2010 Preview: Predictions

It's hard to believe that the baseball season will be officially underway tonight! It's about time! In the meantime, here are Swing and a Long Drive's 2010 season predictions.

American League

AL East

1. Yankees: (95-67)
2. Red Sox: (93-69) *WC*
3. Rays: (83-79)
4. Orioles: (73-89)
5. Blue Jays: (69-93)

AL Central

1. Twins: (88-74)
2. White Sox: (86-76)
3. Tigers: (82-80)
4. Royals: (71-91)
5. Indians: (70-92)

AL West

1. Mariners (90-72)
2. Rangers (88-74)
3. Angels (84-78)
4. A’s: (79-83)

ALDS: Red Sox over Twins
ALDS: Yankees over Mariners
ALCS: Yankees over Red Sox

AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez, NYY
AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez, SEA
AL Rookie of the Year: Brian Matusz, BAL

AL Surprise Player: Billy Butler, KC
AL Player to Watch: Max Scherzer, DET
AL Disappointing player: Jake Peavy, CWS

AL Surprise Team: Baltimore Orioles (won't compete, but improved)
AL Disappointing Team: Los Angeles Angels

National League

NL East

1. Phillies (95-67)
2. Mets (89-73)
3. Braves (88- 74)
4. Marlins (81-81)
5. Nationals (73-89)

NL Central

1. Cardials (91-71)
2. Brewers (89-73)
3. Reds (84-78)
4. Cubs (84-78)
5. Astros (79-83)
6. Pirates (70-92)

NL West

1. Dodgers (93-69)
2. Rockies (92-68) *WC*
3. Giants (90-72)
4. Diamondbacks (77-85)
5. Padres (69-93)

NLDS: Phillies over Rockies
NLDS: Cardinals over Dodgers
NLCS: Phillies over Cardinals

NL MVP: Albert Pujols, STL
NL Cy: Roy Halladay, PHI
NL Rookie of the Year: Jason Heyward, ATL

NL Surprise Player: Hunter Pence, HOU
Player to watch: Madison Bumgarner, SF
NL Disappointing player: Jayson Werth, PHI

NL Surprise Team: Washington Nationals (won't compete, but improved)
NL Disappointing Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (but still have enough for the division)

Homerun Leaders: Ryan Howard, Alex Rodriguez
ERA Leaders: Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez
Strikeout Leaders: Tim Lincecum, Felix Hernandez

World Series Champions: Phillies over Yankees in 6

April Fools: Baseball Pranks

Chase Utley was traded to New York Mets.... APRIL FOOLS!

Alright, I'm not the best prankster on the planet. I'm sure you can do better than switching the salt and sugar, or replacing the icing of an Oreo with toothpaste. I gaurentee the following guys are much better prankster than all of us. Why? Because they made pranks related to baseball!

In 1985, a Sports Illustrated writer wrote about a pitcher named Sidd Finch, who had been pitching in the Mets training camp. According to his article, Finch threw 168 miles per hour (the record at the time was 103 mph), with perfect accuracy. Finch was an English orphan who had never played baseball before. He pitched with a boot on one foot, and the other barefoot.

Mets fans were anxious to see if Finch would commit to baseball, but Finch would not make his decision until April 1...

Awww, nothing like Mets fans getting pranked!

In 2003, Rocco Baldelli's uniform had his first name on it, instead of his last name. Baldelli had no idea, despite the crowd chanting "ROCCO!"

In 1992, Joe Carter and the Blue Jays gave away a car on Fan Appreciation Day. Little did Derek Bell know. It was his car.

A few years ago, Will Ohman found tires from his car scattered throughout the spring training facility.

Tim Hudson was a good prankster back in his prime:



Kyle Kendrick to Japan, a classic:



And one last joke:

What did the baseball glove say to the baseball?
A: Catch you later!

*Insert drum snare*

Phillies Sign Contreras; Other News

Earlier today, it was said that the Phillies backed off on John Smoltz, but were interested in Jose Contreras. ESPN’s Enrique Rojas is reporting that the Phillies have agreed to a one-year deal with Contreras, pending a physical.

Because Smoltz wants to start, the Phillies moved onto Contreras, who will serve as a right-handed reliever. Contreras, 38, went 6-13 with a 4.92 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP with the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies in 131.2 innings last year.

In other Phillies news, the Phillies apparently offered Cliff Lee a 3-year, $60 million extension before he was traded. It is uncertain whether Lee formally denied the offer.

Yesterday, the Phillies avoided arbitration with Joe Blanton and Shane Victorino by signing them both to a three-year deal. Blanton will get $24 million; Victorino $22. Blanton originally wanted a laughable $10.25 million in arbitration, but the Phillies offered him seven. Nevertheless, the Phillies and Blanton worked out the differences.

MLB News:

The New York Mets acquired Gary Matthews Jr. If you were unaware, thats Sarge's (Phillies broadcaster) son. Matthews spent most of the 2009 season on the bench. He makes $11 million this year.

The Mets recently missed out on Bengie Molina. The Mets offered the catcher a $5 million deal, but he accepted the Giants' $4.5 million offer.

The Kansas City Royals reach an agreement with Rick Ankiel. The Nationals are interested in Mike Jacobs.

The Seattle Mariners signed Felix Hernandez, 23, to a five-year, $78 million deal. Hernandez had a 2.49 ERA in 2009.

McGwire Admits To Steroid Use

It was about a year ago when Alex Rodriguez admitted (well, was caught) to using performance enhancing drugs. Here, on January 11, baseball is once again saddened to find out that another popular slugger has taken steroids. Only this time, the victim is not as surprising.

Today, Mark McGwire admitted to taking steroids during the late 1990's. In 1998, McGwire smashed 70 home runs, breaking the single-season home run record (which was later broken by another alleged steroid user, Barry Bonds). McGwire and Sammy Sosa were neck and neck for the home run race, but McGwire finished on top -- thanks to a little help. (Sosa, whose face is now discolored, tested positive for steroids.)

"I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I
truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid
era."

McGwire finished his career in 2001. During his career he smashed 583 home runs, batted .263 and had a .982 OPS. McGwire made the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot, but did not get in. The steroid controversy certainly will effect some votes from some writers.

McGwire is finally getting back into the game, which may have led to his confession. McGwire will be the Cardinals batting coach in 2010. Manager Tony LaRussa even went the distance of saying that McGwire could be activated as a pinch hitter in a pennant race!

I'm glad McGwire admitted it, but it doesn't remove the fact that he still took them in the first place. With all the Mark McGwire news, everything else in baseball has been overshadowed... and it's a shame it's for steroid purposes.

McGwire admitted to steroids, the sun rose, and it set today. Randy Johnson was measured to be tall; Bartolo Colon to be pleasantly plump.

Chase Utley admitted to excessive hair gel use. Utley claims he used LA Looks, which is legal around the league, but rumors are stating that Utley uses Redken, which is banned by baseball.

Okay, well the Utley thing is not true (well, it SORTA is), but it's a nice segway into today's real MLB news:

Greg Maddux will be the Cubs assistant general manager. Maddux is a first ballot Hall of Famer who had a 3.16 career ERA.

The Reds signed Aroldis Chapman to a five-year, $30 million deal. Chapman, a left handed pitcher, was Cuba's prized prospect. He tops 100 on the radar gun, but needs to improve his command.

The Giants agreed to sign Aubrey Huff, the Pirates are closing in on a deal with Ryan Chruch, and the Rangers signed Vladimir Guerrero.

QUOTE SOURCE: MLB.com

Week In Review: January 7th

I apologize for the lack of substance on Swing and a Long Drive this week. I had all intentions of updating, but one thing led to another. Plus, our numbers have been down so it's not like anybody is rushing to see our site. It's the off season, so it's slow.

The good news is that there are 87 days until Opening Day (or bad? It depends how you look at it, if you want baseball tomorrow). Either way, we're going to catch you up on the latest baseball news from the week.

The Phillies signed Danys Baez to a two-year, $5.25 million deal. The Phillies gained a reliever, but they also lose one-- or two.

Clay Condrey has official moved on. The long man has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins. Condrey missed most of last year with injuries. He has a career 4.10 ERA. Clay, have fun throwing to that stud behind home plate that they call Joe Mauer.

Reliever Scott Eyre is calling it quits. The 37-year old has decided to retire after 13 major league seasons. During the 2009 season, Eyre pondered the idea of retirement. Eyre had surgery during the off season, and the Phillies offered him a minor league contract for 2010, but Eyre had his mind set or retiring.

In 1997, the lefty broke into the majors at the age of 25 with the Chicago White Sox. In 649.1 career innings, Eyre went 28-30 with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Eyre had the most success in Philadelphia, where he went 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA in two seasons.

With Eyre gone, this puts more on J.C Romero, who was suspended and hurt last year. If he can be healthy and as effective as he was in 2008, the Phillies are in good shape as far as a lefty-specialist goes.

Other Phillies News:

The Phillies invited 13 to spring training. Some of the bigger names include Domonic Brown, Joe Savery, B.J Rosenberg, and Phillipe Aumont and Tyson Gillies, who were involved in the Cliff Lee deal.

MLB News:

Andre Dawson was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Dawson had a .279 career average, 438 home runs, and .807 OPS.

The decision by the writer's association wasn't a bad choice at all, but Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez and Bert Blyvleven wouldn't be poor choices either.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame and retirement, a future Hall of Famer is retiring. Randy Johnson is hanging up the cleats after 22 seasons. The lefty went 303-166 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in his career. Johnson, a five-time Cy Young winner, spent most of his career in Seattle and Arizona.

The biggest splash came from the Cardinals, who signed Matt Holliday to a seven-year, $120 million deal. Holliday is a career .318 hitter. He averages 29 home runs and 100 runs batted in per year. Holliday and Albert Pujols make for one of the best 3-4 punches in baseball.

The Boston Red Sox signed third baseman Adrian Beltre. The Red Sox plan to move Mike Lowell, but are having a tough time because he's injured. A thought was a trade to the Mets, where Lowell would play first base, and Luis Castillo would head to Boston. Meanwhile, the Mets are still interested in bringing back Carlos Delgado.

A decision for Cuban Adrolis Chapman could be coming soon. Every team in the majors seems to have interest in the prized pitcher.

The Mariners acquired Casey Kotchman. They also extended Franklin Gutierrez's contract. Gutierrez was signed to a four-year, $20.5 million deal with an option for a fifth year.

The Atlanta Braves signed Eric Hinske and Troy Glaus. Hinske is a career .254 hitter and Glaus has 300 career home runs.

In other news, the Rangers offered Vladimir Guerrero a $7 million deal, the A's agreed to sign Jack Cust, the Twins made an offer to Jarod Washburn, and the Nationals signed Matt Capps to a one-year $3.5 million deal.

Mets Sign Bay; Giants Sign DeRosa

With the holidays, there was a lack of baseball news throughout the week. When Eric Bruntlett signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals, that was the biggest headline in Philadelphia sports. With the new year approaching, a few more moves were made.

The New York Mets signed free agent Jason Bay to a four year, $66 million contract. The Mets were desperately in need of a left fielder. They got one. However, like so many major league contracts, Bay was given too much money.

Bay is a great player, but has been extremely over rated since his departure from Pittsburgh. The money shows.

In addition, Bay was a better fit for Boston. Bay, not known for his defense, will go from a very small left field in Fenway to a very spacious outfield in Citi Field. In addition to potential defensive struggles, Bay's power numbers will go down. Citi Field has taken a damper on home run numbers; just look at David Wright's decrease in home run totals from 2008 to 2009.

In other baseball news, the San Francisco Giants signed Mark DeRosa to a two year, $12 million deal. DeRosa, an extremely versatile player, will likely spend the majority of his playing time at third base, with Pablo Sandoval moving to first. DeRosa may spend time in the outfield as well.

The Giants need a bat badly. DeRosa probably won't be the answer, although he will help a very weak hitting ball club. The Giants have pitching, but if they can improve their hitting, they could be the favorites in the National League West.

There's not much left of the free agent market. Matt Holliday seems to be the only big name remaining. The Cardinals are rumored to have offered him a $100 million contract.

In minor moves, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed Kelly Johnson and the Oakland Athletics signed Justin Duchscherer.

More Winter Meeting Tidbits

Texas was popular today, but here is what else happened during day three of the Winter Meetings.

The Phillies signed Ross Gload to a two-year deal. The first baseman and outfielder will likely spend most of the season off the bench. Gload also received offers from the Marlins and Braves.

The Phillies have been equally aggressive on Fernando Rodney as they have been on Brandon Lyon. However, it's unknown if the Phillies would pay Rodney "closer-type money.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Bobby Crosby. Crosby never lived up to his expectations. After winning Rookie of the Year and receiving a five-year $12.75 extension from the Oakland A's, Crosby fell off the radar. This deal will be worth approximately $1.5 million.

The Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels are interested in Hideki Matsui. The White Sox may be closing in on a deal with J.J Putz.

Ben Sheets is seeking a contract around $12 million. Talk about ridiculous. The guy's a great pitcher when healthy, but he didn't even throw a pitch in 2009. I'll be completely shocked if he gets anything close.

The Red Sox have interest in Adrian Beltre. They would trade Mike Lowell first. The Giants, however, do not have interest in Beltre.

More MLB News, in bullet point form:

• The Kansas City Royals offer Jason Kendall a two-year deal.


• The Colorado Rockies are closer to a two-year deal with Yorvit Torrealba.


• The New York Yankees re-signed Andy Pettitte. One year, $11.75 million.


• Multiple teams are eyeing Joel Pinero, Nick Johnson, Derek Lowe.


• The Milwaukee Brewers signed LaTroy Hawkins.


• The New York Mets and Washington Nationals are going after Jason Marquis.
• The Mariners sign Corey Patterson.


• The Tampa Bay Rays are front runners for Rafeal Soriano.


• The Padres are discussing trades for Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Breaking News: Some Halladay rumors are coming out.

The Phillies are "joining the fray" for Halladay, as well as the Red Sox and Yankees. But the Angels are pulling trigger. They made the following offer, according to Jon Heyman of SI:

Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar and Peter Bourjos for Halladay. If the Blue Jays accept, the only question is if Halladay would wave his trade clause. Halladay previously said he would acccept a trade to the Angels.

Update (9:41 PM): Not long ago, the Phillies headlines read "Phillies in the mix for Halladay." Now, the Phillies.com homepage reads: "Phillies not likely to land Halladay."

MLB News Bullet Points

The Tigers, D'Backs, and Yankees made a blockbuster deal. Here's some other bullet points of what happened today around MLB.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Brad Penny to a one-year deal worth $7.5 million, or up to $9 million in incentives. Absolutely ridiculous. Way too much money for a guy who has barely pitched in the last three years, and isn't nearly as good as he was before injuries took a toll.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays are discussing trade options for Ryan Doumit.

The Milwaukee Brewers offered a three-year, $31 million deal to Randy Wolf. It would be smart to accept that puppy, unless he gets offered another deal (the Mets seem to be the only other team with interest). Like the Penny deal, $31 million is a lot of money.

Multiple teams are interested in Kelvim Escobar. The White Sox and Angeles are interested in Hideki Matsui. The Dodgers and Rockies are going after Luis Ayala. The Marlins are hearing offers for Dan Uggla, Matt Lindstrom, and Renyel Pinto. The Giants and Padres are discussing Kevin Kouzmanoff.

The Texas Rangers are hearing offers for Kevin Millwood. The Phillies may also be hearing offers for Joe Blanton. The Phillies may also be interested in Cuban Aroldis Chapman.

The Washington Nationals signed Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. They are also interested in former Phillie Vicente Padilla.

Speaking of former Phillies, the Chicago Cubs are close to a Milton Bradley- Carlos Silva trade. It's still ideal for the Cubs to trade Bradley to the Tampa Bay Rays for Pat Burrell, who they would flop for prospects or a second baseman.

The Rockies offer backup catcher. Yorvit Torreabla a two-year deal.

Iverson Returns; Baseball News

Allen Iverson is back in Philadelphia. Iverson almost retired, however he met with the Philadelphia 76ers, who eventually offered him a contract. He accepted, and is back with the team that he became a Hall of Fame player with.

Iverson led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, but the Sixers haven't been back since. When Iverson left the Sixers, he started to decline and the Sixers became a weak team.

Adding Iverson is exactly what the Sixers needed. Before the Iverson talks, nobody cared about the Sixers (sorry to those few die-hards). But once the AI Rumors came out, the Sixers were mentioned before any other team, including the Philadelphia Eagles. That never happens, not even for the playoffs.

The Iverson move will help the Sixers more than record-wise. Without him, the franchise would continue to lessen in popularity. Now, more tickets will sell, and perhaps increase the Sixers' popularity. With Iverson on the court, more fans will watch. When more fans watch, they will notice some of the other, younger stars. They needed that, because right now they're not very popular in a football town.

We're aware that this is a baseball blog, so here's your daily dosage of MLB:

The Atlanta Braves signed Billy Wagner. The deal is worth $7 million with an option for 2011.

There is a "strong possibility" for a Pat Burrell-Milton Bradley trade. The Cubs are Rays could make the deal, although it's also possible to see Burrell in a Mets uniform. With a left fielder in Alfonso Soriano, the Cubs could flip him to the Mets. The Mets are in need of a left fielder. They could get rid of Luis Castillo and get Burrell in return.

The Phillies have their eyes on J.J Putz. Putz missed most of last season due to arm troubles. The Pirates and Astros also appear to be interested. The Phillies are also being linked to Randy Wolf and Rafeal Bentancourt for the first time this offseason.

The Mariners are pursuing Rich Harden.

The Astros and Rangers are interested in Brett Myers. The Rangers would likely want him as a reliever.

Arbitration, Catchers, and Red Sox

The Hot Stove was buzzin' today. There was a lot of baseball news:

The Phillies signed Brian Schneider to a two year-deal worth just under $3 million. The Phillies might be eyeing John Smoltz. The Phillies also declined arbitration for free agents Chan Ho Park and Scott Eyre.

The Phillies and Mets are basically switching catchers, because the Mets signed Chris Coste. The Mets also re-signed Alex Cora.

The Boston Red Sox are asking Dustin Pedroia to play short stop. The Red Sox are without a shortstop and the free agent market is small. Pedroia has played shortstop in the past, although not at the major league level. The Red Sox may also be looking at Adam Kennedy or Adam Everett. They are also interested in Rich Harden.

Roy Halladay said that he will not accept a trade after Spring Training. The pitcher said he would accept a trade to the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox and Angels.

Joe Mauer denies any rumors stating that he has set a deadline for a contract extension.

Placido Polanco was not offered arbitration from Detroit. Adrian Beltre was offered arbitration from Seattle. The Angels offered arbitration to John Lackey and Chone Figgins.

The Houston Astros offered Jose Valverde arbitration, but not Miguel Tejada. The Cardinals, Phillies, Rangers, Astros and Giants are all interested in Tejada.

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired Kelly Shoppach from the Cleveland Indians. The Indians have some of the top catching prospects, including Lou Marson or Carlos Santana, both who could start this year.

Last but not least, Derek Jeter was named SI's Sportsman of the Year.

Hot Stove Commentary

Here is the latest Hot Stove news and rumors, and some unnecessary commentary:

Roy Halladay said that he would approve a trade to the New York Yankees. Traitor! Going to a division rival!? The Blue Jays want a pitcher and a hitter for him.

The Marlins might be looking to deal Josh Johnson. Typical Marlins: draft a good player. Bring him up through the farm system. Have a successful first few years in the big leagues. Then, trade him away for some prospects. Have those prospects come up and put together a successful team. Possibly win, then trade those players away. Repeat the process.

The Cubs are looking for an outfield bat. They still have to get rid of Monopoly-- errr, Milton Bradley.

Pirates would like to bring Mike Gonzalez back, but would it matter? They also might be looking at Blalock and Ankiel. Iwamura, Gonzo, Blalock, Ankiel, are they trying to be contenders?

The Baltimore Orioles would consider Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets. This is not much of a risk. Orioles probably won't contend in 2010 and both these guys have health issues. It would be worth a shot, as long as it's not too expensive.

Tim Lincecum is looking for a one year deal. Probably smart for him because when he wins another Cy Young, he'll be able to get another contract that makes even more money.

Jamie Moyer is doing well after minor surgery. Moyer had surgery to wash out a small collection of blood cells that could have been infected.

“The surgery is not likely to impact his rehab schedule and is likely to have minimal impact on his spring training schedule,” said Michael Ciccotti, the team doctor. Moyer will remain hospitalized until Monday.

Surfin', Beltre, Moyer, and MLB News

Looks like Jimmy Rollins found a new hobby. Rollins, who recently attended Shane Victorino's wedding, was caught surfing in Hawaii.

In Phillies related news:

The Phillies are targeting free agent Adrian Beltre. Money could be an issue; Beltre, 30, could be seeking a four-year deal. Additionally, Beltre is represented by Scott Boras.

Mark DeRosa, a personal favorite of Charlie Manuel, is still an option as well as Placido Polanco, Chone Figgins, and Pedro Feliz. A friend of Feliz says that he would like to sign elsewhere, possibly Seattle.

The Phillies signed DeWayne Wise and Wilson Valdez to minor league contracts. Both had a significant amount of major league playing time in 2009, but they will most likely spend most of 2010 in Triple-A.

Wise, an outfielder, is known for saving Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in July. The 32-year old spent most of the season as a defensive replacement. He batted .225 in 142 at-bats with the White Sox in 2009.

Valdez, a utility infielder, batted .256 in 86 at-bats for the New York Mets in 2009.

Jamie Moyer has been hospitalized at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with recurring symptoms from his September groin surgery. Dr. Michael Ciccotti, the team doctor, said that Moyer is not seriously ill, however the pain in the area where he had surgery has increased since the weekend.

Moyer, 47, is being evaluated. “He’s completely comfortable and fine. We’re just taking appropriate precautions and also wanting to do what we can to make sure he’s on track for spring training,” Ciccotti said.

Around MLB, the Chicago White Sox signed Andruw Jones. Jose Lopez is likely to remain in Seattle. The Minnesota Twins are looking at Rich Harden.

The Red Sox might be making a push for Roy Halladay. They are also interested in Marco Scutaro and Kelvim Escobar.

Call of the Day: Travis Lee hits a walk-off home run in 2001.

"Well hit! Game over! 3-run homerun Travis Lee! Can you believe it? What a
tremendous comeback from the Fightin' Phils! A 10 to 8 win!"

Castro Rumors and MLB News

The Phillies reportedly agreed to a deal with utility infielder Juan Castro, pending a physical. The deal is for one year with a club option for 2011. The deal might not be officially announced until next week.

Castro will fill Eric Bruntlett’s spot on the roster. The 37-year old batted .277 in 112 at-bats with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Castro was given a minor league contract worth $700,000 in 2009. If the deal is official, it is unlikely to exceed that price

In other MLB news, the Milwaukee Brewers re-sign Chris Capuano. He was signed to a minor league deal, and is recovering from Tommy John Surgery in 2008.

The Chicago White Sox signed Omar Vizquel to a one-year, $1.375 deal. Vizquel, 42, is known for his defense. He played with the Rangers this season and batted .266 in 195 plate appearances. The White Sox are also interested in Coco Crisp.

"Buying" a Championship

Since the New York Yankees won their 27th World Series a few weeks ago, there have been numerous talks about the Yankees "buying" a championship. With a $208 million payroll and a third baseman that makes more money than every Florida Marlins players combined, it may give fans a reason to think that the Yankees "purchased" a championship or to campaign for a salary cap. However, there is no rule against spending money. There's no salary cap at the moment.

There is no rule against how the Yankees run their team. Baseball is a business. The Marlins are business too. They just run their business differently: grow players in their farm system, win a World Series, let those players go, repeat step one.

The Yankees are -- well -- the Yankees. The have a great history. They built a successful team, and earned a lot of money. Players came up through their farm system, and they spent money on players. Then, they won championships. Then, they won a few more. Now, they have a reputation of a winning team. Players want to play for a winning team. The Yankees spend the money to get good players who want to play for them, and want to get paid big bucks. Then, they win some championships. It's a whole repetitive process.

Any MLB team could be the Yankees. As of now, the Yankees have run their business better than the other 29 teams in the league. At the same time, every team has an equal chance at a title. It's what's on paper that makes a team a favorite. Spending that extra cash for a top player in the league will help a team become that favorite. However, being a favorite doesn't do you any good. The "overpaid" players still have to perform on the field.

Some teams do spend money, but are unable to put together a franchise like the Yankees. Look at the Detroit Tigers. Look at the Chicago Cubs. They each had a pay roll in MLB's top five. Also, it is not like the Yankees buy every player out there. They had 12 home grown players on their roster this year.

This topic brings up the debate about a salary cap, which I'm indifferent about. It wouldn't bother me if MLB adopted one, but right now I think it's fine without one. If a person is a millionaire, they can spend all their money if they want. If MLB has a rich team, let them spend all their money too.

In conclusion, you can't walk into a store with a wad of cash in your back pocket and come out with a World Series trophy in your hand. You gotta play the game. But spending some money to get talented players certainly isn't hurting your cause.

Call of the Day: Howard hits a shot to Ashburn Alley in 2007.

"Well hit to deep left center field. Outta here! Tremendous home run,
Ryan Howard and the Phillies jump to a two-nothing lead here in the first
inning. Number 36 for the big man."

Dodgers Tie Ser-- Not So Fast!

Here is screen shot of MLB.com from last night, slightly before the Phillies rallied in the ninth inning. It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!

PHOTO COURTESY: The 700 Level

CNN will be featuring a special, Latino in America. Raul Ibanez sits down with Soledad O'Brien for CNN Latino in America. Ibanez talk about his family's passion for baseball and how his dream could only come true in America. Tune in to CNN on October 21 and October 22 at 9pm (EST) to watch his interview and more.

Link:

Call of the Day: The Phillies clinch the 2008 NL Pennant.

"The 3–2 pitch ... Swing, and a pop-up, this game is gonna be over ... Carlos
Ruiz squeezes it, and the Phillies are the National League champions! The Phils
move on to the World Series! Brad Lidge, fittingly gets the final out as the Phillies have won it 5 to 1."

Lidge Disease Quickly Spreading Throughout MLB

With the rapid spread of Swine Flu, Americans are taking every precaution to avoid risks of obtaining the virus. In Major League Baseball, it is not Swine that is spreading, but Lidge Disease.

After going a perfect 48-for-48 in saves opportunities in 2008 (postseason included), Brad Lidge struggled completing saves this season. He led the major leagues with 11 blown saves.

Ryan Madson, Lidge's teammate, occasionally caught the disease, blowing six saves. By sharing the same clubhouse, Madson's struggles further proved how the disease spreads.

Major League Baseball is investigating whether some of the Phillies opponents' blown saves were a form of cheating. Witnesses claim that the spread of blown saves was intentional on Lidge's part. MLB's suspicious began when the Pirates' Matt Capps allowed a three-run home run to Ryan Howard. Jonathan Broxton, who blew a save against the Phillies in May, claimed that he spoke to Lidge and shook his hand during batting practice. Broxton's case was overshadowed due to the fact that the Dodgers came back to win.

While Lidge has not had any contact with the following players, they all suffered from major symptoms of Lidge Disease.

Joe Nathan first developed signs of Lidge by getting into a jam during the one game playoff. Luckily, he escaped without further damage, giving reasons to believe it was a glitch. Then, the disease kicked in at its highest levels. Nathan blew a save against the New York Yankees. Alex Rodriguez's home run tied the game and the Yankees eventually won. The home run was not quite Albert Pujols level, but it was close to it.

Ryan Franklin isn't fully to blame for his blown save against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Matt Holliday, a left fielder, suffered from a closely related disease to Lidge. Experts call it choking, but tests have not confirmed the illness. Regardless, Holliday missed a catch that would have ended the game. It resulted in a loss for the Cardinals, and eventually being swept by the Dodgers.

The latest diagnoses of Lidge Disease was detected in Boston. Jonathan Papelbon had a two-run lead with two outs. The Los Angeles Angels rallied for three runs, and swept the Red Sox. Papelbon had not allowed a run in his postseason career until Sunday. The only clear explanation is the contagious spread of Lidge.

Brad Lidge hopes that he does not suffer a breakout from the disease during this postseason. However, other closers, such as Huston Street (Street had Lidge Disease against Matt Stairs in April) will have to be aware.

*This story is not completely true, although based on some struggles around the league*

Limping Into the Postseason

Most of the teams that have already clinched a postseason spot aren't exactly playing good ball right now. Here are the records over the last 10 games (Saturday's night games not included):

Yankees: 7-3
Red Sox: 4-6
Angels: 5-5, Last 20: 10-10
Phillies: 4-6, 3 game losing streak
Cardinals: 3-7, 8-12 last 20
Dodgers: 3-7, 5 Game losing streak, Last 20: 10-10
Rockies: 7-3, 5 Game winning streak

If the Tigers win the division, they aren't exactly on a roll either. All the NL division leaders each recently went on a 5-5 stretch.

The only teams that are hot right now are the Yankees and Rockies. It could be argued that because the regulars are not playing, teams aren't winning. However, most of the NL teams have been fighting for home field. The Red Sox were in a bad slump before they clinched.

Also, it is not good to enter the postseason cold. For those being rested, long layoffs are not always good. Remember the Rockies in 2007? Their hot 21 of 22 streak carried into October, however they had a long break between the NLCS and World Series. It backfired and they lost to the Red Sox. It's okay to give a player rest; a day here, a day there. It's a long, tiring season. But sometimes too long can be trouble. If a player is slumping it may help, but if they're playing good ball, then it may turn into a problem, taking that player out of their rhythm.

Most of these teams are hopping into the postseason on one foot.

Phillies Notables

The Phillies swept both games of Sunday's double header, winning 5-4 and 1-0. They took three games out of four, eliminating the Mets from the National League East.

The Phillies have a magic number of 14. They are 6.5 games above the Florida Marlins, who they play 6 more times.

Andrew Carpenter was optioned to Single-A Lakewood.

With the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Carpenter was 11-6 with a 3.35 ERA. The move was most likely made in order to give him more innings.

You can vote for Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, or Chase Utley for the Hank Aaron Award.

In MLB News, Derek Jeter became the Yankees all-time hits leader. He passed Lou Gehrig with 2,722 hits. Ichiro now has nine consecutive 200-hit seasons, setting a Major League Baseball record.

Injuries and Elimination

Brett Myers was activated from the disabled list today. To make room on the 40-man roster, Joe Bisenius was out-righted to Lehigh Valley.

As one man returns, another suffers a setback. Clay Condrey’s (oblique) rehab assignment was pushed back because of a setback to his slow-healing muscle.

Ruben Amaro said that it is “possible” that Condrey could be done for the season, but won’t know details until Condrey visits the team physician next week.

Johan Santana, among others are finished with 2009. You can add Grady Sizemore to the list. His season is over. The Cleveland Indian's star center fielder will go under the knife for season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow. Sizemore batted .248 with 18 HR, 64 RBI, and 13 SB this season.

The season is also over for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. They were both eliminated from their divisions. Well, they still have hope. The Orioles are 24.5 games out of the Wild Card. The Nationals are 28 games out, but the elimination number is down to one.

The Phillies magic number is down to 22.

Vote for the Pepsi "Clutch" Performer of the Month! Clifton Phifer Lee is a nominee.

Strasburg, Draft Picks Signed Before Deadline

At 12:00 midnight, the deadline ended to sign 2009 draft picks. Although his agent is Scott Boras, many believed it would not happen. However, the Washington Nationals signed first overall pick, Stephen Strasburg.

Strasburg and the Nationals agreed to a four year, $15.67 million contract. Strasburg hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors, and he is already making big bucks. Strasburg went 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA at San Diego State this year.

Many believed he would make an impact on the Nationals this year, but Boras said he wants the Nationals to take their time and develop him. 2011 may be a reasonable target.

Among others signed, Dustin Ackley signed a $9.5, five year contract. The second overall pick by the Mariners batted .417 with 22 homers with the University of North Carolina. His teammate, Alex White, signed a $2.25 million contract with the Cleveland Indians. White was drafted 15th overall and had a 8-4 with a 3.87 ERA this season.

The Phillies signed all of their first 10 draft picks. They signed Brody Colvin, their 7th round draft pick.

In other MLB News, Ivan Rodriguez was traded to the Texas Rangers. The Astros acquire Jose Vallejo and Matt Nevarez. Also, the Dodgers may be interested in Vicente Padilla. The Cardinals may be interested in John Smoltz.