Vick gets reinstated (sort of), Is Pete Rose Hall Bound?, MLB Deadline Winners/Losers

Breaking news

Brett Favre has decided not to come back to the NFL, at least until November 6. “Big Liar”, I mean David Ortiz and his former teammate Manny Ramirez both tested positive for PED’s in the anonymous 2003 test. Meanwhile I have no intention of changing my mind over and over again on about almost anything. I will admit that I tested positive for not being surprised that “Big Poopy” as I’ve jokingly called him, was caught and neither should he.

Goodell gives Vick another chance

If you are a convicted felon, whatever it was that you did, and you had a great job that you could eventually be in upper management, would you get your job back when you got out of prison? The obvious answer is no. Now that was John or Jane Doe. I’m not going to name names, (Terrel Owens, Chris Johnson, Steve Smith, Jamal Anderson, Takeo Spikes and Antonio Cromartie), oh. Well since they twitted that they are disappointed and feel that Vick has served his punishment, he should be allowed to play without more obstacles. Yes I do agree that he has served his debt to society, but does he get his job back like nothing had happened?

Commissioner Roger Goodell, I’ve said before has laid down the law of the league on many players. He got it right in this case to. Now if he had suspended him the entire season, that would be excessive. Goodell is running a business as we all know and realizes this man has served his time in prison, but also knows that he should not get a free pass. If he gives one to Vick, everything he has done before goes right out the window and he can never get it back. Vick could be back before Week 6 of the NFL season, but has to get his life back together before football. Vick is getting a second chance and those that choose to say it isn’t enough are not looking at the big picture. He got his job back and is on a short leash (pardon the pun).

Pete Rose is denied

Pete Rose is by all accounts a great player, but probably not a great person. Character is something that Hall of Fame voters take into account when they vote. Pete has lost some of that. Everyone got all excited when it was reported that Bud Selig might consider reinstating the banished “Hit King.” The key word was “might.” And the very next day the report was shot down that there was no chance he would be brought back. I do believe Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame. Will it realistically happen, no. Rose had his chance five years ago when Commissioner Bud Selig was legitimately thinking about bringing him back. Pete however decided to release a book that very year admitting he bet on the game and embarrassed Selig in the process for considering putting Rose back in. I see why he should be brought back, but in the wake of the steroid era that still is being played out, Rose needs to stay out. If you bring him back, the precedent will be for nothing. You better let the Black Sox players back in if you bring him back. Pete Rose made his decision a long time ago. That shouldn’t be anyone elses’ to make.

MLB Trade Deadline

With the amount of trades that happened today I will only focus on four and give you my winners and losers of MLB trade deadline 2009. I hope no one watched the seven, yes seven hour coverage of the deadline on MLB network. Those guys were gassed by the second hour.

July 24

Cardinals acquire OF Matt Holliday from the Athletics for 3 Minor Leaguers

The Cards got the bat to protect Albert Pujols for the playoff run. Oakland was going nowhere fast and had to unload Holliday or risk losing him for nothing in the offseason. The Athletics will be in full rebuild mode going into the 2010 season and got a good piece in 3B/1B Brett Wallace for the future. This is an instant upgrade as Holliday has batted .520 with 6 RBI’s in seven games. Will St. Louis be able to keep Holliday will be the interesting question, but for now the Cards are going to battle the Cubs, Astros and Brewers for the division title.

July 29

Phillies acquire P Cliff Lee and OF Ben Francisco from the Indians for 4 Minor Leaguers

The Phillies are now the favorites to win the National League. Hands down a great trade. They gave Cleveland four prospects that Toronto wasn’t even asking for in their Roy Halladay discussions. With Lee in a rotation with Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ and Jamie Moyer. Not to mention Pedro Martinez. The Phillies can go six/seven deep in their starting rotation right now. Lee, like Halladay is a Cy Young winner and under contract through next season, brings even more finesse to a solid staff looking to repeat. Cleveland got the catcher of the future in Lou Marson along with a starter in Carlos Carrasco. The Indians got good value for a pitcher that they probably weren’t going to keep past next season. Example: C.C. Sabathia last year.

July 31

White Sox acquire P Jake Peavy from the Padres for 4 Minor Leaguers

Now a very similar trade was proposed a few months ago that would’ve brought Peavy to Chicago. Peavy nixed the trade, but now had a change of heart. Why? That is puzzling and again not surprising. With San Diego hell bent on unloading payroll, again, Peavy saw a chance to get out. The White Sox took the opportunity to take another crack at getting him and succeeded. San Diego got four pitchers for Peavy who only two, Aaron Poreda and Clayton Richard can start now. Will they replace a Jake Peavy, no. Peavy, to add another twist is on the DL with a bum ankle. The White Sox wanted him badly and are looking to the future. Mainly the postseason because they are still in the Central division race with the Twins and Tigers.

July 31

Red Sox acquire C/1B Victor Martinez from the Indians for P Justin Masterson and 2 Minor Leaguers

Boston had to acquire someone. They tried to get Halladay. They tried to get 1B Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego. They settled for the simple deal and landed Martinez. A great switch hitter who will add some needed pop to their lineup. Cleveland got great pitching from Boston. Masterson has plenty of experience and the other two, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price are well on their way to the bigs. The Indians again like with Cliff Lee, realized they couldn’t keep him long term and got good value for him. It is sad to see a team lose their best pitcher and hitter on the same day, but the small market teams eventually do make it out of the cellar. Example: Rays, Marlins, Twins, Rockies.

Winners

Phillies, Cardinals, Any Pirate player traded this season

The Phillies went out and grabbed the defending Cy Young winner from the American League and didn’t give up nearly what Toronto was asking for Roy Halladay. The NL East is practically there’s to lose. If the bats continue to stay hot and healthy they will not have to look over their shoulders like the Mets did the last two seasons. The Cardinals struck first with their acquisition of Matt Holliday from Oakland. He gives them the cleanup bat they’ve desperately needed. Pujols might now have a shot at the triple crown, even though I think he won’t get it. With their solid pitching they have a great chance of taking away the NL Central from the Cubs. Sorry J.R. Lets face it, every Pirate player that was traded this season is jumping for joy. They are headed for a sports record 17th consecutive losing season. Below a .500 winning percentage for that long is a very hard thing to do. Just ask the 0-16 Lions from last year. Congrats to those that won’t have to be there for the sadness in Pittsburgh.

Losers

Blue Jays, Padres, Pirates

Toronto couldn’t trade P Roy Halladay and it was mainly the fact that they wanted too much and teams weren’t willing to give them that price. It’s strange considering that Roy Halladay is a difference maker, even though he only plays every fifth day. Looking at it long term, the teams that couldn’t get a deal done will regret it and Toronto will regret taking the best offer it got because you won’t see it come winter. San Diego is now slowly joining the ranks of Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Washington. They have taken a huge PR hit for trading their best pitcher when they already tried to earlier in the season. Closer Heath Bell and 1B Adrian Gonzalez were also shopped at the deadline, but San Diego seems to be setting up a preview of whats to come this winter when they unload them for prospects. What else can I say the Pirates are a habitually losing franchise that doesn’t seem to have an ownership and management group that cares and a fan base that has abandoned baseball altogether in the great city of Pittsburgh. For shame.

When will the Madness End?

I’ve been trying to avoid this for the last two months now. As I’m sure you have been to. Today was the day that Brett Favre would announce his decision on whether he would or would not join the Minnesota Vikings. Well that was Monday when it was reported and now he is second guessing himself. WHAT!? Are you kidding me Brett? What could possibly keep you from coming back this time? I for one don’t care anymore, but I probably want this to happen more than anyone.

Last year when he was traded to the Jets or as I called them the “Brett’s.” That was not his decision as Green Bay controlled him. When he almost immediately announced his retirement at the end of the season, speculation started on him changing his mind. Only because it happened the year before and it will probably happen again. Sure enough it was Minnesota that initiated the talks, just like the year before when he was in Green Bay. Now of course the Packers weren’t going to trade him to a division rival, but now Brett is free to decide where to go. Where else but the Vikings to stick it to Green Bay for two games. Well, specifically GM Ted Thompson who refused to let Brett back when he changed his mind.

For that reason alone I would love to see Brett come back and either ruin his legacy more or become a hero for a new team. Favre had surgery on the bum shoulder, which signaled that he was coming back. Now because he is reportedly getting text messages from Viking players Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen and Steve Hutchinson he is having a change of heart. Yeah, I guess the pressure can get to even the best of us. He now realizes that he has put himself and an entire franchise into a corner they can’t get out of. If he decides to go, expectations will be Super Bowl or bust. If he decides to stay retired, the Vikings will be stuck with Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels who I’m sure are not happy at all about the whole situation. It’s a lose lose situation for Favre and Minnesota. I’m just so glad I’m not a Viking fan because I would be real worried about seeing him in purple and not seeing him in purple. Have fun.

The Candy Man wants more Candy

There comes a time when someone will say enough is enough. Well, Lakers owner Jerry Buss came to that point last week when he reportedly removed the Lakers offer of 3 years at $9 million a year from the table for free agent Lamar Odom. Now how did it get to this point? When the Lakers essentially had no plans of bringing back Trevor Ariza, they at least had a back up plan in Ron Artest. I am in no means saying I’d rather have Artest, but it was a decent move when you lose Ariza. But in the Odom situation, what would the back up plan be. Ric Bucher of ESPN said when news of this broke two names I would never imagine being Lakers. Joe Smith and Drew Gooden. Ewww. No disrespect to them, but if those are the options to replace Odom you can forget it.

Cooler heads have to prevail here. Dr. Buss needs to put the offer back on the table and wait for Odom to realize that will be the best offer for him. What happened to the team player in Odom when he said,

“As long as I can keep going to the NBA Finals, count me in.”

The best offer Lamar could get is from Portland. They still have plenty of cap space, but surprisingly have shown little interest in Odom. Dallas and Miami have talked to Lamar, but can only offer the mid level exception of just under $6 million a year to him. Now if you do the math that is only $3 million more than the Lakers offer for two more years. Plus, Miami and Dallas are not considered power houses to win a title. Do you want to win or not Lamar?

It has been reported that in the last twenty four hours Jerry Buss has talked to Lamar and that Miami has already offered him a contract of $34 million over five years. If Jerry puts another year on his offer, he will have to take it. Personally, I would not be holding out like this. It’s the freaking Lakers. That three year deal is very good. Plus you’ll be playing for the Lakers. Not their JV cousins aka the Clippers. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of athletes coming out to essentially say it is not about the money, I just want to win. The real translation is that it is always about the money and I do want to win at the same time. You can’t have both, well most of the time. Think real hard about it Lamar and don’t forget that I had your back with your candy addiction. Free candy as a Laker should be the incentive for his new contract Jerry. Where’s Wonka when you need him?

MLB Midseason Awards

With the All-Star break being the halfway point in the MLB season it’s time to decide who is worthy of taking home the individual hardware. Be it MVP, Cy Young, Rookie, Manager or my newest one, best story. Lets see who wins the individual awards for the first half of 2009.

AL MVP: Justin Morneau 1B Minnesota Twins

NL MVP: Albert Pujols 1B St. Louis Cardinals

Close second in the AL goes to Angels CF Torii Hunter. What he has done in a lineup without Vladimir Guerrero for most of the year is amazing. Morneau though has been a constant force. Remember, he’s been doing this without Joe Mauer in the lineup for almost the whole first month of the season. .311 batting, 21 HR and 70 RBI. Those are the best all around numbers of any first baseman in the American League. The Twins would not be where they are in the standings without Morneau’s consistent bat. What else can I say about Pujols other than he is a threat for the triple crown. Again. .332, 32 HR and 87 RBI. Fourth, first, first respectively leading in those categories. Is there really anyone else?

AL Cy Young: Zack Greinke Kansas City Royals

NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum San Francisco Giants

Both of these pitchers are going for the Triple Crown in their leagues. Greinke sports a league leading 2.12 ERA. Lincecum is second at 2.33. Greinke and Lincecum both have 10 wins. Greinke has 129 strikeouts to put him at third. Lincecum leads with 149 strikeouts. I could make a case for Roy Halladay in Toronto or Dan Haren in Arizona, but both have won this award until further notice.

AL Rookie: J.A. Happ Pitcher Philadelphia Phillies

NL Rookie: Andrew Bailey Pitcher Oakland Athletics

It was no fluke that Bailey was selected to the All-Star game. Well, part of it was the Selig rule that every team must be represented, but aside from that this kid has put up some impressive numbers. In 39 relief appearances he has struck out 60 batters in just over 52 innings pitched. A WHIP under 1.00 and an ERA at 1.92. Oh and also getting 10 saves. Not bad considering the state the A’s are in now. Happ is a good story and has backed it up with solid outings. A perfect record of 6-0 while starting the season in the bullpen, but later put back in the rotation to stay. With an ERA of 2.90 and a WHIP under 1.20 while playing in Philadelphia is very impressive. Colby Rasmus of St. Louis deserves some consideration, but I award it to a Phillie.

AL Manager: Jim Leyland Detroit Tigers

NL Manager: Ken Macha Milwaukee Brewers

Now there were a lot of choices in the American League. Especially in the AL West with Ron Washington, Don Wakamatsu and Mike Scioscia. But who had the Tigers in first place at the half way point. No one, so put your hands down. The Tigers were predicted in a lot of circles to finish last in the Central. The bats are back to life and the pitching has not thrown them out of games. Jim gets all the credit for this turnaround. Macha is the only winner at this point in the NL. I expected the Brew Crew to hit their way to the top, but the pitching has turned from a weakness to a strength. Granted they haven’t had any debilitating injuries, but like with the Tigers who thought the pitching would help. Trevor Hoffman was not a bad pickup for that bullpen.

Best Story: Angels

Not only losing a teammate, but with the injuries mounting up and the inconsistent bullpen which was a strength, they enter the break in first place. Scioscia would be a good pick for manager of the year, but he gets credit for best story. This team was written off when Vlad went down, but Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera stepped up. Chone Figgins is having a career year with Jered Weaver leading the starting staff in wins with 10. The bullpen struggled mightily in the first two months, but has turned it around thanks to Brian Fuentes leading the majors with 26 saves. This is one of many good stories this season, but this has been playing out since the season started.

Steve McNair 1973-2009

There is never an easy way to put it, but to say it as you see it. Steve McNair was a great football player. By all accounts a great person in the community and for his family. The way he left will forever be a dark cloud that will hang over him though. To allegedly be unfaithful to his wife will taint what many considered to be a squeaky clean image. This is a tragedy that happens far too much in our society.

Two questions will come up in the aftermath. Does this make McNair’s image any different? Will this have an impact on today’s athletes? This will undoubtedly have an impact on today’s sports stars. Your taught that there is a right and a wrong way. This is the same here. Who would’ve thought that the woman he was seeing was going to buy a gun to kill him and herself. The question is why be with someone when your already married and have four sons to look after. This had the makings of a bad situation that would only get worse. And it did. It was horrible to hear they were both gunned down, but to gradually hear the circumstances of their death was making this disturbing.

His image is and will take a beating. It hasn’t happened full force. It doesn’t make it right though. I don’t like it anymore than you probably do, but that is how those with loud voices will say. Steve McNair will be remembered here as a football player first and this will be second. We won’t be able to forget these details because of the 24/7 news cycle were in. I won’t forget the only Super Bowl appearance he was in with that final drive, just one yard short. We lost a great player, husband, father, and son. Not to mention the young woman whose life was also cut short. The fourth of July was not a great day in 2009.

ESPN “My Wish” Series

A great series on ESPN that comes around once or twice a year. Uplifting stories from kids who have their sports wishes granted by the Make A Wish Foundation with the help of Disney (who owns ESPN). Take a moment to check out these stories. It will put a smile on your face.