Bronx Banter: Calmer than You

post from Bronx Banter on 31 December 2007 11:18:00 PM. © Bronx Banter

This year for Christmas, my secret Santa (my step-sister's husband) got me a 1996 World Series baseball autographed by Joe Torre. How cool is that? I don't care much about autographs but this one I like. It's the perfect gift to get from a secret Santa. Thoughtful.

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http://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/891907.html

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2007-08 Game 30 Minnesota Timberwolves @ Los
Angeles Clippers

post from SBG Nation Presents The World's Greatest Online Magazine on 31 December 2007 08:30:00 PM. © SBG Nation Presents The World's Greatest Online Magazine

On New Years Eve, the Wolves sit at 4-25. I can't say that I'm surprised -- I thought at the beginning of the month that the Wolves would end the month 4-26. Now, here we are with one game left. And it's against a struggling LA Clippers team. The Clips [...]

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http://stickandballguy.com/blog/2007/12/31/2007-08-game-30-minnesota-timberwolves
-los-angeles-clippers/

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OT: Dick Clark, Please Retire Before You Die On
Camera

post from 6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog on 31 December 2007 07:17:00 PM. © 6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Slurred every word, and he looked like he couldn't finish two sentences without coughing up a lung. I'll be shocked if he makes 2010.

Update:

video details and more

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http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/2008/01/ot-dick-clark-please-retire-before-you.html

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Prediction contest: Ibanez’s new contract

post from U.S.S. Mariner on 31 December 2007 06:31:00 PM. © U.S.S. Mariner

I joked that Raul’s comments to the Seattle Times for that Monahan refutation earned him his next deal — and maybe it did! His contract is dangerously close to coming to an end after this season, and the team is probably already talking to him about returning.

So — leave a comment with your guess. Include:
1. Years
2. Contract value (salary only)
3. Date the extension will be officially announced by the Mariners (press release or press conference, either way)

Last one was a 2y, $11m contract announced in March of 06, the last year of his previous deal.

Winner gets a lovely prize, all three answers required to be eligible.

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http://ussmariner.com/2007/12/31/prediction-contest-ibanezs-new-contract/

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Royals sign Tsao to minor-league deal

post from MLB News Blog on 31 December 2007 06:09:08 PM. © MLB News Blog

The Kansas City Royals signed right-handed pitcher Chin-Hui Tsao to a minor league contract on Monday and invited him to spring training.The 26-year-old was hampered last season with a shoulder injury, making 21 relief appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 0-1 record with a 4.38 ERA. Tsao had an operation in May 2005 [...]

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http://mlbnewsblog.com/2007/12/31/royals-sign-tsao-to-minor-league-deal/

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Clemens welcome to speak at Texas coaches
convention (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 31 December 2007 05:50:23 PM. © MLB News Blog

Roger Clemens is still welcome at a convention of Texas high school baseball coaches. The group reconsidered its invitation after Clemens was mentioned prominently in the Mitchell Report on steroids. On Monday, the coaches said they found no reason to prevent the star pitcher from addressing their annual meeting next month.Read the full story.

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http://mlbnewsblog.com/2007/12/31/clemens-welcome-to-speak-at-texas-coaches-conve
ntion-ap/

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The 100 Greatest Royals of All-Time - #73 Michael
Tucker

post from Royals Review on 31 December 2007 05:35:34 PM. © Royals Review

The 73rd Greatest Royal of All-Time is Michael Tucker

He'll always be a superstar in his own eyes

It seems difficult to remember now, but Michael Tucker was a highly touted college ballplayer from Division II Longwood University, and a member of the 1992 Olympic Baseball Team. After helping Team USA finish fourth in Barcelona, Tucker was taken tenth overall in the 1992 Amateur Draft. Almost immediately, Tucker was billed as a future superstar, a kid with a "can't miss" swing.

Initially Tucker hit well, sporting an .840 OPS in 1993, splitting time between A ball in Wilmington and AA ball in Memphis. He was known for having a sweet swing, with some good power, good speed, and good walk totals. Still, he wasn't showing the superstar skills that many thought he was capable of. In 1994, the Royals decided to move him from second base to the outfield. He hit .276 that season at AAA Omaha with 21 home runs and was seen by many as an integral part of the Royals future youth movement.

Tucker won the left-fielder starting job in the spring of 1995, but struggled initially, and was demoted after Memorial Day with his average hovering near the Mendoza Line. After hitting .306 in 71 games in Omaha, Tucker returned to Kansas City in August to hit .354 and finished the season at .260.

In 1996, Tucker moved to right-field to make room for Johnny Damon, but once again struggled out of the gate. By June he was hitting just .201 and was on the disabled list with a sore wrist. He surged to hit .363 in August, to lift his average to .260, but missed the last month of the season with a dislocated finger.

"He's doing fine to survive right now but he has to get better...I think we've shown we've given him every opportunity to do that."
-Royals Manager Bob Boone

Going into 1997, the Royals had a very left-handed heavy outfield with Tucker, Damon and Tom Goodwin. During spring training the Royals surprised many by trading Tucker to the Atlanta Braves along with utility infielder Keith Lockhart for outfielder Jermaine Dye and lefty reliever Jamie Walker.

This was just one of those moves that hurts a team, even if Dye turns out to be good, which is no guarantee by the way. Dye had a reasonably good half-season for the Braves, but they were not sold on him. It's hard to be sold on a guy who walks less than Marlon Brando. This guy chases bad pitches like Tommy Lee Jones going after the Fugitive. The Braves wanted to send Dye back to the minor leagues or plop him so far along the bench he would have needed to catch a commuter plane to get to the water cooler. And, incidentally, Michael Tucker still has big-time potential.... "One major-league manager, when hearing the Royals might deal Tucker, said: "That would be a big mistake. I love Tucker. One day, he will figure it out, and then he'll be incredible."

-Joe Posnanski, March 30, 1997

Tuck had two pretty non-descript seasons in Atlanta where he befriended former child actor Emmanuel Lewis. He followed that effort with another non-descipt season in Cincinnati. In his second season in Cincinnati, he developed some newfound power and slugged fifteen home runs in just 323 plate appearances, good for a .511 slugging percentage. But it was just Fool's Gold, and the next season he was his mediocre self, both for the Reds and the Cubs.

In December of 2001, Royals General Manager Allard Baird needed an outfield bat to replace Dye, the man Tucker had been traded for several seasons before. The Cubs were looking to unload the $2.5 million salary of Michael Tucker to make way for Moises Alou, and Baird was all too willing to take Tuck back on, acquiring him for minor league pitcher Shawn Sonnier.

"This is another piece of the puzzle in improving our team," said Allard Baird, the Royals general manager. "Michael brings us versatility, allows us to improve our defense and team speed and makes our offense more productive versus right-handed pitchers."

As the everyday right-fielder, Tucker was his usual mediocre self. He hit .248 with twelve home runs and 56 RBI in 2002, although he did finish ninth in the league in steals with a career high twenty-three swipes. For the 2003 season, the Royals toyed with the idea of playing Tucker at his original position - second base, but in the end they went with Tucker in the outfield. For an outfielder, Tucker put up perfectly pedestrian numbers - .262 with thirteen home runs and 55 RBI.

After the season, Tucker was eligible for free agency. Before the Royals had a chance to decline to offer Tucker arbitration, the San Francisco Giants inexplicably swooped up Tucker and signed him to a deal, perhaps confused that there would be a rush on the light hitting outfielder. This enabled the Royals to offer Tucker arbitration without the risk of him accepting, thus giving the Royals free agent compensation, which they turned into pitcher Matt Campbell.

Tucker spent all of last season at AAA Pawtucket. It was first season out of big league action since he began his Major League career. The one-time future All-Star has had a twelve year career with 1047 hits, 125 home runs and a .256 average. He never hit .300, never hit more than 15 home runs, and never made an All-Star team.

Had he stayed a second baseman, Tucker might have been a pretty decent value. He could have had an Orlando Hudson-type career without the defense, with decent pop, decent speed, and decent walk totals. Instead, he is just remembered as a player who never lived up to his potential, oft-injured, and a bit of a malcontent.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.royalsreview.com/story/2007/12/31/113610/16

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Kazmir Rumor

Metsblog.com passes along a rumor that Scott Kazmir may be traded, depending on how the market for Johan Santana pans out. The Rays have talked about a long term deal, but nothing happened. It really would be sad to see...

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http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/024346.php

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Roger Will Speak

Roger Clemens will speak at the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association....

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http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/024345.php

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Seattle Times on the Monahan thing

Me, when the Shane Monahan “the 98-99 M’s were rife with steroids” story broke:

It?ll be interesting to see if there?s any further investigation of this ? I don?t expect the local papers to go after the story, since they?re dependent on the team?s goodwill for coverage

Boy, was that dumb of me. The Times ran a Baker/Stone piece on Sunday. Featuring Raul Ibanez!

I just wanted to call myself out for being a dork.

Read The Full Article:
http://ussmariner.com/2007/12/31/seattle-times-on-the-monahan-thing/

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