|
|
By Anthony De Franco  February 8, 2010, at 8:27 pm  I am still amazed by how many people think that strategy is a big part of mixed martial arts. How much money does Greg Jackson have to make before people realize that having a good corner is just important as being well prepared for your fight.
Just ask Mark Coleman. Coleman brought former Randy Couture confidant Shawn Tompkins to the cage with him, and Tompkins gave him some TERRRIBLE advice. Here’s what Josh Gross of SI.com had to say about it:
“Coleman made Couture’s night easy when, at the advice of his trainer Shawn Tompkins and the despite the fact it has never been his path to victory, he chose to stand and trade.”
“…Shortly into the bout, Coleman carried the attitude of a confused athlete, one who was thinking instead of fighting.”
“Between the first and second round, Coleman looked up at Tompkins as the Canadian offered instructions on how to keep distance and how to fire off combination. I’m fairly certain he would have loved if Tompkins told him to run out there and take a shot on a double-leg. If you’re going to go out, go out at what you do best.”
Who besides Tompkins could possibly believe that Coleman had any chance standing and trading with Couture? Over the last few years, Couture has drilled his boxing to the point where it is on par with his wrestling. He has some of the best head movement in the game. As supposed to Coleman, who had no head movement.
What a joke.
By Jason Comack July 29, 2009, at 3:37 pm Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse reports that the Reds have acquired outfielder Wladimir Balentien from the Mariners in exchange for RHP Robert Manuel.
Balentien is a talented player who could never seem to translate his tools to success in the MLB. Much like Jeff Clement, also traded today, Balentien had no future with the M’s. The M’s get back Manuel, a 26 year old reliever, who was the AA relief pitcher of the year last year. Manuel has been solid in AAA this year and could immediately find a spot in Seattles bullpen.
By Anthony De Franco July 28, 2009, at 1:48 pm Somehow, The Seattle Mariners have managed to keep their heads above water for a while now and maintained that they were contenders in the AL West. Well, They weren’t and aren’t. Now, according to Rotoworld, They are going into Fire Sale mode to prepare for next season.
A source tells FOXSports.com that the Mariners are shifting into “sell mode,” with Jarrod Washburn and potentially Mark Lowe, Sean White and Brandon Morrow available.
“They’re about ready to do some things,” an official of one contender said. With the Mariners now seven and a half games out of a playoff spot, trading Washburn would serve them well, but there is little incentive to giving up on former first-round pick Morrow, which the article acknowledges.
I have no idea why they are shopping Morrow. He’s a former first round pick with a ton of upside. His season ERA over five is a bit misleading due to a 15% home run to fly ball ratio. One of every six fly balls that is hit off him is going out of the park. That’s unlucky.
As for the rest of those guys, they are pieces that better teams might be interested in and should net some prospects. This team can desperately use some bats, and with this year’s first rounder Dustin Ackley likely on the fast track to the majors, they could be competitive sooner than later with some shrewd moves.
By Anthony De Franco July 24, 2009, at 2:00 pm Here at 3SS, we love trades. Hell, Jason makes fantasy trades in his sleep. True story. Sent me Milton Bradley, Aaron Harang, and Jason Bartlett in his sleep.
With the MLB trade deadline coming, We’ll be breaking down just about every trade that’s going to be happening. The first one of consequence is my favorite National League team, the Colorado Rockies trading Single-A pitcher Corey Graham to the Cleveland Indians for reliever Rafael Betancourt.
Betancourt was one of the key pieces of the Indians run two years ago. Remember when he, alongside Joe Borowski and Rafael Perez formed one of the most devastating bullpens in the league? Yea, not so much since then. This season, he’s got an ERA of 3.52, with a WHIP of 1.30. Most importantly, he’s got a groundball rate of about 30%. That means that 70% of his batted balls are going to be victims of the thin air of Denver. That worries me.
Graham isn’t even one of Colorado’s top ten prospects, so the price wasn’t all that high. This season at A+ Modesto, he’s got an ERA 3.14 and a WHIP of 1.36. He’s 23 already, meaning that’s his age is a little advanced for the level he’s at. I doubt that Graham has too much MLB potential.
This was a trade in which Betancourt no longer had any use being on the Indians, and the Rockies were willing to give up something for him.
|
|
Tags: 
