Sunday, July 20, 2008

General Manager Berger on Line 1

I was thinking about baseball trades today and the ability for teams to rebuild on the run. Last year I advocated the Yankees to try to trade a guy like Mussina who, though valuable, could help the Yankees restock the "farm" without dismantling the team. Of course they turned around the season and still made the playoffs and now Mussina is helping lead the drive to the playoffs this year.

So, if you dont want to trade a veteran from a team that contends every year, then what about trading youth from a team in the middle of a rebuild. Now before you scratch your head to the point of scalp removal, please read my case study...The San Francisco Giants. Right now the Giants are a bad team in a worse division. They just traded Ray Durham and are cleary in Post-Bonds rebuild. I think they should make one more trade...trade TIM LINCECUM! Now, if you were scratching your head before, I can only imagine what you are thinking now. I say, that Lincecum's value has never been higher nor will it as you have the rare window of opportunity to trade a guy who is EXCELLENT now AND still has pontential to spare. Some people would say that is a reason to lock him up like the Cleveland Indians would do in the past with young players. But I look at the Okaland A's and the Indians themselves (C.C. Sabbathia trade this year for example) as two great reasons to trade Timmy. The A's have showed how you can trade a Haren, Hudson, Mulder, etc. and get solid (if not better) major league ( near major league) ready talent. The Indians have shown that locking up young talent works, but you can end up in a CC Sabbathia situation as well.
I say trade Lincecum and get 3-4 prospects that could all be playing at the major league level within the next 12 months and that wil give you a chance to win a weak National League West quicker than one Tim Lincecum can do by himself.

Friday, July 18, 2008

T.W.I.B. Notes from Around the League

This week in Berger........

Josh Hamilton in the homerun derby at Yankee Stadium was awesome! Probably the most energetic non Yankees World Series moment I enjoyed watching, baseball related, in a LONG time.

The economy - Pretty scary. Oil and Housing Crisis are understandable, but IndyMac closed, Wachovia raided, and Citigroup posting a $2.5B loss and B-E-A-T-I-N-G the expectations on the Street....Thats got me scared.

Work - I am lucky to have the job and all the work we have, but DAMN!. I have never seen this many people working on multiple projects from multiple companies this stressed out. From the Director of Construction for the Owner all the way down to the final cleaners (and of course the flooring guys!).

Vegas - As of this writing, rumors of a last second 24 hour Vegas trip cannot be confirmed or denied.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

American Dreams, Ninja Blacksox, and Japan Robins are back!!!


1989 will be remembered for MANY things, but perhaps none bigger than the introduction of the Nintendo game, "Baseball Stars." Whether making your own SUPER team or having 7 game series that featured 1968 like pitching duels and hitters who barely hit .220, we all got caught in the hysteria of the best video baseball game offering of its era. Well now, with no downloads, and no MONEY, you can play for free on your desktop!!! See the link below and enjoy Baseball Stars and EVERY Nintendo game of ALL TIME!!!