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Were the Phillies Robbed of a World Series Championship?

Oct 29

Posted by admin in Baseball, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Game 5, MLB, Pitching, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, World Series, delayed, innings, online sports community, outs, rain, resume play, suspended | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

With rain pouring down on Citizen Bank Park the Phillies clung to a 2-1 lead. If the game had been played during the regular season the game would have been called and the Phillies would have been declared the winner. Yet, despite the terrible conditions the game went on and Carlos Pena’s single tied it up for the Rays.

So the question on most people’s minds is when exactly did MLB decide to change its own rules?

Rain delays Game 5 of World Series

Rain delays Game 5 of World Series

Under Major League rule 4.12(6), the game is suspended with the Phillies due to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Selig said that he would not have permitted the game — which could clinch a championship for the Phillies — to be called without nine full innings being played. Both clubs were aware of that fact before the first pitch was thrown.

“I have to use my judgment. It’s not a way to end a World Series,” Selig said.

So, the question really is did Selig make the right call?

In my opinion ABSOLUTELY! I mean anyone who would dare to argue otherwise has to be the most diehard Philly fan of all time. Because if I was a Philly fan (and I’m not) I would no want to win in a game shortened because of inclement weather.

The fact is that had the game been called and Philly declared the winner, it would be marked in the annals of baseball history with a large asterisks. It wouldn’t exactly have been a win as much as it would have been a lucky break from Mother Nature.

With that said, I can still understand why many Philly fans would be upset. The fact is that the Phillies were relying on their ace Cole Hamels to close out the series and now that chance has gone by the wayside. Hamels was looking to become the first pitcher in major league history to win 5 straight postseason starts and has been remarkable thus far this postseason.

Now the Phillies will have to rely on someone else to shut down the Rays for the final 4 innings of Game 5 of the World Series.

Phillies players look on as rain soaks the infield.

Phillies players look on as rain soaks the infield.

Hell, the Phillies must feel like they’ve been cursed by the baseball gods. They’ve come so close to claiming their first championship since 1980 only to watch the Rays be injected with new life by raindrops from the heavens.

Now the Phillies will take the field tonight and will fight not just the Tampa Bay Rays, but whatever cosmic forces seem to be consipiring against them.

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Saints McAllister and Smith Caught Doping

Oct 24

Posted by admin in Football, League Policy, NFL, New Orleans, Pro Sports, Saints, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Steroids, Substance abuse, Uncategorized, diuretic, doping, online sports community, violation | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Normally when we talk about doping these days we’re usually talking about a baseball player, a cyclist, or even a horse. Somehow the players of the NFL always manage to fly under the radar when it comes to the controversial issue of steroids.

I guess every dog has its day. It has recently been reported that the Saints Deuce McAllister and Will Smith are among several players that have violated the NFL’s steroids policy. A FOX affiliate in Denver citing an unnamed source stated that there have been  between six and 10 positive tests in the NFL for a weight-loss diuretic. However, the station only mentioned the names of the two Saints players who are in London this week for a game against the San Diego Chargers.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister has been accused in a doping scandal.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister has been accused in a doping scandal.

ESPN citing two unnamed sources has stated that the number is higher somewhere in the range of 10-15 players.

While the NFL and the players teams have yet to comment on the report, an attorney David Cornwell told The Associated Press he has been hired to handle the appeals of a number of players who are facing possible suspensions.

Cornwell has declined to name any of his clients or how many clients he is representing. He did release a statement saying, “The recent reports about pending appeals by players who are alleged to have used weight loss supplements reflect the most egregious violation of the NFL steroid policy. The foundation of the policy is both a player’s right to appeal and an absolute right to confidentiality. By leaking this story, the ‘source’ is clearly attempting to put their thumb on the scale of justice and harm these men.”

Saints DE Will Smith was the other player named int he doping scandal.

Saints DE Will Smith was the other player named int he doping scandal.

A diuretic is used as a masking agent to dilute the urine in an attempt to excrete lesser amounts of any banned substances.

While major sports like baseball and lesser sports like cycling have been hit hard by steroid scandals the NFL has been able to cruise mainly under the radar. The sheer enormity of the games popularity has basically given the NFL and its players a free pass on what has become a hot button issue in sports.

Though news like this is never good for a player as they can face at minimum a 4 game suspension it should have little affect on the day-to-day buisness of the NFL.

We’ll have to wait and see just how many players are really involved in the doping scandal, and how the league will react once all the evidence is taken under consideration.

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Teixeira Traded to Angels

Jul 31

Posted by admin in Baseball, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | No Comments

The Agels have to be praising new general manager Tony Reagins for the move that he just pulled off 1 day before MLB’s trade deadline. In a swift maneuver to add more protection to their lineup the Angels acquired slugging first baseman Mark Texira from the Atlanta Braves and sent rising star Casey Kotchman and a minor league pitcher to Atlanta.

Teixeira now an Angel.

Teixeira now an Angel.

It’s becoming a mid-summer tradition to “rent” Teixeira for an October run and this year is no different as Texiera is on the final year of his contract and will be a free agent at seasons end. Teixeira could demand as much as $20 million a year because he is by far the best first baseman available in the upcoming free agent market and should have a number of suitors if the Angels are unable to workout some type
of contract extension with Texiera by the end of the season.

Yet, the Angels have to be happy with the move, mortgaging a little bit of their futurte for the prospect of winning right now. The Angels already have one of the best rotations in the major leagues, they own the leagues best record , have an 11 1/2 game lead in the AL West and are now poised to correct one of their most glaring post-season problems…their offense.

Since winnning the World Series in 2002 the Angels have claimed three division titles, but won just one playoff series. During that stretch they were swept out of the playoffs twice, including last October by
the Boston Red Sox. The main problem has been finding a hitter dangerous enough to give Vladimir Guerrero some protection in the lineup, and now they have that in Teixeira.

Guerrero, the man who the Angels have relied on to provide their post-season pop, has produced poorly since claiming the World Series title in 2002. He’s batted just .183 with one home run in the 16 playoff games since 2002, most likely a result of the immense amount of pressure placed on him to perform in the post-season.

A number of other teams were interested in Teixeira but could not provide the Braves with the same type of package that the Angels were offering. The Arizona Diamonbacks who seemed an early frontrunner in acquiring Teixeira offered up Chad Tracy as possible trade bait, but Tracy is only under contract until 2009 while Kotchman is under contract for three more seasons. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were also in the hunt for Teixeira, but could not put together a promising enough package either, leaving them some major offensive issues heading into the stretch.

The acquisition of Teixeira automatically makes the Angels one of baseball’s top contenders to capture the World Series. Their rotation has been dominant throughout much of the season, their key players are producing and have remianed healthy and with the addition of the switch hitting Teixeira they now have one of basbeall’s best lineup’s. Angel’s fans could find themselves in basbeall heaven at the end of the year.

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MLB Trade Deadline Approaches

Jul 30

Posted by admin in Baseball, Coaching Staff, College Sports, ESPN, Fantasy, Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Sports, MLB, Moves, Sports, Sports Event, Sports Events, Sports Injury, Sports Star, Sports Stars, Sports Update, Uncategorized, american league, batter, coach, contract, houston Astros, manager, national league, playoffs, stats, trade | No Comments

With MLB’s trade deadline rapidly approaching, the line between buyers and sellers have become clearly defined and the need to add a piece to the puzzle for a playoff push or the decision to pack it in for the season and look towards the future becomes the ultimate goal. With most of the real marquee players having been dealt already teams are simply looking to fill glaring needs with solid veteran players or replenish their farm systems with potential stars of tomorrow.

Some names that have been floating around as possible trade bait are Jared Washburn of the Seattle Mariners, Randy Winn of the S.F. Giants,Raul Ibanez of the Seattle Mariners, and possibly though highly unlikely Manny Ramerez from the Boston Red Sox.

Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez

Obviously the biggest and most enticing name on that list is Rameriez who has been a dominate power hitter in the game for many years and who is unhappy with his current situation in Boston and apparently has been for quite some time. There are plenty of teams out there that would express a sincere interest in acquiring Ramirez from the Sox, but the price tag on Manny is sure to be steep, and the Sox have no real incentive to move Ramirez while they are still in the midst of a pennant chase. Seriously, going after Rameriez would probably cost a team a bevy of first rate prospects something that most organizations would not be willing to give up for a 36 year old slugger who has suffered numerous injuries in the past few years.

The Mets may be one team who is willing to deal for Manny as long as the price tag is not to steep, but given the amount prospects that they have already given up in deals for Johan Santana and others they are unlikely to have enough top prospects to succeed in nabbing Ramirez.

More likely Manny will stay in Boston until his contract is up and test the free agent market.
The more likely candidates to be dealt to a team like the Mets would be Raul Ibanez or Randy Winn, two players who are aging and not exactly marquee names but who would be a steady veteran presence and could provide some steady run production.  A team like the Mets may not make a deal at all and hope the cinderella comeback of Fernando Tatis or the return of OF Ryan Church could help sustain their lineup for a run at the World Series.

Another name being thrown around frequently as possible trade bait is SP Jared Washburn. Washburn has pitched for a dismal Seattle team and has been in contact with former Mariner and current Yankee Richie Sexson to try and workout a deal with the Yankees who could use another veteran starter in their rotation. Reports from the Yankees front office however, have stated that talks between the Mariners and Yanks have cooled in recent days because the Mariners have requested either OF Melky Cabrera or OF Brett Gardner to be included in the deal and the Yanks are unwilling to move either of them for a pitcher who is due to earn roughly $14 million between now and the end of 2009. The Yankees general manager Brain Cashman has this to say about the current trade market, “It’s all cold right now;anyone who thinks they’re on something hot, I would check your source, because they’re lying to you. But things can change and you’re only a phone call away.”I’m sure that within the next two days the trade market will get much, much hotter as teams make the push towards the playoffs or set their eyes towards the future.

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Yankees, Pirates Make Six Player Trade

Jul 26

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In a six player deal that was finalized on Saturday the Yankees acquired outfielder Xavier Nady and lefty reliever Damaso Marte in return the Pirates received top outfield prospect Jose Tabata and minor league right-handers Dan McCutchen, Jeff Karstens and Ross Ohlendorf.

Damaso Marte

Damaso Marte

The Yankees seemed to have gotten the best end of this deal considering the teams needs and the recent injuries to Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada which could keep them out for the remainder of the season. The Yankees had a need for a lefty pitcher in their bullpen as their entire bullpen staff is comprised of right handers. They also filled a need by bringing in the right handed Nady to their lefty dominated lineup.

Nady is batting .330 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs in 88 games. Marte is 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 46 2-3 innings. The players the Pirates acquired on the other hand are not performing nearly as well at the major league or minor league level. Ohlendorf was 1-1 with a 6.53 ERA in 25 games with the Yankees this season. He was demoted June 27 and had a 1-1 record with a 4.03 ERA in five starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Tabata was batting .248 with three homers and 36 RBIs with Double-A Trenton.

There was some indication that the Yankees brass had been discussing Barry Bonds as a possible addition to the team, but with the acquisition of Nady this seems very unlikely.

In my opinion this is one of the best moves GM Brian Cashman has made in his tenure as the Yankees general manager. Far exceeding acquistions like Carl Pavano who turned out to be one of the biggest busts in all of baseball. The move also turns the Yankees into a very legitimate threat to capture the AL East crown, with their defeat of Boston Friday they are just 2 games back in the chase for the pennant.

Also worth consideration is the fact that the Yankees will certainly get Wang back in their starting rotation at some point this year and may get either Posada or Matsui back should they not require season ending surgery. The next priority on Cashman’s list however, should be to acquire a starting pitcher to help the staff get through season until Wang’s return. Starters like Sidney Ponson and Darly Rasner have performed above expectations and can’t be expected to continue to pitch at such a high level.

If they do manage to make another deal for a starting pitcher they could catch a Red Sox team who has suffered a string of injuries to stars David Ortiz and Manny Rameriez, or a Tampa team that has not performed well on the road this season and has just one every day player batting over .300.

This trade could prove to be exactly what the Yanks needed to make a serious run at another World Series title.

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2008 MLB All-Star Game: Top Ten Moments

Jul 16

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With the hefty price tag of tickets for the final All-Star game to be played on the hallowed grounds of the soon to be torn down Yankee Stadium the fans got what they paid for, and a lot more.

The 2008 MLB All-Star game will go down as the longest in the history clocking in at just under 5 hours at 4 hours and 50 minutes, and provided as much drama, spectacle and pagentry as the Yankee Stadium crowd has grown accustom to over the years.

Whether you’re one of those people that believe its stupid that an All-Star game decides home-field advantage in the World Series (and I am) or you’re one of those people that cringes at the idea of your teams ace losing some much needed rest, there comes a point when all of that gets shoved aside and you are left with just the game, and what a game it was.

The Top Ten Moments of the 2008 All-Star Game

10. Seeing Hall of Famers during the inroductions

Watching some of the former greats of Yankee and league history grace the field of Yankee Stadium for what could be the final time in their lives was a special moment. Even George Steinbrenner who made an unexpected appearance at the game seemed overwhelmed by the moment. Just seeing former greats like Reggie Jackson, and Yogi Berra stand on the in-field of the stadium they helped make one of sports most historic and memorable places gave me tingles.

9. Bronx “Cheer”

Leave it to Yankee fans to remind these players just exactly where they were, and where these fans true loyalties lie. Every single Boston Red Sox player on the A.L. roster, and there were a lot of them, received, what I am sure, is an extremely familiar greeting in the form of the infamous Bronx cheer. Ahh, but by the end of the game some of these same players received fairly nice applause from the Yankee faithful as they helped power there team to victory, albeit a delayed one.

8. The Bronx Cheer

Leave it to Yankee fans to cheer loudly for their hometown favorites and one of the greatest Yanks in history. The Stadium swelled with cheers as the likes of Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and the late, great Bobby Murcer were introduced to the crowd. They may not respect every player, but these fans showed that they certainly respect the game.

7. Pitching

The old baseball adage, “great pitching beats great hitting ” certainly seemed true on this night. The two teams combined for an All-Star record 34 strikeouts, thats 3-4 against the best hitters in the game. Their were also a number of clutch pitches made as the teams stranded 28 base runners. The only problem was the pitching was so good they almost ran out of them by the end of the night. Both teams were down to their final pitchers (Kazmir for the A.L. and Lidge for the N.L.) a problem which almost led to a David Wright, JD Drew pitching matchup, not exactly the ideal matchup to determine home field advantage, but still the pitching was terrific to watch.

6. Mariano Rivera

When the crowd heard the familiar tune of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” the stadium roared and out came one of the greatest closing pitchers of all-time. Mo gave the capacity crowd exactly what they expected pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings with game tied 3-3 in the ninth and a runner on base. Though it wasn’t the storybook ending that most had expected it was still a fine sight to see Mariano come out and pitch in the ninth inning of the last Midsummer classic in Yankee Stadium.

5. Miguel Tejada’s game saving put out.

After a pair of uggly errors (yes thats a lame reference to Dan Uggla) Miguel Tejada made a terrific falling throw to first base on a slow grounder off the bat of Justin Morneau to save the game for the National league in the 10th inning. Many felt Tejada should have been left off the N.L. roster, but he had to have changed a lot of people’s minds with that game saving play.

4. J.D. Drew’s game tying home run

The MVP of the 2008 All-Star game struck the most important blow in the game for the American League with his 2 run home run in the 7th inning off Mets closer Billy Wagner who by the way, seemed completely unconcerned by his pitching performance. The homer tied the game at 2 and set the stage for what would eventually become the longest All-Star game in history.

3. Aaron Cook keeps hope alive for NL

With the bases loaded in the 10th and no outs, NL manger Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies went to one of his own in pitcher Aaron Cook. Cook came on and made his manger look like an absolute genius inducing three straight ground outs from Grady Sizemore, Evan Longoria, and Justin Morneau. It was a masterful, clutch pitching performance from Cook and kept NL hopes of home field advantage alive after things were looking terribly bleak.

2. Nate McLouth throws out Navarro at the plate

There is nothing more exciting then a play at the plate, especially when home field advantage is on the line. In the 11th Pittsburgh center fielder Nate McLouth made a perfect, game saving throw to nail Navarro at the plater on Michael Young’s single. Perhaps even better then the throw was Dodgers catcher Russell Martin’s one hop scoop, tag and block of home plate. It was a perfect storm of circumstances. Navarro is slow enough to just barely make it to home in time, McLouth played the ball perfectly and made a laser beam throw, and Martin made the perfect grab and tag on a tough play.

1. Michael Young’s sac-fly ends the game

What a fitting conclusion to such an excellent game. With one out in the 15th inning and Justin Morneau standing on third base waiting to be driven home, Rangers short stop Michael Young stepped to the plate in a familiar situation (he drove in the game winning run at the 2006 All Star game) and hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Cory Hart timed the throw beautifully and nearly caught a tagging Morneau at the plate, but Morneau’s foot managed to cross the plate before catcher Brain McCann could apply the tag, securing the A.L’s 12th straight All-Star win

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Impact of the Harden and Sabathia Trades

Jul 9

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Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is still 3 weeks away but, some of the biggest moves have already been executed and the impact of these moves could shake the National League to its core.

It all began when the Milwakuee Brewers became a late player in the bid for Cleveland Indians ace CC Sabathia. The Brewers saw an opportunity to land one of baseballs best pitchers and the reigning Cy Young winner. The Brewers jumped on the opportunity. Striking the first blow in a National League in which a number of teams have a legitimate shot at claiming the title.

With the addition of Sabathia the Brewers now have one of baseballs most formidable starting rotations. Sabathia and Ben Sheets should be considered starters 1 and 1-A, making them a threat to any team in a divisional or wild card playoff series.

But, perhaps the team feeling most threatened by the Brewers acquisition of Sabathia were the current NL Central leading Chicago Cubs. And so the Cubs went out and did exactly what they needed to do, landing the best available pitcher on the trading block in RIch Harden from the Oakland Athletics in a six player deal just one day after the Sabathia trade.

With Harden in Chicago’s rotation the Cubbies are capable of putting together a similarly deadly one-two combination consiting of Harden and current Cubs ace and 2008 All-Star Carlos Zambrano. This suddenly makes the NL Central baseball’s most provacative division and the front runner to have two of its teams in the playoffs.

Personally, I’m truly excited to see how this division will play out. With the All-Star break rapidly approaching the second half of the season will be something to keep a close eye. Will the St. Louis Cardinals continue to outperform expectations and challenge for the division title? Will the addition of Sabathia be enough to propel the Brewers to the top of the Division and a possible trip to the World Series? Or will the long anguishing Cub fans finally see a World Series game played in Wrigley Field?

Since, I’m not one for waiting, I’m going to make my own prediction on how the NL Central will play out. The Brewers are the team to watch out for, if they’re key players can catch fire like it has recently they could have one of baseball’s most fearsome lineups. The key to the Brewers hitting success will be steady continued production from the likes of Ryan Braun, Cory Hart and J.J. Hardy,but the real X factor for the Brew Crew is Prince Fielder. After batting .288, driving in 119 runs and knocking 50 homers last season Fielder’s average and power numbers have slipped. If I was the Brewers manager I’d start force feeding Prince some red meat over the All-Star break and hope that brings back his power stroke.

Obviously the other key to the Brewers success will be their pitching. After a slow start Sabathia has seemingly returned to form going 4-3 in his last 10 Starts never relinquishing more then 4 earned runs. In fact, Sabathia’s impact has already been felt in Milwaukee when he won his debut. The Brewers other ace Ben Sheets has been lights all season going 10-2 with a 2.77 ERA.

The Cubs are still one of baseball’s best team and the addition of Harden only strengthens their chances to end their 100-year World Series drought. The Cubs also have one of baseball’s best lineups. Kosuke Fukudome has played as advertised and was the perfect addition to the Cubs lineup. Geovany Soto has been a pleasant surprise posting 15 HR, and 52 RBI. Aramis Ramirez and Derek Lee are always a threat to go yard while still hitting for a solid average and the return of Alfonso Soriano from the DL will add even more firepower to an already stacked lineup. I expect the Cubs to hold on to their division lead, but it will be by a close margin and should come down to the final weeks in a tight race with the Brewers.

The Cardinals have exceeded expectations as is and will have an incredibly difficult time matching the pitching and hitting of the Cubs and Brewers. They should begin to fade away from contention after the All-Star break. The Astros, Reds and Pirates have never been a threat to these teams and will fall further back in the divisional race.

In the end the Cubs are still the deeper team, so sorry Brewers fans no divisional title this year. However, the National league wild card is still a likely possibility as teams like the Mets, Florida, and Arizona have played inconsistently in the first half and cannot match the pitching or hitting of the Brewers. So be happy Cubs and Brewer fans because your teams have just cemented themselves a shot at a World Series title.

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Willie the Goat: Mets Fire Randolph

Jun 17

Posted by admin in AL, Baseball, Defeat, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, NL, NL East, National League East, RBI, Sports, Sports Event, Sports Events, Sports Star, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, World Series, american league, batter, bud selig, manager, national league, online sports community, pitcher, playoffs, scandal, stats | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

(Former Mets Manager Willie Randolph faces questions about his status as manager.)

After a lackluster start to a season that began with high expectations, Willie Randolph was fired by the Mets amidst little fan fare at 3:15 am EST. Just two hours after the Mets (34-35) won their second straight game defeating the L.A. Angels 9-6.

After weeks of letting Randolph twist in the wind, the club has finally made the decision to go another direction with Bench coach Jerry Manuel set to take over as the interim head coach. Also let go were pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto. They will be replaced by the clubs manager at Triple-A New Orleans, Ken Oberkfell, and Dan Warthen, pitching coach for the Zephyrs. Luis Aguayo a Mets field coordinator will also join the major league staff.

Manuel has had success before, he was named the AL Manager of the Year in 2000 after leading the Chicago White Sox to the leagues best record (95-67), he managed the team from 1998-2003.

The Willie saga is finally over, but you have to be disappointed by the way the club handled the matter. Up until point Mets management seemed content to hang Willie out to dry, never giving him a vote of confidence or telling him that he would be let go. Now, it seems they’ve pulled off a midnight coup releasing the manager while Mets fan slept peacefully in their beds dreaming of past glories.

Randolph is not a bad manager he just may have been the wrong man for this team. He did come within one game of the 2006 World Series losing to the eventual champion St. Louis Cardinals on a ninth inning home run by catcher Yadier Molina.

Heading into the 2007 season many predicted that it would be the Mets year to take home the championship that has eluded them since 1986. The Mets were one of the best teams in the National League that year until they pulled off one of the most historic collapses in baseball. The Mets led the NL East by seven games on Sept. 12, but lost 12 of their last 17 and missed the playoffs, with Philadelphia surging back to secure the division crown.

A portion of the blame for that historic collapse should undoubtedly be placed on Randolph. His laid back leadership style was not really suited to spark a team that was in a dismal stretch and showed little desire to avoid an embarrassing situation. Yet, much of the blame should be placed on the players themselves. Jose Reyes slumped for the entire second half of the season, Carlos Delgado was a mere shadow of his former self and Tom Glavine, the Mets most reliable starter, pitched terribly down the stretch.

Both Randolph and the Mets tried to convince their fans and perhaps themselves that last season was behind them, “I really felt we put last year behind us,” he said last month. “Any pressure we feel is because of staying in the mix and not reverting back to last year. I don’t sense that at all. No one ever talks about it, no one ever brings it up, so if we are looking a little like we were last year, there’s no correlation.” But, the demons of last season seemed to have firmly implanted themselves in the Mets psyche , and they have struggled ever since.

I think this is just another case of everyone looking for someone or something to blame and the finger got pointed at Willie. If I was a member of the Mets roster, management, or organization I’d be taking a long, hard look in the mirror before I’d let Willie be the official scapegoat for our mediocre play.

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MLB Wants Instant Replay by August

Jun 15

Posted by admin in Baseball, Fantasy, Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Sports, Hall of Fame, MLB, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, World Series, american league, batter, boundary calls, bud selig, comissioner, disputed calls, implementation, instant replay, manager, national league, online sports community, pitcher, playoffs, referees, stats, stolen bases, umpires, umpires union, world baseball classic | No Comments

After a year in which Carlos Delgado and Alex Rodriguez were both robbed of home runs and umpires have continued to make questionable call on boundary plays the MLB has finally decided to implement instant replay into the game.

( A-Rod attempt to show the umpires where his “home run” landed.)

Baseball wants to implement the new instant replay system for boundary calls by August so that the system will be fine tuned in time for the playoffs and World Series.

MLB and the umpires union will first need to reach an agreement before instant replay can be used and the two sides have begun discussions on the issue. Bud Selig the comissioner of the league will need to sign off on the deal in order for it to be implemented, and he has been a staunch opposer to instant replay in the past. After seeing many of the blown calls throughout the season it seems that Selig is softening his position on the use of instant replay in MLB.

Many people in baseball find themselves divided on the use of instant replay. Some people think that instant replay should be implemented as soon as possible. Still, others who consider themselves baseball purists or “old school” think that human error is very much an intended part of the game. Also, many believe that instant replay will only slow the pace of an already slowly paced game, “… Baseball has talked about speeding up the game. It’s all you hear. All of a sudden, they want instant replay? You’re going to have slower games and more restless people in the stands.” Cubs Manager Lou Piniella told reporters on Friday.

While I tend to agree with the fact that baseball is an incredibly slow game, I also think that its important to get potential game changing plays correct as often as possible. I’m sure if you were to ask A-Rod or Carlos Delgado if they want those home runs back they would say yes, instant replay can make that happen.

The umpires do not want replay used for any other situation then boundary calls, which I am a little iffy on. If you are going to use instant replay why not make sure that you’re getting all the calls right, such as stolen bases and plays at the plate. I do however, agree with the notion that instant replay should not be used to determine strikes or balls as that would severely hamper the pace of the game.

The MLB is looking to impose a system similar to the one the NHL currently employs. They would establish a replay “headquarters” in New York where a supervisor would review the play in question and explain to the umpire what he saw, but the final decision would be left to the umpire crew chief who has not seen the replay. The system has worked very well in the NHL up to this point.

While many did not expect the MLB to implement instant replay until next season after it was used in the Arizona League and the World Baseball Classic, if all goes well we should see instant replay in baseball by as early as August 1 and no later then August 15.

Heres to hoping that all goes well and instant replay will be available to make its impact felt on this years playoffs and the World Series.

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Fantasy Update:Biggest Surprises

May 16

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By Matt Valentine

Just like there are always a number of disappointing players, the fantasy season brings with it some big surprises and this year is no different. Some young studs have found their groove on the mound or in the batters box. While some seasoned vets are putting up the best numbers of their careers. These are the top 5 most surprising fantasy performers to date.

Biggest Surprises/ Best Value

1. Tim Lincecum: SP S.F. Giants

After an above average rookie season Lincecum has been fantastic in his sophomore season. He is currently second in the league in K’s with 53, and has posted a record of 5-1 with a 1.61 ERA for a dismal Giants team. Lincecum has the stuff to dominate, and making a move for this guy is a sound decision for any fantasy owner. I have Lincecum in my own league and was recently offered this trade: Dick-K and Hanley Ramirez for Jose Reyes and Lincecum. I will most likely make the deal as the prospect of replacing Reyes with the ever consistent Hanley is just too appealing to me, but I really hesitate to get rid of Lincecum. If this was a keeper league I probably wouldn’t do it.

2. Cliff Lee: SP Cleveland Indians

Lee has had good seasons in the past going 18-5 with a 3.79 ERA for Cleveland in 2005 but seemed to digress after that point. In fact in 2007 Cleveland sent Lee back down to the minors after Lee dropped to 5-8 with a 6.38 ERA in 16 starts. He was 0-4 with an 11.70 ERA in his final four starts, having given up 26 earned runs in 20 innings. Well, I don’t know what the hell happened to Lee in the off-season but this guy certainly found whatever it was he was missing. He’s come back this year on absolute fire having gone 6-0 so far, and posting a get this, league leading, microscopic 0.67 ERA. He’s striking people out at a good clip, about 5-8 K’s per game and hardly ever walks batters posting a 0.67 WHIP. Considering his stats from last year I’m betting anyone who took a flier on this guy in a late round is grinning ear to ear.

3. Rafael Furcal: SS L.A. Dodgers

Maybe there is something to be said about players entering a contract year. Furcal has been one of fantasy’s best performers this year outperforming many of the other “stud” short stops taken before him in many drafts. He was recently placed on the 15 day DL suffering from a lower back sprain which could be an issue for the rest of the season but if he comes back and performs anywhere near the level he was he would be an absolute bargain. Before his DL stint Furcal was batting .366 and showed vastly increased power having already tied his HR total from all of last year with 6. He’s a tremendous base runner and will put up runs in bunches. Considering where he was taken in most drafts, he may turn out to be the best bargain outside of Cliff Lee in all of fantasy baseball.

4. Josh Hamilton: OF Texas Rangers

I’m not sure if I would consider this a surprise but it has been a long, hard road just for Hamilton to make it to the majors let alone become a fantasy stud. After being one of baseball’s top prospects “The Natural” Hamilton, struggled with drug addiction that threatened to de-rail his career altogether. But man, has this kid risen from the ashes, to become one of baseball’s best all around threats. Hamilton hits for power 8 HR so far, is leading the league in RBI’s with 43, and is batting .306. With all the OF’s that went before him and all of the one’s he is out producing Hamilton is indeed a nice bargain.

5. Edinson Volquez: SP Cincinnati Reds

I have to be honest, I have never heard of this guy until this season and for that reason he may well be the biggest surprise in all of fantasy baseball. Volquez has pitched a grand total of 122 innings in the majors since 2005 making the 42.1 innings he’s pitched this year his career mark. If he continues to pitch the way he has it could end up being a hall of fame career, that’s how good he’s been. He has yet to surrender more than 1 run in his first 7 starts and has posted a 5-1 record with a 1.06 ERA. He needs to work on his control a bit more , if only to get his pitch count down but there are fantasy owners out there praising themselves at the moment for either plucking this guy off the waiver wire or making him a late round pick. Funnily enough Volquez and my other surprise Hamilton were traded for each other. I guess it’s worked out well for both teams to this point.

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