Since their performances have been going along swimmingly concerning the Diamondbacks, why not participate in a more comparable set of circumstances?

The AZ Cardinals are just about to fire up their inaugural season in their new digs at Glendale (Pink Taco Field).  They have (NME) No More Excuses not to perform and compete.

The Diamondbacks have the status of (AME) Any More Excuses to non-perform and compete.

Results and excuses are welcome!  

Jimmie:

I thought that I would share this letter that was sent to the columnists of the Banana, Bickley and Bovin.  My brother is the original and official scribe.  There is some very detailed and plausible consequences that the Dodgers should have investigated before they put actual pen to paper for the Lofton 1 year cursed contract.

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Dan and Paola,
Just thought I would share a little research with you about Kenny Lofton.  We should all be thankful the Dodgers snatched him away from us because in my opinion he is cursed and it might be worse than the Curse of the Bambino.  See my information below:

The Curse of Kenny Lofton.  

If you have Kenny Lofton on your team in the postseason you are sure not to get a ring and most of the time you will lose in some dramatic fashion.

1995 - Kenny Lofton is on the losing Cleveland Indians.  Losing in 6 games to Atlanta....Atlanta? Everyone beats Atlanta in the playoffs! Please!  The curse begins!

2002 - Kenny Lofton is on the losing SF Giants.  The Giants are winning Game 6 against the Anaheim Angels.  They are five outs away from winning the World Series when Darin Erstad makes the game turn around with a home run.  The Giants lose that game and then the Series.  Rally Monkey?  No, Kenny Lofton.  Coincidence?

2003 - Kenny Lofton is on the losing Chicago Cubs.  The Cubs are winning Game 6 against the Florida Marlins in the NLCS.  They are five outs away in from going to the World Series for the first time since 1945.  A fan interferes with a foul ball that Moises Alou tries to catch.  The Marlins go on to score 8 runs that inning and win the NLCS then the World Series.  Bartman?  No, Lofton!  More proof?

2004 - Kenny Lofton is on the losing NY Yankees.  The Yankees are up 3 games to none and are winning Game 4 against the Boston Red Sox.  With 3 outs needed to continue "The Curse", Mariano Rivera blows his first ALCS save and the Yankees go on to lose the game in extra innings.  The Yankees choke and let Boston become the first baseball team to come back from a 3-0 deficit, winning both the ALCS and the World Series.  Reverse The Curse?  No...The Curse of Kenny Lofton!

2005 - Kenny Lofton is on the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Phillies are in the wildcard hunt until the second to the last day of the season when, according to mlb.com, "By downing the Cubs, 6-4, at Minute Maid Park, the Astros advanced to the postseason as the National League Wild Card representative, leaving the Phillies one game behind and wondering what might have been."  Once again, due to The Curse of Kenny Lofton, as Maxwell Smart use to say, "Missed it by that much!"

There is more but I will just include the stats from his playoff appearances.  The message:  If Kenny Lofton is on your team, kiss your ring good-bye.

All other teams with Kenny Lofton not listed above that did not get a title.
  Division Series
1996 CLE
1999 CLE
2001 CLE

  Championship Series
1995 CLE
1997 ATL
1998 CLE

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After Lofton retires, I think we can then look at the history of Nomar and possibly figure that he doesn't have Destiny on his side.  Just Nia!  "Not that there is anything wrong with that"!

Padilla is 51-51 with a 3.95 ERA in 194 career games (111 starts) over seven seasons with the Diamondbacks (1999-2000) and Philadelphia.

Padilla was an All-Star in 2002, when he was 14-11 with a 3.28 ERA, and he followed that by going 14-12 with a 3.62 ERA in 2003. He is just 16-19 over the last two seasons.

Padilla made $3.2 million last year, and is eligible for salary arbitration.

Associated Press
Dec. 12, 2005 06:15 PM

The TEXASS RANGERS are on Crack Cocaine.

I now understand why A-DUD left to be with the EVIL Empire.

Padilla was a stiff when he was with the D-backs.  He didn't prove to be much better with the Phillies.  I think they kept him around just to say that he was worth the exchange for Schilling.

The TEXASS hotplate from the HOT STOVE league just boiled over.

I think I will trudge over to the Lone Star Ball and see how they'yall are doing with this latest gem of a transaction.

Jimmy and Gang:

I found this information a bit useful and painful at the same time.

Where are some of these players now?

The discussion is open for remarks and criticism.

This information is brought to you by the folks from www.retrosheet.org.

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The Transactions for the 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks
Team PagePREV NEXT

January 2, 1998

Adam Hyzdu signed as a free agent.

January 5, 1998

Brent Cookson signed as a free agent.

January 8, 1998

Andy Stankiewicz signed as a free agent.

January 11, 1998

Mark Davis signed as a free agent.

January 12, 1998

Mike Robertson signed as a free agent.

January 21, 1998

Tim Hyers signed as a free agent.

January 24, 1998

Jarrod Patterson signed as a free agent.

January 31, 1998

Gregg Olson signed as a free agent.

February 3, 1998

Andy Benes signed as a free agent.

February 10, 1998

Traded Mike Bell to New York Mets in exchange for Joe Lisio.

February 20, 1998

Lost Kirt Ojala to Florida Marlins on waivers.

March 7, 1998

Traded Todd Erdos and Marty Janzen to New York Yankees in exchange for Andy Fox.

March 20, 1998

Jorge De La Rosa signed as a non-drafted free agent.

March 25, 1998

Greg Hansell released.

April 3, 1998

Lost Hector Carrasco to Minnesota Twins on waivers.

April 22, 1998

Tim Hyers released.

April 27, 1998

Traded Chris Jones to San Francisco Giants in exchange for Ricky Pickett.

April 30, 1998

Tim Hyers signed as a free agent.

May 15, 1998

Claimed Amaury Telemaco from Chicago Cubs on waivers.

May 19, 1998

Tim Hyers released.

May 25, 1998

Ricky Pickett released.

May 26, 1998

Purchased Efrain Valdez from New York Mets.

June 1, 1998

Claimed Bobby Chouinard from Milwaukee Brewers on waivers.

June 2, 1998
Amateur Free-Agent Draft
4th round Javier Lopez
5th round J.D. Closser
8th round Andrew Good
18th round Bret Prinz
23rd round Robby Hammock
29th round Mike Koplove

June 3, 1998

Traded Scott Brow and Joe Lisio to New York Yankees in exchange for Willie Banks.

June 23, 1998

Traded Russ Springer to Atlanta Braves in exchange for Alan Embree.

June 25, 1998

Luis Pineda signed as a free agent.

June 26, 1998

Claimed Aaron Small from Oakland Athletics on waivers.

July 4, 1998

Luis Pineda released.

July 24, 1998

Traded Reid Cornelius to Florida Marlins in exchange for a player to be named later;
Arizona Diamondbacks received Walt White (October 29, 1998).

July 31, 1998

Traded Willie Blair, Jorge Fabregas and cash to New York Mets in exchange for Nelson
Figueroa, Bernard Gilkey and cash.

August 1, 1998

Sent Hensley Meulens to Chicago White Sox for future considerations.

August 7, 1998

Jeff Huson signed as a free agent.

August 31, 1998

Vicente Padilla signed as a non-drafted free agent.

September 3, 1998

Sold Jeff Suppan to Kansas City Royals.

September 29, 1998
Granted Free Agency
Mike Robertson

October 2, 1998

Joel Adamson released.

October 7, 1998

Lost Cory Lidle to Tampa Bay Devil Rays on waivers.

October 15, 1998
Granted Free Agency
Jeff Huson
Adam Hyzdu
Barry Manuel
Efrain Valdez

October 16, 1998
Granted Free Agency
Brent Cookson
Chris Michalak
Tom Wilson

October 23, 1998
Granted Free Agency
Devon White

October 26, 1998

Izzy Molina signed as a free agent.

November 2, 1998
Granted Free Agency
Andy Stankiewicz

November 6, 1998

Brent Brede released.

Oscar Villarreal signed as a non-drafted free agent.

November 10, 1998

Traded Alan Embree to San Francisco Giants in exchange for Dante Powell.

November 11, 1998

Brian Shouse signed as a free agent.

Traded Bob Wolcott to Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later;
Arizona Diamondbacks received Bart Miadich (December 15, 1998).

November 13, 1998

Greg Swindell signed as a free agent.

November 17, 1998

Greg Colbrunn signed as a free agent.

November 19, 1998

Neil Weber released.

December 2, 1998

Armando Reynoso signed as a free agent.

Todd Stottlemyre signed as a free agent.

Ernie Young signed as a free agent.

December 4, 1998

Lost Bryan Corey to Detroit Tigers on waivers.

December 8, 1998

Traded Felix Rodriguez to San Francisco Giants in exchange for 2 players to be named
later; Arizona Diamondbacks received Troy Brohawn and Chris Van Rossum (December 21,
1998).

December 10, 1998

Randy Johnson signed as a free agent.

December 16, 1998

Purchased Erubiel Durazo from Monterrey (Mexican).

December 17, 1998

Dan Carlson signed as a free agent.

Pete Incaviglia signed as a free agent.

Keith Johnson signed as a free agent.

Matt Ruebel signed as a free agent.

December 18, 1998

Steve Finley signed as a free agent.

December 21, 1998
Granted Free Agency
Willie Banks

December 28, 1998

Traded Karim Garcia to Detroit Tigers in exchange for Luis Gonzalez