Cheech Tremendous

Couple of notes: - The Twins have signed Livan Hernandez to a one-year deal worth around $5 or $6 million, plus incentives. Livan is a decent innings eater, but since the team already has five starting pitchers better than him, I'm not sure how he fits in. - Haven't seen this mentioned yet, but the Yankees are planning to start Joba in the bullpen this year, with Kennedy and Hughes most likely filling out the back end of the rotation (I guess Carl Pavano is somehow in the mix as well until he gets hurt again). The plan would be to keep Joba's innings down before stretching him back out as a starter later in the year. - Trade talks for Joe Blanton are heating up, with the Dodgers and Reds the front-runners, but Billy Beane wants a fortune (he asked for Bailey and Votto from Cincinnatti). Buster Olney mentions that the Rays and Twins are both in conversations as well. That'd be a great pick-up for Tampa Bay.

Smues reached for the nearest book and ended up in the year 2003.

There have been others. Remember that frostdude guy who posted like 30 pics of A-Rod after he hit his 500th home run? He was more creepy weird than annoying, but still.

What's the Foodman? I don't remember that one.

He's the most conistently awful poster in the sports folder and he's everything I envision the stereotypical mouth-breaking Yanks fan to be. I don't think you want him representing your "side."

I think we need to institute a posting license for the board. All posters must be 21 years of age, have an Associate's Degree or trade school, be in good credit standing and able to insult members of the Yankees without breaking into ethnic slurs in all caps.

While we're at it, don't let the blacks have kids either. That would take care of the crime and poverty problem right there.

Really? I thought that the entire process gets very personal and that teams will try to avoid arbitration whenever they can, even if it costs them money. Arbitration hearings, by nature, force the team to argue against their own player's abilities and accomplishments. That can often cause bad feelings between player and team.

A few names inked today: -Mets signed RHP Tony Armas, Jr. to a minor league deal. -Orioles signed RHP Steve Traschel to a minor league deal. -Pirates signed 1B Doug Mientkiewicz to a minor league deal. -Rockies signed the arbitration-eligible 3B Garrett Atkins to a 1-year deal worth $4.3875 million.

Even X-Pac hates X-Pac.

Reading is our friend.

He was dominant for a stretch in the NBA as well. He was first team All-NBA five consecutive times in the early 80s, finished top 5 in MVP voting another five times and led one of the best NBA teams of all time to a championship in 1983. I think you're underestimating his level of play, not to mention the impact he had from a cultural and stylistic side.

But how big of a role did it play? That's a question, I really don't know the answer. The three point shot was a very minimal part of the NBA game in the eighties. Larry Bird is often considered to be one of the best 3-point shooters ever and he never even cracked 100 made during any one season in his career. I'm not trying to put King down or discredit him. I just thought that was an odd thing to pick on.

The three point shot wasn't even introduced until the 1979-80 season. Dr. J had was already half-way done with his career at that point. It wasn't even an important part of the game in that era. It's sort of disingenuous to knock him for lacking a skill that he never needed to cultivate.

But she is dead. Everyone is talking like she's dead, but where's it say she is? Am I missing something? Dude, it's like two posts down:

The Dolphins cut QB Trent Green, WR Marty Booker and seven other players today. The Parcells housecleaning is well underway.

There were like three different threads that discussed some Saliva song yesterday. I find that odd.

The sad part is he'll be Baltimore's 2nd best pitcher.

With their 3rd round pick, the Stat Mongers select: Ryan Zimmerman, 3B

Facemaskgate

San Francicso Chronicle reports that the A's have signed Keith Foulke to a one-year deal. There aren't any Burger Kings in Oakland, are there?

Believe me when I tell you Baltimore has a VERY pressing need for relief pitching. Remember Sherrill doesn't reach free agency for four years yet as well. It's not that relief pitching wasn't a problem. In fact, they probably had the worst bullpen in the American League last year. It just seems like a waste to bolster the pen on a team that probably won't even win 70 games. I would have asked for more prospects. EDIT: Sherrill is three years from free agency. He's also 30 years old.

You cut out some of the best stuff.

The Orioles cleaned house on this deal. This is a superior package to the ones received for Haren and Santana this offeason. Adam Jones is a legit star in the making and he fills an immediate hole for Baltimore. Tillman has great stuff and should eventually develop into a mid-rotation starter. I think Seattle did okay too, but they may have deluded themselves into thinking that they are a contender. I think that they've improved themselves by 5 wins or so, but given that last year's team was more of an 80 win team than the 88 they ended up with, these big moves might still leave them ten games out of the playoffs. If they can add another bat they should do so, even if it costs them the farm. The only player moving that I don't get is George Sherrill. He was an integral part of last year's bullpen and Seattle needs a bridge to Putz. Baltimore doesn't have any pressing need for middle relief. My only guess is that they are going to pencil him in as the closer and hope to move him at the deadline.

Causation... correlation... they all mean the same to me.