Sportz Reds Baseball Bunch

Steve Lyons is not "En Fuego"

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 11:53:32 GMT

DETROIT -- Fox baseball broadcaster Steve Lyons has been fired for making a racially insensitive comment directed at colleague Lou Piniella's Hispanic heritage on the air during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

The network confirmed Saturday that Lyons was dismissed after Friday's game. He has been replaced for the remainder of the series by Los Angeles Angels announcer Jose Mota.

Piniella had made an analogy involving the luck of finding a wallet, then briefly used a couple of Spanish phrases during Friday's broadcast.

Lyons said that Piniella was "hablaing Espanol" -- butchering the conjugation for the word "to speak" -- and added, "I still can't find my wallet."

"I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit too close to him now," Lyons continued.

Lyons claimed he was kidding.

"If I offended anybody, I'm truly sorry," Lyons said in a phone interview. "But my comment about Lou taking my wallet was a joke and in no way racially motivated."

Lyons flew Saturday to Los Angeles, where he hoped to meet with Fox chairman David Hill. Lyons had been working in the booth for the ALCS alongside Thom Brennaman and Piniella, the No. 2 broadcast team for Fox this postseason.

"Steve Lyons has been relieved of his Fox Sports duties for making comments on air that the company found inappropriate," network spokesman Dan Bell said.

In the second inning of Friday's game between Detroit and Oakland, Piniella talked about the success light-hitting A's infielder Marco Scutaro had in the first round of the playoffs. Piniella said that slugger Frank Thomas and Eric Chavez needed to contribute, comparing Scutaro's production to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened again the next week.

Later, Piniella said the A's needed Thomas to get "en fuego" -- hot in Spanish -- because he was currently "frio" -- or cold. After Brennaman praised Piniella for being bilingual, Lyons spoke up.

Fox executives told Lyons after the game he had been fired.

Piniella, approached before Saturday's Game 4, declined to comment on the situation except to say: "No, he's not here today."

This was not a first-time offense for Lyons, nicknamed "Psycho" during his nine-year big league career as a utilityman that ended in 1993 with the Boston Red Sox.

Hired when Fox began broadcasting baseball in 1996, Lyons was suspended without pay in late September 2004 after his remarks about Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Green is Jewish and elected not to play one of the two games at San Francisco that took place during the Yom Kippur holiday.

The network apologized for Lyons' remarks at the time.

Earlier in the playoffs, while working the Mets-Dodgers NLDS, Lyons unwittingly made fun of a nearly blind fan who was wearing special glasses to see the game.

"He's got a digital camera stuck to his face," Lyons said.

He also once pulled down his pants on the field during his playing days.

Lyons, 46, was a career .252 hitter with 19 home runs and 196 RBI for Boston, the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta and Montreal. He was a first-round draft pick by the Red Sox, 19th overall, in 1981.

Atlanta Braves: 1991-2005

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 02:52:52 GMT

I'll always hate the Atlanta Braves....but I am an admirer of what they've been able to do over the past 15 years.

In the last 14 seasons that ended when they were supposed to [read: except in 1994 which, apparantly, MLB has decided to just leave out there incomplete like an abandoned novel], the Atlanta Braves not only went to the playoffs, but were division champions. They were NL West champs in 1991-1993 and NL East champs from 1995-2005. In that time frame, the only team that finished ahead of them in the standings isn't even around anymore [the Montreal Expos in 1994]....four expansion teams have been added....two new divisions formed....and 19 new stadiums have been added.

The last season that ended without the Braves in the postseason [1990], the USSR was still around, George H. W. Bush was the President, Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan hadn't won an NBA title yet, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, there was still an East and West Germany, Iraq invaded Kuwait which introduced most of us to Saddam Hussein, Barry Bonds was skinny in Pittsburgh, Jon-Benet Ramsey was born and most of the players in the NBA and NFL hadn't set foot on the pro stage yet.

Oh, and the Braves were regarded one of the worst teams in baseball.

That makes their rise all the more remarkable. Their ability to develop their prospects coupled with an ability to chose the right free agents and great coaching have put them in this position. An amazing run that began with Terry Pendleton winning the MVP and a guy named Mark Lemke establishing a playoff rep.

Yes, I'll be right there in line with people who criticize Atlanta for only bringing one World Series title home with them during this time frame...but the fact that they were such a playoff fixture is amazing. Don't forget, it wasn't like they had stiffs in their division. Florida won two World Series while finishing as runner up to the Braves....and the Mets went to one as a Wildcard as well. Plus, the Braves held off the 100+ win Giants in 1993 to win thedivision. The division they were playing in sent a representative to the World Series in 8 of those 14 seasons.

How Does the Baseball Calendar Look???

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 17:10:04 GMT

When handicapping the pennant races, you must look at schedules. Some have easier ones than others which may be inducive for a strong stretch run. Some may have a ton of landmines which could trip up a team. Put those together...and it could equal quite a race down the stretch!!

NY YANKEES: Well, they open up a 5-game series in Boston with a four-game series in the Bronx in a month. This Sox series starts a tough stretch for the Yanks who [after a three game series in Seattle] must go to the Angels for 3....host the Tigers for 3.....then host the Twins for 3. Yikes. After that....it isn't horrid. Three games with Kansas City, 7 with Tampa Bay, 7 with Baltimore. But, late in the year...there is that Red Sox series and six games with the Toronto Blue Jays...including the final three.

BOSTON: Again, the Sox open up a five game series with the Yankees at home....and this starts a bear of a schedule. The Yankees for five....at Angels for three...at Seattle for three...at Oakland for three....Toronto at home for four....Chicago at home for three. Ouch. They do have a series with the Royals, a two-game series with the D-Rays and two series with the Orioles....but have a stretch in mid/late September which sees them at the Yankees for four, Minnesota at home for three, then at Toronto for four.

TORONTO: Don't count the Jays out. If anything, they can make their own way since they still have 8 games with the Red Sox and 6 with the Yankees. They can also make up some ground now...since while the Yankees and Red Sox will be beating each other up...the Jays see the Orioles this weekend and the Indians and Royals for the next week [they do have an Oakland series breaking it up]. If Toronto can stay afloat...they can make their run at the end of the season....which sees them closing out with Boston [4 games], at Detroit [3] and at the Yankees [3].

DETROIT: If the Tigers are gonna fold...they may do so now. They've got a beast of a schedule the rest of the way. They have 5 more against Texas, 7 against the White Sox, 3 at the Yankees, 3 with the Angels, 4 at Minnesota and 3 with Toronto. Tough. They do see the Royals six times and the Orioles 4.

CHICAGO: The White Sox can make up the gap in the AL Central since they face the Tigers 7 more times...and they just swept the Tigers last weekend. They have a tough AL Central stretch right now...as they have two series with the Twins with a four game Tigers series in the middle. They also must go to Boston, LA/Anaheim and Oakland in early September....with a homestand with Detroit following. They also close at Minnesota to end the season, who they play 9 times the rest of the way.

MINNESOTA: Right now, the Twins [who are 3rd in the AL Central] would have the 2nd best record in the National League and would lead the AL West. But they can make up ground quickly. They get the White Sox for 9 games and the Tigers for four. But they do have an easier sked than the rest of the AL Central. They'll see a lot of Kansas City, Tampa and Baltimore...but do have road series at New York and Boston.

OAKLAND/LOS ANGELES/TEXAS: The beauty of the AL West is that they see a ton of each other. The A's-Angels play 7 times [including the final series]. The A's-Rangers play 6 times. And the Rangers-Angels play 7 times. The Angels also play home series with Boston, Yankees, Toronto and Chicago...and on the road in Detroit. Oakland must go to Toronto and Minnesota...and get Boston and Chicago at home. Texas sees the Tigers at home and at Detroit...giving them the scheduling edge.

ST LOUIS: The Cards and Reds don't see each other again for the remainder of the season. So there will be some scoreboard watching. The Cardinals play at the Mets next week....then don't see anyone strong until playing at Arizona in the 2nd week of September. After that?? A home series with the Padres. The rest of it is against sub-.500 teams.

CINCINNATI: The Reds have it different. Again, while not seeing the Cards anymore, the Reds must keep pace with St Louis. The problem is that you'd think by looking at the schedule that the Reds were back in the NL West again. They play at the Giants [for 4], at Dodgers and at Padres [3 each] in a looong 10 game road trip. That series could make or break Cincy. They come out of that with the Giants three times and Padres three times at home. After that big land mine....they skate with Chicago, Houston, Florida and Pittsburgh the rest of the way.

LOS ANGELES: Currently, the Dodgers lead the West...but that can change quickly. They go to San Francisco, San Diego and Arizona beginning today....a 9-game road trip within the division. After that? Cincinnati at home. They also must go to the Mets and Giants [again]...and see the Padres and Diamondbacks at Chavez Ravine.

ARIZONA: The D-backs can make their own way immediately. They go to San Diego and San Francisco before seeing the Dodgers and Padres at home. They also host the Cardinals in early September....and close with this: at San Diego [3 games], at Los Angeles [3], at San Francisco [3] and at home with San Diego [4]. Wow!

SAN DIEGO: Again, they'll see Arizona 13 times, Cincinnati 6 times, Los Angeles 7 times and St Louis three times.

COLORADO/SAN FRANCISCO: Both teams run the gambit in the NL West...but the Rockies have it tougher. They have 6 games with the Mets. The Giants see the Reds 7 times and Cardinals three times.

Damaged Goods??

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 07:45:08 GMT

via The Enquirer - Krivsky: No red flags

Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky would not say on Tuesday if the club will file a grievance over the Washington Nationals’ failure to disclose that relief pitcher Gary Majewski, who has been sent to the disabled list, took a cortisone shot for tendinitis in his shoulder just days before being traded to Cincinnati.

“I don’t know,” Krivsky said. “We’re trying to lay low and see what develops. It’s not a subject I want to talk a lot about.”

But the club clearly thinks it was wronged. Krivsky said he left a message for Washington general manager Jim Bowden Tuesday morning. He said he had not heard back as of 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Krivsky said he was not sure what the exact rules governing a grievance are, and he didn’t know what the recourse would be if there was a grievance and the Reds won.

“I’m in uncharted territory,” he said.

Krivsky said he’d work with Bowden again, then added:

“Hopefully when people are dealing with us, they feel like we’re being straight up. I want people to feel like they’re being dealt with honestly. For me, Wayne Krivsky, creditability is paramount.

He continued:

“(If) you lose your credibility, you’re done in this business. You better treat them right and the way you want to be treated.”

The Reds’ medical director, Dr. Tim Kremchek, said on Tuesday that the team would have taken a closer look at Majewski’s health before completing the July 13 eight-player deal that sent Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez to the Nationals had they known Majewski was taking cortisone shots.

The 26-year-old Majewski has struggled for the Reds. His ERA with the team is 12.54. He gave up 21 hits in 9 1/3 innings.

Kremchek added that an MRI would not have revealed the tendinitis in Majewski’s shoulder, and that he thinks the deal likely would have gone through.

"His shoulder looks clean," Kremchek said. "It would have been (Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky's) call, but I imagine we would have made the trade."

Said Krivsky: “I’m glad we have Gary Majewski and he’s not hurt seriously. I’m disappointed he’s not active.”

The Reds had no reason to have Majewski examined. He pitched for Washington right up to the trade.

“I didn’t have any cause for concern based on the information we had,” Krivsky said. “We felt like we did everything we needed to do before we made the trade.”

Kremchek said he has never given a player from another club a physical before completing a trade.

"The way it works is the GM talks to the GM," Kremchek said. "If there's any issues, medical talks to medical."

In Majewski's case, Reds trainer Mark Mann talked to the Nationals trainer.

"(The Nationals) didn't allude to anything," Kremchek said.

Kremchek, who is a consultant for the Nationals, said his relationship with that team may end over this incident.

Bowden did not return a phone call from the Enquirer on Tuesday.

In an e-mail sent to The Washington Post regarding Majewski’s placement on the disabled list, Bowden said, "In every trade we make, our medical and training staff are always thorough, complete and give full disclosure on information on any player involved in the transaction as requested by the other club involved in the transaction per major league rules."

Reds-Cardinals Series could determine if Reds are legit

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:25:31 GMT

Sure, in the national landscape, the NL Central race isn't very exciting. It ain't Yankees-Red Sox. It ain't Tigers-White Sox. And it ain't a cluster like both AL and NL West division races.

But it is very important. Currently, the St Louis Cardinals hold a 3 1/2 game lead over the Cincinnati Reds for the NL Central lead...and the Reds hold a 1 game lead in the Wildcard race. Both teams are semi warm coming into this game. The Cardinals have won two straight after going on an 8-game losing skid. The Reds were a Gary Mejewski away from sweeping the Atlanta Braves.

It is a big series for the city of Cincinnati...as talk radio has been hitting on the lack of fan support for the Reds, despite their current playoff pace. The team also announced that 10 sections will have half-price tickets for 3 of the 4 games [the other game is a Dave Concepcion bobblehead promotion] and that hot dogs will be $1 during the entire series. The plan is to have huge crowds there for the team in the biggest home series of the season. The Reds play the Cards in a series in St Louis next week which will be the final time these two meet

Baseball's Rich Can Still Get Richer

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:36:47 GMT

People say the Super Bowl is overhyped. That may be. Some say March Madness is overhyped. M'kay. Some say the Olympics are overhyped. Ya gotta point.

But the MLB trade deadline, to me, is the worst thing ever. Right when the All Star break happens up until the end of the month....baseball talking heads go into wild rumor mode. Sure, the NBA and NHL do the same thing...and sometimes there is a trade in the NFL....but none of it is overdramatized than baseball.

It can also be unfair.

First off....I was bent about ESPN's total jock sniffing of Alphonso Soriano. For two weeks straight, all anyone wanted to talk about was where Soriano may go and what he'd mean to the "hot rumored team of the moment". Would he play in the outfield still.....or would he move back to second?? What if he returned to the Yankees?? Blah. And the funniest thing happened.

Nothing. He stayed put.

So then those same heads spent about 4 days analyzing why he didn't go anywhere and what the thought process is behind it all. C'mon....stop beating a dead horse!! I know it made a lot of sense for the Nationals to deal the Phonze away for something....anything....but it didn't happen. And it is sports talk radio that is supposed to be the forum for airing such grievances. Not the entire half-hour of baseball tonight.

But the real reason the trade deadline is crap is because....it really isn't a deadline at all. Nope. Even once the bell struck on dealing....you can still make trades, provided the players go thru waivers first.

For a quick rundown of how it works....this is from MLB Trade Rumors: Waiver Trade Rules:

Any player can be put on waivers by his team, and the player does not need to be informed. Other teams have the chance to make a claim on the player during a 47 hour window. If the player is claimed, the team that placed himon waivers has the option of pulling him back. If the team pulls him back they can't trade him for 30 days.

If his team decides not to pull him back:

Option 1: His team can work out a trade with the team that claimed him. Any player involved in the trade who is on a 40 man roster must go through waivers first.
Option 2: His team can just dump him and his salary on the team that claimed him, getting no player in return.
Option 3: No one claims him, and his team is free to trade him to any team.

If more than one team places a claim on a player, the winning claim is awarded based on worst record or the league the claiming team is in.

Understand?? In reality...it means teams that are out of it can throw their expensive players on the waiver wire and see if anything bites. If a team does bite...they can work out a deal or pull him off the wire and are forbidden to trade him for a month. It means that you can rid yourself of expensive players and get a little bit of change for it.

So Soriano still could be dealt.

Of course, that waiver wire trade concept works best for those teams with a ton of money. Those teams who see....say....I dunno.....Javy Lopez and his $8M salary and say, "screw it, we can afford to bite the bullet and get him in here." The Boston Red Sox are doing just that.

It goes down like this. Boston needs a catcher and Baltimore wouldn't mind unloading Lopez. So, they work something out....but wait a bit for the transaction. AHA!! The Yankees are now in first place in the AL East....meaning that the BoSox get a crack at any waiver players before New York does [the waiver policy goes from worst team gets first look....to best team with the last look]. The Orioles convieniently place Lopez on the wire that day....and Boston says yes. The deal gets worked out and everyone'shappy!

Of course, you'll see mostly expensive players on this list....as teams are just seeing if anyone bites. And it ain't the Padres, Reds or Twins biting....it is the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Mets, Braves doing it. Teams with a lot of money to throw away on an extra part.

The one wrinkle in that is teams can "block" other teams from acquiring waiver players. The Red Sox could block guys from being dealt to the Yankees but putting a claim on that player. Of course, doing so could end up with the Red Sox being stuck with a guy they didn't want.

This happened in 1998. Toronto put Randy Myers on waivers and the San Diego Padres didn't want Atlanta [who really wanted him] to be able to boster their bullpen by picking him up [if you remember, the Padres and Braves were the NL's elite that year]. So the Pads picked Myers up off the waivers...thinking that they wouldn't be able to work out a deal with the Blue Jays...forcing the team to pull him back and keeping Atlanta from acquiring him.

Well, the Blue Jays just said "you can have him" and let the Padres claim Myers...and were stuck with his $13M contract. Really, San Diego didn't want him.

Sure, this late in the year....a guy making $10M a year has just $3.33M left on his payroll....and there are times where the original team may pick up some of the cash on the rest of the contract just to get rid of a guy that has a few more years left on a bad deal.

But...it isn't totally fair. But nothing in baseball ever is.

Reds Make Two Deadline Deals

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:05:13 GMT

It is a nice sign for the Reds that they are making deals like this. In past seasons, usually we are the ones dropping salaries, not picking them up.

Trade deadline deals are toss-ups, as we know. The trade that sent us Eddie Guardado from Seattle has worked out really, really well. The trade that sent us Gary Mejewski and Bill Bray hasn't. At least not yet.

So, today, the Reds made two more moves....both to help the pitching staff.

REDS-PHILLIES DEAL: The Reds dealt away RHP Justin Germano [AAA] for LHP Rheal Cormier. Cormier is 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA.

He will be called on mostly as a reliever in the bullpen. The kind of guy that can come in and be a stopper against a left handed pitcher. He also is a good long reliever, who has a rubber arm of sorts and won't mind being in there several days straight. To make the deal work, the Reds agreed to a one-year contract extention for 2007 [worth $2.5M] and a club option for 2008.

Germano started on Saturday in a loss to the Brewers. He was sent down after that game.

REDS-TWINS DEAL: This one is a bit harder to swallow. The Reds dealt away RHP Zach Ward [A] to Minnesota for RHP Kyle Lohse.

Lohse can be used as a spot starter, or might see some rotation time. He wasn't having a good season at all in Minnesota, going just 2-5 with a 7.07 ERA. Last year, in 30 starts, Lohse went 9-13 with a 4.18 ERA. Earlier this season, he was dropped from the Twins' rotation and was even sent to the minors for a spell.

What makes it hard is that Zach Ward was 7-0 for Class A Dayton...with a 2.29 ERA and was one of their top prospects in the entire organization.

Best Players in All 30 Franchise's Histories

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 20:16:49 GMT

Major League Baseball is going around asking who the best players are for each franchise in their history. Quite a task. I mean, who is the greatest Yankee among all the greats they've had?? And, at the same point, who is the greatest Devil Ray?? Intriguing to say the least.

So, I am going to do my part....in a 3-part look at the greatest of each franchise in the MLB, NFL and NBA [look for those on www.SportzAssassin.com ]. I'm sure that my picks could be controversial....but it is me talking. I am not a fan of each of these franchises...so I'm not going to fret if fans of those teams call me crazy for certain picks.

Not all of my picks were on the MLB's official list [vote here: Major League Baseball : DHL Home Town Heroes Sweepstakes] but the list is flawed a bit.

Either way....here is Major League Baseball.

ANGELS: Tim Salmon. Salmon is among the all time Angel leaders in most offensive categories. He's been there for their highest moment - their World Series championship. He also was a California Angel, an Anaheim Angel, and now a Los Angeles Angel. He could be eclipsed by Vlad Guerrero at some point.

ASTROS: Jeff Bagwell. This one was tough. Bagwell beat out Nolan Ryan for that top spot [Ryan was also considered for the Angels' top spot]. Bags leads the Astros in HRs and RBIs by a ton, and is 2nd to Craig Biggio in hits. He also has an MVP award, a Gold Glove and a Rookie of the Year honor.

ATHLETICS: Lefty Grove. What a tough one here. I love Ricky Henderson and Reggie Jackson...but Grove was just that much more dominant. From 1928-1931 [when hitters ruled the league]...Grove put up records of 24-8, 20-6, 28-5 and 31-4...and lead the A's to three straight World Series titles.

BLUE JAYS: Carlos Delgado. Delgado is by far the Jays top HR hitter [336 to George Bell's 202]...by far the Jays top RBI man [1058 to Bell's 740]...total bases leader [2786 to Bell's 2201] and walks leader [827 to Lloyd Moseby's 547].

BRAVES: Hank Aaron. Think about this. Even with all these guys running up the home run charts....Aaron still leads them all. And he did so in an era where ballparks weren't as small nor steroids were as prevelant. Not only is he the HR King...he's the RBI King and Extra Base Hit King as well. Of course, when 755 of your hits were home runs, you should be pretty high on that list.

BREWERS: Robin Yount. Yount is everything in the Brewers' history. A great hitter who excelled in the outfield and at shortstop [in fact, he won two MVP awards...one at each position]. He had deceptive speed [he was one of the better doubles and triples hitters and was the leader of the 1982 AL championship team.

CARDINALS: Stan Musial. Some players just define organizations, and Stan the Man does that. He has a lifetime average on .331....475 HRs....1,951 RBIs...7 hitting titles....3 MVP awards....and 20 straight All Star appearances. He also won three World Series Championships.

CUBS: Ernie Banks. Just as Musial is Mr Cardinal....Banks truly is Mr Cub. Before there were the A-Rods, Nomars and those other big hitting shortstops....there was Banks. Five times he hit at least 40 HRs in a season and won two MVP awards.

DEVIL RAYS: Carl Crawford. There isn't much to choose from here, but Crawford is the best talent that has ever come to Tampa [well, for the home team].

DIAMONDBACKS: Randy Johnson. Johnson was good in Montreal. Great in Seattle. But he became elite in Arizona. In his 6 seasons in the desert, only once did his ERA go above 2.64 for a season. And that was his injury shortened season of 2003. He also won four straight Cy Young awards in Arizona.

DODGERS: Sandy Kofax. The best left handed pitcher ever whose minicule ERAs in the 1960s make him a legend. And he's one of the few players on this list that didn't hang on too long.

GIANTS: Willie Mays. It is hard for me not to have Barry Bonds anywhere, but Mays is the best Giant for many reasons. He has the most HRs as a Giant more RBIs as a Giant, more runs as a Giant and pretty much everything else. Also, Mays was a much better defensive player while playing a tougher defensive position. Oh, and that steroids thing.

INDIANS: Bob Feller. Feller led the American League in strikeouts every year he pitched from 1939 to 1948. Of course, WWII took four seasons away from him [players did that back then]. Yet he came back in 1946 win 27 wins....with 36 of them complete games....and 317 strikeouts.

MARINERS: Ken Griffey, Jr. Remember how Griffey was supposed to be "the next greatest player". His Cincinnati time has brought injuries, but his Seattle time was why people felt that way. His great 56 home run seasons [twice he did that] is overshadowed by the roided up numbers that others put ahead of him. And unlike those guys, Griffey was a Gold Glove outfielder who stole hits and home runs just as he was getting them.

MARLINS: Mike Lowell. Miguel Cabrera should take over this spot any day now....but Lowell leads the franchise in most stats. Florida was a tough one since they basically follow the "develop guys....win...deal em off" program.

METS: Tom Seaver. Another former Red, Seaver was the glue of the franchise during that magical run in the late 1960s early 1970s. He has a lifetime 2.86 ERA...which is amazin' in the modern era.

NATIONALS: Andre Dawson. I know that most of the Hawks numbers have been eclipsed by Guerrero...and Dawson was long gone before the team moved to DC, but he was the top dog of all the Expos/Nats. Gary Carter and Tim Wallace may have him matched in the stats column, but Dawson's overall talent puts him ahead. Just factoring in the Nats?? Well, I guess Alphonso Soriano's half a season.

ORIOLES: Cal Ripken Jr. The second "Jr" on this list....but Cal meant more to Baltimore than most great players could. I always said that if it wasn't for "the Streak", than Ripken wouldn't be thought of as highly. But, again, that's like saying if not for the home runs, no one would care about Babe Ruth. Ripken also was a great segue from the defensive minded shortstops of the 1980s to the power hitting ones of the 1990s and today.

PADRES: Tony Gwynn. In an age of power ball...Gwynn was still one of the most reliable hitters ever. He also revolutionized the way hitters prepare themselves as far as notes and video. He has 8 batting titles...including a .394 average in 1994, and will be a Hall of Famer next year.

PHILLIES: Steve Carlton. This one is really hard for me. I had Mike Schmidt's name typed there a couple of times. He did have 8 home run titles mixed with his 10 Gold Gloves. But Carlton was as money as you could have...even on some bad teams. He won 4 Cy Young awards. The 1972 season alone is just unreal! Carlton went 27-10 with a 1.97 ERA on a team that ended up winning just 59 games.

PIRATES: Honus Wagner. The O.G. Eight hitting titles, five RBI titles, five stolen base titles and a darn good defensive shortstop. When your tobacco card is that sought after....I guess you are pretty good.

RANGERS: Juan Gonzalez. He is the Rangers all time HR King, RBI King, second in runs, third in hits and has two MVP awards. He also was a leader in the first Rangers playoff teams. It was a close call with Juan Gone, Pudge Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro.

RED SOX: Ted Williams. He could be the greatest hitter that ever lived. The last man to hit .400 for a season, did so 65 years ago. And if WWII and Korea hadn't stolen five of his peak years, who knows what kind of records Williams would own right now.

REDS: Johnny Bench. As my favorite team...this one is tough. But I will go with Johnny Bench over Pete Rose. Rose is my favorite player and means more to the city of Cincinnati than Bench ever will. However, Bench may be the best catcher to put on a mask [well, aside from Josh Gibson] and reinvented what a catcher could be.

ROCKIES: Todd Helton. For a franchise with nothing much to cheer for, Helton has been the diamond there. He is Colorado's all time HR, RBI and hit king. He also leads all active hitters in average.

ROYALS: George Brett. Brett won a batting title in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Amazing. He also pretty much owns the Kansas City record books.

TIGERS: Ty Cobb. Cobb owns the #1 career batting average, he's #2 in hits, #2 in runs, #4 in total bases, #4 in stolen bases and #5 in RBIs. One of the greatest ever.

TWINS: Walter Johnson. Sure, Johnson never played for the "Minnesota Twins", but in their former life as the original Washington Senators, dude won 417 games [2nd all time]....with an unhearded of 110 shutouts [2nd place trails him by 20 shutouts]. As just a Twins player, I'd vote Kirby Puckett.

WHITE SOX: Frank Thomas. Thomas dominates most offensive categories in White Sox lore. May not be as revered as Luke Appling....but still, the greatest White Sox player.

YANKEES: Babe Ruth. The Yankees have had some greats, but none did for baseball what Ruth did. He completely changed the game from "small ball" to a power game. Everything that has happened in baseball since can be attributed to what Ruth did.

Bruce Sutter

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 16:08:46 GMT

1976-1980

1981-1984

1985-1988

ALL STAR: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984

CY YOUNG AWARD: 1979 [finished 3rd in 1982 and 1984]

SAVES LEADER: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984

12 seasons.....300 saves....68-71 lifetime record....1982 World Series Champion

Those Stupid Cities

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 08:21:27 GMT

There are dumb names all over sports. And I'm not talking about the Los Angeles "Lakers", Utah "Jazz" or "Houston Texans". I'm talking about the name of the team. Not the nickname...the first name.

Normal protocol states that you use the city's name....or if a suburb of a city, the metro city it surrounds [like the Detroit Pistons play in nearby Auburn Hills, Michigan]. In the NFL, it is okay to use a regional name...since NFL teams truely are a more regional event than, say, baseball or basketball....in most cases.

So, below are the ones that chap my butt!

14-UTAH. Utah has the Jazz....and, well, when you think Utah, you think Salt Lake City [or sandy hills where mormons hide their polygamy]. It's just easier to say "Utah" than saying the "Salt Lake City Jazz".

13-NEW ENGLAND. I won't split hairs on this one. Two things work in their favor. One, only the NFL team gets called that [oh, and for the record, I'm not counting MLS or anything like that] and that team plays in Foxboro. While the Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox get love all over New England...only the Patriots get that name. But, since there are a little ways from Beantown....I'll excuse it.

12-TENNESSEE. I can excuse this one since the Titans found Memphis and Nashville home. Still, Tennessee football really involves orange.

11-ARIZONA. Same this here. Phoenix has the Suns and Coyotes...but pull the "Arizona" tag for the Cardinals and Diamondbacks. And the Coyotes and Cards play in the same Phoenix suburb.

10-COLORADO. This one is odd. In theory, football teams use the regional moniker more often than the other sports. But the Colorado Rockies and Colorado Avalanche use the name while the Nuggets and Broncos just use "Denver". It is just odd since "Colorado" seems like an adjective in those names. Like the mountain region....the Colorado Rockies....or a disaster in that region...the Colorado Avalanche.

9-INDIANA. Same thing here. Why are the Colts called "Indianapolis" and the Pacers are "Indiana"? It should be the other way around. Really, it may as well be the Indiana Colts.

8-MINNESOTA. Not too much of a gripe here either. But...all four of their teams are named "Minnesota", as is the local college team. The Timberwolves, Vikings and Twins all play in Minneapolis and the Wild play in St Paul. Why not just use the city once? It worked for the Minneapolis Lakers.

7-TEXAS. No offense, but you are the Dallas Rangers. Just accept it. Texas is too big of a state to claim your own....especially when the Houston Astros have been there longer and been more sucessful. They played in the state-of-the-art Astrodome for years. The Rangers played in a converted minor league stadium. And spare me the "well they play in Arlington" crap. The Dallas Cowboys play in nearby Irving [and are trying to build a new stadium in Arlington] and they don't call themselves the Texas Cowboys. Heck, they have more of a right to do so than anyone.

6-NEW JERSEY. Jersey is home to FOUR pro teams....but only two get the moniker. And only one of the two, the Devils, wasn't a New York team previous. The Nets were a New York team....then were named New Jersey when the NBA absorbed four ABA teams...and will be the Brooklyn Nets at some point in the future. The only thing that bothers me about "New Jersey" is that is seems only the Devils get love from the rest of the state.

5-FLORIDA. There are the Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers.....yet there are baseball and hockey teams in Tampa Bay too. What's wrong with being the "Miami Marlins" or "Miami Panthers"??? The Dolphins and Heat work it well....and they are the elderstatesmen.

4-CAROLINA. Here is what chaps me about this. There are two Carolina teams.....and they play in completely different cities. The Carolina Panthers play in Charlotte...the state's largest city which is on the state line with South Carolina. The Carolina Hurricanes play in Raleigh, the state capital which lies near the coast. Charlotte and Raleigh really don't like each other much. Charlotte still views Raleigh as a minor league town since hockey doesn't stir up that much emotion in the rest of the state.....and Raleigh laughs at Charlotte since the center of the North Carolina sports scene lies in the Triangle were the ACC rules. And, still, when anyone says "Carolina" in the state.....it still means the Tar Heels. Oh yeah....Carolina also implies South Carolina...and no one really cares about them.

3-NEW YORK. See Jersey above. How can you be called the New York Jets or New York Giants when you don't play in the state or city?? You are across the river in New Jersey! I know, it may as well by New York. Yeah, but still. That's like the St Louis Cardinals playing in western Illinois, the Cincinnati Bengals playing in northern Kentucky, or the Detroit Red Wings playing in Windsor, Ontario.

2-GOLDEN STATE. This one makes no sense. Why not the "Oakland Warriors"?? Why "Golden State"?? I know it's the state nickname...but you are one of FOUR NBA teams in the state. And you suck....even with the Clippers and Kings there. And if any NBA team would claim to be the state's team....it would be the Lakers. Also, I was for the Raiders being named this so they could split games in Oakland and Los Angeles.

1-ANAHEIM. Those Orange County people sure are weird. They have two dumb sports team names. Call it the Yoda Syndrome. On once side, there is the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Cute. Name your hockey team after a Disney movie. Why not the "Yankees of New York"? Fine, it is your niche. But then you screw around and call yourself the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim". What? Using the New York theme again...can we just call the NY Giants the "New York Football Giants of New Jersey"??? Same thing.