Baseball #2

And they are at it again. Yankees snare 1B Teixeira <SNIP>
Keeping up an unprecedented spending spree, the New York Yankees added Mark Teixeira to their collection of pricey free agents when they reached a preliminary agreement on a $180 million, eight-year contract with the first baseman.

You know I wonder if they realize that you could load your field up with all the best players and still not have a winning season, any player can go down, injury, slump, stubborness, etc. I love how they think that by doing all this spending that no matter what happens the fans will love [insert players name] :lol: yeah I am betting not so much. But it's their money and if they think this works for them, more power to them.

Now this is funny. The Scott Boras translation machine

Can we get any funnier? Yup. Angels not pursuing Manny - GM Reagins says club will go with current, younger personnel. Can we say OUCH!!! :lol:
 
Blue Jays sign C Barrett
The Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday signed catcher Michael Barrett to a minor-league contract with a club option for the 2010 season. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Mark DeRosa is the right fit at third base
The scrambled picture that was the Indians infield finally came into focus on New Year's Eve with the acquisition of Mark DeRosa from the Chicago Cubs for three minor-league pitchers.

To Keep Up with all the BB News.
Hot Stove Report 2008/2009

In other news:

Relatives blame racial profiling for shooting

Selig must react strongly to Brian Giles incident

MLB Network, The Wait Is Almost Over

Manny's agent, LA yet to restart talks
 
The Toronto Sun listed Baseball's 25 most influential Canadians today in the paper. I won't bore you with all of them but here is a partial list. If you feel so inclined here is the link to the top 100. The link for the top 25 won't work :scream:

1) Paul Beeston, interim CEO of the Blue Jays.
3) Pat Gillick, senior adviser, Philadelphia Phillies.
4) Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins.
5) Ted Rogers, deceased owner of the Blue Jays
6) Claude Delorme, Vice-President Florida Marlins.
8) Paul Godfrey, former President of the Blue Jays
14) Jerry Howarth, Blue Jays broadcaster
15) Fergie Jenkins, Hall of Famer
16) Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs pitcher
17) Larry Walker, Team Canada coach and former MLB slugger
23) Dave McKay, coach St Louis Cardinals.
 
Well we signed Woods for a closer, then we signed DeRosa for third base, and now we add Pavano into the starting rotation.

Indians, Pavano reaches one-year deal - Injury-plagued right-hander looking to re-establish career. <SNIP> the Indians, who designated first baseman Michael Aubrey for assignment to make room for Pavano on the 40-man roster.

Rehabbing Hafner almost ready to hit - Indians slugger should be swinging bat by middle of month. - Three months removed from arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome right shoulder, Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner is almost ready to pick up a bat.
What Pronk does with that bat could go a long way toward determining how competitive the Indians are in 2009, but first things first. Hafner must first be cleared to begin hitting in the indoor cages, and he's nearing the green light.

I love what the Indian's MLB writer put in his Blog regarding both stories.
Pavano: You gotta love the influx of Italians on this roster, don't you?
Hafner: I believe "pre-hitting activities" include trying on batting gloves and writing his number in magic marker on the knob of the bat

:lol:
 
More BB news..

Hall Of Fame Coverage

D.C. grand jury investigating Clemens - Justice Department has been looking into possible perjury.
WASHINGTON -- A federal grand jury is investigating whether Roger Clemens lied to Congress last year, two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.

Stimulant exemptions in baseball on the rise
Baseball authorized nearly 8 percent of its players to use drugs for ADHD last season, which allowed them to take otherwise banned stimulants.

Tribe inks Shoppach to one-year deal <SNIPS>
Kelly Shoppach got a raise, and the Indians continued a streak.
Both sides came out happy Monday, when Shoppach signed a one-year deal worth $1.95 million (He made $400,100 last year) with the Tribe to avoid salary arbitration. The Indians have not had to go to an arbitration hearing with a player since it came to that point with Greg Swindell and Jerry Browne in 1991.

"There's nothing like being able to put your head on the pillow at night and know your family is going to be OK -- at least for the near future."
Shoppach's family is growing. His wife, Jennifer, is due to give birth to a third daughter any day now. - "There's a lot of stuff happening right now," said Shoppach, who has been working out regularly at the Indians' new Spring Training complex in Goodyear, Ariz.
 
I'm not surprised to see Ricky Henderson make it to the Hall. He was damn good at leading off. And once he got on boy did he like to steal bases.

Jim Rice is a name from the past. I remember his playing days. It's good to see him finally getting in after all these years.

There are some interesting names on this year's ballot that won't be on again. Mark McGwire, Tommy John, Mo Vaughan and David Cone. I'm not surprised to see McGwire not on the list anymore. I think it's going to be hard for any player who's tainted by steroids to get in the Hall. That being said it will be interesting to see what happens to Clemens when his time comes to be on the ballot.
 
Canada has announced it's preliminary roster for the World Baseball Classic which will be played at the beginning of March at The Rogers Centre in Toronto. Ryan Dempster of the Cubs and Jeff Francis of the Rockies will not be pitching for Canada this year. Jays Scott Richmond will be. Other notable Canadians on the roster are Rich Harden, Cubs; Eric Gagne, Free Agent; Justin Morneau, Twins; Peter Orr, Nationals; Jason Bay, Red Sox; Matt Stairs, Phillies and Joey Votto of the Reds. Former Jays coach and player Ernie Whitt is the manager.

Some other Jays to make other countries teams are B.J. Ryan, US; Vernon Wells, US and Marco Scutaro, Venezuela. What's interesting to see is that Roy Halladay of the Jays is missing from the US team

In other Jays news, Brandon League has agreed to a one-year, $640k contract. There are 5 others still in salary arbitration: Jeremy Accardo, Shawn Camp, Jason Frasor, Brian Tallet and Jose Bautista. In the 8 years J.P. Ricciardi has be the GM he's not had to go to arbitration with any player. Lets see if the trend continues with the remaining 5 players.
 
A-Rod has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. Well at least he's honest about it. He admitted to using the drugs well he played for Texas.

A-Rod admits to using drugs

Oh well hopefully this will help him not get elected to the Hall of Fame when his time comes.

Oh and if anyone cares pitchers and catchers will be reporting to spring training in the next week or so :)
 
Oy so much news in little time span.
Andy Marte has been DFA'd no shocker there.

Josh Barfield on the 25 man roster (yay) he is also being tested at third, and all three outfield positions and doing well at those. His idea of the move "In the outfield you just run and catch the ball." lol. TPTB are hoping he can take over where Franky left off (when he was traded) he could play all three OF positions.

Ryan Garko will be tested in the outfield specifically left field (with Ben F and David D) and will alternate between there and first if he does well. Also Ryan is proud because he lost 10 pounds.

Victor Martinez & Kelly Shoppach will alternate catching (Shop will catch Cliff, Vic will catch Fausto after that its up for grabs) When Kelly is catching Victor will be at first

All the new guys Wood, Pavano, Smith & DeRosa are getting along with the rest of the players already.

Raffie B, Victor, Fausto, Masa, and Asdrubal have all pulled out of the WBC to focus on the season (some due to injury some because of really bad season).

All the players are in love with the new complex in goodyear, AZ the 108 million complex drew them so much they all reported to spring training about a week or two earlier, and those who lived in AZ were there during the off season. Those who want to see the Complex and wish you were there some Pics are Click Here Castro Blog, and Here Cleveland.com Page 1-7 or 8
10,000-seat Goodyear Ballpark, 3,900 square foot weight room, 2,450 square foot Major League clubhouse elliptical shape with big screen tvs, a film room, two kitchens, a chef, (btw the 2 kitchens is because this will house the major and minor leaguers). If anyone is interested in more info on the ball park let me know and I will post it. Or I might anyway I don't know yet.

Funny story.. David Dellucci will miss the first three spring games, due to a left thumb injury, the first story he told reporters and players was that
"Right before I came here," Dellucci explained, "I was fishing on the side of my lake, and I heard a little boy screaming. I ran over there, and an alligator had him by the leg. I jumped on the gator, poked him in the eyes, freed the kid, but he [bit] me in my thumb. I got stitches, had surgery and the stitches will come out on Monday." Then the real story is "I was getting ready to come to camp," said Dellucci. "I was unloading everything from the offseason. I was getting ready to shut the tailgate of the trailer. It wouldn't latch on and I gave it one big heave and, boom, I got my thumb." But here is the kicker of it all... "There are about a dozen guys in this clubhouse who still believe it," Dellucci said with a smile. :lol:

Here is some thinking for our beloved teams, maybe every new season we should have a new thread change the title of this one to match the date this was started to the date it ends and then start one for "Baseball 2009"
Just a thought.
 
Okay Indians news...

-Victor hit two HR's in spring training games btw it was in the same game back to back (heck last main season that is all he hit in HR's)

-Grady Sizemore pulled out of the WBC due to a strained muscle in his groin area. He is out for now will be rechecked Sunday, but will definitly be back for regular season.

-Carl Pavano had two scoreless innings in his spring training debute, kiss that yankee's lol sorry couldn't resist.

-Josh Barfield seems to be doing really good in ST. Alot better then the last two years. Almost back to the form he was when he came to us. And he still has that child like smile when he does good, I am proud of him.

-Hafner and Dellucci are said to both be returning to ST play sometime this coming week, and Hafners BP with the team he is hitting similar to the "pronk" of old. Also Dellucci still hasn't been able to convince alot of players (minors) that he was joking about the gator and it was really the tailgate of his truck. :lol:

-Fausto Carmona seems to be returning to form as well, he put on some muscle weight which means the wind won't blow him off the mound.
Looks like alot of the players are in pretty good shape, toned and thinner some who didn't last season have waists this season and some who needed waists last season have them this season (I am referring to the stick people we had lol).

-Raffie Betancourt seems to also be returning to control form

-Both Josh and Ryan look good in the outfield

-A couple of the minor league pitchers look good (Scott Lewis, Rondon)
-As to the Minor league position players none wow me, and a couple of the Major league (just into a full yr from the minors) don't either. Same with some of the Major league/minor league pitchers oy.

-Wood (the new closer) had some back soreness, but they said it happens at the beginning of every ST because as he put it, he gets out of the practice of wearing spikes and has to adjust, but it doesn't take long, seems so cause he seems to being doing good.

-Joe Smith was out with a five day headache and viral flu, he is a little weak but was throwing and building strength.

- DeRose is doing good, christiened the first game of ST with a HR, he seems like and Italian Casey Blake at third lol.

-Alot of the players in the off season who had trouble and needed an interpter last season, have been not only practicing BB but English as well, seems that Carmona who never spoke without one, is going to try it solo though one will be on standby incase he doesn't get the question or his answer gets half and half, but he expects to be without one pretty soon.
Raffie Perez is thinking about it, mostly its the media that he is more timid about speaking to.
Masa (one of my Imo oy's) has been trying to learn he has the terminology of BB down so now the pitching coach doesn't have to ask the interpeter so much for help before going out to talk to him if he needs to.

-The Team has to fill a fifth pitching spot in the rotation (kinda like to see Jackson or Scott Lewis get that), and one bullpen (Kinda like to see Rondon get that though I would have to see more of him).

Geez did I get everything? probably not but there is always time right.

So how is everyone elses Spring Training going? Come on it might be still winter but lets go baseball, think spring, think green, think some cute guys on field ummm oppps.. WHAT! if they are I am lookin' :lol:
 
I would bring up more Indians news but I read this story and it just goes to show that no matter how thick skinned a player is, no matter how much they say it doesn't bother them, this story proves more then anything that that players are not only human, not only have feelings, but that when things crash down around them, sometimes trying to survive and rise above is hard, is cruel and sometimes, just sometimes so bad they can't do it.

Of This story that I am linking to I am going to only post a snip of it, I urge all fans and even non fans to read it, because it can tell you alot about all walks of life.

A tragic end for a minor leaguer

"Ask the most hard-core baseball fan about John C. Odom and most likely you’ll get a blank stare. Yet millions of people have heard of the slender right-hander. - He was “Bat Man” or “Bat Guy” or “Bat Boy,” the minor league baseball player traded for 10 maple bats.

It became a big joke last May when word of the unusual swap jumped off the sports pages, and the former San Francisco Giants prospect went from pitcher to punch line. - “People are like, ‘I’d kill myself’ and stuff,” Odom said at the time, dismissing any such notion.

Three weeks after the trade, he abruptly left the team.
Six months after the trade, he was dead."

Also in this story it tells of another player who shot himself, another who lost his faith, and of a fan who went into hiding to keep from being hurt. here is a snip of that.

"Baseball isn’t always the warm and fuzzy game of “Bull Durham” and “Field of Dreams.” It can also be cruel and unforgiving.
Reliever Donnie Moore shot himself to death three years after giving up a big home run that kept the Angels from winning the American League pennant.
Boston All-Star Bill Buckner became a scourge after letting a ball roll through his legs in the World Series.
A Cubs fan, Steve Bartman, retreated from public view after trying to catch a foul ball and possibly costing his team its first National League championship since 1945."

After reading the snips, and hopefully reading the story we as fans, as humans realize as much as we want that win, to be competitive, there is a fine line and all of us players and fans alike must always becareful getting near little lone ever wanting to cross, because while there are stories of amazing come backs, big things happening, there are those stories such as these that remind us human nature is just that and there are somethings no matter what we do we just can not come back from no matter how we try. These reminders come at such a tragically large price is such a shame, and it really shouldn't be.
 
I read this on yahoo news and it brought tears to my eyes. "Red, white and blue, through and through"

Here is a snip of it....

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The flag traveled around the world and through the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq. Sgt. Felix Perez brought it from home as a reminder and an amulet. The flag never left his Army backpack.

It accompanied Perez to Dolphin Stadium on Tuesday night. He needed some luck for his team, the United States, in its must-win World Baseball Classic game against Puerto Rico. Perez wore a Team USA hat and a Team USA hoodie, and his little sister, Jessica, draped his flag across her shoulders. The United States’ 6-5 come-from-behind victory in the ninth inning sent them into a frenzy. She danced around. He sat in his motorized wheelchair and roared.

On the way out, the 27-year-old Perez placed the flag in his lap and leaned over to a security guard manning Gate G. He was hoping some players from Team USA might sign it. The security guard led Perez and his sister to the U.S. clubhouse, and the flag went inside.

“The next thing I know,” Perez said, “I’m getting called to come back in there.”

And so began the coolest 30 minutes of Felix Perez’s life. On an evening when he felt especially proud to be an American – when a group of his sporting heroes wearing his country’s name across their chests banded together to win a game they had no business winning – Perez found himself surrounded by them, doused with celebratory Miller Lites, with the American flag that was with him during the worst moment of his life passed around the room and signed by every player on the team.

“Everybody,” Perez said.

Then they handed him a ball filled with signatures.

“Everybody,” Perez said.
Click to expand...

The rest can be read by clicking the link.
 
It doesn't matter what country you live in or cheer for that story brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing it Destiny :)
 
Amen to that, they did a follow up story and there is a video.

A Real American Hero wishes Team USA Good Luck Before WBC Semi's

To Watch the Video Click the link above and go to the bottom.
This time last week, Felix Perez was busy buying tickets to make sure he'd be in the stands for the United States' WBC elimination game on Tuesday against Puerto Rico.

But on Sunday night, Perez was holding down a spot of honor in front of the Team USA dugout while wishing all the players luck before their semifinal game against Japan.

"This is unbelievable," he said as a parade of baseball stars he now calls friends — from David Wright to Derek Jeter to Shane Victorino — came over to greet him.

Sports stories don't get any better than this one, really. You probably read earlier this week about Perez, the 27-year-old U.S. sergeant who was seriously injured while serving in Iraq, and his quest to get his American flag signed after Wright's game-winning hit dropped just fair at Miami's Dolphin Stadium. If not, ths story goes like this: A kind security guard helped Perez out and brought him into the clubhouse celebration. Many smiles and autographs later, the Mets fan had an entire team of new baseball buddies, including his favorite player, Wright.

So many people were touched by the story that Y! Sports' own Jeff Passan had an email inbox full of people wanting to ensure that Perez could make it to Los Angeles this weekend for the WBC semis and final. Some worked for airlines and wanted to arrange flights. Others wanted to know how they could PayPal over their cash so he'd have a little spending money.

But the great part about the story is that while everyone at home was reaching out to a total stranger, the same thing was going on among the U.S. players. Wright spearheaded an effort to pass that hat, among his teammates, they did and Perez got the call on Thursday to make sure that he and his parents cleared their weekend schedules.

"They called me up and said I was going," he remembered. "I said, 'Going where?'"

After finishing up with batting practice on Sunday, Wright made a beeline for Perez. And even though that there were about a dozen TV cameras surrounding him, he spoke quiet enough so that only Perez could hear what he was saying. It was their little moment.

"We were fortunate enough to meet him in Miami," Wright explained to reporters a few minutes later. "Guys got together and wanted to bring him out here. I'm glad that we were able to. You put on this (U.S.) uniform and you all have your individual thoughts on what the uniform means. But then you have a whole different interpretation when you hear from someone like (Felix)."

Before heading into the dugout for good, Wright visited with Perez one last time and posed for plenty of pictures. He wrangled U.S. manager Davey Johnson and made sure he got in the shot, too. Moments later, Perez's father took Wright aside and whispered into his ear.

"You don't know how much this means to us," he said.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top