EVIL~! alkeiper

Come to think of it, he's injured too.

Brand is still on the Clippers. Odom is the guy in Miami.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/...8usaroster.html Not much comment from me, I just wanted to throw this out there for you guys to check out. Our Olympic team generally uses the best minor league players, so check and see if any of your team's prospects are on the team.

You and me both. Abreu is one of my pet peeves with the Phillies in that I really don't feel like he lives up to his potential. You know, if a .400+ OBP along with 100 walks, 20 home runs, and 20 steals won't make you heppy, what will? Philly fans have this sick mentality that if the team doesn't win, its obviously the fault of the best players. The fact is, the Phillies have 24 positions they could improve before Abreu (23 players, and the manager). As for Vlad. First off, I don't buy the "he doesn't want to play for a big market" argument. Vlad will go wherever the best offer comes from. As for Manny, the Sox win either way, since if he's taken by another team, the Sox instantly gain $20 million to use on the free agent market. And I bet they'd target Gary Sheffield, who actually had a better year at the plate than Ramirez.

I think the mid 4th quarter analysis was too much. I was cheering for NY to tie the game again just to piss off ESPN.

Iverson and Malone had good games yesterday, so I'm looking good. Only problem is that the Jazz have left Keon Clark off the court entirely tonight.

Vince Carter drops 39 points in his first game, against one of the best defenses in the East.

Now that the World Series is over, step one is players and teams deciding on contract options for next year. Teams decide whether to keep their players, at a price, or vice versa. Players do the same. Here are a few key players have options, and what will happen. Andy Ashby, LA Team Option: $8.5 Million 3-10, 5.18 ERA. I don't think the Dodgers are gonna bite this one. Ashby becomes a free agent. Miguel Batista, Ari Team Option: $5 Million Buyout: $300,000 Batista's a decent pitcher, with a 3.54 ERA and a good K rate. The market for starting pitching is terrible this year, so I think the D'backs will pick up Batista's option. Paul Byrd, Atl Player Option: $7 Million This one is up to Byrd. Byrd didn't pitch at all last year, so there's no chance he gets $7 million on the open market. Look for him to exercise his option. Chris Carpenter, StL Team Option: $2 Million Buyout: $200,000 Carpenter missed all of last year, and never did pitch well the previous three years. The Cardinals should buy this one out. Deivi Cruz, Balt Team Option: $1.5 Million Buyout: $200,000 Cruz has a .290 career OBP. There's no reason to have him on the roster, let alone pay him for the priviledge. Jeff Fassero, StL Team Option: $1.5 Million Buyout: $250,000 A 41 year old pitcher, with a 5.68 ERA! Cut him. Mark Grudzielanek, ChC Team Option: $6 Million Buyout: $500,000 Grudzielanek had a career year last year, at 33. He's good, but he's not worth $6 million. The Cubs should cut him, and try and resign him at a cheaper rate. Jimmy Haynes, Cin Player Option: $2.5 Million Who the hell had the bright idea to give Jimmy Haynes an option? Haynes will accept the option, of course, and if the Reds are lucky he'll remain on the disabled list. Livan Hernandez, Mon Team Option: $6 Million Sometimes its tough to be a GM. Livan put together his best year last year, posting a 3.20 ERA. And he's just 28. Right now he's probably worth more than $6 million on the open market. The problem is that the Expos are strapped, as they need to try and resign Vladimir Guerrero. If I'm the Expos, I pick up the option, and explore a trade if needed. Sterling Hitchcock, StL Team Option: $9 Million? Buyout: $1 Million Gone. Trevor Hoffman, SD Team Option: $10 Million Buyout: $2 Million The Padres probably need help in other places, but they can't afford to let Trevor Hoffman go. Not that its bad, as Hoffman is one of the best relievers in baseball. Brian Jordan, LA Team Option: $10.5 Million Buyout: $2.5 Million Sayanora. Eric Karros, ChC Team Option: $9 Million Buyout: $1 Million With Hee Choi waiting in the wings, there's no reason whatsoever to give Eric Karros $9 million. NONE. Corey Koskie, Min Team Option: $4.5 Million Buyout: $200,000 The Twins can't piss their season away this easy. They'll keep Koskie. Esteban Loazia, CWS Team Option: $3.5 Million Buyout: $150,000 Sometimes these decisions are tough, and sometimes their blindingly obvious. Derek Lowe, Bos Team Option: $5 Million Buyout: $500,000 Ditto. Matt Mantei, Ari Player Option: $7 Million Funny how all the injured pitchers have player options. Of course Mantei will exercise this option. Brent Mayne, KC Team Option: $3 Million Buyout: $250,000 The Royals should look elsewhere for catching help. Mayne just isn't that good. Hideo Nomo, LA Team Option: $8 Million Buyout: $1.5 Million Nomo's won 16 games two years in a row. I think the Dodgers will probably pick up this option. Russ Ortiz, Atl Team Option: $5.7 Million Buyout: $300,000 The Braves don't have much pitching anymore, so they really can't afford to lose Ortiz at this point. Rick Reed, Min Team Option: $8 Million Reed is not worth $8 million, and the Twins already have Radke, Milton, Mays and Santana. Expect the Twins to release him. Scott Sullivan, CWS Team Option: $3.1 Million Buyout: $250,000 I doubt he's worth $3.1 million. I'd let him go. There's plenty of relievers on the market. Jeff Suppan, Bos Team Option: $4 Million Buyout: $500,000 I'd let Suppan go. The Sox were never enthusiastic about pitching him in the postseason. His K rate is low as well. Frank Thomas, CWS Dual Option: $6 Million player/$8 Million team There's talk that Frank Thomas might actually leave the Sox. His contract is too complicated to figure out, so leave this one to Peter Gammons. Fernando Vina, StL Team Option: $4.5 Million Buyout: $1 Million Vina's often injured, and on the decline. As painful as it is, the Cardinals should part ways. They need the cash elsewhere. David Wells, NYY Team Option: $6 Million Buyout: $1 Million The crown jewel of the hot stove league. Do the Yankees keep Wells? They don't have much pitching to go on as it is, but Wells might be a risk at this point. This move will indicate alot about the Yankees' offseason. There you have it. Teams and players will make their decisions over the next two weeks, at which point free agency begins.

The Cubs declined Grudzielanik's option, and he is now a free agent.

Bah. I saw Bob Gibson pitch. Of course, it was at an old timers game. I did see Jesse Orosco pitch, does that count?

Mostly the porn industry makes me feel old. As for sports stars, the big three of basketball rookies takes the cake.

I bought the game a week ago, and it gets a thumbs up from me. If you liked the previous games in the series, you'll like this game.

Mark Grace has re-signed with the Arizona D'backs....as a broadcaster. The Reds at least have $9 million they're saving from Barry Larkin's contract coming off the books.

That suspension's been known about for months now. Its the hazards of drafting him. Basketball does have the NBDL. Its sort of a minor league, except players aren't attached to a big club. With Snow, McKie, and AI, the Sixers suddenly have depth at guard.

Good night for the Sixers. I've got the game thanks to Comcast.

Bill James and other sabermatricians realize baseball doesn't operate in a shell of stats. They'll tell you that you play the hot hand, and go with what works. The image of Bill James is that he sees baseball as nothing but numbers. That's not true. Read some of his books and you'll learn alot about the history of baseball that has little to do with numbers. The New Historical Abstract is an easy read. Also, Bill James didn't invent sabermetrics. Alot of the basic sabermetric principles, and even "Moneyball" strategies, can be traced back to Branch Rickey. James gets alot of credit because he's probably the best writer of the sabermetric types. Let's wait and see who the Sox hire as their new manager. The aforementioned Bill James wrote a book on managers, so the Sox are well informed in this process.

And Boston has done better using the other method? Postseason shortcomings aside, the Athletics have won 90+ the last four years, and two years in a row they won 100+ games. They've won the division three of the last four years, and they've done it on one of the bottom 5 payrolls in baseball. Boston, using the tools of ignorance, won the wild card once in the last four years. That's not sabermetrics at all. Sabermetrics identifies factors that helps win ball games, what players have them, and most importantly, how they progress and regress over time. What would you like then? A Jamacan witch doctor to tell you that despite all evidence to the contrary, THIS time, in the most important game of your life, that Pedro Martinez will shut down the Yankees because by golly, he's got that winning attitude? Jesus, the Red Sox made it to game 7 of the ALCS. The furthest they've gone since 1986. And you people STILL can't accept sabermetrics?

Javy's year has fluke written all over it. He could be for real, but I doubt it. And catchers tend not to last past their mid 30s.

Hell, Joe Kerrigan.

Exactly. There's solid statistics that show Pedro's effectiveness falling off a cliff after 100+ pitches. A stat oriented manager would realize this.

Thanks. There's about a three month gap I'm working with, so if anyone picked up their option since June, I don't have that info available.

For the catching market, on one hand you have I-Rod and Javy Lopez. Problem is, that's it. Brad Ausmus and Benito Santiago aren't world beaters, and beyond them you have a slew of second string catchers. Do the Royals still have AJ Hinch? I think the Dodgers are the frontrunners in the Miguel Tejada sweepstakes. They need a better shortstop, they need offense, and they have money.

What did Tim Duncan win without David Robinson? The question, in itself, is nonsense. You can't prove anything this way.

Understandable. I used the phrase many times before the season in response to doubtful Red Sox fans. I used to say silly things like Bill Mueller was better than Shea Hillenbrand. Man that looks good in retrospect.

Yes, but to suggest Shaq can't win without Kobe is silly. Twist the question around. Can Kobe win without Shaq? Kobe's no better than T-Mac, and the Magic usually sit on the fringe of playoff contention.