Pirates Winter Meetings

The time has come for the Major League Baseball Annual Winter Meetings. This year the meeting is being held in Orlando, FL from Monday, December 10 to Thursday, December 12. The annual meeting is held between major league baseball and front office and coaching staffs from all 30 major league teams. The meetings is usually when a major transactions occurs because everyone is in the same place at the same time. The Pirates come into the meetings at someone that is looking for help. They have been linked in multiple 1st basemen's such as Logan Morrison of Miami Marlins and Adam Lind of the Toronto Blue Jays. They have also been linked to free agent James Loney formally of the Tampa Bay Rays. They have also been linked to former Pirate Bronson Arroyo. As I currently write this post, the Pirates have not made a move yet but I expect them to by the end of the meetings or shortly after the meeting ends.

Adam Lind

Bronson Arroyo

 James Loney

 Logan Morrison

The pictures above could be your future Pittsburgh Pirates!

Blockbuster Trade

A blockbuster trade between the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers that involved a Mega Star in Prince Fielder and a 3x All Star in Ian Kinsler. The trade has Fielder and $30 Million going to Texas for Kinsler. When I first found out about the trade, I thought that it was a terrible trade for the Tigers as they just signed this guy only 2 years ago to team up with Miguel Cabrera in the line-up. After thinking about the trade some more, I believe that this is a brilliant move for the Tigers. It frees them up on cap space to further better there club. The can sign Max Scherzer and Miguel Cabrera to contract extensions and use the remaining money for bullpen help.

Clint Hurdle = NL Manager of the Year

Congrats to Clint Hurdle on being named NL Manager of the Year for the job he did during the 2013 season. He received 25 out of 30 possible first place votes. He was able to doing something that previous managers such as, Gene Lamont, Lloyd McClendon, Jim Tracy, and John Russell which was lead the Pirates to its first winning season since 1992 and a playoff birth. He led the Pirates to its first playoff win since 1992 when they beat the Reds in the NL Wild Card game at PNC Park. I had the opportunity to meet Clint Hurdle through a mutual friend during the last homestand of the regular season and I believe that the award could not have gone to a better person and to a guy that WANTS to be in PITTSBURGH for a long time to lead the Pirates to a World Series Championship.

Ben Roethlisberger Trade Request?

Hours before the November 10th game against the Buffalo Bills, the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said that Ben Roethlisberger was "Incredibility Frustrated with the team and will them for a trade during the offseason." By the time halftime of the game came, both Pittsburgh Steeler's president, Art Rooney II and Ben's Agent, Ryan Tollner both said in a statement that none of this was true and they have no plans to for a trade to happen. During Roethlisberger's post game press conference, he said that the allegations of him requesting a trade is 100% false and that he wants to be a Pittsburgh Steelers for the rest of his career.

I for one, believe that they should at least explore a possible trade destination for him as the Steelers are in a obvious rebuild mode and I do not think will be competitive for at least 2 to 3 years. While I believe Ben is still a top quarterback in the game, I also believe that by the time the Steelers are competitive again, Ben will be on the downside of his career if he isn't already and you might as well get something good for him while you still can.

NBA Season

I know that by living in Western Pennsylvania, the National Basketball Association doesn't get much fan support. However, I have been a fan my whole life. Growing up as probably most kids in the 90's, the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan was my favorite team and player to watch. Now a days, I cheer for the Cleveland Cavailars and Kyrie Irving. I believe that this is the year that the Cavs make the playoffs as they have some good players that is ready to step up and be a force in the Eastern Conference. Weather you like the Miami Heat and LeBron James or not, it will be hard to pick against them representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. As far as the Western Conference is concerned, I believe that it can be a number of teams such as the LA Clippers, SA Spurs, OKC Thunder or the Houston Rockets. However, if I have to choose one, I would choose the LA Clippers to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. If my prediction holds true with the Clippers vs Heat in the NBA Finals....I would have to say the Heat would win the NBA Championship based on Experience and Talent if healthy.

Football Icons

(Left: Bum Phillips, Right: Bud Adams)

Over the weekend, the football world lost two icons that will forever be linked to football. On Friday, October 18th, former Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints Head Coach, Bum Phillips passed away at the age on 90. On, Monday, October 21st, former Houston Oilers and current Tennessee Titans Owner, Bud Adams passed away at the age of 90. Bud Adams was the only owner the Houston Oilers ever had. Bud Adams hired Bum Phillips after the 1974 season and the hiring produced the greatest run in the 37 year history of the Houston Oilers in Houston.  The duo never made the Super Bowl because that was the time when the Pittsburgh Steelers were in the middle of a dynasty.  After not getting a new stadium built during the mid 90's, Adams moved the team to Nashville and they became the Tennessee Titans and was owner till his death in 2013. After leaving the Oilers, Phillips went on to coach the New Orleans Saints but didn't have much success and retired in 1985.

Here's a story explaining there career in depth on sportingnews.com: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-10-21/bud-adams-dies-bum-phillips-houston-oilers-titans-legacies-afl

World Series

When the season began, 30 teams thought they could make the most important series of a baseball players lives. Fast forward to October and we are down to 2 teams. The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox will play for the 2013 World Series Championship. These are two teams that had the best record in Major League Baseball over the course of the season. This the the first time since 1999 that two teams with the best record in MLB when the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves made the World Series. You could've made a case that the Cardinals would have been here at the beginging of the season but mostly no one had the Red Sox in this position after there 2012 season. I think this is a pretty even match up between the two teams that I could see going 7 games however, I have the Red Sox winning in 6 games.