Meet The All-Stars

With the Major League Baseball All Star Game only eight days away, the league announced the rosters of each team yesterday during an afternoon "Selection Special" on TBS (of course, that didn't prevent just about every major publication from releasing the rosters four or five hours in advance). As with any all star game, the fans vote on the starters which leads to a few players (sometimes more than a few) that don't deserve to start in the game but get voted in on name alone. This always leaves the door open for the "Who Got Snubbed" colums and debates. I'd like to say we're no different at the Reach Blog...but hell, there are some interesting things to note about this year's rosters:

1. Maybe it's because I've been living in Minnesota for the last 21 years, but the idea that Kyle Lohse was snubbed makes me sick but he is 10-2 with a 3.61 ERA (granted the ERA is a tad bit high). The fact that an arguement could be made for Lohse is unexpected.

2. Jason Varitek is batting .218 but was chosen as a reserve. Over A.J. Pierzynski or Ivan Rodriguez?

3. How about the AL bullpen? Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria, George Sherril, Francisco Rodriguez are all closers. What do you think about the AL going to that pen with a lead in the 4th inning?

4. The Cubs and Red Sox each sent seven players (and their managers) to the game. However, I wonder how close Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell came to being named reserves.

5. Who do you have start the game if you're Clint Hurdle or Terry Francona? Cliff Lee and Edinson Volquez? Roy Halladay? Tim Lincecum? Ryan Dempster? The prediction from the Reach Blog offices are Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee if you're keeping score at home.

6. As for the online vote--do you vote for Giambi's mustache or Evan Longoria? Personally, I'd like to see as many Yankees as possible since this is the last season at Yankee Stadium (and Giambi's been deserving) but the Rays are the story of the season so far and Longoria might be the leading vote getter when it's all said and done.

CC Sabathia Going to Milwaukee

Every year it seems that all it takes is that first big trade to set the rest of the league into a domino effect of trade action. Well, that trade is in the books. The Milwaukee Brewers traded for C.C. Sabathia yesterday. Here's the catch with the Brewers: they don't have the luxury as a small market team of being able to reload year in and year out. Seeing how Ben Sheets seems as good as gone at the end of this season (along with possibly Sebathia and Prince Fielder), the team seems ready to make a run at it this year.

It's worth noting that if Sebathia does leave, the Brewers will receive two first round picks which would only help Milwaukee in their reloading process.

The Indians get Matt LaPorta, the Brewers top minor league prospect along with a few other prospects and a player to be named later. After scanning some message boards in Milwaukee, the trade seems to be mixed among fans.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal boards:

Any one that claims to be a Brewers fan has to love this trade. As many people before me have said, for a small market team to aquire such talent says a lot about the front office as well as the great scouts the Brewers Organization has.After what seems like a thousand years of losing, to finally see the team go out there and make a big splash should make everyone happy. Look, the MILWAUKEE BREWERS are going for it and all they gave up was very good, but very unproven talent at the minor league level. If they lose C.C. and Sheets at the end of the year so be it. Chances are they're going to lose Sheets anyways.All should be proud of the Brewers and lets hope to still be talking about this trade in October!!
- Ryan B, Waukesha, WI

Terrible idea. A sure fire offensive talent for someone who is unproven in the playoffs and has been inconsistent this year. And we only get him for less than half the season. Just terrible. People are so starved for playoff baseball around here they let it go to their heads.
- Lee, Pewaukee

For One Day, Tennis Was Back

A few weeks back Bill Simmons wrote a column for an issue of ESPN the Magazine about how to save tennis. Some of Simmons' ideas might go towards ressurecting the sport--it sure as hell can't hurt if every major tournament has a finale like yesterday's Wimbeldon final. Holy crap. I threw the match on towards the end of the fourth set, right before the tiebreaker thinking that Rafael Nadel might take down Roger Federer. After about two and a half hours, I was still caught up in the match.
I spent the most part of the evening monitoring the media's reaction to the match. I was blown away by the drama and, to be honest, was wondering if it was just me or was the match really as exciting as I thought it was. The consensus: it was the most exciting Wimbeldon final ever. John McEnroe called the it the greatest tennis match he's ever seen.
So if you caught it, consider yourself lucky. If you missed it, don't be quick to write it off as just a tennis match.

NBA Star Takes Pay Cut To Sign With Clippers

Talk about headlines I never expected to see...let alone type. The Clippers of all teams made the biggest spash in the very young (but very legal) free agency period yesterday. Baron Davis (not to be confused with Betty Davis or the Beer Baron) opted out of his $16.4 million dollar contract for next season with the Warriors only to head south a few hours and sign with the Clint Howard of the NBA for a smaller ammount.

The deal wouldn't be as shocking as it should be if there had been much precedent in past with the Clips. Alas, no. Here's a list of NBA All Stars that have signed with the Clippers IN THE HISTORY OF THE TEAM:

Glen Rice, Jamaal Wilkes, and Kevin Duckworth (apparently someone else outbid for Chris Gatling).

The signing does keep the spotlight on the Clippers for a little bit longer though, Elton Brand is also a free agent after opting out of his deal with the Clippers. Should they be able to resign Brand, the Clippers will finish off their most successful offseason in franchise history (of course, time will only tell. I'm sure at the time, 1998 looked pretty good when the Clippers won the lottery and drafted Michael Olowokandi).

2008-09 NBA Rookie of the Year Should Come From Portland

...and his name isn't Greg Oden. The Portland Trailblazers signed their stud Spanish import Rudy Fernandez today. Fernandez was drafted by Phoenix last year before being traded to Portland.
Here's the interesting thing about Fernandez. There were questions about when he would've been able to join his NBA teams, which is the main reason he fell to the end of the first round last year. If not for the contract problems, it is not out of the question to say that he could've been a top 5 pick in the draft. Comparisons to his game range from Kevin Martin to Manu Ginobli, you get the point--the kid can shoot.
Rudy will also join his sister Marta who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. THE (W)NBA--it's FAM-tastic!
Also, don't be surprised next month when Spain gives the world a run for it's money in the Olympic basketball. They'll be sporting a roster that includes Fernandez, Jose Calderon, Pau Gasol, and Ricky Rubio (who will be a lottery pick next season), and Sergio Rodriguez (Rudy's teammate on the Blazers).

Paper Lanterns (Live)

Out of curiosity, what is your opinion on summer concert festivals? I had an opportunity to go to Lollapalooza last year in Chicago and I loved it. I've stated before that seeing Muse at the festival was somewhere near the level of a religious experience, never before had I seen a more mindblowing live show. It got me thinking about how I might be ten years too young (now, don't get me wrong, I'm happy being 25) but a 22 year old me would've loved seeing Woodstock '94. I actually gave some thought about going to Woodstock '99, but didn't like the chances that my parents would let 17 year old me go to New York for a weekend of this. Probably a good choice as Woodstock '99 ended up being one of the biggest blunders in Rock and Roll history. I'd like to think we've learned (and the lack of testosterone fueled bands like Limp Bizkit and Godsmack being relivant) so we wouldn't pull that crap again.
Then I began thinking about the possibility of Woodstock '09. 40 years later? Why the hell not? Well, for one, it will be tough as hell to convince whoever needs convicing that what happened in 1999 wouldn't happen in 2009. Regardless, I'll state it right now, right here--if there is a Woodstock '09--I'm all in. Why not a collection of yesterday and today? One stage for original Woodstock artists with Bob Dylan, Country Joe McDonald, etc... and one stage for today's artists who would fit the bill (see: peace, love, rock and roll).
After doing a little bit of research I've found out that Woodstock.com is under construction and some internet rumors claim that a Woodstock event will occur in 2009. No further details.
I had to write about this a little bit, I officially have the itch. To momentairly satisfy the itch I give you Green Day's performance of "Paper Lanterns" from Woodstock 1994 (the famous mud fight). Good stuff. And more to the point of Woodstock 2009, who would you like to see perform there? Let me know in the comment section.

Comparing The 2008-09 Chicago Bulls With 1990-91 Seattle Sonics

The fine folks over at Blog-A-Bull wrote an interesting comparison piece comparing the new Chicago Bulls (and by new I mean with Derek Rose) to the Seattle Supersonics team that drafted Gary Payton (they had lucked out in the lottery after just missing the playoffs with 41 wins). Overall, a strong article--except I'm not sure I 100% believe that Tyrus Thomas will be as effective as Shawn Kemp (that would cause me to do backflips). Well, if you have the time, you should check it out.

Also, it warrents mentioning that Shawn Kemp Jr. (the first of many we can assume) is being heavily recruited to play college ball. The 6-9 center is ranked as the 25th best player in the 2009 class. Thought you'd like to know.

Thinking About The Future and the 90s Sonics