With some Major League teams restricting players from consuming energy drinks, you'll have to rely on these late-night news items to perk you up…
- The Cardinals' re-signing of Lance Berkman is a good move for several reasons, argues Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Berkman's presence will help convince Albert Pujols that the Cards can remain competitive or, if Pujols did leave, Berkman could replace Pujols as the club's first baseman.
- Speaking of Pujols, Tony La Russa praised his star for not being distracted by his pending free agency, reports MLB.com's Steve Overbey. La Russa also commented on Pujols' future, saying "I just know both parties want to stay here, so I'm hopeful it will work out." No doubt Pujols' decision will factor heavily in La Russa's own decision about exercising his side of the mutual option on his contract for 2012.
- Leo Nunez (a.k.a. Juan Carlos Oviedo) could face jail time in the Dominican Republic for using a false identity, reports Ezra Fieser and Frances Robles of the Miami Herald.
- The Mets recently signed 16-year-old, Venezuelan right-hander Luis Carreno, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.
- Scouts from around baseball are telling Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that they won't be going to see Moneyball given how the A's scouts are portrayed in the movie. Slusser herself objected to how former A's manager Art Howe was turned into "a villain" in the picture. "It’s essentially character assasination of a man who is well-liked all over the sport," Slusser writes.
- For more on Moneyball, check out my review of the film.
Does anyone actually believe that Pujols could leave STL?
Actually yes. The Cards have certainly positioned themselves in a worst case scenario and could likely compete without him. So the Cards certainly won ‘t pay more than they think he’s worth. Even without the Sox, yanks, or Phils bidding Pujols could still get a lot on the open market. Right now I’d put the odds on Pujols staying at 75-25.
Might be because just fantasize of seeing him at Wrigley field..But I almost certainly see him as a goner and the Berkman signing not as trying to entice him to stay, but a patchwork bat instead.
Not trying to upset Cardinal fans.. But oh man am I looking forward to Pujols destroying the building across the LF wall at Wrigley, not to mention pounding them out every where else there for 81 games.
It’s sad that this is what the Cub dream has become. But sorry, I don’t think anyone besides you really believes that’s going to happen anymore.
Am I just being a skeptical Mets fan or did anyone else notice how the story right after Leo Nunez was how they signed a Venezuelan 16 year old?
Whats your point?
Character assassination coming from hollywood? That has been the norm for 30 years now. That place picks and chooses their heroes and villians now. The more out of the norm of the general crowd/beliefs of the public the person/people are, the all the more likelihood of getting hammered by hollywood.
Media died a horrible death for good years ago. Actors now (for the most part) are more interested in promoting an agenda than anything worth watching.
Hear hear…but it’s not just Tinseltown. Between Hollywood and what passes for the “news media” (not to mention network TV), you really need to be conscious that there may be a whole ‘nother motive behind what is broadcast and/or printed, these days. Truly a sad state of affairs.
Certainly is and you mention news.. How difficult is it for *1* place to appear and have a single newscast along the Paul Harvey/Walter Cronkite mold who can actually do news without a political slant?
There is no news source anymore, nor has been for years that does not go out of it’s way to do the news without twisting it, some moreso than others making it not bearable to watch (think the GE owned one), but how can no affiliate simply find a single person to do the news like the majority of the people want.. straight as the facts are?
No wonder Cronkite hung around so long.. he must have known the news would go to the toilet once he finally stopped.
I was not around for much of what you describe, but I stand in awe of an actual time when the news was not, shall we say, “for sale to the highest bidder.” That must have been a truly exceptional thing…and yet it shouldn’t be.
In addition to the issue of slanting, I also want to comment that overall, what passes for ‘news’ today is truly a disgrace. It seems to me that back in the 90’s there used to be many more print & online news sources that, despite ulterior agendas at times, were at least focused on actual current events. However these days, all too often the ‘news’ mainly consists of pop culture, fluff, gossip, and inane pursuits. Small wonder that the mentality of the population is undergoing a nationwide dumbing-down — among other things.
And speaking of agendas…Selig & his boys certainly have theirs. These days the average baseball game seems to be as much a test of our “patriotism” as it is a sporting event. I could wish for a little more separation of Baseball and state, to be honest.