Top 10: Players Traded in '08

I have to say that so far in the year of 2008, I have never seen so many all-star and hall of fame caliber talents traded in one year. The NBA Trade Deadline was one of the most craziest time periods in NBA history. The months of June and July in baseball saw a lot of surprise teams and players make moves. And the NFL saw two of the best players in the league get moved to different conferences.

Let's take a look at the Top 10 Players Traded in the year 2008 so far!

(This list is based on the credentials each player had at the time of the trade)

10. Paul Gasol -- Memphis Grizzlies --> Los Angeles Lakers

09. Mike Bibby -- Sacramento Kings --> Atlanta Hawks

08. Ron Artest -- Sacramento Kings --> Houston Rockets

07. CC Sabathia -- Cleveland Indians --> Milwaukee Brewers

06. Jason Kidd -- New Jersey Nets --> Dallas Mavericks

05. Jason Taylor -- Miami Dolphis --> Washington Redskins

04. Ken Griffey Jr. -- Cincinnati Reds --> Chicago White Sox

03. Shaq O'Neal -- Miami Heat --> Phoenix Suns

02. Manny Ramirez -- Boston Red Sox --> Los Angeles Dodgers

01. Brett Favre -- Green Bay Packers --> New York Jets

Honorable Mentions: Ben Wallace (Chi-->Cle), Jason Bay (Pitt-->Bos), Rich Harden (Oak-->CHC), Jeremy Shockey (NYG-->N.O.)

Trader Rater 3.0: TEX, PUDGE, MANRAM, AND JUNIOR!

Just when you thought the Trade Deadline was looking a little slow, BAM! MANRAM! One of my favorite players was moved right at the deadline and is now going Hollywood! Another one of my favorite players was also moved from Ohio to Illinois.

Even though the day as a whole did not produce much in the means of quantity, I think you have to look at the whole time period leading up to the Deadline and consider it a blockbuster transaction period, beginning with CC Sabathia.

First, let's just note the minor moves that took place:

- The Seattle Mariners traded RP Arthur Rhodes to the Florida Marlins for a prospect
- The Washington Nationals traded RP Jhonny Nunez to the New York Yankees for SS Alberto Gonzalez
- The New York Yankees traded LaTroy Hawkins to the Houston Astros for infielder Matt Cusik
- The Washington Nationales released C Paul Lo Duca and SS Felipe Lopez

- EDIT: The Minnesota Twins released SP Livan Hernandez and OF Craig Monroe, and recalled SP Francisco Liriano and 1B Randy Ruiz

Now on to the BIG Stuff....

The Atlanta Braves traded 1B Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels for 1B Casey Kotchman and P Steve Marek
This was definitely a deal that had to be done fo the Atlnta Braves and the Angels for that matter. The Braves got a solid young first basemen who will be under their control for the next few upcoming years and compliments their lineup well. Kotchman has some pop and will fit well with the Bravos. For the Angels I think it was an extreme necessity for them to add a bat. Teixeira will be a free agent after the season and I hope that the Angels plan on resigning him. But to slot him in front of Guerrero and Torii Hunter, that is a solid lineup to go with the best rotation in baseball. The Angels will have a lot of offseason issues to deal with, but you gotta love when a team puts it all on the line to win NOW.


The New York Yankees traded RP Kyle Farnsworth to the Detroit Tigers for C Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez
In a move that single-handily represents that the Yankees are back, they did exactly what they needed to do to win the division this year. Sure, Pudge doesn't have the power he use, but he can still hit for a solid .300 average and play a sturdy defense. Recently, the Yanks have obtained Pudge, Sexson, Marte, and Nady and were heavily rumored to go after Jarrod Washburn. Farnsworth has been better as of late and will help the end of the Tigers bullpen. I think this was a great deal for the Yanks to help replace Posada for the stretch run.


The Chicago White Sox traded P Nick Masset and infielder Danny Richar to the Cincinnati Reds for Ken Griffey Jr.
I love this deal for the fact that it puts Junior back in the pennant race in the American League. Other than that though, I am not quite sure how it will work out. Prior to the trade, Quentin was in LF, Swisher in CF, Dye in RF, Konerko at 1B, and Thome at DH. Where exactly does Junior fit in? There is talk that Swisher will move to 1B and Griffey will play in CF again. That leaves Konerko on the bench, who is their team leader and captain and was the key to the World Series win in 2005. Like I said, I am glad that Griffey is back playing meaningful games, but the whole idea of him back in Center is a question mark in itself.


3-Way Deal Special! The Los Angeles Dodgers received LF Manny Ramirez, The Boston Red Sox received LF Jason Bay, and the Pittsburgh Pirates received OF Branden Moss, P Craig Hansen, 3B Andy Laroche and another prospect
So ManRam (Manny Ramirez) does indeed get traded and it is to the Dodgers. Rumors were running wild that this 3 team trade would take place but involve Manny going to the Marlins instead of the Dodgers. The Red Sox were able to accomplish getting Manny out of the AL and to be able to get a very capable replacement in Jason Bay. Bay will be slotted right into where Manny was, Left Field and middle of the order and provide significantly less headaches. I am not really sure why the Pirates felt the need to deal Bay, they never seem to want to win and continue to be in rebuilding mode. They received some decent prospects in the deal who for the majority have Major League experience. Manny brings a BIG bat to the middle of the Dodger lineup and yet another Red Sox personality to the team who already have Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra. ManRam will be in LF every game and that will mean that Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre, Andre Eithier, and Matt Kemp will fight for 2 spots in the remaining games. I think this was a great move for the Red Sox and Dodgers, but for the Pirates...not so much.


Don't forget deals can still be done through out August, players just have to clear waivers.

Trade Deadline Madness

As previously mentioned, the Trade Deadline in baseball will take place on Thursday, July 31, so let's take a look at some of the bigger names who are rumored to be out there on the market, and where they may land.

Mark Teixeira - Atlanta Braves - 1B
Teixeira has not been completely placed on the market according to the Braves, but with Florida, New York, and Philadelphia all in front of them in the standings it will be tough for the Braves to pass three teams. 6.5 games is still a doable deficit in the division but unless Atlanta plans on resigning him, why shouldn't they trade him? The three teams that come to mind right away are the Angels, Diamondbacks, and the Red Sox. I think the most logical choice would be the D'Backs. They have the pitching and the young talent to make the deal. In a weak West, the Diamondbacks need some pop in their lineup and Teixeira would be the ideal choice.

Adam Dunn & Ken Griffey Jr. - Cincinnati Reds - OF
In the annual rumors of Dunn and Griffey being moved to a contender, once again I think that neither of them will be moved anywhere. I did once believe that Junior would be moved to Seattle for a final farewell tour, but once the Mariners season went south, I do not see either outfielder being moved.

Greg Maddux - San Diego Padres - SP
Maddux is 3-8 this year with a 4.18 ERA, but still may be of some value to teams looking for a veteran Starter with Cy Young credentials! Maddux has been rumored to say that he would only accept a trade to a National League team, preferably on the West Coast. I am sure Mr. Maddux would have been ok with a trade to the Cubs, Braves, or Brewers (where his brother is pitching coach), however for one reason or another all of those teams do not necessarily need him. The only logical scenario I can see is that if the Dodgers feel the need to re-aquire Maddux.

Brian Fuentes - Colorado Rockies - RP
The most coveted reliever on the market has been rumored to multiple teams including the Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Red Sox, White Sox etc. etc. The Rockies current asking price may be to high, but I guess it all depends on what exactly the team who receives plans on doing with him. Some teams are looking for a closer, some are looking for a set-up guy, and others are just looking for another left-handed arm in the 'pen. Early word was that the Marlins would look at Fuentes, but may be balking at the asking price. The word now is that the Cardinals are the front-runners.

A.J. Burnett - Toronto Blue Jays - SP
Burnett is one of the most interesting names on the market, talk about a hit or miss player. At times Burnett looks like a dominating pitcher, but typically in his next start he gets lit up for 6 runs in 5 innings. Burnett also has the interesting contract situation. He can either opt-out after this season or stay in the contract for another 2 season. So the catch-22 is that if you land Burnett and he pitches well, he leaves, if he is awful than you are stuck for 2 more seasons. My guess is that no one takes a flier on Mr. Burnett.

George Sherrill - Baltimore Orioles - RP
Sherrill is the 2nd most popular reliever on the market behind Fuentes, who is having an All-Star season as a closer for the O's. The latest word is that the Orioles are intent on keeping him. My question is why? With Chris Ray on his way back, who did an excellent job as closer for the O's, why not trade Sherrill while his stock is very high? I predict that Sherrill does indeed get moved, but to where? Not quite sure...

Other names rumored to be moved, but not very likely at all are Roy Halladay, Matt Holliday, Roy Oswalt, and Erik Bedard.

Stay Tuned!

EDIT: Thanks to PJ, and I do apologize for not updating this faster. But in a report in the New York Post, Manny Ramirez' days with the BoSox appear to be over again. Manny has said that he would not object trade (Manny is a 10-5 player therefore giving him a no trade clause) to another team. The big rumor in the Post, was that the Phillies would be the ideal fit, because of the history Manager Charlie Manuel and ManRam have previously.

Top 10: Sports Moments & Games from the First Half of 2008

Well it has been a while since we rolled out a new version of the Top 10. Now I know this is a bit overdue, but I have compiled a list of the top sporting moments and games from the first half of the 2008 season. I will be sure to complete this list when the end of the calendar year rolls around.

So without further hesitation, let's get to the countdown!...

10. Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 600th career Home Run against the Florida Marlins

09. LSU defeated Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game to become the champion of college football.

08. Detroit Red Wings defeated the young guns of the Pittsburgh Penguins to become the Stanley Cup Champions

07. Fresno State in one of the greatest upsets in sports wins the College Baseball World Series

06. Brett Favre retires and cries during his press conference to assure everyone he is done for good...

05. Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon Final which could possibly signify a changing of the guard in the Tennis world

04. Tiger Woods defeated Rocco in a sudden death round of golf to win the 2008 US Open championship

03. Mario Chalmers hit a 3 to send the game into overtime as the Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Memphis Tigers to become college basketball champs

02. The Boston "Three" Party is able to reclaim basketball supremacy for at least a year in Beantown as the Celtics win the 2008 NBA Title.

01. The 18-0 New England Patriots were upset by the underdog New York Giants who won the 2008 Super Bowl in a game which could be symbolized by the catch of David Tyree

Top 10: Without a Ring

It's time for another installment of Top 10. This time we are breaking down the top 10 names in sports who have yet to reach the top of the mountain ... aka ... winning a ring and the title. After each players name I will give them a percent chance of winning one before they retire. Note: I will include players who have had a substantial amount of years professionally already, so Lebron James, Chase Utley, an Adrian Peterson will not be included in the list.

10. Jason Taylor - Miami Dolphins - DE --> 10%

09. Grant Hill - Phoenix Suns - SF --> 25%

08. Terrell Owens - Dallas Cowboys - WR --> 80%

07. Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns - PG --> 50%

06. Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia Eagles - QB --> 30%

05. Jason Kidd - Dallas Mavericks - PG --> 40%

04. Randy Moss - New England Patriots - WR --> 85%

03. Allen Iverson - Denver Nuggets - PG --> 30%

02. Alex Rodriguez - New York Yankees - 3B --> 75%

01. Ken Griffey Jr. - Cincinatti Reds - RF --> 05%

Agree or Disagree? Anyone else I missed?

Top 10: Father - Son Combinations

First of all, Happy Father's Day to all of the Pop's out there. As you know, Myself and others love to put together lists in sports and I figured I would put together a quick list of the top 10 father - son combinations in sports through out history.

10. Dale Earnhardt & Dale Earnhardt Jr. - NASCAR
Dale: Multiple Time Sprint Cup Series Winner, Daytona 500 Winner, Hall of Famer
Jr.: Daytona 500 Winner, 5-Time NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award

09. Bob Boone & Bret Boone & Aaron Boone - BASEBALL
Bob: 4 Time All-Star, 7 Time Gold Glove Winner
Bret: 3 Time All-Star, 2 Time Silver Slugger, 4 Time Gold Glove Winner
Aaron: claim to fame is his 11th inning home run during Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS

08. Prince Fielder & Cecil Fielder - BASEBALL
Prince: 50 Home Runs in a season
Cecil: '96 World Series Champion, 3 Time All-Star, 319 Career Home Runs

07. Jack Buck and Joe Buck - BROADCASTING
Jack: Won the Ford C. Frick Award for significant contributions to baseball as an announcer
Joe: Broadcaster for FOX for baseball and football

06. Calvin Hill & Grant Hill - FOOTBALL & BASKETBALL
Calvin: NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 4 time Pro Bowler
Grant: 7 Time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, Olympic Gold Medal

05. Felipe Alou & Moises Alou - BASEBALL
Felipe: 3 time All Star, Manager of the Year
Moises: 6 Time All Star, 2 Time Silver Slugger

04. Bobby Bonds & Barry Bonds - BASEBALL
Bobby: All Star Game MVP, 3 Time Gold Glove and All-Star
Barry: 7 Time NL MVP, 14 Time All-Star, 762 Career Home Runs, 73 Home Runs in a Season

03. Bobby Hull & Brett Hull - HOCKEY
Bobby: Hockey Hall of Famer, 12th leading goal scorer in NHL history
Brett: 3rd all time in career goals, won 2 Stanley Cups, Hart Trophey (MVP) Winner

02. Ken Griffey Sr. & Ken Griffey Jr. - BASEBALL
SR.: All Star Game MVP, 3 Time All Star, 2 World Series Rings
JR.: 600 Career Home Runs, MVP, 13 Time All Star

01. Archie Manning & Peyton Manning & Eli Manning - FOOTBALL
Archie: All-Pro, 2 time Pro-Bowler
Peyton: 8 Time Pro Browler, Super Bowl MVP, 2 Time Regular Season MVP
Eli: Super Bowl MVP, Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award


There you have it in my opinion the top 10 Father-Son combinations in sports. Who are your favorite combo's in history? Do Comment Below.

Top 10: MLB Players I would pay to see...

So this is part 2 of the series of players I would pay to see, ranging from 10 down to 1 in order. This particular post deals with Major League Baseball players and I will admit it was a bit more difficult than the NBA list. Also, this list does not include any pitchers.


TOP 10 MLB PLAYERS I WOULD PAY THE PRICE OF ADMISSION FOR...

10. Albert Pujols 1B St. Louis Cardinals


09. Hanley Ramirez SS Florida Marlins


08. Jimmy Rollins SS Philadelphia Phillies


07. David Ortiz DH Boston Red Sox


06. Ichiro CF Seattle Mariners


05. Alex Rodriguez 3B New York Yankees (One of the all-time greats)


04. Vladimir Guerrero RF LA Angels (A personal favorite of mine)


03. Manny Ramirez LF Boston Red Sox (you never know what Manny will do)


02. Chase Utley 2B Philadelphia Phillies (yes a little hometown bias, but he is the best 2B in the game)


01. Ken Griffey Jr. RF Cincinnati Reds (it's hard to argue this one)


There you have it, the top 10 MLB players I would pay the price of admission to see no matter what players surround them on the diamond.

I would love to hear who is on your list of players you would pay to see. Do Comment Below.

Tim Dierkes Interview

Tim Dierkes, of http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/, was kind enough to answer a few questions for myself for posting pleasure. So please do indulge and digest...

1. Interleague play is about to kick off, what are your overall thoughts of it? What is the best series this weekend?

I don't mind it. I think it's more for the kids though. At least, I was much more excited back in '97 when I was 15, seeing the Cubs play the White Sox in real games for the first time. I will vote for Mets/Yankees for this weekend, the whole Johan thing is intriguing.

2. About a quarter of the way through the season, Chipper Jones is hitting .418 so far, is it foolish to consider Jones a legitimate contender at .400 this season?

Kind of...the odds are terribly strong against him doing this. Although thinking about the odds takes the fun out of it. I would love to see it.

3. A recent trend in baseball has been to sign young players through their arbitration years, a la Ryan Braun, Scott Kazmir, Troy Tulowitzki, what are the benefits and drawbacks of this new trend?

The benefit is saving many millions of dollars and gaining cost certainty. The drawback is the fairly small risk of the player busting a la Eric Hinske or Angel Berroa.

4. President Bush said he would build his expansion team with Roy Halladay and Chase Utley, who would be your franchise pitcher and hitter?


My knee-jerk reaction was A-Rod or Pujols for the hitter. But considering Utley's age and position I will agree with Bush's pick. I would choose Brandon Webb as the franchise pitcher. He's young, durable, dominant.

5. What big names, in say 2 months from now, will be the hot names tossed around to be traded at the deadline?

A.J. Burnett, Kevin Millwood, Jon Rauch, Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, Garrett Atkins, Matt Holliday.

Thanks to Tim for his time and do comment below with some of your answers on the opinions.