Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 768 of 1503)

      Giants trade for Indians’ Ryan Garko

      July 28, 2009 /

      The San Francisco Giants pulled the trigger on their first trade of the season, acquiring first baseman/outfielder Ryan Garko from the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Scott Barnes and a player to be named later. Garko is currently hitting .285 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI, while Barnes was 12-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts for Single-A San Jose.

      This is hardly a move that is going to solve the Giants’ offensive woes, but at least Garko is a slight upgrade over Travis Ishikawa, who has struggled against left-handed pitching all season. This trade allowed San Fran to get a bat without surrendering one of its top prospects, plus Garko is under team control through 2012 and comes on the cheap.

      For the Indians, they’re essentially giving up on a player that never fully reached his potential in Garko, while adding another arm to their depleted farm system. And any time a club can acquire an arm from the Giants’ stacked pitching system, it’s usually a good thing seeing as how guys like Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Francisco Liriano and Jeremy Accardo have all developed into quality ML pitchers. (Or Cy Young-quality/caliber pitchers in the cases of Lincecum and Cain.)

      What will be interesting to keep an eye on is what the Giants do next. Brian Sabean needs to add at least one more bat so that San Fran has a legitimate shot at winning the NL Wild Card, but again, doing so while not mortgaging the future is the tough part. Can Sabean land a Freddy Sanchez without touching Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson and Angel Villalona? If he can, the Giants’ lineup would have dramatically improved over the course of just one week.

      MLB

      Twenty-five random MLB trade thoughts and predictions

      July 27, 2009 /

      With the MLB trade deadline approaching on Friday, I have zero time to waste writing a creative intro that you’ll either a) take the time to read or b) take the time to read.

      So I’ll cut right to the chase: I have got about a million random thoughts and predictions (25, actually) bouncing around in this noggin of mine, so I’ve decided to compile them in one heaping pile of organized chaos below. Feel free to add your own thoughts and predictions in the comments section and then we can play a couple rounds of “I told you so!” after the trade deadline passes on Friday.

      1. I was close, but wrong with my prediction early last week that the Blue Jays will trade Roy Halladay to the Phillies. They would have traded him to the Phillies, but Philadelphia didn’t want to give up a promising major league starter in J.A. Happ, their top minor league pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, and a promising minor league outfielder named Dominic Brown in order to complete the deal. And who could blame them? That’s one steep price to pay, even for a player of Halladay’s caliber.

      2. Instead, I fully believe that Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi was never going to trade Halladay in the first place, unless he was so blown away by an offer that he couldn’t pass it up. Halladay isn’t a free agent until after the 2010 season, so Ricciardi used this past month to gauge what he could potentially get for the ace for next year.

      Continue reading »

      MLB

      Michael Vick partially reinstated

      July 27, 2009 /

      According to a report by ESPN.com, Michael Vick was conditionally reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday and could play in regular season games as early as October.

      Vick can immediately participate in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not.

      “Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited,” Goodell said in a letter to Vick. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you.”

      “I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League,” Vick said through agent Joel Segal. “I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.

      “As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward.

      “Again, I want to thank the commissioner for the chance to return to the game I love and the opportunity to become an example of positive change.”

      If Vick so much as jay walks across an empty street, he’s probably going to be suspended indefinitely, so he better take what Goodell says to heart.

      NFL

      MLB trade rumors: Martinez, Halladay, Lee & Garko

      July 27, 2009 /

      – The Brewers and Mariners are in serious talks that could send starter Jarrod Washburn to Milwaukee according to the Journal-Sentinel.

      – The Yankees are looking for arms and according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, the Bombers are interested in the Bucs’ Ian Snell, John Grabow and Matt Capps, the Nats’ Joe Beimel, the Royals Ron Mahay, and the Reds’ Bronson Arroyo.

      – The Giants are still in desperate need of bats and according to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Indians have been scouting the G-Men’s farm system. Could either Victor Martinez or Ryan Garko be on their way to San Fran?

      – Despite Toronto GM J.P. Riccardi saying there is a very slim chance that a trade will happen, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that talks between the Phillies and Blue Jays remain intense. The paper also suggests that the Phillies could turn their attention to Cliff Lee if a deal for Halladay cannot be struck.

      – According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox still remain very much in the hunt for either Roy Halladay or Victor Martinez.

      – The Dodgers are denying that a deal between them and the Indians involving Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez is in serious discussion. FOXSports.com reported over the weekend that L.A. and Cleveland were discussing a blockbuster trade that would send Lee and Martinez to the Dodgers for James Loney and either Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Will Stafford start for Lions in Week 1?

      July 27, 2009 /

      There have been mixed reports the past couple days on whether or not rookie Matthew Stafford will start under center for the Lions in Week 1 of the 2009 season.

      ESPN’s John Clayton says no chance:

      It would take an incredible preseason for rookie Matthew Stafford to beat out Daunte Culpepper in Detroit, but Stafford does have an incredible arm.

      Lions beat writer Tom Kowalski says he might:

      The reality is Stafford, the first overall pick in the draft, is on the fast track to become the Lions’ starting quarterback when the season opens Sept. 13 in New Orleans. So far, Stafford has passed every test with flying colors and cleared every hurdle with plenty of room to spare.

      I should note that Kowalski stressed that the Lions are going to proceed with extreme caution with Stafford and that fans should exercise some patience when it comes to the former No. 1 overall pick starting this season. But it is interesting to see two members of the national media come to two different takes on this subject. And before anyone discredits Kowalski (especially when compared to Clayton’s take), keep in mind that he spends more time at Allen Park than Clayton does.

      Personally, I think the Lions should park Stafford on the sidelines until GM Martin Mayhew is able to build a more talented roster. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson is a stud, running back Kevin Smith is a developing player, and rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew could emerge as a quality playmaker as well. But Detroit’s offensive line is brutal and there’s no need for Stafford to get trampled on with Daunte Culpepper willing and waiting to serve as a beating post for opposing defenders. Plus, the defense might show a little bit of improvement this year with the additions of Larry Foote, Phillip Buchanon, Grady Jackson and Louis Delmas, but chances are the Lions are still going to be playing from behind a lot this season, which is never a good situation for a rookie quarterback trying to learn on the job.

      Detroit should let Culpepper play rag doll this season and give Mayhew at least one more offseason to acquire more talent. Then maybe next year Stafford can become the full-time starter.

      NFL

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