Absolutely Perfect!

Sometimes when you pick up the Newspaper and miss read the

headlines your mind starts thinking about what will be next. That
is exactly what Tex Gibson did when he read highlights/lowlights
that a perfect game happen between DFW at NJT. His first thought
was ‘Well DFW lost again, and that it must have been Tim Lincecum
who must have thrown it’. He kept reading and then saw the word
‘combined’, so he thought to himself that Lincecum and a reliever
combined for a perfect game. Then Tex read ‘Brad Penny & Kenshin
Kawakawi’ combined for a perfect game against NJT! His reaction
along with everyone else in Dallas, the NASBL & the entire world was
‘W.T.F.’
Well truth is stranger than fiction because yes it did happen. ‘Not
exactly the two guys I would have pick to throw a perfect game’
said Gibson, ‘but I’m glad the Spurs still have a heart in ‘em’! It was
Penny’s first win on the year and Kawakawi first save of the year!

IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
B. Penny W (1-7) 6 0 0 0 0 4 - 6.58
K. Kawakami S (1st) 3 0 0 0 0 2 - 2.97

Hanley isn't Cal

Illinois Times - Hanley Ramirez has played in every Chows game this season and has only been spelled for an inning once all year. "We thought Counsell could play a decent SS for us in a pinch, but since Hanley's D has been so good this year, it really hasn't happened. We think Ramirez is getting a little tired and needs some rest."

The Chows acquired the slick-fielding Jack Wilson for Maine and a 6th today. Wilson should be able to come in during the late innings and save a few ABs from Ramirez who is on pace to be over-used by about 37 trips to the plate this year. Morandini has always liked having a defensive caddy for Ramirez and Wilson will be used similar to the way he used Everett in the past. "Without Maine in the rotation the remainder of the year we are challenging Big Z to step-up and pitch better down the stretch."

Roadkill Lay an Egg with '10 Draft

In a season that started with the Georgia Media Relations Group being charged with the first "E" (after Bobby Cox announced this would be his final season as MGR of the 'Kill) Roadkill Nation is demanding a house cleaning of key staff starting with the scouting department.

Gone are the days of signing the likes of Vlad, Delgado, Mags, Helton, Beltran, Varitek & Morneau. There's little to show for in recent drafts the exception being Markakis & YoGo. The class of '10 has hit a new low with possibly as few as two keepers.




Check these MLB stats at the AS break:

Rd #1 Matt Wieters "The Next Big Thing" .245 6HR/29 RBI
Rd #3 Nate Reimold demoted to AAA early
Rd #7 Chad Pennington .264 3 HR/27 RBI
Rd #8 Ryan Perry 2-4 5.47 1 SV
Rd #8 Jeff Baker .233 3 HR/12 RBI
Rd #10 Melky Cabrera .259 3 HR/24 RBI
Rd #12 Matt Davey (DL) 0-1 3.74
Rd #13 Daniel Murphy AAA after hitting the DL during ST
Rd #14 Kyle Lohse (DL) 1-4 5.89
Rd #15 Aaron Heilman 2-3 3.83 3 SV
Rd #16 Denys Reyes 2-1 3.55
Rd #17 Sean Marshall 5-2 2.03 1 SV "Deep Sleeper"

Strong Draft Puts Chows in Play-Off Mix

Illinois Times -- For the first time in franchise history the Chows are not sellers at the end of Block II. However due to over-aggressive post draft trading, Illinois is not in a position to buy either.

The Draft

The Chows draft has yielded remarkable results this season yielding 3 Cy Young and two ROY contenders. Couple that with the trade of their 2nd pick and Blanton for Helton and Illinois became an extremely solid team on draft day.

Key seasons acquired through draft and picks:

Brett Anderson 14-2, 1.97
Chris Carpenter 8-5, 2.97
Randy Wells 12-4, 3.11
Todd Helton .859 OPS
Johnny Gomes .954 OPS
Ryan Raburn .894 OPS
Peter Moylan 1.67 ERA

Add in O'Flahery, Counsell (acquired for a pick), and Duensing and Chows GM Brad Sherlag did a great job building this year's model.

Post Draft Day Trades

Time and Time again Sherlag has said, "the best time to trade is after Block II - I have more information to go on, what does my team need? Which players figure to be good next year". This season, Sherlag did not listen to his own advice.

"Yeah, hindsight is 20-20 and I should have waited like I always had in the past. It was just that the TGE is so powerful this season. The four best teams in the league are ALL in our division. The third best team will be staying home at play-off time. I thought if I filled my holes early it would help make the difference in Block I and Block II - I don't know maybe my thoughts were right, maybe not - but right now we are without a 1st and 2nd round pick next year and we haven't gotten a whole lot of production for it."

Carlos Zambrano - 4-7 5.09 ERA - Sherlag gave up a 1st and Shields
Angel Pagan - .613 OPS - Sherlag gave up a 2nd

FOO-KOO-DOH-MAY

Chows GM Brad Sherlag waffled back and forth on if Fukudome should be kept on cut-down day. "He was the last man kept, we were not happy about him being a starting OF for us. Worry about his performance prompted me to trade for Pagan. Boy were we wrong about Kosuke and he has really emerged as the starter now."

Kosuke Fukudome - .315 Avg, .934 OPS

Trading Frenzy

As the Block II trading frenzy begins, Illinois is unlikely to make any deals. "We would trade our 3rd round pick for the right guy, but he would really have to be a difference maker - maybe a corner OF with a lot of pop against RHP. However a real difference maker will go for more than just a 3rd. Maybe a change of scenery for Pagan could happen, but really I think our team is on the field."

"Yeah - I would undo both of those trades now. But I still think Zambrano and Pagan can live up to the level of play we expected when we went out and got them. There is a lot of ball left an both those guys will be key to our play-off run."

LeBron Chooses the Surf

EXPN braking news - in a surprise move LeBron decides to vacate the Cavaliers and hometown Akron, Ohio for the shores of Miami. It was unclear for a week where the King would land. This fabled giant boy of a man - where will he go.

LeBron did his obligotory interview with the New York Knights and even gave Trash Heap fans a glimmer of hope in New Jersey. Bears fans of Grundy County Illinois were his last interview and he spent more time with Jack Howard than any other NASBL manager who traveled to Akron. In all 6 teams wooed the King, but with no Akron team in the running (I can see it now - The Akron Tire Treads - with a motto of "We will roll over you".

The best part of this article is that it is short - unlike the press conference where the same thing was said by LeBron 8,327 times - I want to Win now, next year, the year after that, for the next 20 years of my NBA career. Me and Shaq.

Mark Hildebrandt asks - why didn't LeBron talk to us - The Outlaw Josey Wales are defending NASBL Champions and all we want is his big bat.

Iron Pigs on the Move?

The local tabloids are reporting that several players have recently met with the manager and are requesting a trade. Sluggers Adam Lind, Gabe Kapler, Cody Ross as well as pitchers Phil Hughes, Brian Sanches and Clay Zavada were all seen exiting the clubhouse at the same time, much later than the rest of the team. Unconfirmed sources stated that all six players were scowling and refused to comment. The interested IronPig fan, (Albert Pujol's mom) was concerned that the aforementioned players were considering forming a syndicate and going on strike. She was concerned that if that happened, her defensive minded son might be relied upon too much offensively. She was worried that this might be damaging to his fragile ego. The team refused to comment on the alleged meeting saying that it is "an internal issue, and will be dealt with appropriately". Stay tuned for further developments.