Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Yahoo! Sports: Lack of Depth costs Terps against Illinois

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Yahoo! Sports: Chicago Cubs sign David DeJesus

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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Splicetoday: I love Tebow Mania

How long will it last? Does it matter?

I must admit I love Tebow mania. It’s spreading like an epidemic as the Denver Broncos’ Tim Tebow piles up unlikely wins week after week. Tebow has delivered some memorable on-field performances, both good and bad, over the past six weeks, but it’s the off-field coverage of his play that has piqued my interest.  Continue reading

Monday, November 28, 2011

Yahoo! Sports: Detroit Tigers Interested in Aramis Ramirez

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The Week that Wasn't

To this point this blog hasn't been much more than a repository for my contributions to other sites.  I hope to change that in the coming weeks.  I say "hope" because with two kids, two jobs, and freelance assignments it will be difficult.  I suppose you make time for things that are important to you so we'll see how important this is to me in the coming weeks.

Today I present to you the first installment of "The Week that Wasn't" which will really just be a roundup of all the crap that didn't happen in the past seven days.  Here we go:


  • Red Sox still do not have a new manager.  Suddenly the Orioles don't look so bad.  They haven't even conducted the most disorganized candidate search/interview process in the AL East this off-season.  The Red Sox are quickly turning into a punchline.  It seems thet clearly relied too heavily on the candidate list prepared by the now departed Theo Epstein.  The convoluted nature of this search makes it look like ownership doesn't fully trust new GM Ben Cherington.  It may also be giving us a glimpse into why Epstein bolted for the Wrigleyville.  (Hint: it wasn't the deep dish.)
  • Albert Pujols is a free man, for now.  Pujols paid a visit to the Marlins a few weeks back but apparently the initial offer wasn't to his liking.  I still think Pujols returns to the Cardinals, though probably for something less than $200 million.  
  • A Prince without a throne.  The market hasn't really heated up for Prince Fielder.  The Angels, Rangers, Cubs and Mariners are rumored to have interest in the slugger.  At one point last Summer I would've bet a mortgage payment that Fielder ended signed with the Cubbies.  Now I'd be surprised if he did.  I think the Rangers look like the most likely landing spot for Fielder as they are very clearly not going to be giving a big contract to C.J. Wilson with the move of Neftali Feliz to the rotation.  
  • Uncertainty still surrounds Yu Darvish.  The Japanese right hander has still not been posted by the Nippon Ham Fighters.  The speculation now seems to be that he will be posted.  The bidding process will be interesting to follow.  Will Theo Epstein forget about the Dice-K debacle and submit a winning bid for Darvish?  Will the Red Sox do the same?  Will Brian Cashman get off his butt and actually get a decent starting pitcher behind CC Sabathia?  And yes, I was a big SOAP fan as a kid.  

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Splicetoday: Ty Wigginton Is Perfect for the Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired Ty Wigginton from the Colorado Rockies on Sunday for a player to be named later. Colorado agreed to pay half of Wigginton’s $4 million salary in 2012. Wigginton, who has experience as an infielder and outfielder, is a perfect fit for the Phillies lineup and payroll. Continue reading

Monday, November 21, 2011

Yahoo! Sports: Orioles Mahoney Makes Up for Lost Time in the Arizona Fall League

Baltimore Orioles first base prospect Joe Mahoney suffered through an injury marred 2011 campaign. The big league hopeful played in just 85 games for the Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League. Mahoney was productive when he played as he posted a .845 OPS with 11 home runs and 65 RBI for Bowie. Continue reading

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Splicetoday: Would $444.5 Million Make the Orioles a Contender?

The Baltimore Orioles’ new GM Dan Duquette has his work cut out for him. He was out of Major League Baseball for nine years before the Orioles pulled him off the scrap heap recently and tasked him with turning around a team that has spent 14 years mastering the art of losing. Only time will tell if Duquette has the power to make lasting changes but history suggests he’s probably just along for the ride.  Continue reading

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

TTFB: Baltimore Orioles 2012 Lineup Preview

The 2011 Baltimore Orioles were an average offense. The team finished in the middle of the pack in runs scored and team OPS.  The average offense was a major improvement over the team’s dismal offensive output in 2010. After scoring a paltry 613 runs in 2010 Baltimore posted 708 runs in 2011. Continue reading

Splicetoday: Alex Anthopoulos Steps To the Plate

Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has quickly gained a reputation as one of baseball's best and brightest front office men. The 34-year-old has been on the job just over two years. He took over the GM role following J.P. Ricciardi's rather disastrous tenure which resulted in the Blue Jays handing out some of baseball's worst contracts.
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Sunday, November 13, 2011

TTFB: Baltimore Orioles 2012 Pitching Preview

The Orioles were the worst pitching team in the major leagues last year with a team ERA of 4.89. The supposed “year of the pitcher” was just a rumor in Baltimore.  The team’s stable of young starters struggled across the board, which opened opportunities for veterans and journeyman to fill out the rotation.  Continue Reading

Friday, November 11, 2011

Yahoo! Sports: Baltimore Ravens Cannot Afford a Letdown Against the Seahawks

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Splicetoday: Ravens Once Again Defensive Pros

The Baltimore Ravens are once again near the top of the NFL's defensive rankings. Baltimore is currently second in the league in sacks, yards per game and points allowed. Old stalwarts Ray Lewis and Ed Reed still loom large over the Ravens defensive unit despite the advanced stage of their careers.  Continue reading

Monday, November 7, 2011

Jaquars Haven't Done Rookie Blaine Gabbert Any Favors

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been the NFL’s model of mediocrity for about a decade. Head coach Jack Del Rio has been in Jacksonville since the start of the 2003 season and has compiled a less than stellar 67-69 record. Given the league’s obsession with parity it’s odd to see a head coach last as long in a job with as little to show for it as Del Rio. He’s kind of like Jeff Fisher “The Next Generation.”  Continue Reading

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Yahoo! Sports: Baltimore Orioles Gold Glove winners

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TTFB: Orioles aimed low in GM search and still misfired

Toronto Blue Jays assistant general manager Tony LaCava reportedly turned down an offer from the Baltimore Orioles to become the club’s general manager on Tuesday. The fan reaction in Baltimore to LaCava’s decision ranged from apathy to anger.  Continue reading

Splicetoday: QB Depth Diminishes Value of NFL Draft's Top Pick

By now we’ve all heard about the “Suck for Luck” campaigns that have cropped up in several NFL cities. In some places fans are actually rooting for their teams to lose in order to improve their chances to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. 
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