The Dodgers just fired their hitting coach, Eddie Murray.

Given what happened the last time a team fired Eddie Murray as their hitting coach...it's highly likely that the Dodgers batters will now start mashing like crazy.

There's no reason the Sox can't take advantage of the Eddie Murray effect by following these steps ASAP:

1. Fire Greg Walker
   
2. Hire Eddie Murray
   
3. Fire Eddie Murray the following day
   
4. Hire anyone other than Walker
   
5. Mash like crazy towards 95 wins and the Central crown

It's a foolproof plan.

I'm commish for a couple leagues amongst friends...they're all non-keeper.  I went with Commish Veto this year, because in seemed like with League Votes, no one ever bothered to vote.  I've already vetoed a trade this year, and one has just been accepted that I really feel like vetoing as well.  

But I'm starting to question if I'm making the right decisions here...am I going overboard in trying to keep trades fair?  Was my own trade fair?  Should I just leave people to their own stupidity unless it's a really unbalanced trade?  But then what constitutes really unbalanced?

Trades that have occurred in this league:

1. Dan Wheeler for Scott Shields (4/25)
2. VETOED- Ramon Hernandez & Ted Lilly for Bengie Molina, Adam Dunn, & Jim Thome (5/10)
3. Juan Pierre, John Lackey, Greg Maddux for Ty Wigginton, Andruw Jones, & Jim Thome (5/15)
4. MY TRADE- Carl Crawford & Nick Swisher for JJ Hardy, Brian Roberts, & Kevin Youkilis (5/24)

Currently Pending) David Wright for Kelly Johnson (6/1)

I can't make the rescheduled game, but if someone here can, you can have the tix for free.

Section 520, Row 13 good for Game 1 of the doubleheader tomorrow (1:05 PM)

300 character minimum -- 300 character minimum -- 300 character minimum -- 300 character minimum -- 300 character minimum -- 300 character minimum

Josh Hamilton was added to the yahoo db today.  I've got second waiver priority in a keeper league (12 teams, 8x8, 6 keepers per year)...think it's worth using on Hamilton or should I keep it and wait for something better down the road?

I'd be dropping Melvin Mora...not exactly a big loss, though it would hurt my infield depth a bit.

I need to choose two starting pitchers from this group:
Roto, 9x9, these are the pitching categories:
W, SV, TBF, K, GIDP, HLD, ERA, WHIP, K/BB

Brett Myers
Danny Haren
Aaron Harang
Jonathon Papelbon

I also have Liriano, and as much as I'd love to keep him for 2008 and beyond, I don't think I can justify using one out of only 6 keeper slots on a guy who won't do anything at all this year AND will have to take up a roster space all year.

I have 2 upper deck tickets for next Friday's game against the Twins that I need to sell (at face value).  I can meet in the loop or around lakeview.

White Sox vs Twins
Friday 8/25
7:35 PM

Section 514
Row 4
Seats 6-7

$22/ticket, $44 total

I think it's a fireworks night...

---300 character minimum, blah, blah, blah----

14 team roto keeper league, 8x8

I've been in first place the vast majority of the year, but have recently been overtaken even though my total points have remained steady.  I've concluded that I have too much good pitching (projected to go over the Max innings by 45 IP right now, and thats with Myers on leave and Prior doing what he does best) and I'm losing ground in offense (specifically AVG & OBP...the only other categories I stand to improve are CS, W, and HLD.)

Current standings:

R    HR    RBI    SB    CS  AVG  OBP  SLG   W  SV    K  GIDP  HLD  ERA  WHIP  K/BB
12    13    14    10.5    6    7.5    8.5    13    7    14    14    11    4    14    14    14

I want to package one offensive player and one pitcher for a monster such as Ortiz or Hafner, and then pick up yet another middle reliever to help me with holds.

My roster:

C     R. Martin (LAD - C)
1B     A. Pujols (StL - 1B)
2B     D. Uggla (Fla - 2B)
3B     B. Hall (Mil - 2B,3B,SS)
SS     Jh. Peralta (Cle - SS)
IF     C. Figgins (LAA - 2B,3B,LF,CF,RF)
LF     J. Bay (Pit - LF,CF)
CF     R. Baldelli (TB - CF)
RF     M. Ordóñez (Det - RF)
OF     J. Willingham (Fla - C,LF)
Util     C. Granderson (Det - LF,CF)
BN     C. Delgado (NYM - 1B)
BN     C. Tracy (Ari - 1B,3B,RF)
DL     Á. Ríos (Tor - RF)
DL     M. Bradley (Oak - CF,RF)

SP     A. Harang (Cin - SP)
SP     F. Liriano (Min - SP,RP)
SP     E. Bedard (Bal - SP)
SP     D. Haren (Oak - SP)
RP     B. Ryan (Tor - RP)
RP     J. Putz (Sea - RP)
RP     J. Papelbon (Bos - SP,RP)
RP     B. Shouse (Mil - RP)
P     F. Carmona (Cle - SP,RP)
BN     R. Clemens (Hou - SP)
BN     M. Prior (ChC - SP)
BN     B. Myers (Phi - SP)

So what combo of offensive player & pitcher can I put together to convince another team to send me their single best player?  Delgado & Clemens?  Ordonez & Bedard?  Tracy & Haren?

Liriano, Pujols, Papelbon are untouchable.  Thanks in advance.

...and sends him to sensitivity training.

This seems like the proper response.  I'd prefer the White Sox organization to have done it themselves, but this certainly works.  The press release at mlb.com gives no real details as to the size of the fine or exactly how much sensitivity training Ozzie's gonna need...

I'm sure most of us have the Sox talking bottle opener with Hawk calling a Valentin HR...

Well I was at Bed Bath & Beyond today picking up gifts for a friend's wedding, and saw they had a World Series version...it's got Rooney's call of the final out, and, well...that's a pretty damn cool thing to hear when you're opening a beer.  Just thought I'd share.

I'm hearing secondhand that Bruce Levine reported this on ESPN 1000 a little bit ago...

He came off the DL recently, should be a more solid arm in the pen, and will probably contribute more than Lopez would have this year.  Maybe the real reason Tracey was sent down yesterday?

I suppose he takes over what we thought was Politte's role going into the season?

[editor's note, by thewizardsofoz] as hiphopnerd pointed, it's now official:

The Chicago White Sox have acquired veteran right-handed pitcher David Riske from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Javier Lopez and optioned right-handed pitcher Sean Tracey to Class AAA Charlotte.