Sunday, September 21, 2008

View From The Cheap Seats: Twins

I don't know why I said "View From The Cheap Seats", but it sure sounds good. Actually, it should be "view from no seats at all", because I refuse to go to the Metrodome, except for Red Sox games. Anyways, two things I've noticed about the Twins organization lately:

  • I tell you what though, the Twins love their versatile infielders:
    -Harris can play at 2nd, 3rd and short and has done well,
    -Punto can play pretty well pretty much everywhere
    -Tolbert is turning into a super- utility man also, much like a young Nick Punto did
    -Buscher can play 3rd and first obviously, and he's even taken grounders at second a couple times.
    -The only Twins IF (besides Morneau) who has played only one position is Adam Everett, and he's been injured most of the season
  • Michael Cuddyer pinch- hit in the 9th inning of the 1st game of the Twins- O's doubleheader. Cuddyer grounded out to 1st, and will be relegated to pinch hitting duties the rest of the season. Cuddyer missed 63 games with foot & finger injuries

Saturday, September 13, 2008

LA Kings Daily trade rumor

It seems like everyday you hear a new trade rumor about so- and- so going to LA in exchange for Kopitar, or a high round pick. Most of these are extremely stupid, and usually include an old, overpriced goalie usually named Khabibulin. Today's daily rumor comes from the Los Angeles Times, and yes, includes LA receiving an old, overpriced player.

Helene Elliott reports the Anaheim Ducks should trade defenseman Mathieu Schneider to the Los Angeles Kings, pointing out it would address their respective needs. The Ducks would free up necessary cap space to re-sign Teemu Selanne while Schneider's salary would push the Kings close to the salary cap "floor" as well as provide them with a veteran presence on the blueline. Ducks GM Brian Burke admitted discussing a trade with Kings GM Dean Lombardi but "nothing lines up yet".

Mathieu Schneider, don't get me wrong, is a solid, maybe even very good defenseman. That said, Los Angeles has got to show some foresight before they pull the trigger. LA's front office has got to know that their future is not now, its two, maybe three years from now. Signing a 39 year old defenseman won't help them when they need it, in the future. That's not to say a defenseman can't play past age 39, but with age comes incresed suseptapility to injury, and is that a risk the Kings are willing to take? If people think the Kings will pick up Schnieder just for the sole reason that his 5.75 million contract will get them over the cap floor, forget about it.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

And we're off

School started for me today, and it couldn't have come a better time. I was getting sick of doing nothing all day and partying all day, then coming back at all hours of the morning and doing it all again. So, yeah, that's pretty exciting. I had three classes today, Spanish, Poly Sci, and English. I started at 8:15 and ended at noon, and really liked it. Got some homework, but not much. Only one class tomorrow, I wonder what I'm going to do with myself.