Fastball Fans

Tune in tonight to “The Hits Keep Coming” on Blog Talk Radio and on MVN Radio. Every week at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

This week we wrap up the World Series!

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is 718-664-6564 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at hitskeepcoming20.

Please join us at either: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost or http://mvn.com/radio/ - 7PM Eastern Time tonight!

Topics to be discussed this evening:

* Review of the World Series, Ian’s thoughts on the 2007 Red Sox
* A-Rod opts-out of his deal, will hit free agency
* Joe Girardi is the new Yankee manager
* Joe Torre is a Dodger now?
* Mike Cameron is using
* Free Agency period begins

You can listen to last week’s show by clicking below on the icon.

See you all tonight!!!

Well, I railed on MLB for their drug testing procedures earlier today; however, they snared in another victim.

This time, it is Mike Cameron of the San Diego Padres, a tenured veteran in the majors. According to ESPN, he tested positive for a second time using a stimulant. Cameron believes he was given a tainted product.

More from ESPN: Mike Cameron, the Padres’ Gold Glove center fielder, was suspended for the first 25 games of next season on Wednesday after testing positive a second time for a banned stimulant.

Cameron, who plans to file for free agency, said he believes he took a tainted supplement.

“The one thing I wanted to make sure was explained is, no steroids,” Cameron told AM 1090, the Padres’ flagship radio station. “I never took nothing like that before in my life. That would be 50 games, and that would affect me a whole lot more.”

Cameron issued a statement through his agent, saying doctors for the players’ association helped him narrow down what triggered the positive test.

“After all of the analysis and testing, I can only conclude that a nutritional supplement I was taking was tainted,” he said. “Unfortunately, the actual supplement is gone, and therefore cannot be tested. Without the actual supplement in hand, the rules are clear, and I must accept the suspension.”

From what I known and have seen, Cameron has been one of the stand-up guys in the sport; however, this is a bit of bad news…

I feel sorry for Grady Little.

It’s like deja vu all over again, this time this departure may be even more cruel. I can understand why the Dodgers did what they did, but you just do not do that to a long-tenured baseball guy, especially when he’s been a winner.

Based on rumors of Torre being hired as manager of the Dodgers, and Joe Girardi apparently spurning them too, rather than have the carpet swept from under him, Little resigned as manager of the Dodgers.

Not pleased with their 82 wins in 2007, the Dodgers were looking to replace Little with another guy - even though the organization gave the man a full vote of confidence in the offseason.

Would you blame Grady Little for leaving? It’s easier to quit than to be fired quite frankly.

If you were one of the few who got to celebrate up in Beantown, tell me your story!

Anyhow, the Red Sox partied in front of their fans yesterday afternoon in celebration of their 2007 World Series title. The fans up there no doubt love their Sox and seemingly have put away all their misery from the past century away.

Players and their families boarded 20 amphibious, World War II-era duck boats outside the stadium for a journey through the city. Manny Ramirez grabbed a microphone and yelled to fans along the route. “You guys are No. 1.” “There’s a party at my house tonight.” “We did it for you guys.” “We’re gonna do it again next year.” “You guys are the best fans in the whole world.”

Fans showed their love back for the team, chanting “MVP” to Mike Lowell and waving signs with wedding proposals to rookie Jacoby Ellsbury.

The two-hour parade paused three times for Papelbon to dance on a flatbed truck, accompanied by the Dropkick Murphys, a Boston-based punk rock band with heavy Irish folk music influence.

Before the parade, the band presented Papelbon with his own kilt plus one for ace Josh Beckett and general manager Theo Epstein, who had promised to dance with him. They also made a kilt for slugger David Ortiz, whom they hoped to coax into the jig.

At the first two stops at Copley Plaza and Boston Common, Papelbon danced alone, wearing jeans, a red championship T-shirt and dark sunglasses and waving a large cigar in his hand. Along the route, played air guitar on a broom - a reference to Boston’s sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

Again, let’s congratulate the 2007 World Champs, the Boston Red Sox.

So much for random testing — you’ve got to read this…

From CNNsi.com: Baseball teams regularly receive up to nearly two days’ notice before drug testing of players, The New York Times reported on its Web site Tuesday.

Officials of home teams are notified in advance to leave stadium and parking passes for the testers.

ob Manfred, baseball’s executive vice president for labor relations, and players’ union general counsel Michael Weiner were quoted as saying players are not given advance notice of tests and that it was not an issue.

“This is scandalous that anyone would insert this kind of loophole in a system and not include it in the written regulations,” John Hoberman, a doping expert, was quoted as saying. “They are opening the door to serious doubts about the integrity of the program.”

MLB’s drug testing — what a joke…

Well, it looks like Joe Torre will be headed to the land of movie stars, directors and beautiful people…

From the New York Post: Joe Torre has agreed in principle to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers, The Post has learned.

Torre will accept a three-year deal worth $14.5 million to take over the club.

Grady Little resigned as Dodgers manager today, paving the way for Torre to replace him.

On Oct. 18, Torre, 67, rejected a one-year, $5 million contract offer with performance-based incentives to return to the Yankees.

Little, 57, leaves with one year remaining on his contract plus a club option for 2009. Team owner Frank McCourt said on the season’s final day that Little would return next year.

Here’s your new Yankee manager, Joe Girardi…

From USA Today: Joe Girardi is back in pinstripes, taking over as New York Yankees manager from his mentor.

“I think any of us would be somewhat surprised to get the job because it’s such an honor,” Girardi said. “I’m extremely excited and thrilled.

“I can’t be Joe Torre, because I’m made up different. I’m a different character. I’m just worried about being myself and getting the most out of the guys.”

The deal is worth an average salary of at least $2 million annually, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the details.

Well, it seems that much of the baseball world aside from those in Boston have moved on and the off-season has officially begun. With that being said, here are some of the bigger free agents who will be available.

They included former World Series MVP David Eckstein; former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon; and All-Stars Torii Hunter, Kerry Wood, Troy Percival, Sean Casey, Todd Jones, Paul Lo Duca, Mark Loretta, Aaron Rowand and Shawn Green.

In other news, The Detroit Tigers filled their biggest need Monday when they acquired shortstop Edgar Renteria from the Atlanta Braves for two prospects…

This didn’t take long. Seeing that he was going to no doubt get the shaft after the vote of confidence from Dodger brass in the off-season, Little decided to quit.

USA Today: Grady Little resigned as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, paving the way for Joe Torre to take the job. The 57-year-old Little leaves with one year remaining on his contract plus a club option for 2009.

Team owner Frank McCourt said on the season’s final day that Little would return next year, but recently several news outlets reported the Dodgers were speaking with Torre about their managerial job.

“I’ve got my own personal reasons,” Little said. “It was a mutual resignation.”

I see Joe Torre getting the job sooner rather than later, but it’s too bad that Little has lost his second managerial job as a winner.

According to various reports, it looks like Joe Girardi will indeed become the new manager of the New York Yankees. He turned down last-minute attempts by the Dodgers to become their manager, according to CNNsi.com

Well, it looks like Grady Little is going to get shafted again in a managerial job, as it looks like there may be a new star headed to sunny Los Angeles. According to various reports, Joe Torre is expected to become the Dodgers’ new manager.

From CNNsi.com

Joe Torre, who left the New York Yankees last week after 12 seasons, will become the new manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a published report.

The Journal News of White Plains, N.Y., citing two unnamed sources, said the Dodgers have decided to fire manager Grady Little. Torre, 67, could replace him as soon as Tuesday, the newspaper said.

Yankees coach Don Mattingly, who was told Monday he was a runnerup to Joe Girardi as the team’s choice to replace Torre, is expected to accompany Torre to Los Angeles as his bench coach, The Journal News said. Torre is also interested in hiring Kevin Long, his hitting coach with the Yankees.

Wow. This move would make sense for the Dodgers as it brings a star-studded name to a team that needs it. I feel bad for Little; however, I would not begrudge for the Dodgers for making such a move.

It looks like the Yankees will name Joe Girardi the manager of the Yankees rather than the favored Don Mattingly. It may cause many to wonder what will happen to Mattingly, as it seems he will lose his dream job.

From the New York Daily News: The Yankees will reportedly offer Joe Girardi the manager’s job vacated by Joe Torre. An official announcement is expected as early as Monday afternoon.

Club sources have insisted throughout the process that it has been a close call among Girardi, Don Mattingly and Tony Pena, but the deciding factors seem to have been the former Yankee catcher’s analytical approach, experience with handling a pitching staff and the job the 43-year-old Girardi did managing the Florida Marlins in 2006.

Mattingly, while one of the most popular Yankees of all-time inside and outside the locker room, is a favorite of George Steinbrenner, but lacked the experience Cashman preferred.

“As much as Cash likes and respects Donnie, you have to wonder if he would trust his own future with a guy with no track record,” a Yankees insider told the News Sunday.

(Photo From Yahoo Sports…)

Some people are just attention hogs to begin with.

Last night, Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras took that statement to a new level and picked a conspicuous time for their big announcement.

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, Rodriguez forfeited $72 million he was owed over the final three seasons of his record $252 million, 10-year deal, which he signed with Texas before the 2001 season. The Yankees lose $21.3 million in remaining payments from the Rangers, a subsidy agreed to at the time of his 2004 trade.

Sorry, if I am any team that has the funds to sign this guy, I’d think long and very, very hard before doing so. This man wants the attention and the clubhouse to himself — is he worth it? He’s damn good, but is he worth the trouble?

To Red Sox Nation, if you sign this guy, you all can definitively say now that you are the Yankees.

I would not blame New York for not jumping after him (assuming they stick to their guns), the move reeked of selfishness. There are not too many times I’d agree with the Steinbrenners, but on this one, I do. The Yankees did not win a World Series with him, they can sure win one without him.

Red Sox Nation did not have to wait a lifetime for their second World Series after taking it in 2004. The Red Sox celebrated their second World Series title in four seasons, in a close game on Sunday, but the Rockies after making things exciting in the eighth inning, could not beat the powerful Boston lineup.

They defeated the Colorado Rockies, 4-3, last night in Denver to complete the four-game sweep.

Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox and their fans for a job well done.

(photo from Yahoo Sports)

Well, Game Three looked competitive for a while; however, it ended with a similar result – a resounding Red Sox win.

The Boston Red Sox whooped up on the Colorado Rockies, 10-5, thanks to big hits by rookie Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedoria. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched a great game, and at least in the post-season has pitched fairly well (I’m not if it still justifies his contract), but he looked good in Game Three.

In spite of the Rockies making it a game during the sixth and seventh innings thanks to an ineffective bullpen, the two-headed combo of Okajima and Papelbon saved the day, and the Boston bats added more insult to injury with an eighth inning attack.

Josh Fogg was seemingly no match for the Boston offense, and it seems to be in this series that the NL is just much weaker than the AL, and Colorado’s performance in the World Series just flat out indicates that.

Overall, this World Series has been fairly boring and the games go on way too long, plus start too late.

The Rockies have great players; however, it seems the Red Sox are just beyond meticulous, know what to do break down teams and just simply execute.

Meanwhile, Colorado obviously must win four straight games and by the way they have looked, I don’t see it happening.