The Sports Idiot

Ryan Howard submitted a figure of $18mil for his arbitration number.  The Phillies submitted $14mil, which is still $4mil more than Howard’s record $10mil he won in arbitration last year.  The question, though, is whether or not Howard is worth the $18mil he is asking for.  More after the jump. Continue reading ‘Is Ryan Howard Worth $18mil?’

Gone is John Smoltz.  No Tim Hudson until August at the earliest.  New are Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, and Kenshin Kawakami.  Add in Jair Jurrjens and four of the five rotation slots are set, maybe not sorted, bet definitely set.  So where does that leave Tom Glavine?  Hit the jump for more. Continue reading ‘Should Glavine be a Brave in 2009? – Updated’

Thanks to my buddy Pete for sending me the link to this YouTube video:

This morning we learned of the passing of Kay Yow, who succumed to cancer at the age of 66.  It will be a sad day for Wolfpack Nation.  Yow was, and still is, an inspiration to many and she personified what it means to persevere in the face of one of life’s most dreaded diseases.

While it is commonplace for sports bloggers to rail on ESPN, I must commend them for their segment on Sportscenter and for the good work that they do with the V Foundation.  The interview with Pat Summit this morning was not only moving, but was a perfect display of the values and ethics that are embedded in competitive athletics.

Go here for a great timeline of Yow’s life.

Go here for a great piece by the AP on ESPN.com.

In short, Kay Yow will be deeply missed.  She leaves Earth a better place because of the life that she led, and she leaves behind her a legacy of kindness that touched more people than we can possibly fathom.

For those that wish to donate to the Kay Yow fund, part of the V Foundation, go here.

It is getting to be that time of year again, when fantasy baseball should be a focus for anyone who actually wants to have a shot at winning their league.  Last season, I tried to keep you posted on prospects that would have an impact on the 2008 season.  This year, I will try to do the same, but I’m going to lean heavily on some other sites to bring even more information to the table.  This year’s first entry is about the 3400 club.  Hit the jump for more. Continue reading ‘Fantasy Baseball Primer – 3400 Club’

So, anyone heard anything about former NC State basketball star Julius Hodge?  Word out of Australia is that he walked out on his team over a cash flow issue.  More after the jump. Continue reading ‘Jules Da Quitter?’

Now that it is official, and the dust has somewhat settled, it is time to look at what went down with John Smoltz.  Hit the jump for more. Continue reading ‘The John Smoltz Rundown’

At the end of the 2008 baseball season, the Atlanta Braves ran Jair Jurrjens, Mike Hampton, JoJo Reyes, Jorge Campillo and James Parr.  Fast forward a few months and suddenly the Bravos have a rotation of Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami, Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens and Jorge Campillo.  No Jake Peavy, as was once highly speculated.  No AJ Burnett, who GM Frank Wren went hard for.  No John Smoltz, who is now in Boston.  Still in the hopper is one Tom Glavine, who could push Campillo out of the rotation if he rejoins the Braves next month.

Where does that leave the Braves?  That depends on several factors.  Hit the jump for more. Continue reading ‘Braves Finally Upgrade’

It is being reported that John Smoltz is going to sign with the Boston Red Sox, and that he will be calling the Atlanta Braves this morning to let them know about his decision. Since my time is limited, I’ll just throw up a few links and come back with my thoughts later, after the dust settles.

For a candid debate on anything Atlanta Braves related, go to TalkingChop.com.

For up to the minute MLB rumors and trade updates, MLBTradeRumors.com is the best place to go. Tim Dierkes doesn’t know who we are, but dude is the best.