In the News...Teixeira a Yank, Larkin's gone, Manny is unemployed...

Merry Friggin Christmas.

1. "It's not about the money," Scott Boras. What the hell ever. It just so happens that the Yankees outbid everyone for Teixeira. But it had nothing to do with the money.
2. Jim Bowden is losing his BFF. Wonder what a Yes-Man gets paid in the Nationals organization....
3. The Angels don't want to pay Manny...can't imagine anyone would give up $20+ large a year for a washed-up, over the hill, fat, lazyoutfielder. Actually, he would fit in great with the Orioles. (SEE: Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Belle)

Daniel Carbrera is a National...

Reports are that Cabrera is moving his locker down the BW Parkway to Nationals Stadium. Cabrera has never become the dominate pitcher many had hoped. I had big dreams for him when he first came into the big leagues. Seemed to have the tools.

I even made room for him on my fantasy teams.

Maybe a new city will help him out.

$2.6 million is chump change anyway - for a serviceable starter. (Yes, a 5.00ERA is serviceable from Section 313.)

Teixeira Coming to Washington??

I should learn that we're not to be optomists...that Lerner won't really spend money...that the Nationals aren't just one or two players away...

But maybe it's the holiday season...I'm starting to see some hope. Hoping to believe. That maybe...just maybe Teixeira could become a National.

Of course, there are obstacles in the Nationals' way...obstacles that hurt not only the Nationals, but also baseball...namely the Yankees/Red Sox willingness/ability to buy every available player and, of course, Teixeira's agent Scott Boras.

Rumor is he wants to make his decision by Christmas. It would be nice to have him tied up in a bow and delivered to our door, just in time for the holidays.

[I tried finding a picture of Eddie bringing Clark's boss to the house, but couldn't sorry.]

Harris gets re-signed. Redding doesn't. Everyone else gets arbitration.

I like Willie Harris. Dude's got heart.

Here's The Nationals News Network's write-up. He likes Redding.

I just don't understand the fascination with Kerry Wood...

The much-beloved Kerry Wood is now with the Indians and I guess he's getting paid like $20 million for two years.

Cubs fans are upset he's leaving, and I just don't get it.

I'm wondering if there is something that fans hold on to - forever - whenever a young pitcher comes out and dominates in a game very early in his rookie season, like Wood did.

His most famous (and best) start was a 1-hit; 20-strike out performance in 1998. This affection isn't unheard of - Red Sox nation gives Clay Buchholtz all kinds of slack because of the no-hitter he threw in just his 2nd career outing.

But, according to my crack research team, Wood has been on the IR 119 times and missed about 6,000 games during his 12-year career. Maybe he's found his niche having to only work 3 innings a week...I mean, as a closer.

But, he's still just an average pitcher.

The Mets payroll going to get cut?

According to reports, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon has lost tens of millions of dollars of his own money and of the team's money by investing in now-outed-as-a-fraud Bernard Madoff and his "hedge fund". Apparently it was a giant Ponzi scheme.


Investors have lost somewhere in the realm of $50 billion in total and Mr. Madoff has been charged and released on a $10 million bond.



According to the Wall Street Journal:

"Mets owner Mr. Wilpon, who also owns real-estate investor Sterling Equities, often raved about Mr. Madoff's investment prowess and invested tens of millions of dollars of both his own money and the team's with his company, say financiers who have worked with him. Mr. Madoff handled investments for the Judy & Fred Wilpon Family Foundation, which distributed about $1 million a year in 2005 and 2006 to charities, according to its most recent federal tax returns..

"Mets spokesman Jay Horowitz declined to comment Friday. Mr. Wilpon's Sterling Equities said in a statement: 'We are shocked by recent events and, like all investors, will continue to monitor the situation.'"

Also of note in the piece, "Older, Jewish investors called Mr. Madoff " 'the Jewish bond,' " says Ken Phillips, head of a Boulder, Colo., investment firm.

Which begs the question, any other Major League Baseball owners lose any money? Was Ted Lerner an investor? Hope not - the Nationals can't afford to cut salary or players...But in the event that they need to - here's an idea...

The talk may be of Adam Dunn

According to MLB.com, Adam Dunn may be on the top of Nationals B-List, if they don't land Teixeira. While I don't like the fact that it's too predictable since he and Bowden have a "relationship" I like Dunn.

The most interesting part of the article however, was this rhetorical question posed by writer Bill Ladson in the piece...

"How busy was Nationals general manager Jim Bowden during the Winter Meetings? He met with the local media only twice during the four-day event."

Is Ladson trying to insuate that the Nationals general manager, who has a history of compulsive behavior (alcoholism, domestically abusing his (or by his) girlfriend) was doing just baseball business in Sin City?

Let's remember that Our Man can't play it cool, during a weekend in Florida, yet we're expect to believe that he's a straight arrow in a town that never sleeps and is full of free booze, loose slots, and well - loose women?

Brewers to retire CC Sabathia's Number!?

Wrigleyville23 is reporting on a story out of the winter meetings that the Brewers will retire C.C. Sabathia's number.

According to the report:

"No Brewer will ever wear CC's number 52 again," Melvin said at baseball's winter meetings. "Without CC, we wouldn't have won the National League West. That's how important he is to his teammates, the franchise and the city of Milwaukee."

Hey Jim, I can help! Pick Me!

Mr. Bowden is looking for pitching help...he has to look no farther than Section 313.

I had a long and storied career playing baseball in high school.

A four-year Varsity letterman, I pitched in nearly half of the games my junior and senior years. I believe this shows tremendous resileincy.

You see, we had a two-man rotation. So we went when we were called on, and much like National hero Livan Hernandez, we went the whole game, no matter the score.

So despite the fact I went winless in my high school career, and had an ERA somewhere north of 6.00, I believe I could do some spot work from the bullpen.

I can also hit, during my junior year I was among the league leaders in batting and just last year I was 42-2 in an indoor whiffle ball home-run derby league.

Sure, I'm a little older than most major league batters, but I'm also wiley.

I'm sure i wouldn't do much worse than the bullpen did last year, and I come cheaper than Chad Cordero (plus I won't cry when my elbow hurts, and if you cut me if I blow.)

So, what do you say? Should I come to Viera? I can ask my boss for the time off now.

Call me....

Joe the Plumber didn't like McCain the Candidate...

And by the end, I don't think he was alone...

"I was angry," Wurzelbacher told conservative radio host Glenn Beck on Tuesday. "In fact, I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him."

Here's the rest of the story, or at least the pitch for his new book.

Come on Mark - Come to DC.

I've got an extra room in my apartment for you to crash until you find your own place. You'll love the area - it's near Eastern Market.

You would be good for the team. We need you. And, I've heard that you've been offered $20 large a year. And, as the theme song goes..."eight (years) is enough, to fill our hearts with love."

I would so rather have you out there at first. I know we're spending a lot of money already for two unhealthy and fragile players - and frankly, I don't know what to do about them. Actually, I do - get rid of them. The Pirates would probably take them.

Anyway, I digress. Washington is a great town. And you would be King, actually, you would be Vice King because we have King Zimmerman. But who cares.

Come to DC.

I've attached a nice picture of Washington for your consideration.

Shocking - The Cubs as part of IL Gov. Blagojevich Corruption (allegedly)

Ok - this blends two of Half Street's two greatest passions - politics and baseball - and is shocking on so many levels...the Governor of Illinois is being held on federal corruption charges. And to demonstrate how closely linked all things in Illinois politics - the Cubs are (allegedly) involved....

Gov. Blagojevich was leaning on the Tribune to fire some editorial writers if they wanted state assistance with the sale of the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

Amazingly, he was given some assurance that the Deputy Editorial Page Editor was going to be moved out during the next phase of cutbacks. How does that guy feel today? Knowing that some higher up in the Tribune Company was prepared to fire his ass over a financial deal. What an indictment of the Tribune Company.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald made this statement:

“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” Fitzgerald said today in a statement. “Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”

Just incredible.

We're Back.

Sorry for the long absence - but we're back. And will be posting early and often.

The re-emergence of the blog coincides with my season ticket deposit payment. I guess since they're taking my money again, I can start complaining.