EVIL~! alkeiper

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD FIX YOUR SIGNITURE.

Did they? I have to see a quote on that, because if you're referring to Jarvis, I can't see him making the rotation outright, without even a spring training battle.

Offense is declining. Check out the National League Now, and the National League Three Years Ago. Offense has dropped from 5.00 runs per game to 4.61. Most teams have core players around for several seasons. The A's have smartened up and realized that most players hit the decline phase after free agency, so they keep bringing up cheap, young players instead. Free agency has changed the game, as well as every other sport. To expect a team to have its full lineup together for several seasons is unrealistic. I dislike interleague play and especially the unbalanced schedule as well, but is it really enough to turn someone from the game entirely. Would you have benefitted from seeing the AL Central more often? The fault lies with the expanded playoffs, and the wild card. I'm a believer that there should only be four teams, and you should win your division to make it. The Marlins have won the World Series twice, and have never won the division. Yes, that is wrong. And before anyone accuses me of sour grapes, that would've taken the Phillies out of the race entirely as well. I agree with you on that point, except with the 2001 Diamondbacks. They had championship caliber pitching, and health was the only question in previous and succeeding years,

They could do worse than signing Pudge, honestly.

12 out of 16 NL teams last year drew over 2 million fans. Check out the numbers for yourself. You're comparing the NFL in a boom period to MLB in a down period. MLB is on the way up again. Besides, if you had two programs of equal quality, promoted one the way ABC promotes MNF, and promoted the other the way fox promotes the Series, which would draw better? If baseball has a problem, its the fox network. Football is a once a week sprint, for five months a year. Baseball last 7 months a year, playing almost every day. Along with 6 minor leagues. Baseball MAINTAINS interest. I think when a player voluntarily forfeits nearly $40 Million in salary, it sends the wrong message, and puts players at a disadvantage in the future. Besides, if that kind of leap is needed to make a trade work, then it really doesn't benefit anyone.

How so? Because the owners keep trying to take more money, and the players' union has some balls? Besides, considering how most teams draw in the 2,000,000 range, is it a stretch to think they couldn't sell out 400,000 tickets? I don't think so. People CARE about baseball. And it runs deeper than football.

The salary cap is the biggest thing wrong with football right now. There's tons of roster turnover every year. People pine for the gool ol' days of sports when players stuck with teams their entire years, yet they praise this type of system.

Outside of Pudge, there's not much less they can do with $9.5 Million, unless they take salary in trade.

Judging by the last three postseasons, the lack of a salary cap suits MLB just fine.

But then, if baseball only offered 8 home games a season, they'd likely sell out every game.

I say ban him again for that sig. Keep it within the screen.

Nonsense. If you look back at every era in sports, you'll always find someone who says this era's players are overpaid, lazy, etc. Bill Joyce, 1916

For MLB, probably the late 80s. Labor strifes, drug scandals, owner collusion, Pete Rose, etc.

Even though this will likely benefit my team, I have to prtest. Breaking up teams and distributing players really messes up the quality of competition.

But baseball draws alot more fans a season than basketball, football, or hockey.

Football fans in general are usually a bunch of idiots.

It has more to do with property taxes and Canadian money not carrying the same weight as American than being a draw. Then why aren't the Blue Jays having the same problem?

Personally, I see no reason why they can't succeed in Montreal. Lets not forget, in 2002 the Marlins BARELY outdrew the Expos, and that was only after an "anonymous" fan purchased thousands of tickets for the final game.

I've seen his stats from last season, but I've also seen his stats from the five previous seasons. Last year, with a .197 Batting average, he still posted a .342 OBP. The Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal, and there's real potential for a .400 OBP. With an offense like the Dodgers', they can use the help.

Jeremy Giambi signs with the Dodgers, their first good move of the offseason.

Generally as commissioner, I would reject a trade only if it showed an obvious collusive effort. When that's absent, there's no reason to block a trade, no matter how bad it may be.

Honestly, Tyson was ripe for an upset right around there. He wasn't in top shape, he was used to slaughtering chumps (like Douglas), his corner was in shambles, and couldn't help Tyson when he got in trouble. It didn't help matters that Buster was a guy with nothing to lose who fought the fight of his life as a 40:1 underdog. 40 to 1 That's INSANE. Personally, I think the thing that fucked Tyson up was Cus D'Amato dying. What really screwed up Tyson is leaving the tutilege of Jacobs and Co. for the promotional powers of Don King, around 1988. Tyson stopped developing as a boxer at that point, because King was more concerned with his own bottom line.

I think Pudge is a good fit for the Tigers. They have some good prospects right now and Pudge will be a great clubhouse leader, something the Tigers really need. That and talent. Scott Boras and Pudge really lucked out on this one, because no one else is showing any long term interest. The Tigers may suck now, but they'll improve over the next few years. In the meantime, I-Rod finally has long-term job security.

Offer him a contract anyway, through arbitration. The worst that could have happened is that the Yankees would get class A draft picks when Clemens did sign.

But, really, baseball needs some levity some times. Like any time my Yankees depressed me this year I just looked at the Tigers' record and couldn't help but laugh. Hmm. The Yankees have lost two World Series in the past three seasons, while the Tigers haven't lost a World Series since 1940. EDIT: I think the Tigers got the last laugh. Lets not forget they are the ones who traded Jeff Weaver to the Yankees.