Just in case you thought I went away posted by Joe Gunderson

Hey Everyone,

First, allow me to apologize for the length of time it has taken to post again.  I have had a busy few weeks since my last entry.  I've gotten engaged to my long-time girlfriend (I honestly am not sure why she waited for me but oh so glad she did!). Christmas and New Years and my birthday have all come and gone and were wonderful and I miss my extended family already.  And of course there has been lots of baseball news, though not Twins related, the biggest of which happened just a little bit ago today.

The list of baseball news includes the following:

-Matt Holliday re-signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for 7 years and $120 million

-Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman signed with the Cincinnati Reds for six years and around $30 million

-Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee were traded to the Phillies and Mariners respectfully

-Chone Figgins signed with the Mariners

-Former A's and Cardinals slugger finally admitted to using steriods

Wait, what was that last one?!  Yep, that's correct, just a little bit ago, the news we've all been waiting for since, oh I'd say, the moment number 62 left his bat, has finally come to pass.  We can all now move on with our lives.  For those of you not quite ready to do that, here's a link to the ESPN.com story, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607.

My feelings on this are that we all pretty much knew this back when he was playing but really we wanted to ignore it because we were all caught up in the magic of the moment when he was chasing Roger Maris.  At least I admit I was.  I am glad he has finally admitted it, even though it is quite a few years later than we all would have liked.  I don't hate the guy because I can't honestly say that I would not have done the same thing had I been blessed enough to have the talent to play in the Majors.  At the same time, I do not believe he should be voted into the Hall of Fame, nor do I think he ever will be now.  I really didn't think he would be anyway, had you asked me before this news came out.

20 top horses of the decade - thoroughbreds posted by Jan Hoadley

There is much reflection at year end and discussion not only of the best horses of the year but also of the decade. The horses that have excited us and been memorable are easy choices. There are others on my list that I feel are deserving of being here for several reasons.
MOREContinue reading "20 top horses of the decade - thoroughbreds"

Big Daddy Believes In Miracles posted by Les Leonard

     How many Saints’ fans wrote off the Saints when Washington lined up their game-clinching 23-yard field goal? This year’ s “ Finish” mentality has produced the franchise’s best season start ever, not to mention the team’s most unbelievable victory in 43 years Sunday. Previous season mottos never produced the results that the ’ 09 slogan has. Big Daddy wonders if the Saints brought in Tiger Woods to demonstrate how awesome happy endings feel? Tiger always benefits from coming hard at the end both on and off the course. If it works for Saints fans for the next 13 years, the Superdome staff will have lots of new banners to hang. Seriously, Big Daddy wants Saints fans to understand the significance of a team that wins games they should lose. Haven’ t we suffered the downside of that equation for far too long? Hell yeah! But now its our time! In this edition of the Section 645 Saints Beat, Big Daddy questions the BCS, reports from the Kingpin, recaps the Redskins game, examines the NFL’ s playoff picture, and releases his World Famous Pregame Information.

     As 2009 winds down , the fraudulent BCS has screwed three more schools (TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State) out of having the opportunity to compete for the national championship. Saying BCS sponsors pay college presidents handsomely to maintain “ the status quo” — although true, is exactly what they want the masses to believe. Refusing to change this terrible system, touting we can’ t disrupt college football’ s great tradition, sucks more than Congressional Democrats holding up health care reform due to they’re ridiculous anti-abortion stance. How can all sports, regardless of what level, seed teams to playoff for the trophy except Division 1-A NCAA football? Big Daddy thinks the NFL owners are the guys stopping progress. The NFL has no desire to see their popularity diminished like that of the NBA every time March Madness rolls around. Lets face it, this week’s match-ups of Buffalo at Kansas City, Detroit at Baltimore, Jets at Tampa, St. Louis at Tennessee, and Washington at Oakland is a perfect example to show how boring late season pro football can be. Viagra couldn’ t get football fans up for these garbage games.

The Washington Redskins - a perfect blue chip stock posted by Pablo Rotondaro

BAILOUT the Redskins! Such is the state of things in Washington DC. Like most of the stocks traded on Wall Street, there are many assets that have no real value but continue to produce millions for its shareholders and owners. The Redskins are just like the stock market, look great on paper and generate millions to the owner but filled with high price, former blue chip stocks that have no real value when put to the test. This team is worse than bad, they are horrible and with no young, up-and-coming players to pin our hopes on, no star QB in the making, no player ready to bust out, if there was ever a time to blow the whole thing up it is definitely now!

Fans of the Washington Redskins have grown accustomed in the past decade or so to expect that their team with have a fighting chance to squeak into the playoffs and then, as the cheesy and cliché statement says, anything can happen. This is the hope that fans of this once-proud franchise held, probably fooling themselves into believing that this system, one where the owner is GM and often plays with the team the way that some us enjoy our fantasy football leagues, could ever and will ever work. More and more people are coming to the realization that this is nothing more than a pipe dream and that this system in place will never and has never worked. 

Unlike some of the horrible teams in the NFL, like the Lions or Chiefs, the Redskins are not in rebuilding mode, they do not have a rookie quarterback with a lot of promise (Stafford, Detroit Lions) or a team filled with young defensive players that get better week by week (Chiefs). The Redskins are a team full of over-the-hill, over-paid players with no fight and little talent. The performance that Jason Campbell put up in one half yesterday was one of the most pitiful performances by a starting QB in the NFL this year, he looked like the twin of JaMarcus Russell (Raiders). He couldn't hit a single open receiver, even though he was constantly under pressure thanks to the porous offensive line, he couldn't even hit the receivers when he had the time.The best decision of the day was to bench him to at least give the offense a quarterback that can make the reads and pick a receiver, though the results were not much better, at least he looked like a real quarterback.

Nobody’s perfect posted by David

Last week I saw Andy Pettitte throw six and two-thirds innings of perfect baseball at against the Orioles at Camden Yards.  With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Adam Jones hit a ground ball to third.  Alex Rodriguez was getting the night off, and his replacement at the hot corner, Jerry Hairston, booted it.  Having grown up an Orioles fan and somewhere along the way developing into a Yankee-hater, one might think I would have been rooting for the Birds to end Pettitte’s bid for perfection; however, this was not so.  As a fan of the game, I wanted to witness history.  Sure; I would have preferred seeing an Oriole pitcher throw a perfecto (though even a shutout by one of this year’s starters would have been historic), but I can’t expect miracles.

How ‘bout that?

How about Jonny Gomes?  Called up by the Reds on May 22nd after not making the team out of spring training, Gomes has crushed the ball to a tune of a .563 slugging percentage and 19 home runs in just 240 at-bats.  His former team, the Rays, could sure use his bat right about now; they’ve lost eight games in a row and have all but eliminated themselves from the Wild Card race.

How about Chris Carpenter?  The Cardinals’ righty has put together a strong case for the National League Cy Young Award: mainly a 16-3 record and a major league-leading 2.16 E.R.A.  Additionally, he’s allowed less than one baserunner per inning pitched (0.97 WHIP), he’s surrendered only seven home runs in 24 games started, and he’s thrown three complete games – which may not seem terribly impressive but he’s tied for third in the N.L.  If all goes well for him and Adam Wainwright (18-7), the duo could become the first pair of teammates to each win 20 games since 2002, when the feat was accomplished in both leagues: Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling did it for the Diamondbacks, and Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez did it for the Red Sox.

"Barry Zito has been Stellar Since the All-Star Break" posted by Michael McGauley

  Six shutout innings and just two hits allowed Wednesday for Barry Zito, who didn't figure in the decision, as the Giants pulled-out a 1-0 win over the Reds. Since the All-Star Break, Zito has been dealing, posting a 2.73 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and with three wins prior to tonight's start.  In the other recent games he has either lost or didn't get the decision - Zito has kept the Giants in almost every game he's pitched since that July 12th disaster against San Diego.  While Lincecum and Cain haven't quite been their usual, outstanding selves in recent starts; Zito, Sanchez, and even Joe Martinez have helped turn things around on this road trip.  The Giants are now 4-and-2 on the trip, and looking for the sweep Thursday.   All arms on deck for this weekend's four-game showdown in Colorado, and the bullpen appears to be returning to form just in time.  Zito was cruising along Wednesday, matching zeroes with Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo, but was pulled in favor of a pinch-hitter with two on and two out in the 7th-inning.  Zito had only thrown 77 pitches, but Manager Bruce Bochy had another hunch.  The same decision proved to be a game changer Monday against the Mets, when Bochy pulled Joe Martinez, and inserted pinch-hitter Nate Schierholtz with the bases loaded.  Schierholtz proceeded to line a double high off the right field wall scoring two runs, and helping put the game out of reach.  Wednesday's decision however didn't work out quite as well when "Fresno Freddy" (Fred Lewis) popped out weeklyContinue reading ""Barry Zito has been Stellar Since ..."

"Will The Hits Keep Coming for the Giants?" posted by Michael McGauley

  The Giants escaped from New York with a four-game split Monday, and grabbed the first game of a mid-week series in Cincinnati Tuesday thanks to plenty of offense.  How about 18 runs and 30 hits in the past two games.  The question remains; how consistently can the bats remain alive for this team to contend into September for the wild card -- or conceivably -- the division.  After blasting Livan Hernandez and the Mets' bullpen for 10 runs on 18 hits Monday, San Francisco stung the Reds with a seven-run comeback to erase an early 5-1 deficit against Tim Lincecum. The 8-5 victory included 12 more hits by the Giants.

 Monday, it was Aaron Rowand with four hits, including a home run; Tuesday, it was Ryan Garko, finally coming through with four RBI's, including the go-ahead runs with a clutch double in the 10th-inning.  Garko has obviously been pressing since his late-July trade from the Indians.  His batting average has hovered around .200 after hitting a solid .285 with the Tribe prior to the trade.  The Stanford product may finally be coming out of his funk just in time, boosting that average, and picking-up the slack for Pablo Sandoval and Bengie Molina, who each struck out three times Tuesday.  Randy Winn may also be awakening from his deep freeze, collecting two more hits (five in the last two games), and two more RBI's. Juan Uribe, who has been hobbled by injury in recent days, smacked a home run early in the game off Homer Bailey. Bailey pitched great through five-innings, but lost it in the sixth, surrendering four more runs. San Francisco also broke through against Reds' closer Francisco Cordero, touching him up for three runs - and the loss.  Two more games against Cincinnati with Barry Zito and Matt Cain scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Thursday.  Then, it's the big finale of the road trip with four games in Coors Field against the front-running, wild-card-leading Rockies.  

"Giants Escape With A Win over the Dodgers in Extra-Innings" posted by Michael McGauley

  The Giants were turning the corner and heading home with a 2-1 victory in the bag behind another strong outing from Tim Lincecum. Then, the umpiring crew (once again) blew a call, and opened the door for a 9th-inning Dodger rally that plated a run, and denied Lincecum the victory.  With one out in the 9th, Rafael Furcal attempted to leg out an infield hit, and was called safe by umpire Gary Darling when it appeared he was out. Bench Coach Ron Wotus came out to argue the call, and was ejected from the game.  Wotus was managing the team in place of the earlier-ejected Bruce Bochy; third base boach Tim Flannery ended up managing the last inning-and-a-half.  It was the second time in the series Bochy had been ejected.  Monday night, the skipper was tossed after two close plays at first base went against the Giants.  The replays clearly showed that both Freddy Sanchez and Rich Aurillia were safe.  Bochy's mounting frustration earned him another early shower Wednesday after a close pick-off play at first base involving Manny Ramirez.    The Dodgers seemed to capitalize on every break they received from the umps, winning Monday and Tuesday, and looking for the road sweep at A.T.& T. Park Wednesday afternoon.  After Furcal was awarded first base on the infield hit, he advanced to second on a fly-out by Russell Martin, and later scored the tying-run on a clutch base hit by Andre Eithier to make it 2-2.  The single knocked Lincecum out of the game after working 8 and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on Continue reading ""Giants Escape With A Win over the ..."

Move over Boones. Move over Molinas. Get ready for the Hairstons! posted by Cesar Valverde

Baseball families have made history in pinstripes. The Boones are in their 3rd generation playing baseball. Aaron Boone, whose brother Bret, father Bob, and grandfather Ray all had 10+ year careers in the majors, cemented his name in Yankee history. Jose Molina, whose brother Yadier plays for the Colorado Rockies and other brother Bengie plays for San Francisco Giants, also cemented his name in Yankee history. Now that the Yankees have acquired Jerry Hairston, Jr., whose brother Scott is playing for the Oakland Athletics, and father Jerry, Sr., uncle Johnny, and grandfather Sam also had MLB baseball careers. Now Jerry Jr. has a chance to continue this trend of success for baseball families playing for the Bronx Bombers. Before we get into the Hairstons, let’s take a look at what the Boones and the Molinas have accomplished in pinstripes.

First, the Boones. Yankee fans will remember the 2003 ALCS. Aaron was a summer rental. The Yankees obtained him before the trade deadline. Little did they know what would happen in Game 7. It was an extra inning game. Tim Wakefield pitching for the Red Sox. Aaron steps to the plate. First pitch: BANG! Walk-off homer. Yankees go to the World Series! Even though they would end up losing to the Florida Marlins in the World Series, the Yankees expected him back in pinstripes for 2004. Unfortunately, he blew out his knee playing basketball of all things. Leading the Yankees to obtain Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers and convert him from a shortstop to a third basemen. Regardless of his stupidity, his walk-off ALCS winning home run is one of the greatest moments in Yankees history. Hence, the Boone family cements its history in Yankee pinstripes

Your Worst Face-to-Face Experience With a Sports Celebrity? posted by Greg Archuleta

LeBron James' alleged confiscation of a tape in which Xavier sophomore basketball player Jordan Crawford executed a two-hand dunk on him took on a larger life of its own than it would have had the tape been made public.

The story of James getting dunked on during a pickup game at the LeBron James Skills Academy by now has made the rounds several times over -- not to mention piqued the interest of basketball fans of what that scene might've looked liked.

Hmm. ... My first thought that comes to mind is Michael Jordan reversing course baseline against Patrick Ewing and throwing down in a classic Bulls-Knicks confrontation. My second thought is of Nate Robinson using Dwight Howard as a prop and jumping over him in the NBA Slam Dunk competition in February.

In any case, I began to wonder what the cameramen recording the event must have thought of The Chosen Brat after he reportedly dispatched a Nike official to take possession of the tapes.

Which got me to thinking about my worst encounter with a famous athlete: Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. Do these cameramen now see James the way I remember the Orioles' great?

At this point, please allow me the privilege of doing some name-dropping -- it's pertinent to this blog. I promise. And it's not like I have an extensive list.

In my years as a writer as well as a sports fan, I've talked to such luminaries as legendary college basketball coaches John Wooden UCLA), Bobby Knight (at both Indiana and Texas Tech), Don Haskins of Texas-El Paso (or the more famous Texas Western that was the subject of a major motion picture); tennis star Andre Agassi, former NBA player Charles Barkley, former NFL great Tony Dorsett, current NFLers Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers) and Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams). I have a minor relationship with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and am fairly confident he'd know my name if he saw me at any random event.

Cuban lefty Chapman signs six-year deal with Reds

Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman has agreed to a six-year contractwith the Cincinnati Reds. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for MLB

Sources: Cuban lefty Chapman OKs deal with Reds

Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman has agreed to a multiyearcontract with the Cincinnati Reds, multiple sources said Sunday. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for MLB