Shane Victorino wins 2005 International League MVP

Philadelphia Phillies farmhand Shane Victorino was named the International League MVP for the 2005 season and has earned himself a spot on the Phillies September roster and possibly a spot on the post season roster if the Phils are to hang on to the NL Wild Card lead. The center fielding Victorino leads the IL in runs (93) and triples (16) and is tied for the lead in extra-base hits (59).

This is a great finish to a guy whose 2005 season started out as a Rule 5 draft pick from the LA Dodgers. The Rule V system works like this: every team must turn in a 40 man big league roster in December. If you aren't on it and have more than 3 years professional experience, any team can select you at the price of $50,000 and the team must keep you on the major league roster all season or offer you back to your original team for $25,000.

Ed Wade grabed Shane-o and invited him to Phillie Spring Training in Clearwater. Victorino showed nothing in the spring and was offered back to the Dodgers who weren't paying up to get him back. So off to AAA Scranton it was. Instead of pouting he went right to work and tore the International league pitching to shreds. This could finally be the start of good things to come for the much traveled 25 year old. With Kenny Lofton turning 100 years old next season and Jason Michaels still a bit unproven as an everyday player, Victorino could win a fair share of the center field job for the Phillies with a strong spring in 2006.

Some idiot tried top track Victorino's season game by game but quit by May. Bad move but he does have some good stuff on his site. Check it out


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Vote for Jason Giambi to win 2005 AL Comeback Player of the Year award

Jason Giambi is living proof that Bud Selig's steroid policy is working! That is why Thats why he gets my vote for 2005 AL Comeback Player of the Year award. He has flat out been on fire the second half of the season.

He is fresh off a very lousy year in 2004 and a poor 2003. The Oakland version of Giambi was a juice up power hitting machine. When it was time to pay the piper he had to embarrase himself in front of Congress and the world by publicly admitting he has taken steroids.

Now you know MLB is testing him 5 times a week, especially after this torid streak he has been on as of late. He is either beating the system with a new version of the clear, or he has completely stopped using steroids, recovered from the tumors that the steroids left, and has come back to put on one of the most memorable 2nd half performances in Major League history. Sports has welcomed back everyone who has done wrong with the exception of Pete Rose. Jason Giambi is no longer a scapegoat, he is now an example of how Major League Baseball can overcome this steroids fiasco. Thanks to Bud Selig, steroids ugly face is starting to walk away from the game.



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Theo Epstein bio

Meet Theo Epstein, the 31 year old architect of the Boston Red Sox. The son of a Rhodes Scholar and protege of Larry Lucchino, he became the youngest General Manager in Baseball history three years ago and quickly changed the ways of a losing franchise.

Epstein, a native of the Boston suburb of Brookline, started off at Yale, where he was sports editor of the school newspaper. He went on to earn a law degree from the University of San Diego. He broke into the major leagues in 1992 as a summer media relations intern with the Baltimore Orioles. While there, he organized a tribute to players in the Negro Leagues. He interned around the majors until 1998 when he was hired by Larry Luchino to be a baseball operations assistant for the San Diego Padres. In 2000 he was promoted to the position of baseball operations director.

When Larry Lucchino, who had been president of the Padres, was part of the group that bought the Red Sox in February, he quickly brought in Epstein to be the General Manager. The move raised eyebrows but paid major dividends. In two seasons Theo pieced together a championship team by bringing in diamonds in the rough such as Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller, then trading for proven veterans Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke. In 2004 Boston fans danced in the streets as the Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918. The 2005 off season was a true test for Theo as he lost key contributors Pedro Martinez and Derrick Lowe. He responded by bringing in younger strong armed pitchers Matt Clement and Wade Miller. With screwd moves like this, you can expect the BoSox to be contenders for years to come.

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Zack Duke of the Pittsburgh Pirates

Mark Prior, Johan Santana, Roy Halladay, Rich Harden, this list goes on. These are all guys your favorite sports writer Philly Keith has spotted over the years and just knew they would go on to be the best pitchers in the majors. There another name to add to the list and he hit the bigs today, Zach Duke the 22 year old lefty of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Drafted in the 20th round in 2001, Duke has done nothing but embarrase hitters while ripping through the minors. In the notoriously hitter friendly Carolina league, he started his pro career by going 9 -2 with a baffling 1.26 ERA. In the prospect studded Pirates organization, he won the 2004 Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. Before coming to the bigs, he was leading all of minor league baseball with 12 wins. Bottom line - Zack Duke brings the filth.

Duke now has 7 starts under his belt at the big league level and continues to stymie hitters with his array of pitches. He is now 5 -0 beating power house teams like the Phillies, Braves and Marlins. With a 1.55 era he could steal the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year award.

Pittsburgh fans finally have something to be excited about with top prospects Ian Snell, Sean Burnett, John VanBenschoten & Brian Bullington on the horizon to go along with Duke, Oliver Perez and Kip Wells. For once, the Pirates can be buyers at the trading deadline acquiring a proven veteran if they can stay in the race.

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Drew Rosenhaus Profile

Meet the man who is changing the game of professional football, NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus. Rosenhaus has a client list that is a Who's Who of NFL talent, Clients include Terrell Owens, Javon Walker, Chad Johnson, Edgerrine James, Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Jevon Kearse, Jeremy Shockey, Fred Taylor, Zach Thomas, & Warren Sapp. Overall, He has a 90 client contingent which is the highest of any agent in the league. He has 16 players from the University of Miami and 10 on the Miami Dolphins. He has worked some of the best contracts ever for good players to make great money. In March, he added Plaxico Burress and showed why he is the biggest shark in the game. Early in the off season the New York Giants General Manager publicly stated that the team has broken off contract negotiations with WR Plaxico Burress and the offer is off the table, the team was moving in a different direction. For the next week Burress visited Minnesota & Philly only getting one year offers in return. Burress, looking for a multi year deal fired his agent and signed up with Rosenhaus. Three days after he was hired, Buress is a NY Giant signing a 6 year, $25 million dollar deal. He has a long history of convincing teams to not only reinstate the offer, but to increase the money.

This off season Rosenhaus took on a new strategy for earning his clients more money, holding out of camp. In early April, Philadelphia Eagles WR Terrell Owens fired his agent to sign with Rosenhaus. Drew's first order of business was to renegotiate T.O.'s 7 year, $49 million dollar contract. Salary cap guru Joe Banner quickly said no and Owens has held out of mini camp. Things have turned sour in Philadelphia because of this. Owens is now engaged in a media war of words with QB Donovan McNabb and the Eagles are talking about retrieving $1.8 million of the signing bonus given to T.O. last season. A one way ticket out of Philly is looking very certain. And not Owens is saying " I don't have to play for Philly"

In Green Bay, Javon Walker is also holding out of camp which started a war of words with QB Brett Favre. Walker does have a legitimate grip. He is due to make $550,000 in 2005 after gaining over 1,200 yards and going to the Pro Bowl in February. Things could turn very sour here as well. Favre has other weapons on the team and chose not to throw to Walker as often. So where does this league the state of the NFL?

Rosenhaus is quickly becoming the Scott Boras of the NFL. Rosenhaus' opponents are swearing at him, his clients swear by him. His techniques are effective yet disruptive. Is team chemistry the next element of the game to go? Time will tell. Don’t be surprised if Cincinnati Pro Bowl WR Chad Johnson is next to hold out. I just wonder how much commission he will make this off season alone?


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