The Chicago White Sox made a splash in the final moments of the last day of the trade deadline when they acquired Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, Dexter Carter, and Adam Russell.
Peavy is a 28 year old, two time all star and Cy Young Award winner who boasts a career record of 92-68 with an ERA of 3.29, and 1348 K's as opposed to 435 BB's. He is currently on the dl and has a 2009 record of 6-6 with an ERA of 3.97. He is currently on the 15 day DL with a strained tendon in his right ankle.
Aaron Poreda is a 22 year old lefty and was regarded as the #3 prospect in the White Sox organization. He is a former 1st round pick from the 2007 draft. He was 1-0 this season while pitching out of the bullpen. He had an ERA of 2.45 with 12 K's and 8 BB's. He is widely regarded as a top pitching prospect.
Clayton Richard is a 25 year old lefty with a 2009 record of 4 wins and 3 losses. He has an ERA of 4.65 with 66 K's and 37 BB's. His last two starts were very promising.
Dexter Carter is a 22 year old righty with a minor league record of 12-3 with an ERA of 2.68, 232 K's and 57 walks in 31 starts.
Adam Russell is a 26 year old righty who was 4-0 in 2008 with the White Sox with an ERA of 5.19, 22 K's and 10 BB's. This year in the minors he is 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA with 55 K's and 18 BB's.
The Padres got some good, young, talented pitchers while the White Sox got a pitcher who is as good as any in the game when he's at his best. Perhaps equally important, the White Sox one upped the Tigers, Twins and Indians in what was a busy day for the AL Central. The division leading Tigers went out and got Jarrod Washburn, while the Twins landed Orlando Cabrera and the Indians landed a slew of prospects along with Justin Masterson. The Tigers currently sit atop the division with a 53-47 record. The Twins are 2 games back and the White Sox are right behind them at 2.5 games back The race for this division should be as tight as they come and a dream ending to a great season for the fans.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Vitor Belfort vs Rich Franklin at UFC 103 in Dallas!
As predicted by Dana White, Vitor Belfort has been signed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and now has his first fight lined up already. He has signed to fight Rich Franklin at UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas. Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort began his UFC career at the tender age of 19. He would go on to win the UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament that evening. He went on to defeat Tank Abbott via ground and pound before facing "The Natural" Randy Couture in 1997, a fight in which he suffered his first defeat via TKO. He would then go on to defeat Joe Charles and Wanderlei Silva before leaving the UFC for Pride. He lost his first fight in Pride against Kazushi Sakuraba, but then rattled off 5 wins in a row over the likes of Gilbert Yvel, Bobby Southworth, Heath Herring, Daijiro Matsui and Yoshiki Takahashi before returning back to the UFC. In his return to the UFC, Belfort went 2-3 with wins over Marvin Eastman and Randy Couture and losses to Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz. He then went on to try his hand at professional boxing, winning by TKO less than a minute into the first round. After his boxing debut, returned to Pride to face Dan Henderson. He lost via unanimous decision and tested positive for steroids after the fight, causing him to be suspended for 9 months. Upon returning from his suspension, Belfort signed with Cage Rage. While fighting for Cage Rage, Belfort defeated Ivan Serati and James Zikic to become the Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion. He then signed with Affliction. While with Affliction, he defeated both Terry Martin and Matt Lindland via KO. After Josh Barnett was forced to step down from his fight with Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction "Trilogy", Belfort was expected to be the replacement. On 24th, Affliction MMA canceled the event and closed their doors. This made Belfort a free agent. White let it be known prior to the closing of Affliction that he was interested in having Belfort in the octagon again and now he had his chance to make it happen. Today, White announced that he had indeed signed "The Phenom" and he will be making his octagon return against Rich Franklin at UFC 103. Franklin was slated to have a rematch with Dan Henderson. Belfort will be replacing Henderson and Henderson is now next in line to challenge Anderson Silva for the belt after his fight with Forrest Griffin. As far as the Franklin/Belfort fight is concerned you can expect a stand-up war between these two fierce strikers! The hardcore fans that have been following MMA from the beginning are very familiar with Belfort and what he can do. The general population and new fans of the sport may not yet know Vitor Belfort but come UFC 103 one thing is for certain, win or lose, everyone will know exactly who "The Phenom" is and the abilities that he possesses.
The Huntington Beach Bad Boy is BACK in the UFC!
Tito Ortiz and Dana White have reconciled and he is now returning to "finish his career" in the octagon. By now we should all be well aware of the heavily publicized feud between Tito Ortiz and Dana White. If you are not familiar with it, allow me to share it with you. When Tito Ortiz was starting out, he was managed by Dana White himself. However, when White took over the organization things went South in a hurry. At the time Tito Ortiz was the light heavyweight title holder and Chuck Liddell was in line to challenge for the belt. White and company believed that Tito was ducking Liddell. The UFC ended up creating an interim title which was won by Randy Couture. Tito fought Randy at UFC 44 to determine the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Randy walked away with a decisive win that ended in him literally spanking Tito. Tito eventually faced Liddell not once, but twice, losing to the Iceman both times. Things did not get any better between Tito and Dana. At one point, Tito actually challenged Dana to a boxing match which Dana accepted. It was going to be aired on Spike TV. Tito did not show up to the fight, which made the alleged ducking allegations look even worse. After losing to Lyoto Machida at UFC 84, Tito was not resigned by the organization. He went on to have back surgery that has kept him inactive for quite some time. As recently as UFC 100, Dana White actually banned Tito from appearing at the UFC Fan Expo prior to the event. However, despite all of their previous bad blood, Dana White announced in a conference call with the media that Ortiz is once again a member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and will "end his career" with the UFC. No specifics of the deal were announced but I know that all MMA enthusiasts out there are salivating at the return of The Huntington Beach Bad Boy. Dana announced that his first fight would likely be against Mark Coleman. This would pit two dominating wrestlers against each other and should make for an entertaining return for Ortiz.
Victor Martinez is Officially a Member of the Boston Red Sox
As predicted earlier in the day, Victor Martinez has been dealt to the Boston Red Sox. However, the terms of the deal are different than I had previously thought. Instead of Clay Buchholz, the Red Sox sent Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price to the Indians. This gives the Indians three young pitchers while giving the Red Sox the big bat they were looking for. We discussed Martinez earlier, so I will now give you some information about the three pitchers that were involved in this trade. Masterson is a 24 year old right handed pitcher with a career line of 9-8 with a 3.76 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, 135 K's and 65 BB's. Nick Hagadone is a 23 year old lefty with a career minor league record of 1 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 1.82, a 1.01 WHIP, 77 K's and 28 BB's. Bryan Price is a 22 year old righty with a 4.42 ERA, a 1.372 WHIP, 140 K's and 41 BB's. The Indians completed their search for the fountain of youth and the Red Sox were able to land the power hitter that they were after. In other related news, the Red Sox also dealt newly acquired Adam LaRoche to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Casey Kotchman.
Minnesota Twins Acquire Orlando Cabrera
Just a short while after the Detroit Tigers made a move to acquire Jarrod Washburn, the Minnesota Twins completed a deal in which they received Orlando Cabrera and cash considerations from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Tyler Ladendorf. Cabrera is no stranger to being traded. He was dealt to the Red Sox back in 2004 and went on to win a World Series as a part of that organization. Cabrera has won 2 gold gloves at shortstop. He won the NL Gold Glove Award back in 2001 and more recently won the AL Gold Glove in 2007. He is a .274 career hitter with 109 homers and 725 runs batted in. He has also stolen 195 bases in his career. He will no doubt provide some infield defense as well as a decent bat to the Twins roster.
Tyler Ladendorf is a 21 year old shortstop who has hit .322 with 4 homeruns, 21 runs batted in and 3 steals with an on base percentage of .403. He has the potential to be a five tool player. The unique blend of power, speed and defense make him a player to watch in the future.
The Twins are not a team that is known for making trades. However, they were being pressured by their players to make a deal that would make them a stronger team. The Twins players should be pleased to see that their organization did not let them down. While he's not one of the top names out there, Cabrera is a solid player that will contribute at the plate and in the field.
Tyler Ladendorf is a 21 year old shortstop who has hit .322 with 4 homeruns, 21 runs batted in and 3 steals with an on base percentage of .403. He has the potential to be a five tool player. The unique blend of power, speed and defense make him a player to watch in the future.
The Twins are not a team that is known for making trades. However, they were being pressured by their players to make a deal that would make them a stronger team. The Twins players should be pleased to see that their organization did not let them down. While he's not one of the top names out there, Cabrera is a solid player that will contribute at the plate and in the field.
Detroit Tigers Acquire Washburn from Mariners
Today, the Detroit Tigers added another arm to their rotation by acquiring Jarrod Washburn from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Luke French and Mauricio Robles. Washburn is a 34 year old left hander who has a career record of 106-106 with a 4.02 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, 1082 K's and 553 walks. This season he is sporting an 8-6 record with an ERA of 2.64, a WHIP of 1.07, 79 K's and 33 .
Luke French is a 23 year old lefty with a career record of 35-43 with a 3.88 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, 446 K's and 213 walks. In his rookie year with the Tigers, French has made 5 starts and is currently 1-2 with an ERA of 3.38. Mauricio Robles is a 20 year old, left-handed pitching prospect with an overall record of 16-16 with a 3.40 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, 293 K's and 138 walks.
Washburn will join a rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, Rick Porcello and Armando Galarraga. This looks like a win-win for both teams. The Tigers get an immediate impact pitcher while the Mariners get a couple of nice pitching prospects. The Tigers currently sit atop their divisions with a record of 53-47. They are two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins. Let's see if this move helps them stay ahead of them and into the pennant race. It will be interesting to see whether Washburn continues the success he's had this year or returns to the inconsistency he has shown in the past.
Luke French is a 23 year old lefty with a career record of 35-43 with a 3.88 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, 446 K's and 213 walks. In his rookie year with the Tigers, French has made 5 starts and is currently 1-2 with an ERA of 3.38. Mauricio Robles is a 20 year old, left-handed pitching prospect with an overall record of 16-16 with a 3.40 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, 293 K's and 138 walks.
Washburn will join a rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, Rick Porcello and Armando Galarraga. This looks like a win-win for both teams. The Tigers get an immediate impact pitcher while the Mariners get a couple of nice pitching prospects. The Tigers currently sit atop their divisions with a record of 53-47. They are two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins. Let's see if this move helps them stay ahead of them and into the pennant race. It will be interesting to see whether Washburn continues the success he's had this year or returns to the inconsistency he has shown in the past.
The Boston Red Sox Trade Deadline Rumors
The Boston Red Sox are attempting to make some waves on the last day of the trade deadline. There are recent rumors that they are working on a deal with the Cleveland Indians that would send Clay Buchholz to Cleveland along with some prospects for Victor Martinez. Without knowing the prospects that are being negotiated makes this deal difficult to interpret. However, when you look at the players involved the goals of each team are very clear.
Like when the Indians sent Cliff Lee to Philadelphia earlier this week, they are clearly trying to build for their long-term future. Buchholz is a 24 year old pitcher who already has a no hitter to his name. In 2007, he had a record of 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, 22 K's and 10 BB's. In 2008, he was 2-9 with a 6.75 ERA, a 1.76 WHIP, 72 K's and 41 BB's. This year he is 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA, 11 K's and 7 BB's. While he has shown he has some great stuff, he has also shown a great deal of inconsistency in his young career.
Victor Martinez is a 30 year old catcher who can also play first base. He came into the league in 2002 and since then has a .297 avg with 103 HR's and 518 RBI's. This season he is hitting .284 with 15 homers and 67 RBI's. There is no doubt that VMart, as he is known, is clearly one of the top catchers in the game. However, it appears that the Red Sox are wanting to play him at first base. This move would undoubtedly propel the Red Sox closer to their goal of reaching the postseason in search of the World Series Championship that they are coveting. They currently sit 2.5 games behind the rival New York Yankees. Is this the move that puts them over the top?
The Red Sox have also been linked to rumors involving Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez and trading the newly acquired Adam LaRoche to make room for either Gonzalez or Martinez. The Red Sox are clearly trying to land a big name to add to their stable of quality players.
As in all of these types of trades there is always one prevailing question that comes to mind. Is giving up your long term future worth making a run at an immediate championship? I'm guessing we will soon see how the Red Sox answer that question? In the meantime, I would love to hear your opinions on this possible trade.
Like when the Indians sent Cliff Lee to Philadelphia earlier this week, they are clearly trying to build for their long-term future. Buchholz is a 24 year old pitcher who already has a no hitter to his name. In 2007, he had a record of 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, 22 K's and 10 BB's. In 2008, he was 2-9 with a 6.75 ERA, a 1.76 WHIP, 72 K's and 41 BB's. This year he is 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA, 11 K's and 7 BB's. While he has shown he has some great stuff, he has also shown a great deal of inconsistency in his young career.
Victor Martinez is a 30 year old catcher who can also play first base. He came into the league in 2002 and since then has a .297 avg with 103 HR's and 518 RBI's. This season he is hitting .284 with 15 homers and 67 RBI's. There is no doubt that VMart, as he is known, is clearly one of the top catchers in the game. However, it appears that the Red Sox are wanting to play him at first base. This move would undoubtedly propel the Red Sox closer to their goal of reaching the postseason in search of the World Series Championship that they are coveting. They currently sit 2.5 games behind the rival New York Yankees. Is this the move that puts them over the top?
The Red Sox have also been linked to rumors involving Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez and trading the newly acquired Adam LaRoche to make room for either Gonzalez or Martinez. The Red Sox are clearly trying to land a big name to add to their stable of quality players.
As in all of these types of trades there is always one prevailing question that comes to mind. Is giving up your long term future worth making a run at an immediate championship? I'm guessing we will soon see how the Red Sox answer that question? In the meantime, I would love to hear your opinions on this possible trade.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez Tested Positive in 2003
It was announced today by Michael Schmidt of the New York Times that David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance-enhancing substances in 2003. I don't think that any of us are all that surprised that this news came out about Ramirez due to the fact that he just served a 50 game suspension for violating the MLB's drug policy. However, David Ortiz, lovingly known as "Big Papi" to the common fan was seen by many as being the face of the Boston Red Sox over the last several years. After Alex Rodriguez stated that he had used banned substances, Ortiz said that players that used banned substances should be suspended for one year. It's interesting to me that a player took this stance after having taken performance enhancing substances himself.
I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some history about David Ortiz. He was signed by the Seattle Mariners in 1992. He played for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from then until 1996. He was then traded to the Minnesota Twins. Between the years of 1997 and 2002, he bounced back and forth between the Twins and the Salt Lake Buzz. In six seasons with the Twins he hit 58 homeruns. In 2002, Ortiz joined the Boston Red Sox. He hit 20 home runs and 75 RBI's.
In 2003, which is the year in question he hit 31 HR's and 101 RBI's. In 2004, he hit 41 HR's and 139 RBI's and led the Red Sox to their first World Series Championship since 1918. Now join me as I take a look back on the 2004 American League Championship series. The Yankees started the series by winning the first three games. In Game 4, Ortiz won the game by hitting a homerun in the 12th inning. In game 5, Ortiz hit a run scoring single in the 14th inning. The Red Sox would go on to win that series and Ortiz was named the MVP of the series. They Red Sox would then go on to win the World Series in 4 straight games. Manny Ramirez was named the World Series MVP. This was their first World Series win since 1918 and ended the supposed "Curse of the Bambino".
In 2005, Ortiz hit 47 HR's and 148 RBI's. In 2006, he hit 54 HR's and 137 RBI's. During the 2006 season Bud Selig announced that he would be conducting an investigation to see what players had taken performance-enhancing substances dating back to 2002.
In 2007, he hit 35 HR's with 117 RBI's and the Red Sox won the World Series yet again by sweeping the Colorado Rockies in 4 straight. Ortiz had 4 rbi's in the series. Ramirez had 2 rbi's in the series. Since then Ramirez has been traded to the Dodgers and Ortiz has been a shell of his former self. In 2008, he hit 23 HR's and 89 RBI's. This season Ortiz is hitting .224 with 13 HR's and 55 RBI's.
This trend seems to indicate that from the time in question(2003) until the time when the investigation was conducted(2006) Ortiz's numbers were the best of his career. After the investigation Ortiz's numbers have dropped considerably each year.
The question that comes to mind when I think of this whole scandal is are the World Series Championships that supposedly broke the "Curse of the Bambino" now tainted? Personally, I feel that the "Curse of the Bambino" appears to be alive and well in 2009. Though, the Boston Red Sox are not the only team that has been tainted by the scandals that are constantly resurfacing, they may be the one that is most remembered because it brings back all the memories of the "cursed" Boston Red Sox.
I look back at the players I grew up watching and it saddens me to say that a lot of them have been named as being on the list of players who tested positive for banned substances. However, as a fan of the sport, I cannot look back at those times and feel sorrow. I instead, choose to look ahead to the future, to an era of baseball in which steroid tests will be conducted regularly and the game can be played the way it was meant to be played.
I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some history about David Ortiz. He was signed by the Seattle Mariners in 1992. He played for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from then until 1996. He was then traded to the Minnesota Twins. Between the years of 1997 and 2002, he bounced back and forth between the Twins and the Salt Lake Buzz. In six seasons with the Twins he hit 58 homeruns. In 2002, Ortiz joined the Boston Red Sox. He hit 20 home runs and 75 RBI's.
In 2003, which is the year in question he hit 31 HR's and 101 RBI's. In 2004, he hit 41 HR's and 139 RBI's and led the Red Sox to their first World Series Championship since 1918. Now join me as I take a look back on the 2004 American League Championship series. The Yankees started the series by winning the first three games. In Game 4, Ortiz won the game by hitting a homerun in the 12th inning. In game 5, Ortiz hit a run scoring single in the 14th inning. The Red Sox would go on to win that series and Ortiz was named the MVP of the series. They Red Sox would then go on to win the World Series in 4 straight games. Manny Ramirez was named the World Series MVP. This was their first World Series win since 1918 and ended the supposed "Curse of the Bambino".
In 2005, Ortiz hit 47 HR's and 148 RBI's. In 2006, he hit 54 HR's and 137 RBI's. During the 2006 season Bud Selig announced that he would be conducting an investigation to see what players had taken performance-enhancing substances dating back to 2002.
In 2007, he hit 35 HR's with 117 RBI's and the Red Sox won the World Series yet again by sweeping the Colorado Rockies in 4 straight. Ortiz had 4 rbi's in the series. Ramirez had 2 rbi's in the series. Since then Ramirez has been traded to the Dodgers and Ortiz has been a shell of his former self. In 2008, he hit 23 HR's and 89 RBI's. This season Ortiz is hitting .224 with 13 HR's and 55 RBI's.
This trend seems to indicate that from the time in question(2003) until the time when the investigation was conducted(2006) Ortiz's numbers were the best of his career. After the investigation Ortiz's numbers have dropped considerably each year.
The question that comes to mind when I think of this whole scandal is are the World Series Championships that supposedly broke the "Curse of the Bambino" now tainted? Personally, I feel that the "Curse of the Bambino" appears to be alive and well in 2009. Though, the Boston Red Sox are not the only team that has been tainted by the scandals that are constantly resurfacing, they may be the one that is most remembered because it brings back all the memories of the "cursed" Boston Red Sox.
I look back at the players I grew up watching and it saddens me to say that a lot of them have been named as being on the list of players who tested positive for banned substances. However, as a fan of the sport, I cannot look back at those times and feel sorrow. I instead, choose to look ahead to the future, to an era of baseball in which steroid tests will be conducted regularly and the game can be played the way it was meant to be played.
Sizing up the Cliff Lee Trade
If you're a fan of baseball then, like many, this time of year you're crossing your fingers that your team will make a big move. Whether you're a fan of a team that's a contender and looking for that final piece to push them into contention or you're a fan of a struggling team that needs to start rebuilding towards the future by selling a big name for prospects, this is an exciting time of year.
If you're a Phillies fan I'm sure some of you are excited and some of you are disappointed with the recent trade that took place. In a deal this week, the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco from the Indians for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Jason McDonald, and Lou Marson. I'm going to break this trade down on both sides.
First, I will discuss what the Indians got out of this deal. Carlos Carrasco is a right handed pitcher with huge upside. At just 21 years of age, he has made 3 straight futures game appearances and currently has 112 k's to just 38 walks and 66 earned runs. He showcases a 95 mph fastball, a curve and a sinking changeup. Jason Knapp is an 18 year old righthander who currently has 111 k's to 39 walks and 38 er's. He has overpowering stuff but is very young and raw. Jason Donald a 24 year old infielder. In 4 years in the minor leagues he is hitting .286 with a .369 OBP. Lastly, Lou Marson is a 23 year old catcher who recently competed in the Olympics, was an all star selection this season and was invited to the futures game. In 2008 he hit .314 with a .433 OBP. He was regarded as Philly's catcher of the future.
The Phillies received Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco. Cliff Lee was a Cy Young Award winner just last season and currently sports a 3.14 ERA with 107 k's and 33 walks. He is a 30 year old, left handed pitcher who currently has a record of 7-9 as a starter this season due to a lack of adequate run support. For his career, Lee has an ERA of 4.01 with 826 k's and 322 walks. Ben Francisco is a 27 year old outfielder. This season he has a .250 avg with 10 HR's, 33 RBI's and 13 SB's. In his career, Francisco averages .261 with 28 HR's, 99 RBI's and 17 SB's.
Now let's look at the ramifications of this deal. The Phillies landed the ace that they were seeking and now have a rotation of Hamels, Lee, Blanton, Moyer and Happ. Let's not forget they recently signed Pedro Martinez. They also add Francisco to their OF which consists of Werth, Victorino and Ibanez. This immediately improves their team and puts them in place to contend for another World Series Title.
As for the Indians, there is talk that Victor Martinez will be the next to go. They are clearly looking to move big contracts to focus on rebuilding their team for the future. Their rotation now consists of Pavano, Huff, Laffey, Sowers and Carmona. Both the Indians and the Phillies accomplished their goals in this deal and should both be happy with the deal they made.
The Phillies had been in talks with the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay which I'm sure Philadelphia would have been thrilled to have. However, to obtain Halladay they would have had to part with JA Happ, Kyle Drabek and either Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor. They did not want to part with these 4 players and in the Cleveland deal managed to keep all 4 while still getting the ace they so coveted. Kudos to Ruben Amaro Jr. on a job very well done!
If you're a Phillies fan I'm sure some of you are excited and some of you are disappointed with the recent trade that took place. In a deal this week, the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco from the Indians for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Jason McDonald, and Lou Marson. I'm going to break this trade down on both sides.
First, I will discuss what the Indians got out of this deal. Carlos Carrasco is a right handed pitcher with huge upside. At just 21 years of age, he has made 3 straight futures game appearances and currently has 112 k's to just 38 walks and 66 earned runs. He showcases a 95 mph fastball, a curve and a sinking changeup. Jason Knapp is an 18 year old righthander who currently has 111 k's to 39 walks and 38 er's. He has overpowering stuff but is very young and raw. Jason Donald a 24 year old infielder. In 4 years in the minor leagues he is hitting .286 with a .369 OBP. Lastly, Lou Marson is a 23 year old catcher who recently competed in the Olympics, was an all star selection this season and was invited to the futures game. In 2008 he hit .314 with a .433 OBP. He was regarded as Philly's catcher of the future.
The Phillies received Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco. Cliff Lee was a Cy Young Award winner just last season and currently sports a 3.14 ERA with 107 k's and 33 walks. He is a 30 year old, left handed pitcher who currently has a record of 7-9 as a starter this season due to a lack of adequate run support. For his career, Lee has an ERA of 4.01 with 826 k's and 322 walks. Ben Francisco is a 27 year old outfielder. This season he has a .250 avg with 10 HR's, 33 RBI's and 13 SB's. In his career, Francisco averages .261 with 28 HR's, 99 RBI's and 17 SB's.
Now let's look at the ramifications of this deal. The Phillies landed the ace that they were seeking and now have a rotation of Hamels, Lee, Blanton, Moyer and Happ. Let's not forget they recently signed Pedro Martinez. They also add Francisco to their OF which consists of Werth, Victorino and Ibanez. This immediately improves their team and puts them in place to contend for another World Series Title.
As for the Indians, there is talk that Victor Martinez will be the next to go. They are clearly looking to move big contracts to focus on rebuilding their team for the future. Their rotation now consists of Pavano, Huff, Laffey, Sowers and Carmona. Both the Indians and the Phillies accomplished their goals in this deal and should both be happy with the deal they made.
The Phillies had been in talks with the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay which I'm sure Philadelphia would have been thrilled to have. However, to obtain Halladay they would have had to part with JA Happ, Kyle Drabek and either Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor. They did not want to part with these 4 players and in the Cleveland deal managed to keep all 4 while still getting the ace they so coveted. Kudos to Ruben Amaro Jr. on a job very well done!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Cause of Affliction's Demise
As the MMA world knows by now Affliction officially closed it's doors as a fight promotion this month. Many say it was due to the fact that Josh Barnett tested positive for steroids, which left him unable to compete in the Affliction "Trilogy" main event against Fedor Emelianenko.
When we look deeper into this was that really the reason? In their short time as an MMA organization, Affliction paid their fighters very well, yet failed to produce the desired results. This was all despite the fact that they had arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world on their payroll.
The reason is folks, that like it or not the UFC is the premiere MMA organization thanks to Dana White. Love him or hate him, he has done wonders for the world of MMA and more notably for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He took a dying sport that was viewed by most as a barbaric street fight and turned it into the fastest growing sport in the world. This was not done by coincidence, nor was it done by luck. Dana White is a savvy businessman who was able to introduce mixed martial arts to the public and present it in a light that made common people want to watch.
Through the Ultimate Fighter, we were able to relate to the fighters. We were able to see what it takes to be a mixed martial artist. For once we saw that it was a legitimate sport and not an organized street fight.
I have watched every UFC event since Royce Gracie entered the octagon for the first time in 1993 and I will continue to watch as long as they continue to put on fights. Never has there been a more exciting time to be a fight fan!
Very few men could have accomplished what Dana White has accomplished. This is displayed every time a rival organization closes their doors. Affliction was not the first and will not be the last organization to tap out to Dana White and the UFC!
When we look deeper into this was that really the reason? In their short time as an MMA organization, Affliction paid their fighters very well, yet failed to produce the desired results. This was all despite the fact that they had arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world on their payroll.
The reason is folks, that like it or not the UFC is the premiere MMA organization thanks to Dana White. Love him or hate him, he has done wonders for the world of MMA and more notably for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He took a dying sport that was viewed by most as a barbaric street fight and turned it into the fastest growing sport in the world. This was not done by coincidence, nor was it done by luck. Dana White is a savvy businessman who was able to introduce mixed martial arts to the public and present it in a light that made common people want to watch.
Through the Ultimate Fighter, we were able to relate to the fighters. We were able to see what it takes to be a mixed martial artist. For once we saw that it was a legitimate sport and not an organized street fight.
I have watched every UFC event since Royce Gracie entered the octagon for the first time in 1993 and I will continue to watch as long as they continue to put on fights. Never has there been a more exciting time to be a fight fan!
Very few men could have accomplished what Dana White has accomplished. This is displayed every time a rival organization closes their doors. Affliction was not the first and will not be the last organization to tap out to Dana White and the UFC!
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