Major League Report

FOSN Announces FanHuddle.com

2009-02-14T06:35:00.002-06:00

I am very excited to be able to announce to you today that Front Office Sports Enterprise will launch FanHuddle.com in the fall of 2009.

Fan Huddle will be the premier source for sports media, information, and entertainment on the internet. With news and opinions for every team in the MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA and accompanying fantasy coverage, Fan Huddle is primed to be the only source you will need to keep up with the sports world.

Our general coverage section will feature some of the premier writers from the internet blogging, writing, and talking about every significant aspect of sports. Additionally, an extensive section covering the NCAA will provide local opinions on college athletics. Live chats with our experts, extensive user interaction, power rankings, and more will complete the most extensive sports coverage on the internet.

Our large fantasy sports section will rival that of the best "fantasy sports only" websites around. With the best writers from across the internet and beyond, every aspect of the fantasy game will be covered. Live radio, chats, rankings, and more will complete our fantasy coverage.

With change, however, comes a period of transition. Major League Report will cease day to day operation effective immediately as the transition to Fan Huddle begins. To keep up with everything that is going on at Front Office Sports Enterprise in regards to Fan Huddle, you can join us on Facebook or Myspace.

We are very excited about this change and expansion, and hope you will join in the festivities! Get excited for FanHuddle.com and be sure to tell your friends about the best new sports media website!

Hall Of Fame Results

2009-01-12T13:03:00.001-06:00

MLB Network has just announced that Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice have both been granted entry to the baseball Hall of Fame.

Business As Usual

2008-12-31T13:17:00.005-06:00

That it is New Years did not stop some teams from announcing some moves they recently made.

According to sources, the Angels have agreed to a two year, 17.5 million dollar deal with Brian Fuentes. The 34 year old will be the new closer for the Angels. We will see how many save opportunity he gets.
The Cubs have agreed to send Mark DeRosa to the Indians in exchange for three minor league pitchers, Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer and John Gaub. As of now, DeRosa most likely will be the Indians starting third basemen next season.

Enjoy your New Years! See you next year.

Yanks sign Teixeira

2008-12-23T23:05:00.006-06:00

A couple of days after the Red Sox and Angels apparently withdrew their offers and moments after the Nats supposedly upped their offer, the Yankees swiftly swooped into the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes and came away with the prize. The cost: 8 years, 180 million dollars.

For those who do not know, Teixeira is a 28 year old first basemen who batted .308 with 33 home runs and 121 RBI last season. This magnanimous signing means that Nick Swisher, also acquired this off season, we see most if not all of his playing time in the outfield.

Between C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Teixeira the Yankees have spent 423.5 million dollars in contracts.

Red Sox Withdraw From Teixeira Race

2008-12-18T22:22:00.003-06:00

ESPN just reported that the Red Sox are dropping out of the Mark Teixeira race after early today reporting serious talks were taking place earlier. Time will tell where he ends up, but many believe that the Angels are going to land him. More to come later...

Catching Up

2008-12-10T16:53:00.007-06:00

A lot of news lately has been coming out of the winter meetings at the Bellagio, so let's get caught up on some of the recent moves:

C.C. Sabathia has decided he can handle New York and signed a record breaking deal (for a pitcher) of seven years, $161 million. A note of interest, Sabathia can opt out at the end of the third year of the contract if he so chooses.
The O's and Reds have reportedly agreed to trade catcher Ramon Hernandez for outfield utility man Ryan Freel. Cash will be headed to Cincinnati and two prospects, Justin Turner and Brandon Warring, will make their way to Baltimore. This trade also opens a spot on the roster for O's top prospect Matt Wieters.
The Dodgers have come to terms with infielders Casey Blake and Mark Loretta. Blake was inked to a 3 year, 17.5 million dollar contract while Loretta signed to a one year deal.

K-Rod to Mets

2008-12-09T17:24:00.003-06:00

Sources are reporting that the Mets and the free agent closer Francisco Rodriguez have reached a preliminary 3 year, 37 million dollar deal. Despite setting the record for most saves in a season at 62, the 27 year old Rodriguez had to accept a more modest deal because the market for closers is not strong.

The other big market teams, namely the Yankees and Red Sox, have the back end of their bullpens secured, so the Mets were bidding against themselves for the most part. Mets "other closer" Billy Wagner, will miss all of the 2009 season with Tommy John surgery.

Pedroia Secured

2008-12-03T18:29:00.002-06:00

Today the Red Sox have secured AL MVP second basemen Dustin Pedroia with a six year, 40.5 million dollar contract. With this contract the Red Sox have bought out the first two years of Pedroia's free agency eligibility. Plus, a 2015 option of $11 million exists, which if exercised would make that three years. Pedroia will be 31 when this contract expires; 32 if the option is exercised.

Collin Balester Interview Continued

2008-11-24T13:16:00.002-06:00

Here's the last of the Collin Balester interview I was recently granted thanks to the help of Michael Dillion of Reynolds Sports Management.

1) You have excelled at all levels. What do you feel will be the toughest part about the majors?

Well thanks. I think the toughest part of the major leagues is that every player is so good and they all make so many ajustments from at bat to at bat that you really have to be a student of the game and really figure out and have different plans of attack on every hitter on every count. I mean they have every camera angle on you every pitch so they know what im about to throw, so you really have to do your homework and thats one thing I have to learn in this game to get where I really want to be.

2) You have worked hard to develop your changeup. Can we expect to see it more often in 2009?

My changeup has been a pitch where I never threw it and would really hate to throw it, but the last 2 years I really felt great about my changeup and all the hard work I put into it, I never thought I could throw that pitch over the plate let alone getting someone to swing and miss on it and it was my best pitch of my 2007 and 2008 season and that is going to be my most important pitch I will be keeping in my back pocket this year, but also I have a special pitch that no one has ever seen me throw that I am working on this offseason so come out to the stadium to see that ( haha)

3) What do most often use as your strikeout pitch?

Well its different from batter to batter but I would say that it would be my curveball or changeup now. My fastball is a pitch that I think i locate pretty well so when im throwing a fastball im trying to get the batter to do something with it in play not strike him out.

4) At 6'5" do you feel it is tougher to keep your pitching mechanics consistent?

Well I dunno because im only 6'5" im not anything but that height so I wouldn't know if its harder to keep my mechanics more consistent when im 5'5". That being said I think for all pitchers its tough to keep your same mechanics all year long without a little mess up here and there, I wouldn’t say a certain height it would be more tough to keep it fluid all year long.

5) Do you think you are ready for the major league level or do you need some tweaking?

I have worked hard and I continue to work hard so that I can stay at the major league level, I think that if I continue to work hard year in year out then I will deserve to stay at this level and be successful.

Around The Majors

2008-11-23T19:12:00.003-06:00

Here's the latest news around the baseball world in the last 24 hours:

The Boston Red Sox have offered Junichi Tawaza, a pitcher from Japan.
Ruben Amaro Jr. pulled off his first deal as GM of the Phillies by sending former first round pick Greg Golson to Texas for John Mayberry, another former first round pick.
Rumors are picking up for the Royals and Cubs to make a swap including Mark Teahen from the Royals and Mike Fontenot and Sean Marshall of the Cubs.

Collin Balester Interview

2008-11-21T15:44:00.011-06:00

Now that the offseason is here, be expecting many more interviews! Our latest is with Nationals pitcher Collin Balester. Thanks to Michael Dillion for helping to set this up. Be sure to check out Collin's MLBlog at http://collinbalester.mlblogs.com/.

1) What do you remember about your draft day experience? Did you expect to go to the Expos?

Well the day of the draft I skipped school and I had some of my friends and my highschool coach over to the house and we watched the draft on the computer. I really didn't have a clue when I was going to get drafted or if I even was going to get drafted, so we all just watched the screen waiting for my name to get called. My cell phone rang and it was my agent and he said did you hear that buddy you did it, I was like what do you mean and he said you got drafted and said just watch and ill call you back. So we waited and they said Detroit Tigers take a 6'5" pitcher out of CA Collin Mahoney and everyone cheered after they heard Collin and then kinda felt bad for me after the Mahoney part, then I thought my agent was crazy but then a couple picks later the Expos drafted me and every one was super happy and that was the best day of my life till I made my MLB debut. As for part 2 of that question, if you told me the Expos were going to draft me before the draft I would have said your crazy because they might have been the one team that I really didn't talk to very much.

2) What were your initial thoughts on the transition from Montreal to Washington D.C.?

Well I was really happy because we were moving to the nations capital and into a bigger market, also when people asked me who I played for I didn't have to have to explain every single detail about it, they just new that Washington DC was in the united states and didn't think the Montreal Expos was a minor league team.

3) Coming into 2008, what goals did you set for yourself? Did you accomplish them?

Well going into every year I really only have one goal and you can say what you want to say because everyone always says come on Collin you have to have more goals then just that, the only goal I had was to stay healthy and I told myself if I stay healthy then good things will happen for me and it came true.

4) What are your thoughts on the new stadium in Washington? How does it compare to other major league parks you played at this year?

The first time I saw Nationals Park I was in awe, it really is an amazing stadium I mean the field, the stands, the red loft bar, and last but not least the jumbo-tron. But my favorite part of the whole stadium and im sorry fans because its the part that you cant go to is the clubhouse, I mean talk about top notch and just unreal. I would put Nationals Park on my top 5 stadiums no doubt.

5) What do you think the Nationals need to do in order to contend in the next few seasons?

Well I think all the pieces are here we just need to put the puzzle together. We really have a lot of great players at the major league level and a bunch in the minors that look to be ready in a couple years. I really feel that if we can stay healthy we will contend and surprise a lot of people.

6) A few months back I did an interview with Jamie Moyer and he said, "if you look at any starting pitcher during the course of the season when you're getting 30 or more starts, we're all in that same boat. It's just how bad are you? The way I look at it is if you take those 3-5 bad starts away and remove the 3-5 good starts away, the bulk of your season is in the remainder of 25 or so starts. If you pitch well in those games, you have a chance to make a big contribution to your ballclub." How do you feel about this method to measure a starting pitchers contributions to his club?

I believe in that method totally, I mean all you have to do is pitch good in the games when you might not have your best stuff or if you dont have your stuff at all because everyone knows its easy to pitch when you have your best stuff, so like Jamie said if you pitch well in those 20-25 games then your going to make a big contribution.

7) Who were some of the better hitters that you faced this year?

Some of the better hitters I faced this year were, Manny Ramirez, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Ryan Braun, C.C. Sabathia (haha), Ken Griffey JR, Adam Dunn. I mean im sure I left off a bunch but those are a few who come to mind.

8) Do you have any special rituals that you practice on game day or while on the mound?

Im not really a ritual kinda guy, but I do find myself doing some funny things on the day I pitch like, using the same urinal everytime I pitch, eating fruit right when I get to the park, listen to music 45 minutes before the game for 10 minutes. Those are minor compared to a lot of other players but those are a few.

9) How do you feel about the Ryan Howard v. Albert Pujols MVP debate? Would you have voted for Pujols?

Well those are two great players right there, you have the HR king and you have the guy you cant throw anything by. If I was voting and obviously I cant but I would vote for Albert Pujols and it wouldn't be by much because I believe that those are two of the better players in this game.

10) What can you tell us about your MLBlog? How can readers access it?

Well I do this blog because I believe that fans should be more behind the scenes and be able to see what players are all about, I mean come on now without you fans Baseball is nothing so I like to give back to the fans and answer questions they might have on a 1 to 1 basis and really show them that baseball players arn't so bad after all. I mean I was a fan not to long ago and I know what there thinking. So yeah, go on to http://collinbalester.mlblogs.com/ and check it out, its just Bally being Bally Check out how I live on a day to day basis, dont be afraid to ask questions dont be shy check it out it will be a good time, I promise.

Mussina Announces Retirement

2008-11-20T17:15:00.003-06:00

Mike Mussina has said that he will retire after 18 season in the majors. The 1990 first-round draft pick will retire having played 10 seasons for the Orioles and 8 for the Yankees, with a career ERA of 3.68 in 3562.2 innings pitched. Mussina also has 370 wins, which makes him tied for 33rd all time.

Mussina is retiring after one of the best seasons of his career. He won 20 games and had a ERA of 3.37 in 2008. His decision, of course, leaves another question mark in the Yankees rotation.

Dempster Re-signs with Cubs

2008-11-18T18:10:00.003-06:00

The Cubs brought back starting pitcher Ryan Dempster for four more years today, signing him to a 52 million dollar contract with a 14 million player option for 2012. Last year was a breakout year for the 31 year old, who posted a 2.96 ERA with 187 strikeouts in a little over 200 innings of work.

We'll see if this move affects how hard the Cubs will push to acquire Jake Peavy now.

Affeldt Signs with Giants

2008-11-17T20:34:00.003-06:00

The first free agent signing occurred today when Jeremy Affeldt signed a two year, 8 million dollar deal with the San Francisco Giants. Affeldt, 29, looks to bolster what was one of the worst bullpens in all of baseball last year. Affeldt, on the other hand, was stellar last year in Cincinnati, posting a 3.33 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched.

Hoffman Wins Humanitarian

2008-11-16T19:12:00.003-06:00

A few days back we reported that the Padres and closer Trevor Hoffman appear to be going sepearte ways, and obviously Hoffman was upset. To put that aside however, Hoffman made news this weekend after receiving the Branch Rickey Award for being a top notch community service volunteer in 2008.

While it's still up in the air where Hoffman will be pitching come spring, it's good to see Hoffman is being recognized for his off the field efforts.

Rumor Radar

2008-11-16T19:05:00.003-06:00

Here's the latest rumors circling the media:

The Royals are currently considering brining in pitcher Kenshin Kawakami from Japan, however, this is still in the beginning stages.
Omar Minaya and Ken Williams have been talking about Bobby Jenks becoming a Met. This article points out that the closer market definietly helps.
Multiple articles are pointing out that Julio Lugo may be headed to Detroit with the absense at short stop after the Tigers bought out the rest of Edgar Renteria's contract earlier this off season.

Replay To Stay In Baseball

2008-11-16T19:02:00.003-06:00

General Managers around the league have agreed that instant replay has been a success so far and wish to use it in the future. It will be interesting to see if any changes are made this off season in types of calls reviewed, however, GM's prefer to keep it the way it currently is.

This article helps to point out that replay will be used in the future, but seldom used.

Rasner Headed To Japan

2008-11-16T18:58:00.004-06:00

In a deal that has not been finalized yet, Yankees' pitcher Darrell Rasner is headed to Japan after the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have made a $1 million offer to the Yanks. Rasner is currently 27 years old, and split time between both the majors and minors this past season.

In 2008, Rasner posted a 5.40 ERA in 20 starts for the big league club. No word yet on his new contract.

Around The Majors

2008-11-13T20:05:00.003-06:00

Here's the latest headlines in the baseball world:

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that if the Braves trade for Jake Peavy, their next move would be to sign free agent and former Brave, Rafael Furcal.
The third base coach for the Red Sox, DeMarlo Hale, has interviewed for the managers job in Seattle.
Jayson Stark published an article about the CC Sabathia free agency speculation.
The Milwaukee Brewers have made a puzzling move today by exercising their option on reliever Salomon Torres who has already publicaly retired this off season. They feel by doing so, they will have him locked up if he decides to come back.

Nick Swisher Acquired by Yanks

2008-11-13T15:34:00.003-06:00

The Yankees made some more offseason noise today, not by signing an expensive free agent but by trading for White Sox 1B/OF Nick Swisher. They gave up Wilson Betemit and two minor league pitchers Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez, and also receiver minor leaguer Kanekoa Texeira.

Swisher, 27, will assume the first job with Jason Giambi departing and is coming off the worst season of his career in which he batted .219 with 24 home runs. In 2006, his best season, he blasted 35 home runs.

Marlins Dump More Salary

2008-11-13T15:26:00.003-06:00

The Marlins avoided being taken to arbitration with another player today when they traded closer Kevin Gregg to the Cubs for minor league pitcher Jose Ceda. With the acquisition of Gregg, the Cubs will likely part ways with Kerry Wood, who will test the free agent market.

Ceda is 21 year old reliever who posted a 3.83 ERA in both Single and Double-A this year. Gregg and set-up man Carlos Marmol will fight for the closer role next season.

Yankees Secure Marte

2008-11-12T15:38:00.004-06:00

The Yankees have signed left-handed reliever Damaso Marte for 12 million over 3 years with a 2012 club option. The 33 year old reliever, acquired midseason in the Xavier Nady trade, ended 2008 with a 4.02 ERA and 71 Strikeouts in 65 innings pitched overall. He was significantly worse with the Yankees, though, posting a 4.50 ERA in 25 appearances.

Neshek Needs TJ Surgery

2008-11-11T21:49:00.002-06:00

Twins reliever Pat Neshek will miss all of the 2009 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow that will require Tommy John surgery.

The once promising reliever, after a 2007 season in which he posted a 2.94 ERA did not have a good 2008 season, spent mostly rehabbing from the same elbow injury. Neshek will be 29 years old opening day 2010, when he will hopefully pitch again.

Padres Withdraw Offer To Hoffman

2008-11-11T11:47:00.004-06:00

It appears that the San Diego Padres and veteran closer Trevor Hoffman will be parting ways after the Padres revoked their $4 million proposal today. If Hoffman wants to continue to play baseball, there is surely a team out there that will be signing him by Opening Day. Although 41-years-old, Hoffman is still considered one of the more consistent closers to this day.

Here's a snippet from the article:

"Asked what Hoffman intended to do from here, Rick Thurman, one of Hoffman's Beverley Hills-based agents, told MLB.com: "He's a free agent. So many teams consider him to be a San Diego Padre. Not a lot of teams took him very seriously as a free agent. We'll find out very shortly. A lot of teams need a closer. He's the cream of the closers and we'll see what teams have interest in him." '

Marlins and Nationals Complete Deal

2008-11-11T11:40:00.005-06:00

Due to the hype of the Matt Holliday trade, this one has gone fairly unnoticed but is well worth mentioning. NL East Division rivals Nationals and Marlins have reached an agreement to swap a total of five players. In this deal, the Nationals receive 24-year-old Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham in return for second base prospects Emilio Bonifacio and Jake Smolinski along with starting pitcher P.J. Dean.

Olsen is a good value especially for a 24-year-old starter, while Willingham has hit over 20 home runs in each of the past two seasons. Earlier this off season, the Nationals admitted their desire to add a power hitter to the lineup, so it will be interesting to see if they considering Willingham that guy.

Bonifacio is the most well known piece the Marlins will receive. Scouts claim that he is a major league ready talent with speed and a pretty good glove.

Otherwise, the Nationals may attempt to sign a free agent like Adam Dunn, who brings that power at a cheaper price, albeit strikeouts come with that price.