Baseball

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, considered one of the most dangerous clutch hitters in the majors, has taken over the top spot from St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols in Major League Baseball's annual player rankings. Ortiz, who hit .332 with 35 homers and 117 runs batted in, received a perfect score of 100 according to the compilation by Elias Sports Bureau announced Wednesday. Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday, a leading candidate for National League MVP, finished second to Ortiz with 97.079. Holliday was the NL batting champion with a .340 average, and led the league in RBI (137), hits (216), doubles (50) and total bases (386). He hit 36 home…

Left fielder Adam Dunn will be back with the Reds for at least one more season. The Reds on Wednesday exercised Dunn's $13 million option for 2008. Dunn, who turns 28 on Nov. 9, is eligible for free agency at the end of the season. The exercising of his option triggers a clause in his contract giving him full no-trade protection until June 15. After that, Dunn could be traded to 10 clubs, but the list would be of his own choosing. Dunn batted .264 last season with 40 home runs and 106 RBIs — his fourth straight season of hitting 40 or more homers. The Reds likely will try to keep him long-term, but he could be one of the most attractive free agents in the class of 2008…

Smack in the middle of Game 4 of the World Series, Boras ended months of speculation and said A-Rod is opting out of the final three seasons of his contract with the New York Yankees. Oh, and Boras let the Yankees know by leaving a voice mail for general manager Brian Cashman. "Kind of strange timing," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said after Boston completed its sweep of Colorado. Red Sox fans sure took notice fast. After their team won the title for the second time in four seasons, they stood behind the visitors' dugout at Coors Field and chanted: "Don't sign A-Rod!" In a decision that likely ends four tumultuous and unfulfilling seasons with the Yankees, Rodrigu…

http://www.nbcsports.com/portal/site/nbcsp...00075c1d240RCRD I think Torre's time had come with the yankees. He got his team to 6 WS in 6 years winning 4 of them. Did a phenomenal job managing all the high priced personalities on this team and always carried himself with class and dignity. After the way Steinbrenner treated him this year, I'm glad Joe got to throw it back in his face. I wish he would have done it before the offer but still good enough. George handled this horribly and deserves to be embarrassed. The good news is we will hopefully be smart enough to snap up Girardi and give him a shot to bring some fire back to this team. My only concern with hi…

Boo Boston.

Alex Rodriguez will no longer be a Yankee. All of the unappreciative fans will have what they wished for now as the Yankees continue their future downfall from playoff runs. Arod has decided to opt out of his contract and the Yankees made it very clear he will not be back if he opted out. Now if only Manny and Ortiz were not on the Red Sox, both of the teams I hate most would be headed the direction I want. lol

As is usual for people who run their mouth, Eric Byrnes could not back up his outrageous claims that they were not being outplayed by the Rockies and that they were better. he even made the final out on a check swing roller. The Colorado Rockies are now headed to the World Series after winning their 21'st game int he last 22. It is an amazing streak and I not hope they will meet the Cleveland Indians. Honestly as much as I want Colorado to get another sweep, I think the AL proved it was much better than the NL this season. So they will have a VERY hard time sweeping either Cleveland or Boston.

AL Boston vs. Los Angeles Cleveland vs. New York NL Philadelphis vs. Colorado Arizona vs. Chicago My Predictions: Los Angeles vs. New York Philadelphis vs. Arizona Los Angeles vs. Philadelphia Los Angeles I go back and forth on a lot of it, but this is my initial prediction. Being sure and posting it now becuase Aaron insists I wait until games have been plaued.

In a move that I personally think is a bad decision the Mets will keep Willie Randolph as manager next season.

Dmitri Young of the Washington Nationals was named baseball's Comeback Player of the Year for the NL.

Self-explanatory. They announced they will not keep him.

self-explanatory.

Here is my strategy for my closest league. Motor City 74 -----me 68----- shawny cash 65.5 radar lock 64 frantic light night rally 61.5 batting average (went from .2810 to .2820 yesterday alone) arch .2852 dunder .2829 radar .2821 frantic .2821 (3)me .2820 e.r.a. frantic 3.534 (9)me 3.620 cardiac 3.886 homers shawny 260 arch 258 (5.5)me 252 legends 252 jaybirds 248 k's (I have high k guys like burnett, clemens, oliver,etc... and will do nearly as many starts as motor city so I dont think he can catch me) radar 1208 cardiac 1184 (6)me 1163 motor city 1156 runs can't gain or lose saves (legends has 0 closers in so I can forget all mine and not …

The Philadelphis Phillies as I type are winning their division title. The Mets did not make the playoffs this year. I told Aaron 2 weeks ago they may not win when he told me they will "rest their players when they clinch next week" (meaning last week lol). Mets = going home.

As usual the AL is superior to the NL. All of the top 4 records are the AL teams in the playoffs.

Frank Thomas has 3 homers today to pass Mel Ott on the career list. Unfortunately it hurts me in 2 of my 3 fantasy leagues AND I considered picking him up recently.

http://www.vote756.com/marcecko/ Whichever of these choices the public selects will be honored by the purchaser of the homerun #756 ball.

This was probably the weirdest decision I have seen a scorer make. The pitcher credited with the victory in the Cardinals game today pitched only 1/3 of an inning and.... it was in the SECOND inning. He got 1 out in the second inning and was credited with the win. lol

Carlos Pena tied the great Jose Canseco for Tampa Bay's single season homerun record with 34.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270825122&prov=ap lmao Brett Myers called a reporter retarded and the reporter asked him if he could spell the word "retarded" and Myers then had to be restrained by teammate Pat Burrell.

Micah Owings has perhaps the most amazing game I have ever heard of. He HAD more hits than the number of hits he gave up. He had 2 long homers and 4 total hits. He drove in 6 runs while only giving up 3 hits. Unbelievable.

CHICAGO (AP) -Carlos Zambrano's long wait paid off. The Chicago Cubs' talented and emotional ace agreed Friday to a five-year, $91.5 million contract extension that features a vesting option for a sixth season. Zambrano skipped a shot at free agency and its lucrative payday to stay with the only club he's ever known. "Not everything is about money, you know," Zambrano said. "I know if I got to free agency there were a lot of things that would come to me and offer me. I feel comfortable here. I feel good here and my family feels good here." The 26-year-old righty is 14-9 with a 3.86 ERA this season. The two-time All-Star is 78-51 lifetime. http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb…

NEW YORK (AP) -Relief. That was the look on Jason Giambi's face all afternoon. Wearing a bright-eyed smile stretched across his full cheeks, the New York Yankees star bounced around the field during batting practice Thursday and posed for photos with fans. No wonder. He had plenty to be happy about. Earlier in the day, commissioner Bud Selig announced he won't punish Giambi because of the slugger's charitable work and cooperation with baseball's steroids investigator. "It's over and done with. I'm thrilled with it. He did what he needed to do - now I can go forward," Giambi said before the Yankees lost to Detroit in the opener of an important four-game series. "I can …

Here is where all talk about the NY Yankees will happen.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2964624 PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks and popular outfielder Eric Byrnes agreed Tuesday to a $30 million, three-year contract extension through 2010. The deal comes after talks broke down last month and it appeared Byrnes, who is having the best season of his career, would leave as a free agent. Byrnes, the ever-hustling team leader, is batting .303 with 17 homers, 64 RBIs, 21 doubles and 28 steals. He is seventh in the NL in hits with 135 and fifth in the league in triples with seven on a young team that has a surprising lead in the NL West.