10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (2/10-2/12)

10. Yankees Attempt to Trade A.J. Burnett to Pirates

            I like where the Pirates heads are at here. It’s not everyday they can acquire a starter with number one stuff, which Burnett has. I expect New York to eat $25 million of the $33 million owed to Burnett over the next two seasons, which makes this a low-risk gamble for the up and coming Pirates.

9. Kevin Youkilis Gets Engaged to Tom Brady’s Sister

            Thankfully, Brady’s sister won’t have to worry about Youkilis ever going up against Eli Manning in a baseball game.

8. Detroit Red Wings Win Twentieth Straight Home Game

            Even without Jimmy Howard, nothing has stopped the Red Wings from dominating at home. I still like them as the number one threat to Vancouver in the Western Conference.

7. Zambia Wins African Cup

            I know zilch about African futbol, but this story of a team winning a tournament nineteen years after the majority of it’s roster was lost in a plane crash is pretty epic.

6. Rick Grimes Rediscovers His Balls on “The Walking Dead” Mid-Season Premiere

            Grimes had been a sissy ever since his kid got shot, so it was good to see him kick some ass when he encountered a couple of Pantera fans in a bar.

5. Wayne Rooney Scores Twice, Leads Manchester United Over Liverpool

            Rooney proved to be the difference in a game marred by racial tension throughout.

4. Celtics Defeat Ailing Bulls

            I don’t mean to burst the bubble of Celtics fans everywhere, but they were only able to beat a team who was without the defending NBA MVP by four points.

3. Mickelson Steals Tiger’s Thunder at Pebble Beach

            Wood’s supporters should place the blame for Tiger’s miserable fourth round on Tony Romo, who was Wood’s amateur partner in the tournament. As for Phil, his six-stroke comeback will go down as one of his greatest non-major wins of his career.

2. Linsanity Strikes Down the Lakers

            It’s really hard to believe that an undrafted player out of Harvard is all of a sudden one of the ten most watchable players in the NBA, but after watching the entire second half of the Knicks-Lakers game Friday night, I’m a believer.

1. The World Remembers Whitney Houston

            Has a singer ever (for lack of a better word) picked a better day to pass away? She weaseled a second memorial service out of the Grammy Awards last night. In all seriousness though, I sincerely hope that wherever she has gone, Whitney Houston has found the peace that she could never find on Earth.

                                                                                                         

Sunday Draft (3-13-11) Rounds 18-21 of the Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft

18-205 = Aroldis Chapman, RP, Reds – Even if Chapman doesn’t overtake Francisco Cordero at some point for the closing gig, he’s still a great source of strikeouts out of your relief pitcher spot.

18-206 = Manny Ramirez, LF, Rays – For what it’s worth, scouts are saying Ramirez has much greater bat-speed this spring than he has the past two years.

18-207 = Omar Infante, 2B-3B-SS-LF-RF, Marlins – Acquired in the Dan Uggla trade, Infante should see regular at-bats from the 2 hole for Florida.

18-208 = Chris Sale, RP, White Sox – Even if Matt Thornton (who has never been a full-time closer) earns the closer role, Sale still will provide quality ratios and strikeouts.

18-209 = Carlos Zambrano, SP-RP, Cubs – While certainly a loose cannon, Zambrano does have the talent to be an elite starting pitcher.

18-210 = Alfonso Soriano, LF, Cubs – Soriano’s stats have been steadily declining over the past four seasons, but the 18^th round isn’t a bad spot to see if he has any life left.

18-211 = Hong Chi Kuo, RP, Dodgers – If Jonathan Broxton’s second half struggles spill into this season, Kuo will take over closing duties for Los Angeles.

18-212 = Ian Stewart, 3B, Rockies – I hate this pick even more after word is out that Stewart will likely begin the season on the DL.

18-213 = Derek Holland, SP, Rangers – I have an irrational man-crush on Holland.

18-214 = Jonny Venters, RP, Braves – Like the first three relievers, Venters is more than likely the second option for the closer job.

18-215 = Jason Bay, LF, Mets – Don’t expect 30+ homers ever again, but seeing Bay rebound to hit 20 isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

18-216 = Jake Peavy, SP, White Sox – Peavy is coming off shoulder surgery, but is a solid buy-low candidate who has the potential to deliver top-20 value.

19-217 = Carlos Pena, 1B, Cubs – Has the potential to hit 30+ home runs, but he will be a parachute for your batting average (.241 career hitter, .196 in 2010).

19-218 = Tim Stauffer, SP-RP, Padres – Portland, ME, native Tim Stauffer is a very solid sleeper going into 2011. He keeps the ball on the ground, and has the luxury of pitching his home games in San Diego.

19-219 = Yunel Escobar, SS, Blue Jays – Every year it seems like Toronto has some random dude bust out and hit 30, 40, or even 50 home runs in a season. Escobar could be that guy in 2011.

19-220 = James Shields, SP, Rays – Shields was a victim of terrible luck last season (a .341 BABIP was insanely high), and is a great buy-low option.

19-221 = Adam Jones, CF, Orioles – Has all the tools but needs to show more patience at the plate.

19-222 = John Lackey, SP, Red Sox – Lackey had issues during his first year for the Sox, but has the talent (and the offense supporting him) to put together an 18 win season.

19-223 = Scott Rolen, 3B, Reds – Doesn’t strike out much, and is a solid bet to finish the year with 20 home runs.

19-224 = Edwin Jackson, SP, White Sox – He’s wild, but actually showed some consistency after getting traded from Arizona to Chicago.

19-225 = Clayton Richard, SP, Padres – Richard doesn’t have great stuff, but his home park helps keep his overall ERA down.

19-226 = Anibal Sanchez, SP, Marlins – Not a ton of upside, but Sanchez will give you a solid 200 innings.

19-227 = Ty Wigginton, 1B-2B-3B, Rockies – Wigginton will start the year manning 3^rd, and should be able to find regular at-bats for a solid Colorado team.

19-228 = Gavin Floyd, SP, White Sox – Floyd’s 2010 was ruined by a shoulder injury, but he appears healthy so far this spring.

20-229 = David Freese, 3B, Cardinals – Freese is an interesting option late in drafts who has potential to hit 25 home runs.

20-230 = Jake McGee, RP, Rays – Rays manager Joe Maddon likes to use the closer-by-committee approach, but he’d be a fool not to use his most talented arm in the bullpen the majority of the time.

20-231 = Justin Smoak, 1B, Mariners – Classic post-hype sleeper.

20-232 = Carl Pavano, SP, Twins – If a Yankees fan is ever getting on your nerves, ask him/her how the Carl Pavano era went for them.

20-233 = Marco Scutaro, 2B-SS, Red Sox – He’s a safe bet to rack up at least 90 runs scored no matter where he hits in the lineup.

20-234 = Homer Bailey, SP, Reds – He’s been viewed as a bust for the past few years, but one should remember he’s only 24 years old.

20-235 = Gaby Sanchez, 1B, Marlins – You shouldn’t expect him to be a star, but Sanchez can deliver solid numbers for a backup corner infielder.

20-236 = Brandon League, RP, Mariners – League is expected to hold down the closer role until David Aardsma is healthy.

20-237 = Coco Crisp, CF, Athletics – He’s usually hurt, but when he isn’t, he runs like a banshee.

20-238 = Scott Baker, SP, Twins – Gives up to many homers to justify taking him any earlier than the 17^th round. A mediocre pitcher who happens to be employed by a good team.

20-239 = Ryan Theriot, 2B-SS, Cardinals – Theriot is a good target to backup your middle infielders. He could produce better than expected value if he can earn one of the top two spots in the Cardinals lineup.

20-240 = Brian Duensing, SP-RP, Twins – Expect his ERA to be closer to 4 than 3, but he should have a shot at plenty of wins pitching for Minnesota.

21-241 = Miguel Tejada, 3B-SS, Giants – His glory days in Oakland are long gone, but he’s a solid guy to have on your bench.

21-242 = Jon Garland, SP, Dodgers – Garland will miss the first couple of weeks due to an oblique strain. Check on the number of DL spots your league allows (if any) before committing a roster spot to him.

21-243 = A.J. Burnett, SP, Yankees – Burnett has become a punch line, but still has the talent to be a solid number 2 starter. He’s worth a gamble at some point in your draft.

21-244 = Jair Jurrjens, SP, Braves – If he delivers a 3.75 ERA, you’ll be happy with the price you paid for him (currently going 223^rd in ESPN leagues).

21-245 = Randy Wolf, SP, Brewers – I’m expecting Wolf to be better adjusted to Milwaukee going into his second season with the club. It will help that he’s the fourth starter on this staff.

21-246 = Jhonny Peralta, 3B-SS, Tigers – Peralta looked comfortable in Detroit after being acquired by the Tigers during the season.

21-247 = Dallas Braden, SP, Athletics – Braden will always be remembered as the pitcher who’s grandmother called out Alex Rodriguez.

21-248 = Travis Wood, SP, Reds – He isn’t sexy but he throws strikes and doesn’t walk people.

21-249 = Freddie Freeman, 1B, Braves – The 21-year old rookie is hitting .458 so far in Spring Training.

21-250 = Tommy Hunter, SP, Rangers – He doesn’t rack up strikeouts, but his presence on a contending team makes him a late-round target.

21-251 = Derek Lowe, SP, Braves – Lowe is an old warhorse that still is capable of giving 200 solid innings.

21-252 = J.A. Happ, SP, Astros – Happ was solid after being sent from Philadelphia to Houston in the Roy Oswalt trade.