Valadius

At least I got the two ROYs right.

Possibly Jay Payton.

Discussed here: http://cranepoolforum.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=7748&start=20

I agree, Braun did deserve it. Project his numbers out over a full season - he hits 40 homers easily.

Braun beat Tulowitski by only two points.

Larry Jones, Jackass: ]Chipper Jones can't believe Wright won Gold Glove Sunday, Nov 11, 2007 8:00 am EST A report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week said that Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones can't figure out how David Wright of the New York Mets won the NL Gold Glove. "When I find out [Wright won] I was speechless, for quite some time," Jones said. "Certainly the guys with the least amount of errors and best fielding percentage quite obviously didn't win it." The report also quoted Jones as saying, "I wouldn't have been disappointed had someone like [Pedro] Feliz or [Aramis] Ramirez won it. I'm a little confused by the final tally, that's a head-scratcher for me." Wright told The New York Post: "I don't take anything he says to heart. Obviously I think I can be better defensively. But I have a Gold Glove, and that's the bottom line, and that's something I'm very proud of, and I feel like I'm getting better and better defensively, and obviously managers and coaches have seen that." Source: New York Post

J.C. Romero re-signs with the Phillies for three years, $12 million.

Omar Vizquel re-ups with the Giants for one more year. That seemingly ends the possibility that A-Rod ends up in San Francisco, with Feliz and Vizquel on the left side of the infield.

Welcome back, Willets! And please, stick around for a while.

I will say it again - Omar, please trade for Micah Owings. He'll change the whole dynamic of each game he starts.

It's not collusion, it's saving time. Instead of sending aides and scouts running around and doing things indirectly, it's all presented up-front and direct.

The first picture is a red dot for me.

And it's official. Call them the Tampa Bay Rays.

Correct. Now it is your turn.

Among managers, I'd vote for Herzog and Williams. I'd also vote Doug Harvey in among umpires (SABR rated him the 2nd-greatest umpire in history, behind Bill Klem). Among executives, Marvin Miller is a shoo-in. I'd also vote for Barney Dreyfuss, Bob Howsam, and Walter O'Malley.

The ballot for the Veterans' Committee voting on managers, umpires, and executives was announced today. On the ballot: Managers Whitey Herzog Davey Johnson Billy Martin Gene Mauch Danny Murtaugh Billy Southworth Dick Williams Umpires Doug Harvey Hank O'Day Cy Rigler Executives Buzzie Bavasi Barney Dreyfuss Bob Howsam Ewing Kauffman Bowie Kuhn John McHale Marvin Miller Walter O'Malley Gabe Paul Your thoughts?

Um... it's my turn, Gwreck.

All born in state capitals.

From the AP: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-mets-hurricanehelp&prov=ap&type=lgns ]Mets stars Pedro Martinez and Moises Alou try to help storm survivors in Dominican By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer November 7, 2007 NEW YORK (AP) -- Pedro Martinez's neighbors in the Dominican Republic are desperate. They've been driven from their humble homes, with families separated and children displaced after small shacks all over the island were washed away in the catastrophic floods from Tropical Storm Noel. People are hungry. They're exhausted. Hundreds are sleeping on the floor at Martinez's old high school, short on clothing and water and everything else they need. "It's devastating. The area was just totally wiped out," Martinez said Wednesday on a conference call from his ravaged country. "They don't have anything. They're just waiting for us to bring anything, something to eat." Martinez and New York Mets teammate Moises Alou are trying to help. The star pitcher returned to his Dominican hometown of Manoguayabo, touring storm-battered houses and visiting a shelter for evacuees. Martinez had planned to begin his offseason training program Wednesday in Florida, but he's staying home until next week so he can attempt to provide more assistance. He pleaded for others to chip in, too. "I'm like the mayor here. People just run up to me and, I can't. I can't. I'm not enough," Martinez said. "I'm asking for help. I'm crying out, HELP! I can't do it by myself." Noel, which intensified into a hurricane, blew through the Caribbean last weekend and was blamed for at least 85 deaths in the Dominican Republic, 66 in Haiti and one each in the Bahamas and Jamaica. The storm displaced about 83,000 people in the Dominican, many left homeless due to disastrous flooding and mudslides. "I think it's probably worse than what you've seen in the paper or on TV," said Alou, who also lives in the Dominican Republic. Martinez's wife, Carolina, joined him in Manoguayabo, the small suburb of Santo Domingo where the three-time Cy Young Award winner was born. She said the entire community was flooded. They've heard one heartbreaking story after another from folks who lost their homes and belongings -- even their children when youngsters were swept away by the surging water. "Those people were left like in the middle of the river. Some of the people were dragging their kids out," Martinez said. "It's horrible when you come and see it in person." He's witnessed such destruction before. Recalling his childhood, Martinez told victims he had to evacuate his home in 1979 after Hurricane David, a massive storm that killed thousands and caused billions of dollars in damage. "I know what it means to see your house full of water and have to go running, leaving everything behind," he said. Now, Martinez fears disease will set in for many evacuees who are living in cramped conditions without safe water. He said any sort of aid would help: clothing, food, water, money, medicine. He hopes the large Dominican population in New York can make a difference. "The government, it's going to take them a little while to fix everything," Martinez said. The Mets launched a fundraising and public awareness drive Wednesday to assist the relief effort, and fans can make donations through the team's Web site or the New York Mets Foundation. Martinez called on other baseball stars to join the recovery effort as well. His agent, Fernando Cuza, said the Mets would match the amount raised by Martinez and Alou.

We have a damn closer already, one of the best in the majors. We'd be overpaying for a setup guy.

The GMs decided that 1st-base and 3rd-base coaches will wear helmets next season: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AtM3y5cgn9KNmx8FUxgdR5YRvLYF?slug=ap-coaches-helmets&prov=ap&type=lgns

Clemens looks like he might actually finally retire and stay retired: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AihiFMQy09PwKgudzXufVMsRvLYF?slug=ap-clemens-retirement&prov=ap&type=lgns

I forget where I read it. It had something to do with the aftermath of his foot surgery and the fact that he's getting up in years.