Posted on Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 09:49:43 AM EST in MLB
More on: MLB, trades, Rangers, White Sox, Cardinals, Athletics, Devil Rays, Mariners, Expos, Giants (all tags)

In the world of sports, there is nothing riskier than making that big trade. Then again, trades can also be extremely rewarding. Just think of how much thought, struggle and heartache goes into each trade you make in your fantasy league and then add the pressure of million dollar salaries, job security and team chemistry. It piles up quickly. So, with so franchises exercising extreme contemplation and deliberation, how do they make such horrible deals sometimes? It's tough to say, but it happens, and the The Sports Muffin has the 10 Worst MLB Trades in Recent Years to prove it.

10. Texas Rangers trade John Danks, Nick Masset, and Jacob Rasner to the Chicago White Sox for Brandon McCarthy and David Paisano.

9. St. Louis Cardinals trade Dan Haren, Kiko Calero, and Daric Barton to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Mulder.

8. Oakland Athletics trade Mark McGwire to the St. Louis Cardinals for T.J. Matthews, Blake Stein, and Eric Ludwick.

7. Tampa Bay Devil Rays trade Bobby Abreu to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Stocker.

6. New York Mets trade Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Bartolome Fortunato and Victor Zambrano.

5. Texas Rangers trade Chris Young...and Adrian Gonzalez to the San Diego Padres for Adam Eaton, Akinori Otsuka, and Billy Killian.

4. Seattle Mariners trade Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heath Slocumb.

3. Montreal Expos trade Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, and Lee Stevens to the Cleveland Indians for Bartolo Colon, Tim Drew, and cash

2. New York Mets trade Nolan Ryan, Don Rose, Frank Estrada, and LeRoy Stanton to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi.

1. San Francisco Giants trade Francisco Liriano, Joe Nathan, and Boof Bonser to the Minnesota Twins for A.J. Pierzynski.

This isn't exactly recent history, but there is no way we could talk about bad trades without reminding everyone how the Red Sox dealt Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920 for $100,000 and a $300,000 loan!

Links:
[The Sports Muffin]: 10 Worst MLB Trades in Recent Years

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Posted on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 07:17:04 AM EST in MLB
More on: Astros, Athletics, Miguel Tejada, ESPN, age, lie (all tags)

Miguel Tejada came clean on Wednesday and admitted to pulling a Danny Almonte. Turns out that Tejada lied to Oakland when he first entered the league, but after arriving in Houston where they wanted all his information, he decided that he didn't "want to lie to them." Oh, and ESPN totally busted him.

"I'm a poor kid that wanted to be a professional big leaguer," he said as he discussed his reasoning for claiming he was 17 instead of 19 when signing with the Oakland Athletics in 1993. "I was thinking that was the only way that I could help my family. By the time we did it, it wasn't because we wanted to do anything wrong to be a professional.

"The scout just did it because at that time I was two years older than I (told them). And to play in the Dominican Summer League you've got to be like 17. That's why he changed the year. Because the only change is the year."

Tejada and the Astros revealed the news after ESPN surprised him at Citizens Bank Park with a copy of his birth certificate, which the network obtained in the Dominican.

Ah, the Worldwide Leader in Backdooring People Into Admitting Their True Age.

Links:
[Chron.com]: Tejada turns 33 in a flash

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Posted on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:07:56 AM EST in MLB
More on: Athletics, Mike Piazza, water bottle, crime, jail (all tags)

We know that fans should never ever become physically involved in any sporting event and we agree that anyone who does decide to interfere with the game should be punished, but we're having a hard time swallowing this latest fan fallout.

Roland Flores got peeved during an Oakland/Anaheim game last year, lost his cool and threw a water bottle at Mike Piazza, hitting him in the head. Defiantly an ejectable offense with a serious ban to follow, right? Eh, partly.

A man who hit Mike Piazza with a water bottle thrown from the stands at Angel Stadium last year was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Roland Flores, 23, of La Puente was also placed on three years probation, barred from owning or possessing a firearm for 10 years and ordered to stay away from the stadium for three years, police Sgt. Rick Martinez said Wednesday.

Flores pleaded guilty last week to misdemeanor counts of using force and violence to assault Piazza, and for intentionally throwing a substance while at the stadium, Martinez said.

30 days in jail!! Are you kidding us?!!? We know this was completely uncalled for, but a month in the pokey just seems a bit extreme to us. If you really want to punish him, just make him watch an entire season of Devil Rays games - with no water bottles of course.

Links:
[CBS5.com]: Fan Gets Jail Time For Throwing Bottle At Piazza

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