Trading Places

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News

The 2009 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone, and with a few names on the move, the dust has finally settled. Guys like Lee, Martinez, and Washburn found themselves new homes, meanwhile some names that had figured to be packing were in fact staying put.

But after all is said and done, like every Trade Deadline, this one had some big winners, and some big losers.

WINNERS:

Philadelphia Phillies

In the beginning, the rumors had perennial Cy Young candidate Roy Halladay headed to the city of brotherly love. But as it turned out, Toronto wanted far too much for their ace, and arguably rightfully so. In the end, that was fine by the Phillies, who jumped ship and opened up the trading wires with the Cleveland Indians, eventually landing 2008 AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee. So far in 2009, Lee has an irrelevant win-loss record, a shiny 3.14 ERA and a very nice 1.30 WHIP. He’s no Roy Halladay, but Lee will undoubtedly make a difference in the NL Pennant run.

But perhaps the biggest reason why the Philadelphia Phillies head the list of 2009 Deadline Winners is because of what they gave up for Lee. Each of the four names the Phillies refused to surrender for Halladay (Taylor, Happ, Drabek and Brown) are staying put in the Phillie minor league system. Talk about a bargain. Not only do the Phillies land a Cy Young winner and at least four-five more wins then they ever would have gotten with a roster that ranks 20^th in Major League Baseball with a 4.40 team ERA, they hold on to every single one of their prized young talents.

If the Phillies had any hope of winning a World Series, they had to make a move – and they did. Look for them to appear very late in the MLB Playoffs, and quite possibly in the 2009 World Series.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have plenty of pitching. And they also have plenty of Pujols. But before the Trade Deadline, they didn’t have much else. Grabbing Julio Lugo (Red Sox) and Mark DeRosa (Indians) helped aleviate the pain, but there was still something missing.

Enter: Matt Holliday. In what is a terrific problem solving more, the St. Louis Cardinals landed right handed slugger Matt Holliday, who is only one season removed from a .340 season with 36 HR and 137 RBI, not to mention a World Series berth. A slight down year in 2008 (.321/25/88) led to his departure to Oakland, where in 2009 he batted .286 with only 11 HR and 54 RBI through 93 games. Needless to say, his apparent value is slightly diminished. But make no mistake about it, the man can still rake.

And if he could rake before, imagine how he’ll do with the best protection in baseball, Albert Pujols, batting in front of him. So far in seven games with the Cardinals, Holliday has posted a .520 average with one home run and 12 RBI to boot.

Look for that type of production to continue into what will be a very deep playoff run for the Cardinals, who now have a productive offense to go along with their 5^th ranked 3.76 team ERA.

Boston Red Sox

After all the speculation, the Sox finally pulled it off. In landing catcher Victor Martinez from the Indians, the Sox clear up a lot of issues. One, they make sure they have flexibility to rest Jason Varitek who is currently banged up and needs more time off then he’s getting. Two, they also ensure they have a solid backstop for the next five to six years, assuming they resign Martinez after his player option is up in 2010. And three, with his experience at first base, Martinez will allow Mike Lowell days off as well, shifting Youkilis over to third and allowing the aging Lowell time to rest.

As if those three reasons weren’t big enough, the Sox also didn’t have to part with Bucholz, Bard, or any of the other top young talent that has been floating around the airwaves. They lose a decent arm in the bullpen in Justin Masterson, but what they gain from the switch-hitting Martinez is a very strong bat, flexibility at four major positions, and a consistency at catcher that was uncertain after 2009. All in all, a great move by Boston not only for 2009 but beyond.

Detroit Tigers

A winner more because of what they gave up then what they got. Still, in dealing for Jarrod Washburn the Tigers get a very nice two/three starter who so far in 2009 has a very nice 2.64 ERA, and an excellent 1.07 WHIP. Washburn is a very solid left handed arm who dominates left handed bats (.168 BAA) and has finally figured out how to deal with right handed ones (.244 BAA). While he’s not a blockbuster name, Washburn definitely helps pad Detroit’s Major League ranked 10^th team ERA, furthering the notion that pitching wins championships, and the Tigers are after just that.

But again, the Tigers are a big winner mostly because of what they gave up, or rather, didn’t give up. The two players they moved to receive Washburn from the Mariners were Luke French and Mauricio Robles, two prospects who weren’t even in the top 10 of prospects in the Detroit Tiger organization. Look for the move for Washburn to help push the Tigers to an AL Central win, and a 2009 playoff berth.

Honorable Mentions:

Minnesota Twins – While getting SS Orlando Cabrera from the Athletics helped out the Twins, it didn’t solve them. Minnesota looked the other way on their 23^rd ranked 4.48 team ERA, and acquired a speedy defensive shortstop in Cabrera. Granted, he has some nice playoff experience, and is a very nice cog to throw into a team that’s looking to make a playoff run. But the reason the Twins aren’t a winner here is because they didn’t grab any arms to help out a struggling at best rotation, and look to have lost a step to Detroit when the 2009 Trade Deadline dust settles. Still, a nice move here, just not the best one.

Chicago White Sox – A lot of question marks here. Sure, Jake Peavy is a terrific pitcher, but he’s also very injured right now. Not only is it uncertain when he will return and how productive he will be, the White Sox also shipped off a lot to land him, including Aaron Poreda, a 22 year old pitcher who has a 2.45 ERA in 10 games for the Sox. Peavy is still a fantastic pitcher, and the White Sox did great to get him. But with the question of when he will return and more importantly how he will perform when he does, it’s uncertain how much of a winner Chicago truly is as far as the 2009 season goes.

San Fransisco Giants – They have pretty solid pitching in Lincecum and Cain, but their offense leaves a little bit to desire. That’s exactly why the Giants went shopping and got Ryan Garko from the Indians and Freddy Sanchez from the Pirates. In only 78 games with the Indians Garko batted .285 with 11 HR, and adds a little bit of extra pop to an otherwise lackluster Giant offense. Sanchez meanwhile is a perennial .300 hitter who will be a very nice asset at the top of the San Fransisco lineup. Do these acquisitions make the Giants an offensive powerhouse? Far from it. That’s why they aren’t an outright winner. But do they help? You bet.

LOSERS:

Toronto Blue Jays

Yes they have the best pitcher in baseball. And yes they should value him as such. But did they blow a big chance to land something for their ace? Again, yes.

It seems as if GM J.P. Ricciardi enjoyed sitting on his high horse with his golden prize a bit too much, letting teams pass him by without a deal being made. Look at the facts: Roy Halladay is a tremendous pitcher, and his value may never be higher than it is right now. In fact, it realistically can’t get any higher. He is 11-4 with a 2.68 ERA, and most importantly could alter not one but two pennant races – 2009, and 2010. This means that had a team landed Halladay, they would have him for two seasons before they even had to consider resigning him. That’s a very big playing chip, and it appears Ricciardi let it pass him by. Who knows what the 2010 market will look like. Maybe some more big arms will be out there, maybe Halladay won’t be 11-4 with a 2.68 ERA, or maybe he even gets hurt. We just don’t know. But what we do know is that in failing to pull the trigger on a 2009 deal involving Halladay the Blue Jays left a lot up to chance in 2010.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Complicated and unnecessary name aside, the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim)’s trade deadline mission was simple: get some pitching. The result? Not so much.

Before the season started, the Angels looked like they had a great pitching staff. John Lackey at the helm, followed by Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, and Jered Weaver. But things can change during the course of a season, and they absolutely have in the Angels case. Lackey hasn’t been Lackey, and the rest of the rotation quite frankly hasn’t really existed. Names such as Jarrod Washburn, Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez, an even Roy Halladay swirled above the Angels’ front office. But the 2009 deadline came and went, and the Angels were left with nothing. With Vlad and Torii Hunter on the Disabled List, that Angels look depleted, and did very little to help themselves out. What’s worst is that it doesn’t even seem like they tried. Not only did they not walk away with any new players for their roster, their name didn’t even appear heavily in the pursuit of anyone.

Currently the Angels sit at three games ahead of the Texas Rangers in an up for grabs NL West. But the one thing that worries me more than the lack of Angel activity at the deadline is that the Texas Ranger’s best player, Josh Hamilton, is yet to start swinging a hot bat. When that starts, and believe me it will, the Angels will find themselves in a world of trouble.

Tampa Bay Rays

Right now the Rays sit at seven games back in the AL East, and 4.5 back in the Wild Card. It’s apparent that their current roster just isn’t enough to make another playoff run. That should open the door for a nice Trade Deadline move, right?

Wrong. The Rays did absolutely nothing before the deadline, posing the question – how serious did they take themselves as the 2009 season approaches its end? The answer appears to be simple: not very. The Rays could have used a variety of names, starting with Jarrod Washburn and ending all the way over to Victor Martinez. But in the end, they failed to pull off any moves with any kind of significance, and with that close the door on their 2009 season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

This one was an easy one. Everybody is gone. Literally, no exaggeration, everybody is gone. Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Ian Snell, Adam Laroche, John Grabow, Tom Gorzelanny, Nyjer Morgan, Nate McClouth, Eric Hinske, and even dipping back to 2008, Jason Bay as well. They have traded nine players since May, and have only three batters who started on Opening Day still on their roster. Three.

The Pirates got a boatload of young talent for all their wheeling and dealing, but they’re called prospects for a reason, and only time will tell how they turn out. The bottom line with Pittsburgh is this – with everything their fans have been through, the Pirate’s front office is right now giving Pittsburgh fans very little to watch. Any reason that fans once had to buy tickets is now gone, and the Pirates have depleted their team from the inside out. Regardless of how this works out in the future, Pittsburgh continues to disappoint their fans, and doesn’t look like they’re stopping any time soon.

Honorable Mentions:

New York Yankees – Granted, they right now sit at 2.5 games up in the East, and appear solid enough to make a World Series run as is. But with the Red Sox wheeling and dealing, grabbing arguably one of the best bats available in Victor Martinez, you begin to wonder about the Yankees. Do they really have enough pitching to pull off a deep playoff run? What about the aging offense, are they one injury away from a catastrophic fail? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain, in not making any type of move at the deadline the Yankees appear content to wait it out. Only question is, was it the right move?

Los Angeles Dodgers – George Sherrill is a tremendous arm in the bullpen, and will undoubtedly help out Los Angeles as they look to make a run at the World Series. But while the Dodgers grabbed a bullpen arm, the Phillies grabbed a Cy Young winner, and the Cardinals grabbed a Silver Slugger. In the grand scheme of things, Sherrill looks to be a miniscule acquisition when you consider what the Dodgers’ NL opposition pulled off. Barring a deal for Heath Bell, it appears L.A. lost a step when all is said and done.

Milwaukee Brewers – Yet another team that should have made a move because of where they sit in the standings, but didn’t. Much like the Rockies, the brewers are on the verge of making a strong playoff run. With bats like Braun, Fielder, Weeks, and Hart, the Brewer offense is very potent, meanwhile Yovani Gallardo holds down that rotation. But they needed something else to be able to compete with the Cardinals and Cubs of the world. Unfortunately, a depleted minor league system and lethargic front office didn’t allow them to pull anything off, leaving them in the proverbial 2009 dust.

New York Mets - They had to do something. If they wanted any chance at making the playoffs in 2009, they had to make a move. And they didn’t. It’s as simple as that. Beltran might be on the way back. Reyes too. But they’re 9.5 games back in the NL East and 6.5 back in the Wild Card. Meanwhile, the Phillies landed Cliff Lee, Cardinals grabbed Matt Holliday, and even Florida snatched Nick Johnson. What did the Mets do? Absolutely nothing. It’s obvious that the Mets felt they didn’t need to trade for anyone because though 2009 may be dead, they still have a terrific team heading into 2010. They may be right, but while NL rivals like the Phillies and Cardinals improved their teams dramatically, the Mets simply sat there and watched their playoff hopes sail away. A disappointing season for Met fans just keeps getting worse.

Mustache Madness

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Chuck Norris. Albert Einstein. Ron Burgandy. Yosemite Sam. What do these four men have in common?

Well for one, they’re all awesome. But perhaps more importantly, they all have very robust and powerful moustaches. And though no statistical evidence has ever been provided, it is assumed that the link between their awesomeness and upper-lip hair is a prominent one.

At least that is apparently the belief of the St. Louis Cardinal’s starting pitching rotation, because you can now add them to the long list of famed ‘stache-bearers.

The idea came to them after their June 29 10-1 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, when Joel Piñeiro and the rest of the Cardinals rotation decided it was time for a change.

Piñeiro and Co. then agreed to collectively grow out moustaches in an attempt to not only build team unity, but also harness the fabled power that lies within the lower nose garden.

That change was on perfect showcase in Wednesday night’s game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros, which had just about everything you could ask for in a baseball game. There was a ninth inning comeback capped off with a walk-off hit, great defensive plays, fantastic pitching, clutch hitting, and most of all - moustaches. Lots and lots of mustaches.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, in Wednesday night’s particular game, St. Louis came out on the losing end, but it wasn’t at the fault of the new facial hair. In fact, it was quite the opposite. When newly lip-sweater wearing starter Chris Carpenter left the game after eight innings of fantastic two-run baseball, the Cardinals were hanging on by a hair (pun) to a slim 3-2 lead.

Naturally, in the ninth inning Cardinal’s closer Ryan Franklin entered the game. But that’s when things got ugly. It all started with Franklin’s Civil War General-esque 1867 beard, which is clearly not a moustache. Four hits and two runs later, the Cardinals had lost the game and more importantly ruined a terrific starting effort by Carpenter and his mustache.

It might be time to break out the clippers, Franklin.

"It's just something to do, to make guys laugh and have some fun," said Piñeiro, the first to emerge with the new look. "It's something where you can make fun of each other."

And the scary fact is that it seems to be working. Since June 31, Piñeiro has been leading the Cardinal’s moustache-powered charge, posting a perfect 2-0 record with a solid 1.57 ERA to go along with it. Compare that with his 8-9 record and 3.44 ERA pre-'stache.

Not convinced? Ponder this.

Since taking a 6-3 loss in his final start without a moustache, Chris Carpenter has apparently fit quite comfortably into his new lip-sweater, going 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA. Before growing out his cookie duster, Carpenter was only a pedestrian 5-4 on the season.

Need more?

Adam Wainwright, St. Louis’s acclaimed number two man has been riding the moustache wave ever since it arrived.

Pre-moustache Wainwright? An average 8-5 record with a 3.51 ERA and 7.62 strikeouts per nine innings.

Since? 3-1 with an otherworldly 1.40 ERA, and nearly two more strikeouts a game with 9.63 K/9. Wainwright also came within two outs of his first Major League shutout in his first start with the new face buddy.

"The better they pitch, the better it looks," Cardinal’s manager Tony La Russa said. "I thought (Tuesday) night Wainwright looked gorgeous."

If that doesn’t convince you of the magic of the ‘stache, nothing will. You may as well go watch CNN along with all the other people who don’t believe in Harry Potter, Samuel L. Jackson or the Transformers.

Individual statistics and non-believers aside, the fact is that the team as a whole has been having more success ever since the nose gardens sprouted up. Since the famous Cardinal moustache-pact of 6/29/09, St. Louis is 11-7 and in sole possession of first place in the NL Central division. Granted, 11-7 doesn’t exactly jump off the page, but it certainly isn’t because of a lack of effort by the pitching staff.

As a starting staff since July 1, the Cardinals have a combined 9-4 record and an astounding 2.51 ERA, discounting one of their starters.

The missing starter? Baby-faced youngster Brad Thompson, the only starting pitcher who refuses to put on his lip sweater like everyone else. His reason? He hasn’t hit puberty yet.

“Look at me. Two swipes of the razor and I’m done shaving,” he quipped.

Thompson’s ERA since the pact? 8.38, with a miserable 0-2 record. Coincidence?

Absolutely not.

Statistically speaking, a moustache may be the next best thing to HGH when it comes to baseball. Take the legendary “Goose Gossage” for example, who started his career without a moustache and very mediocre. After recording an ERA above four in four of his first five seasons in the majors, Gossage decided to mix things up, and grow out the face flow.

In his first season with the ‘stache, ironically his first season with the Yankees, Gossage became un-hittable, and stayed that way. In six sparkling seasons in the Bronx, his ERA never dropped below 2.64, and in 1981 stood at a miniscule 0.77.

Gossage is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame and ranked second in Major League history in career saves when he retired. The only main he trailed: the famed Rollie “Fingers”, who also sported a swirly-stache of his own.

But both of those ‘stached pitchers pail in comparison to Dennis Eckersley, who currently ranks fifth on the All-Time saves board, and first in All-Time moustaches. Eck saved 390 games, compared to Fingers’ 341 and Gossage’s 310, and remains one of the most feared pitchers ever to have played the game.

But make no mistake, the upper-lip garden isn’t just for pitchers. From Wade Boggs all the way to Don Mattingly, some of baseball’s best sport fully bloomed lip-hats. Even Jason Giambi himself decided to hop on the bandwagon in the middle of the 2008 season.

Only one season removed from batting a mere .236 average, and with his career on an unavoidable downswing, Giambi revitalized his career by growing out a moustache of his own. The Great Giambino then went on to slug 32 homers and 96 RBI at the age of 37, nearly doubling his ’07 statistics in every possible category.

Now in Oakland, shaven and weary, Giambi’s average sits at a sulking .193 accompanied by 11 wimpy home runs.

Perhaps that’s why The St. Louis Moustache Miracle has even begun to grow on (pun) some of the position players. Right fielder Rick Ankiel has been sporting one of his own since early April, along with newly anointed handle-bar club members Ryan Ludwick, Mark DeRosa, Skip Shumaker, and Colby Rasmus.

Rumor has it that All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols even petitioned to Major League Baseball to trim his goatee into a simple moustache, but the move was disallowed by Commissioner Bud Selig and MLB. officials. Selig argued that since Pujols is already batting .328 with a league leading 34 homers and 90 RBI, allowing him to grow out a performance enhancing moustache would be too unfair, and possibly endanger the lives of opposing pitchers and fans in close proximity to the field.

Pujol-stache aside, it seems fitting that the Cardinals should be the team to be jumping on the moustache bandwagon, seeing as how they play directly in front of the World’s Largest Moustache – the Gateway Arch.

But only time will tell if these new lip sweaters have staying power within the Cardinal’s organization. Until then, Wainwright has absolutely no plans to ditch his furry friend.

"I will grow a mustache bigger than Wyatt Earp's if we keep winning," said Wainwright.

As scary a thought as that may be, it’s even more frightening to imagine the Cardinal’s starters having similar success to what their new moustaches have brought.

And it seems as if other teams are finally picking up on the trend.

In fact, on Wednesday afternoon the Cardinals shipped young and moustached right fielder Chris Duncan to the Red Sox in exchange for disappointing shortstop Julio Lugo.

Interestingly enough, there might be more to the trade between the Cardinals and Red Sox than on the surface. After all, not only are the Sox in the midst of a five game losing streak, but Chris Duncan has both decent right-handed power and a moustache. Julio Lugo on the other hand, does not have decent right-handed power, or a mustache.

This might be the spark that starts the fire. Perhaps it’s about time the Red Sox start picturing Jason Bay with a finely trimmed handle bar.

Frightening? So is Bay’s .180 batting average in July, and .230 average in June.

But until then, Pujols will keep mashing, Carpenter and Wainwright will keep hurling, the ‘staches will keep growing, and the Cardinals will keep winning.

Look out October. St. Louis is coming. And they’re bringing mustaches.

Bruins Preparing for a 'Kessel Run?'

by Jesse Liebman

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Excuse the reference to a popular science-fiction trilogy (I say trilogy because I don't count those heinous cinematic abortions people call the prequels), but by all accounts, Boston Bruins fans should start bracing for the day that skilled center Phil Kessel bolts Beantown for greener pastures.

With news that the Bruins re-signed defenseman Matt Hunwick on Monday, Fluto Shinizawa of the Boston Globe reported that the Bruins are pushing up against the league salary cap's ceiling of $56.8 million, with a little more than $2.8 million of wiggle room to re-sign No. 81.

Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli has been mum on the matter, while Kessel and his agent have barely commented at all.

"I have no clue what's going to happen at this point," Kessel told AM 640 in Toronto on Monday. "I think obviously it's been a slow process but you never know what happens. I don't think it's any closer than it has been in the months past or anything like that."

At this point, there are a few options that both parties can take. Make no mistake, the Bruins are not going to be able to break the bank to keep Kessel playing at TD BankNorth Garden in the fall. Kessel can accept a one-year deal worth whatever's left in Boston's budget or request a trade, which likely won't be made until after the season has already started. Although with the cap expected to go down the following year, pursuing a deal for Kessel may make some GM’s wary.

Kessel, a restricted free agent, can also be signed to an offer sheet by another team, but there's an inherent risk with this move; GM's were furious when the Edmonton Oilers signed forward Dustin Penner to an offer sheet in the summer of 2007, and that experiment wasn't worth the risk for the Oilers in hindsight, after giving up several draft picks.

Pure and simple, Kessel is a playmaking sniper. Unlike players like Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci, Kessel, who potted 36 goals last year, isn't known for his defensive ability or leadership skills. That may be a contributing factor for both camps to reach an agreement on a deal, because other players such as Bergeron and Krejci play a more solid all-around game.

Which leads to perhaps the best possible solution: Kessel accepts a three-year deal worth $10-12 million, which gives the forward a couple of seasons to improve his game and attitude (value), and buys some time for Chiarelli to restructure his team's finances.

The jury is still out on what will be done, but don't expect any headway to be made until the dog days of summer.

Winter of Discontent

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News

In a long awaited and highly expected move, the Boston Red Sox designated shortstop Julio Lugo for assignment Friday morning. This means that the Sox have exactly one week to either trade or release the underperforming bench-player.

It also means the page has officially started to turn on perhaps one of the most unsuccessful and misguided off-seasons in recent Red Sox history. I’m talking of course about the winter of 2006/2007, when the Red Sox apparently blindfolded their entire front office and played a wheel-of-fortune-meets-Russian-Roulette game with over $200 million dollars in cash and multiple free agents on the table.

After the game was through, the Sox ended up with the outstanding trio of Julio Lugo, J.D. Drew, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, all of which seemingly are doing everything they can to not fulfill their luxurious contracts. Meanwhile other 2007 Free-Agents such as Carlos Lee, Carlos Pena, and Alfonso Soriano are enjoying All-Star worthy seasons to this day with teams that are not named the Boston Red Sox.

Now of course, of the three signings the Sox did make, some are worse than others (Julio). But still, none of the three aforementioned players are performing up to the standards to which they were paid.

Take Julio Lugo for example. Lugo was brought to Boston to be a decent offensive shortstop whose errors you could stomach due to his statistical output on offense. That experiment backfired horribly, and the Sox have had to deal with seasons in which Lugo batted .237 and .268 in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

But the offense hasn’t been the problem with Lugo (I can’t believe I just said that). Lugo’s defensive miscues have been painful to watch ever since he signed that four-year deal with the Sox. We knew Lugo was going to be a liability defensively, but liability takes a huge leap towards uselessness when you examine his defensive output thus far in 2009.

So far this season, Lugo ranks dead last among all active MLB players with a .928 fielding percentage. If you factor in all the balls he never even got to because he has the range of a dead tree, I don’t even want to think about what his percentage would be. Not only that, but the Sox are a mere 11-16 when Lugo starts at shortstop, compared to 42-15 when Nick Green takes the field.

It took two and a half years, but at least the Sox finally came to their senses and dumped Lugo and his outrageous contract. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about other 2006/2007 Red Sox signees.

I’m talking of course about Daisuke Matsuzaka and J.D. Drew, who continue to baffle fans, players and coaches alike with a cash-input-to-output ratio worse than a night in Vegas.

I’ve always been a staunch Matsuzaka supporter, even with the gross amount of money we pay to him yearly, as well that the outrageous sum we dealt out to even talk to the man. But the bottom line is that the expense has been paid back in a tremendous 2008 season, a 2007 World Championship, and a following in Japan that is unequaled anywhere else. Not to mention the fact that Hideki Okajima, Takashi Saito and others joined the Sox organization despite better offers in numerous other places.

Still, even with all that considered, as a Red Sox fan the industrial output isn’t my concern, while the highest ticket prices in Red Sox history are. Plus, one would hope those millions of dollars would be put towards winning games, and not winning popularity contests. When everything is weighed together, the Daisuke experiment has thus has to be considered a wash. A $150 million wash.

But neither Daisuke Matsuzaka nor Julio Lugo can compare to the virtual Soduko puzzle that is J.D. Drew and his five-year $70 million contract.

When the Sox signed the injury-prone outfielder to this gigantic contract, they knew it was a high-risk high-reward situation. And now, in the midst of a season where Drew is batting a measly .246 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI, that scale is tipping more towards high-risk than high-reward.

Right now, Drew is currently the highest paid player on the Red Sox roster. For those of you that aren’t very good with numbers, that means on a team that includes players such as Dustin Pedroia, Josh Beckett, Kevin Youkilis, and even David Ortiz, it is J.D. Drew that brings home the most money per-year.

That fact alone should help dictate how the winter of 2006/2007 went for the Red Sox front office.

Granted, we all know Theo loves those OBP guys. And J.D. Drew was brought in to be just that, and is thankfully providing it with a very nice .372 on base percentage.

But for the amount of money he is being paid, anything less than a .300 average with 30 home runs and over 100 RBI should be considered a colossal failure. After all, Drew makes just under what Albert Pujols does in a season, meanwhile his statistical output is anything but just under what Pujols brings to the table.

2009 Pujols: .334 AVG, 34 HR, 89 RBI, .458 OBP, .740 SLG, $14.25 million/year

2009 Drew: .245 AVG, 13 HR, 38 RBI, .372 OBP, .465 SLG, $14 million/year

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Drew also makes more money than perennial MVP-Candidate Chase Utley ($12.7 mil), Florida Phenom Hanley Ramirez ($11.3 mil) and Home Run Derby Champion Prince Fielder ($9 mil). Their season-to-date statistics are as follows:

Chase Utley: .312, 21 HR, 64 RBI, .427 OBP, .577 SLG

Hanley Ramirez: .347, 14 HR, 61 RBI, .409 OBP, .559 SLG

Prince Fielder: .312, 23 HR, 81 RBI, .442 OBP, .615 SLG

Now, of course, there is a bit of silver lining in all of this. Luckily for our man Drew, each of the aforementioned players are in the National League, meaning with his yearly salary he should bring home the A.L. MVP without question. Right?

Wrong. Sox fans should consider themselves lucky if he’s even healthy enough to play in this year’s postseason.

The more you look at the moves the Sox made that year the more depressing the 2006/2007 off-season becomes. In fact, the deal that helped out the Red Sox the most was one that they didn’t make, in choosing not to send Jacoby Ellsbury and Jon Lester to Minnesota for Johan Santana. Had the Sox pulled the trigger on that one, we might be looking at an off-season that ranks right up with the winter of 1920, when the Great Bambino packed his bags for the Big Apple.

But with Julio Lugo on his way elsewhere, at least one of three things on the Red Sox “To-Do” list has been checked off. Now only two remain:

1. Ship J.D. Drew and his $50 million contract somewhere far, far away

2. Construct a time machine to return Daisuke Matsuzaka to his 2007 form.

Funny thing is, I don’t know which is more plausible, the first or second option.

But until then, I will be forced to continue to toss and turn at night, visions of Trot Nixon triumphantly soaring through my head, only to wake up and find that J.D. Drew will miss tonight's game due to a sore-ish back.

And something tells me these nightmares won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Is it 2012 yet?

Arms Race

by Alexander Tam

Editorial. Photos by AP News

It has finally come. The AL has taken the All-Star crown once again and we find ourselves at the second half of the baseball season. This year has shaped out to be one of the most interesting in baseball history. Nearly all divisions in both leagues are at a close race.

This story rings true across all divisions except for one; the wild, wild NL west. If you had told me that this season the Rockies would have one of the best pitching rotations in the majors, while pitching at Coors mind you, even I would have called you a little crazy. But guess what? It’s true ladies and gentlemen.

At first glance you may not be impressed or convinced, but take a closer look. The Rockies honestly and truly have one of the best rotations in baseball. To start it off Cook, Marquis, and Jimenez rank 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th ground-ball-to-fly-ball ratio in the NL, a perfect statistic to have when pitching in Coors. All three also have complete games and 2 have shut outs.

What about elite teams? What about the Yankees you may ask, a team with a better record and infinitely bigger payroll. Their ERA leader is at 3.81 and a paltry 102 K’s. Compare this to Marquis’s 3.65 ERA and Jimenez’s 111 K’s. The Phillies and the Mets rotation? We won’t even go there. Yes the Giants have better 1-2 pitchers, but past that, the rest of their starters have an ERA above 4.7. Only one Rockies starter has an era above 4.7, but Jorge De La Rosa has 99 K’s and his young strong arm gives promise for the future.

If you look closely, there are very few teams with better rotations than the Rockies. Here is what I rank the top 5 rotations in baseball, in no particular order: the Red Sox, the Braves, the Mariners, the Cardinals, and the Rockies. A case can be made for Tampa Bay and the Dodgers since they have somewhat similar numbers than the Rockies, but the Rockies do their pitching in Coors and it does make a difference when their team ERA away is more than one run fewer. The fact that the Rockies pitchers can perform so well in Coors puts them above the Rays.

Colorado is 3^rd in saves and 2^nd in quality starts (a quality start is defined has a pitcher who goes at least 6 innings and gives up no more than 3 runs). The Dodgers, while they are 1^st in nearly all NL pitching categories, are 15^th in quality starts. Since the Dodgers have a team ERA of 3.62 (2^nd in the NL, you can guess who is 1^st) that means that the Dodgers turn to their bullpen early and often. And no matter how good your bullpen is, it is always vulnerable to a bad day, and your bullpen is only as strong as your weakest pitcher.

The Rockies have been on a recent tear, and nobody seems to be able to figure out why. Here’s one reason: batters around the league better watch out for young man who has finally figured it out, Ubaldo Jimenez. He averages the fastest fastball in the majors at 95.7 mph, has one CG to his name and 111 strikeouts. On top of all that, he has only given up 5 home runs all year compared to King Felix’s 8, Dan Haren’s 12, and Lincicum’s 5 as well. It is difficult to say who is truly the Rockies ace, but compared to the Dodgers ace Billingsly, Ubaldo has fewer walks and only 9 less Ks, and is less than .10 points away from matching Billingsley’s ERA. Coming off a stellar performance in the WBC, its finally looking like this is Ubaldo’s year.

All-Star Jason Marquis has been the Rockies work horse and savior. He has a team leading ERA of 3.65. He’s no 2.27 ERA Tim Lincicum, sure. But manager Jim Tracy (the true Rockies savior) sees a change in his pitcher and has confidence in him. Marquis has 2 complete games and 1 shutout and has often gone 8 innings. His best start was against the Dodgers when he held them two hits with only 86 pitches in his complete game performance. He has made remarkable changes considering his past career stats and the fact that he is doing better in Coors field is even better. He has 11 wins to his name and simply put, he finds a way to get it done. He’s no strikeout king but he induces ground balls at will keeping an improving Rockies defense on their toes and in the game. He also helps out the bullpen tremendously by dealing 2 complete games, 1 shutout, and consistently going deep into games.

Aaron Cook had a great season and was magic during the 2008 All Star game (giving up only 4 hits and 0 runs in 3 innings against the AL’s finest bats) and the surrounding weeks. If we want to talk about a man who truly produces ground balls at will, it is Aaron the sinker-ball master Cook. His pitching style is ideal for a field like Coors. In the month of May, Cook let up 0 home runs. In July he walked only 7 and pitched 12 more innings resulting in an ERA of 2.36 compared to May’s 2.93.

My prayers have been answered. The Rockies finally having a pitching staff to match our offense. There’s a new sheriff in town, and Joe Torre better keep his eye on Jim Tracy.

Come September, mark my words, the Dodgers won’t have a comfortable lead over the Rockies, who are one of only eight major league teams with a winning record on the road.

And as for the wild card, its about to get a lot more wild. As Jason Marquis once said, "I'm not a guy who tries to prove the doubters wrong. I'm a guy who proves the believers right." And that's just what he and the rest of this Rockies rotation are doing.

I Can't Get No (Cy Youngs/Rings)

By Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Poor Roy Halladay. I know, I know, how can we call someone making over 10 million dollars every year poor? Well for this gentleman living and playing up in America’s hat, the money isn’t everything. Apparently he loves it up in Toronto (for some reason). Maybe it’s because he was born in Denver and likes the cold weather.

Or maybe it’s because since 1998 the only team that he has played for has been the Toronto Blue Jays. But the reason that he stays up there certainly isn’t because they’re winning. The Jays currently sit and 44-46, an all too familiar ratio in recent memory (and even a little before that). In fact, the Jays haven’t won the AL East since 1993 when they managed to win the world series. It’s tough to believe considering they have one of the best pitchers in the game who, regrettably, can’t get any love in the land of the maple leaf.

It’s tough to argue that since his breakout year in 2002 that Halladay hasn’t been one of the most consistent and productive pitchers in the game. He’s managed two 20 game win seasons (and one 19), posting high strikeout numbers, low walks, and only one season with an ERA over 4 (with four seasons under 3.00). And even today, at the ripe old age of 32, he still hasn’t lost a bit of his dominance.

In a recent poll of 11 former and current MLB players by ESPN, almost all of them (7) considered the best hitter/pitcher matchup in the game today to be Halladay v. Pujols. And now with the Jays shopping him around, the asking price is almost hilarious. Besides eating the 15 million he is due next season, the team getting Halladay would likely have to give up top hitting and pitching prospects, as well as proven young MLB players. But he’s worth it; he is the guy to build a rotation, and a team around. So after all that praise, why am I still feeling bad for the old Doc Halladay?

Poor Harry Halladay (Harry is his real name, go figure) has only one Cy Young to his name. He won it during his ridiculous 2003 where he went 22-7, with a 3.25 ERA and 204 K’s. But how did he not win it in 2002 (19-7, 2.93 ERA, 168 K), or even in 2008 (20-11, 2.78, 206 K)? Or in any of his great years where the only thing holding him back were the low win totals? Well, a lot of this blame can be attributed to the Blue Jays. They don’t get him wins because they have been bad since he joined them.

Just go ask Johan Santana about this syndrome; for some reason when he pitches the Mets hitting decides to go out for coffee and take the day off. The other side of the story is that no matter how good Halladay was, someone was always better at the time. In his great 2002, Barry Zito and his insane curve ball managed to go 23-5, with a 2.75 ERA and 182 K’s; just a little bit better than the Doc. And in 2008? The apparent one year wonder Cliff Lee, who went 22-3, with a 2.54 ERA and 170 Ks. I think we can still make a case for Roy there. And all the other years? Johan grabbed two (deservingly so), Mr. I-disremember-the-situation-Clemens stole one, and big fat Bartolo Colon (and also pretty fat CC Sabathia) took the others. But Cy Young awards aside, it could all be forgotten if he had a few World Series rings right?

Well unfortunately, our boy Roy has never even been to the playoffs. One of the best pitchers of our time, loyal to his lowly Blue Jays and never with a bad word to say about anyone, can’t really carry his team to the playoffs alone. Well all this is about to change (hopefully).

Apparently the Blue Jays GM is feeling as bad for Halladay as we all are, and decided to try to give him a chance. The Blue Jays need prospects, and are not planning on winning anytime soon. And as bad is it would be for the Mets, I hope that Halladay heads to Philly. Getting Halladay over there would almost guarantee a playoff berth, and probably even another World Series appearance and a good chance at a repeat.

It would be odd for anyone to see Halladay out of the familiar white and blue into Phillies red, but I’m betting that he would find it a welcome change.

Oh, and that no trade clause that he has….I wouldn’t worry about him pulling a Peavy and enacting that anytime soon.

NHL Free Agency: New Faces, New Places

by Jesse Liebman

Editorial. Photos by AP News

While the summer months drag on, hockey fans continue to count down the days to opening night in October. There are a multitude of reasons to look forward to a new season; a retooled roster is one of them.

In the span of two weeks since the free agency period started, the landscape of the NHL has changed dramatically, with many players now calling a new city home. Last Call’s Jesse Liebman is here to grade some of the major moves and speculate on some that have yet to be made:

• On draft day Anaheim defenseman Chris Pronger was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and draft picks. Days later he was signed to a seven-year extension, meaning the bruising blueliner will likely finish his career as a Broad Street Bully. The move gives Philly arguably the best defense corps in the Atlantic division, but cap problems may arise due to the length of the contract. Pronger isn’t getting younger either. (Grade: B)

• Jay Bouwmeester had spent years playing for a non-playoff hockey team in the Florida Panthers. His decision to sign with the Calgary Flames suggests Bouwmeester means business. GM Darryl Sutter is getting a top-pair defenseman who will be able to form a one-two punch on the powerplay with Dion Phaneuf. (Grade: B+)

• Marian Hossa was viewed as the top player in this year’s UFA crop. The right-wing signed a mammoth twelve-year deal with Chicago that will keep Hossa in the Windy City for the duration of his career. This is a great deal for both sides, as Hossa will add Stanley Cup Finals experience to a youthful team, having been on the losing side for two straight years. This is also a team where Hossa will not be expected to be the star, with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane leading the way. (Grade: A).

• Marian Gaborik’s career was good in Minnesota playing Jacques Lemaire’s tight defensive system – in New York he’ll have the chance to be great under John Tortorella. The Slovakian sniper is perhaps the NHL’s best in a one-on-one situation and has incredible speed and dynamic finishing ability. He’s had injury problems in the past, but Gaborik has said he now has a clean bill of health. Couple that with the trading of Scott Gomez’s albatross of a contract, and this deal looks all the more sweeter. (Grade: A-)

• Martin Havlat thrived playing in Chicago, only to find himself on the outside looking in when it came time to negotiate a contract. A move to Minnesota will only fuel Havlat’s competitive fire. And sure, with Lemaire no longer behind the bench for the Wild, the team might actually start approve of offensive creativity. Sadly, you cannot replace Marian Gaborik. (Grade: B-)

• Mark Recchi’s deal with the Bruins is great and all, except people are forgetting something: he’s 41. He may still have the competitive drive, but Recchi is no longer the winger who terrorized the rest of the NHL playing with Eric Lindros in the 1990s. Plus, this now presents a challenge for Bruins’ GM Peter Chiarelli to lock up RFA Phil Kessel. (Grade: D+)

• Lastly, I’d like to talk about a deal that hasn’t been made yet. Forget Sean Avery; Dany Heatley has done nearly everything to declare himself the most hated man in the NHL. Rebuffing Ottawa’s attempts to sign him to a contract extension, he then put the Sens in hot water when he refused to waive his no-trade clause to go to Edmonton when a deal was in place. As of now Heatley is still and Ottawa Senator, but don’t be surprised if you hear that some other teams such as the New York Rangers are involved in trade discussions. If I were Rangers’ GM Glen Sather, however, I’d have to ask the following question: is this headache worth the risk? Survey says, no.