The 2008 season started with the Red Sox as champs. They were beaten by the A's, who were beaten back by Boston, who were then swept by Toronto, who lost to Oakland, who lost to Cleveland, and so on, until we reached our current champion.
The Heavyweight of the Year is the team that wins the most title bouts at the end of the season.
2008 Title Bout Records:
| Mets | 23 | 17 |
| Athletics | 13 | 13 |
| Red Sox | 11 | 7 |
| Cubs | 9 | 1 |
| Padres | 8 | 6 |
| Rockies | 7 | 14 |
| Angels | 6 | 4 |
| Indians | 6 | 11 |
| Brewers | 5 | 0 |
| Cardinals | 5 | 5 |
| Reds | 5 | 5 |
| Dodgers | 5 | 7 |
| Marlins | 4 | 3 |
| Rangers | 4 | 6 |
| Blue Jays | 3 | 3 |
| Nationals | 3 | 5 |
| Mariners | 2 | 1 |
| Yankees | 2 | 3 |
| Phillies | 2 | 5 |
| Tigers | 1 | 2 |
| Giants | 0 | 3 |
| Orioles | 0 | 3 |
2006 Heavyweight of the Year:
Oakland Athletics
2005 Heavyweight of the Year:
Oakland Athletics
Ken: catfish AT zombia d.o.t. com
Ryan: rarmbrust AT gmail d.o.t. com
Philip: kingchimp AT alamedanet d.o.t net
2008 Stats
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According to Buster Olney at ESPN, the A's have sent Joe Blanton to Philadelphia for second baseman Adrian Cardenas, pitcher Josh Outman and outfielder Matthew Spencer.
The A's must really think Mark Ellis is going to leave as a free agent, as the A's are loading up on second base prospects all of a sudden. First they drafted Jemile Weeks, then they traded for Eric Patterson in the Rich Harden trade, and now they add Cardenas. Meanwhile, we're still stuck with no heir apparents to either Bobby Crosby or Eric Chavez.
But heck, you can't get a better name for a pitching prospect than Josh Outman, can you?
I like this trade better than the Harden trade, because I expected to get less from Blanton. But Cardenas and Outman are legit prospects. In the preseason, Kevin Goldstein gave them both 3-star ratings, while John Sickels ranked them both as solid B's. Spencer didn't make Goldstein's list, while Sickels gave him a C+.
BTW, if you don't like either of the two trades, you can blame this article of mine. I was literally two minutes from publishing it when the Rich Harden trade went down, and this Blanton trade goes through two minutes after I finally pressed the publish button on the thing.
vr, Xei
This looks like another swindle for Billy.
Preseason Baseball America Phillies Prospects
Cardenas #2
Outman #4
Spencer unranked
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Although a 2B now, Cardenas was the projected starting RF for the Phillies in 2011 by Baseball America. Cardenas was also rated the best hitter for average in the Phillies' system.
Outman was the #5 starter, behind Hamels, Myers, Carlos Carrasco (#1 prospect), and Joe Savery (#3). Outman's slider was rated best in the system.
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Also, Cardenas was rated by BA as the #78 prospect in baseball back in April.
For reference, Sean Gallagher -- obtained from the Cubs in the Harden deal -- was ranked #82 overall.
Seems to be the case.
But since none of the three prospects were on the Phils' 40-man roster, the A's now have an opening on theirs after trading Blanton. They could use the spot to call up Gio or someone else like Kirk Saarloos, I suppose. Or maybe they decide they want to use it on a position player. We'll see, I guess.
Well Cardenas could be moved to the outfield eventually. I doubt they are doing these moves to get LaRoche, but it would be smart for Beane to steal LaRoche away from the Dodgers.
Dejesus just got moved to second by the way, so I think the Dodgers see him as the future at second.
Maybe the Duke to LA?
Maybe the Duke to LA?
Duchscherer still has one more season (2009) until he hits free agency, so he probably wouldn't be traded until next year, if at all. By the end of next season, the A's might be strong enough to be able to keep him for another run.
Beane will trade anyone if he gets the real deal. I can't even recall him ever trading a player in his free agent year during the season.
Only one I can think of is Kendall last year. I guess Milton Bradley last would count to, but he was DFA'd so it's a different circumstance.
I'd love to see Braden get a clean shot, but the A's don't even like to use him in mopup, so I'm not sure what the chances of that are.
Of course, the rest of this season might well be looked at as mopup, so ...
From what I understand DeJesus only played 2nd in the futures game because Andrus was going to be the starting SS. He is getting time at 2nd in case they need him as a utility infielder but I don't think there is any way he is being moved to 2nd base for the long term. The man is a SS. I'll eat crow if I'm wrong as I have plenty in my backyard to choose from.
I'd love for us to get Ellis right now and plunk him at SS and then sign him as FA for 2nd next year. Don't tell me Ellis can't play SS, we have Nomar playing it right now.
Objectively, the truth is that the A's probably got something close to fair value for both of those guys, but it's funny how much our emotions play into how we look at these trades.
Next couple weeks should be interesting. Who's next, Ellis (probably)? Street? Crosby (please yes)? Duke (please no)? And where do Bedard and Burnett go?
Everyone can get a hit off that Duchie ...
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