Whistle Stops

Corey Kluber (Acquired in the Westbrook deal) called to AAA to start.  This indicates both that the Indians are sticking to their hard line that Alex White will not see Columbus this year and that a Sept 1 recall of Carlos Carrasco is likely.

The RedLegs have recalled fireballer Arolids Chapman, recently clocked at 105MPH, a day early.  Chapman adjusted admirably to the 'pen at Louisville, adding 3-4MPH to his top end fastball and producing an excellent stat line: 4-1, 8SV, 2.40 ERA, .156 OBA, 0.97 WHIP, 4.08 K/BB, 14.7 K/9, 1HR in 30IP.  It should be a trip to see him against big leaguers down the home stretch.  Go Reds!

Dude, Jimmy Brown is pissed.  And I would be too.  Jim thought that he had a trustworthy relationship with Randy Lerner, only to have the rug pulled out from underneath him and Mike Holmgren inserted as a direct supervisor.  I don't really think that Brown did very much for the organization except offer his unique perspective on football matters, but he's arguably the greatest player of all-time, an excellent asset for a franchise and a city sorely lacking in sporting superlatives.  The manner in which Brown was relieved of his responsibilities and then offered a glorified greeter position in its stead was tactless and embarrassing.  Now the Browns and the city have lost Jimmy, at least for the foreseeable future, and that, as many things have been this summer on the North Coast, is a shame.

A quote from No Logo Needed on the prospect of DA starting for the Cards - "I would have more confidence in my 2 year old niece making a play on third and 7 than I do Anderson."

Despite some strong minor league numbers, the Nationals informed 44 year old Orlando Hernandez that they do not intend to bring him to Washington for September.  El Duque called it quits again and is now focused on retaining his slim lead over Brett Favre in all-time retirements.

No major MLB transactions are expected on this, the last day to add talent for the postseason.

Here's the Buckeyes Depth Chart for the Marshall game.  Cheers.

Pretty Girl 08.31.10 - Maggie Q

Hey Baby, I'm a RockStar.  Think: Nikita

Puffs of Smoke

x

Speaking of smoke... Chris Sale was phenomenal against the Tribe tonight.  Topping out at a brisk 98MPH and using his trademark deceptive delivery, the 6'5", 180lb sidearmer made Shin-Soo Choo and Shelley Duncan look out of their league.  Pronk showed good patience before delivering a solid single up the middle, but Jason Nix went down looking and then promptly got ejected.  Sale looks like the real deal.  The Sox have yet to decide whether he will stick in the bullpen or return to a starting role, but he looks to have the chops either way.  As Manning said, imagine if the 21 year old adds velocity as he fills out his lanky frame.  Jeez.

Whistle Stops

ManRam is officially a ChiSock.  It's a straight waiver claim as Chicago chose to take on Manny's entire salary rather than send the Dodgers a prospect in exchange for $ relief.

Jason Knapp has been clocked up to 99MPH w/ the Captains.

I was at Jacobs for Asdrubal's walk-off on Saturday.  How depressing.  Not only was the crowd pathetically small, not only were they disengaged from the game action, but as soon as I exited the stadium proper, no one seemed to care that the Indians had racked up a dramatic win.  It's a lost season.  And a shame.

Head and Shoulders has insured Troy Polamalu's hair for $1mil.

Maurice Clarett has signed a 1-yr deal with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL.  It is likely, but not definite, that a judge will allow Mo to leave the state.

The Bengals cut free agent signee Antonio Bryant.  Given that no one else will claim him due to his ailing knees, Cincy will just swallow the $8mil in guaranteed money from the 4-yr, $28mil they gave him in the spring,

Pretty Girl 08.30.10 - Hayden Panettiere

Gotta go.  Must start stalking.

Pretty Girl 08.28.10 - Jenn Brown

ESPN's new sideline bunny.  Daddy like.

Bullet Train Cancelled

Ouch.  C'mon, man, really?  Senor Strasburgo out 12-18 months with a shorn ligament in his throwing elbow.  Tommy John surgery likely.  Holy cripes.

Also...

ChiSox win Manny waiver claim.  What do the Dodgers do now?  Trade, release or pull him back?

Brad Hawpe signs with the Rays.

Jumping the Rails

So...

Carmelo Anthony has demanded a trade.  Why?  Because he feels like it.  Because he's an overpaid, overindulged child (sound familiar Cavs fans?) who can dictate the economies of multiple metropolitan cities due to his ability to throw a rubber ball.  It is a grace and a blessing to be gifted with such marketable talent and how these classless punks defile the beauty of the sport is a shocking disgrace.  At some point the levy must break.  An owner, a man with some measure of gumption, must stand up and say "no."  Like the the parents of spoiled children who finally cease sparing the proverbial rod, the man on the purse strings must just say "the hell with it," and let the P.O.S. sit and decay without pay as he breaches his contract.  Everything has come full circle.  Enough is enough.  Tell Carmelo that he can play in Denver and honor his contract or he can sit on his butt and atrophy before having to give back all his misbegotten cash.

If that weren't enough...

A recent release of MLB financial documents reveal that the Marlins have been concealing profits for years.  Whatever, right?  Who cares?  Wrongo.  The Marlins recently dropped their cock and bull on a hapless Dade County board to procure more than 75% of the funding for their new $634mil stadium complex.  Over the past two years the Marlins have accepted scads of MLB money to the tune of a cumulative $48.9mil profit.  Not the just barely breaking even they whimpered, a bloody $50 million dollar profit.  "We have no money," they said.  "We need a new stadium," they whined.  "If we don't get it, we'll leave," they hissed.  So Dade County agreed to pay the price, to place the burden on taxpayers, as Jeffrey Loria et al. cackled at the rubes behind closed doors.  Here's the piece that blows mind: a single $91mil loan will be paid back between 2040 and 2049 at a rate of $118mil... a year.  I'm sorry, I didn't hear you right.  $118 MILLION A YEAR!  All tolled taxpayers will dish out $2.4 BILLION for the stadium.  Long story short, if you see Jeff Loria, or any of the the Marlins money men, on the street, punch him in the face.  And give him an extra one for me.

And lastly, in an occurrence that many will say signals the impending apocalypse even more strongly...

Cliff Lee over his last 4 starts -- 0-3, 8.39 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .306 OBA, 5HR

Pretty Girl 08.27.10 - Sarah Carter

Just a good old fashioned American cutie.

Down the Tracks

It was suggested to me recently that the Tribe should bomb the rest of the season to grab the #2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, as it would have the deepest stock of MLB ready pitching in recent memory.  Personally, I don't believe they can catch either the Pirates or the Orioles, but if any team can, it's our AAAA Indians.  The consensus top 4 college pitching prospects for the 2011 draft follow --


Matt Purke - LHP - TCU - 6'3" 175 lb - Rising Soph. - 2009 #14 overall, Rangers

2010 - 16-0, 3.02, 1.07 WHIP, 11.0 K/9
Think: Clayton Kershaw

Gerrit Cole - RHP - UCLA - 6'4" 215 - Rising Junior - 2008 #28, Yankees

2009 - 4-8, 3.49, 1.12, 11.0
2010 - 11-3, 3.37, 1.17, 11.2
Think: Tommy Hanson

Sonny Gray - RHP - Vanderbilt - 6'0" 185 - Rising Junior - 2008 #821, Cubs

2009 - 5-1, 4.30, 1.45, 11.0
2010 - 10-5, 3.48, 1.37, 9.4
Think: Roy Oswalt

Taylor Jungmann - RHP - Texas - 6'6" 195 - Rising Junior - 2008 #739, Angels

2009 - 11-3, 2.00, 1.06, 9.6
2010 - 8-3, 2.03, 1.08, 9.7
Think: Jeff Niemann

Despite this load of talent here is the position player expect by many to go #1 overall --

Anthony Rendon - 3B/SS - Rice - 5'11" 170 - Rising Junior - 2008 #820, Braves

2009 - .388, 20 HR, 72 RBI, 9 SB, 31 BB, 23 K, 1.170 OPS
2010 - .394, 26, 85, 14, 65, 22, 1.340
Think: Evan Longoria

This all very far away, but with the crap we've had to watch recently (wahoo 3-2 win, props to Matty, Chris, Bat) it's fun to imagine.  Cheers.