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      MLB Midseason Power Rankings: Contenders, Pretenders & Wait-Until-Next-Years

      July 13, 2009 /

      We’ve reached the All-Star break in the 2009 MLB season and if you’re a true baseball fan, it’s hard not to love what transpired over the first half of the season.

      There have been plenty of surprises (Giants, Tigers, Raul Ibanez), letdowns (Diamondbacks, Indians, Manny Ramirez) and of course, the usual horrid play from certain clubs (Nationals, Pirates, Royals). But overall, it’s been a fun year thus far and it’s shaping up to be an exciting finish in both leagues.

      Since we’re at the halfway point in the season, I felt it was only appropriate to put together power rankings based on what we saw in the first half. I also grouped each team into one of three categories: Contender, Pretender and Wait-Until-Next-Year. If you can’t figure out what those categories mean, then call your neighbor up and tell him to bring over a bat so he can beat you for your incompetence.

      Enjoy the rankings, the rest of the baseball season, and the Kleenex that you’ll have to use for when you cry about how I ranked your favorite team too low.

      Continue reading »

      MLB

      Halladay sizes up his odds of getting traded as 50/50

      July 13, 2009 /

      Roy Halladay says the odds that he’ll get traded this season are a “flip of the coin.”

      “I’d rather hit than face Jeter, A-Rod, Matsui and Teixeira,” Halladay said.
      He added: “I think there is so much that goes into it. I’m still not 100 percent sure which direction we’re going in in Toronto. If Toronto does decide to do something, it’s really going to be something that helps the organization. There’s going to be a lot of pieces; it’s going to be complicated. I think it’s going to be kind of 50-50.”

      Halladay, who is under contract for next season at $15.75 million, has a no-trade clause and would have to approve any deal. He did not say whether an extension would have to be part of any deal.
      The Blue Jays have sent scouts throughout the majors and minors as they try to gauge the talent pool they might get back for one of the game’s best pitchers.

      “It’s a tough situation, but you always want to win,” Halladay said. “You want that chance to win, that’s every player’s dream. For me, I’m looking [at] it as they’re exploring options. Something may come of it, something may not. I’m trying to keep the emotions out of it as much as I can.”

      I happen to think the Jays will hang onto Halladay because they’ll be afraid of the potential fan backlash that they’ll receive from trading away their biggest star. That obviously wouldn’t be a good baseball decision (as in, it wouldn’t be wise for a team to allow their fan base to make a decision for them), but it’s not like keeping Halladay for the next year and a half is a bad thing. After all, he is one of the top 5 pitchers in the game.

      I think Halladay will wind up being shipped out next season because he’s a free agent after the 2010 season. I think Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi is just kicking the tires on a deal this year to see what he could potentially land for Halladay. Of course, he could probably get more for Halladay this year, with it being a weak trade market for arms.

      MLB

      Lincecum, Halladay to start in All-Star Game

      July 13, 2009 /

      Giants’ ace Tim Lincecum will oppose Blue Jays’ starter Roy Halladay in tomorrow night’s All-Star Game from St. Louis. Lincecum is 10-2 at the break with a 2.33 ERA, while the “Doc” is 10-3 wit a 2.85 ERA.

      Albert Pujols will bat third for the NL behind Marlins’ shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who will bat leadoff, and Phillies’ second baseman Chase Utley, who will be in the two-hole. Brewers’ outfielder Ryan Braun will bat cleanup for the NL and be followed by Raul Ibanez (Phillies, left field), David Wright (Mets, third base), Shane Victorino (Phillies, centerfield) and Yadier Molina (Cardinals, catcher).

      The AL will have M’s right fielder Ichiro Suzuki leading off, followed by Yankees’ shortstop Derek Jeter and Twins’ catcher Joe Mauer. Yankees’ first baseman Mark Teixeira will bat cleanup, followed by Jason Bay (Red Sox, left field), Josh Hamilton (Rangers, centerfield), Evan Longoria (Rays, third base) and Aaron Hill (Blue Jays, second base).

      No word yet on when Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval will get in………….they didn’t get in? Jayson Werth? Jayson Werth?!

      Just kidding – Werth deserved to go. By no means did he and his .260 batting average get in only because Charlie Manuel is managing the NL.

      Again, just kidding. I know Werth has already popped 20 dingers and has driven in 56 runs this year. His numbers have been great both at home at that little league field Philadelphia calls a stadium, and on the road. I just hope for Manuel’s sake that Werth contributes, because Kemp and Sandoval have been freaking outstanding this year and deserved that final spot (the one that opened because of Carlos Beltran’s injury) as much as Werth did.

      MLB

      Pirates to hang onto Freddy Sanchez?

      July 13, 2009 /

      Over the past couple weeks a foregone conclusion around the baseball world was that the Pirates would wind up dealing second baseman Freddy Sanchez at some point before the July 31 trade deadline. Much like many Buc veterans before him, Sanchez was as good as gone.

      But the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is now reporting that the Pirates aren’t engaged in any active talks regarding a Sanchez trade and that no deal is imminent. According to the report, the Bucs aren’t in any hurry to trade Sanchez and might wind up keeping him in a Pirate uniform for the foreseeable future.

      That said, what Pirate isn’t available? This organization has prided itself on losing over the past 15-plus years and seemingly wouldn’t hesitate trading one of its veteran players. Sanchez is also their biggest trade piece and if a contender like the Giants or Rockies puts together a deal involving multiple prospects, it would be hard for the shaky Pittsburgh front office to sit idle.

      Chances are, the Bucs are playing coy and Sanchez will still be dealt at some point over the next two weeks. If Colorado put together a trade package that included Eric Young Jr., I highly doubt Pittsburgh would take a pass.

      MLB

      Allen Iverson struggling to find a home

      July 13, 2009 /



      Allen Iverson continues to explore his options on the free agent market, but it’s not like he has teams tripping over each other for his services. There’s mutual interest between AI and the Heat, but Miami doesn’t want to pony up.

      Allen Iverson asked for the $5.8 million midlevel exception from the Heat in a one-year deal, but Miami has been reluctant to pay him much more than $2 million, if that. Iverson also is exploring Memphis and Charlotte, but Miami would be his preference if money is equal. The Heat spoke with the agent for Andre Miller — who’s in a stalemate with Philadelphia — but hasn’t pursued a sign-and-trade, and Miller wants more than the midlevel.

      Memphis is also interested and Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley speculated about why the Heat aren’t willing to offer Iverson a mid-level deal.

      Heisley indicated Sunday that Iverson is “only looking for a one-year contract,” which actually would mesh with Miami’s intent to add no players with contracts stretching past next season to preserve maximum flexibility to re-sign Wade and land him at least one marquee teammate in the summer of 2010. Yet it’s believed that the Heat are reluctant to come close to the $5 million for next season that the Grizzlies are reportedly prepared to pay, since Miami is already in luxury-tax territory.

      The Heat are sitting at about $69.86 million which is a hair below the threshold of $69.92 million. If they sign Iverson, they’ll go into luxury tax territory and will have to essentially pay a dollar-for-dollar tax on AI’s entire salary. Not only would they miss out on the reward for being under the luxury tax, but they’d have to pay the tax themselves. Therefore, a contract worth $2 million could perhaps cost the Heat $5.5 million (or more), depending on how many teams are over the threshold and how big the payout turns out to be.

      It’s strange to see a player of Iverson’s stature fighting for table scraps on the free agent market. He was once a franchise player, but his disastrous stint in Detroit (resulting from his distaste for coming off the bench) and his ball-dominant style has created an environment in which most teams are extremely leery of utilizing his services. True contenders don’t want to participate in an experiment that has a good chance of backfiring while the lower echelon playoff teams don’t see Iverson as the game-changer needed to put them over the top.

      He has proven that he is not willing to what’s best for the team (by coming off the bench), so why would a good team want to add him? The Heat are interested because he’ll put butts in the seats and would probably add a few wins, which might help to convince Dwyane Wade to stay in Miami.

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