Author: Gerardo Orlando (Page 35 of 75)

      Gerardo is the founder of Bullz-Eye.com along with Black Mountain Publishing, LLC which publishes 30 blog titles across a variety of topics.

      Grady Sizemore now a free agent

      October 31, 2011 /
      Cleveland Indians Grady Sizemore connects for an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of their American League MLB baseball game in Toronto, May 31, 2011. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (CANADA – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      The Cleveland Indians announced today that they have decline to pick up the $9 million option on Grady Sizemore for the 2012 season. The Tribe was hoping to negotiate an incentive-laden deal for the often injured Sizemore, but that didn’t happen so they let him go.

      Sizemore was a rising star and an excellent all-around player before he injured his knee. In 2008, Sizemore clubbed 33 home runs and stole 38 bases. But in the last three seasons, he’s only played in 210 games with 28 home runs and 17 steals. This year he didn’t steal a single base, and with all the injuries nobody knows if he can return to his previous form.

      The Indians couldn’t afford to take that chance. They desperately need to add some reliable bats to go with their solid pitching staff and Sizemore was too big a risk, particularly since they are stuck with the brittle Travis Hafner for one more season at $13 million.

      Sizemore will get plenty of interests from other teams, and the upside is there if he can stay healthy. The big-money teams can more easily absorb the risk.

      External Sports, MLB, News

      Report: Indians acquire Derek Lowe from Braves

      October 31, 2011 /
      Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Derek Lowe. REUTERS/Tami Chappell (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      ESPN’s Buster Olney is reporting that the Atlanta Braves have traded Derek Lowe to the Cleveland Indians. WKNR in Cleveland is reporting that the Indians parted with minor-league pitcher Chris Jones.

      This is a salary dump by the Braves. Olney reports that the Braves will cover $10 million of Lowe’s 2012 salary of $15 million. So the Indians get an experienced starter for the bargain price of $5 million for next season.

      Lowe didn’t have a great 2011 season in Atlanta as he went 9-17 with a 5.05 ERA. He’s also 38 years old. Yet Lowe eats up innings and his stats from 2005-2010 we excellent and then solid. The Indians have a strong pitching staff led by Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez, with Josh Tomlin and Fausto Carmona as well (the Tribe picked up Carmona’s 2012 option today for $7 million). But injuries have hurt their depth in the rotation, and Lowe gives them an experienced starter to add to the mix.

      External Sports, MLB, News

      Tony La Russa announces retirement

      October 31, 2011 /
      St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa hugs batting coach Mark McGwire after the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series in St. Louis on October 28, 2011. The Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers 6-2 winning game 7 of the World Series. The Cardinals won their 11th World Series after defeating the Texans 4 game to 3. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      What a way to go. The St. Louis Cardinals had an incredible season topped off by one of the most exciting World Series comebacks in baseball history. 67-year-old Tony La Russa apparently has decided that this was the perfect way to end his career, as he announced today that he will retire as manager of the Cardinals.

      Already the talking heads on ESPN are speculating that this really won’t be the end for La Russa. Who knows. But he’s had a great career with three World Series titles.

      One criticism of La Russa is that he should have won more championships, as he had an incredible team in Oakland that managed to lose two of of three times in the World Series. But baseball is a funny sport. The best team doesn’t always win – the hottest team wins. Baseball history is littered with examples of how a dominant pitcher and a hot team can defeat the more dominant teams. Orel Hershiser and the Dodgers were one example against La Russa’s A’s.

      La Russa was hailed as a genius at times, and that happened again after Game 1 of this World Series after all of his moves seemed to work out. Then he was the goat of Game 5 as the Cardinals ran the wrong relief pitcher out to the mound after what La Russa described as a communication problem.

      None of those details really matter now. La Russa is leaving the game in the way players and managers can only dream about.

      St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa ponders his thoughts after announcing he has decided to retire during a press conference at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on October 31, 2011. La Russa, (67) who managed the Cardinals for 16 seasons guided his club to the franchise’s 11th World Championship just days ago. La Russa has 2,728 career wins. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      External Sports, MLB, News

      David Freese wins World Series MVP

      October 29, 2011 /
      St. Louis Cardinals’ David Freese celebrates after game 7 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers at Busch Stadium on October 27, 2011 in St. Louis. The Cardinals defeated the Rangers 6-2 to win the World Series. Freese was awarded the World Series MVP. UPI/Brian Kersey

      With his walk-off home run in game 6, David Freese etched in name in World Series lore, but he did so much more than this this post season.

      In sum this World Series, the third baseman hit .348, with five of his eight hits going for extra bases. For good measure, he added a slick catch on Josh Hamilton’s foul pop in Game 7.

      Tack those feats onto his postseason totals and Freese finished with a .397 average, five home runs and a Major League-record 21 RBIs in 18 games.

      Many of them were big hits, important hits, especially at the end. Freese’s double in Game 7 tied things after the Rangers had taken a quick lead. His 11th-inning, walk-off home run in Game 6 capped one of the most improbable comebacks in World Series history, after his ninth-inning, two-run triple gave the Cardinals a chance.

      Freese became the sixth player to win the MVP in the league championship series and then winning the World Series MVP award. He gets a black Corvette to remind him of this classic World Series.

      He’s also an example of the importance of having a short memory in sports. He had some tough plays in the field, and his errors cost the Cards some runs, but he came back and delivered in the clutch.

      External Sports, MLB, News

      Cards complete comeback

      October 29, 2011 /
      Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates after the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series in St. Louis on October 28, 2011. The Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers 6-2 winning game 7 of the World Series. The Cardinals won their 11th World Series after defeating the Texans 4 game to 3. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      Tom Verducci speculated that this series might go to seven games and he was right. The St. Louis comebacks in game 6 will be remembered for years along with other classic World Series moments. You had the feeling that Texas needed to jump on the Cardinals early in order to win this game, but they only managed two runs in the early innings when Chris Carpenter was having trouble locating his fastball. Once Dave Duncan pointed out that Carpenter might want to try his curve ball, the ace of the Cardinals staff settled down and the Rangers watched their chances slip away.

      This one will be tough to swallow for the Rangers. Twice they came within one strike of a world title in game 6, only to see things fall apart. They have a great team, but they’ve been on the losing end two years in a row. The experts on ESPN are predicting that the Rangers will be active in free agency, perhaps going after Prince Fielder or even Albert Pujols. I think they need a dominant #1 starter, so perhaps C.C. Sabathia will be in their sites as well.

      External Sports, MLB, News

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