Where the top 10 Free Agent Pitchers Will Go

With the upcoming Winter Meetings, I thought I would put out a Free Agent list and where I think they might go. It is going to look similar to what mlbtraderumors.com has.

1. CC. Sabathia: Yankees- I just don't see anyone else shelling out the money that CC is going to want. I was thinking he would look in the California region, but I don't think any of them can match an offer that the Yankees will put out there. In the end it will be a 7 year, 150 million. This might change being I just picked up a rumor that Jake Peavy will waive his no-trade-clause for the Yankees.

2. Ben Sheets: Astros- The Astros will take a risk and sign him to some ridiculous contract. He has the stuff of an ace, but he is always hurt. They will take a flier, but it is a high-risk, high-reward type of deal. He is more than likely going to want a 3-4 year contract. If any team is willing to go 4 I think he goes to that team. The Braves are also a fit, but I don't, along with a lot of people I have talked to, think the Braves won't want a oft-injured pitcher. They have dealt with that enough, Hampton, Glavine, and Smoltz all last year. 3 year, 50 million

3. AJ Burnett: Yankees- This as well as the CC deal will all matter if they Yankees pick up Peavy. If they pick up Peavy, Burnett doesn't land there. This is also assuming that Burnett opts out of his deal, which is almost a given. He is going to command a large deal, but he is like Sheets in that he is always hurt, but has the talent of an ace, just to a lesser extent than Sheets. 4 year, 68 million

4. Fransisco Rodriguez: Mets- I was thinking Tigers, but I don't see them willing to put that type of cash on a closer, even though they need on bad. The Mets are in dire need of a closer because Wagner is out for the season and more than likely won't be back after his contract is up so this deal makes a ton of sense. 4 year, 60 million

5. Derrek Lowe: Red Sox- They Yankees would make sense, but all the pitchers they go after are on the back burner to Sabathia. Lowe will go back home to his one WS title team. A rotation with Beckett, Dice K, Lester, Lowe, Wakefield/Buckholz would be a pretty formable staff. 3 year, 55 million.

6. Ryan Dempster: Cubs- He stays at home, coming off his best season as a starter since he left FLA. I really don't think he is going to be that sought after on the market, with the surplus of great pitching out there. I don't see any reason for him to leave. 2 year, 26 million

7. Brian Fuentes: Tigers- They need a closer, but aren't going to put out the money for K-Rod. He will get a 4 year, 42 million

8. Randy Wolf: Astros- Stays in Houston after a tremendous run with them. He is going to be cheaper than the others out there, but he is well worth it and will be wanted. He is a number 3 on most staffs. 3 year, 40 million

9. Andy Pettitte: Retire- If he doesn't he is staying with the Yankees. I would love to see him come back home for another go around, but it is looking as if he only wants to play for the Yankees. If the Yankees sign the ones I think and/or pick up Peavy he won't be needed in NY.

10. Jon Garland: Brewers- They will need some innings eaters on a staff that is going to lose two aces. 2 year 22 million

Life as a Fan of the Loveable Losers

With the recent defeat in the National League Divisional Series, the Chicago Cubs will live in infamy as a team that has gone 100 years without a championship, by far the longest in any sport.

To put this in perspective there are some remarkable inventions and accomplishments since the Cubs last won a championship, which was in 1908. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Mexico became states. The TV was invented. There have been 40 Olympic Games.

To make matters worse, their cross-town rival, the Chicago White Sox, won the World Series in 2005, The Cardinals won a World Series in 2006, and the Astros have made the World Series, this all the while the Cubs haven’t been even to the World Series since WWII.

They are arguably the third most loved team in America, behind only the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with fans all across the United States. They are constantly in the top three in road attendance. But you start to feel bad for the fans because they always believe this is the year and are ultimately left in depression.

There have been many close calls, but there have been excuses after excuse, or even some curses have been brought about.

In 2003, Cub fans ruined a guys life, that man is Steve Bartman. He attempted to catch a foul ball in the 2003 National League Championship Series. He reached over the fence and leftfielder Moises Alou was under the ball and setting up for the catch, but the ball bounced off of Bartman. Alou jumped around and complained to the umpire wanting fan interference, but it didn’t change a thing.

It was game 5, with the Cubs up 3-0 and the Florida Marlins proceeded to tie the game up in that inning. The blame was placed on Bartman, even though they could have been out of the inning with a potential inning ending double-play ball to shortstop, but Alex Gonzalez made an error on the play.

So instead of blaming the person responsible, Gonzalez, they blamed Bartman. Most of Chicago was after the guy and ruined his life; he was a life long Cub fan. But, the Cubs also blew that 3-1 lead in the series. They were five outs away and still had two games to clinch a trip to the World Series after that game.

Their best chance to go, besides the 2003 season, was this season. They had the most wins in the National League and were predicted by many experts to go all the way. But, yet again they left their fans hoping for more. There is no excuse for Cubbies faithful to place blame on this year, other than poor play in the playoffs.

It is getting to seem that the team is destine to never win another World Series. Maybe it is in the players heads by having to live up to Cub fan’s expectations. Maybe it is bad luck, but I know I don’t feel one bit sorry for Cub fans, who show an extreme lack of class towards other teams.

I speak for all Astros, Cardinals, Brewers, and White Sox fans, the biggest Cub rivals, in saying “here is to another 100 years.”

choking on a stale hotdog

As the mighty Big Baller has previously stated, it's time again for that most useless of entities to rear it's ugly, brightly coloured babbon's ass, the Chicago Cubs demise in the Post-season. Granted, that anyone and everyone outside of the fabled lost city of yore knew what would happen should the Wrigleyvillians reach the post-season. That being saaid, those in the Cub fan base refused to listen, and even refuted that hiostory and the past are of no consequence, leading to the premise that whatever was done the day before meant nothing, because, it alas, was also in the past. As we know, well, those with a 2nd grade and beyond sensory education, that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. NO, not the jelly-beaned balled denizens of that pig trough on the Northside, the one with the statue of the drunk and the mike wearing elton john glasses (don't leave, I actually like Elton's music a lot). It comes from a curse, whereupon at birth these chuckleheads escape the fetid birth canal with the afterbirth tightly entwined about their tiny heads like some sanctimonious mardi gras ensemblage. So, lets hoist a glass of Guinness to these abominations of baseball, and pray for an early death. May their fans find nirvana deep in the cold waters offshore of their beloved Lake Michigan, down in the briny deep.

The best time of the year - Sports

The best time of the year - Sports
The Sam Houston State Houstonian-10-2-08

Cubs Choking Already....

A new season, same old story. Cubs again in the playoffs and again choking on a big fat goat wang. I guess that are destine to never become a Championship team. I don't think there is any greater joy than watching that POS team fail, since the Astros are irrelevant now. Their four errors were about the funniest shit I have seen since Dempster's 7 walks. This was SUPPOSED to be their year, but I guess it just hasn't worked out for them.... Though, there is always next year, even though they had their World Series tickets already printed!!!! That is just priceless