Randon thoughts and News
 

Did you know that Albert Pujols had 20 game-winning homers this year(amzing) Willie Mays had 19 in 1962! Rowdy Roddy Piper has cancer..some kind of lymphoma. Vince Young is looking like he appreciates Norm Chows' tutledge! Whoever gets the Cardinals job will have much potenial to mold a team. All you shoppers should get er done early...save yourself some grief! Cheers!

cubs sighn alfonso for 135 mill...the end of the world is near.....

Soriano will get paid around 80k a day to play baseball from mid
Feb. to end of Sept. thats f..king unreal. I'm counting Oct. because
no way the Cubs make the playoffs

If he like playin in the daytime he could hit 60....steal 60....drive in 140!

It appears that the REDSOX deal with their bonus baby is unravelling as we speak. Frankly, any team that works with a player who has Boras as his agent should be anathema. The original deal(MLB certified) is that Matuzaka would be the Sox property for 6 yrs. Boras is insisting his client become a free agent after 3yrs, which totally screws up any longterm plans for Bostons' pitching stability. Sox either pay 85-95million for 3yrs or lose the right to negotiate. Bad scene for all of Baseball!

Sad news about Piper, he NOT Hogan was the one to change the face of Pro Wrestling in the 80's. His "Piper's Pit" segment gave that "cutting edge" to the sport and brought it into the "sports entertainment" era. His new DVD is a must to those who like Pro Wrestling. The year's 1984 to the late 90's is when wrestling was at it's best.

HHH: agreed!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12143888/---Interesting article about McGuire and HOF ballot by Ted Robinson. I understand his position...and it's food for thought! Got Any?

Weekend doings
 

Did anybody see that one handed catch by the WF receiver on Sat. It reminded me of Mays catch in the Polo Grounds! Was a heckuva game...Rutgers/WVU! Betting on Sunday NFL is tricky....when are they gonna disband the Raiders for the sake of their fans. What are the Packers gonna do...the stockholders can't be happy about getting thumped by the Jets!

Nice job by the Dodgers...letting Maddux go to the Pads! Now that the seats are filling up again,McDork is gonna play cheeseball again! In fact...the prevailing thought is that McDork wanted to make money on program sales last year...so they removed the names on the jerseys.....What a scmuck!

Sad news about Piper... Re: the Wrestling mentions above, didn't Cyndi Lauper and Capt. Lou have as much to do with the explosion of the spectacle as ANY of the wrestlers themselves? Lauper's video featuring Albano, and Piper too I think, helped introduce a whole new generation to the madcap escapades of the Wrasslin' Leagues...

One of my other favorite subjects
 

Yes Steve, it was the whole group back in '84. I've been a pro wrestling fan since my grandfather got me hooked on it in the late 70's. The WWE (then known as the WWWF and later just the WWF) was the "good" (Bob Backlund) versus the "evil" (Ivan Koloff etc.) before Vince Jr. took over after his father's death in 1983. Backlund was out, in came Hogan off his Rocky III theme. Piper was one of the first "heels" who wasn't big and tough, but his arrogence and showmanship on the mic is what made him good. After the Hogan vs. Piper matches, wrestling took off. Both you and others like Blackthroatedwind know a lot about thoroughbred history and can recall things at an instant, I'm a bit of an expert on Pro Wrestling, especially the last 30 years. Today's product though, isn't as good since the WCW and the other direct promotions that challenged the WWE are gone. Still, I watch it every Monday night and occasionally still go to the matches when there in Albany.

Yeah that was me...I usually call Tom & Nick each week. I've known Nick for over 15 years. He's a great guy and help me a lot with his knowledge of thoroughbred racing. It's a good show and they take phone calls (unlike the other show). Do you tune in much?

Dodgers sign Jason Schmidt! I'm shocked...and I take back almost all of the stuff I said about McCourt...almost all! Clocks still ticking loudly on Bostons' deal to sign Matzusaka.... Folks: teach your boys how to throw a baseball...the money for pitchers is ridiculous! Looks like Barry's going begging to the meeting,cuz noone is meeting the asking price of 18mil....dudes' got a big head if he thinks he's worth that. What up with Manny? Bostons' deadline for a trade passes...but I dont think he makes it to Spring in a Bosox uni!

It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers get 47 starts for the $47 million they paid Schmidt. He's a heck of a pitcher but I question his ability to stay healthy for the next three years.

You talking about Zito or Bonds cause I think what you said could apply to either of them. Boras is looking silly with his claims that he is getting all sorts of offers for $100 million when no one is even offering close to that. It's worked for him before though so we'll see if anyone falls for it. As far as Bonds there is no way anyone is going to pay more than $14 million for an injury plagued DH.

Manny will stay with the Sox as long as he is going to require any team that trades for him to pick up the two year option on his contract. At 2 years $35 million he has some value but at 4 years $75 million he doesn't, especially if the Sox think they are going to get someone of value for him. Manny for Peavy rumors were one of the funniest things I've read this offseason.

Bonds does have a BIG HEAD! Schmidt (heckell or jeckell?) Zito has a case of longevity, but that also may explain why opponents OBP was OVER .300!!!!!! last year with his Walk rate rising and K rate falling. Ut-oh!

Sniper: you hit the nail on the head!.....staying healthy in LA. Schmidt will have a more potent offense than he did in Frisco,so that bodes well for him. 14 mil is about all Bonds should expect. Mannys' bat is the real deal....let's say he goes somewhere he is really happy to be....Maybe he hits like the old Manny. I like the guy, but the drama in Boston..should be left in Boston!

Also the Dodgers are now thinking Pierre leadoff and Furcal 2nd. I don't think 2003 Marlin revival will work here.

Well...that's a project in itself...Pierre strikes out alot,if I remember. But the team dynamic could help Pierre with his contact ratio..so hopefully that's positive. Remember...they DO have an old goat for a manager,lol

ooohhh a possibility of Luis Gonzalez in LA. He's a team player but aging.

Any experience is a plus for this team and the D-Backs LOVED this guy in the clubhouse!

Baltimore has offered 7 mil to Gonzo, but reports say he would take less to stay out West and very close to signing with the Dodgers

I like Gonzo...but would be surprised if the Dodger go more than 3.5-4mil!

As an update to the Red Sox signing of Matzusaka...sources in organization are convinced that Boras plan is to have the kid play in Japan for 2 more yrs and become an unrestricted FA with Seibu Lions receiving nothing! Boras is a REAL piece of work!

It wouldn't surprise me if Boras started that rumor. The Seibu Lions have $51 million coming if a deal is reached and they can give as little or as much of it to Matzusaka as they want to get a deal done. The more Boras gets them to believe they might get nothing the more likely they are to fork over a nice chunk of that $51 million to get it done. If he can swing a 4 year - $50 million deal from the Sox and get $20 million from the Seibu Lions then everyone should be happy.

Sniper: this item was discussed last week and Seibu can't help in any way monetarily to get the job done..as per MLB mandate

Really? I read an article a couple days ago saying they could, the writer must not have been aware.

It's true! Somewhere I posted the antics of Boras...when he talked to Boston he wanted 3yrs max contract for the kid. That is a violation of Japan/MLB posting rules...as everyone knows that you're married to a club contractually for 6yrs.

My congrats go out to Bobby Knight for overtaking legendary Kentucky
coach Adolph Rupp for 2nd on all time college basketball win list. With 4 more wins he will take over former great UNC coach Dean Smith all time wins of 890. What an accomplishment. A lot you don't like coach Knight, but give him credit for this record.

Roy Williams present present coach of the Tar Heels is 1 win away
from 500 career caoching victories.

I just found an article on usatoday.com about it. Seems too big of a risk to take waiting two years for a little extra money but you never know with Boras.

This makes me want to puke. The arrogant and steroid laden Barry
Bonds signs 16 mil one year contract. I hope this idiot doesn't break
Hank Aaron's homerun record. This record will be tarnished if he wins.
Also Roger Marist is still the single season homerun record holder.

I can't believe a National League team would cave like that and give a defensive liability $16 million. I could understand $14 million for an AL team to DH him but $16 million is just foolish for the Giants.

Snipe, Your right about Giants doing this it's just foolish,
he is a huge liability in the outfield sounds like something
the Yankees or BoSox would do.

I happy to see the Canes hire their Def. Cordinator Randy Shannon
as their new head football coach. Hopefully Shannon can turn around
this once historic football program and restore accountability and
discipline to the Canes like when Butch Davis was the coach.

Gil Meche 55 mil for 5 years! Damn my father for making me play 3rd base!

Well...it appears that Boston got a present early as the most arrogant agent in sports graciously allowed them the priviledge of signing Dice-K. Don't know the numbers yet,but I'd guess 10mill for 5-6yrs.

I am calling it one of the worst trades in the offseason.

Colorado/Houston
Jason Jennings for Jason Hirsch, Taylor Buckholz and Willy Tavarez.

Like I've told others in the roto world. What the heck is the big deal on Jennings?

No one can give me answer, because they don't see it either.

C&C: the stats back you up....Beisbols a funny game!