Trade Mark Prior....Are they Nuts???

The Cubs announced that management is open to trading Mark Prior. When I heard this announcement my knee-jerk reaction was WHAT???!!!!

The Cubs would be making a huge mistake by trading Mark Prior. This mistake would rank up their in Cubs history with LOU BROCK. There are many reasons why the Cubs should not trade Mark Prior. In this blog, I am going to list off the four main reasons why it would be a mistake to trade Prior.

First off, Mark Prior has not been fully healthy since 2003, when he went 18-6. This coming season would be first season that he COULD be fully healthy. This past season Prior had surgery on his shoulder . Dr. James Andrews, the renown surgeon, gave Prior an optimistic outlook for this season. When healthy Prior is a GREAT pitcher, the baseball world was witness to this in 2003.

Second, The Cubs would not get an value in return for Prior in a trade. After the 2003 season, the bidding for Prior would be similar to the current bidding for Johan Santana. Now the Cubs will get a mid-level prospect at best for Prior.

Third, if the Cubs trade Prior, they will get no value in return for him. When Prior joins his new team, he will rehab himself back to health. Once fully healthy, Prior will return to his 2003 form with his NEW team. Everyone knows this for a fact because this trade involves the CUBS!!

Lastly, The Cubs have already invested so much money in Prior. Why stop now? The Cubs still hold the rights to Prior through the 2008 season. He will not take more than a two year commitment. If he pitches well then the Cubs would have the inside track to re-sign him.

The Cubs SHOULD NOT even consider trading Mark Prior this season.

Trading Prior = BIG MISTAKE!!

Building a new World Series Puzzle

Kenny "trader" Williams has been busy this off season, making the biggest deal to date. Williams traded proven starter Jon Garland for the slick fielding Shortstop, Orlando Cabrera. This deal makes sense from a financial standpoint for the Sox.

Last year the White Sox committed long term money to Javier Vasquez and Mark Buerhle. By committing to Buerhle and Vasquez, the White Sox had to say goodbye to either Contreas or Garland. With Contreas resent struggles, Garland was going to net the Sox the highest reward. With the deal, Kenny moves Garland's 12 million dollar salary and gains Cabrera 8 million dollar salary. Cabrera is an huge upgrade over Uribe at short. Uribe would was re-signed last week, will certainly be dealt or reduced to the bench.

This deal, however, does not make baseball sense for either team.The Sox lose a dependable starter from a rotation that is now filled with more question marks. Their is also an unwritten rule in baseball that you DO NOT trade dependable starting pitching.

On the other side of the coin, The Angels traded one of their best hitters from last season. The Angels lineup was already one major bat short. After this move, the Angels are now two bats short. The Angels could be gearing up to trade for Miquel Carbera, the highly coveted third basemen. While the Sox could be also gearing up to sign free agent center fielder Tori Hunter.

This deal could be just the beginning for both teams this off season.

Another minor move, The Sox have severed ties with SCOTTIE PODSEDNIK. Pods was a critical piece of the 2005 World Series team. His last two years with Sox were marred by injuries. He will not be forgotten by Sox faithful for his play during the 2005 season.

Sox fans say goodbye to Garland and Pods.... Welcome to Cabrera!!!

Another Record for Barry....

Barry Bonds could have another record associated with his name. That is a criminal record. Barry Bonds was indicted on felony-counts of perjury by the federal grand jury. If convicted Bonds could face up to 30 years in jail.

Every sports fan outside of the San Francisco area, KNOW Bonds took steroids before the 2001 season. He testified to the federal grand jury that he did not know what the "cream" and the "clear" contained. Federal investigators believed that Bonds was lying to Grand Jury. It has taken the four years of investigation, but finally Federal investigators think they have enough evidence to convict Bonds.

I personally think Bonds knowingly took steroids. Everyone has seen the evidence of his steroid use: 73 home runs in a season, breaking the all time home run record, and putting on 25 POUNDS of muscle in one off season.

In my opinion, Bonds was jealous that he was not the star of baseball and that is why he took steroids. Bonds saw what steroids did not for Sosa and McGwire in 1998. He craved the limelight that Sosa and McGwire had stolen from him.

Bonds put up great numbers in 1998 with 37 home runs and 122 RBI. Bonds numbers were overlooked because of Sosa's 66 and McGwire's 70 home runs that season. If people are craving more hearsay about Bonds and steroids. I recommend reading Game of Shadows.

My point is this: I believe Bonds knowingly took steroids and he KNOWINGLY lied to the Federal Grand Jury. Bonds took steroids because his EGO could not take the fact that he was not number one in the media's eyes.

For once, I hope Bonds gets this RECORD.

Should the Cubs bring back Wood and Prior?

Should the Cubs bring back Kerry Wood and Mark Prior? This is the question facing Cubs management this off season. My answer to the question would be YES!!

Last year, Kerry Wood proved to Cubs management that he can be a successful reliever. He did only pitch 24.3 inning during the regular season, but he posted an ERA of 3.33. Wood overcame another shoulder injury to pitch in the majors. By the end of last season, Wood was starting to regain his velocity on his fastball, 95-96 MPH. Wood struck out 24 batters in 24 innings, so on average 1 batter per innings. I also would think that Wood would be a great setup man for closer CARLOS MARMOL! *I am implying the Cubs will make Marmol the closer next season.*

If Wood takes a home town discount like last season, it would make perfect sense for the Cubs to re-sign him.

Prior is a more complicated matter, given his recent health issues. Prior had surgery on his right arm to fix structural damage last season. He has to undergo six full months of rehab before he can be ready to pitch. If I were the Cubs, I would not give up on Mark Prior just yet.

This will be the first season since 2003, that Mark Prior is FULLY HEALTHY. The Cubs have taken fliers on injured pitchers before: Wade Miller, and Ryan Dempster. The Cubs should sign him to a one-year deal with incentives, where is the risk? The rewards outweight the risk in re-signing Mark Prior.

The Cubs need a starter with veteran experience.

Why not Mark Prior?

Who is Derek Anderson?

With Tom Brady having a ridiculous season and Brett Favre's resurgence, people do not hear much about Derek Anderson. In case people did not know Derek Anderson is the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.

Derek Anderson was drafted out of Oregon State by the Baltimore Ravens. He was released by the Ravens in 2005. The Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome hoped to sign Anderson to the practice after his release. His former assistant, Phil Savage, General Manager of the Cleveland Browns scooped up Anderson.

Anderson did not play in 2005 and played in 5 games in 2006. He was the backup to Charlie Frye, an injury to Frye, gave Anderson his chance to play in 2006. He did not impress people with his play. At the start of this season, he was involved in quarterback battle with Charlie Frye for the starting job. Head Coach Romeo Crennel thought Anderson and Frye were so evenly matched that in the preseason, he flipped a coin to see who would start each game. With Brady Quinn waiting in the wings whoever won the quarterback battle would be a filler for Quinn.

Frye would win the battle and start the season opener against Pittsburgh. Frye was AWFUL in the first game going 4 of 10 for 34 yards and 1INT. Fyre was then traded after the game to Seattle. Anderson was then handed the starting quarterback job. Most people, including myself, thought Anderson would be a FILLER until Brady Quinn was ready to start.

We were wrong! Derek Anderson has lead the Brown to a 5-3 record this season. He has complied numbers of 17 TDS, 9 ints and quarterback rating of 91.7. The most important number that Anderson compiled is wins, 5. The Browns won 3 games all of last season!!

The play of the offense lead by Anderson has helped people forget about Brady Quinn, and the fact that Romeo Crennel was on the hot seat to start the season.


After their win on Sunday, The Browns are a game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North lead.

Who is Derek Anderson? He is the Quarterback of the resurgent Cleveland Browns.

Kobe wants DENG

The Kobe Bryant drama continues as the Chicago Bulls have stepped up their trade efforts. The Bulls have prepared packages that have included Deng, Gordan, Noah, Thomas and even Ben Wallace. The deal breaker is LOUL DENG, if Kobe Bryant will accept a trade to the Bulls, he wants Loul Deng on the team.

Deng had a breakout season last year with the Bulls averaging just over 18 point per game. He is considered a rising star in the NBA. Kobe knows that if Deng is not on the Bulls, the Bulls would be slightly better than LA. This is a situation that Kobe does not want, Kobe wants a chance to contend.

In the East, with a team of Kobe, Deng, and Heinrich the Bulls would be serious title contenders. One the claring issue is the Bulls still would not be able to score in the paint. I think if the Bulls obtained Kobe, his play alone could overcome that issue. Kobe can also attack the basket to make up for the lack of low post scoring.

The latest deal was Artest and Wallace to the Lakers , Gordon and PJ. Brown to the Kings and Kobe to the Bulls. That deal is apparently is dead. I wish the deal would have gone through because the Bulls would have given up only Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace.

If the Bulls keep Deng and make a deal for Kobe, expect Kobe to be very HAPPY!!

*This blog was written before John Paxson's announcement that Trade talks are dead for now.*