We are fast approaching the twilight zone of professional sports, aka the dead of winter (despite the 60 degree weather outside this January 9th). Football has begun its second season which will culminate at the end of January with the Super Bowl; NBA basketball hasn’t reach the half-way point and isn’t worth watching yet (or ever, in my humble opinion); hockey, shoot outs notwithstanding, hasn’t cracked our consciousness; and baseball’s hot stove league is just smoldering embers at this stage.
Still, the bloggers have recovered from their holiday celebrations and like seed catalogs in the mailbox, are showing up in fits and starts with hints of spring.
* * * * * * * *
Now that the Marlins have served notice they will be pulling up stakes in Miami as soon as legally possible, the principal contenders to become their new home are lining up. Portland, OR, and Las Vegas are generally considered the leading candidates at this juncture. This article makes the Portland case rather persuasively.
* * * * * * * *
What’s with Miguel Tejada? He wants in; he wants out. He’s going; he’s staying. He’s disgusted with the Orioles; he wants to make them a winner. While Tejada’s erratic behavior is disconcerting to say the least, it isn’t altogether surprising given the state of the Baltimore Orioles.
Once considered an admirable franchise, the Orioles have disintegrated into perennial losers under the meddling ownership of Peter Angelos. An article by Murray Chass in yesterday’s NY Times explains only one of the many reasons most ball players will do anything to avoid signing with the Orioles these days. Read it here.
* * * * * * * *
The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets have gotten most of the publicity about off-season signings and trades, but the Dodgers have also made a number of improvements. With Bill Mueller and Rafael Furcal on the left side and Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent on the right side, the Dodgers will have a good infield if everyone stays healthy. If Brad Penny and Eric Gagne can return to earlier form and if JD Drew can stay healthy and Kenny Lofton can approximate last year’s performance, Los Angeles will be tough.
6 comments:
Tejada has been hanging around with Manny Ramirez, apparently. That's the only explanation.
there's a lot of ifs in that last sentence about the dodgers. angling for a GM job, goodman?
gr: you found me out. Admittedly those are a lot of ifs for one ball club, but the Dodgers can be formidable next season if....
Why is it that I'm always being compared to a seed cataloge? Cut it out!
I will complete your last sentence:
"the Dodgers can be formidable next season if ...
... baseball does not reallign the divisions and they continue playing in the NL West."
MLB has made many poor decisions under Bud Selig but even he would be hard-pressed to move the LA Dodgers to the Central Divison!!
Why can't the Dodgers be in the Central? After all, how many years were the Atlanta Braves in the NL West, while the St Louis Cardinals were in the East?
Post a Comment