Rangers/Giants In Lead For Beltran (2 UPDATES)

The New York Mets are making progress with both the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants in trade talks involving outfielder Carlos Beltran. The Indians actually offered to take on Beltran's entire salary, but Beltran refused to go there using his no-trade clause.

As I stated earlier this week I think the Rangers make a lot of sense, and I would think Beltran would want to go there since they are most likely going to be in the playoffs. That being said, Beltran has stated his desire to play in the NL, unless it is the Red Sox so it will be interesting to see if he uses his no-trade clause again here.

I would still have the Rangers as the favorites, but we will have to wait and see. No matter what Beltran will be wearing a different jersey after the trade deadline.


***UPDATE***

Or not...

Beltran is not going to the Rangers, tweets Rosenthal. The Giants are his presumed frontrunner.

It is also being said that Boris wants Beltran to go to SF, because they have the money to resign him in the offseason.


***UPDATE 2***

The Mets have agreed to send Beltran to the Giants for Zach Wheeler. The Mets are said to be sending back a lot of money. Beltran has 24 hours to agree to the trade, which isn't expected to be an issue.

Giants GM Brian Sabean Is A Whiny Bitch

"Why not be hard-nosed?" Sabean told the radio station. "If I never hear from Cousins again or he never plays another game in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy."

"He chose to be a hero, in my mind, and if that's his flash of fame, that's as good as it's going to get, pal. We'll have a long memory," Sabean told KNBR. "Believe me, we've talked to (former catcher Mike) Matheny about how this game works. You can't be that out-and-out overly aggressive. I'll put it as politically as I can state it: There's no love lost and there shouldn't be (ESPN)."

It sucks you lost one of your best players, but this crying about it has to stop. There isn't anything illegal about what Cousins' did, and to go on and on about this is a joke. One top of that to come out and say you are going to get some on-field revenge is fucking stupid. All this is going to lead to is some suspensions, and if I was the MLB I would fine this guy for making comments like this. The whole MLB is making a big deal out of nothing. Yes, it sucks a very good player got hurt, but shit happens and players get run into all the time and don't get hurt. It was just bad luck..... MOVE ON.

Posey Done For A Long Time

"Buster Posey sustained no knee damage in his collision with the Marlins' Scott Cousins, Giants head trainer Dave Groeschner told reporters, including Al Saracevic of the San Francisco Chronicle, meaning he may be able to return to the Giants this season. It was feared he was out for the season following Wednesday night's scary incident at home plate.

Posey is expected to be out six to eight weeks or longer after suffering a broken fibula and severely strained ligaments in his left ankle. The 2010 Rookie of the Year underwent three MRIs on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury (CBS Sports)."

There were a lot of worries that he destroyed his knee as well, but he was lucky and it's fine. If Posey does return it won't be until very late in the season, so the Giants have started to look around for a replacement catcher. One name that has already come up is Ivan Rodriguez, which seems like the perfect stop gap option.

As for this whole "we need to change the rules to protect catchers"... Shut the fuck up. There doesn't need to be a rule change every time a guy gets hurt.

Barry Bonds Is The Man

Not only is Barry Bonds the guilt free home run king and best player to ever play baseball, but he has a heart of gold. Despite the media's effort to make Bonds the villain and downplay everything right he does, Bonds has been the first in line in helping out the family of severely beaten Bryan Stow (the Giants fan that was nearly beaten to death outside a Dodgers game). Barry Bonds has agreed to pay for both of Stows kids college tuition, 12-year-old Tyler and 8-year-old Tabitha.

It sucks that the media and stupid half wit fans painted such a bad picture of Bonds because this story is right up there with the best of them. It's unlikely that Stow makes a full recovery and the man who beat him is caught and has 1 million dollar bail.

There You Have It America; Bonds Didn't Knowingly Use Steroids, Now Stop Judging

You know what Barry Bonds was convicted on yesterday? For being tricky.

Good Job America way to waste everyone's time and money and let a bunch of sports columnist convict the man on hearsay.

Bond's was convicted of Obstruction of Justice, but on the other 3 counts of steroid use he was found completely innocent. Know what came out of this trial? nothing that everyone didn't know. His trainer lied to him about what he was using and he didn't know what the cream was.... good job court.

Everyone can say what they want about Barry Bonds but you can't say that he knowingly cheated the game of baseball. It's an outrage that the public is still going to convict him, that he still won't be allowed into the Hall of Fame, and that baseball as a sport are going to put up a wall during the "Steroid Era" up and not let these great players in. A damn shame.

In case you don't know Barry Bond's credentials here they are:
1. Holds record for most MVP awards (7) and consecutive MVP awards (4) (1990, 1992-93, 2001-04)
2. Holds records for most home runs in a season (73)
3. Holds records for most walks in a career (2,512)
4. Holds record for consecutive seasons with 30 homeruns (13).
5. Only player in 400 home run and 400 stolen base club
6. Only player in 500 home run and 500 stolen base club
7. 14 time all star (1990, 1992-98, 2000-04, 2007)
8. One of four players in 40-40 club (40 home runs and 40 stolen bases)
9. Holds record for most consecutive seasons with .600 slugging percentage or higher (8)
10. 5-time SF Giants Player of the Year (1998, 2001-04)
11. 14-Time All-Star (1990, 1992-98, 2000-04, 2007)
12. 7-Time Baseball America NL All-Star OF (1993, 1998, 2000-04)
13. 3-Time Major League Player of the Year (1990, 2001, 2004)
14. 3-Time Baseball America MLB Player of the Year (2001, 2003-04)
15. 8-Time Gold Glove winner for NL Outfielder (1990-94, 1996-98)
16. 12-Time Silver Slugger winner for NL Outfielder (1990-94, 1996-97, 2000-04)
17. Led the Major Leagues in home runs (1993, 2001)
18. Led the NL in batting average (2002, 2004)
19. Led the NL in on base percentage (1991-93, 1995, 2001-04, 2006)
20. Led the Major Leagues in slugging percentage (1990, 1992-93, 2001-04)
21. Led the Major Leagues in extra base hits (1992-93, 2001)
22. Led the Major Leagues in on base percentage (1992, 2001-04)
23. Led the NL in runs (1992)
24. Led the NL in RBIs (1993)
25. Led the NL in walks (1992, 1994-97, 2000-04, 2006)
26. Led the NL in intentional walks (1992-98, 2002-04, 2006)
27. Led the NL in runs created (1992-93, 2001-02, 2004)
28. Led the Major Leagues in total bases (1993, with 365)
29. Led the Major Leagues in runs created (1993, 2001-02, 2004)
30. Led the NL in games (1995)
31. Led the NL in extra base hits (1992-93, 2001)
32. Led the NL in at bats per home run (1992-93, 1996, 2000-04)
33. 3-Time NL Hank Aaron Award winner (2001-02, 2004)
34. Led the Major Leagues in batting average (2002, with .370)

Pretty fucking impressive. He's a legend to the game and the fact that John Q. Public and Baseball Writers can dismiss this trial and say petty arguments like "his head grew" or "look it him from his rookie year to the year he broke the record" are just uninformed people.

So to all the Bonds haters out there...... Suck a dick