And They're Off.....Baseball Free Agency has Begun

With another incredible MLB season in the bag, it is nice to get a good.......3 days off to relax and wind down a little bit after the long and grueling season. With so many hot trade topics and with what could be one of the most talent-rich (or at least talked about) free agency periods EVER!!! Because of my deep love for besbol and my love for the readers, I am going to go provide you with some information that may help you track the players your team may make a move for.

What seems to be the hottest position in this free agent market seems to be outfielders. This may be the the hottest the outfield has been since the release of "Your Love" in 1985. Well the center piece of the outfield free agent market is the ever so bizzare Manny Ramirez. The stock on Manny is through the roof, and I don't have to tell you why......dude is sick!!!!! Goofy as shit.....but will hit ya over 30 bombs, or close to, every year and drive in around 100 runs. But don't think it's the best deal ever, many is approaching the end of his career and is wanting uber money, he already made a public display of affection at the 20 mill a year offer the Dodgers made by saying "I will begin to accept serious financial offers on Friday." Manny is ranked 3rd on ESPN's free agent list: other hot prospects include Adam Dunn(7th), Milton Bradley (9th) and Pat Burrell (11th).

The Outfield thinks teams should show
Manny "Their Love"

The second biggest position seems to grow with importance every year and that is starting pitching, in the past few years we have seen teams throw alot of money at guys who may only get them 12-13 wins. The BIG name (and man) on this list of free agent SP, is former A.L. Cy Young winner, C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia started off last year in Cleveland with a sub-par start, but once he was traded to Milwaukee the guy was as untouchable as a 12 year old in Chris Hanson's care. After getting traded to Milwaukee, in 17 games Sabathia posted an 11-2 record with a 1.62 ERA......that's pretty much straight up ballin'. Sabathia is rated as the 2nd best Free Agent prospect and will more than likely get an EPIC contract offer. Other notables include: AJ Burnett (4), Derek Lowe (5) and Ryan "Cum-Dump" Dempster (8).

O NO IT'S CHRIS HANSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shortstop is possibly one of the deepest positions in this year's free agent market, with such players as NLDS Super Star Rafael Furcal, Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria and the always infamous NOMAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! While none of these guys jump off the page at ya, they have all had solid careers and so have others that grace the market. Look for alot of teams to pursue these guys with heavy intent.


So when was the first time you realized
you hated Jimmy Fallon?

While other positions are not as deep as these there are very many notable free agents that play other positions. 1st Basemen Mark Teixera is the top ranked free agent prospect, Closer Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez set the all time saves record last year and is the 17th ranked free agent. K-Rod has seen a major slip in his stock recently due to his aggressive and seemingly psychotic throwing style and of course 1998 potential HOF pitcher of the year Kerry Wood made his free agent status official yesterday. The talent is deep at every position so don't worry if your team doesn't end up with a Man-Ram or K-Rod, there are always more quality players out there.....so here is to hoping Jim Edmonds comes back to the STL (HAHAHAHAHA), and may your team have a very succesful free agency period.


At least we made the Cardinals jealous
and have a historic ball park!!!!

Swerski's Corner (1st Edition)

Hello, welcome to da first of hopefully many edition's of Swerski's corner....I am of course Bob Swerski writing for my brother Bill who is recovering from his most recent Angioplastic operation. Week to week I will be informing you on da many events coming up dis weekend. First and foremost our beloved Bears..........DA BEARS!!! will travel to take on the ever so hated Green Bay Packers. Look for Lovie to come into dis game wit a bit more of a game face on, with the recent election and failing economy and failing quarterback it was almost too much to ask of Lovie to put together any sort of game plan to combat the undefeated Tennessee Titans. Look for Lovie to answer back with Ditka like focus and defeat da Green Bay Packers, who are still Favreless my prediction.....Bears- 249 Green "Gay" Packers- syphilis.


What a GAY!!!!

Other Winners: Philly, Indy, New Orleans, Denver, Miami, G-Men, Vikes, Panthers, Rams, Cardinals, Steelers, Titans, Redskins and Bills.

A major event dis weekend is da release of highly anticipated movie Quantum of Solace. da new James Bond movie for all da uneducated folks. Which brings me too da other first installment we have with dis feature.......What if Ditka? This week I pose da question, what if Ditka were to be cast as James Bond. Could he pull of da British accent? Would he drive a sissy sports car or strap a saddle to da Fridge and ride him around during the movie? How would he fool his enemies.......46 zone??? Who knows, but da only thing we do know is dat Ditka would make a kick ass James Bond, or kick James Bond's ass.

or
Da Choice is yours!!!

The final leg of dis edition of Swerski's corner will take a look at one of my personal favorite up and coming sports, Mixed Martial Arts. I would talk about da up coming college football week but it has less to offer anyone den an dumb ugly girl. Dis weekend will showcase one of da biggest fights in da history of the UFC.....Randy "The Natural" Couture against Brock Lesnar. Couture being one of da best fighters to ever step foot in "the octagon" will take on who some might say is the next big thing in da UFC, Brock Lesnar. While Lesnar has the strength and the speed, Couture has the experience..........Couture by unanimous decision.

vs.
"Da Natural" Da ehhhh Not-so-natural

Check in next week when I will have a surprise guest.......so until den, Go Bears!!!!

How This Needs to Shake Down

The world-wide leader's Joe Schad tells us today that the chair of the BCS Presedential Oversight Committee (huh?), David Frohnmayer, came out and said the he frankly doesn't give a damn what President-elect Barack Obama has to say and rejected the soon-to-be most powerful man on the planet's call for a playoff. (Story here)

Frohnmayer, whose full time job is serving as Oregon's president, gave us the same regurgitated horse-shit that the lack of a playoff creates a more compelling regular season and that it would be unfair to ask the student athletes to play a couple extra games. Although, no one ever complains about the FCS and lower division playoffs, but i guess those kids don't need to go to class as much as Miami students, right?

Regardless, I'm a realist when it comes to this issue. There will never be a playoff in college football until college football becomes irrelevant in this country and it needs to spice things up, and we all know that will be a long time coming. The best we can really hope for is a plus-one system, but even that seems years away.

So for this year, under this BCS system that we all have to deal with what is the best case scenario from the fan's perspective?

Of course there will be regional biases, but I think it is safe to assume that the most agreed-upon top 4 teams in the nation are in the SEC and the Big 12: Alabama, Texas Tech, Florida, Texas. Therefore, the best thing that can happen nationally is for Texas Tech to win out and for Alabama or Florida not lose until they play each other in Atlanta - effectively creating one half of a national semi-final.

The SEC, for as much as my buddy, Drunk, likes to make fun of it is undoubtedly the best or closely second best conference in the country, and it's champion will be the best or second best team in the country as it marches into Dolphin Stadium in the second week of January. What happens though if an unbeaten Tech loses to twice-beaten and probable division champion Missouri in that conference's title game?

Who do you send? Big 12 Champion Missouri? Once-beaten Texas (who beat Missouri, but couldn't win its own division)? Once-beatens Penn State or USC? An undefeated non-BCS conference team?

For once, I actually trust the voters in the BCS. I really do think that they will pair the Big 12 and the SEC in the championship game. Even if that means placing a division title-less Longhorn squad or a twice beaten Missouri team.

Everyone was holding their breath waiting to see if Penn State would lose after four really poor showings in the BCS by Big Ten teams - OSU in the last two NC games, and Michigan's and Illinois's decimation at the hands of USC in the last two Rose Bowls. The Bug Ten was really exposed the last couple years and that will keep its champion from being in the NC (that and a loss to Iowa).

This leaves USC as the only real threat to break through, and their lack of anyone notable on their schedule after their terrible loss to Oregon State left them without a chance to redeem themselves.

Seeing either USC or Penn State in the NC would be sickening, and it would only be appropriate to see the champions of the two conferences that are the most ardent advocates of not creating a playoff be left out in favor of a two loss team or a team that couldn't even win its division.

Have fun in your overhyped Rose Bowl. Sure people will still watch, but they'll be sorry they did afterward when USC beats another Big Ten team by at least 4 touchdowns.

Leave the National Championship for the big boys, even if Texas Tech can't win out. All we want is the best two teams to play each other for the title and the only way to assure that is to hav ethe SEC play the Big 12.

A Secret No More

The P-D is reporting that the Seattle Mariners are taking a long look at Cardinals third base coach and 1980s superhero Jose Oquendo to fill their vacancy at manager.

Oquendo is reportedly one of seven candidates the Mariners are considering. The Cardinals did give the OK for Seattle to interview Oquendo.

Oquendo, 45, has never managed in the Majors, and has served on TLR's staff for over a decade. He does however have brief experience as a manager - coaching team Puerto Rico in the World-Made-Up-Classic in 2006. He'll find out soon if he'll serve the same role this spring.

Losing the secret weapon would totally suck. The second coolest thing (besides Yadi's pick-offs) about Cardinals baseball is watching the freight train that is Albert Pujols blow by a horrified Jose Oquendo's stop sign only to beat the throw by a step or two at home (and on occassion be out by 10 feet).

In the non-Albert category, though, Jose has excelled in relaying runners to home or stopping them at third. You simply don't see third base coaches have decade-long shelf lives on one team very often, and the success with which TLR's small ball strategies would not have been as successful without the Secret Weapon at third.

Dude has been a Cardinal for life (except his first two years with the New York Mess), and it would be odd to see him put on another uni after all this time. I'd love to see Jose find success as a manager, but I'd prefer he wait a couple years until our roost needs occupying.

SEC>Big-12.....GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!

We are through 10 games of our 12 game regular season and one of the greater debates that has been going around this year is what is the best conference in college football? The SEC or Big-12? This boils down to the all important debate that has been brewing among football fans, coaches, players etc. what is more important offense or defense? And I won't lie.....Im a little sick of SEC superiority crap.

SEC fans would have you believe that an SEC schedule is a harder gauntlet of games than Russell Crowe had to face in Gladiator. I do not disagree with this statement, SEC teams are very good and they have their divisions balanced out very well. But how is a strength of conference schedule any argument for how good a conference is? DUDE!!! Bama's gunna play dat dem dere Gators in da title game in a couple weeks......DAMN SEC SCHEDULE!!!

Role the titties up......then the "Tide"

SEC fans act like their teams are the only teams that have to play grueling schedules. Earlier this season Texas had to play 4 games in a row against top-12 opponents. They went 3-1 and you didn't hear anybody talking about how the Big-12 schedule is so tough and how it is out to get Big-12 teams, because that's just how it goes. You're in an elite conference......DEAL WITH IT!!!!

Back to the pride of the SEC....defense!!!! Defense wins championships and that is all I have heard about and seen the last 2 years in the BCS games. In the last 2 years we got to see superior SEC teams smoke the great teams like....Hawaii, Notre Dame and Ohio State. COME ON!!!!!!!!!! If LSU or Florida had come out and smoked a USC or an Oklahoma team, I would give them some sort of legitimacy, but you're talking about two teams who haven't joined the 21st century in the speed department and the My Little Pony Show!!!

BE A BIGGER DOUCHE!!!!

The defense did reign supreme in those games, which is why I have to give respect to those defenses, poor opponents or not they still took it to good teams, and continue to do so in conference play. The top 3 SEC schools....LSU, Florida and Alabama. Alabama gives up an average of 20 points per game. Florida gave up 31 points to Ole Miss and 21 points to a TERRIBLE LSU offense. I save the most BADASS of them all LSU with the hardcore Blackshirt defense that Jesus Christ himself (Bo Pellini) handed down to Les Miles.....32 points a game in conference play. WOW!!! Mind you this is against SEC teams which outside of Florida do not have "good" offenses.

Just Because

Look, I'm not saying the SEC isn't a great conference, Im not even saying they are not the best conference in college football....Im just kind of sick and tired of hearing from everybody how great they are.....they aren't. What the SEC does with their defense the Big-12 does with their offense to an even greater extent. Im not gunna throw Big-12 offensive numbers at you because I don't wanna bore you anymore and I don't have a calculator that goes that high. Im just saying for the sake of the sport........maybe you just aren't as good as you think.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The contrast between the awesome and the not-so-much-so in college football:

Staying: Mike Leach. Seriously, I think I may be in love. Dude not only has the no. 2 team in the country (IMO no. 1), and two legit Heisman candidates under his tutelage, but he also may be the coolest person ever. The guy has an animatronic pirate skeleton in his office! Also, he gives amazing first-date advice:


"The Girl will be forced to eat in front of you"???? Awesome!

In a conference riddled with douchebag head coaches (see: Bob Stoops, Mike Gundy, Bob Stoops, Dan Hawkins, Bo Pelini, Bob Stoops, Bob Stoops) Leach provides some much needed douche free entertainment.

Going: Texas Tech fans chanting “B-C-S” after every win. This chant should be reserved for campaigning purposes only. I get that you haven’t even gotten a whiff of the BCS yet, but guess what neither did Mizzou or Kansas until last year, and you didn’t see them chanting “B-C-S” after every win. Guess what, if your team wins all of its games, it will be the national champion. Stop campaigning!

Going: Kansas football’s relevancy. Hope it was fun while it lasted. The Jayhawkers lost to the Bofense Saturday and now needs to catch Texas napping, Mizzou to choke in Ames, and Nebraska to lose again in order to have any hope of returning to the BCS. They will go from Orange Bowl winners to third place in a crappy division en route to a date with Houston High School in the Texas Bowl. Thanks for playing.

Staying: Alabama. The Tide stays at no. 1 in the BCS… barely. They couldn’t do what Florida and Georgia could and annihilate LSU, but they did win a squeaker in Nick Satan’s return to the Bayou. Enjoy it while it lasts, Florida will destroy this team in Atlanta on the strength of Tim Tebow’s five three-yard touchdown rushes and then stomp on one of those Bear Bryant hats.

Going: The 12th man. Look Aggie fans, I get it that you were destroyed by Oklahoma on Saturday, and I understand the desire to leave a garbage game in the fourth quarter - I did the same at Mizzou this weekend. However, you can’t call yourself the 12th man and then leave early. Especially when you make the Seahawks pay you for using the moniker (the Seahawks too can sympathize with A&M’s plight this year). You are no longer the 12th man, that has now been passed to Texas Tech for pulling a kicker out of the stands and then having him nail a field goal to help beat no. 1 Texas. The only number 12 that should apply to A&M is the number of people who remember when your team was relevant.

Staying: Notre Dame. The only way this team gets ranked this year is if they pull off an upset against USC. They won’t. Getting shutout by BC is no way to return to glory. Yes ND you have improved this year, it would have been hard not to, but you officially remain irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. I know, I know you are still Notre Dame, yes we get it - the tradition, the dome, TD Jesus, and Rudy. That’s great, but you still suck this year. The one bright spot is that maybe, just maybe you’ll find a way to beat Oregon State in the Sun Bowl and in doing so break the bowl funk you are in. Then again, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Staying: Illinois football. Staying home that is. A loss to the powerhouse Western Michigan football factory will keep the Fightin No-Mascots home this year. Team Zook needs to beat either Ohio State or Northwestern to get bowl eligible. They won’t. I know Chief Nobody, I know - you beat tOSU on the road last year, but you had a guy named Rashard Mendenhall then, you don’t now. Don’t worry though, I’m sure the Zooker will have a Tony Wonder like magician act and pull a dozen five star recruits out of nowhere so that he can helm a team to an 8-4 record. Have fun being left out of the Motor City Bowl.