One of the continuing missions of U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is to bring outside voices into
the team help the players grow both on and off the field. This week the focus was on motivation,
and trust us when we tell you there was no one better suited the Donnie Moore and his amazing Feats
of Strength.
The New York Yankees are looking into adding some depth on their roster by signing Bill Hall.
Hall can play multiple positions in both the infield and the outfield. Last season, he played with
the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants.
In 185 at-bats last season, Hall hit only .211 with two homers and 14 RBIs.
The 2011 baseball playoffs begin tomorrow. Yesterday was one of the most exciting days in
baseball history. Can the 2011 baseball playoffs match that level of excitement? Probably not ...
but you never know.
Here are our 2011 baseball postseason predictions:
American League
Texas Rangers Defeat Tampa Bay Rays (3-2)
New York Yankees Defeat Detroit Tigers (3-1)
Texas Rangers Defeat New York Yankees (4-2)
National League
Milwaukee Brewers Defeat Arizona Diamondbacks (3-2)
Philadelphia Phillies Defeat St.
The New York Yankees signed a potential future baseball Hall of Famer. However, this one didn't
cost an arm and a leg. Andruw Jones, whose best days are obviously behind him, signed with the
Yankees. The contract could be worth as much as $3.2 million for one season with Jones guaranteed
to make at least $2 million.
Alex Rodriguez reached 600 in a fitting manner. After struggling to deal with the pressure and
seeing 46 homerless at-bats go by, Rodriguez at long last increased his career home run total from
599 to 600. For those who have followed Rodriguez in his career, it's not a surprise that he
faltered when all eyes were on him.
In the offseason, the Los Angeles Angels made the splash of all splashes by signing Albert
Pujols to a deal worth $240 million. Pujols, regarded by many as the best hitter in all of
baseball, was supposed to come to the Angels and make Los Angeles elite once again. So far, that
hasn't happened. Not even close.
Jay Bruce is regarded by many as one of the best young outfielders in the game. The Cincinnati
Reds agree and have locked up Jay Bruce with a $51 million deal over six seasons. There is also a
$12 million team option for a seventh season. The 23-year-old outfielder just completed his third
season with the Reds.
All eyes were on Yu Darvish as he pitched for the first time for the Texas Rangers. The rookie
from Japan took on the Seattle Mariners. The results? They weren't good. Darvish already has
baseball fans wondering if the expensive import is going to be a bust.
Who is the best pitcher in the World Series? It very well could be Matt Cain and not Cliff Lee
or Tim Lincecum. Riding Cain's pitching arm, the Giants beat the Rangers 9-0 to take a 2-0 lead in
the 2010 World Series. Cain has now gone three starts in these playoffs without allowing a run.
In the fifth inning, Edgar Renteria hit a solo homer to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.
The 2010 World Series begins on Wednesday when the San Francisco Giants host the Texas Rangers.
Although both teams were underdogs heading into the postseason, the Giants and the Rangers have
peaked at the right time. Their pitching is fantastic, their bats are sizzling and their managers
are pushing all the right buttons.
Welcome back, Matt Diaz. The Atlanta Braves sent a player to be named later to the Pittsburgh
Pirates for outfielder Matt Diaz. The 33-year-old played for the Braves from 2006 through 2010. He
signed with Pittsburgh last offseason.
So far this season, Diaz has been a bust. He's hitting .259 with no homers and 19 RBIs.
After the Atlanta Braves lost Chipper Jones to an ACL injury, they needed to make a move if they
hoped to stay in front of the streaking Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. By trading with the
Chicago Cubs and acquiring Derrek Lee, the Braves did just that. If Lee stays healthy and continues
to swing the bat well, he could more than make up for the loss of Chipper Jones.
Chipper Jones was having a sub-par season by his standards. In August, he finally started to
heat up. However, his season is now over. The third baseman for the Atlanta Braves tore his ACL
while fielding a grounder in a game against the Houston Astros. The 38-year-old future Hall of
Famer may decide to retire rather than make a comeback.
Ignore Rudy and the Barca v. Madrid love-in. Check out that little nugget in the bottom left
corner of the cover. That's what we need to be concerned with.
Juan on Juan
While today's front of Marca focused on this small matter of a Spanish Super Cup,
rightfully so, there was some information on a potential bid from Chelsea for Valencia winger Juan
Mata.
Have you ever had a live bat supersonic its way millimetres from your ear in the dead of night?
I am not a boy easily prone to fear, I have sat through many-a defensive set-piece with mouth set
and hand steady, but hearing a creepy chirrup and a sudden beating of wings next to my earlobe as I
was peacefully taking a whizz in my college lavatory scared the bejesus out of me.
Have you ever had a live bat supersonic its way millimetres from your ear in the dead of night?
I am not a boy easily prone to fear, I have sat through many-a defensive set-piece with mouth set
and hand steady, but hearing a creepy chirrup and a sudden beating of wings next to my earlobe as I
was peacefully taking a whizz in my college lavatory scared the bejesus out of me.
Once again my cheerful nature leads me to tackle a wonderful subject, this time about just which
player wasted the most time and money we'll never get back. The fact that there are so many
contenders for this award on Liverpool alone this season lets you know just how bad it was at
times.
It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you
are dead
Chelsea win 6-0 in crushing fashion, but no one bats an eyelid. Such is the machine-like power
of the reigning champions. If Didier Drogba isn't top scorer in the league this campaign, as I
predicted, I will season a hat generously and eat it in one sitting.
When the Chicago Cubs signed Kosuke Fukudome out of Japan, they had huge hopes for him. As it
turns out, Kosuke Fukudome disappointed. However, the 34-year-old outfielder will now get a new
start. On Thursday, Kosuke Fukudome was traded to the Cleveland Indians for a pair of minor
leaguers.
Thankfully, broken bats almost always land harmlessly in the field of play. On Sunday, Tyler
Colvin of the Chicago Cubs wasn't so lucky. While on his way to score from third base, a broken bat
stabbed Tyler Colvin in the chest. He was taken to the hospital and is currently in stable
condition. To see the Tyler Colvin video of him getting stabbed by a broken bat, take a look at the
end of the entry.
England's James Anderson, Stuart Broad & Alistair Cook nude it up for Cosmopolitan. There hasn't
been this much skin exposed in cricket in the entire 150,000 years the game has been played. As you
will soon learn. Sigh.
Here at Kickette we fully realise the pain and suffering inflicted by the off-season.
England's James Anderson, Stuart Broad & Alistair Cook nude it up for Cosmopolitan. There hasn't
been this much skin exposed in cricket in the entire 150,000 years the game has been played. As you
will soon learn. Sigh.
Here at Kickette we fully realise the pain and suffering inflicted by the off-season.
If you don't replace the foundation, the building might fall down. This applies to the national
team. The upper floors of international US soccer have been furnished over the last decade with
consecutive World Cup appearances and thrilling moments. We can hang the portraits of the heroes
Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey,
and Tim Howard on the walls and admire their commitment to the colors.
One of my favorite videos and books is 212° The Extra Degree, by Sam
Parker and Mac Anderson.
212 degrees is the extra degree of effort that often separates the good from the great.
212° The Extra Degree captures a simple, yet powerful concept.
Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow. What the f**k just happened? 'Men against
boys' doesn't even come close to covering it in fact, try something along the lines of 'competent
footballing unit against a small gaggle of spoilt children ' or thereabouts.
Luke Scott is having arguably the worst season of his career. And now it's over. Due to a torn
labram in his right shoulder, Luke Scott of the Baltimore Orioles will miss the remainder of the
2011 baseball season.
His shoulder injury could explain why he's been so bad this year. In 209 at-bats, the outfielder
is hitting .
Today's post is courtesy of Sam from Anfield Asylum.
Once again my cheerful nature leads me to tackle a wonderful subject, this time about just which
player wasted the most time and money we'll never get back. The fact that there are so many
contenders for this award on Liverpool alone this season lets you know just how bad it was at
times.
Shin-Soo Choo faced a mission: win a baseball gold medal at the Asian Games. If he succeeded,
everything would continue as normal for the South Korean star of the Cleveland Indians. If he
didn't lead South Korea to a gold medal? Shin-Soo Choo would have been forced into a spending the
next two years with the South Korean military.
Athens police raided four supporter groups' headquarters in Athens last week.
An Olympiakos fan club at Argyroupoli, a Panathinaikos club at Agios Dimitros, an AEK club at Agii
Anargyri and a Panionios club at Nea Smyrni were raided and arrests were made.
Home-made bats, clubs, a knife, gasoline and Moltov cocktails were all found at the various club
premises.
Eric Wynalda has never been one to sit on his hands and do nothing. Love him or hate him, Wynalda
has continually put himself in the American soccer conversation because he speaks his mind, a habit
that has sometimes landed him in hot water. It's a reasonable assumption that Wynalda's loose lips
policy is partly to blame for the USMNT and MLS great being unable to land a coaching job in the
United States.
