This week’s batch hones in on gangs and catfights, while also taking the time to toss a few at familiar targets… but enough chatter, let’s just get to the tomatoes.
Throwing Tomatoes – Volume XI
Gang Signs …for potentially spreading throughout sports, this time to the NFL. This one goes out to the whole situation. First off, at the NFL. How would anyone in the NFL front office even know this is the case? Are they going strictly off the Paul Pierce situation in Boston? If so, that’s ludicrous.
Secondly, could any of you point out any of these signs? We aren’t talking something like “The Van Buren Boys” from Seinfeld here are we?! All in all, it’s a shame that sports have come to this.
I hope for their sake “tomato red” is a neutral gang color. Danica Patrick …for getting involved in another altercation. Patrick confronted female driver Milika Duno, and later got into a verbal spat, in which Patrick accused Duno of getting in her way too many times. Looks like the post-first-victory struggles are starting to get to Patrick a little bit.
Come to think of it, does a “catfight” really deserve a tomato?!
Michelle Wie …for being disqualified at the LPGA’s State Farm Classic. Wie was disqualified for not signing her scorecard before leaving the scoring area following the second round. What’s worse is that she was finally in contention (in second place to be exact). Instead, the result is yet another miscue by Wie, who continues to be a huge disappointment. Terry Francona …for not taking care of all AL teams during the All-Star game. While treading softly with Scott Kazmir and the Rays, Francona ended up overusing Orioles closer George Sherrill, which reportedly got under the skin of the Baltimore front office. As a result, should we expect another AL East brawl? Maybe Coco Crisp should just teach his teammates how to dodge a tomato.
Dan Uggla …for forgetting how to play defense during the All-Star game. Uggla had back-to-back errors in the 10th inning of the All-Star game, plus three total in the game. He also ground into a double play and struck out. It could have been worse, especially if Colorado’s Aaron Cook didn’t bail him out by escaping a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the 10th.
Manny Ramirez …for causing yet another story and altercation. Yep, Manny’s in the news again, and once again it’s about his contract. He wants to know if Boston is picking up his option, and was quoted as saying, “I want no more [times] where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing. All in all, it’s another case of “Manny being ####”… scratch that, “Manny being Manny”.
Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els …for not carrying the torch during Tiger’s absence. Apparently, there’s more pressure to perform when everyone is looking to you to perform while Tiger’s at home rehabbing. Even though it could have been much worse for Phil and Ernie at the British Open (Els tied for 7th and Mickelson tied for 19th), neither were really in it after nightmarish opening rounds. The Orioles on Sunday … and the fact that they just can’t win… AGAIN. Yet another tomato until the O’s can win on Sunday. Make that 15 consecutive losses on Sunday for the Birds… and that stat really IS “for the birds”.
Honorary Tomato Throwers of the Week Because those who found success earn a chance to sling one at their opposition Washington Redskins – at the NFC East after acquiring Jason Taylor from Miami on Sunday. Greg Norman – at anyone who says a man in his 50’s can’t compete at a major championship. Chris Wood – at anyone who says an amateur can’t compete at a major championship. Tampa Bay Rays – at anyone who thought they would go away quietly. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – at the AL West after taking a commanding nine game lead.
This has been “Throwing Tomatoes”… and be sure to avoid the ones with any strange signs or signals on the labels.
It’s all about things being broken this week. Broken bones, broken hearts, and as painful as it sounds, even a testicular fracture. Before I become a broken record, let’s just get to the tomato throwin’…
Throwing Tomatoes – Volume IX
Seattle SuperSonics and its Ownership …for packing up and moving to Oklahoma City. It’s always tough to see a team move. I feel for the fans of Seattle… for a lot of reasons. The Mariners enter the season with hype and falter. The Sonics never quite got it done in the 90’s. Now they add a potential star in Kevin Durant, only to have their team pack up and leave for the nation’s heartland.
A-Rod’s Love Life …for finding a way to get all intertwined into the sports pages. If I wanted to read about A-Rod and something besides his game (baseball game that is), I would pick up a Cosmo or People, or maybe even turn on TMZ. The only splitting I want to hear about is his bat after a high-and-tight fastball. Unless soon-to-be ex Cynthia has some more vulgar shirts, perhaps directed at Madonna. Maybe A-Rod has one for Lenny Kravitz… such as: “If You Can’t Say No”, then don’t “Dig In” with an “American Woman”. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Chris Snyder …for not taking better care of the “family jewels”. Poor Chris Snyder. He’s on the DL. But wait, it gets worse. He’s out with a testicular fracture. A busted nut if you will. The irony is, Snyder was replaced on the Arizona roster by Robby Hammock. Get well soon Chris.
Michael Beasley …for getting injured minutes into the Heat’s opening camp practice. OK fine, so it’s a cracked bone. That still counts as being broken. I get that he can still play, but stemming off the drama that already existed with Pat Riley apparently not being crazy about the pick, now this happens to Beasley in his opening practice? Get ready for some drama on South Beach this year.
George Sherrill …for not trusting his fastball. Blowing a save hurts a closer… and a team. But how about blowing back-to-back games when your team has the lead, two outs, and two strikes in the 9th inning. That’s what Sherrill did last week. I believe both pitches were on hanging sliders too.
The Brett Favre Saga …for not going away. This tomato is not directed at Favre himself, but more so at the rumors and sources that desperately continue to resurrect stories on Favre making a triumphant return to “Cheeseland”. C’mon people, let’s figure this story out and put it to bed.
Aaron Rodgers …for ticking off some of the best fans in football. Aaron Rodgers has upset Green Bay fans already and he hasn’t even taken the field yet. To further explain, Rodgers was quoted as saying “I don’t need to sell myself to fans, they need to get on board now or keep their mouths shut”. I wonder if the Brett Favre rumor came out to try and “stir the pot” more, perhaps making some Green Bay fans long for their Hall of Fame QB to change his mind and return for one more year? Rodgers later apologized, but something tells me he’ll still hear some boos at Lambeau Field when the season starts.
The Colorado and Florida Pitching Staffs …for giving up 35 runs and 43 hits in one game OK, so I throw a tomato at the pitching staffs of the Marlins and Rockies for their Fourth of July slugfest that provided fans with plenty of offensive fireworks. It was like teeball out there. Still, how I wish I was one of the fans sitting in the seats at Coors Field on the night when Colorado walks off with a crazy 18-17 victory over the Marlins. Now that’s exciting!
Troy Tulowitzki …for injuring himself out of frustration. It’s just been one of those years for the Colorado shortstop. This time, he’s visiting the DL due to a cut on his hand (that required stitches). How’d he get it? Try by slamming his bat down, only to have it slice his hand open. That’s call for an extra-large tomato… and a little Neosporin too.
People Drinking Wimbledon “Haterade” …instead of watching the Finals this weekend. Tennis fan or not, if you missed this weekend’s Wimbledon finals, then you missed something special. Especially on the men’s side, where Rafael Nadal was able to knock off five-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer in a match that lasted nearly five hours.
The Orioles on Sunday … and the fact that they just can’t win. Make that 13 consecutive losses for the Baltimore Orioles on Sundays. Yes, that’s 13. The O’s haven’t won on Sunday since the opening week of the season, with the latest setback being a difficult 11-10 loss to the Rangers at Camden Yards. Maybe the Baltimore faithful can give Adam “Pacman” Jones a call. I hear he can make it rain and he’s free on Sundays until the Fall. Oh wait, that’s… nevermind.
Tyson #### …for only qualifying for the 100m in the upcoming Olympics. #### suffered a severe cramp during the 200 meter Olympics Trials race, therefore knocking him out of the competition for a medal in Beijing. One of the fastest men on the planet, and because of a cramp, he won’t have a shot. Honorary Tomato Throwers of the Week Because those who found success earn a chance to sling one at their opposition
Milwaukee Brewers – at the NL Central after reportedly trading for Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia Kyle Busch – at the NASCAR field after winning his sixth race of the 2008 season.
This has been “Throwing Tomatoes”… let the countdown begin until the next “Brett Favre to Return” rumor surfaces.
Never out of season, it’s time to break out the tomatoes once again, and direct them at the individuals in sports that deserve them the most. As always, there certainly isn’t a shortage of suitors in my eyes.
Where do you direct your tomatoes this week? Here’s where I feel mine are most deserving:
Throwing Tomatoes – Volume V
NFL McFadden “Haterade” Drinkers …can you say “Adrian Peterson Part Two”? Reports exist that Darren McFadden ran a 4.33 40-time during the NFL combine. Anyone want to consider letting him drop in the draft now? I get why the Dolphins don’t want to take a running back. They have Ronnie Brown and a boatload of other needs. Therefore, if I’m Miami, I trade out of the number one slot and get multiple picks to build the franchise back up. The team dealing with Miami can take McFadden #1. Chicago Bears …for their recent signings. Let me get this straight, one complaint after another about how the Bears need a quarterback, yet they resign both Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman? Is anyone else confused?
Matt Ryan’s Draft Position … and where he falls. Honestly, he seems like a solid enough player, but I just don’t see Matt Ryan as a number one pick. I don’t. I’m no draft expert by any means, but if you ask me, I don’t see one single elite QB in this year’s draft.
College Basketball
Duke Blue Devils …and exactly how good are they? Recent back-to-back losses to Miami and Wake Forest leave us questioning how good these Devils really are. Is this a Duke team destined for another early exit during March Madness? Only time will tell.
MLB
Tampa Bay Rays …for even having internal discussions about signing Barry Bonds. Let your young talented core gel, while also getting some significant time on the field.
Jeff Borris (Agent for Barry Bonds) … for making a comment that “Japan certainly is an option” for Barry to play next season. If so, I think Godzilla may have some competition, considering how big Barry is.
Boston Red Sox … for signing Bartolo Colon to a minor-league deal. I understand the fact that he is a low risk / high reward signing. What I don’t get is why the Red Sox keep blocking players like Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz from pitching in the majors. If you aren’t going to let these young guys pitch, then why not trade them away for Johan Santana a few months ago?
Florida Marlins …for hosting auditions to create a new dance team made of all large males. Very large males. What’s that? No, that wasn’t the sounds of tickets being sold, that was Oscar Mayer trying to buy some real estate at Florida’s stadium.
Randy Johnson …for staying in the game. Something tells me that the 44 year-old version of Johnson would just be playing pitch and catch with this bird (see below). He’s a baseball legend, but I think he should have hung it up a few years ago.
Pedro Martinez … for bragging about dominating the league during the steroid era. Why open your mouth Pedro? Who is to say that you never did any illegal performance enhancing drugs? While no one obviously has any proof, perhaps you were simply never caught. Sure, it’s all speculation, but why draw the attention to yourself during a time when steroids are the hot topic?
NBA
Phoenix Suns …after the Sunday night home court beatdown they took against the Detroit Pistons. As for newcomer Shaq? Try 3 for 8 from the field and 1 for 8 from the line… sounds like no “sun” at all, but instead mostly cloudy with a chance of a tomato…
Dallas Mavericks … for not being road warriors. Has anyone else noticed that the Mavs are 14-16 on the road? They either need to hope that Jason Kidd can help get them that top seed in the West, or they need to learn to play better on the road.
Conference Inconsistency …within the NBA. The Western Conference is a battle right now, with the top seven teams all within three games of each other. Over in the East, the 76ers hold the 8th spot with a record of 25-32. It’s nothing new, but still… Yikes!
Miscellaneous – Golf
Stewart Cink …for not even showing up during the Accenture Match Play Championship Final. Seriously, Cink never stood a chance against Tiger Woods. Heck, the Miami Heat may have more of a shot against the NCAA’s top teams. Zing!
Golfweek on Tiger … and discussing Woods possibly having a perfect season. A perfect season to me is when you win every match or event of that season. Take the Patriots, who went undefeated during the NFL regular season. Tiger Woods skips a number of events. If he can go through the entire PGA season (like many pros do), I would call that a perfect season. Otherwise, let’s not go there. He’s on fire, but he won’t sweep his events in 2008. Mark my words.
Honorary Tomato Throwers of the Week Because those who found success earn a chance to sling one at their opposition
Tennessee Men’s Basketball – for knocking Memphis from the ranks of the unbeaten. Congress – at Roger Clemens Carl Edwards – at the NASCAR field after winning the California 500. Cleveland Cavaliers – at the East after adding major pieces in a blockbuster deal.
This has been “Throwing Tomatoes”… I hope you have some Tide stick handy.
With a 5pm ET deadline looming, Ken Rosenthal of
Fox Sports is reporting that the Mets are inching closer to a record deal with
SP Johan Santana. Certainly, there is
an outside chance that the Mets could botch this deal and fail to sign Santana
to an extension, but I think that chance is slimmer than Mary-Kate Olson’s
waistline. Mets GM Omar Minaya will get
the deal done. Mark my words. After all, a blockbuster deal for an ace is
the perfect way to get the Mets fanbase to forget about last year’s drastic
late season collapse. Well… that is,
until yours truly just reminded them of it.
Once the Santana deal is finalized, the fate of
the Twins will be set in stone. While
Santana for the Big Apple, Minnesota will be left with only the abuse that they
are taking for the return they received for their former ace. Well, that plus the four players they
received, all of which were Top 10 prospects in the Mets organization
(according to Baseball America).
Honestly, the Twins are taking more abuse than
Lindsay Lohan’s car. Minnesota has
caught way too much flack around the industry for the Santana deal. Critics are absolutely thrashing the Twins,
and it just isn’t fair. It isn’t… and
there are a number of reasons why.
First off, plain and simple, you’re talking about
arguably the best pitcher in the game over the last five years. Over the last four seasons, Santana has
eclipsed the 200 inning mark each time, while adding 200+ strikeouts each year,
an ERA under 3.00 three of the four years, and 70 total victories. On top of that, Santana earned two Cy Young
awards. That fact alone is going to
result in most critics feeling that the Twins didn’t receive enough in
return. Let’s face it, NOTHING was ever
going to be enough for arguably the best pitcher in the game. One must also keep in mind that Santana has been
demanding a trade for months. More
recently, Santana became fed up with the Twins dragging their feet on trade
talks, and added a new demand that a deal be completed, or he wouldn’t waive
his no trade clause (if a deal were made during the season). The key point here is with Santana
continuously demanding a trade, Minnesota loses leverage in any deal they were
trying to make, because opposing clubs know that Santana wanted out, and
fast. Therefore, Santana essentially forced Minnesota’s hand. You don’t
think his complaints to be traded didn’t affect Minnesota’s negotiations with
other teams? It keeps the Twins from
allowing other teams to fight over him and up their offers.
Critics are quick to point out that the deals
with the Yankees and Red Sox would have been better. Again, we’re talking about arguably the best starter in the
game. The Twins are going to wait it
out and take the best offer they think they can get. They’re going to wait for the market to unfold, seeing what
exactly they think he is worth. Months
back, the Yankees offered Melky Cabrera and Phil Hughes, and while they’re certainly
talented young players, Minnesota thought they could get more, and I don’t
blame them. On the other hand, the Red
Sox weren’t even willing to include both Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury in the
deal. If Lester, the Sox were only
willing to add Coco Crisp, along with other talented prospects. Are you kidding me? Crisp plays quality defense at times, but
offensively, he has done next to nothing statistically in a very friendly park
for hitters.
The Mets offered four prospects, and while none
of them may carry the name that Hughes or Lester does, there’s still plenty of
potential there. Carlos Gomez and Phil
Humber, while falling somewhat out of the good graces of the New York
organization, still have the talent to emerge into legitimate major leaguers in
Minnesota. Kevin Mulvey and Deolis
Guerra are younger prospects, but projected as potential mid to back end
starters. Certainly, the only
legitimate criticism is Minnesota’s inability to acquire Mets top prospect
Fernando Martinez in the deal. Other
than that, the Twins acquired four players with potential. Sure, prospects are always a gamble, but
as an organization, the Twins have done a stand up job at recognizing young
talent in the past. For example, does
anyone recall a little deal the Twins made with the Giants for A.J.
Pierzynski? Pierzynski was traded from
the Twins to the Giants for Joe Nathan and two minor leaguers. Nathan is still one of the dominant closers
in the game, and the two minor leaguers obtained were Francisco Liriano and
#### Bonser. Enough said.
People must also consider the league
situation. The Twins were able to still
get a fairly legitimate offer, while trading Santana to the National League,
where they will not have to face him nearly as much, if at all. If I’m Minnesota, I make a team like the
Yankees and Red Sox offer slightly more knowing that they will face them during
the regular season, as well as potentially in the playoffs.
And yes, by saying that, I do think that
Minnesota can be a playoff team again… and soon. If you don’t, then you’re just not thinking straight. Sure, the Twins play in a tough division,
but let’s consider the talent that still exists on this team. Francisco Liriano (12-3, 2.16 ERA, 144 K’s
in 121 IP in 2006) is back from injury to stabilize the starting rotation. Star prospect Delmon Young was acquired in a
deal with Tampa Bay. The rest of the
young core is still intact, with C Joe Mauer, 1B Justin Morneau, and OF Michael
Cuddyer leading the way. Even talented
prospects like Nick Blackburn are waiting in the wings, itching to get a chance
to help Minnesota’s major league club.
The forgotten point in this whole debate is the
fact that the Twins did make an attempt to sign Johan Santana to an
extension. The Twins reportedly made an
offer of 20 million per year over four years.
This is impressive for a franchise that can’t financially compete with
teams like Boston and New York on a regular basis. In hearing this, some critics may be quick to chime in and say
“If you can offer four years, then why not the six or seven years that Johan
requires”? Put it this way, what if
Santana begins to decline into his 30’s, becomes ineffective, or even injury
prone? That would leave the Twins with
a 20 million dollar man on the books and no team willing to take him off their
hands.
Overall, we should ask ourselves how this deal
will be perceived in a few years. For
Minnesota, will this deal be considered a “Twin Killing”, as in making a
killing on the deal, or instead a “Twin Killing”, as in getting killed and
beaten down by the media? That part
remains to be seen.
All
in all, critics need to give the Minnesota Twins a break. Instead, if you’re going to trash someone,
try the Houston Astros (who first signed Santana) and Florida Marlins (who
originally acquired him), who were the two teams that had their hands on
Santana before he eventually made his way to the Twins via a trade during the
1999 Rule 5 Draft.
In a rollercoaster offseason that has provided many fireworks but little firepower, the Baltimore Orioles came through with what could be a significant addition on Monday.The Orioles acquired outfielder Corey Patterson from the Chicago Cubs for single-A minor leaguers Nate Spears and Carlos Perez.While this acquisition is sure to cause a variety of opinions among Oriole fans, I’m one that feels this is a very solid move.Patterson obviously had a very down year in 2005 (.215 average, 13 homers, 34 rbi’s, and a demotion to AAA), but he still has tremendous upside and could just need a change of scenery to get back on track.The Orioles, desperate to make some additional moves to keep up in the AL East, add a player with above average defensive skills and the ability to be a 30/30 player (thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases).Along with the speed and power, Patterson has shown that he can also hit for average (.298 average in 2003).Keep in mind that Patterson is also at a very young age of 26, which fills the profile that Baltimore has been looking for, which is adding a significant player that can stick around in an Orioles uniform for a while and not result in sacrificing the future (in the form of upper level prospects).
To attempt to back the Orioles in their move to acquire Corey Patterson, try comparing his statistics with that of the other potential candidates for the Orioles’ three starting outfield roster spots.
First, here are a sampling of some of the aforementioned candidates, with some general background information on each of them.
Corey Patterson – He was donned a future star with the Cubs, but may have been rushed to the majors a little too quickly.Patterson will now have a chance to resurrect his career in Baltimore.
Jeromy Burnitz – Like Patterson, Burnitz is considered an above average defender, with the ability to hit around 30 home runs a season.Burnitz had a verbal agreement in place with the Orioles, but later backed out to sign with the Pirates.
Luis Matos – Matos has had every opportunity to become a fixture in center field for the Orioles, but injuries and lackluster numbers have resulted in a fall from grace with the fans and the Baltimore front office.He could be in a position to retain his job, or may be used as trade bait for other team needs.
Nick Markakis – One of the top prospects in the Oriole farm system (according to Baseball America), and slated to be a future star for years to come in Baltimore,Markakis will have a chance this spring to earn a spot on the major league roster.Beginning the year at AAA may be more helpful.
Val Majewski – Majewski was injured last season, and will have a chance to make the team, and is one the most highly regarded prospects in the Baltimore organization at the current time.
Jeff Conine – An aging veteran and a fan favorite in Baltimore from his past tenure, Conine should provide solid leadership to a young team.By adding Patterson, Conine can now potentially fill the void at first base, which was left vacant by former Oriole Rafael Palmeiro.
Eric Byrnes – Byrnes was given a shot to make the team, but he struggled at the end of the season and Baltimore decided to let him go.However, he was picked up by Arizona, which makes part of me wonder if the Orioles could have picked up his option and packaged him in a deal (with other players) for Javier Vazquez, as the O’s are desperate for a pitcher to lead the starting rotation.
David Newhan – Newhan flourished in 2004 and struggled in 2005.A career minor leaguer in his Texas days, it is still hard to tell if Newhan deserves a starting spot on a team in the majors.
Larry Bigbie – Once thought to be a future star in the Orioles organization, Baltimore finally gave up on Bigbie last season, as the Cubs did this season with Patterson.At the time, the O’s traded him to Colorado, but this season he signed on with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Richard Hidalgo – Hidalgo has been mentioned as a possible Orioles acquisition in recent weeks.He is a player that has struggled mightily at times, but also shown some flashes of brilliance.
Manny Ramirez – For the sake of my argument, I will leave Manny’s stats out of the grouping below.The main reason for exclusion being that adding Ramirez would also mean subtracting Miguel Tejada, which is close to being a wash in the stats department.
Jay Gibbons – I am also leaving out the stats of Gibbons, who according to all reports has already earned the spot as starting right fielder for the Orioles in 2006.
Next, here is a stat comparison for each of the above listed players (Except for Ramirez and Gibbons) for the 2004 and 2005 seasons.Each player is compared among the following categories: age (as of today), games played (GP), home runs hit (HR), runs batted in (RBI), stolen bases (SB), and batting average (AVG.).I have also included a calculation statistic ( (162 / GP) * Stat Value ) to show the approximate season the player would have had if he was on the field for all 162 games.
2004 Season (Actual statistics – Major League stats only)
PLAYER
AGE
GP
HR
RBI
SB
AVG.
Corey Patterson
26
157
24
72
32
.266
Jeromy Burnitz
36
150
37
110
5
.283
Luis Matos
27
89
6
28
12
.224
Jeff Conine
39
140
14
83
5
.280
Eric Byrnes
29
143
20
73
17
.283
David Newhan
32
95
8
54
11
.311
Larry Bigbie
28
139
15
68
8
.280
Richard Hidalgo
30
144
25
82
4
.239
Nick Markakis
22
-
-
-
-
-
Val Majewski
24
9
0
1
0
.154
2005 Season (Actual statistics – Major League stats only)
He also ground into a double play and struck out. It could have been worse, especially if Colorado’s Aaron Cook didn’t bail him out by escaping a bases loaded, nobody out jam in the 10th.
The Mariners enter the season with hype and falter. The Sonics never quite got it done in the 90’s. Now they add a potential star in Kevin Durant, only to have their team pack up and leave for the nation’s heartland.
” at all, but instead mostly cloudy with a chance of a tomato… 
in the playoffs. 
s 30’s, becomes ineffective, or even injury
prone? That would leave the Twins with
a 20 million dollar man on the books and no team willing to take him off their
hands.