Pittsburgh Pirates Great Trades, Years Later

The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken alot heat when they
have traded theirs "stars" the last few years, and
much of that is without question deserved, but when
you take a look at these two trades, the only argument
you can against their decision to make the trades is
the garbage they got in return, not the players they
gave up in the trade.

Bryan Morris, Andy LaRoche, Craig Hansen and Brandon
Moss are the player received for Jason Bay on Jul 31st
in 2008 when they made a trade with the Red Sox, and
though there is no question Bay flourished for about
a year and a half, the Red Sox were fine with letting
him get a max contract elsewhere. That elsewhere turned
to be with the New York Mets, and though Bay is a great
team mate and pro by everyone's account, right now the
Mets couldn't get a tub of Bazooka bubblegum for him if
they tried. He's costing them an eight figure salary
and in his time in New York he has put together a .235
batting average with 31 Hr's and 118 Rbi's. If you were
to cut that up into a 162 game season it would work out
to 19 Hr's and 71 Rbi's with that stellar .235 batting
average. At $16Mil a year for 2012, it's fair to say
he's way overpriced and the Pirates are ahead of the
game on this one. The players they received may have
performed poorly, but they were paid that way too.

The other trade the Pirates took heat for was when the
Braves gave Pittsburgh outfielder Gorkys Hernandez,
one of its top prospects, along with pitchers Charlie
Morton and Jeff Locke on June 3rd 2009 for Nate McLouth.
Needless to say that trade did nothing for the Pirates
other than to incense their fans. I once again can't
blame the fans for feeling that way, but 3 years later
I think it's safe to say that McLouth was a McBust for
the Braves and the Pirates once again got away with
one. The Pirates even got Mclouth back, and got rid
of him again he was so bad after he left the 1st time.

The Pirates may have gotten lucky with these two, but
as Lefty Gomez once said "it's better to be lucky than
good". Now the Pirates need to get that "Good" part
together and their fans might forgive them for twenty
years of futility.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

At Least 10 Questions The 2012 NFL Season Answer

At some point this season every team will have
questions to answer, and some will be or more
curiosity to the typical NFL fan then others.
Whether for the fact that people are curious,
or just because some folks just need a good
laugh, here are some that might come up:

1. Many predict the Patriots to go back to
the SuperBowl, but with the window for the
Brady Belichick beginning to close can that
duo really win another one?

2. Is Time Tebow just a flash in the pan or
will he expose Mark Sanchez for the sub average
QB many think he is?

3. Is CJ2k done? The last two years his yards
have taken a nosedive, is this the real Chris
Johnson?

4. Andrew Luck or RGIII? This will take years
to fully be answered, but who will have a better
1st season?

5. Does Phillip Rivers need someone besides Norv
Turner to succeed, or is it Norv Turner that needs
a better GM than A.J. Smith to finally get the job
done in San Diego?

6. Will the new Oakland Raiders look anything like
the Raida's that Al Davis envisioned in his heyday?

7. Will The Philadelphia Eagles take everything that
has happened to them of the past 12 months and parlay
that into team unity and their 1st SuperBowl Title?

8. Are the S.F. 49ers for real, and will their newest
additions help or hurt what they built last year?

9. How good will Drew Brees and the Saints be without
Sean Payton?

10. Will anyone give Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin the
credit they deserve if they don't make the playoffs
this season?

Bonus: Is Elway a genius or did he make a mistake in
getting Peyton Manning and dumping Tim Tebow?

Many more questions, but these are some of the ones
that come to mind. Let me know which ones you have.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 8-25-12

On "Ranting with Rizzo" this past week I had alot
to say regarding the Dodgers Red Sox Blockbuster
and why this was a huge win for the Red Sox, did
you miss it? If you missed it or there's anything
you want to here again, here it is:



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Dodgers Try The Yankee Way, Steinbrenner Smiles

A large amount of the focus on the trade between
the Red Sox and Dodgers has been on Boston, and
if you ask me, it makes sense. The got rid of
a boat load of salary, damaged goods, and a
pitcher who has clearly seen better days.

All that being said, from the L.A. point of view
it smells exactly like something "The Boss"
George Steinbrenner would have had the guts to
do. Don't get me wrong, if you're a Dodger
fan this trade stinks, BUT, it has the potential
to pay off like a 100-1 shot at Santa Anita on
a sunny Sunday afternoon. No one, but no one
had the guts to do something like this without
thinking and over thinking it over and over
again. Many a bold move like this caused
Steinbrenner Yankee teams to look like fools
in the 80's and early 90's, but that's until
he mixed baseball people with knowledge and
his go for the gusto approach to finally build
winners.

The Dodgers took a gamble here, they laid out
a ton of money, and got a guy who could be a
cancer in the clubhouse if his bad habits from
his days in Boston turn out to be true, and
team chemistry though sometimes over rated,
can be a big part of whether or not a team will
gel or not. The prospects they gave up in this
deal are just that, prospects, so that's not
exactly a huge gamble, but it helps that they
brought back a California guy in Adrian Gonzalez
as part of the trade.

George "The Boss" Steinbrenner is out there right
now saying: "I would have done that", and everyone
knows that too.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports on ScatterRadio Podcast For 8-22-12

Ed Hawkins and I were back together on the
ScatterRadio airwaves on Wednesday, and if
you missed the show, you missed plenty.
There was plenty of talk from the world of
sports in general, and the doping dopes.
Enjoy the show!



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Red Sox : Who Says You Can't Trade The Whole Team?

Courtesy: CBS Boston

It's been said a million times, "you can't trade
all 25 players, you have to change the manager",
or something very similar to that. Well the
Red Sox dared to different here.
Kevin Youkalis, not a BIG Bobby V. - GONE
Kelly Shopach, alleged texter - GONE
Josh Beckett, Big fatcat hasbeen - GONE
Adrian Gonzalez, Free Agent Blah - GONE
Carl Crawford, Damaged Free Agent Blah - GONE
Nick Punto - Guilty by association - GONE
Bobby V. (Manager) - STILL HEEEEEEEEERE

If Dustin Pedroia wants out, and doesn't get
how things are done around there NOW, I think
he just found out were the door is. Like the
move or hate it, it's a bold statement, and one
that should probably considered more often,
especially when players forget who signs their
pay checks. Yes they're the ones that can bring
home the glory for the teams, but players play,
and managers manage. I know it's a novel idea
and all, but they might want to try it on for
size and see how it goes.

As far as the Dodgers go, Lord help Don Mattingly
and his coaches, he may need it.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

August Brings A Similiar Lament At Citifield/Shea

AP Photo

You may have seen this already on my Twitter feed
(@MadStorkSports), as a matter of fact if you
didn't it's almost identical to what I was trying
to convey the other night. August rolls around
and I along with many NY Mets fans find ourselves
saying "Man they suck!" These words may sound
harsh, but for a Mets fan, so are the losses, and
painful too. Losing the first two out of four
games to a team who not only has a 6 man rotation,
because their starters stink, and whos manager
pulls his starter in the fourth inning, even though
he's not in trouble, but would rather rely on his
bullpen is bad enough. Add to that the fact that
this team is the second worst team record wise as
they visit you at home and they are TWENTY SEVEN
games under .500 at the time, kinda wanna makes you
wanna become a fan of curling, rather than watch
another pitch.

The last few seasons the Mets have had very
promising Months in April, May and June, then
July hits and you can seen the swoon that gives
Sandy Alderson and Fred Wilpon great reason and
excuse to not acquire any help before the trade
deadline. Why should they? By that time the team
has already bungled themselves out of any shot at
contention, division or anything else otherwise,
and even with the extra wild card spot this year
the team is still 10 games behind the struggling
Pirates for that second spot.

As a sports writer/talk show host I should be more
detached and logical about this, but as a fan,
it's painful. I find myself saying frustrated and
saying over and over, I just don't get it!
All that being said, it should be clear, this owner
and ownership group no longer has any intentions on
spending any real money on players, and they brought
the "compete, but not win a damn thing" moneyball
group in to run things (not unless the team begins
to juice, anyway). Enjoy the exciting Springs Mets
fans, because winning any kind of fall ball is going
to be strictly restricted to your players doing well
while rehabbing in the Dominican and Puerto Rican
Fall leagues.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 8-18-12

"Ranting with Rizzo" this past Saturday had lots to
say, did you miss it? If you missed it or there's
anything you want to here again, the podcast is here.
Enjoy !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Now They Allow Women At Augusta, So What?

Augusta National Golf Club / Getty Images

It amazes me that people didn't get this from
the get go. I mean don't get me wrong, it's
important and all, but did you really think
that this wasn't going to happen? No protest
by Martha Burke was going to make a difference,
and no sponsor boycott would either. The folks
at Augusta just didn't want to be told what to
do, and frankly I don't blame them.

It's not as if I defended them for not allowing
women members, but I do defend the fact that
outsiders should try to mind their own business
on matters such as this one. It's a golf club
not a hospital of urgent care where someone is
denied a life saving treatment. Women were
allowed to golf their, they weren't chained
outside like dogs. I may not agree with their
policies, but I admit that I understood their
resistance to outsiders trying to dictate policy
to them, especially when they weren't breaking
any laws.

Condoleezza Rice huh? That was bold. Why not
just admit the Queen of England and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton? Neither here or there,
they did it their way, and for that I applaud
them, and you should too.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports on ScatterRadio Podcast For 8-15-12

I went solo on the ScatterRadio airwaves on Wednesday,
so if you missed the show, here's what I had to say
about Mark Sanchez, Chad Johnson, Ochocinco, and all
that surrounds them. Enjoy the show!



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mark Sanchez Set For Break Out Year, BUT...............

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Statistical numbers are a funny thing, they can be
either totally descriptive, or totally deceptive,
but the problem is, all players have them, and you
can't use them to prove how good one player is, and
in turn say that they don't mean as much for another.

Folks are quick to tell you that Drew Brees threw for
a record breaking 5,000 plus yards last season, and
that Tom Brady threw for 50 touchdowns in 2007, but
use numbers to say that a guy like Mark Sanchez has
gotten better every year since he entered the league,
and you'll be met by quite a bit of opposition.
Sanchez has been in the league just 3 years, and I
think his former coach at USC Pete Carrol was correct
when he said that he declared himself eligible for
the draft a little too early, but now as he starts
his fourth season with the Jets I think that you can
chalk up his time served so far as on the job training,
and experience that he probably should have gotten a
little more of in college. His numbers don't lie,
Sanchez's TD's have gone from 12 to 17 to 26, his
passing yards from 2,444 to 3,291 to 3,474 and his
passing percentage has also gone up every year, from
53.8% to 54.8% to 56.7%, and those last numbers are
probably the ones experts respect the most. Though
his Int's also went up from his 2nd year to his 3rd
year, it's really his only blemish, even if you admit
that though his QB rating isn't spectacular, it still
went up every year too.

To me these numbers say quite a bit, but they don't
say he's the next__________. Mark Sanchez can be
just fine being Mark Sanchez, problem is, will the
New York Jets let him? One of the best things that
happened to Sanchez this off season is that the Jets
hired Tony Sparano, but they off set that move as far
as Sanchez's success curve is concerned by trading
for Tim Tebow. The Jets can't seem to decide if they
want to sell tickets first and win later, or win first
and sell tickets later. Of course if they did any
true homework, they would realize that winning alone
will sell ALL of your tickets, so the only thing there
should be to worry about is winning. Tim Tebow CAN be
a very good thing for this team, but that's only if
Tony Sparano is allowed to run the offense with Mark
Sanchez in mind first, and gimmicks later. I believe
that Sparano both can and will, and everything he has
said thus far backs that up. Whether or not HC Rex
Ryan follows that doctrine as well or tries to please
owner Woody Johnson by showing off his new toy is
another issue. Mark Sanchez can and is set to have
a real good season this year, but will the Jets allow
it?

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 8-11-12

"Ranting with Rizzo" was on this past Saturday at noon,
but if you missed it or there's anything you want to
here again, the podcast is here. Enjoy !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Yankees Scour For Pitching, A.J. Burnett 14-4

AP Photo/Keith Srakocic

With the Yankees leading the AL East by 5 1/2 games,
and a record that is 21 games over .500 it's tough
to find anyone to feel sorry for them, and yet their
situation could be a bit precarious. Today they
signed Derek Lowe off the scrap heap as they brace
for another DL stint from ace C.C. Sabathia, and
a shaky rotation to fill in for him.

Phil Hughes at 11-10 makes them nervous, Ivan Nova
has a better mark at 11-6 but a worse era at 4.70
and has been shaky recently, and to count on anything
from Andy Petitte isn't very wise at this juncture.
Derek Lowe started out the season like gang busters
while he was with Cleveland with a 6-1 record and a
stingy era, but has fallen off a cliff and the Yankees
hope they can catch him and his 8-10 record & 5.52 era.

All that brings me to A.J. Burnett who the Yankees
traded to the Pirates in the off season and are still
paying more than half his salary. With his 14-4 mark
and a 3.32 era, I can assure you New York Yankee fans
are wondering why he couldn't do this when he was in
New York. That question may never truly be answered
fully, but armchair quarterbacks everywhere will
always speculate, and I do wonder if Brian Cashman
wished he had that one back. I just wonder.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

With Howard An L.A. King, I Say Bye Bye Heat

Courtesy NationalTurk

Let me preface the remainder of this thought by
coming right out and saying this; I have a very
small basketball IQ. I like the game, watch the
game, and root for my team as hard as I root for
my team in any other sport. That being said, I
don't now what a weak side rebound is, just how
exactly the pick and roll is supposed to be run,
and am completely oblivious as to the difference
of one elbow from another on the basketball court.
So now you have complete ammunition, as if you
needed it, to completely make light of my initial
statement. Which is "With Dwight Howard An L.A.
King, Goodnight Miami Heat"

It's fair to say that the Miami Heat certainly have
age in their favor, and of course Dwight Howard's
back surgery could ultimately be an issue, but if
we were to simply match up these two squads in what
I believe will be an NBA Finals for the next two
years at least, then Miami is going to be one and
done with their title this year. In my humble yet
low basketball I.Q.'d opinion, I believe that the
Lakers not only hold the edge in talent but in
on the court smarts as well. Dwight Howard coming
to LA only puts them over the edge, but when you
look at what Kobe is capable of, Steve Nash brings
to the table, and that they didn't have to give up
Pau Gasol, it's enough to wanna make Phil Jackson
come out of "retirement".

Now I know that Championships are not won on paper,
and that last year the Philadelphia Eagles were
handed the Lombardi trophy in August only to see
them drop it and have it shatter all over the floor,
but I'll take my chances and crown the Lakers now.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 8-4-12

"Ranting with Rizzo" is on every Saturday at noon, but
if you missed it or anything the podcast is here now:



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

First Tim Tebow, And Now Terrell Owens

Courtesy of Splog.Nationallampoon

How many teams need publicity that bad that they
can't help but fall all over themselves to be part
of the next big headline grabber? There will be
those that are ready to argue that some if not all
of these moves are "good" football decisions, but
when you look at them up close it's hard to take
that very seriously.

It's been less than 24 hours since Boomer Esiason
made his feelings known and stated that the NY Jets
should cut Tim Tebow, and now the Seahawks go on
and ink a guy that should have already retired,
Terrell Owens. Though I don't necessarily agree
with Boomer that cutting Tebow is the best way to
go here, I will say that they never should have
traded for him to begin with. Cutting Tebow would
be like taking two draft picks and throwing them
in the trash. At least see if you can re-trade
him and get something back for your boneheaded
decision. Make no mistake here the Jets knew what
they were doing, they were trying to sell seats,
and that's exactly what he will do.

Now T.O. is a Seattle Seahawk, and you have to
wonder with Pete Carroll pulling the strings in
Seattle if the coaching seat is getting hot, and
he's looking for a Hail Mary to save him. Maybe
sell out a few more games, increase the local TV
ratings, and throw some interference at the owner
on the fact that he's in year three, and on his
fifth QB, and still hasn't won anything.

Though you won't catch last years conference
champion New England Patriots and N.Y. Giants
making these sorts of moves, there are still a
few teams that are ripe for this type of circus
like attention. The Jaguars were fighting the
Jets for a shot at Tebow, and if Brett Favre
came back within the next couple of years, you
can bet that someone would make a play for him.
There really is no shortage of teams that would
make a play for this circus type publicity from
time to time, just teams that wouldn't.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Mad Stork Sports on ScatterRadio Podcast For 8-1-12

Ed Hawkins and I took to the ScatterRadio airwaves
again on Wednesday, so if you missed the show, here's
what we had to say, Enjoy the show!



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Michael Phelps = Pure History

Like him or hate him, or whether you think he's
arrogant and a punk for some of his off the field
headlines the past four years or not, face it.
Michael Phelps is officially a legend and a HUGE
part of Olympic history.

I know that for many sports fans the Olympics
are less exciting than the other four major
sports in the U.S., but for the rest of the U.S.
audience and most people around the world, the
Olympics are watched on an enormous level, and
Michael Phelps name is now on lips of almost every
person to have watched these games in London.

We may not always like history, or root for the
people who make it, but if you're an American,
you can't help but realize that a fellow American
has made the kind of history that will be nearly
impossible to surpass, and a huge round of applause
is definitely on order. All Hail Michael Phelps !

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Live 6PM Tonight - Mad Stork Sports on ScatterRadio

Join me, and Ed Hawkins tonight as we talk about
yesterdays trades and all the sports news and
rumors we can fit in an hour on Mad Stork Sports
on ScatterRadio at 6PM. Call in and make your voice
heard. Find the show here on ScatterRadio

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Miami Marlins Can Flounder With the Worst Of Them

AP Photo

I wrote articles late last year and earlier this
year that I felt the spending by the NEW Miami
Marlins was a reach on their part, and that the
players they were targeting would not be a panacea
for their woes, and now the standings reflect just
that.

I know I'm not the only one that has been saying
this, but I still felt confident in saying it.
Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell were some
of the names they got, and Albert Pujols was one
more they were after, and now even though those
names still remain, other key players are either
gone or on their way. Josh Johnson is on the
trading block, yes trades can still happen after
July 31st, Heath Bell is too, boy that marriage
was short lived. Gaby Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez
will be spending their playoffs with competitive
teams.

There was no way Jeffrey Loria was going to sit
back and watch anymore of his money disappear for
more bad baseball, not when the taxpayers have
already paid for his shiny new stadium. I would
say get used to it Marlins Fans, but you should
already be used to it by now. You've have had
plenty of training.

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis