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Pro Sports Wrap - by Sam Ruesler

Pro Sports Wrap - July 2011

Since the lockout was lifted, Plaxico Burress was talking to his two former teams; the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. Today, Burress has signed with the other NFL team in New York. The recently released (from prison) receiver was given a one year deal (as expected). He will be paid three million, and that's a price that is a little too high.

Before Burress was sent to prison, he was a very good- but not elite- receiver. At 34 years old and rusty, I only see Burress as a decent player who will mainly be used in the red zone. I think his speed has deteriorated, but I do think he will remain a quality option. I don't get why he is considered a big-name free agent at all. It just goes to show you how fans get it all wrong. Like, how is Matt Roth still waiting for a phone call? He's one of the better pass rushers in the game, and Roth is definitely a better player than Burress; it's just that nobody knows who he is.


Now this is a pretty nice deal here by the Lions. After heavy talks with Stephen Tulloch, the valuable linebacker has signed a one year deal worth almost three and a half million. It's a very cheap deal, and the only reason why Tulloch didn't get a multi-year deal was because of bad negotiating. He's one of the best tacklers in the game, and Tulloch is exactly the kind of guy the Lions need on that terrible back seven. Next up: a corner.

The Indianapolis Colts made two important re-signings. One of them was pretty obvious, and that was to give Peyton Manning a new deal. The other move was also important, but it wasn't a certain thing. Joseph Addai is the most underrated player on the Colts, and he is by far the best running back on the roster. Addai takes huge pressure off Manning, and he is very versatile. I am glad that the Colts value Addai, because he is their only option at running back right now.


Lofa Tatupu wants to be released, and it's a pretty surprising development- at least to me it is. The Seahawks asked Tatupu to take a paycut, but he declined and requested a release. The former fan favorite was cut, but the Seahawks can live without him. He wasn't paid all that much, but the production just didn't meet the costs. He has really tailed off the last couple of years, and the Seahawks felt that they could save some money. Even though the fans love him, it was worth it when you look at it from a "business" perspective. The Seahawks need to move on because the franchise is changing for the better since Pete Carroll came in.

The Philadelphia Eagles made another useless signing. They already had Juqua Parker, Trent Cole, Darryl Tapp, and Brandon Graham at defensive end. They have recently spent big money on Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. While those two are both very good ends who are better than everybody on that roster besides Cole, I think it's unnecessary expenditure.

The Eagles also dealt defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley to the Browns for a 5th rounder. Bunkley was traded because the Eagles already have two solid defensive tackles in Antonio Dixon- who overtook Bunkley last year- and Mike Patterson. I do think that the Eagles should have gotten more out of the trade, and the Browns end up with a nice D-Tackle for a very low price.

Well, there is finally some news on safety Michael Huff. He had a huge year last season, and he really broke out to become one of the league's best ten safeties. The Raiders have re-signed Huff, so they still have a good safety tandem with Huff and Tyvon Branch. Even without Nnamdi, the Raiders' secondary looks like a good one. Now if only they can finalize a deal with Jared Gaither to finally get an elite lineman.
Only Decent




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7/30 MLB Rumors: Ubaldo Jimenez

July 30th 2011 14:20
Ubaldo Jimenez is the best pitcher up for grabs right now, and I don't think much of an argument can be made for anybody else. He is going to be extremely difficult to get, and he probably won't be traded at all. In any case, add the Detroit Tigers to the list of teams in the hunt for Jimenez. The Reds, Indians, Yankees, and Red Sox are also interested.

Rockies

The Rockies are going to inflate Jimenez's price because they really don't need to move him. If they see an offer that meets what they want, then they are obviously going to pull the trigger. I don't expect him to be traded because he is their best pitcher.

Tigers

The Tigers are interested in Ubaldo and Jason Marquis right now, both pitchers who have played with the Rockies in their careers. Marquis is currently with the Nats and is having a poor year. The Tigers wouldn't have to give much to get Marquis, but they also wouldn't get much out of him. I think it's in their best interest to go for Ubaldo, but I don't think they end up getting him. The price is going to be too high.

Reds

The Reds are pretty much out of contention in the NL Central, so I don't think they should be buyers right now. However, their rotation is poor and adding a player of Ubaldo Jimenez's caliber would be immense. They have a lot of nice prospects, but I don't know if they would be willing to part with any of them. On a side note, the Reds really should ship Ramon Hernandez to the Giants. Devin Mesoraco is ready to get a shot in the Bigs, and I don't think a possible contender like the Giants wanting to continue to start Eli Whiteside behind the plate.

Indians

While Cleveland could use a high-level starter, I don't think they will get him in the end. They have the prospects, but they probably aren't going to be aggressive in getting him.

Red Sox

Of all the teams here, I think the Red Sox will be the most aggressive in pursuing Jimenez. Boston knows they can go all the way, and Ubaldo will be a nice addition to their pitching staff. He can give them that lift, and he will also give the Sox a really nasty rotation. Boston has the prospects, the money, and they are definitely willing to get him. If Ubaldo Jimenez goes anywhere, it's going to be the Red Sox.

Yankees

Even though the Yankees are considered to be in the hunt, I highly doubt they end up with Ubaldo. They are concerned that he currently has an injury. While Jimenez denies those claims, the Yankees still aren't going to offer up much. They feel that the price is too high and that they don't need him. I really don't see Ubaldo Jimenez in the Yankees' future.

Ubaldo Jimenez

Although Jimenez's ERA is over four, his FIP is at 3.48 thanks to bad luck and the ballpark he pitches in. Even though Fenway is a tough place to pitch, it certainly is better than Coors. On the other hand, the lineups he'll face in the AL- especially the AL East- will be much more difficult.

Although the basic stats will say otherwise, Ubaldo has had a decent year so far. He's cut down on his walks, but his strikeout rate has also gone down. He has also allowed more homers and also has a higher batting average allowed. Now this is where the bad luck comes in. His BABIP and HR/FB rate are significantly higher than his career averages, and this is why his FIP is at a healthy 3.48.

The problem though is that Ubaldo has allowed too many liners and is not getting enough grounders. Another thing is that his popout rate is much lower than it once was, which means that hitters are hitting his flyballs further. We can see the regression in Jimenez's play since the first half of last season, and this means that Jimenez is slightly overrated. He's still a decent pitcher, but he's no ace. This means that he is best suited on a team like Boston where is going to be the second or third starter.

Is Ubaldo really injured? The Yankees think so, and there may be something to these thoughts. The velocity on his fastball is currently at 93.4, and that is well below his career average of 95.4. Jimenez's fastball was clocked in at 96.1 the past two seasons. He is throwing his fastball almost two percentage points less than last year, which brings me to believe that he is either injured or overworked.

I don't think Jimenez is overworked because he threw 198 innings in his first full season and 218 in his second. He was fine after those years and was throwing his fastball the hardest it ever has been in his second and third seasons. Maybe it has all caught up to him, or maybe there is something more to this story.

While looking through the advanced stats, I have spotted another problem. Ubaldo has been throwing his changeup this season more than he has any other year, and it is a significant change. While it's still been effective, it hasn't been as effective as in years past. When you throw more changeups and have a fastball that is slower, you're not going to fool many hitters.

Last year, his fastball was lively and was destroying hitters. This year, it's only been slightly above average. His slider has lost all that nastiness from the last two seasons, and this also leads me to believe that something is wrong with Ubaldo. I think he has an injury or is overworked, because the telltale signs are there.
Is He Injured?

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Guys, I am finally back from a very lengthy vacation that did not produce a single blog post. A lot has transpired in my absence from this blog, and I am going to start things off with a rumor post that details potential trades in the MLB.

The Yankees are still searching for left-handed relief help with Rafael Soriano still on the DL, and Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte are out for the rest of the year. Boone Logan is their only lefty in the pen, and this is certainly a pressing need for the Bronx Bombers.

Heath Bell has always made it clear that he wants to stay with the Padres, and he may get his wish. Bell is certain that he will be traded- perhaps to the Rangers with more concerns about Neftali Feliz- but he will sign with the Padres after this season. He will give them a discount, and the team getting him will most likely only be getting a rental. This is great news for the Padres, of course, because they'll get a prospect for a rental and pretty much know that Bell will return.

The Phillies have always talked about getting a deal done with the Astros for Hunter Pence. I personally don't think the 'Stros should trade their best player, and he probably won't be dealt. The Phils have until Friday to make a trade- that will likely concern three or four prospects- otherwise the Braves, Reds, and Sox will have a chance to court Pence. Don't worry Phillies fans, Domonic Brown is no longer in trade talks. Just remember though, Wandy Rodriguez is on the trading block (as well as Clint Barmes).

There is a very good chance that Carlos Quentin will be traded, but it remains unclear to which team. The Phillies really want to get Quentin, and the Braves are also suitors. Both NL East teams were also suitors for Carlos Beltran, and Pence's high price has made the Astros' outfielder Philly's backup plan.

Ubaldo Jimenez and Hiroki Kuroda are the two biggest names available for trade right now, but I don't see Jimenez going anywhere. Seriously guys, King Felix is definitely not going to get traded. Kuroda, on the other hand, will almost certainly be packing his bags by the end of July. If neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees are able to get either of those two, the AL East powerhouses will go after oft-injured starter Rich Harden. The A's pitcher has nasty stuff and racks up K's, but he is rarely ever healthy and sometimes struggles with his command.
Best Closer Available
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