Archive for 28. July 2008
The Favre Saga…
28. July 2008 by rich.
The Brett Favre saga continues…The Bucs and Jets are the hot rumored teams to be in the hunt for his services. Both have some issues with their current QB situation. The Jets have a seasoned vet and probably one of, if not the, smartest QB in the league, but with a weak arm, in Chad Pennington and a young, but not as ’smart’ QB with a stellar arm in Kellen Clemens. The Bucs have seasoned vet Jeff Garcia and young gun Chris Simms, along with another vet in Brian Griese.
As you can see, each team has a lot to be desired at the QB position.
Favre wants to be released. Green Bay will not allow it, because odds are he will end up with the Vikings or Bears, whom the Pack play twice a year. No thanks.
The Packers want to ship him out of the NFC, preferably to a team that they could only face if they both make it to the Superbowl…They want no way to allow him to come back and nip them in the butt, for lack of a better analogy.
Favre did not report to camp on Sunday, as previously reported. He and GM Ted Thompson spoke, and Favre agreed to give him a few more days to figure this situation out.
In strange news, Peter King reported yesterday the Jets may visit Favre in Mississippi…The Jets then mysteriously canceled both of their practices today.
Balkman Sent Packing to the Mile High City
28. July 2008 by rich.
The Knicks traded forward Renaldo Balkman to the Nuggets today for a 2010 second-round draft choice, guard Taurean Green and guard/forward Bobby Jones. It is highly likely the Knicks will waive both players.
This is a solid deal for the Knicks. They get out of Balkmans contract for this year, weren’t going to re-sign him anyways, and got a draft pick. Not too shabby. Especially for a guy who hasn’t shown too much yet in the NBA. But then again, he was playing for the Knicks…Maybe a change of scenery will help. Nonetheless, a good move for the Knicks.
Around the majors…
28. July 2008 by gchacko.
- According to Jon Heyman at SI.comthe Mariners have been asking for LHP Jon Niese, whom the Mets consider to be ‘untouchable.’
- Tigers and Mets might be discussing Schoeneweis for Thames
- The Mets find the prospect price too high on players such as Raul Ibanez and Jason Bay. They just don’t like Adam Dunn. They don’t like Randy Winn’s contract or lack of power. And Manny Ramirez is unlikely for numerous reasons. Carlos Beltran and Johan Santana raved about Seattle outfielder Raul Ibanez, who the Mets have interest in.
- Phillies pitcher Adam Eaton accepted a minor league assignment today. It seems that J.A. Happ will replace him.
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak dismissed the idea of trading Kyle Lohse. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe believes the Cardinals have the best shot at acquiring A.J. Burnett. But don’t forget that interesting suggestion yesterday from John Perrotto: the Jays might offer Burnett an additional $2MM in ‘09 and ‘10 to entice him to stay.
- Rosenthal firmly believes the Braves will find a match on a Mark Teixeira trade. He finds the D’Backs and Angels as the most reasonable fits.
- Dan Graziano and Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger talked to an official who says the Mets and Phillies are both in “serious pursuit” of Ramirez. If so, why do both teams have no interest in Adam Dunn? Graziano and Price think Ramirez would command big-name prospects like Fernando Martinez or Lou Marson.
- The Yankees still don’t want to send more than a middling prospect for Washburn. Meanwhile, the Ms hope Hank Steinbrenner will demand Brian Cashman acquire the pitcher, even if it means trading Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner. First baseman Richie Sexson said he would like the Yankees to obtain former teammate Jarrod Washburn.
- A’s reliever Brad Ziegler recorded six outs Sunday to set an MLB record with 27 scoreless innings to begin his career. Ziegler broke the previous mark of 25 innings set by Phillies’ right-hander George McQuillan in 1907.
- The whispers just won’t go away. Roy Halladay is apparently unhappy in Toronto and has let management know it, and management has apparently responded by doing some quiet surveying of teams (such as St. Louis and the Dodgers) that are far, far away from the AL East in an effort to see what it could get for the 2003 Cy Young Award winner.
- If Atlanta decides to trade first baseman Mark Teixeira, the Angels could offer first baseman Casey Kotchman and lower-level prospects.
Philly The Likeliest Place For Manny?
28. July 2008 by gchacko.
New York Post - The Red Sox plan to investigate potential deals for Manny Ramirez between now and the July 31 trade deadline, sources said Saturday night.
The Mets New York Mets already have checked in on Ramirez, with whom GM Omar Minaya is infatuated. However, sources said the Mets’ No. 1 nemesis, the Phillies, have the best chance to trade for Ramirez because Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel has perhaps the strongest relationship with him of anyone in the majors.
The Red Sox are more likely to retain Ramirez and then not pick up his $20 million 2009 option.
Arizona is known to have some interest, as well, but officials from other teams say the Diamondbacks seem more committed to pursuing the potentially available Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira than anyone else.
