Pro Sports Wrap - Sports Personality of the Day:Tony Romo

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: MLB, MLB Rumors and News, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Indians, Mark Buehrle, Rangers, Angels, Phillies, Marlins, Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols, Octavio Dotel, Brewers, Prince Fielder, Dodgers, Hiroki Kuroda, Casey Blake, Rockies, D'Backs

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11/17 MLB Rumors: Cardinals talk with Pujols

November 17th 2011 19:27

Albert Pujols is coming off of the worst season of his career, and many people are questioning whether or not the inevitable is happening; is the greatest player of this decade beginning to decline? It's a fair question to ask, but Pujols is still going to be a valuable player over the next few seasons. The Cardinals are still trying to make sure that Pujols will retire with the team, as they have not retracked on their earlier offer of nine years and about 200 million. It seems ludicrous, but Pujols is that valuable to the franchise as a Cardinal. Naturally, the future Hall of Famer has far less value for any other team. The Marlins have- to nobody's surprise- offered Puj a contract well below 200 million dollars. Pujols would obviously be better off re-signing, because that type of money just isn't given to players who will be heading into their late 30's during the deal.

The Milwaukee Brewers are probably going to foolishly go internally and the very light-hitting Mat Gamel at first. As a result, the Brewers are focusing their resources on other positions; such as shortstop. Jose Reyes isn't the only option, as the team is talking to the under-priced, scrappy Clint Barmes. The Brew Crew have also contacted veteran and former MVP Jimmy Rollins, but don't rule out the possibility of them signing the "perennial groan"; Yuniesky Betancourt. Again, how was this guy ever a Type B FA? (Like Shrek, I know it happened, but I just can't believe it. Don't blame Elias, the league gave them their mindbogglingly stupid method.)

Forget a trade knuckleheads, the Giants are looking to re-sign their two aces (you know who they are) before they become free agents. I really hope nobody actually believed those trade rumors, no matter how fun they were to believe.

C.J. Wilson wants a six-year deal, but I wouldn't really give it to him. I addressed this in a previous rumors post, but I will say it again; one year makes a lot of difference. A five year deal with an option for a sixth is the most I would go for. He's a great pitcher, but he is also 30 years old. Wilson is also looking to get 120 million dollars, and that 20 million a year is actually fair value.

Eric Chavez could have been one of the best third basemen of the decade, but injuries broke what would have been a great career. However, the current Yankees third baseman still wants to play ball. The Yankees will most likely bring him back, and he was mildly productive at a weak position, but he did get injured during the season. However, Chavez has some value coming off the bench.

Should stick around in St. Louis

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: MLB, MLB Rumors and News, Yankees, Eric Chavez, CJ Wilson, Clint Barmes HOU, Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes, Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols, Brewers, Mat Gamel, Yuniesky Betancourt, San Francisco Giants

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11/1 MLB Rumors and News: Lowe Traded and Cashman Re-Signs

November 1st 2011 18:33

We all know that TLR retired, Davey Johnson is getting ready for another season in Washington, the Sabathia deal, and the moves dealing with Dempster, Grady, and Carmona. I don't want to focus on those moves at the moment, but I will take a look at the Derek Lowe trade and the obvious Brian Cashman re-signing.

Derek Lowe was traded to the Indians for some random minor leaguer, and the Braves will pay ten of the 15 million that the righty is due in 2012. It's a good deal for both teams, as the Braves save some money and get a prospect while getting rid of a starter in a crowded rotation. Lowe has always oupitched his ERA, in that his predictive stats are always better than his actual earned runs allowed. I do expect him to have a better 2012 campaign, but he won't set the world on fire (it's Derek Lowe guys). Still, the Indians get an above-average pitcher who fits in nicely.

We all knew that Brian Cashman was going to get re-signed, and the best GM in baseball was given a three year deal a day after his contract ran out. Yeah, he's definitely with the Yanks for the long term. The problem is that Cashman sometimes gets overrided by guys like Oppenheimer, Hal, and Levine; but he rarely ever makes a wrong move and has mastered the ways of faking out a rival. How you likin' Crawford guys in Boston?

I am hearing that the big stars like James Shields, Aramis Ramirez, and Albert Pujols are going to stay put with their respective teams. I doubt the Cubs bring back A-Ram, but it wouldn't be the stupidest idea seeing that he is still a decent hitter at arguably the weakest offensive position in baseball. Shields is staying for sure, and I bet Pujols sticks with the team that he belongs with. I say this because I can't possibly visualize him playing for a team like the Cubs at all.

Indians

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: MLB, MLB Rumors and News, Yankees, Brian Cashman, CC Sabathia, Damon Oppenheimer, Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine, Red Sox, Carl Crawford, James Shields, Indians, Grady Sizemore, Derek Lowe, Fausto Carmona, Braves, Nationals, Albert Pujols, Tony La Russa, Cubs, Ryan Dempster, Aramis Ramirez

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10/2011 Roundup: TTU!

October 23rd 2011 07:03

Dude, today was the day I immersed myself in the wonders of college football. How can it be that the World Series is somehow overcome by a sport in which players are illegally paid to play? The answer is simple; college football kicks ass. Pardon me for my language that trumps standard elementary school vocabulary, but my previously candid statement sums everything up perfectly. How else can I describe a tipped Hail Mary pass that sent one of my favorite teams to victory? Order a schadenfreude movie on DVD now! Underneath a libel washes the motorway.

Now, LSU's romping of Auburn only serves as a warning to the only other team who can play with them; 'Bama. LSU is basically saying, "Yo Saban, which just owned your rival. Come play us and see some real swag on a football field." Landry Jones and his deflated bunch have pretty much dropped themselves out of the class of LSU and 'Bama, if they were ever in that class to begin with. Oh yeah, you know, I don't care much for those damned rankings at the beginning of the season. Nobody has ever seen anybody play, so they don't mean anything at all. The term is meaningless- I know- but the nonsensical rambling of a sports blogger are droning through an equally meaningless post.

Worth mentioning is that this all happened in the midst of perhaps the greatest World Series performance ever. Now is a good time to get off Albert Pujols, because he went 5-6 with three homers and some more counting stats that escape me at the moment. That's why he's still the best, and it's also why the Cardinals need to go after him like you would after that one chick at the dance.

An interesting thing to note is that the Cardinals had the third highest regular season Beane Count, whilst the Rangers were out of the top five. Another thing to note is that Pujols had the highest Game Score of any player in the playoffs or regular season in a single game (position players only, as pitchers are on a different scale in GSC). Yeah, Pujols was that beast.

What a day in sports

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: MLB, Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols, NCAAF

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9/2011 Team Scope: LA Angels

September 20th 2011 12:44

While they are still in the race, the Angels playoff hopes are basically over. What should haunt them is the fact that they traded a very productive power-hitting catcher, for a guy with a huge contract who is an old, marginal player. Not only does Vernon Wells have a massive contract, but he has a negative WAR total and one of the worst OBPs for an everyday player of all-time. Don't you hate it when GMs keep running these old scrubs out there all the time?

There have also been musings of Art Moreno girding up his loins to try to pursue the much-coveted Albert Pujols. If they could ever get their hands on Puj, this offense would go from ho-hum to elite. What to do with Kendrys Morales? Ship off the oft-injured first baseman to someone who could use him more. After all, he's not all that good when you compare him to the other first basemen around the league. And heck, they could end up with a couple of decent prospects in return

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: Angels, Dan Haren, Howie Kendrick, Peter Bourjos, Vernon Wells, Jered Weaver, Torii Hunter, Kendrys Morales, Art Moreno, Albert Pujols

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6/21 Daily Rundown: Pujols Out 6 Weeks

June 21st 2011 06:20

1. Pujols injury update

Albert Pujols will be out for about six weeks with a fractured left wrist in a season filled with ups and downs for Puj. He sustained this injury after colliding with Wilson Betemit of the Royals in a baseball play gone wrong. The Cards have had to deal with many injuries this season to their stars. Matt Holliday has missed time, David Freese is still out, and Adam Wainwright has missed the entire season

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6/20 Daily Rundown: Edwin Rodriguez Resigns

June 20th 2011 06:32

1. Edwin Rodriguez steps down

Marlins fans were shocked when Edwin Rodriguez unexpectedly resigned yesterday (not re-signed). He was frustrated with their current ten game losing streak and 1-18 slump. Rodriguez is the first Puerto-Rican manager in history, and the Marlins had no intention of firing him. He was doing a good job this season, and won the respect of his players. I guess this slump was too much for him, and it's a shame that he quit

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6/2011 Team Scope: St. Louis Cardinals

June 8th 2011 15:11

Even without one of the best pitchers in baseball and staff ace Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals are the best team in the NL Central. They are currently two and a half games ahead of the second place Milwaukee Brewers. Albert Pujols has just started to turn up the heat after being in the worst slump of his career since he was a rookie.

Pujols is only going to get better from here on out, and another sign that points to this is his .257 BABIP. He currently has 14 dingers with 43 runs and 39 RBIs. Lance Berkman has been the story of the team so far. Although he has sucked in the field, as expected, he's been mashing it this year. Bekman is a terrible right fielder, but the Cardinals will take it given his great hitting ability

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