two more MLB signings

The Toronto Blue Jays resolved their issues in the middle infield Thursday inking SS Royce Clayton for next season. Speed and defense makes Clayton a shortstop pitchers love to have behind them. He has occasional pop in his bat. Impatience at the plate has led to Clayton striking out way too often. Age has robbed him of some of his base-stealing quickness. He should bat in the 7-9 spots. Clayton will take pressure off Aaron Hill and allow him to assume a position likely more suited to Hill at this point in his career (2b).

The Milwaukee Brewers also dipped into the free agency pool inking SS Craig Counsell. He's a strong infielder with good range but most of all, he has the heart of a lion between the lines, running the bases with a rare combination of aggression and smarts and possessing a firm grasp of the fundamentals. Counsell hits with minimal power and sometimes has trouble getting around on 90-mph-plus fastballs. He is constantly trying to pull the ball and has not conditioned himself to go the opposite way with his limited strength. Counsell will provide strong leadership for the younger players in the Brewers organization.

signigs from around the MLB

You can cross lefty southpaw starter Randy Wolf off J.P. Riccardi's wish list. The lefty has signed a one-dyear deal with the LA Dodgers. Wolf completely stymies the running game with his move to first. He's a battler who picks his spots with a great curveball and a solid changeup that devastate left handed batters. A great hitter for a pitcher. Wolf tends to tire in the second half and his health is a concern as he's coming off Tommy-John surgery. Hitters have picked apart his high fastball. He's prone to lapses in the late innings. Look for wolf to slide in as the #3 starter in the Dodgers rotation.

The St. Louis Cardinals locked up three players Wednesday including back-up catcher Gary Bennett. Bennett has a strong arm that is not always accurate. A steady offensive player, a contact hitter who does have some pop in his bat. An increasing walk ratio is a testament to his increasing discipline at the plate. As mentioned, Bennett has to do a better job at getting his throws on target. His lack of arm accuracy costs his club a number of outs.

Rightie starter Kip Wells also signed with the Cardinals. He could be anywhere from # 2 starter to #4 starter deoending on who else the Cardinals land. He challenges hitters with his slick low-90's heat and tight curveball, usually getting ahead early in the count. Has the mental toughness to bear down with runners aboard. His stamina is in question, rarely able to last beyond the 6th inning. As the season goes on, his command starts to disappear.

Finally, the Cardinals inked their starting second baseman signing Adam Kennedy to a multi-year deal. Kennedy is a pure hitter, using all parts of the field with power to the gaps for extra bases. He's becoming a much more sure-handed second baseman by the year. As good a contact hitter as he is, he has no patience at the plate, rarely walking and often whiffing. Too often, he comes up lame with runners in scoring position. Look for Kennedy to lead-off in the Dodgers line-up.

top five reasons not to vote NDP

Being from BC, I have decided to list my top five reasons why I would never vote NDP. Also, this is in honor of all the top fives I've seen on sportsnet.ca lately

5. The NDP's inability to add and/or subtract; see fudget budget among other things.

4. Their misuse of public funds to buy lemon ferries; fast cat fiasco.

3. Their instability at leader; I want a party who has strong leadership skills, and right now Carole James is simply not doing the job even as an opposition; which should be easier than making the actual decisions in a lot of cases as she doesn't have to defend the moves, she only has to dispute those decisions, preferably with numbers and facts to back them up that are true.

2. because of the mess they made with our healthcare system and not supporting children with special needs.

and the #1 reason I will never vote NDP is their ties with unions. I really hate being put in the middle by the union worker who insists on not negotiating a deal and using the oublic as pawns instead by walking off the job for a few days or weeks in extreme cases. It's really essential to keep certain things open (hospitals, Hydro because of the potential for injury with downed lines, police stations, fire stations). Other things are not necessarily as essential, but for certain groups it may be essential (schools are not so essential for the typical student, but for someone struggling in school or having some sort of disability, such as autism, changes in routine can throw them off or they may need as much time in the class room as possible save for the occasional snow fall closure and the usual breaks scheduled throughout the school year).

update on Blue Jays signing and more

According to Sportsnet.ca Gregg Zaun is close to signing with the Jays, despite earlier reports indicating Rod Brajas has signed a tentative deal. Zaun is a leader who handls pitcher's very well. A disciplined hitter, Zaun shows occassional power. He tends to fade at the plate during the second half and falls flat in the clutch. Has little power against south paws. This would be a good move, however, the Jays will want to look into signing a back-up catcher who can throw out base runners better than Molina (the Jays were ranked near the bottom of the league in that category and will have to improve this stt if they want to make the playoffs.)

There were two other signings in the MLB Monday including catcher Chad Mohler who will be battling for the back-up job in Cincinatti. He has a pretty good arm and knows how to handle pitchers. At the plate, he thrives against softer, breaking stuff. He tends to hit the ball on the ground too much, which is not a good idea for a slow catcher. Fails with runners in scoring positions and the second half.

Finally, starter Adam Eaton signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Eaton's ability to keep the ball on the ground is superb, using four strong pitches. He has shown he can work both sides of the plate and isn't afraid to go inside when behind in the count. He is solid as fielder and is above-average with the bat. Occasional lapses in control have been Eaton's nemises. He tends to have trouble with left-handed hitters. Eaton should slide in as a solid #3 starter for the Phillies.

three more MLB signings

Three more players have inked tentative deals with baseball clubs today. Former all-star starter Mike Mussina signed a two-year pact with the NY Yankees. Though this fastball can reach the mid-90's, it's not his strongest weapon. That title goes to his nasty knuckle-curve, over which he exhibits sterling control, as he does with all his pitches. Defensively, having Mussina on the mound is like having a "short-shortstop" playing in the middle of the diamond and he can keep runners close to the bag. On the down side, he's traditionally a bit of a slow starter and tends to have trouble with runners in scoring position. Presently, he's slated to pitch in the no. 2 or 3 position, depending on how they rank Randy Johnson, who's getting on in age.

Reliever Danny Baez is moving south to Tampa Bay this winter. Baez throws a nice mid-90's fastball with good movement and an ever-improving curveball. He's very effective pitching in tight spots, especially in the late innings. However, he's been known to have problems with his mechanics, so he has to be sure not to tinker with a good thing. Baez will provide a veteran presence in a young bullpen.

Finally, the Blue Jays have reached a tentative deal with catcher Rod Brajas. At the plate he has some pop and is able to take advantage with runners in scoring position. Behind the plate, he's got the arm and smarts of a good big-league catcher. His bat is just far too inconsistent. He's extremely aggressive at the plate and, although he makes contact fairly frequently, too often it's for outs and he'll rarely stick around for bases on balls. Brajas will be a defensive upgrade over Molina and Zaun, but an offensive down grade over both catchers.

slow down for winter conditions

This is just a friendly reminder to motorists travelling in the Lower Mainland to leave plenty of time to get to school and work in the morning. The Weathernetwork is forecasting snow overnight with temperatures dipping below the freezing mark. Also, if your children are going out to play, make sure they are sufficiently bundled up.

Houston Astros dip into free agent market

The Houston Astros are attempting to bolster both their lin-up and pitching staff in an attempt at a run in the Fall Classic

Carlos Lee signed a 6-year 100-million dollar deal with the Astros, the first four years include a no-trade clause, on Friday. Lee has one of the sweetest swings of any right-hander in the game and generates tremendous bat speed. He is a big man who can hit for power and average. Lee's strike-zone judgement has much to be desired. He's a barely average fielder in the outfield and tends to be a slow starter at the plate. He should fit in nicely in the #3 hole.

Woody Williams has also signed with the Astros Friday. Williams throws a cutter, a 90-mph four-seamer, a curve, and a good change-up. He is a fly ball pitcher who works the strike zone up and down. Because Williams works the plate up and down, he is prone to giving up the long ball. If he's not on, his pitches hang in the strike zone and are greeted with open arms by opposing hitters. It often takes a rough first inning to get his head in the game. Woody Willians could end up anywhere from staff ace to #3 starter depending on what Roger "the rocket" Clemens and Andy Pettite decide to do (retire or sign on with another team).

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy thanksgiving to all those who live in the US or have friends and/or family living in the US.

Jeff Francis Re-signs, Matthews Jr. heading to a rival

Canadian Jeff Francis has re-signed with the Colorado Rockies for another four years. He throws his fastball in the low-90's with pristine command. His curveball can also be nasty and he throws it all with a quick and easy motion. Francis needs to build endurance and continue to work on the consistency of his secondary pitches. Pitching in hitter-friendly Coors field last season, Francis went 13-11 with a respectable 4.16 ERA.

The other major signing saw Gary Matthews Jr. bolt from the Texas Rangers to the rival LA Angels. It's his power that has kept him in the league thus far. Though he's a free swinger, he knows when to take a pitch. Strange for a power hitter, he tends to have trouble making consistent contact against power pitchers. He could stand to hit better with runners in scoring position. This should be a good pick-up by the Angels, who would like to see Guerrero see more hittable pitches.

Morneau wins AL MVP award and other musings from around the MLB

Canadian Justin Morneau did his country prpud on Tuesday capturing the AL MVP ahead of reigning champ David "big papi" Ortiz and Derek Jeter. Morneau hit an impressive .368 over the final four months of the season finishing the year with 30+ HR, more than 100 runs batted in and more than 30 stolen bases. The Minnesota Twins were 11.5 games back in the Central Division and in large part to Morneau's lighting up the AL, the Twins overtook the Detroit Tigers for top spot in the Central Division on the final day. Way to go Morneau, Canada is proud to call you our own.

The Toronto Blue Jays can cross SS Alex Gonzalez off their wish list. He signed on with the Cincinatti Reds Monday. There's no denying his defensive wizardry, with great range and a strong arm. He hits well against lefties and can captilalie with runners on. He has good extra base speed and surprising power for a man his size. Gonzalez is one of the most impatient free swinging hitters in the game. Free swinging is fine if you can make contact on a regular basis, but one look at his strikeout totals tells you he can't. Look for Gonzalez in the #8 hole in the Reds line-up card and at SS in the field.

Catcher Jason LaRue was traded from the Reds to the KC Royals for a player to be named later. Though he has good powerand can produce runs, defense is his priority. He's becoming one of the game's top throwing catchers. LaRue has the knack for gaining the respect and confidence of his pitchers and he's not afraid to put his body in front of the ball. He's a free swinger who strikes out a lot and rarely takes a walk. He struggles mostly against lefties and has had trouble driving in base runners. LaRue will be a fine addition in helping KC's younger pitchers develop quicker.

Rightie Reliever Kevin Gregg has been traded to the Florida Marlins in exchange for a minor leaguer. He has occassionally overpowering stuff and keeps the ball in the park. He's equally effective against hitters from both sides of the plate, gets ahead of the count and works well from the stretch with runners on. Gregg tends not to be effective unless he has a couple of days rest between appearances. Curiously, he tends to be a much better pitcher during day games. Gregg provides the Marlins with a quality middle reliever who can make a spot start.

CF Juan Pierre has signed on with the LA Dodgers. Pierre is a fantastic contact hitter against lefties and righties -- almost impossible to strike out -- with speed to burn, bunting ability and good range in the outfield. He's merely a singles hitter, but he gets them a lot and then gets extra bases by stealing them -- though he has to work on reading pitchers moves. Any ball that goes over the fence is a fluke. Pierre should be a great addiition at the top of the Dodgers line-up.

Alou heading east

The NY Mets have dipped into the MLB free agent market and signed OF Moises Alou. He has a potent power swing and has greatly improved his selectivity at the plate in recent years. He can tear up righties as well as lefties and has a very good arm in the outfield. His trips to the disabled list in recent years have hurt his productivity and his range in the field. This has forced him to cut down on his stolen base attempts. He will provide protection for Delgado and Valentin.

MLB signings

There were three tentative deals Sunday in the MLB

The Chicago Cubs continue to make headlines this off-season landing outfielder Alfonso Soriano for 8 years. This is a risky length as who knows what's going to happen in even the next season. Soriano could tear knee ligaments or have some other major injury. He could have a bad year offensively/defesively. He's a free-swinging hitter who hits to all fields and rarely takes a walk and strikes out a lot. Soriano can hit to all fields and is a threat to steal. He is a defensive liability. Look for him at the top of the Cubs line-up come opening day and in Center field.

The other tentative deal, pending a physical is the LA Angels inking sidewinder Justin Speier to a 2-year deal. Speier was a major part of the jays bullpen, usually taking the hill in thr 6th or 7th for an inning or two at a time. He has a quirky, darting forkball thats simply devastating and he mixes in a slider and fastball in the low 90's. He can retire batters fairly well on both sides of the plate, though he excels against righties. To be successful, Speier must establish himself early in the count or else he gets lost and beat up. His move to first base is completely ineffective. Simply put Justin Speier must work on his consistency. This is a good pick-up by the Angels who will add him to their traditionally deep bullpen.

Frank "The Cat" Catalanotto has signed on with the Texas Rangers for the next three seasons. Personally, in a way I'm glad to see him gone from TO mainly because I do't like his swing (he swings in front of his face and can't see the ball in there's a fast-working pitcher). Admittedly his swing is smooth and has the ability to drive mistakes out of the park. He is an underrated hitter who's disciplined and has a great work ethic; needs to work on picking his spots when stealing. He also doesn't have a great arm, but can play second base if pressed, but genrally you can look for him as a corner outfielder (for the last four seasons he has played LF or occasional DH for the Blue Jays). BTW does anyone out there know what the bereavement list is?

A fourth signing was lefty reliever Mike Stanton. At his best, he has a fastball, slider, change-up and curve that he can throw low in the zone to keep the ball in the park. In the late innings of close games, he doesnt let the pressure get to him and he can retire right-handed batters as well as lefties. He usually has a month or two each season where he's not just cold, he's like one of those frozen mummies they find in the Himalayas perfectly in tact but can't pitch a lick. I he sits in the bullpen unused too long, hes often beaten up when he finally takes the mound. This is a good pick up by the Cincinatti Reds, although he is getting on in age, so the question becomes his durability.

Today, Monday, the LA Dodgers re-signed 1b Nomar Garciaparra to a 2-year pact. Pounds both lefties and righties. He can make contact with almost anything in the strike zone and a lot of pitches outside of it with his great bat control and bat speed, spraying the ball all over the field. Although he's not a great base-stealer, his running game has been curbed due to injuries and he's still learning 1b. Look for him in the no. 3 hole in the Dodgers line-up.

Minor-leaguer Josh Gall signed a minor-league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday. He's a strong pure hitter with emerging power and doesn't strike out too often. Not the speediest player and he doesn't take bases on balls. His defense also has much to be desired. He'll likely start the year in AAA ball.

more MLB signings and news

Well, the Frank Thomas deal was not the only signing or news of the day yesterday in the MLB, albeit certainly the biggest.

The Boston Red Sox resigned utility man Alex Cora to a new 2-year deal. Cora is an abover-average fielder who has the speed to go deep in the holes and the agility to turn tight DP's. However, Cora's a free swinger and as a result strikes out a lot. Although quick in the field and around the bases, Cora isn't great at reading pitcher's deliveries and doesn't steal a lot of bases. Look for Cora to make spot starts @ shortstop and 2B and come in as a defensive replacement in the late innings. He should help the Red Sox defensively.

Utility man Wes Helms is heading to Philadelphia. He signed a 2-year pact with the Phillies Friday. Helms has the raw power and strength that anyone loves in a corner infielder. He's a hard worker who's sound defensively and he shows a willingness to learn that will benefit his career with the Phillies. On thedown-side, Wes Helms at times can be overagressive at the plate and his impatience can be painfully obvious. He must also work on getting away from pulling pitches all the time. He's not clutch performer but he'll help the Phillies off the bench.

Southpaw reliever Jamie Walker has signed a minor league contract with the Balttimore Orioles after having spent the last five seasons in the Detroit Tigers bullpen. He throws a lot of strikes, rarely walks anyone and is great with RISP's. He's also tough on lefties. Rest is key for him as his effectiveness deteriorates with lots of work and few days off. Right-handed hitters see him too well. Look for him to come in as a left-handed specialist in the late innings.

The LA Dodgers signed former-Jays catcher Ken Huckaby to a minor league deal. Huckaby spent last season in the Red Sox Organization as the 3rd catcher in the depth chart behind Jason Varitek and Doug Marribelli. He appeared in 8 games when Varitek missed a good portion of last season after knee surgery. Huckaby is predominantely a contact hitter who is competitive with his bat. He has a good eye for the strike zone and can drive the ball to all fields. He's durable and has a cannon for an arm. Most importantly, pitchers love to throw to him. He needs to work on his plate discipline and driving runs in. Huckaby will compete with Einar Diaz for the 3rd catcher's position, but will likely wind up starting next season in AAA ball.

Finally, 3B Bill Mueller was forced o retire after a third knee surgery. His career numbers were offensively, he had 1216 games played, 4223 at-bats, he crossed the plate 663 times, collected 1229 hits, including 265 doubles, 22 triples and 85 home runs; he had 423 runs batted in, 1793 total bases, he walked 543 times and struck out 571 times. Mueller stole 20 bases and was caught stealing a further 18 times. He got on base 37.3% of the time and his slugging perecentage and average were .425 and .291 respectively. In the field his numbers were as follows: 1183 games (793 of which were starts), 3026 catches, 817 put-outs, 2083 assists, 126 errors committed, 216 double plays, and a .958 fielding percentage. Mueller will be greatly missed in the game of baseball.

MLB signings update

Sorry it's been a few days since I last posted, bit as I promised I will update on who's signing where and my thoughts. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Two days ago, Nov. 15th, the Chicago Cubs re-signed back-up catcher Henry Blanco. Defensively, Blanco is in a league of his own. His footwork is exceptional and this gives him quick lateral movement. He earns the respect of his pitching staff and they show no hesitancy pitching down in the dirt. With an above-average arm, Blanco is able to shut down the opposition's running game. Offensively, he is not going to hit for power too often and he's not a great contact hitter, but as we saw in the WS this year with Yadier Molina hitting the GW shot in the final game, you just never know. I think this is a solid signing by the Cubs.

Yesterday, Nov. 16, there were a number of signings led by the Cardinals re-signing 3B Scott Speizio. He's an aggressive hitter, with a solid mind for the game and the drive to win. He's also a good base runner, although hitting with runners in scoring position is not a strength of his, nor is hitting righties. None-the-less, Speizio should make a nice addition to next year's defense of the WS trophy.

Acquired at the trade deadline last season, 1B Sean Casey has decided to remain in the motor city. Casey is a great fastball hitterand can also hit off-speed pitches, taking each at-bat as a learning experience. He's a good run producer and a sure-handed fielder, able to scoop up tough short-hoppers. Assuming he stays healthy, Casey will provide a solid power-left handed bat in the middle of the Tigers' line-up. Also, like the famous poem about the batter named Casey who ends up striking out, Casey has a tendency to go down swinging, or looking, as the case may be.

Utility man Damion Easley is moving his act up north, moving from sunny Arizona to the hustle-and-bustle of Shea Stadium in NY. It's his slick fielding that keeps him in the line-up everyday. He posts good power numbers for a small middle infielder; he needs better power numbers to make-up for his strike-out tendencies. He's weak against righties. Look for Damion to be a late-inning defensive replacement or a pinch-hitter for the pitcher's spot, while earning the odd start.

The Texas Ranger's resigned their back-up backstop Miguel Ojeda. Ojeda boasts a little pop in his bat and excels with runners in scoring position. Howeve, he has a great deal of difficulty hitting a curve ball and he doesn't have a great percentage with it comes to preventing the opposition from stealing a bag, although this part of the game has improved over the years. Look for him to be used against teams with few speedsters that are a threat to steal.

Finally, announced just a few hours ago, Frank "the big hurt" Thomas has landed in TO. I can't say I'm too surprised by this move, as GM J.P. Riccardi showed the baseball world he wants to be competitive with his major spending spree last season that included a proven closer (BJ Ryan), a solid backstop who has problems throwing out runners (Benjie Molina), a #2 starter (AJ Burnett) a power-hitting 3B (Troy Glaus), a doubles hitting machine @ 1B (Lyle Overbay). As for Thomas, he's coming off a solid 39 HR campaign and a comeback year from major ankle surgery. His ankles are going to be a major concern, and his ability to stay healthy and in the line-up on a regular basis are going to be key determining factors. Does any one out there know if his deal included money being held in case he misses significant time to injury? Thomas should be a solid #5 hitter who will allow Glaus to get more hittable pitches. His strikeouts have gone up and his bat speed and reaction time have slowed due to father time, but he can hit to all fields.

Stay tuned to this blog as more players sign in the coming weeks and days.

Cubs have new starting Second Baseman

The Chicago Cubs dipped into the free agent pool today and signed former Texas Ranger Mark DeRosa to a 3 year, 13-million dollar contract. DeRosa hit .296 with 13 HR and 74 RBI's. He should be a solid edition to this cubs organization, which is desperate to shed the World Series jinx they are currently going through (they haven't won the WS since 1908.)

In other signings today, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez resigned with the NY Mets. Hernandez went 9-7 with a 4.20 ERA in 20 starts last season before tearing his calf muscle while warming up prior to Game one of the NLDS. The Seattle Mariners inked veteran Rey Ordonez to a minor league contract, as well as Tony Torcato and Jesse Foppert; the latter two being in the M's farm system last season.

a tribute to our war heroes

I know it's a day late, but I think it's never too late to honor our fine men and women who have and/or are currently serving our country. I especially want to honor Cliff Chadderton, who lost his right leg in WWII. When he came home, he founded the War Amps, who initially served to help those veterans coming back from the War financially, providing those who lost limbs in the War with artificial ones. In the mid-1970's, he expanded the War Amps to include children, not just providing limbs, but also seminars to inform parents and to help the children cope with their loss of limb(s). The War Amps currently provide any technology children and adults might need to lead a relatively normal life. Anyway, the War Amps are still helping the Veterans from WWII (all the veterans from WWI have died off, but some souses are alive and being supported financially) and our troops who lose limbs in our current wars in Afghnistan and Iraq. As a side note, the War Amps are a non-profit organization who uses all donations to help the children and veterans maintain happy lives; so please go online and donate. BTW, I was born missing my right arm up to the shoulder as well as three fingers and part of my left hand and a toe on my right foot. As a final note, h=for those of you bloggers who are interested in history or learning more about the wars, I highly reccommend the following DVD's and books "The Boys of Kelvin High: Canadians of Bomber Command", "Excuse us Herr Shicklgruber" (Cliff Chadderton's first memoir; his second one on DVD is due out sometime before the end of the year), "Watch and Warn" (all about those men and women who had the role of watching for suspicious airplanes and boats in our land), "A War of Their Own", "Against All Odds", "Canadian Hong Kong Veterans: The Compensation Story". All of the above videos, DVD's and books and many more can be ordered off the War Amps Website and some may even be in your local library. Anyway God Bless our troops and may they come home quickly and safely.








Here is Cliff Chadderton at a Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa one year

Here is Cliff Chadderton during WWII

province-wide smoking ban

It's about time we had a province-wide smoking ban; it's a disgusting and dirty habit. Other people, who are non-smokers should not have to be in the same environment. On the other hand, it's easy to say to the people who smoke to quit, but in reality it's much harder to actually do so, but at least we don't have to breathe in those toxic fumes while we're eating a nice meal at a restaurant.

Canucks so far

It's almost a month into the 06-07 NHL season and the Vancouver Canucks are right where I thought they would be at this point in the season. Jan Bulis has been a disappointment thus far having scored just twice; he appears to be squeezing his stick. Another major disapointment has been the PP. If the Canuvks are going to be successful, they need to take advantage of being a man or two up. As well, the team needs to play a 60-minute game more consistently; when they are leading or tied in the 3rd, the Canucks can't sit back and wait for the opposition to come. Luongo I believe has lived up to his end of the bargain thus far, although he does need to come up with the big save when the team needs it. Finally, I've been pretty impressed with the work ethic thus far, especially on the PK. Luc Bourdon should be sent down to Juniors for the playing time at the very least. Taylor Pyatt has really showed that he can make up for Bertuzzi's presence on the PP and has meshed well with the twins.