Results tagged ‘ Astros ’

A-Roid

That’s right Red Sox fans, Alex Rodriguez has a big, fat * next to his name. In 2003 he tested positive for steroids. 2003 was his last season with the Rangers where he lead the league in home runs(47), runs scored (124), and slugging percentage (.600). He also had 181 hits and 181 RBI’s. He won his first MVP and a golden glove. Following the 2003 season Rodriguez almost got traded to the Red Sox and I’m glad he didn’t. He ended up getting traded to the Yankees. Rodriguez has a carer average of .306 with 553 home runs, 2,404 hits, 1,606 RBI’s, and 283 stolen bases. Rodriguez is a twelve time all-star. He also has won ten silver sluggers, four Hank Aaron Awards, three MVP’s, and two golden gloves. A-Rod started out as a shortstop and then moved to third base when he joined the Yankees because Derek Jeter was already at shortstop. Before I hatted A-Rod. Now I hate and disrespect him. I will never respect a guy who took steroids unless they do what Andy Pettitte did. Pettitte came out and said, Hey look I did steroids and I’m sorry. I know how many Yankee fans feel. I used to look up to Roger Clemens, when he was an Astro. Then to his him get that * next to his name it was heartbreaking. Should we be surprised that A-Rod took steroids? No, his ego was bound to fall on him. Now the big problem in this is did the Rangers know that A-Rod tested positive so is that why they traded him? The whole Alex Rodriguez problem is the Rangers problem. The Yankees can do what ever they want but this is the Rangers fault. The Yankees didn’t have A-Rod on their team when he tested positive so they know as much as me, you, and Derek Jeter. A-Rod will not say anything. Yesterday he said, “I’m not saying anything . . . you’ll have to talk to the union.” The questions just pile on up, Did Scott Boras know? Will he make the Hall of Fame now? Should he lode his MVP? My answers are yes, yes, and no. When he gets jugged for the Baseball Hall of Fame voters will disregard the seasons he took steroids. If it turns out that A-Rod took steroids ten seasons there is know way he will make the hall of fame. 

Note- Hey Mark, there are some good sentences up there. Maybe you could put one on MLB.com. :-)
Alex Rodriguez's Pledge of Allegiance
thejosevilson.com
Tekarodjpgw300h300















                           frymax.typepad.com

mlb.com


100th Entry

So for my 100th entry I decided to do all of your ideas! Thanks guys!
Favorite Game
My First Game at Fenway Park.

My first game at Fenway was in 2008 during the summer right after summer camp. It was a night game against the Oakland A’s and Jon Lester was pitching for the Red Sox. My dad, mom, sister, and I sat right next to the Pesky Pole out in right field. It was Jason Bay’s second game as a Red Sox. The first time he went up to home plate he got a standing ovation. Latter in the game Bay hit his first home run as a Red Sox over the Green Monster if I recall correctly. There were two drunk, rude people sitting behind us. I didn’t get any autographs that game but I was really close to getting Dice-K. He was only maybe three or four people away from me. My dad ran down trying to get his autograph but was unsuccessful trying to get it. The Red Sox won that game by a blowout score. I think the score was nine to four or nine to five.
Fenway Park: Pesky Pole and Grandstand by wallyg.
Favorite Red Sox Player Today
David Ortiz

David Ortiz celebration
I love Big Papi so much I dedicated my commenter name to him, Bigpapi72. He always comes through in the clutch. I mean how many walk of home runs has he hit? He “acts up” just not like Manny Ramirez. It seems like sometimes he hits a home run after home run after home run when he hits the ball. Now David Ortiz is a lot of Red Sox fans’ favorite player but I am his BIGGEST fan. I am also Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, and Jed Lowrie’s biggest fan and they are my second, third and forth favorite players! I know many of my readers will say, “I like Pedroia more then you,” or whoever but trust me you don’t. Big Papi is like a “giant teddy bear.” I think I got that from a Sports Illustrated and whoever wrote that I agree he is giant but I am not sure if he is a teddy bear.

How I Really Feel About The Yankees
Hate Them
Now before I begin I would like to say one thing. I was a Yankee fan. This was before I started to play tee-ball and learned the game though. In my family your either a Royal, Red Sox, Yankee, or Brewer. My mom grew up in Kansas City and I have family in Milwaukee. One of my Uncles is a Yankee fan. Now I 100% HATE the Yankees. I could show that to you with words that would ground me but I don’t want to get grounded. No, I hate the Yankees but at the end of the day who cares. Just seeing if you were awake. I believe in baseball you should respect everything with the exception guys who toke steroids, even Pete Rose. The exception to that exception (wow that sounds a little weird) is to Andy Petite. I hate the Yankees but I respect them just like any other baseball team weather it is the Rays, Astros, Dodgers, D-Backs, or even the Pirates.

What Makes Me The Happiest About Baseball
When The Red Sox Win
When the Red Sox win I get happy. When they won the World Series I screamed and no one wanted to be in the same room as me because I would talk all about the everything, from a play to a pitch to a home run. So far I’ve only seen one game where the Red Sox have lost. At summer camp we get the scores and the news from the world of sports. I would get the sheets from the director and look at them for maybe an hour, memorizing scores, home runs, and the winning pitcher. When the Red Sox lost I would blame it on something and I would stop wearing that hat or whatever for a while. I don’t care what it takes (as long as it is legal) for the Red Sox to win.

When I Knew I Loved the Red Sox

??????????????????????????????


All I know about when I loved the Red Sox it was around the end of the 2006 season. In 2006 I really started liking and understanding baseball. Before then I was a Houston Astros fan. I am still one today just by not as much. I started out as a fair weather fan, cheering for what ever team was good but then I got locked on to Boston Red Sox baseball after they refused to be bad.
Photos
Pesky Pole- flickr.com
David Ortiz- thesituationist.wordpress.com
Win- knickcast.com

Fantasy Baseball Help- Tip 1

I know Cob is starting a fantasy baseball league so I thought for all you first timers I thought I would give you some tips.

Draft Players on Good Teams

When drafting your team try to draft great players on average or great teams. The Mariners lost 101 games in 2008 year. In 2007 years ago they won 88 games. In 2007 Felix Hernandez won 14 games an in 2008 he won nine and lost 14. For pitchers run support is key. A baseball team with great sluggers and average pitchers will do fine. In 2007 the Tampa Bay Devil Rays won 66 games. In 2008 the Rays won 97 games. Every single one of their pitchers did better because of run support. When drafting sluggers you can afford to break this rule for a really good player. Playing on a better team for a slugger means more runs, RBI’s, and a higher on base percentage. You get more runs because people will drive you in more. You get more RBI’s, because more people will be standing at third base. Lastly you will get a higher on base percentage because if a pitcher walks someone they will then have to face a better hitter next. Lets use the Mariners and the Rays again. In 2007 Ichiro hit had 111 runs, 68 RBI’s, and a .396 on base percentage. In 2008 he had 103 runs, 42 RBI’s, and a .361 on base percentage. Akinori Iwamura, of the Rays had 82 runs, 34 RBI’s, and a .359 on base percentage in 2007. In 2008 he had 91 runs, 48 RBI’s, and a .349 on base percentage. Sure his on base percentage dropped by .010 but he had a much better year. When you drafted players on good teams their confidence is higher which means a better year most of the time. So my list of teams I would draft from are the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, Twins, White Sox, Indians, Angels, A’s, Rangers, Braves, Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Astros, Cubs, Reds, D-Backs, Giants, and Rockies. I don’t plan on drafting any one from the Rays or Yankees though. Also I left the Brewers and Cardinals off for two reasons their pitchers and the fact that their not that heathy.

Jon Garland, The Most Overrated Pitcher in Baseball

Today the Arizona Diamondbacks signed right hander, Jon Garland to a one year deal, worth about $7 million dollars. The deal also includes an option for 2010. Garland will replace Randy Johnson who signed with the Giants this offseason. Garland is a sinkerballer, who played last season with the Angels were he went 14-8, with a 4.90 ERA, and 90 strikeouts. The Angels were the A.L. West champions and the only team to win 100 games last season. Now some idiots (no offense) might say, why is Garland overrated then if he was on the Angels? You just answered your own question. Garland won only 14 games for one of the best teams in baseball last year. Imagine what he would have been like if he played for the Mariners, Pirates or even Astros. If he was with the Mariners then maybe seven wins. If he played for the Pirates then ten wins. If he played for the Astros, he would have helped them get the wild-card spot but he would have only won eleven games. Yet, Garland gets treated like he has won 20 games. At least the front offices know he is overrated by not giving him say a $20 million dollar contract. Garland is a good pitcher but not an all-star. He was one in 2005 though with the White Sox when they won the World Series. So I don’t want to have any comments saying the Garland is underrated or that I’m wrong. Garland will most likely be the second or third starter in the D-Backs rotation. Right now it looks like Brandon Webb will be the ace, followed by Dan Haren, then Garland, next is Doug Davis, and in the fifth spot Max Scherzer or Yusmerio Petit. It will most likely be Scherzer though. Garland is 29 years old and has played nine major league seasons with the White Sox and Angels. His first eight years were with the White Sox. His carer stats are 106-89, a 4.47 ERA, and 851 strike outs. He also has one save and a .971 fielding percentage at pitcher. Garland is overrated by the fans but this should be a good move for the Diamondbacks.

Garland_2
Jon Garland Photo Enlargement

Hall of Fame Winners and Losers- Part 6

Dan Plesac- No, Never



Dan Plesac is on the ballot for the first time.  he has a carer record of 65-71, with 158 saves, an ERA of 3.64, and 1,041 strike outs. He made three errors at pitcher. He had a .973 fielding percentage. He played 18 seasons with the Brewers, Cubs, Pirates, Blue Jays, D-Backs, and Phillies. He was with the Blue Jays two different times. Plesac I think is the worst player on the ballot this year, no offense. He doesn’t have 500 saves or even 300 for a matter of fact. He did strike out a pretty good amount of guys. Plesac will get 3% of the vote this year which means he will not be on the ballot next year.

Tim Raines No, Eventually 


Tim Raines is up for election for the second year. Raines hit .294, with 170 home runs, drove in 980, had 2,605 hits, scored 1,571 times, stole 808 bases, and was caught stealing 146 times. He played 23 seasons with the Expos, White Sox, Yankees, A’s, Orioles, and Marlins. In 2000 he did not play. He played with the Expos two different times. He and Andre Dawson could be the last Expos in the hall of fame. Tim Raines was the second best leadoff hitter ever behind Rickey Henderson. Raines will get 30% of the vote this year and will get in with 80% of the vote.

Jim Rice, Yes


Jim Rice is on the ballot for his 15th and final time. He hit .298, with 382 home runs, drove in 1,451, had 2,452 hits, scored 1,249 times, stole 58 bases, and was caught stealing 34 times. He made 66 errors in the outfield. He also had a .980 fielding percentage. Jim Rice played 16 seasons all with the Boston Red Sox. Rice was an eight time all-star, won two silver sluggers, and won the 1978 A.L. MVP. I have this gut feeling that Rice is going barely make it or miss it. Last year Rice missed the hall of fame by sixteen votes, 72.2%. Rice will get 77% this year and finally make it into the hall of fame, where he belongs.  Look out Boston a new retired number is coming your way.

Stupid Team Names

Last night I was looking back at the Red Sox new uniforms and I thought at lest they didn’t change their name. Well if the Red Sox had to change their name here would be the three least likely competitors.

3- Boston Red Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells
If the Red Sox were every the Red Blood Cells, I would freak. This name is just stupid. Who wants a jersey with “Red Blood Cells” written on it, well I guess Red Sox fans would. At lest it’s not something stupid like “The Boston Red Blood,” because you can and should just drop out the “red,” I mean what other color is blood, (no not blue that is a myth.) Also Red Blood Cells is a very scary name (NOT) I mean if you knew nothing about a team but their name would you be scared to face them, probably no.
2- New York Rays


What team is stupid enough to move to their number one rivals city then change their name to their number two rivals name? The Red Sox aren’t, the Yankees maybe. First off that would mean all Red Sox fans would have to drive an hour or so, to just see their “home” team play. Second what happens when the New York Rays play the Tampa Bay Rays. What if B.J. Upton throws the ball at Youk thinking he is on his team. I’m sure though that their uniforms would have to be different though.

1- The Boston Pretty Pink Kitty Kats

Sticking with the misspelling theme (Sox and Kats) The Boston Pretty Pink Kitty Kats is probably the lest scariest name ever (well . . .  the name Red Sox isn’t that scary). Kitty Kats aren’t scary, the fact that their pink doesn’t help at all, and being pretty will not scare off the Yankees are Rays anytime soon. We would have the A’s, Reds, and Astros laugh at us. What is an Astro anyway? The Name is also way to long.
So if you had to choose a name what would it be? For me it would be The Red Blood Cells.

Top 10 Who Will Win What-Day 7

Today we go from Milwaukee to the largest city in the U.S.A. (more…)

Hot stove- Astros-Catcher

Astro Catcher 2009

Catcher 
Problem
The Astros have a lot of work or no work at all to do here. Brad Ausmus is either going to retire or go to the Padres. While prospects J.R. Towles and Humberto Quintero have shown signs of being ready then stunk again. I think they will use Towles as backup next year and have Qintero the third catcher. 
player                            player                             player
Fix
Could risk going for Josh Bard he is inconsistent and injury prone. Could also risk Michel Barrett. Another player who is inconsistent and has anger-mangement problems. could go get vet. Jason Kendall. Not the bat or age they wanted but the leadership, good work with the pitchers, and a decent glove. Paul Lo Duca . . . what ever happened to him he use to be an all-star for the Mets now played for the Nats! Who knew. He could work but had a terrible 08 campaign. Ivan Rodriguez would work. A great glove, leader ship, and a above average bat. Not in their price range though but can afford him. Jason Varitex would work but to risky with a 100 percent down year and to costly. But the leadership and work with the ‘pen and rotation was great like always! Look for him to go back to Boston. Greg Zaun would work. The unknown catcher for the Blue Jays would work. He was with the Astros in 2002 and in 2003 and did pretty good. look for the Astros not to go for him though.
Look for them to go get Puge

Hot stove- Astros-Rotation

Astros Rotation 2009
Rotation
The Astros have Roy O. and thats about it for the rotation. Roy O. didn’t even have a Roy O. type season, with only 165 k’s, a 3.54 era, and a 17-10 win lose record (this is great but not so much for Roy O.) Brian Moehler stepped up big this year becoming his old self like in 1998 and 2000 while with Detroit. While Brandon Backe stunk up the joint with a 6.05 era and a 9-14 win lose record. He also got arrested. Wandy Rodriguez did better then last but still needs a break out season. His carer high in wins is 10 in his rookie season. Randy Wolf is a free agent who did pretty good after the Astros got him from San Diego with 12 wins and 12 loses but a 4.30 era. Look for the Astros to sign him for about 3 million. But if I was Ed Wade I would only offer him 1.5 million if anything. He would be a good vet. in the clubhouse though. 
player        player        player        player       player

Fixes- Could go out and get A.J. Burnett. Would be a great fix with all his K’s. Ryan Dempster could work but the Astros probably won’t go for him, because he will get overpaid. Oliver Perez wouldn’t be a fix but a nice addition. He strike out about 175 the past two years. He also did have a 4.22 era this year which is pretty good for his inconsistent carer. He would give a little leadership too. Derek Lowe would be a great fix . . . if they could afford him! The Astros would never be able to afford him. Look for Lowe to go to a big market team, like the Red Sox and Mets, but not the Yankees. Ben Sheets would be the best fix. They would just have to take the risk because he is injury prone. Paul Byrd would defintly give some leader ship but if they sign Wolf they would never get him. They might go after Bartolo Colon but I highly doubt it after that whole scam or story or whatever you want to call it with Boston. Josh Foog would be a great addition but I’m not sure it would fix their problem. He needs to regain his form that he had when with the the Rockies. Jon Garland would be great but he would be WAY overpriced. He only had 14 wins with one of the best offenses in baseball (the Angles) and had a 4.90 era. Mike Hampton was interrested in joining the Astros but I don’t know what ever happened to him. I could 100 percent see him in an Astros uniform. Livan Hernandez, Carl Pavano, Mark Mulder, and Mark Prior would be great but are all injury prone. Brandon Looper would also might work but not fix anything. But fit my plans if I was GM Ed Wade. And no their not in the Peavy race with that weak farm system. They could get Scott Olsen from Flordia though. And their not in the C.C. race AT ALL! 
playerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayer
playerplayerplayerplayerplayerplayer
There were 18 guys pictures above the Astros need just one to fix their problem in the rotation

Need 
Another ace or no 5th and 4th guy in the rotation. Like get two guys who are capable of being three guys and trade or mone to the pen the 4 and 5 guys.

Will . . .

Offer Wolf money, go after Livan Hernandez,Mike Hampton, and Josh Foog. Try to trade Backe or Wandy if they someone wants those guys for prospects but no one wants Backe.

Also . . .
How come every player the Astros trade the go to the world series.
Like the Rays, Rockies, Card’s, and Phillies. Trade some to the Cubs. I’m a Red Sox fan but I can’t stand the Cubs losing.

Did you now that Astros legend Jeff Bagwell was drafted by the Red Sox?
| back to blog home |
Theme: MLB “retro” | Get a free blog at WordPress.com
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.