MANNY TRADED FOR JASON BAY

You would think the World Wide Leader would have picke dup on this story WITH INFO earlier than SI or the Boston Globe. Not the case.

Went to ESPN at around 4:35 and this is what I read.

Back at 4:45, after it had been picked up by everyone, you get this.

The extent of the known information so far is that Manny is goign to the Dodgers, Jason Bay is coming to the Red Sox, Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen are goign to the Dodgers and or Pirates. That is all I know.

Losing Brandon Moss isn’t exactly ideal for me. I can recall the Red Sox trading away a similarly young and gifted outfileder last season (Dave Murphy).

But as I said earlier this week, even though Sloan thought I was a moron for saying so, I am happy about getting Jason Bay for Manny. Jason Bay is a great player, seems like a generally nice guy and should fit in great in Boston. Really, if you watched Sportscenter at all over the last few days, it was clear that Manny was being a crybaby and bitter and wasn’t going to do anything other than HURT the Red Sox down the stretch. I’ll take my chances with the chemistry improving and Jason Bay being equally as good (he has almost THE SAME EXACT numbers as Manny and did I mention he’s a lot younger and cheaper?).

If I were a Pirates fan I would demand new ownership.

Ron Artest Shipped To Houston. Rockets Add Offense, Defense and Insanity.

HAVE THE BALLS TO REMOVE SOME BALLS! YOU BASTARDS!!!

My buddy Blade sent me a text message last night around 1:00 a.m.: “Artest to Houston. Shit is so random.”

At that point I had already tagged out for the night. But this morning I was surprised when I checked all 79 of my messages and emails (I am VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT, afterall).

I didn’t figure Artest would go to Houston. Did you? Probably not.

I thought of the teams that had expressed interest in him (or were rumored to have done so) and they all made sense. The Lakers could use his defense, toughness, the Pistons (it seems) are likely to get rid of Rasheed so I thought it might make sense to add another big defensive guy (in spite of the melee at Auburn Hills, that is). But the Rockets? I hadn’t even thought about it to be honest.

And in a way it does make sense. Artest can score. He can play defense (on what is already a great defensive team) and Houston sort of already had 2 big ticket players, NBA cap rules and competition make it so that teams can have 3.

Featuring his hit single "Don't throw shit at me or I will FUCK YOU UP"

Artest can add another level of defense and get some baskets. And this Houston Rockets team is no joke (even if they do CONSTANTLY have injury problems).

Keep in mind this team was a runaway train last season when they won 20 however many games in a row (in the Western Conference mind you) until they matched up against the Champs (who pounded them en route to completing the coveted Texas Triangle. God do I love the 07-08 Celtics…just thinking about a long road trip makes me want to jump up and down).

Unlike some (mostly in the Houston area), I don’t think this move instantly makes the Rockets THE team to beat in the West. However, an already great defensive team adding ANOTHER really good defender and scorer will certainly help to re-distribute the weight on the team. If Yao and TMac and Artest all play 65 games next season, I do think Houston *should* be one of the top 4 seeds in the West (The Lakers and Hornets and Jazz rounding it out. The Spurs are getting old. The Mavs are uncertain as are the Suns. The Warriors are probably out of the picture. The Clippers might be in contention? The Nuggets clearly want nothing to do with winning. So who knows).

I like this move by the Rockets. Clearly they are trying to go for it this year. There were rumblings about TMac maybe being moved and the Rockets selling already. It wouldn’t make sense to do that though. This is a team with some fight left. But if this new version doesn’t get them to the Finals soon they will NEED to blow it up.

Another Reason Why The Angels Will Win The World Series

John Lackey was great last night. Before the game I was at the Red Hat with some old friends (Bombs, Blade, CMaj, Evan) and I asked if anyone would pay me 5-1 if the Red Sox were sweeped. Yes, based on my previous entries, I decided if I bet $5 on the Red Sox getting sweeped against the Angels that I almost certainly would win $25. There were no takers.

The Angels are the best team in baseball hands down. And no Abby, it is NOT because they have dead people helping them.

Anyway as the game progressed the Red Sox fell into some nasty habits and the Angels were scoring runs and Lackey had a no hitter (Pedroia and Youkilis are the ones who scored, Pedroia broke it up. It seems like these two guys have been the only CONSISTENT bats on the Red Sox all season).

But these aren’t the new reasons why the Angels will win the World Series in 2008. No no.

When you are ALREADY the best team in baseball (best rotation, best bullpen, solid lineup AND have the best record) and you go out and ADD another bat to help an offense that has been underachieving? That is an insanely smart managerial decision.

I before E except after X and T...apparently.

Mark Teixeira is an absolute beast. He is 28, I’d be willing to bet he finishes this season (his 6th, mind you) with 200 home runs. He already has 920 hits (in 5 and less than 3/4 seasons).

Additionally, Teixeira is someone who IS NOT vastly under performing this year. He already has 20 HR, 78 RBI and a .390 OBP. Adding him to this Angels team is like adding Danny DeVito to “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”, something that was already great is now EVEN MORE great.

NOBODY wants to pitch to this guy

I WOULD NOT want to pitch to the middle of the Angels lineup.

Why This Red Sox Team Is Doomed. Why They Need To Trade Manny.

Here is my defense against a sad Detroiter who thinks it is lunacy to trade ManRam:

That’s the thing about sports—you want to win. The Red Sox are basically in first place in the AL East, they should absolutely make the playoffs. In the baseball playoffs, anything can happen. Detroit backed into the 2006 playoffs, basically carrying the dead carcass of a great early season team. And then we destroyed the Yankees and rumbled into the World Series.

Who are you scared of? The Rays are interesting but greener than Al Gore. I’ve been asked to join the Yankees’ starting rotation. Anaheim is probably the favorite, and they score less than Michael Richards at bars in Compton.

I’ve long been a proponent of tearing up the Pistons’ foundation. But success in the NBA is so much about massaging the salary cap and in basketball the better team almost always wins (and the Pistons have proven they’re not an elite team.) The Red Sox, on the other hand, won the World Series LAST YEAR.

If you can get a great package for an aging superstar, an aging top 20 of all-time player, you might take a look. But you’re the damn defending world champions and you’ve got at least a 1 in 5 shot of making the World Series. To pass that up would be crazier than Manny Ramirez.

Disagree. This team isn’t winning shit. You know that, or should know that, and I know that. They are HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE under pressure.

THIS TEAM HAS BEEN SWEPT 6 TIMES SLOAN! 6 TIMES!!!

Let’s take a look at how they have performed against quality opponents this season:

Against the LA Angels (whom I predict will take it all): 1-5
Against the New York Yankees (who are having troubles of their own): 5-6
Against the Tampa Bay Rays: 6-6 (2 sweeps for each team, the home team)
Against the A’s (not a playoff team): 3-4

This Red Sox team has consistently beat up on the likes of the O’s, Blue Jays, Royals…etc. But they don’t win on the road and they don’t play well under pressure. They just don’t hold leads.

THEY ARE 24-32 ON THE ROAD. THAT IS AN EIGHT GAME DIFFERENCE. Let me list for you other teams that have lost 8 or more games on the road than they have won on the road:

Baltimore (last place…12)
Cleveland (last place…16)
Seattle (last place…14)
Atlanta (fourth place…17)
Washington (last place…19)
Cincinnati (third place…11)
Pittsburgh (last place…14)
Colorado (third place…19)
San Diego (last place…17)

These are the 9 teams the Red Sox have a better road record than. That’s it. HORRIBLE.

Right now, the Red Sox are 31-13 at home. That’s great. But I doubt they win another 30 of their remaining 37 games at home. They are not going to go 61-20 at home. And if they somehow do and continue at this rate on the road, they’ll end up winning about 91 games and missing the playoffs or sneaking in as a Wild Card.

I know Red Sox teams. I’ve been watching them forever. This one doesn’t stand a chance.

They’re like the late 90’s Red Sox. Look fine. Get you a little excited, get into the playoffs, give up a shit load of runs, no one can hit. Swept away.

It would also be stupid NOT TO TRADE Manny. he actually wants to leave, he won’t re-sign. Theo isn’t going to pick up the option (which I think they should, but won’t) so why not trade him, reallocate some of his salary for pitching next season and get a nice package in return? I’m not saying that the money being spent on Manny is preventing anything from happening, but once it is not being used anymore I’m sure the ownership will be a lot more likely to go out and spend a little money on free agents this Winter. Plus, if they can trade Manny for prospects, maybe they can work those prospects into a deal for someone this off season.

It If they don’t trade him, he walks, the Red Sox get eliminated in the ALCS (Best case…probably in the DS) and they get NOTHING in return.

I don’t give a shit about his salary. I’m just saying, its stupid not to make a move here.

I also don’t understand the need for the “WE MUST WIN THIS SEASON” mentality.

The Red Sox won the World Series last year. They aren’t going to repeat with this team. I give them a 1 in 19 chance at best. Maybe 1 in 15. No better than that. Not enough pitching. Not enough clutch.

I would be thrilled if they did win the World Series, of course, but I don’t think they have a legitimate chance with this particular group of players performing the way they have this season and I also think it would make much more sense to build to be in a better position next year than to let Manny leave for nothing (which he will) and to end up being in a worse position next year.

Also, if they DO trade with the Mets or Dodgers (both more likely than other teams, due to market, payroll, playoff race…etc.) and get a package with like Ryan Church a solid bullpen arm and some minor leaguers, its not like they would fall off the face of the Earth with Chruch as a starter and an extra arm in the pen.

If anything I think they might even IMPROVE their chances for THIS YEAR if they can move Manny for an arm or two and a nice outfielder who can provide them with a .285 or so BA. Just saying.

Shit, I would GLADLY take Matt Kemp, an arm and some prospects for Manny. Someone young, who can hit, steal bases, plays hard, and still leaves the door open for a big free agent signing. I really don’t think this Red Sox team becomes irrelevant the second after Manny is gone. But why not try it now? Try it with a trade. See how it works out for the remainder of the season.

If they sink, they know they need to make a big signing in the off season. If they swim, maybe not so much.

Manny Wants To Be Traded. Red Sox Aren’t Very Good. 2003? You’re back?

Manny Ramirez has said that he will not reject any tradesTheo Epstein can conjure up to get him off of the Red Sox by Thursday.

In Boston, there seem to be two camps for Manny, the “I hate him, he’s a jackass who does stupid shit and is a crybaby” camp (aka, the “I’m jealous of him” camp) and the “It’s just Manny being Manny. Let him be who he is. No one can match that production!” camp (aka, the “I smoke weed everyday too, get off my back” camp).

I wouldn’t say I’m technically in either group. I think Manny offers solid year to year production and also endless Summer entertainment.

Say what you will about his shenanigans, but there is no other athlete in baseball as inoffensively entertaining. I enjoy that about him. I really do.

On Friday, Deadspin ran a hilarious anecdote involving Manny, shitting, towels and plumbing problems. You don’t have to read it to figure it out. But you still should.

On the other hand, his issues have sort of come to a head this season. What with him manhandling a 60 year old guy and the whole Youkilis thing. He just doesn’t seem happy in Boston anymore. He’s said he wanted to leave before, but this time I think he really does.

I’ve heard some speculation that he was very close with Julian Tavarez and perhaps Tavarez being released helped usher in the “angry Manny” era.

Either way, I doubt the Red Sox will re-sign him, THIS Red Sox team IS NOT winning a World Series. Shit, they aren’t going to win ANY high pressure series. Therefore;

TRADE HIM NOW!

The Red Sox should get as much as they can for Manny while they can. Build for next year. The pitching of the Sox will be even better, the younger players will continue to develop. Trade him for a solid outfielder and 3 or 4 prospects. Do SOMETHING with him. It would be stupid not to move him.

I know the Red Sox are still technically in position to win the AL East and all, but it isn’t going to happen. Not with this team. Not this season. Trade Manny now. Maybe it’ll work out for the best. Maybe Manny is a clubhouse cancer. Maybe.

I greatly appreciate the two titles Manny helped bring to the Red Sox. I do. But he isn’t getting any younger, his personality has been more ferocious and volatile than usual lately and his production isn’t exactly worth the money he’s getting paid.

Manny will not hit 45 home runs in a season again. He probably won’t bat .351 again. He won’t get 165 RBI again.

Maybe 25. .305. 110. Maybe.

Those are solid numbers. But they aren’t $20 million a year numbers.

You know who can replace that production? Justin Morneau. Jason Bay. Matt Holiday. Nate McLouth. Ryan Ludwick. Maybe Matt Kemp or Andre Either or Ryan Church in a few years.

My point is, there are a lot of great young players out there who can match (or nearly match) the production of the 36 year old Manny Ramirez. Also, none of those guys make $20 million a year. Far from it, actually, some of them make $300K a year.

If the Red Sox are smart, they will get something done involving a playoff contender in the NL, a young solid outfielder and a package of up and coming talent (pitching and otherwise). They also somehow find a way to throw in Julio Lugo. Or should….

AL Playoff Predictions

In my original mid-season article I wanted to make some serious 2008 season predictions. For whatever reason it didn’t happen so much.

So now that the season is approaching 3/4 of the way over, its time to make some bold statements about who has a shot, who is in another rebuilding year and who is flat out dead where they stand.

I predict that the Tampa Bay Rays are in fact a legit competitor. Really, they are probably more serious a challenge to both the Red Sox and Yankees than either team will be to the other from here on out.

People still say things like “it’s not gonna last” or whatever. There is no way this team completely folds unless they 1) get cocky like the 2007 Mets…Because they are young and have never tasted victory before, I doubt this happens. 2) have several severe injuries to key players…All though injuries can happen at any time, the worst part of the season for them (just before the half way mark) has come and gone.

Does that mean that I think they are definitely winning the AL East? No. Not definitely. But I do think they will be in the race all through September.

And the other two teams that have a chance to win the AL East?

The Yankees are one.

Even though I was programmed to hate everything they stand for, to detest everything about the organization and all of their players, far be it from me to assume that just because they are 3.5 games back right now that their season is over. That’s just stupid.

The Red Sox fans that I hear that from are either 1) new to being Red Sox fans (2004 to present), 2) drunk, 3) HOPING and PRAYING that it is true or 4) Not paying attention to the 2008 Red Sox and 2008 Rays.

This Yankees team has a few issues that are a little more obvious than ones they have had in previous seasons. For one, they are really having trouble staying healthy. They are seeing some of their quality offensive players get old and regress. The pitching is not really there.  It isn’t Texas Rangers bad, they still have a few good guys getting decent starts in their rotation, but they have been scrambling all season with everyone outside of Mussina and Pettitte. Some of the young guys look good, sure, but they won’t look good for long if their confidence gets shot. If I were a Yankee fan, that would worry me.

But this Yankees team is far from done. They are only 3.5 games out of first. 3 games behind the Red Sox. They can still score runs (thanks in large part to ARod). Hell, they have a +50 run differential. Even if the pitching is somewhat inconsistent (which is the word I would use…its not bad…bad would imply consistency. The Rangers pitching is BAD) they still have an offense that can score 5 runs a night, 10 on any given night and it would never surprise me to see them win a game 22-5.

But offense won’t win any Championships. It comes and goes. There one night, gone the next. You can’t rely on it.

I wouldn’t say I think the Red Sox are done or not going to make the playoffs.

I could easily see a situation where the Red Sox drop a few too many games, have trouble with the Rays and Yankees in September and end up a couple games out of the Playoffs. I could easily see that happening…But I don’t think it will.

The Red Sox have not exactly been the most healthy team either this season. What they do have going for them is the youth movement, JD Drew being great again and a fairly solid rotation. But Manny is taking his 4 week vacation early this season. Hopefully Ortiz is fine. Hopefully things work out. But as you’ve seen in the past, I’m not all that optimistic. 

To me, for the thinking Red Sox fan, you have to consider a few things. The lack of a trustworthy bullpen. The injuries racking up. The fact that players stepping up and filling in holes is nice while it lasts, but it will NEVER last forever. Last season’s Red Sox just seemed to me like they were easily going to win the World Series all year. You could feel it. They had everything clicking the right way. They weren’t hampered by injuries to key guys all year. They could hold a lead, they could come from behind. They could win big games. They did it all. These Red Sox seem more like the 2005 Red Sox to me. Unless they get their act together over the next 50 games, I don’t think they will get very far even if they make the playoffs.

So to make a prediction…

I predict the Rays win the AL East by about 2 games. The Red Sox get the Wild Card by about 2 or 3 games with the Yankees right on their heels.

You know what team IS breathing fire right now? The Angels of whatever city in California.

The Angels are the only team in the AL that seems like they could easily win a World Series without any issues if the season ended today.

And the funny thing is, I think they’re UNDER PERFORMING.

They only have a +34 run differential, a few of their key bats have had rough seasons, its been weird. Take a look at their player stats. Torii Hunter hasn’t exactly rocked the Earth with his offensive output this season. Vlad looks like he’s getting older. Chone Figgins isn’t nearly as effective as he has been in years past. But they still find a way to score runs. They have an undeniable rotation (Saunders, Santana, Lackey, Weaver and Garland…the worst ERA in the rotation is Garland’s 4.12), they strike people out, and have you seen their bullpen? Scot Shields might be the most underrated pitcher in the AL. The guy has 21 holds. an ERA under 3.0, 1.18 WHIP, a K/9 average of 9.76, add in an unstoppable closer in Francisco Rodriguez (more than 40 saves) and then look at the stats Jose Arredondo, Darren Oliver and Darren O’Day are putting up.

That is 5 quality starters and 5 reliable relievers. Name another team in baseball with a pitching staff that good.

I could easily see the Angels steamrolling through the playoffs. They are easily taking the West (ahead by 10 games now, probably by 21 by year’s end).

In the Central, I can’t really say what is going to happen. It is still a 3 team race. The Tigers, though better than at the start of the season, are still not as good as advertised. I think I made my feelings about this Tigers team known in my mid-season review article.

But I don’t think they’re out.

The Twins don’t have the pitching to stay ahead of anyone other than the Royals for long. Even if the Twins prove me wrong here and somehow win the Central, they are out in the first round to the Angels or Rays (based on my above predictions).

The White Sox just don’t excite me at all. They have a few guys playing inspired baseball, a lunatic manager and even though they’re in first in their division, most casual sports fans in Chicago are probably far more interested and invested in the Cubs right now. The White Sox have a good rotation, but it isn’t great. Vasquez and Contreras give up too many runs, I question Gavin Floyd’s durability (can he last through September?) and Buehrle gives up 7 hits a start (average). This isn’t to say that I would not gladly accept a few starters from the White Sox for the Red Sox. I would take any of the top 3 with open arms.

The bullpen is good. Not Angels good. But good.

As far as their offense goes, its like a team of power hits that don’t hit all that well (Jermaine Dye aside). They generate a lot of runs but remind me a hell of a lot of the Yankees….but with the pitching to back it up.

I’m going to say the White Sox take the Central by about 4 games. The Twins drop down to third. The Tigers’ insanely slow start will just be too much to overcome. Its a hole that is too deep in my opinion.

So for the AL my playoff predictions are:

1. Angels 103-59

2. Rays 96-66

3. White Sox 95-67

4. Red Sox (WC) 94-68

Everybody Loves The WNBA When There Are Brawls…not so much when it is women playing basketball..

I don’t need a picture.

There was a brawl in the WBNA last night between the Detroit Shock and Los Angeles Sparks.

It happened at the Palace at Auburn Hills aka home of the Detroit Pistons.

There was some shoving, things got out of hand, the same as any NBA altercation. Nothing really spectacular, unusual or amazing happened. Tempers flare when people are competing and teams are rivals.

Yet it’s the first time I can ever remember ANY news story related to the WBNA being front page news on ESPN.com, or a lead story on Sportscenter.

And the way ESPN covers these types of events?

Well…its akin to the way Fox News covers a Michael Moore film premiere. 

I don’t know when it happened, but sometime in the last decade, sports news has transmogrified from in depth coverage of players and personalities, highlights, scores and statistical analysis into TMZ for jocks. The Brett Favre soap opera? Is there anything less interesting? Oh yeah, the whole ongoing “Barrack Obama’s Minister said bad bad things” soap opera. Right. Similar? Yes. Long lasting? Yes. Does any of it matter? No.

Do I care what Chad Johnson had for breakfast? Not that much. Oh, he’s at training camp today? GREAT! Thanks.

Have you ever noticed you spend more time reading about player contracts, transactions and legal issues than you do reading about anything that ACTUALLY HAPPENS DURING A GAME? 

I’ll be the first to admit that I certainly pump out a lot of gossip sports stories. And why? Because they can be interesting. 

But unlike ESPN, I don’t feel I have or should have any obligation to write about anything other than what I feel like writing about. ESPN should be about providing insight and great analysis and sports coverage and THEN about gossip. Lately its all gossip with a couple John Hollinger articles mixed in.

Is it because athletes don’t want to talk to the media? Is it because the media can find a way to turn ANYTHING into a story? Is it because America runs on gossip?

Mostly, yes and yes.

Let me know the next time you see a WBNA game story or score or anything unrelated to this incident on the front page of ESPN.com. Please. Let me know. Maybe at their Championship? Maybe.

I mean this in the kindest way possible; the vast majority of sports fans do not care at all about the WBNA. In fact, I bet if you did a poll and asked any sports fan how many WBNA teams they could name off the top of their head, they would maybe be able to name one. Maybe.

Here is my list, this is completely off the top of my head:

Detroit Shock, Los Angeles Sparks, Houston something space travel related, New York Liberty, Seattle not Sonics…uhhh…that’s it. See. Bad. And I bet most people couldn’t even name more than a few cities teams are in.

And that’s OK. I think that the WNBA has an opportunity as a future league. As in, if it hangs around for 20 years and women/young women are interested in the league, it could easily become a part of common sports culture. For a few reasons 1) people are fickle, they fall in and out of love with leagues, players, etc. The NBA is back in vogue, or coming back in vogue in a big way. Might not last forever. Shit, ask the average sports fan to name 20 NHL teams and I doubt they could do that these days. 2) trends come and go. People said soccer would never catch on in America, well it sort of is catching on. It might be slow, but it is coming. I swear. I mean it this time. Look at Tennis. People who didn’t give a shit about tennis in June are shitting their pants in excitement now. 3) Any league needs time. Be it SLAMBALL, the XFL, Arena Football, the WNBA or MLS. A league needs to build its history, gain a reputation, and stay with it through the tough years. Things change. People change. If you get some kids into it, who knows what might happen down the line.

But right now, the WNBA will continue to be exploited for the two times this season where something newsworthy has happened (A WOMAN DUNKED AGAIN! OH MY GOD! 3 ARTICLES NOW!!!/DID YOU SEE THAT BRAWL! THAT WAS AWFUL! THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!).

Stupid.

Jay Gibbons Gets A Second Chance

Jay Gibbons who was named in the Mitchell Report and who has been bouncing around the independent leagues has finally gotten another shot in Major League Baseball thanks to the Brewers.

Gibbons sent out this long apology and explanation and essentially begged all 30 teams to give him a shot at even a minor league contract in June. When I initially read this I thought that anyone who is willing to apologize to potential employers, acknowledge their wrongdoings, and generally put their ego aside certainly deserves another chance.

I’m not one of those people who crucifies steroid using ex-players because the purity of the game was tarnished. Sure, Barry Bonds owning the home run records is annoying (but I would hate him regardless of steroid usage, the guy is a complete asshole and arrogant piece of shit and was when he was 22 the same way he is now when he’s 40-whatever), but the whole steroids problem is really the fault of Owners and Bud Selig for not ever trying to enforce any code of rules related to roids at any point in history.

The easiest solution is to pretend like it never happened. Forget about the juicy age of baseball (‘81-’06), give the guys their awards and move on.

The problem is, Andy Pettite still has a job. Jason Giambi still has a job. Sammy Sosa still has a job…etc. So blacklisting guys like Jay Gibbons, guys that are decent ballplayers, just isn’t right.

Not that I think there is any major conspiracy or anything…but its clear that most GMs wish that the people in the Mitchell Report would just crawl under a rock and die. Too much bad PR.

Well, Jay Gibbons has officially netted the Brewers some good PR. Which means that maybe our perception of cheating and steroids is shifting. Maybe we can start to forget about it and just watch the games.

I wish Gibbons the best of luck.

But C.C. Sabathia? Definitely jucing and I hope he gets banned FOR LIFE FOR IT!!! BASTARD!! YOU RUINED MY LIFE!!!! ARRRRGHHH!

Josh Childress AKA Bubbles Goes To Greece

 

Here is Josh On The Streets Of Baltimore

In one of the strangest decisions I’ve heard of in a while, Josh Childress has skipped Atlanta (and the rest of the NBA, mind you) to play European Basketball in Greece.

On the one hand, it makes perfect sense, more money, maybe he’s a cultural guy and he’d love to travel and live in Europe, fewer games each season, he’d most likely be a started and star there…etc.

On the other hand…no American kid ever dreams of growing up and being good enough to make it in the Greek Pro leagues. He was in the NBA. THE NBA!!!!

I mean, maybe Bubbles’ plan is to play there a few years, make some major money and then come back to America and play with the pros…

Or maybe he likes playing basketball but he LOVES money. Maybe that’s it…

I’m intrigued. Get Bryant Gumbel to Athens for a Real Sports exclusive STAT!

Tim Wakefield – The Disappearing Kunckleball

My Name Is Wakefield

Nice read this week from Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal.

If Wakefield can get about 15 wins a season for another 22 seasons, he’ll be at 500 wins…That’ll easily put him in the Hall of Fame.

But in all seriousness, the knuckleball is the sort of throwback that I can get behind. Just like polyester one piece jersey shirts, Pan Am and Bubble Bobble.

I apologize for the shortness and lack of anything useful in my recent posts. So much work going on lately. So little going on in the Sports World…