Normar Garciaparra Retires
The Tank Is Empty
The former Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cub, Los Angeles Dodger and Oakland Athletic Nomar Garciaparra is retiring from Major League Baseball, putting an end to a 14-year career.
Garciaparra staarted his career in Boston and has now offically ended it there by signing a one-day contract with the Red Sox to retire with his former team.
The former shortstop is joining ESPN as a baseball analyst, where he will appear on “Baseball Tonight.”
The two-time batting champion and six-time All-Star was best known for his time with the Red Sox which started in 1996 and ended with an abrupt trade to the Chicago Cubs in 2004. Garciaparra also has the distinction of being the only MLB player to ever win the AL Rookie of the Year (1997) and the NL Comeback Player of the Year (2007).
Ben Sheets Signs With Oakland Athletics For $10 Milli
Four Time All-Star Selection
In a surprising twist, the Oakland Athletics have signed Ben Sheets to a one-year deal worth $10 million and the agreement is for $10 million plus performance bonuses.
The 31-year-old right-hander has passed a physical and will be introduced to the media in Oakland. Sheets missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing elbow surgery, but he reportedly wowed scouts during a throwing session in Louisiana last Tuesday where his fastball was clocked at 91 mph with his famous 12-6 curveball still on point. The Cubs, Mets, Rangers and Mariners were among other teams reportedly interested in his services.
In eight seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers Sheets has compiled a record of 86-83, a 3.72 ERA, and 1,206 strikeouts. Those are respectable numbers worthy of a large contract. However, $10 million is way too much money to spend on pitcher who didn’t pitch for a year after elbow surgery.
Oakland A’s Prospect Leaving Team To Become Priest
2009 Arizona Fall League MVP
Oakland Athletics Grant Desme, who was the A’s second round pick in 2008, is retiring from baseball to enter the priesthood. Desme was recently selected the 2009 Arizona Fall League MVP and was considered the top prospect in Oakland’s system.
The 23-year-old outfielder batted .288 with 31 homers, 89 RBIs and 40 stolen bases in 131 games at Class-A Kane County and Stockton last season. He then hit .315 with a league-leading 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 27 games in the fall league.
Not every day your something like this.
MLB Network Wins With Mark McGwire Admission
Who's Next
Let me get some things out in the open about Mark McGwire before I proceed, I am a St. Louis Cardinal die hard but that doesn’t mean I subscribe to loving everyone that has every put on a Cardinal jersey and he falls into that caterogy. With that said I’m not going to act like I wasn’t not engulfed into his and Chicgao Cubs Sammy Sosa’s every at bat that 1998 season. Even with my dislike for McGwire there is no way I wanted to see a Cub break the single season home run record. Finally I’ve never looked at McGwire’s overall resume and said that is Hall of Fame material, his time in the game was All-Star worthy and he sure could blast but one glod glove, zero MVP’s to show, an average on base percetage outside of 1996 and 1998 and a career .263 batting average doesn’t make you hall worthy in my eyes.
Some might say it’s easy to say this now but if you stood by me in the years he wore a Cardinal uniform you can vouch for such feelings. Speaking on the subject of vouching for me I’ll continue to say that the use of steriods was not against MLB policy prior 2005 but aginst the laws of the street.
But lets move on to his admission, McGwire did release an admission to the Associated Press earlier in the day that got everyone talking but it was MLB Network interview with Bob Costas that stole the show. It was his first televison interview and the following are quotes from the interview about his admission of using performance enhancing drugs during his career on.
ON WHEN EXACTLY HE USED STEROIDS:
“I believe it was the winter of 1989 into 1990. I was given a couple of week’s worth, tried it, never thought anything of it. I just moved on from it. But as far as using it on a consistent basis, it was the winter of 1993 into 1994.”
ON WHETHER HE THINKS HE WOULD STILL HAVE PERFORMED AS WELL WITHOUT STEROIDS:
“I truly believe so. I believe I was given this gift. The only reason I took steroids was for my health purposes. I did not take steroids to get any gain for any strength purposes… I’ve always had bat speed. I just learned how to shorten my bat speed. I learned how to be a better hitter. There’s not a pill or an injection that is going to give me — or any athlete — the hand-eye coordination to hit a baseball. A pill or an injection will not hit a baseball.”
ON EXACTLY WHAT PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS HE TOOK:
“The names I don’t remember. But I did injectables. I preferred the orals. The steroids I did were on a very low dosage. I didn’t want to take a lot of it. I took very, very low dosages, just because I wanted my body to feel normal. The wear and tear of 162 ballgames and the status of where I was at, and the pressures that I had to perform, and what I had to go through to try and get through all these injuries, it’s a very, very regrettable thing.”
ON REGRETTING HIS STEROID USE:
“I wish it never came into my life. But we’re sitting here talking about it. I’m so sorry that I have to. I apologize to everybody at Major League Baseball, my family, the Marises, Bud Selig… Today was the hardest day of my life.”
ON CALLING ROGER MARIS’ WIDOW THIS MORNING:
“Well, I think she was shocked that I called her. I felt good…I felt that it was…that I needed to do that. They’ve been great supporters of mine. She was disappointed. She has every right to be. And I couldn’t tell her how so sorry I was.”
ON THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE 2005 CONGRESSIONAL HEARING:
“So, 2005…Flying back there…I was ready, willing, and prepared to talk about this. I wanted to talk about this. I wanted to get this off my chest… My lawyers, Mark Bierbower and Marty Steinberg — I meet them back there. We talked about the situation. Marty, a former federal prosecutor, laid out a couple of scenarios. ‘If you go out there, and talk about this without protection, there’s a very good chance of a possible prosecution, or grand jury testimonies.’ So, we talk to – we were in meetings downstairs with Congressman Waxman, and… Congressman Davis… my lawyers were downstairs trying to get immunity for me. I wanted to talk. I kept telling myself, ‘I want to get this off my chest.’ Well, we didn’t get immunity. So here I am in a situation where I have two scenarios, where a possible prosecution or possible grand jury testimonies. Well you know what happens when there’s a prosecution? You bring in your whole family, you bring in your whole friends, you bring in ex-teammates, coaches, anybody that’s surrounding you. How the heck am I gonna to bring those people in for some stupid act that I did? So you know what I did? We agreed to not talk about the past. And it was not enjoyable to do that, Bob.
ON HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESS IN 2005:
“I’m gonna tell you right now, standing up there – or sitting up there, listening, the Hooten family or the other families behind me that lost their loved ones… And every time that I kept on saying “I’m not talking about the past,” I hear these moans. It was killing me. I was not gonna lie. I was not going to lie. I wanted to tell the truth, but because of the position I was in; to protect my family, to protect me, I decided that I would take the hits. I think anybody’s going to take the hits. I’ve been taking hits for five years…doesn’t feel very good.”
ON THE HALL OF FAME:
“I’m not here doing this for the Hall of Fame. I’m doing this for me, to get this off my chest. I played this game of baseball because I was given the ability to play. If I’m lucky enough to get in there, that’s just icing on the cake. But I played this game because I loved it.”
ON WHAT HE’D TELL CARDINALS PLAYERS ABOUT STEROIDS:
“It was the stupidest thing I ever did. There’s no reason to even go down that road. It’s an illusion. And look what I have to do. I‘m sitting here by a stupid mistake.”
ON POTENTIALLY BEING FORGIVEN BY FANS AND OTHERS:
“Well, I’m asking for a second chance. I hope they give it to me. Because you know, I have a lot to offer. I have a whole rolodex of things that I love to teach hitters, and I can’t wait to get to spring training. I can’t wait to teach, and it’s just, it’s always been a passion of mine so it just came to a head this last October when Tony sent me a text to see if I’d consider being a hitting coach.”
Following the exclusive interview, MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, Mitch Williams, Joe Magrane, Tom Verducci and Ken Rosenthal, Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons discussed their reactions to the conversation.
The moment I enjoyed the most was when Costas reminded McGwire of his final at bat and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had to pinch hit for him with Kerry Robinson, a memory I’ve never forgotten and apparently I’m not the only one.
Phillies, Blue Jays, Mariners, Athletics Finally Complete Blockbuster Trade
All For You
We’ve all heard about the trade for the last couple of days now but today all the teams and players involved where finally finalized and that’s how come your finally seeing the first post regarding the blockbuster trade here on Sports Grind Entertainment.
A four-club, nine-player mega trade, with the Toronto Blue Jays sending 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies, who in turn dealt 2008 AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners while a total of seven prospects changing hands and Oakland also part of the mix.
The 32-year-old right-hander Halladay, who also signed a three-year contract extension worth $60 million with a fourth year option worth $20 million based on innings pitched and not being on the disabled list at the end of 2013, was sent to the Phillies for three minor leaguers: catcher Travis d’Arnaud, right-hander Kyle Drabek and outfielder Michael Taylor.
Philadelphia dealt Lee to Seattle for three prospects: right-hander Phillippe Aumont, outfielder Tyson Gillies and right-hander Juan Ramirez.
Toronto flipped Taylor to the Athletics for minor league third baseman Brett Wallace.
The Phillies have wanted Halladay for some time as they tried hard to get him in July, but found working with Toronto’s former general manager J. P. Ricciardi a difficult task, instead, they sent prospects Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson to Cleveland for Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco.
But the opportunity arose again to acquire Halladay with new Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. moved in after believing Lee would be difficult to lure into a contract extension. The Phillies made the trade for a couple of reasons as they needed salary relief and get that with the Blue Jays sending the Phillies $6 million. Lee makes $9 million next season and subtract his salary and add the $6 million from Toronto, and the Phillies are paying just $750,000 more for Halladay, who makes $15.75 million next season. The Phillies also traded Lee because they felt they needed to restock a farm system that has seen Amaro trade seven top prospects since July. Whether Aumont, Ramirez and Gillies develop in talents comparable to what the Phillies gave up to get Halladay and Lee remains to be seen, but the Phillies clearly believed they needed to take the opportunity to replenish and keeping the organization competitive beyond next year.
Lee went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in his 12 regular season starts for the Phillies, but he came through when they needed him most. In five postseason starts, Lee went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA, striking out 33 batters in 40 1/3 innings and allowing less than one baserunner per inning. Halladay posted a 2.79 ERA in 239 innings and completed nine games and tossed four shutouts.
Lets take a look at the rest of the players involved who do not have a Cy Young award in their trophy case.
- Tyson Gillies, CF (Going to Phillies): 21, the left-hander hit .341 last season and led the California League with 44 stolen bases at Single-A High Desert. He scored 104 runs and had a .430 on-base percentage. Watching him at this year’s Futures Game, I was not only moved by his inspiring story but by his phenomenal raw tools and athleticism.
- Phillippe Aumont, RHP (Going to Phillies): 20, went a combined 2-6 with 16 saves and a 3.88 ERA for High Desert and Double-A West Tennessee last season. A first-round draft pick in 2007, he pitched for Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Baseball America list his pitches as a 92-95 mph heavy sinking fastball, a four-seamer at 94-98 mph and a breaking ball at 79-83 mph.
- J.C. Ramirez, RHP (Going to Phillies): 21, was 8-10 with a 5.12 ERA for High Desert.Baseball America list his pitches as a 92-94 mph fastball but not much else possibly seeing his future as a late inning pitcher.
- Kyle Drabek, RHP (Going to Blue Jays): 22, was a combined 12-3 with a 3.19 ERA at Single-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. He was the Phillies’ first-round draft pick in 2006 and his father is former NL Cy Young winner Doug Drabek. Baseball America list his pitches as a 91-94 mph fastball, a downer curveball, and a changeup that is still progressing.
- Travis d’Arnaud, C (Going to Blue Jays): 20, hit .255 with 13 home runs and 71 RBIs at Single-A Lakewood.
- Brett Wallace, 3B (Going to Blue Jays): 23, was acquired by Oakland last season as part of the trade for Matt Holliday. He figures to be a perennial .300 hitter with 25-homer power due to his short, compact stroke and solid plate discipline. The left-handed Wallace hit a combined .293 with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs for three teams.
- Michael Taylor, OF (Going to Athletics): 23, hit a combined .320 with 20 home runs, 84 RBIs and 21 stolen bases at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He joined a relatively small group of players who have been traded twice in one day. He appears ready to start in the majors coming out of spring training in 2010.
| Who Got What? | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillies | |||||
| Roy Halladay, RHP Phillippe Aumont, RHP Tyson Gillies, OF Juan Ramirez, RHP |
|||||
| Mariners | |||||
| Cliff Lee, LHP | |||||
| Blue Jays | |||||
| Travis d’Arnaud, C Kyle Drabek, RHP Brett Wallace, 3B |
|||||
| Athletics | |||||
| Michael Taylor, OF | |||||
Phillies: Winners/Blue Jays: Losers/Mariners: Winners/Athletics: Winners
Rich Harden Signs With Texas Rangers
50-29
The Texas Rangers have signed Rich Harden to a one year deal with a base salary of $6.5 million contract for 2010, he could add as much as $2.5 million in incentives. Harden gets $500,000 more if he pitches 155 innings and another $500,000 each at 165, 175, 185 and 195 innings. There is a mutual option for 2011 worth $11 million with a $1 million buyout.
Harden has battled injuries as of recent, being on the disabled list seven times in the past five season, and hopes to pitch at least 200 innings this year, if he does he could be the dominating starter and replace recently traded ace Kevin Millwood, who they gave up for cash and to help them cut cost. Since 2003, Harden has struck out 9.35 batters per nine innings, the most by any Major League pitcher with at least 125 starts.
Harden was 9-9 with a 4.09 ERA in 26 games and 141 innings for the Cubs in 2009 and 10-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 25 games and 148 innings for the Athletics and Cubs in 2008. He has not pitched more than 150 innings since his second season in the Majors in 2004, when he was 11-7 with a 3.99 ERA in a career-high 31 starts and 189 2/3 innings with the Athletics.
If Harden touches the 200 inning plateau, he will be a steal but anything less 165 innings it will be the same Rich Harden we have become accustomed to.
Oakland A’s Andrew Bailey Wins American League Rookie of the Year
Diamond Stud
Oakland A’s right-hander closer Andrew Bailey won the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year award. Elvis Andrus shortstop of the Texas Rangers finished second in the voting, which was carried out by selected members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Bailey, 25, posted 26 saves while no other AL rookie reliever had more than two and posted an 1.84 ERA, also the best among AL rookies. He was listed first on 13 ballots submitted by two writers in each AL city, second on six and third on five to score 88 points, based on a 5-3-1 tabulation system.
Bailey is the second Oakland closer to win in the past five elections; Huston Street won it in 2005. Including shortstop Bobby Crosby’s honor in 2004, this marks the third time in six seasons that an A’s player has won the rookie award and the eighth time overall, tying the Yankees for the most winners in the league.
Moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen at Double-A Midland at mid season in 2008, Bailey didn’t just make a successful transition to relief work. He made the transition look like a breeze. Named to the 25-man roster in part because projected closer Joey Devine was out with an elbow injury that resulted in season-ending surgery, Bailey was handed a low-stress role in the season’s first several weeks but steadily climbed the ladder of responsibility.
He picked up his first save in early May and eventually took over as the full-time closer, converting his final 21 save opportunities dating to June 17.
Named the Athletics’ lone representative at the All-Star Game in St. Louis this summer, Bailey broke Street’s Oakland rookie record for saves and posted a 6-3 record with a 0.88 WHIP and 91 strikeouts against 24 walks in 83 1/3 innings over 68 appearances. Opponents batted .167 against Bailey, who surrendered 47 hits
In what turned out to be a great year for the rookies you couldn’t go wrong with any of the top 5 vote getter. There were so many rookies who had great years.
Jason Giambi’s Farewell Tour Not Over Yet
Thank You Rockies
Entering tonight’s game against the San Francisco Giants the Colorado Rockies sit atop the National League Wild Card leader board with a 3 game lead and only 3 1/2 behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League Western Division lead with 34 games to play. The Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd feels they need a little more depth on their bench and has signed Jason Giambi a left-handed bat to a minor-league deal. He’s expected to get the call up in September when the rosters expand to 40.
Giambi, 38, was released by the Oakland Athletics on Aug. 7 after he slumped to .193. Giambi will play for Triple-A Colorado Springs trying to regain his swing.
“If Jason is healthy, he’s coming,” O’Dowd said
To me I believe Giambi is ready to ride his Harley-Davidson full time but that same feeling was felt when the Rockies dead last in the NL West back on May 29.
Rickey Henderson Hall Of Famer, Jim Rice Not So Much
1406
Today baseball celebrates the induction of Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice into the Hall Of Fame. Its hard for me to ever rain down on a day of celebration in baseball but this is one of those time I must stay true to who I am and my beliefs. I believe today should only belong to Rickey Henderson. The man who stole a major-league leading 1406 bases, crossed the plate more than any other player with 2295, led off games with more home runs than anybody else with 81, was second in all-time walks with 2190, and still collected 3055 hits and was the 1990 MVP of baseball. Cocky, yes. Confident, yes. Hall Of Famer, yes.
Unfortunately his spotlight is being shared with a good ball player but Jim Rice is not a Hall Of Famer. The eight time All-Star was good and even had a year in which everything fell into place and was named the MVP of the 1978 season. Outside of that ‘78 season and playing in a market of bias Boston reporting, does his stats really call forth to be enshrined among baseballs immortals? No. Rice may have been a tough out, he might have been a heck of a left fielder, he might even have been the pop before there was pop. These factors should not merit enshrinement though. If Rice had played in San Diego or Kansas City and put up career numbers of 2452 hits (101 all time, just behind Bill Dahlen), 382 home runs (58th all time tied with Frank Howard), 1451 RBIs (56th all time, just behind Rausty Staub) most would be calling this selection ludicrous. Over the years though Boston media and Boston Red Sox players like Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk cried and shouted for Rice like this was a high school election for student council president. Voters should be ashamed and deep down they know this. Rice was only elected on his 15th year and last on the ballot, just nudging the 75% required with a 76.4%.
As Rickey would say to Rickey “Don’t worry, Rickey, you’re still the best.” Today you are the greatest of all-time.
