Welcome To My World

So you’ve tracked me down and entered my world…What awaits is anyones guess. One day I may be railing about some world problem the next it may be teaching folks how to throw the perfect 2 seam fastball. I get into a little bit of everything, whether it be camping, political issues, or just a little random rambling.

 Who am I? I wish I knew the answer to that. I’ve done a little bit of everything over my lifetime, and traveled to excess in an attempt to unlock the secrets of the world, or for work…Okay mostly for work. I am a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran, a good friend, loving family member, and tons of other things you’ll learn over time.  Something you’ll figure out quickly though is I am a baseball junkie and have a quirky way of expressing myself.

 This is a space to pour my soul out and allow my friends in the writing world a place to share their thoughts as well. Even if you find yourself bored with me for some unimagineable reason it’s always a good idea to check in and see what talent has made their way here to share their insights and knowledge.  Hopefully when you stop by here you’ll learn a little, think more, and laugh a lot! Life is too short to stop expanding and too wonderful to not enjoy even if you have to fake it some days.

 Leave a note, teall a friend to stop by and most of all enjoy!

Gina Carano Reluctantly Famous?

Not everyone knows Gina Carano as the face of MMA women’s fighting, I certainly didn’t.  I’ve seen her on American Gladiator although i hate to admit I’ve watched that actually. I’ve seen her maxim magazine which I don’t mind admitting as much. I’ve seen her face pinned to more advertising than you can shake a stick at which is just unavoidable.

 Let’s face facts, Gina is a gorgeous woman! She is a finely tuned athlete that can just flat out tear the competition apart while flashing a made for million dollar endorsements smile. Heck she’s even articulate, and not just for an athlete, she’s actually got some brains. What those brains are up to lately who knows?

 Gina has commented that she does not want to be the face of women’s MMA fighting. She doesn’t want to be famous. She just wants to be left alone so she can be fighter. Okay fine, we all want things, but we take steps and make choices for those wants to manifest, we don’t do what Gina has done. In fact we do the exact opposite.

 I believe that Gina’s little “I don’t want to be famous” tirade is really a well crafted plan to become even bigger. Let’s take a look at her modus operandi. She establishes herself as a top MMA draw based on skill and beauty. It is a hard package to top. Look what it did for Anna Kournikova. She regularly invites the press, people that make a living putting people in the spotlight, to her workouts in the gym. She parlays that into a job on American Gladiator that gives her even more expossure. That exposure leads to more and bigger endorsement deals. That lands her a layout in maxim which is as close to softcore porn as can be sold without requiring being 18 to purchase it. She knew this path was ahead of her, in fact I believe she and her handlers through the MMA and her in house advisors laid this out from day one.

 Now let’s take a closer look at Gina. She has an upcoming fight that needs to hit. She failed to make weight for her last bout and that has dropped her a little lower on everyone’s collective radar. If she really wanted to fade into the background this was the time to do it. It is one thing to intimate to friends that celebrity isn’t all you thought it would be, it is quite another thing to go to the press with the sentiment you don’t want to be famous. As we know Gina and the pilots steering her career aren’t stupid people the only conclusion we can as logical people draw is that she is using this to land back in the press.

 Here she is the day the statement was made getting front page coverage on sports and human interest blogs everywhere. She was mentioned on ESPN and who knows how many other television and radio sports shows. She has been blogged about by hundreds, maybe thousands of people just like am I now. Gina if your wish really was to fade into to the background you really blew it. If your real desire was more exposure, I’m happy to oblige. Just don’t play your fans for fools, you can get away with it once, maybe even twice, but keep pushing the envelope and you will be as popular as yesterdays kitty litter.

 Just consider this strike one.

Obama- How much do we believe?

 Barack Obama is for the most part like any other politician in modern times, some of what comes out of his mouth is true, some is partially true from the standpoint of semantics, and some is just flat out false. That gray area is the region in which we can’t say the words coming out of his mouth are  a lie only because we can’t prove intent.

 Take for example the first debate between Obama and McCain. What Obama said about Kissinger’s statements concerning meeting world leaders from rogue nations that are certainly not friends of the U.S. was true in part. Kissinger did say there should be meetings, however he never said those meetings should be conducted by the president of the U.S. but rather the Sevretary of State. That is a big Difference. Kissinger also did not say we should be meeting with Iran which was the specific nation in question without preconditions. Let’s be honest and logical for a second; Iran is advocating the mass destruction of Israel and we are to believe Kissinger, one of Israels staunchest supporters historically want’s to met with Iran to discuss a change of course in that thought process?

 Obama said  that  he would make sure that the health care system “allows everyone to have basic coverage.”  Not true. In fact that isn’t close to true. Obama has supported one of the most flagrantly overpriced hospitals in the nation that carries a 350% premium on treatment for uninsured patients, incidentally that hospital named his wife to it’s board of directors within two months of his election, doubled her salary, and thre over $100,000.00 into his campaign coffers.

 Obama does have a health plan, but it is in all honesty the worst of the plans proposed when compared to that of Hillary Clinton and McCain. Even Hillary shredded the Big O’s health plan to bits. Essentially his “coverage for all” plan is a coverage for kids plan. Adults rich or poor can fend for them self under his plan. If you are an adult and can’t afford health insurance now, it will be even harder under Obama’s plan.

 He attacks the fact that McCains plan will  cost about $3.3 trillion dollars over ten years. What he doesn’t tell you is his plan will cost $3.6 trillion over the same time period and insure 15 million FEWER people. He also doesn’t tell you that while McCain will be adding employer subsidized health care to the taxable base, that comes with a $2,500 deduction for singles, $5,000 for couples/families, and that far outweighs the increase in a health insurance tax for a minumum of 18 years. When the cost of living does even out guess what, it will be the richest Americans feeling the hit, not the lower middle class. As a byproduct, under McCain’s Plan everyone has medical coverage.

 In regards to energy, forget what people are or are not saying and look at their history. McCain makes no bones about the fact we need oil short and long term. he is not afraid to open up ANWR, Hakken, or go offshore. he has voted this platform for decades. Obama has done nothing in concerns to energy. Zero. In fact even Sarah palin has done major work concerning energy by a factor of almost infinity over Obama.

 When Obama ran for Senate in Illinois he said the state would put people out of jobs to work in the green energy fields and shake the state’s dependance on petro fuel. People were going to be trained to build windmills to raise wind farms and manufacture and install solar energy panels. Sounds good to be sure, but it never happened. In fact he never proposed a single measure during his term in Senate to even just explore the possibility. As such Illinois is still one of the largest consumners in the nation of petro fuels and coal, people waiting on those promised green enregy jobs are still waiting.  Actually the Big O never brought fuel up a single time until he was forced to during his presidential campaign.

 Here’s the thing folks, when you look at who you are going to vote for, don’t look at what they say, look at the accomplishments and figure out which one is really qualified for the job. McCain is known commodity, we’ve seen him in action and know that he is about as bipartisan during his career as anyone in any federal office today. Obama, we can’t really gauge, not to be cruel but he’s never done anything in office. He’s never tried. He began running for president almost two years into his term and as such he has no body of work to examine, only a lack of work to consider.

 I voted for obama when we Lived in Illinois, he was an engaging energetic speaker that had the ability to instill that warm fuzzy feeling. The problem is that warm fuzzy fades fast without doing something tangible to maintain it. I look at McCain and find that while he’s still the most qualified I really don’t like him, but what I remind myself is it really isn’t about what I personally do or do not like, but rather who is or isn’t right for the job.

 I tend to believe all politicians are 78% water, 22% crap. It varies in some cases, in this I think the crap percentage in Obama is slightly higher than in McCain. I don’t actually beleive either candidate. I don’t think either one is really going to fix the large looming problems we’re currently dealing with. What I do believe is McCain is going to screw the important things up less than Obama. it’s sad to have to break down a decision so big as this in that manner but that is life in the modern world.

Everything you never knew about House MD –Almost Everything Anyway

Since House, M.D. made it’s debut on the Fox Network On November 16, 2004, it has been one of the most popular shows on television. While it has many rabidly devoted fans who think they know everything there is to know about the show, there are always details that slip through the cracks. Whether they be in front of the camera or behind the scenes, House has a slew of secrets and forgotten bits of trivia all real fans should be well aware of.

The first obvious tidbit is that House was developed to be a modern day version of Sherlock Holmes. While most fans catch on to this they usually don’t specifically know the similarities the two share. Each are primarily friendless with a notable exception, House has Wilson, Holmes had Watson. Each is a musician, House plays the Piano and guitar while Holmes played the Violin. They are both drug users, Vicodin for House and Cocaine for Holmes, as well as both being egocentric and of course forensic geniuses. Both House and Sherlock Holmes have the same address which is 221-B, and they have encounters with similar characters. House was shot by Moriarty which happens to be the same name as Holmes nemesis, and in the first episode of house the show centered around a patient named Rebecca Adler which is very similar to a character in the first Sherlock Holmes short story Irene Adler.

The show was developed to be a procedural drama much like the Law and Order franchise, not something which was based on one specific main character. While most of the cast was already chosen before they ever auditioned; Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer and Robert Sean Leaonard, the choice for the role of House did not pan out as was originally hoped for. The character of House was developed with…. Find out who the choices to play House were before Hugh Lauries was chosen here!!!

How pornography can be healthy in a relationship

Contrary to what many people believe, pornography can actually be healthy in a relationship. Most people tend to think of pornography in the seediest of terms, however not all adult material is like that. While the industry has evolved from it’s earlier offerings in some niches, it has been found to be a nice addition to many relationships because it does offer certain avenues to keeping things open and lively.

When we discuss pornography as a part of a healthy relationship, it is not of the nature of one partner watching it alone, but rather the couple enjoying it together. When a couples views a film for example there can be a wide variety of reactions to it. Mutual viewing can be stimulating, and if your relationship has been lacking in the sex department it can provide a nice jump start to opening that door back up. There is no denying a healthy sex life is a cornerstone to a healthy relationship, so this is a perfectly reasonable way to keep those desires riding high.

Viewing pornography together can be the way to bring up fantasies one partner may be hesitant to talk about. Not all couples find talking about sex easy, especially if they have some fantasy that may be a bit off the beaten path. Even little things like one partner having a desire to see what being spanked by their partner might be like can at times be something they just have no idea how to bring up or initiate in their lovemaking. By viewing a film that may have a scene depicting that activity it provides a natural opening to bring it up in conversation and gauge how your partner feels about it, and whether or not they may be willing to give it whirl.

The preceding example brings to light a major potential benefit which is that it opens up the lines of communication. The absence of communication in any area of a relationship is something that needs to be addressed and sex is a major part of a relationship. Even if you just…..Read the rest here

Celebrity biography: Shakira

Shakira Mebarak Ripoll, better known to the world as simply Shakira, was born in Barranquilla Colombia on February, 2, 1977. Her father William Chadid was a well respected Lebanese jeweler, while her mother Nidia Torrado was his Colombian bride. After several names came and went through her mothers mind she settled on Shakira which is a derivative of the word “shakurum” which translates to English as “Woman full of grace.” How fitting that name would be was unknown then, but to millions around the world that have come to know and love her as a performer, there could be no better description. Personally however, Shakira said she identifies to it’s secondary meaning more which is “grateful.”

While Shakira was the only daughter the couple had, she did have several half siblings from her fathers previous marriage dating back to when he lived In New York. As the baby and admitted apple of her fathers eye, he had no problem indulging “Shaki” as she is known to family and friends in whatever pursuits she desired. Shakira proved to be an extremely intelligent child whom was thought would go on to great academic pursuits. She had learned the alphabet around 18 months old, was reading by three, and it is recorded she began school at only four years old. As Shaki was tested at the genius level and had a string of older siblings that went on to wonderful careers; a surgeon, attorney, special education teacher, and her future road manager whom had a heavy business background.

Shakira seemed headed down a different road however as very early on her gift for writing was noticed and nurtured. The second thing that was evident was she was a gifted dancer progressing through learning complex tap and belly dance routines she began mimicking, again at only four years old. and without the benefit of lessons. To the dismay of her parents, as Shakira progressed through school she seemed to have little interest in her studies, however that did not mean she had trouble maintaining good grades. teachers remarked she had a gift for understanding even complex concepts rather quickly, and then retained them even easier.

At thirteen she moved to Bogota to pursue a career in modeling. While music was her true love she wasn’t sure if it was going to be in her future after her school choir director commented she sounded like a sick goat. She proved her wrong as by the time a year had passed she inked her first recording deal with Colombia Records…..read the rest here

Musician profile: Kid Rock

Kid Rok, born Robert James Ritchie, on January 17, 1971 in Romeo, Michigan has become a music icon over his eighteen years in the industry. Very few performers have enjoyed the massive crossover appeal of Kid Rock who has enjoyed success in the genres of Rap/Hip Hop, rock, metal, aountry, and now the blues. It would seem there is nothing Kid Rock takes on that he doesn’t succeed at in his professional life which is a bit of a contrast to his all too public personal struggles at times. With one of the most diverse fan bases in all of music Kid Rock (KR) looks like he will be a major player for as long as he wants to.

Kid Rock grew up in what most would describe as a typical small town backdrop. His father owned a car dealership, his family was not marred by divorce or any known major problems, and KR was generally a normal teen aside from what was a undeniable talent for music and performing. By the age of 19 he had a major label deal with Jive Records under whom he released Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast. Nobody is ever going to say it was his best work, but Jive didn’t support the album or KR giving him an honest chance to make it. At the time another rapper known as Vanilla Ice hit the seen and the executives at Jive felt there was only room for one white rapper and dropped him without so much as a second thought.

Kid wasn’t out of work for long and signed on with Continuum Records and released two albums, Plyfuze Method and Fire it up before they went bankrupt. Kid realized nobody was beating the door down to sign him and the deals that were offered were nearly worthless. Out of options he formed his own label called Top Dog Records. he spent what little spare time he had teaching himself to play the guitar so he could move beyond being solely known as a rapper and dee-jay. Nobody can say KR didn’t pay his dues to make things work, he worked as a janitor and even collected bottles and cans for their deposit value to help pay for studio time. When he needed more time than he had money he bartered whatever services he could to make things work. To say he was operating on a shoestring is an understatement. The only financial help he accepted along the way was a loan from his father to help press his recording of Early Morning Stoned Pimp, and set up a showcase to display his new sound and talents to record executives. Atlantic Records immediately signed KR, no other label  accepted his invitation.

Atlantic realized immediate rewards as his debut with…read the rest here

Band profile: White Zombie

White Zombie was the band of choice for metal fans in the mid to late ’90’s that were tired of the commercialized offerings of the Motley Crue’s of the world, but still wanted something that offered more than incomprehensible growling. They were the meeting of the best of of both worlds, a band seemingly poised for long term greatness. Not everything is however as it seems, this is their story.

Rob Cummings of Haverhill, MA, relocated to New York in the early 1980’s making his way in the world by virtue of his artistic ability. he landed jobs as everything from a production assistant on Pee Wee’s Playhouse to doing art design and graphics for magazines. Sometime around 1985 he and his then girlfriend Sean yseult decided to form a band which reflected the many interests they shared from the entertainment world. These influences were the theatrics of performers like Kiss and Alic Cooper, combined with the music of punk bands like the Ramones and a touch of B grade horror films. The name White Zombie was directly taken from the 1932 Bela Lugosi film of the same name.

From 1985 until 1989 the band was in a constant state of flux. Rob, then known as Rob Zombie, manned the vocals and Sean honed her bass skills, guitarists and drummers changed almost constantly. While they had several indie releases during this time frame like Gods of VooDoo Moon, Pig Heaven, and Make Them Die Slowly, mainstream success just wasn’t in the cards seemingly. Finally when jay Noel Yuenger (Known simply as J) left Rights of the Accused the tide began changing. It was the addition of his metallic riffs that moved the band more toward the metal sound they are today and served as influence on everyone from Thurston Moore to Kurt Cobain.

Their first release with J featured a cover of the Kiss anthem God of Thunder which got the attention of Geffen Records as they felt White Zombie was one of the very select few metal bands of the time that was edgy enough for discriminating metal heads, but still mainstream enough to actually get club play and be danced to. By 1992 when la Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 hit the band was enjoying a larger fan base, but not what Geffen imagined. What really changed their fortunes was the video Thunderkiss ‘65 and the Beavis and Butthead Show. The song itself is some weird mutation of funk metal, but the video is bizarre featuring everyday monsters and a guy in a wrestling mask that nobody has ever quite figured….. Read the rest here

Do threesomes spoil a relationship or spice it up

The age old dilemma of the threesome, will it add something to a relationship or obliterate it? The general reaction, especially among men is go for it! Women are is into as men are, we just don’t say it quite so loudly or often. Just because someone may fantasize about it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing, there are many things you have to examine before jumping in and deciding whether a threesome is right for your relationship or not.

The first thing to question is the strength of your relationship. Sharing a partner, whether they be a spouse or steady date, in an intimate manner with another person requires a wealth of trust. If you have any doubts in your mind that your partner is going to start cutting you out of the menage, and potentially relationship, then it is not for you. If you’re the jealous type that worries your partner may pay too much attention to the third member, again, a threesome is not going to spice things up. You’re going to be so focused on that and paranoid you’ll begin manufacturing issues where none may exist.

A second point to examine is are you doing this for you, your partner, or it is an equal desire you share? Are you considering a threesome because you both believe it will strengthen your relationship, or is it because you’re trying to salvage a failing relationship? It is a big difference even if the line between the two is fine at times. In regards to who the threesome is for, if you are pushing for it purely for your own self gratification it will likely damage your relationship, remember that a partnership is about two people, not one. If you are doing it for your partner, be sure you really want to do it or else you may wind up resenting them for it. If you’re uncomfortable the experience isn’t going to be good for anyone involved. if however you both feel it is the right thing and are doing it for each other then it is most likely it will add plenty of spark to your relationship.

With that said, the process of deciding if a threesome will spark or douse your relationship is just beginning……read the rest here

The myths surrounding masturbation

“Stop that you’re going to go blind!” How many people remember their parents saying that when they even had the slightest thought that masturbation may be occurring under their roof. The fact is masturbation doesn’t cause blindness, nor is it evil or some sign of sickness. Since before anyone began recording history, masturbation has been a part of life, a normal healthy part of life in fact, yet so many of the myths surrounding it are horrendously negative.

For years parents, clergymen, grandparents, and even teachers charged with sexual education classes told everyone masturbation was bad for them. There really is no basis for it, in moderation masturbation is actually a good thing. It releases pent up sexual energy. It poses no physical threat to a person, but if it becomes an obsession then it definitely is a mental problem. Masturbation to that degree though is decidedly not the norm however. Now that we know it poses no physical harm and is definitely not going to make you go blind, what are some of the other common myths surrounding masturbation?   ….Read the rest here

Xanax and teens- Its abuse and effects

The abuse of Xanax among teens is a problem rapidly growing out of control. Xanax is a benzodiazapine primarily used for treating anxiety disorders. While when used properly it is highly effective it can become habit forming. When abused the effects are far more gruesome and take a tremendous toll on the mind and body, especially those which are still growing.

Xanax produces a tipsy type of effect in many users which is not much unlike what one might expect after having a few drinks. As such it lowers the users level of anxiety and in proper the proper dose allows the person to function at a reasonably normal level. Xanax is also used as a rescue medication for persons suffering from panic attacks. In a low dose immediate delivery at an attacks onset has a bit of a “magic bullet” effect nullifying much of the effects of the attack. With such broad uses and it’s consideration as a fairly harmless drug under FDA classification it is widely available.

The wide availability of Xanax makes it what we call a medicine cabinet drug in that for most teens it isn’t something they have to search for on the street but rather something many can easily find at home. This fairly ready availability combined with the combination of effects it can deliver ranging from easing tension to providing a feeling of inebriation of sorts makes this incredibly attractive to teens. it is so attractive in fact that as of 2000 the abuse of Xanax by teens was outweighing abuse by adults.

The next problem is Xanax along with it’s generic counterparts are easily obtainable online. For a teen with….READT THE REST HERE

What is soda really doing to your insides?

Soda has long been the beverage of choice for millions of people. When it comes to drinking soda I always heard about possible health risks or side effects of some sort but never took them seriously. The way I looked at it was there are a lot of worse things I could be drinking, and that sugar and caffeine are innocent ingredients getting a bad rap.

Then I started hearing about soda related problems more and more. My dentist inquired about my soda consumption and dropped a comment that maybe I should cut back as soda weakens tooth enamel. As usual I nodded agreement which is what I do whenever someone has a massive iron hook jammed into my mouth and I’m defenseless to fight back. A few days later though I began to wonder if there was anything to all the talk about the downside of soda and found out there was plenty beyond the cost associated to purchasing so many empty calories.

The first thing that scared me was sodium benzoate and it’s link to cancer. I saw the word cancer and freaked out a little so I paid close attention. Sodium benzoate is found in over 1,500 different types of soda as well as forest fires, cigarette smoke, and burning coal. The level it generally occurs in sodas as a partner of ascorbic acid is five times higher than the limit allowed in U.S. drinking water. In diet soda it can be up to eleven times higher than the allowable rate in water. It made me wonder if it is so bad in water and everywhere else, why is it okay, especially at high levels, in soda? Benzene is a carcinogen and has been linked to leukemia. How bad is it? It’s bad enough that PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Cadbury-Schweppes, are facing class action lawsuits over benzene-forming ingredients in their beverages.

Carbonated beverages (Not just soda) can lead to acid reflux disease. That in and of itself is fairly manageable but still annoying. The problem is acid reflux disease has been identified as a risk factor for esophageal cancer. While studies in India which directly linked soda to esophageal cancer where debunked by a Yale study, Yale did not deny there was an indirect correlation between acid reflux disease to esophageal cancer. It is a longer line of cause and effect, but there is still some connection.

Aspertame is something we have all heard of. It was only a couple years ago headlines claimed the sweetener caused lymphomas and leukemias. It did in rats at least, but a 5000,000 person study conducted later that year said aspertame was not cancer causing, but…. READ THE REST HERE

Recession spending finds baseball

With January nearing it’s end and the winter meetings long gone this winter has been a long strange trip to say the least. Manny Ramirez can’t find a home.  Guys Like Bobby Abreu who put up solid consistent numbers are sitting in Limbo. Ken Griffey Jr., probably one of the three best players of the past twenty years is ready to hold up a sign that says “Will hit for food.”

The fact is the  economy has caught up with baseball. Owners have plenty to worry about when a team like the Yankees can’t sell suites for their brand new stadium. Even with all they hype over the Yankees big spending this year they actually cut the payroll. People don’t often notice that but it is true. In fact almost nobody is raising the payroll aside from a couple teams that were spending pocket change (by baseball standards) to start with.

Plenty of agents and a few players looking for jobs still have alluded to collusion. Everyone knows this isn’t true, but they just don’t want to come to grips with the idea that in order for them to get those big salaries they are used to people have to be able to afford to go games and buy merchandise. Right now that isn’t the case and it doesn’t look like it will change this year.

Consider Andy Pettite who said he felt insulted by being offered a $10 million dollar one year contrct based on being average the previous year. People screamed “Where is that Yankee loyalty” seemingly forgetting it was only last winter they stood behind A.P. when he was exposed for using steroids.  Nobody mentioned how odd it looked he exercised his option for that $16 million dollar deal only three days before the list of tainted/suspected to be tainted players was released.  Although he has stated he could have made more money elsewhere nobody seems to admit to offering better. In the end he gets a deal that was about half of the original offer with the remainder linked to his being healthy and performing well.

Jason Varitek balked at every offer Boston made only to find that there is no market for catchers passing their 36th birthday that hit .230. He expected something in the range of a 4 year $40 million dollar deal. He has about 5 days now to decide if his pride will allow him to sign a one year deal for about $5 million. Logic says he should, because to be honest his days as an everyday catcher are numbered. He can no longer hit enough to be of value as a DH on his off days behind the plate with David Ortiz entrenched in that slot, nor can he really swing to any other position. His value lies in handeling THAT particular pitching staff, something which makes a bidding war for his services laughable.

Manny Ramirez is one of the most feared hitters in baseball and nobody argues that. Manny is also in a world of his own and somehow he, and his agent, haven’t quite grasped that as great as he is, big multiyear deals for guys in their mid thirties just aren’t going to happen this year. Still he waits and waits and eventually he will get his deal and make plenty of money. The problem is it may not be “Manny Money” like he is accustomed to. Unlike winters past, there is plenty of talent in the outfield looking for a job.

Thus far everyone has waited to see what kind of deal Manny would get before negotiating their own deal. The problem is not all teams are waiting. Some have gone on and spent their money already making signing Manny or some of the other holdouts financially impossible. Some have decided that they will only pursue these guys if they fall to rock bottom prices. Imagine picking up a bat like Adam Dunn for $7 million or so on a one year deal? Eventually these guys will need jobs.

Then throw into the mix there are teams sitting fat with outfielders or willing to shed some payroll for prospects and go with kids in the system and the picture is even cloudier. The yankees could move Xavier Nady, Nick Swisher, or Melky Cabrera who althoug underperforming is popular based on age, cost, and potential. The Royals are willing to move talent, The White Sox haven’t ruled out moving some big chips. Actually almost every GM is willing to make a deal if it cuts costs. Trades will be made and Manny, Griffey, Abreu, and Dunn may find new adresses with with a new lower paying deal.

In all actuality this was ineveitable recession or not. The revenue in the MLB has grown by leaps and bounds the past decade and player salaries have followed suit. Now however this recession has served as the impetus for owners to pull back and say no more. It isn’t a matter of holding secret meetings to drive down salaries, it is the basic principle of not spending what you don’t have.  Manny, Boras, and all you guys waiting for the dream deal to come along, WAKE UP! It isn’t going to happen this year. I just hope you all saved some of the tens of millions you’ve made to ride the storm out.