Category: MLB (Page 147 of 448)

      Phillies land Halladay, trade Lee to Mariners in blockbuster deal

      December 14, 2009 /

      According to a report by SI.com, the Phillies have agreed to a trade that will send Roy Halladay to Philadelphia and Cliff Lee to the Mariners.

      The Phillies are in agreement on a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay, SI.com has learned. All indications are that Cliff Lee will likely be heading from Philadelphia to Seattle in the trade.

      Sources say Halladay will agree to a contract extension to complete the deal. It’s expected to be a formality, and though terms are not yet clear, it’s expected to be worked out in the next couple days. Halladay wanted to be in Philadelphia, as the Phillies train in Clearwater, Fla., not far from his offseason home.

      The Phillies are giving up prospects to Toronto to get Halladay, but it isn’t known yet which players are in the deal. Philadelphia, which would also get prospects from Seattle, is trying to keep its payroll at around $140 million.

      At first glance, I’m shocked that the Phillies traded Lee away in order to complete this deal. He was dominating in the postseason, posting a perfect 4-0 record and a 1.56 ERA in five starts. But both he and Halladay are in their last year of their contracts and if Philadelphia can only pay for one, they might as well go with the guy that they can lock up long term – especially if that player is Halladay. There was no guarantee that Lee would re-sign with Philadelphia.

      With their pitching staff now set (Lee and Felix Hernandez form one hell of a 1-2 combo), the Mariners must be gearing up to make a run and I wouldn’t be surprised if they wound up signing Jason Bay sometime this offseason to boost their offense.


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      MLB

      Report: Halladay, agent check into Philly hotel

      December 14, 2009 /

      According to a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Roy Halladay and his agent have checked into a Philadelphia hotel.

      Could a trade between the Phillies and Jays be imminent?

      It is not known if a trade sending Halladay to the Phillies is imminent, but if Halladay and the Phils are negotiating–as is indicated by the pitcher’s presence in Philadelphia–that would suggest that the Phils and Blue Jays are far enough along in talks for Halladay to discuss a potential contract extension with the Phils. Halladay has one year remaining on his contract before becoming a free agent.

      The Phils have long been linked to Halladay, and were actively involved in trade talks last July, before the team acquired lefthander Cliff Lee from Cleveland.

      Allow me to get ahead of myself for a moment: Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels…NL hitters everywhere just crapped themselves.


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      MLB

      Wang rejects minor-league deal

      December 13, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      After the Yankees opted not to enter arbitration with Chien-Ming Wang, the team offered the 29-year-old a contract to pitch in the minors. The skimpy deal included a promise to recall Wang to the majors once his shoulder had fully healed. Of course, Wang wouldn’t have have any of that. He says he’ll be ready by May 1.

      The pitcher’s agent, Alan Nero, told the organization that they wanted guaranteed money. The Yankees will be title defenders in 2010 and are reportedly interested in Roy Halladay. They can’t take their chances on a pitcher coming off reconstructive surgery. Thus, both parties decided to move on.

      They’re also showing confidence in Chad Gaudin, the young pitcher they acquired from the Padres last season. He’ll receive a decent contract soon enough and might even start in 2010 if the team can’t acquire a pitcher like Halladay.

      MLB

      Chien-Ming Wang non-tendered by Yankees

      December 12, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Once upon time, Chien-Ming Wang pitched consecutive 19-win seasons for the Bronx Bombers. He got off to another terrific start in 2008, but a foot injury kept him out of the rest of the season. Still, the Yankees were not going to give up on their former ace, deciding to avoid arbitration and simply sign him to a one-year, $5 million contract. Unfortunately, Wang had a horrendous season in 2009. Like Fausto Carmona, his fall from grace was shocking considering his past dominance. Anyone remember the game where the Indians beat the Yankees 22-4? Yeah, Wang was the Yankees’ starter that day. Wang finished his April with an 0-3 record and a 34.50 ERA. That obviously wasn’t going to cut it. On July 30, Wang had season ending shoulder surgery.

      Now it’s being reported that the Yankees won’t tender Wang a contract. The Yankees are in the hunt for a more reliable (and expensive) starter like Roy Halladay, so this move isn’t surprising. Wang’s agent claims his client will be ready to return by May 1, only a month into the season. The Dodgers, Marlins, and Rockies are all possibilities.

      The Dodgers seem like a good fit for two reasons. 1) Wang pitched for Joe Torre on the Yankees from 2005-2007 and 2) The Dodgers are running low on starters. After letting Randy Wolf go, the Dodgers are looking to solidify their rotation this offseason. If they can’t afford John Lackey, a guy like Wang wouldn’t be a bad get.

      MLB

      Decade Debate: 10 Biggest Upsets

      December 12, 2009 /

      The term upset is simply defined as “an unexpected defeat,” but in sports it can mean so much more. For the favorite, it’s about the pressure that comes with heightened expectations. For the underdog, it’s about using those expectations as motivation. As part of our ongoing Decade Debate series, here is a list of the ten biggest upsets of the last ten years. Remember, the magnitude of the stage is just as important as the perceived disparity between the two parties involved, so extra points are given to upsets that occurred in the postseason or in a title game.

      10. Federer beats Sampras at the 2001 Wimbledon

      By 2001, the sports world had begun to question Pete Sampras’ ability as a dominant tennis player. The man was just 29 years old and the owner of 13 Grand Slam titles, but critics predicted an oncoming collapse. Since winning the Australian Open in 1997, Pistol Pete’s Grand Slam championships curiously only came at Wimbledon. In fact, Sampras had captured all but one Wimbledon championship since his first appearance in 1993. Naturally, if he was a sure bet anywhere, it was at the All England Club. While most will remember this time period as the declining stage of Sampras’ career, it also marked the beginning of Roger Federer’s success as a professional. After winning the Wimbledon juniors in 1998, Federer was often viewed as the likely heir to Sampras’ throne. Still, nobody expected the 19 year-old and the Grand Slam record holder to clash at Wimbledon in 2001. Furthermore, if they did happen to meet, Federer wasn’t supposed to win. Making his Centre Court debut, Federer defeated Sampras 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5, thereby snapping Sampras’ 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon. Sure, it was only a fourth round match, but it symbolized so much more. This is one of the greatest upsets of the decade not simply because Sampras was favored, but because of everything that followed. Sampras would retire in two years and Federer would eventually live up to those wild expectations. And forget about Sampras getting any revenge – the two would never again face each other on the professional level. – Christopher Glotfelty

      9. Edmonton upsets Detroit in 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs

      Detroit was a heavy favorite in the quarterfinals, as the top-seeded Red Wings were coming off a terrific 124-point regular season in which they captured the President’s Trophy. Meanwhile, the Oilers squeaked into the playoffs as an #8-seed after a 95-point regular season. The Red Wings won Game 1 in Detroit, but dropped Game 2. The two teams also split the next two games in Edmonton. The Oilers then closed out the series winning Game 5 in Detroit and Game 6 at home, both by one-goal margins. The series featured two double-overtime games (Game 1 & Game 6) and all six games were decided by two goals or less. – John Paulsen

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