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The Pros and Cons of the George Sherrill Trade

The first thought in my mind after hearing that the Orioles traded away closer George Sherrill for two minor league baseball players was “what in the world are they doing?!”. It seemed like the team was burying itself by giving away a key piece in exchange for some scraps.

Fortunately, my mindset has shifted a bit since looking more into the players they received in return. Of course it would have been nice to have received players who can make an immediate impact, but Bell and Johnson both look like pretty promising prospects.

I understand this season has already gone down the toilet but we still shouldn’t write off the rest of the season. It’s one of the Orioles’ better seasons in recent memory thus far and it’s nice to see them winning some games (especially at home). On the other hand, this is another step in the Orioles’ rebuilding process.

Looking ahead, they’ll need to make moves in order to become a competitive team in the AL East. The Yankees and Red Sox will surely stay competitive, so it’ll likely take some big moves.

With Melvin Mora, 36, in his last year of his contract and having lost a good few steps, the Orioles needed a young player who could come up and take his spot in the future. Josh Bell, a third baseman, could most definitely fill any void that Mora leaves.

Josh Bell could easily fill his shoes, as his .296 batting average, 11 home runs and 52 RBI with Chattanooga are all solid 2009 numbers. Johnson’s posted very respectable numbers at the starting pitcher position for the same team, with a 9-5 record and a respectable 3.61 ERA. Both players have bright futures and could be key contributors to the Orioles in the years to come.

An already promising young collection of players just bolstered its strength by a bit. With a team that’s sure to improve in talent over the course of the next few years, it looks like Bell and Johnson can both carve out their roles as valuable contributors in Baltimore.

Can’t wait to see what becomes of this team!

Nicholas McMillan is an eternal MLB zealot, and is pleased to see improvement on the Orioles’ part. He often contributes his input at this Baltimore Orioles forum, and lurks at their sports forum whenever he needs a change of pace.

Tags: baltimore, Baseball, editorial, maryland, minor leagues, MLB, news, orioles, Recreation, Sports

The Revolutionary Miken Freak Baseball

Miken sports success has been driven by two powerful forces foresight and passion that is why they are ready to satisfy with the professional player’s demands. This complete may be a well-known and trusted name and the company delivers only the most effective and their whole name can live long into the future.

The Miken Freak baseball encompasses a thirty eight percent higher tensile strength and a forty% higher elongation that the standard composite and has been proven to deliver unrivaled durability and optimum performance and optimal recoil for specific swing speeds. The extended sweet spot style provides an additional long barrel permitting for an final power source.

The new multilayer design aligns and adheres filaments of premium carbon fiber aerospace grade which produces durability as well as performance. And the MP resin system is specifically measured to optimize the resilience and performance of the Miken carbon materials. The Miken baseball comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty.

Every kid that plays baseball is raving about the Miken Freak 100 MFY12 Youth as well as their parents and coaches. You need to read all the reviews that have been written and this can be done by going online. There truly is none other that can beat the Miken when it comes to technology.

This Miken Freak one hundred MBFY12 Youth features a twelve length to weight ratio, two and 0.5 in. barrel, multi layer system, BPF one,fifteen certified, contains a DFR a hundred and eighty which increases handle recoil, dynamic flex ratio, extended swing spot style and a R900 carbon fiber in addition to a X-track Plus extreme knob grip. What more might you ask for.

There are thousands of pros and the only con is that every kid wants one. These bats can be ordered directly online or you can obtain one from most sports shops.

The author has been writing articles online for over 4 years now. Not only does this author specialize in health, fitness and relationships you can also check out his latest websites on Slow Pitch Bats and Miken Freak Plus

Tags: Baseball, baseball bats, bats, Equipment, freak, gear, gloves, Hobbies, miken, miken freak, Recreation, softball, softball bats, Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies Are Stacked For Another Run At The World Series

It is hard enough to get to the World Series one season, but to get there in back to back seasons is simply incredible. The Philadelphia Phillies may have lost last year, but they are once again poised to make a huge run at both the regular season and the post season. They made some power moves and want the Yankees in their backyard again.

While the Phillies were happy to get Cliff Lee at the end of the year in 2009, the player that they really wanted was Halladay. This is the true Ace that they had been longing for since the days of Curt Schilling and they managed to get him in a megadeal during the off-season. For financial reasons, they did not hand onto Cliff Lee, but they believe their starting rotation will more than do the job.

Hamels will also play a huge roll in how the Phillies do this season. While he had been tagged as the Ace of the team, he struggled for the first time in his career last year. Maybe the pressure was too much for him there were rumors of arm problems or maybe he just started to read his own press clippings. The Phillies need him to get back to form and if he does, they will dominate.

One thing that Hamels will have in his favor that he did not last year is the fact that he will be coming out of the two-hole instead of the number one spot. This could create some great matchups for him as few teams have two starting pitchers that are the caliber that Philadelphia has. If he can eat up innings and get deep, they are going to be on pace to win well over 90 games again.

A great bullpen makes a huge difference and while they struggled at time last year, the Phillies owed quite few wins to this group of pitchers outright stopping teams and allowing this incredible offense to play catch up. Brad Lidge will look to put the blown saves from last season behind him and get close to the form that he had in 2008.

While every team needs pitching to succeed, the Phillies make no secret of the fact that they expect to win most of their games with the long ball. Small ball is not a phrase that sits well with Charlie and he is perfectly okay with that. The big bat in the lineup is Ryan Howard who once again will be expected to launch at least 45 homers by seasons’ end.

The ballpark will see sellout after sellout again this season. In a city that was starved for sports success, the Phillies are putting a full plate out to eat almost every night. The fans have rewarded them with support that few other cities can match. If you want tickets, you better move fast because this is far and away the hottest ticket in town.

By Jake Kohler, sponsored by TicketSeating.com. TicketSeating.com sells Philadelphia Phillies Tickets, MLB Tickets, Sports Tickets and many more tickets to your favorite events around your area.

Tags: Baseball, events, MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, phillies, Recreation, Sports

New York Mets Have Every Right To Expect A Fast Start

When the season started last year, every expert in the game had the New York Mets giving the Phillies everything that they could handle. Even though the Phillies were the champs, they were still not picked to beat out the Mets for the division. Then the season started, Philly got off to a hot start and never looked back.

This season promises to have the Mets once again favored to win the division as they have made some off-season moves to bolster their position and fight head to head with both Philadelphia and Atlanta in the very strong NL East. Regardless of how the season pans out, Mets fans are going to see some great baseball this season.

The Phillies stole a lot of headlines this summer with their blockbuster trade. While the Mets did not make moves like that, they did shore up some weaknesses to pad what is a very good team at the core. Santana is the star of the rotation and gives this team a huge chance to win when he is on the mound. He will go deep into every game and put them in a position to win if the offense can score just a few runs.

If fans want to look to one pitcher that will make a difference this season it could very wellbe Fernando Nieve. He should have a shot at a decent spot in this rotation and there is no reason not to believe that he can win 15 games in a full season. He averages almost a strikeout per inning pitched and if he does that for the full year, lookout.

When you think Mets offense, David Wright has to be the first name that pops up. He has been a staple at third base for some time now and the Mets rely on him heavily. Many of last season woes may have been tied to his dip in home runs, but it is probably a same assumption that he worked to fix that during the winter.

If there is one team that is set up in the East to get off to a hot start, it is the Mets. They are playing a few of the doormats of the league and to not come out of April with a significant amount of wins would be a crime. Add in the fact that they are home for all but 7 of their games in April and it could lead to an incredible start for them.

Mets fans should have quite a bit to be happy about. They have a solid offense at least two possible 15 game winners in their rotation. That schedule will allow them to get off to a monster start and hit the road with a lot of confidence. If they play up to their potential, Philly will be looking up at them in the standing when the face off on the last day of the month of April.

Written by Jake Kohler, article sponsored by TicketSeating.com. TicketSeating.com sells New York Mets Tickets, MLB Tickets, Sports Tickets and many more tickets to just about any events in your area.

Tags: Baseball, events, Mets, MLB, new york mets, Recreation, Sports

The Oakland Athletics Have A Hill To Climb In 2010

To deny that Oakland has a lot of work to do to get back into the American League West would be a lie. However, a team does not have to necessarily be a World Series favorite to get the fans excited. Come the first day of the season, any team could come out of a division and get into the playoffs. The question is, “Will the Oakland Athletics be one of those teams?”

After a losing season, Oakland refused to sit still and hit the open market with gusto. There were no blockbuster trades, but some significant signings did happen. Whether or not Oakland can win this division is not really the concern. Fans want to know if the team will show progress and fight instead of falling down on the ground and putting their tail between their legs.

If anyone is looking for signs of hope, look no further than the signing of Ben Sheets. This is a legitimate pitching stud that welcomed the role that he will be thrust in with this young team. Having a talent like this for one year is better than nothing, but expect him to look to resign if this team shows that they can once again play some decent baseball.

It addition to Mr. Sheets taking the ball every 5th day, Andrew Bailey will be there to clean the games up in the ninth inning. While he may not yet be a household name, if he duplicates his performance from last season, it is only a matter of time before everyone who loves baseball is uttering his name. There is little doubt that he will close out the game when the ball gets into his hands.

While the A’s don’t have the next Albert Pujols in their lineup, there is no need to worry about talent. It may be unlikely that a lot of balls will be leaving the yard courtesy of Oakland bats, this is a team with decent speed and a lot of players that can flat out hit. They are going to get a lot of base runners and if they can get some key hits, they will have some huge innings.

Young teams are often much underrated as the season starts and that can lead to some teams coming in and not taking the A’s seriously. That would be a mistake this season as they have some legitimate ballplayers on this squad and the pitching is going to be sneaky good.

You want a reason to come down to the ballpark? Consider the fact that there is an opportunity to see one of the best pitchers in the league and some of the best up and coming players in baseball. There are plenty of future stars on this team, however, are they ready to be stars now? If they are, look out world because here come the Oakland Athletics.

Written by Jake Kohler, sponsored by TicketSeating.com. TicketSeating.com sells Oakland Athletics Tickets, MLB Tickets, Sports Tickets and many more tickets to just about any event in the world.

Tags: athletics, Baseball, events, MLB, oakland athletics, Recreation, Sports

It Is Time For The Chicago White Sox To Step Up

2009 is behind us and let’s get it going with 2010. That is the philosophy of the Chicago White Sox as they cannot wait to get that first taste of baseball in April. This is a team that is packed with talent and on a mission to let the world and their fans know that last season was nothing more than a bump in the road.

All anyone has to do to get excited about this team is to look at the new Ace of the pitching staff. Jake Peavy is in town and people better get used to winning again very quickly. He gave everyone a quick taste last year, but the fans of the Chicago White Sox are about to be treated to seeing one of the best pitchers in baseball every 5ht day.

Peavy had played his entire career with the Padres up until the tail end of last season. He posted 92 wins over 8 seasons for a horrific franchise. 2007 was his best season, putting up 19 wins and a 2.54 ERA. White Sox Nation got a taste of that at the end of the season last year as he went 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA after he came over. It appears that Peavy likes the color of his new uniform.

Fans have to understand that certain players just want to win and when they have that chance, their attitude changes and their true star power comes out. Peavy wants a championship and will do anything he can do get it. He could very well be the 2010 American League Cy Young if the those last three games were any kind of a measuring stick.

News that is even better is the fact that Buehrle will be pitching out of the two spot. All he did was throw a perfect game, not too bad for a number two! This starting combo will be extremely hard for opposing teams to match up against and the frustration that hitters are going to experience will send any team into a tailspin.

Chicago is going to have a great opportunity to get hot right out of the gate. The fans need to get to the ticket office and load up the stadium as they play their first 6 games at home. The best part is that they could easily go 6-0 to start the season as they face Cleveland and Minnesota. It is a great opportunity to get two quick looks at Peavy and show him support.

2009 is over my friends and 2010 looks like it is going to bring a lot of joy in White Sox land. Two stud starters and a lineup that is going to score some runs. If I’m in Chicago, I am already in line to get tickets because this season promises to be one for the ages.

By Heather Maxwell, article sponsored by Stub.com. Stub.com sells Chicago White Sox Tickets, MLB Tickets, Sports Tickets and more to your favorite events around your area.

Tags: Baseball, chicago white sox, events, MLB, Recreation, Sports, whitesox

San Diego Padres Will Give Their Fans More To Cheer About This Season

One team that will be happy to put last season behind them will be the San Diego Padres. They had it pretty rough last year and 2010 brings a lot of hope and optimism with it. This is their chance to show off some young talent and hopefully give the mainstays a run for their money. Some old favorites have left, but some of these young players are now looking to make a name for themselves.

While San Diego may not win a championship or even a division this season, there is reason for the fans to start to get a buzz again. This team has some players and if they can avoid the funk that they slipped into last season, they are going to give plenty of teams in the league a battle whenever they take the field.

Starting pitching is usually the anchor of any good team. While Peavy may be gone, Chris Young will be expected to pick up the slack. There is no denying the fact that he had an off 2009 season, but there is a solid history of good seasons for him to fall back on and try to build 2010 around. After all, he won close to 30 games total in 2006 and 2008. This is an even numbered year so if the trend continues he will have a great season this year.

The bright spot of this team is Heath Bell as he was pretty much lights out all of last season. He converted an amazing 42 of 48 tries and finished the season with a 2.71 ERA. Those numbers tell you right off that San Diego was not scoring a lot of runs and blowing teams out because over half of their wins were converted saves.

If they are going to get players across the dish, they will have to set the table for Adrian Gonzalez. He is the one true stud in their lineup and you better believe that if he sees men on base, he will do everything that he can to drive them in. He will need some protection from people like Eckstein and Hairston and there is no limit to what can happen if he gets hot.

San Diego will be challenged right out the gate and they need to look at this as a shot at a new season and not more of the same. They are playing some pretty good teams over the first few weeks of the season and if they can even come out of that run playing .500 ball, teams will know that they are not going to be the doormat that they were last season.

Every new season brings about a fresh start and the Padres need to make the most of this one. This is their chance to get their fans back behind them and once again show how great of a baseball town San Diego can be. The start will be the key and it would be nice to see that stadium filled up in the middle of July as the Padres start ticking off some wins.

By Jake Kohler, article sponsored by TicketSeating.com. TicketSeating.com sells San Diego Padres Tickets, MLB Tickets, Sports Tickets and many more tickets to your favorite events around the world.

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Tags: Baseball, events, MLB, padres, Recreation, san diego padres, Sports