked the Steelers in the 13th week. I just realised that Defense wins championships, and offense gets you there. They have the offense, and the dominating defense. But, I didn't pick the Cardinals. Who actually did? Anyways, my predicts so on were analysed for many hours by myself. If you have any comments about it, post a comment.

AFC East:Patriots 15-1 Dolphins 8-8 Jets 8-8 Bills 2-14
AFC North:Ravens 13-3 Steelers 13-3 Bengals 3-13 Browns 2-14
AFC South:Titans 14-2 Texans 13-3 Colts 12-4 Jaguars 4-12
AFC West:Broncos 9-7 Chargers 8-8 Chiefs 4-12 Raiders 3-13
NFC East:Eagles 13-3 Giants 12-4 Cowboys 7-9 Redskins 3-13
NFC North:Packers 13-3 Vikings 11-5 Bears 9-7 Lions 1-15
NFC South:Falcons 12-4 Saints 10-6 Panthers 6-10 Buccaneers 2-14
NFC West: Cardinals 11-5 49ers 7-9 Seahawks 5-11 Rams 2-14

Vacation

Well everyone, or the few people that read over my blog, I have recently been on vacation. I have not done a post in over a week so tonight, I will overflow you with all the information about sports you need. While I was on vacation, I took time to predict the records of every team in the NFL.

Breaking News: Bruschi to retire

ESPN has recently reported that former pro bowler Tedy Bruschi, leader of the New England Patriots, will retire. Bruschi has had problems with his health in the past, as he suffered a stroke in 2005. Its seems after a long training camp, that Buschi realised that he doesnt have enough left in the tank. This is a great loss for the Patriots. I think that new Linebacker Jarod Mayo has the ability to step into Bruschi role, after he took a year to learn uder one of the greatest linebackers. Forever, Tedy Bruschi will be remembered as one of the greatest Patriots players of all time. Good luck in retirement Bruschi.

My Fantasy Football Team

With my obsession with sports, comes an addiction to Fantasy Sports. My fantasy baseball team is good, but my fantasy football team is better. This is my roster, tell me what you think, and leave comments.

QB:Aaron Rodgers
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RB:Steve Slaton
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RB:Chris Johnson
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RB/WR:LenDale White
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WR:Calvin Johnson
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WR:Reggie Wayne
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WR:Kevin Walter
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TE:Greg Olsen
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D/ST:Ravens
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K:John Carney

Breaking News: Broncos Marshall Suspened

In the 2008-2009 season with the Broncos, Brandon Marshall caught 104 receptions, had 1265 receiving yards, 6 in which were touchdowns. This season Josh McDaniels will be the head coach of the Broncos, certainly an offensive minded coach, who seems to have stirred things up in Denver. First it was Jay Cutler, who they traded away to the Bears. Now it is the star wide out Marshall. I guess when the scouts called him mini-T.O., I guess they meant it on and off the field. The Broncos already have had problems with Marshall, as he was arrested for Domestic Violence a while ago, but that is not the reason they suspended him. This self centered thug can't respect the team, or his coaches. Things between the Broncos and Marshall have fired up lately, so the Broncos decided to suspend Marshall, who has made conflicts around the Broncos lockeroom. I think this is a terrible idea. Marshall has great talent, who has a high trade stock, which may come in handy because Marshall is requesting a trade. Teams such as the Jets were interested in Marshall, but now his stock goes down because depending on the specifics of the suspension.

Vick not A fit with the Eagles

Last night was Michael Vick's first game back since being convicted of dogfighting. Vick made every completion he attempted, and they added up to a total of 19 yards. Vick had one rushing yard, but it was clearly a bad decision, as he ran right into the defenders. i would say he looked o.k. When Vick first signed with the Eagles I had questions about his physical ability, and doubt to his decision making, but now, there is a different problem. Donovan McNabb is a great quarterback. He seems like a friendly guy, but he didn't look so friendly when he made comments to Vick after his Vicks playing time was over. The power of chemistry in the lockeroom is so valuable, that this little conversation worries me. Vick was thought to be used once every few plays, to mix up the offense, and confuse the defense. McNabb was frustrated with his offensive coordinator, and he later said he needs rhythm, which he loses when Vick comes in during a successful drive, which is exactly what Vick was used for. At first I thought this was an o.k. deal, now I think it is a terrible deal. I still think the Eagles are contenders, but this weakens their team.

Worst Management in the MLB

The New York Mets have one of the highest payrolls in the MLB. They also have 12 players on the disabled list right now. I don't really know what is going on in Queens right now, but whatever it is, people like me are having a field day about it. Everything is going to wrong.How bad are the Mets trainers? Do they know how to prevent injuries? Are they not stretching right? Is the management that bad? Look, I am not a big fan of firing a manager from a team because the team is bad, but this team is made of quality players! Jerry Manuel is the worst manager I have seen in the last 5 seasons of baseball. You have to be trying to be bad to be this bad. I think the Braves AA affiliate would put up a fair game vs. the Mets. I think half of the teams in the little league world series have better managers than the Mets do, and I am serious. This is an absolute disgrace to baseball, and the die hard Mets fans right now.

Ted Kennedy

Although this is a sports blog, sometimes things come along that need to be shared. Ted Kennedy, brother of our 35th President John F. Kennedy, died yesterday at his home in Hyannis Port Massachusetts. Kennedy was serving in the Senate for Massachusetts, and he will be remembered for what he did for this country. For the sports aspect of this, Kennedy played football at Harvard, and NFL teams such as the Packers showed interest in him, but of course, Kennedy chose politics. Kennedy was a huge Red Sox fan, and even threw out the first pitch on opening day. Forever, Edward Kennedy will be remembered for being a sports fan, a political great, and a member of one of the greatest political families. May Edward (Ted) Kennedy, rest in peace.

NFL Team needs: AFC North

Every team needs a certain player, to fill a position that is important to the team. I will list a position that needs a better player for each NFL team in the AFC North.
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Ravens: Wide Receiver, with the return of Derrick Mason from retirement, a young wide out would be really good right now. The Ravens should draft a receiver with good hands and some speed. During practice, going up into the secondary against Ed Reed will really help, not to mention Derrick Mason as a mentor.
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Browns: Corner back, defense wins championships. The Browns don't even have a decent secondary, they have a terrible one. If the Browns get a top 5 pick in the draft next year, forget offense, get a corner back. They have key players on the offensive line, Joe Thomas, and defensive Line in Shaun Rogers. Start building for the future, because the present and near future shows no silver lining.
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Bengals: Running back, wow it really surprises me that the Bengals have not gotten a running back, considering their terrible records, and the good picks in the draft they get. I know, I know defense wins championships, but their number one running back is Cedric Benson. That's right, Cedric Benson. They need to start developing their team. They should not have traded T.J Houshmandzadeh, because he has young talent, and isn't outspoken like someone we all know...
They need to start running the ball. Maybe in next years draft they draft a back, then go to offensive line in their next pick, then defense. I don't see much hope for the Bengals, besides that scenario.
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Steelers: Offensive Tackle, surprisingly, they have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. that just shows how important defense is. Rothlisburger takes a lot of big hits. I don't see the Steelers getting a good Tackle in the draft, because they are so good as a team. I see free agency as a good time to strengthen their offensive line.

Jets 2009 Team to Watch

Last year it was the Falcons, this year it is the Jets. I have confidence in rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, who will look smart and sophisticated out of the pocket this year. The offensive line is one of the best in the NFL, with great players such as Alan Flancea, Nick Mangold, and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. This will give Sanchez some time to make fewer decisions rookies would be prone to do. Targets such as Dustin Keller from the Tight End spot, and Jericho Cotchrey will have big seasons. When they run the ball, they can use Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, or speedster Shonn Greene. Defense wins championships, so on the other side of the ball is important as well. New head coach Rex Ryan is defensive oriented, and will bring more talent to the defense. Pro bowlers such as Kris Jenkins, Shaun Ellis, Darrelle Revis, Larry Izzo, and Bart Scott lead a powerful charge, in a run at the AFC East Championship.

Breakout Seasons in the NFL

As Baseball seems to get better, unfortunately, I have to shift my interests more to football. A true sports fan loves both, like myself, and I am truly looking forward to the upcoming football season. In this post, I will give predictions about breakout seasons, that means, guys that you haven't heard of before, will have pro bowl caliber seasons.
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Anthony Gonzalez: Former Ohio State wideout will work with veteran quarterback Peyton Manning and the fresh new coaching staff on his game, and as a result will fill in the number 2 wide out role, the place where Reggie Wayne once roamed. With Marvin Harrison being released, Reggie Wayne becomes Manning’s primary target, so also expect Wayne to have an exceptional year.
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Bernard Berrian: Finally, someone to throw him the ball. Brett Favre will connect on several receptions, and will lead to success. Also, they have one of the best running backs in Adrian Peterson, so look for that to open up the passing game to Berrian, and also Percy Harvin.
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Kevin Boss: The End for the Giants will be a great all around player. Boss is a good blocker, as you can see when Brandon Jacobs runs to the outside, Boss is the primary blocker. I mostly think he will have a breakout season because of the loss of Plaxico Buress and Amani Toomer, so he will be one of the trusted targets for Manning.
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Dustin Keller: Former running back in college, now tight end for the Jets, will have a great year because of the offense the Jets will be running. New Coordinator Schottenheimer will not have Keller blocking as much, so he will be more of a wide receiver type end. He has speed, and he can catch, and who else is going to get the ball? I see him having a good season.
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Leon Washington: It looks like Thomas Jones has some problems with the Jets, as he threatened to hold out in training camp. With one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, I think that the Jets have more confidence in Washington, rather then an aging outspoken Jones.

Cardinals Dynasty

The other night I was just thinking about teams, and the balance of veterans and prospects, closers and starters, and I though to myself, wow, the St. Louis Cardinals have a really developed franchise, and maybe are on the verge of a Dynasty. Think about it. First, their manager Tony La Russa, one of the greatest managers ever, has 522 career wins as a manager. The next aspect is the cardinals pitching. They show promising players such as Carpenter and Wainright, and have the salary cap to sign other aces in free agency. Their bullpen features one of the best current closers in Ryan Franklin, and youngsters such as Anthony Reyes, once a top prospect. They could acquire relievers by next years trade deadline also. The Cardinals have unarguably have the best player in the game in Albert Pujols, and other all stars like Matt Holiday and Yadier Molina. Pujols surely can hit for power, provides a plus .300 average, and has 30 home runs in all of his first 9 seasons in the major leagues. Holiday also provides power, but not as much as Pujols, but Holiday is known for his contact hitting. Yadier Molina is one of the best defensive catchers in the game, and if he works with teammates like Pujols then he could do better on the other side of the ball. Speaking of defense, I think the Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the MLB. Pujols is a gold glover, it seems like Ankiel is a good candidate, and Brendan Ryan is the one of the best fielding shortstops in the game. Versatility is key to some good defense, and Mark DeRosa provides so many options in the field. DeRosa can play every position except for catcher and pitcher. Promising youngsters such as Colby Rasmus provide a good future for the Cardinals. Compiling all of these factors, they are like pieces of a puzzle for a Major League franchise.

Memphis Stripped of Record Season

The Memphis Tigers won 38 games. A few days ago, Memphis was vacated of the 38 wins, scrated, if you would say so. They must return their money that they earned from the tournament, and forever to come, that 2007-2008 historical season, will be tainted. Does it comes as a surprise that Calipari went to Kentucky after this arose? I thought he was just another stupid coach that went to a diffrent school because of the money he was offered, well it turns out, he was even stupider. This shows that it clearly was Calipari's fault.Its shows that he is trying to avoid the aqward situation he created. This has already happened to Calipari before, and the Memphis basketball fans don't deserve this. All that hard work comes down to one player, reportly Derrick Rose, of the Chicago Bulls. Rose won rookie of the year last year, as he shows a bright future, but would this be all turned around it he had just taken the SAT's himself? If it were up to me, find whoever was responsible for this mess, and punish them, not the whole University of Memphis, isn't fair to the fans, the players that worked so hard to get as far as they did, and the University of Memphis. If they can do this is college basketball, why not do it in baseball?

Favre Cuts The Cheese!

Just another day in the life of Brett Favre. Was anyone surprised? We all knew he would come back, and I didn't buy the retirement thing. Why else would I be so strong about the Minnesota Vikings being the team to beat? Let’s face it; Tavaris Jackson is the future quarterback after Brett Favre. If Jackson spends a year or two as Favre's understudy, than he could have as much success as someone like Aaron Rodgers, the most recent understudy of Brett Favre(sorry Kellen Clemens, you are really bad) the by far the most underrated player in the game. What I am saying is that Favre and Jackson need Chemistry in the locker room. When Favre makes a mistake Favre will teach Jackson how not to repeat it. When Favre succeeds, he will teach Jackson how he did it. The Vikings have one of the best Offensive lines in the NFL. In a couple of years when Favre is gone, Jackson will have learned a lot from Favre. When Jackson has the time to be the lone starter, if he is above average you keep him. If he is the normal Tavaris Jackson, then that is when the Vikings draft a quarterback. If the Vikings can do this, and lock Peterson into a 5 or 6 year extension when his contract expires, then they look good in the future. As for the wide-receiving core, look for Harvin and Berrian to be Favre's favorite targets. But, Brett’s move to the Vikings is a slap in the face to all cheese heads. So much for Wisconsin being so beloved to Favre.

Minor League

Wow, it seems like minor league prospects seem to be my only topic lately, right? Well, this will probably be my last post about minor league baseball until next year, because with Football season coming, baseball seems to slip away, but baseball shouldn’t take it personally, because by the time the Pro Bowl comes, we are dying for spring training, and who ever watches the Pro Bowl anyways? Anyways, in this post I will rate teams with the best areas of baseball, such as speed, power, contact, fielding, pitching, etc in their minor league systems.
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Speed: Rangers: When you have young vets like Ian Kinsler that are fast, it complements your following hitters, who certainly have power. Elvis Andrus stole 3 bases vs. the Red Sox a few days ago, and fellow youngster Julio Borbon also shows explosive tools to become a great player who stole 4 in that game. People seem to think that speed only serves a purpose stealing bases, but it shows how small ball can be the difference in a game. The power of smart base running is under estimated in a game. If your leadoff man gets a single, then usually, he could steal a base. But, if the leadoff man doesn’t steal a base, then he can move on a sacrifice fly, or he can go from first to third on an easily hit base hit. Not only can they have smart base running, but to get on base in the first place, they can bunt. Using these simple tools, it can be easy to manufacture runs. When the speedster is in the field, prominently the outfield or middle infield, they can run and get long fly balls that would be a challenge to most players.
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Contact: Braves: I think, by far, the Braves have had the best minor league system for the best 30 years. When you develop guys like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Kevin Millwood, Chipper Jones, and Andruw Jones, you know how to succeed down in the farm leagues, and develop quality players. Saying that, why not predict a bold future for Braves prospects. Why not predict 5 gold gloves from Jason Heyward, and 300 homers? Why not predict Tommy Hanson to win 250 games? Maddux has 350+. Talk about a first ballot hall of famer. Getting back to the contact, the Braves have developed sure hall of famer Chipper Jones, who I think is one of the most under-rated players of all time. Jones has 2,382 career hits, almost 500 career doubles, and shows extreme versatility. Andruw Jones had a stretch in his career from 1998 to 2006 in which he never hit less than 150 hits. Jones also shows power and fielding abilities. As I already mentioned, down in the minor league systems, is a young prospect (18 to be exact) that is already being compared to John Mayberry. His name is Jason Heyward, and is raising eyebrows around the Braves, and other team’s minor league systems. The point of this is that the Braves develop all around great players, with contact, speed, fielding, pitching, and power abilities, but contact hitting is their strongest point.
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Power: Rangers: Interesting how a team can be dominated by Speed and Power, which I think is viewed as the two opposite aspects of baseball. Guys like Hank Blalock, Ian Kinsler, and Nelson Cruz provide raw power in the middle of the Rangers lineup. Earlier this season, Chris Davis, the first-basemen was sent down to the Rangers AAA affiliate. Davis was known for his power, but also struck out a lot. If the Rangers can correct their power hitters, and eliminate some strikeouts, then the Rangers will be extremely good some day The Rangers show four areas of importance in the near future, they are; starting pitching, speed, power, and an excellent bullpen.
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Pitching: Giants: Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain's don't just grow on trees. Two of the best pitchers in the game, both below the age of 25. The Giants have two of the best pitching prospects down in the minors, in southpaw Madison Bumgarner, and rhp Tim Alderson. What goes better with prospects than a former Cy-Young award veteran in Barry Zito Fellow lefty himself Madison Bumgarner. Things look extremely good in the future for the Giants.
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Fielding: Pirates: Ok this is clearly the hardest part to come up with a team. The Team I think has the best young fielding and or minor league fielding is the Pittsburg Pirates. Teams like the Pirates that are young and trying to "rebuild" cough Nats cough cough, have a fielding percentage 11 points lower than the Bucs. I have to say, for a team that can't hit, steal bases, or manage; the Pirates have exceeded their expectations.

Top 10 Overall Minor League Systems

1. Braves
2. Rangers
3. Giants
4. Orioles
5. Royals
6. Brewers
7. Rays
8. Marlins
9. White Sox
10.Cardinals

MLB Future Team

C: Matt Wieters*, Buster Posey

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1B: Billy Butler*, Lars Anderson

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2B:Asdrubal Cabrera*, Chris Nelson

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3B:Pablo Sandoval*, Brett Wallace

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SS: Troy Tulowitzki*, Tim Beckham

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OF:Andrew McCutchen*, Jason Heyward

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OF:Cameron Maybin*, Domonic Brown

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OF:Colby Rasmus*, Desmond Jennings

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LHP, SP: David Price*, Derek Holland*, Brian Matusz*, Madison Bumgarner, Martin Perez

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RHP, SP: Neftali Feliz*, Chris Tillman*, Tommy Hanson*, Tim Alderson, Jordan Walden



(Note:* = currently playing in MLB)

Most Over-Rated Players in MLB

Alfonso Soriano: Sure, versatile, but is he really as good as he gets paid for? 8 years 139 million dollars is not something that should go with the stats he puts up. He deserves a salary like 8 years 60 million, and even that is a lot. He got the money he got because of the high payroll. I have to admit when Soriano is hot, he is hotter than anyone, but when he is slumping, he tries to hit everything, and his plate discipline goes down the drain.
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J.D Drew: Amazing isn't it, how much one RBI makes a difference? If Drew had 99 RBI in 2006, I could almost guarantee you that he would not get 14 million a year. Drew also had 20 Homers, and that also edged out a little bit more money. It seems amazing how players go to the NL to AL and struggle(J.D Drew, Matt Holiday), and how AL players go to the NL and dominate ( Cliff Lee,(recently) C.C Sabathia, and Matt Holiday who was traded back to the NL). Amazing how that pattern carries on isn't it?
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Carlos Lee: When you have a wall that is only 19 feet high and 315 feet to home plate, you better be putting up big numbers. When you bat behind guys like Hunter Pence, Miguel Tejada, and Michael Bourn, who I think is one of the best base runners in the game, you better drive them in. Everyone thinks that the green monster or the right field porch in Yankee Stadium is the easiest place to hit a homerun, but the wall in left is 1 foot farther then the short porch in the Bronx, and is 19 feet shorter than the green monster, then you can hit anything over that wall. Where else does Lee play Busch Stadium, where the wall is 336 feet from home plate, not so long either, as well as 355 to left in Wrigley, he hit 30+ homers in Milwaukee when he played as a Brewer, so that is no question that he can hit there, and Cincinnati has a great hitters park, and the Pirates park is the only one with flaws.

Orioles Team of Future

Nick Markakis is batting .298 this season, with 13 home runs and 78 RBI. He is just 25, and is on the verge of becoming a great player in the MLB. Meanwhile, top prospect Matt Wieters is an impressive backstop, while top prospects such as Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, Troy Patton and Brandon Erbe are going to be throwing to him in the near future. This season in AAA Chris Tillman is 8-6 with an impressive 2.70 era and 99 strikeouts, which leads the team. Matusz was just called up to the Majors, and he has been a little shaky, but that was expected from the youngster. Patton is 1-3 with an era of 6.45 at the AAA level, when he was called up he was 0-2 until he tore his labrum and needed season-ending surgery. Erbe is 3-3 with a 2.08 era in the Orioles AA team the Baysox, as he is also a rising star. On the offensive side of the ball, Matt Wieters is one of the best fielding and hitting catchers ever to pass through the minor league system, and he is being compared to Joe Mauer. In 2008 Wieters batted .365, with 15 homers and 51 RBI, at AA Bowie. He will complement corner outfielder Nick Markakis, and other developing minor leaguers such as Miguel Abreu, and prospect Nolan Riemold who was awarded 2009 MLB Rookie of the Month for May, and this season in the majors he his hitting .272 with 10 homers and 32 RBI. The Orioles would have a great outfield if Markakis played Right field; Reimold played Left, and 2009 AL All-Star Adam Jones in center. Well, speaking of Jones, he just turned 23 years of age, and he is batting .298 with 19 Homers and 64 RBI this season. Jones shows that in the near future, that the Orioles will be a great team. That statement leads me to my next conclusion; that the AL east will be the toughest division in the whole Major Leagues. The Yankees can sign anyone they want with their outrageous payroll, and their balance of veterans and youth which fill the roster. The Sox have a great team and a high payroll also, always contend and have a good minor league system themselves, while down in Tampa, the Rays have themselves a young explosive team, with above average pitching, fielding, speed, and power. The Blue Jays have surprisingly one of the best offensive lineups, and there weakness is the bottom of the rotation, so if they can improve that, maybe trade Halladay next season for some prospects, it may make even more sense for a successful team over the border. The Orioles have all of these prospects to contend in the future, but it will take a season or two. So, compiling all of these facts, the Orioles are the team of the future, and the AL East will be the best Division in baseball.

My College Football Rankings Top 5

1.Florida: No surprise, right? Well, I almost picked Sam Bradford and the Oklahoma Sooners as number one, because he has more weapons. Urban Meyer is a great coach, as he will develop the wide receiving core, along with Tebow, who is by far the best leader in College Football, and will make a great coach some day.
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2. Oklahoma: Sam Bradford and fellow Sooner TE Jermaine Gresham will connect for short conservative passes, then he Bradford can fling it deep to...well he has no one to fling it deep to, but if he still had a guy like Manuel Johnson or Juaquin Iglesias, they would sure he number one in my rankings.
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3. Texas: Who lead Texas in rushing last season? The quarterback, runner up Heisman Trophy winner Colt McCoy. McCoy has the strength to throw the ball deep also, and I truly think that he will have a great season. I think his leadership is great, and because of his experience he will prosper.
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4. Oklahoma State: Surprise! Surprise! This is a huge sleeper pick. The Cowboys have Zac Robinson returning, as well as his favorite target Dez Bryant. If these options fold, Robinson can hand off to Kendall Hunter.
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5. Southern California: I'll say it; Pete Carroll is one of the best active coaches. He always finds a way to win, after Carson Palmer left, it was Leinart, then John-David Booty, who was not good compared to his peers, and then Mark Sanchez. The defense has always developed too, and this year, it looks a little shaky, but their offense will lead them to a promising bowl game.

World Series Prediction

First I shall predict the winner of each division, and then I will move onto the World Series. I will start first with the American League. My prediction for the winner of the East is the Yankees. The difference between the Bronx bombers and the Sox is the bottom of the Rotation. The Sox have struggling veterans such as Penny and Smoltz, and the Yankees have an even balance in veteran and youth in Joba Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte. The Red Sox do have a better bullpen, but the Yankees is a close 2nd, and will be better rested because of the explosive offense and the launch pad that they call home. Don’t expect the Yankees to go far into the playoffs though, as their home will go against them, and if they play the Red Sox, they are in for a ride, as the Sox are 7-0 vs. the Yankees this season, and some more action between the two teams when the Sox visit the Bronx later this week, which leads me to my next pick. The winner of the AL wild card will be the Sox, and they will get here because of the recent acquisition of Victor Martinez, and the bullpen, which most of the time is strong. But, just because they are a wild card doesn’t mean they won’t get far in the playoffs as we saw in 2004, when they broke the curse. Look out for the BoSox. The AL West will go to the Angels and my pick for Manager of the year: Mike Scocia. The pitching has been bad, but the offense lead by Kendry Morales and Chone Figgins creates a great balance between power and speed. The bullpen is extremely good, maybe as good as the sox bullpen, even after losing Francisco Rodriguez. The bullpen consists of Darren Oliver, who is one of my favorite relievers, and Brian Fuentes, who leads the MLB in saves. Leadership in the clubhouse is coming back, as Tori Hunter and Vlad Guerrero are finally healthy. The AL Central is the closest race of them all, but I think that the white sox will pull away. As I may have said, I love the acquisition of Jarrod Washburn, but if they can’t beat the Orioles with a great pitcher like Washburn, then things will go south, and as I said the bottom of the rotation makes a huge difference. I like the Tigers for next year but this year seems unlikely. The ChiSox will live off of the offense and some of the strong starting pitching they have. Ozzie Guillen is a good manager, and he has been in this situation before. Remember? Way back in 07’ when the Indians were considered a Major League franchise? When pitching was above average and they made it to the ALCS? Yea, that is not happening any time soon. Remember The Race in 05’ when the White Sox got far into the playoffs and won the World Series? The youth talent will show off as the patience of Gordon Beckham shows a strong future to come for the youngster, as he waits for the right pitch, and drives it.
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Now I lead myself into the National League. Getting straight to predictions, the NL East will go to the Phillies, who are going good lately, and are fired up because of the new pitcher Cliff Lee. The only flaw in pitching I find in the Phillies is 4 south paws. When Brett Myers comes back, they will have to put one in the bullpen, and J.A Happ seems like the one that will do so. So, once again, the Marlins will get into the race with the Phillies, and for some reason they never really go away. The Phillies can beat the Marlins easily though, incase any future series against each other occur and Phillies fans should never panic. The Central will go to the Cardinals and their well developed-balanced team they have. Think about it, they have a great manager in La Russa, Pitching in Carpenter Wainright and Pinero, a dominant closer in Franklin, Power in Pujols, Ludwick and Holliday, Contact in Holliday, Pujols, Ankiel and DeRosa, and some speed in Skip Shumaker, and guess who leads the team in stolen bags? Pujols! They even have young guns like Brenden Ryan, who is an excellent defender, and versatility in Mark DeRosa. The Cardinals only have one threatening series this whole month against the Dodgers, while they play sub .500 teams such as the Reds, Pirates, and Padres, not to mention the Nationals. In September the Cardinals play the Brewers, Pirates, Cubs, Marlins, Astros and Rockies. Only one of the series against an above .500 team is away, which is in Colorado, and their home record is 31-23. The cubs have had a shaky bullpen as we saw last night with Carlos Marmol; as he could barley keep the Reds contained. The starting pitching isn’t so glamorous either, but rookie Randy Wells looks very strong on the hill. The cubs go to Colorado, play the Phillies and Dodgers in weeks to come, which may lead to another fall in the standings. Why we talk about the Central why might as well wonder why the Brewers are not in contention? Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Yovani Gallardo, Hoffman? I think this question will never be answered. Getting back to the Cubs, they play the Cardinals and Giants both on the road, during a time in late September when divisions are clinched. In the west, the Dodgers have a great balance of youth and veterans such as Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Andre Eithier, George Sherrill, Jonathan Broxton, Clayton Kershaw, and Chad Billingsly. All of which have talent, and are quite interesting to watch, especially; well you probably know who especially. The Bullpen now has a late inning lefty in George Sherrill, who they pursued and then acquired at the trade deadline. Broxton will do well in the late innings, but we will see how his toe does down the stretch, and incase anything happens, Sherrill is a pretty good closer. Expect the lead between the Rockies and the Dodgers to trim down to 3.5 or 4 games, because of a couple of hard series in the near future for the Dodgers, as they play the Giants, Cardinals, Cubs and Rockies all in one stretch with only one off day. I confirm that In September the Dodgers will Infact run away with the division, because of the teams they will play, which include the Diamondbacks, Padres, Pirates and Nationals. I give the wild card to the Rockies because of the young, surprisingly strong pitching in Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Jorge De La Rosa. I compared the August and September schedules of the Rockies and Giants, and August looks better for the Giants, but the Rockies play only 2 series against above .500 teams, who are the Cardinals and the Giants. The Rockies have a stretch where they play The Mets, Diamondbacks, Reds, and Padres, all at home, except for the series against the Padres, who have the second worst record in the Majors. So the Rockies will win the NL Wild Card.
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My American League Champions are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They have everything they need, and an offense that is hotter than ever. They remind me a lot of the 2004 Red Sox, without the Steroids and the trade that got rid of their best player. They have overcome tragedy, injuries, and the loss of the best closer of the game, and now, I think that they can do almost anything. The National League Champions will be The Cardinals, because of their well balanced team, and their experience in the playoffs. I do not think that the Dodgers have well enough starting pitching to beat the Cardinals, so that is why they will be in the fall classic. I think that the Series will go down to 6 or 7 games, where the Cardinals will win the World Series. Just a comment, last year at this time I predicted the Rays and the Phillies in the World Series.

Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols is arguably the best player of the last decade. He has hit 32 or more homers in every season so far, including his rookie season. He has hit over .300 every year, and when he steps into the batters box, a dose of fear comes into the pitchers mind. But, why has Albert been slumping lately? Pitchers just don't want to pitch to him, should they just walk him. He used to lead the league in RBI, now he is tied with Prince Fielder. He used to be the hottest player in the game, never hitting a slump; until now. Thanks to Fox Sports, I was able to find out where in the strike zone Albert is hitting the worse. He is hitting .250 middle in, and has no hits when the ball is down and in. Up and away is also a weakness, as he hits .240 there. Most of the Outs produced by Pujols are low, but if you miss low, and leave the ball middle away, get ready to go for a ride. As much as Albert takes advantage of Pitchers mistakes, he has not been hitting lately. He has been walked and walked, and the addition of Holiday has only weakened Pujols. I am predicting that Pujols will finish the year with 35-40 home runs, and about 120 RBI's. Now that is a season only Hall-of Famers put up, but that is only 1-6 more big bangs and only 26 more RBI's. That is almost 1/3 of how many RBI he had the whole first half. Although my predictions are bold, I too hope Albert will get back in his stride, so I can get rid of the new poll I just added to the blog; who will win the NL MVP?

Rating Trades: Victor Martinez to Sox

Victor Martinez to Red Sox
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Red Sox: B
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Indians: C
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The Red Sox have acquired C/1B Victor Martinez. The Red Sox have pursued Martinez along with Adrian Gonzalez for many weeks before the deadline. If it were Adrian Gonzalez dealt to the Red Sox would probably get an A for this trade, besides, Adrian Gonzalez has hit 28 homers in canyon of a ballpark. Getting back to Martinez, the switch hitter allows many different options for manager Francona, who has proved to be an elite manager down the stretch in a playoff run. The Sox have acquired an all-star which I honestly think will help them a lot. The Indians have acquired an above average bottom of the rotation pitcher, along with two former first-round draft picks. Although the Indians look to be going in the wrong direction, they clearly had no shot for the playoffs this year, and I agree with the actions of there general manager. The great management and thorough minor league development, the Indians will be a good team in a few years, but that isn't now, so the trade is an average; C.

David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez

Yesterday, the New York Times reported that both Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for peformance inhancing drugs in 2003. A wave of shock has gone through Red Sox Nation, as their beloved " Big Papi" tested positive for Peformance inhancing drugs. Earlier this year in spring training, Papi said that players that test positive should be banned for a year. Now, back in 2003, the certain drug that ortiz tested positive for may not have been banned. If it was, give him a taste of his own medicine and suspend him for one season. Ortiz has disapointed me, his fans, the Boston Red Sox, and his family. He was once a role-model to society, and now he is just another inconvience for Bud Selig.
Manny has already been linked to steroids and or performance enhancing drugs, as he tested positive during spring training this year. In 2004, Manny won the World Series MVP, as the Red Sox won there first World Series Championship in 86 years. Forever, this World Series victory may be tainted.

Cliff Lee To Phillies

Cliff Lee was recently traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded for 4 prospects, and the trade will be definite once Lee passes a physical. Ben Francisco was also traded to the Phillies with Lee. Lee won the Cy Young award last year, and this year he is almost as good, so I am predicting him to dominate for the remainder of the season. The NL has less of a powerful offense and Lee will face teams like the Mets, Marlins, Braves and Nationals. I now declare the Philadelphia Phillies the team to beat in the National League.

Plaxico Burress

The Manhattan district attorney has recently announced that Plaxico Burress will go to jail. Here is a note to Burress: you are a famous football player with a god-given ability, and you should stop taking your career for granted. If Plaxico were a normal person, he would be in prison for many, many years. He is lucky that he is going to jail. Just because he is a superstar athlete, does not mean that he cannot serve a long time in the slammer. The thing that bothers me more is the fact that he is not in jail for longer, not the fact that I won't see him on the field in a while. Its time to realize for the limited time he will most likely serve. Just one more thing; Plaxico, learn from your mistakes, suck it up and come back in a few years. Maybe you'll humble out a little bit.

Breakout and Disappointment Team of 09'

This coming year in the NFL will be a great one, as I predict the surprises and disappointments of the season to come. My team to beat is the Minnesota Vikings. In one of my recent posts, I said Favre would come back, which will settle the Quarterback problem in Minnesota. Also, when Favre leaves after this following season (hopefully permanently) Tavaris Jackson, the backup will have learned a lot from a hall of famer in Favre. Veteran Receivers like Bernard Berrian, he will teach the Vikings first round draft pick Percy Harvin to be explosive like he was in college. With the running attack in Adrian Peterson, and Pro bowl offensive linemen like Steve Hutchinson blocking him, Minnesota will have on of the best offensive attacks in the NFL. On the other side of the ball, 3 pro-bowl defenders in Jared Allen, Antoine Winfield and Kevin Williams, lead a strong attack.The disappointment team of the coming season is the San Diego Chargers. This is a bold prediction, but LaDainian Tomlinson is 30 now, and I think he will follow in the steps of former great running backs like Shaun Alexander, and Marshall Faulk, who seemed plateaued at the end of their careers. To me, the Chargers resemble this years New York Mets, except a football team. They are actually a well-rounded team on paper, but I am predicting things to fall apart. Last year, they lost to the Panthers, Dolphins, Bills, and Broncos, all teams that they should have beaten. They beat the Chiefs by one point every time they played them, and the Chiefs went on to be 2-14 that year. So, all of this will come together and the Chargers will have a terrible season, I am predicting a 4-12 record.

Jim Rice

Personally, the career of Jim Rice is something interesting, just looking at his stats. Its interests I to see what seemed like a plateau for Rice, in the middle of his career. For three strait years Rice finished off the year with less than 100 RBI's. But Rice picked up the slack, and hit 100 RBI's or more for the next 3 seasons. That is what impressed me the most about Rice. He makes a perfect example that you can learn from your mistakes. He struck out 123 times in his second season, and never wiffed more than that for the rest of his career. The reason I think that Rice was inducted on his last possible ballot of eligibility, was because so many other outfielders are great hitters like Rice, but Rice will be inducted today in Cooperstown congrats Rice, your a legend.

Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson is clearly the best leadoff man in all of Baseball history. In his 25 seasons, he has 3,055 hits, almost 300 home runs, and 1,406 stolen bases, the all-time record in the statistical category. Henderson is on of those guys that you would love on your team. If you’re the away team, he can start the game off with a bang, or a single, which makes him more valuable than any other leadoff man in the history of the game. Once Henderson got on base he was though to throw out. The best arms in the game had trouble throwing this guy out. Henderson stole more bases than anyone in the history of the game, and is more than 400 more than the person 2nd on the all-time list, which is Lou Brock. Henderson had 3 silver slugger awards, and a lifetime .279 batting average, as he hit badly late in his career. He had a Gold glove, and even won an MVP award. I appreciate all that Henderson has done for baseball, his explosiveness, his power, his fielding, and in my mind he will be considered one of the greatest of all time.

Steroids in Baseball

Baseball is the unofficial pastime of America. It is a game of inches, in which strives with mental and physical strength, revolving around a competitive concept of winning a World Series championship. For the last few decades, a bitter conspiracy has revolved around building lean muscle from shots, pills and other antibiotics. Players in the MLB have used Performance enhancing drugs such as Steroids and Human Growth Hormones to enhance their performance (hence the performance enhancing) in which lead them to elite status among their peers. Among great players that have used steroids are Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, and Sammy Sosa. These self-centered cheaters, each used performance enhancing drugs, and all used a new strategy in federal court. Bonds just flat out denied it, Sosa forgot how to speak English, and McGuire is an even worse liar then Bonds. These men were considered role models and heroes’s to so many people growing up, and suddenly are considered a disgrace to society. There stupid actions may lead them to health risks, later in their lives, which they obviously don’t care about. Adding on to this conspiracy, in 2007, George Mitchell, a former United States Senator, came out with a list of players that used PED’s. The list was called the Mitchell Report and showed other great players such as Brian Roberts and Miguel Tejada, which seemed to me, like humble, nice guys. I think the worst part about this is that your favorite players are so great to you, and then they show up in something like this, it hurts you. Because of this, what does this say to these children that grew up watching these players? Steroids and drugs are okay? Is that the message that needs to be sent across society? Doesn’t this Country have enough problems, the economy, the health care system, and soon to be steroids? Bud Selig has lost all of my respect, for not punishing these players. The United States Government should take over the MLB drug system and Bud Selig should be removed from his job for his lack of discipline. Look at Roger Goodell, he is not tolerating any of these terrible things, and I complement him for that, as commissioner of the NFL. Its time get serious about this, this is no joke, as you will all come to see in the future, how this will affect these steroid users in the long run. As a punishment for these players, they should serve a 5 year suspension, and a fine that takes up 1/3 of their salary, and the proceeds will go to anti-drug programs. These cheaters should also go across the country talking to kids about not using performance enhancing drugs. Once they have done what they were asked to do, and have cooperated with the system of the MLB, they should be happily welcomed back to Major League Baseball.

The Vick Journey

After spending 23 months in prison, Michael Vick is finally a free man. What seemed like a short while, Vick was confined to a prison cell, punished due to disturbing allegations, which met fatal endings for many dogs. A few days ago, Vick met with Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League. Reports say that Goodell is planning on announcing a conditional reinstatement for Vick, which would prevent him from playing in the league where he was once considered elite. I think everyone can agree, if he was a normal person, he would have been in prison for much longer, but that does not mean he should miss part of the NFL season more specifically; four weeks. He did his time, so why punish him any longer? This country is about second chances, and that is what Vick should get.

Favre Return?

How many times does Brett Favre have to be so dramatic with us? Hasn't he made it clear he doesn't have enough in the tank? Is there some sort of physiological problem here? Insecurity? Bipolar? I mean, we might as well make another stupid reality show about it. At the same time that I say this, I assure you that he will come back as a member of the Minnesota Vikings next season. Favre got the shoulder ligament surgery done, as requested by the Vikings, so why not just return for one FINAL season? Besides, if Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen asked you to join their team, how would you turn them down? I absolutely hate the ongoing antics of this middle-aged maniac. He no longer has the presence he once had taking snaps, and his mid-life crisis has led him to a sudden slope downhill for his legacy. However, the competitive aspect of battling his recent understudy excites me. If Favre does indeed sign with the Vikings (which he will) the tradition of the Packers and Vikings rivalry will rage, compelling all football fans. Can you imagine cheese-heads booing there once golden boy on a cold Sunday night at Lambeau field? That defines epic. And that is what football is all about. Welcome back Brett...again.

Dr. Halladay

The Philadelphia Phillies have recently shown interest in Roy Halladay. Halladay is 11-3 with a 2.73 era. Now, who else has an era in that range? Jarrod Washburn, Cliff Lee and Dallas Braden. Now, how logical would it be for the Phillies to get a pricey veteran when they could get a cheap one in Lee? Not to mention Washburn or the rising Braden, all in which have less wins then Halladay, due to their lousy run support. Why is Halladay so good? Well, he does have run support from the Jays, who are 2nd in hits, 5th in batting average, and 1st in doubles. Lee's Indians are 11th in hits, 17th in batting average, and 9th in doubles. Washburn's Mariners are 16th in hits, 14th in batting average, and 20th in doubles. Bradens Athletics are 26th in hits, 26th in batting average and 24th in doubles. Now, see the point? Braden has 7 wins, 4 less than Halladay, and about twice as terrible of an offense. A unique pattern? All of the three are south-paws. Lee can be a valuable asset to any team, as a lefty is always good to shake things up in the middle of your rotation. If I were a GM of a team, I would look to acquire these types of guys before I try a blockbuster deal for Halladay. So many underrated pitchers are so ready to be discovered, that a Roy Halladay deal just seems like a bad deal. Teams that I think should look at Halladay are the White Sox, Astros, Angels, and of course the Phillies. The White Sox have an above average pay roll, and the White sox could deal a prospect like Tyler Flowers, a Catcher in the Sox AAA system, as well as Carlos Torres, a 26 year old RHP who is 8-4 with a 2.00 era this season in AAA. The Astros are my favorite team for Halladay, but the prospects are rare for Halladay. Yorman Bazardo is a top prospect for the AAA affiliate, and he could be involved in a possible trade, as well as Bud Norris. The Angels can offer Trevor Reckling, a south-paw as Well as Trevor Bell. The Phillies could offer a number of prospects such as J.A Happ, Kyle Kendrick, Andrew Carpenter, or maybe even John Mayberry Jr. Each of these teams could use a guy like Halladay, and could of course afford him. As of Now though, I think that it is not the right time to get Halladay, and wait until the last minute of the deadline, or at the deadline next year, which would force the Blue Jays into a desperation mode to trade Doc.

Manny Ramirez

Yesterday, Manny Ramirez pasted Mickey Mantle on the all-time home run list. The homer was his 537th career. He now is 15th on the all-time home run list. It seems like every guy on the top of the list used PED's. Manny used steroids so did Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Rodriguez, Palmeiro, etc...Not to mention the selfish actions of the Left-fielder when he decided he wanted to leave Boston, once again. It seemed like at the end of his Red Sox career, Ramirez was not trying as hard and once again his self-revolved personality kicked in. This also relates to my last post about Scott Boras, who is indeed Manny's agent. Although the Slugger had lead the Red Sox to a 2004 and 2007 World Series victories, even then he was self inclined, demanding trades only to be acquisitioned in 2008. It seems like so many players in professional sports have spread the epidemic of greed and Performance enhancing drugs.

The Money of Baseball

Stephen Strasburg has not talked to the Washington Nationals since he was drafted. The hard- throwing right hander from San Diego State was clocked at 100 MPH this year. The youngster was coached by major league great Tony Gywnn. Negotiations were projected to be tough between Strasburg and the Nationals. His agent Scott Boras is a greedy agent who quite frankly is known for getting the most available money for his players. While on the other end of the table, the low salary caped Nationals worry about how they will afford this player, which they definitely need. So why is one of the best pitchers ever to be drafted, not talking to the team he was drafted by? Scott Boras has already ruined one prospects career, and it would be history for Strasburg not to be signed. Remember Matt Harrington? The terrible negotiation process caused Harrington to turn down a 4.9 million dollar contract. Guess who his agent was. Contracts and dough have taken over the game of baseball. It seems that it is ruining the game. Fans can't watch decent players because the player’s agents and the player’s themselves are too greedy. Their are people living on a 20th of these players salaries and they are doing alright, so why, why does so much dough have to ruin the fine game of baseball?

Jeremy Mayfield

Ah...a day in the world of a wannabe NASCAR racecar driver. Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines and was suspended from driving. Recently, Mayfield told a North Carolina T.V. station that a different test showed no trace of the drug. Apparently Mayfield accuses NASCAR for spiking his drug sample. I would like to know who really cares about this. I have never heard of this guy before now, and although I am not a huge NASCAR fan, I know some of the popular names of drivers that actually win races. Let’s say this; at least NASCAR doesn't have to worry about its drivers to use drugs to enhance their performance (unlike the MLB). Infact, what drug doesn't make you a worse driver? Maybe that is the reason Mayfield has never one any significant races. Maybe because he is so drugged up and it affects his performance. Now that is twice as dumb as Barry Bonds shooting steroids up his forearm.