My last post for 2010

I guess it is appropriate that I am in San Francisco for the last day of 2010.For all time, 2010 will be associated in baseball with the Giants and their unlikely title.It was a good year to be a Giants fan... just ask my dad.It was a good year to be a Rangers fan.It was a good year to have Roy Halladay on your fantasy team.It was a good year to be Joe Mauer or Adrian Gonzalez's accountant.And it

Ron Kittle - Another random card found in my old closet

Rummaging through my old closet, I found this gem from the 1989 Topps Traded Series. Ron Kittle, the 1983 Rookie of the Year, had three tours with the White Sox. One with the horrible SOX across the chest uniforms and the last one with the traditional pinstripe Sox uniform.This card has him with the totally forgettable cursive C hat after his brief turns with the Yankees and Indians.I have yet to

The Rays proposed stadium... or Jabba the Hutt's sail barge?

Well if the Rays build this, they should only hope to have as big and lively a crowd as Jabba's crew. Just beware of R2 units shooting light sabers from their head. They can bring the party down in an awful hurry.Either way, they should hire the Max Rebo band.

Rolando Roomes - Another random card found in my old closet

Going through the same box of baseball cards in my old closet, I pulled out this "Score" rookie card for Cincinnati Reds outfielder Rolando Roomes.Let's face it, he had one of the coolest names in baseball. Shouldn't someone whose name has an alliteration as well as a bad ass first name like Rolando be a star? The P.A. announcer should relish saying his name every time he comes to bat. "

Sully Baseball Honors... Luis de los Santos

Going through my old baseball cards tucked away in my parents house, I stumbled across one for Luis de los Santos. Chances are you never heard of him, and don't feel bad if that is the case.But I believe this obscure player, a native of the Dominican Republic who grew up in New York and was drafted by the Royals a few picks ahead of Tom Glavine, is worth honoring for a few reasons. One of those

Tampa Bay—a place to move a team to, and from - My Latest for The Hardball Times

In my latest article for The Hardball Times, I take a look at the two different perceptions of Tampa Bay as a baseball location:An ideal untapped revenue producer that was destined to lure an existing franchise...And a misguided Major League location that just isn't going to work.There seems to be no middle ground on the Sun Coast.To read the article, click HERE.Tampa Bay fans fans can send hate

Sully on What's on Second: The Seamheads.com Radio Hour

Seamheads, the wonderful site of terrific baseball writers, has an in depth baseball discussion every week called What's On Second. Tonight's show features yours truly.Michael Lynch, Dan Schlossberg and Jess Coleman and I discussed Hall of Fame, the value of wins and where will the next 300 winner come from.You can listen to the show HERE.Enjoy!

I can't be the only person who liked the trident Mariners hat

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Mariners and part of me will always love the trident hat. There is something so simple and perfect about it.The trident brings about the image of the sea and they didn't take the obvious route of putting an S on the hat. It is totally a 1970s look without being 1970s outrageous.It was such a cool hat and one that could have survived the test of time, but

A Christmas gift for Padres fan: Optimism

This Christmas, some baseball fans should already be pessimistic about their teams chances in 2011.The Pirates are obviously not going to be good and their losing season streak will no doubt reach a shameful 19. The Royals waved the white flag with the Greinke trade. The Mets and Cubs are a year away from a massive relief of bad contracts expiring. The Diamondbacks should have another year

I hope everyone's December 25th is terrific

I will say Merry Christmas to all of my readers.I will also say Happy Holidays.And if either one of those statements offend you, then that is a YOU problem.No matter what your religion is, or no matter if you even follow a religion, I hope your December 25th is filled with joy, happiness or at least some kick ass Chinese Food.A few years ago, I suggested we celebrate the birth of Rickey Henderson

Manny to the Yankees? Another Christmas gift for Red Sox Nation

Could it be?Seriously... could the Yankees be finally saying to the world "WE ARE RUDDERLESS!"?The Yankees are potentially thinking about bringing in Manny Ramirez?Why not just tell Andy Pettitte to stay home?Why not tell Derek Jeter "We think the clubhouse has been too peaceful"?Could the Yankees be reverting back to all of their awful late 1980s, early 1990s habits of bringing in people that

Some Green from the Teal - Giving the Florida Marlins some credit

It is easy to trash the fish for their cheap ways. But right now they are looking to make the NL East very very interesting in 2012.The Marlins are indeed the strangest franchise in all of American sports. On the surface they look like a classic Quadruple A team like the Royals and Pirates. They trade veterans for prospects, turn those prospects into big league players and when they ask for too

Celebrity sighting of the day: Rickey Henderson

I was driving to the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto today with my wife when she asked me to drop her off and finish her Christmas shopping. There was no parking left so I circled the mall as she ran in and bought her last few gifts.While orbiting the parking lot, I saw a Latino couple walking across the street towards the mall. Walking with them was an African American man who was dressed

I'm really looking forward to playing with Adrian Gonzalez. Wait, what did you say?

This picture was taken at the exact moment that someone informed Orlando Hudson that he signed a contract with a rebuilding team.Don't worry O-Dog. Play well in 2011 and you'll be traded to a contender by August 1.

Instant replay for balls and strikes... my latest for The Hardball Times

Get ready for the hate mail from baseball purists. Not only am I in favor of Instant Replay in my latest for The Hardball Times but I say technology should be used to call balls and strikes more accurately.I just posted it and already the comments are piling up.Enjoy the article HERE.

Zack Greinke helps complete the Gary Sheffield trade

I started thinking about Gary Sheffield when Zack Greinke arrived in Milwaukee yesterday. Let me explain.There was a telling moment in Zack Greinke's introduction to the local press. He said "The main reason I wanted to get out" and he stopped himself with a smile and made a correction "I mean preferred to get out of Kansas City..." and he continued.The first statement was the correct one. He

The Brewers Statement: We are NOT Kansas City (nor Pittsburgh for that matter)

When the Royals traded Zack Greinke to Milwaukee the other day, there was a beautiful symbolism to the move that wasn't lost on me.Greinke wasn't dealt to New York. Forget the spin of "He couldn't handle New York." Neither the Mets nor the Yankees have the prospects to have pulled off the trade.He wasn't dealt to the Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, Angels or Dodgers.The Royals, a small market club that

Will by NL Central pick be once again a year early?

This September I pointed out that I am not very good at picking who will actually win the NL Central, but I AM good at figuring out that the consensus pick will probably fall short.In 2009 everyone and their cow was picking the Cubs to win.I picked the Reds. The Cardinals won (I picked the Cardinals for the Wild Card.)In 2010 everyone and their moose was picking the Cardinals to win.I picked the

Brian Cashman is having a hell of an off season

On December 3rd of this year, Brian Cashman rappelled off of a 350 foot building in Stamford Connecticut. He did NOT fall to his death.And that is probably the one positive thing that has happened to Cashman this off season.As of this writing, Cashman's improvements to the team have been NOT losing two Yankee legends, signing a non tendered catcher from the Dodgers, an adequate lefty reliever

Post Season MVPs versus their past or future teams - Another insane Sully Baseball list

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know that every once in a while an idle thought would enter my cranium and it would evolve into me doing an elaborate list writing entry here.My entire 800 page Home Grown vs Acquired Series started from the simple question "I wonder if the Red Sox had better luck acquiring players from other teams or developing their own talent."I chronicled how

Bobby jenks and his bond with Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon

Today the Red Sox took a flier on former White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks for some bullpen depth. How could it hurt?But as Jenks changes the color of his Sox, he has a unique bond with current Boston pitchers Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon:All three were the pitchers on the mound when their team won the World Series.Beckett tagged out Jorge Posada on a little dribbler to end the 2003 World

Hey! The Yankees signed an ace! (In 2003)

The Yankees signed Mark Prior.So is THIS their Plan B after losing out on Cliff Lee?A rotation that needs durability and youth has been replenished with a guy who has thrown zero innings since 2006?Why not just activate Whitey Ford?

Can we please ease up on the "Cliff Lee turned down money!" rhetoric?

I am getting a little tired of hearing about all the money Cliff Lee walked away from when he signed with the Phillies.Yes, he could have tens of millions of dollars more if he signed with the Yankees and Rangers. And yes it is rare for a player to NOT sign for the highest dollar.But let's slow down the selfless Cliff Lee not caring about money storyline please.He isn't walking away from the

Rest in Peace, Bob Feller

Baseball lost one of its greatest figures tonight when Rapid Robert, Bob Feller, passed away in Cleveland, Ohio.His biography reads like a slice of Americana that Norman Rockwell would say "Oh come on... that's too much."The farm boy from Iowa whose father builds him a baseball field.The star pitcher who was signed for a dollar and a signed baseball.Striking out 17 batters as a 17 year

A potential solution one of the Vikings problems for this weekend

So the Metrodome roof has collapsed in a piece of video that looked like it was directed by Michael Bay.Now the Vikings need to play more football on Monday night and it looks like they will try to play it at the University of Minnesota.According to Yahoo Sports, there are big problems... like the cold weather freezing the concession stands... clearing off the field... clearing off the stands.All

The six identities of the post-1988 Dodgers - My latest for The Hardball Times

The Dodgers haven't won the National League Pennant since winning the 1988 World Series. And since then what was once the most stable organization in baseball keeps drastically changing their identity every few years... and 2011 will be the beginning of yet ANOTHER incarnation.I wrote about the six identity changes the Dodgers have gone through since the Kirk Gibson homer in The Hardball

File this under HOLY CRAP! Cliff Lee goes back to the Phillies

OK, who saw THIS coming?Seriously... when I heard the Phillies were wandering in the mix for Cliff Lee I thought "They are still trying to make up for sticking Lee in the Roy Halladay trade. They are at least showing their fans that they knew they screwed that up."It seemed like it was for show.And I had asked Phillies fans to let their team off the hook for dealing Lee.But obviously they weren't

Carl Pavano and the American Dream

Has there ever been a player in baseball history with better timing than Carl Pavano? It’s staggering if you think about it from a certain point of view.If I turned the clock back just two years and mentioned Carl Pavano’s name, it would be a baseball punchline.He was the $39.95 million bust with the Yankees… the guy who pitched 9 games total in his last three years with the Yankees… the guy who

Cliff Lee... one the best post season pitchers ever? Not so sure about that.

The Cliff Lee sweepstakes keeps on rolling and I hear commentators and writers talk about how he is an All Time great post season pitcher.Now I am not going to belittle his post season record but let's calm down for a little bit.First of all, if I turned back the back the world a la Superman all the way back to 2008, Cliff Lee's career post season numbers would look like this:0 Games.So he went

I actually am happy for Cleveland fans this off season

Why do you ask?Imagine if Cliff Lee was still with the Indians and he was the bad ass Cy Young winner and hope for any World Series title by the Lake.Then imagine if he was going through this whole footsie with the Yankees, Rangers and the Indians this off season and EVERYONE trying to guess where he is going to go.Will he stay here.Will he take the big bucks elsewhere?Will he go to New York?And

Hope you enjoyed having the Vikings, Minnesota!

The Metrodome roof collapsed.I can't be the only person to think "How did it take that long to finally cave in?"Seriously, it's been open since 1982 and most people first really saw it during the 1987 World Series. And I think EVERYONE thought it looked like a pastry that would collapse if a sparrow landed on top of it.So here we are, nearly 30 years later, and snow caved it in.And with it caves

Reviewing who was traded for Cliff Lee

As the baseball world focuses on Arkansas for the first time EVER and wonder where Cliff Lee will go, one thing is certain:One team will be grumbling when the season begins that all of their courtship yielded nothing.Well, if he goes to New York, the Rangers will get a pair of draft picks.And if he goes back to Texas, the Yankees will still have the money and some prospects to try and make

How happy are the Twins they signed Joe Mauer when they did?

Not that Joe Mauer came cheap. He is paid like a unique superstar which he is.But holy cow, compare Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth's contract and their worth to Mauer... an MVP batting champion home town hero catcher?And if he was on the open market can you imagine the Yankees desperate to make a splash and with a huge hole at catcher and an inviting right field porch doing the bidding?Can you

Another Cliff Lee thought

Each day Cliff Lee doesn't sign, it seems like the Rangers, the Yankees and probably some other team add more money to the offer.Each week that goes by it seems like another year is thrown onto the contract.What if Cliff Lee waited until just before spring training?Get the teams all sweating.He could have a 15 year contract for $375 million.Hey, it's worth a shot!

Hey Arte! You can still make this biggest splash this off season!

Arte Moreno, I understand you aren't happy that the Angels stayed home this October. Since you took over the Angels in 2003 (when they were still the defending champs), the Angels have made the playoffs in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009... yet have yet to make it past the ALCS under your guidance.I know that this year with the injuries and Kendry Morales breaking his own damn leg must have

Aww... Wittle Derek's Feelings Got Hurt

Now before I get bombarded with Yankee fan e mails calling me a gutless, hating Red Sox fan, let me get a few things out of the way.1) Derek Jeter is a great Yankee.2) Derek Jeter has been a wonderful superstar.3) Derek Jeter belongs in the Hall of Fame.4) I would have loved to have seen Derek Jeter in a Red Sox uniform.5) I have praised Jeter on this blog with this post, this post and this post.

If all things were equal, Cliff Lee should be a Cardinal

Wherever Cliff Lee will sign, it will be for the biggest contract. And why not? Would YOU turn down the most dough?And after being a Cy Young winner in 2008, he has played for four different teams. So why shouldn't he go for stability in his life now?And of course the Yankees are front runners.The Rangers want him back and supposedly there are some other clubs in the running.If it weren't a money

Red Sox get Carl Crawford! Two can play this evil game!

It's starting to feel a lot like 2003, 2004 and 2005 in here. And your pal Sully couldn't be happier.As I wrote back in 2007, the Red Sox are an evil empire as well. And MAN it is fun to root for the bad guys!The Red Sox picked up the best two left handed bats available and didn't have to give up Jose Inglesias,, Ryan Kalish or Daniel Bard.They've gone from having a rotation of Darnell McDonald,

Thank Goodness I know Luke Scott's take on Obama's birth

Seriously, it is very important to know this Good Ole Boy's take that he doesn't think Obama was born in America.It's important for all of us to hear the well researched and relevant take of the Orioles left fielder on an event that happened well before he was alive, let alone an event he was a witness to.Now there is a birth certificate, announcements of birth and an eye witness to the

NO! Red Sox... do NOT sign Kevin Gregg!!!!

Ken Rosenthal is pretty good at his job... but PLEASE be wrong with this Tweet!Seriously Red Sox... why bring him in? For MULTI YEARS?You want multiyears?How about 2008 when he all but sabotaged the Marlins playoff run? I wrote about that when I trashed the Cubs for signing him.He was awful with the Cubs in 2009. I wrote about that when I trashed the Blue Jays for signing him.He was mediocre with

TRADING THOSE UNTRADEABLE CONTRACTS - My latest for THE HARDBALL TIMES

In my latest article for The Hardball Times, I take some more awful contracts and see if I can make a few garbage-for-garbage deals.Read the article HERE.

A quick question for whomever designed this Sports Illustrated cover

Looking for a pic of Steinbrenner for another post, I stumbled across this Sports Illustrated cover from 2003.And the premise is clear for the 2003 Baseball preview... pitching wins and George Steinbrenner has paid to make sure he has the best staff.Pettite, Mussina and Clemens all belong. (David Wells who was also on the team just released his book and I guess was persona non grata.)And you have

Miller and Steinbrenner fell short of the Hall... this can't be shocking

Neither Marvin Miller nor George Steinbrenner are going to the Hall of Fame... at least not this year. And no disrespect intended towards Pat Gillick (who I believe deserves his selection) but he didn't have 1/10th the impact on the game that Miller and Steinbrenner had.But it makes sense, their omission. It is like those years when there is a truly daring and fabulous movie that doesn't win the

I guess the Nationals found a drawer with $126 million in it

This is one of those strange moments in sport where the collective wisdom of the entire baseball community all has a single opinion of something... and when it will inevitably come true, there will be a "WE TOLD YOU SO" ringing so loud through the land that windows will vibrate.In 2006, Jayson Werth was an injury prone outfielder who played for the Blue Jays and then the Dodgers. He missed the

I am thrilled about Adrian Gonzalez but...

One element of it is sad and one element worries me.Of course the greedy Red Sox fan in me couldn't care less about the Padres. But the baseball man in me wonders why the Padres, with a staggeringly low payroll and revenue sharing, couldn't sign Adrian Gonzalez to a 5 year extension.A great hitter and San Diego native could have been the face of the franchise like Joe Mauer is to the Twins. A 5

Thank you Hideki Okajima

The Red Sox non tendered Hideki Okajima the other day, thus ending his 4 year run in Boston. It was probably time. He had a mediocre 2010 and pitchers in their mid 30s tend to not improve over the years.But before he goes off (and as a left handed reliever will inevitably find work) I ask my fellow Red Sox fans to tip their hats to him.Remember this was the guy who was basically supposed to be

Hank... you are no George

I never want to hear Hank Steinbrenner try to talk tough about the players ever again.It's like hearing Julian Lennon. You kind of look like your dad and sound like him... but you aren't the real thing.He tried to talk tough about Jeter and his contract and how they don't owe him anything.And guess what? The Yankees caved.Was ANYONE ELSE offering Jeter a contract remotely close to what he signed?

Rest in Peace, Ron Santo

In many ways Ron Santo was the Cubs answer to Phil Rizzuto.He was a great player, a borderline Hall of Famer who, like Rizzuto, was surrounded by many other Hall of Famers (Banks, Jenkins, Williams...)He was a fan favorite whose value went beyond the stats, kind of like the Scooter.And as a announcer, he did not fill the role of skilled broadcaster but like Rizzuto, that's what made him work

THE BIGGEST DEAL OF THE OFF SEASON

I was going to take the weekend off and take care of some things around the home... but the news of the big deal just made it imperative that I chime in.I am of course referring to Jack Hannahan signing with the Cleveland Indians.The left handed hitting jack of all trades infielder is a career minor leaguer with one complete big league season in 2008 for the A's.And now he brings his stick and

Taking a break for a few days

Sully Baseball will be back after the weekend

Saluting Bobby Jenks

Today the White Sox parted ways with Bobby Jenks.It hardly comes as a shock.He had injury issues last year and his production was dipping. He is arbitration eligible and would be paid more than seven million tomatoes. But before he goes and before someone else will come in and pile up saves on the South Side, let's salute a truly odd tale of baseball redemption.Jenks was a product of the Angels

Why I don't believe this Magnum PI clip

Look, I loved Magnum PI like everyone else did. And I LOVE 1980s baseball... so you would think this clip of Magnum at a bar with Tigers greats Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker would be goosebump worthy for me.But there's something about it that doesn't ring true for me. Watch the clip and we'll discuss it.Magnum is such a huge Tigers fan and yet he doesn't recognize the greatest double play combo

Come to Fenway, Carl

It's a little better than the Trop.There is the Green Monster in left rather than those stupid rings in the Trop that you could hit with a flyball.And oh yeah, they don't have to literally GIVE tickets away to fill up the place.I think you'll like it.I know trying to sign Crawford away from Tampa, which the Red Sox are evidently trying to do, makes my team as greedy and as vulture like as the

Giants sign Pat Burrell and fill their need for a hitter who can't field and strikes out a lot

That is according to Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News, and why would he lie to me?But it strikes me as an odd move.Yeah he got a bunch of big homers when he came over to the Giants after being cut by Tampa.And sure he is a graduate of Bellarmine Prep in San Jose was a local kid who helped the Giants win their first World Series title by the Bay.But let's face it, a lot of Pat

The Mets and Cubs should trade their trash

I am currently writing a new post for The Hardball Times where I try to put together a mega trade involving lousy contracts.I wrote two similar pieces last off season... one where I had a three way trade involving Vernon Wells, Alfonso Soriano and Barry Zito.The other one was a 9 team 11 player deal that was totally insane... although one part of it DID come true: Carlos Silva was in fact traded

Give the Rockies credit... they give their fans players to cling to

You are going to hear a lot of mixed opinions about Troy Tulowitzki's long term contract extension with the Rockies.Jeff Passan has already chimed in on Yahoo. The panel on MLB Network is split on it. (John Hart pointed out what a no brainer Grady Sizemore's super stardom looked like.) And more will come down the pike.And yes people are pointing to the Rockies rotten contracts for Mike Hampton