NFL “Expert” Picks – Week 9

Quick Update today before getting to the Week 9 FB Picks. It’s been another long week!

Question of the Day –

I happen to think that Halloween is one of the dumbest “holidays” out there. I understand its history and background and meaning and such. I just think that it is a dumb holiday. So, what is your opinion? What is the dumbest holiday out there? I would put Valentine’s Day right up there with Halloween?

· Congratulations to Rob Delaney who was named the Best Reliever in the minor leagues by MiLB.com. Anthony Slama was named the Best Reliever in Class A-Advanced.

· The vote for Twins Prospect #26 is running now. Since yesterday, David Bromberg was voted the #24 prospect and then Rob Delaney ran away with the vote for #25. You can now vote for Twins Prospect #26, and over the weekend, you will be able to vote for more.

· LaVelle tells us that with the end of the World Series, the free agent market begins. On Thursday, Nick Punto, Eddie Guardado and Dennys Reyes all filed. He also provides a list of the 65 players that filed for free agency on Thursday, but many more will within the next two weeks.

Arizona Fall League Thursday Update

· The Phoenix Desert Dogs beat the Peoria Javelinas 7-1 on Thursday.

· Steve Tolleson again went 2-5. He hit his fourth double and his second home run. He was the only Twins minor leaguer to play in this game.

· Jeff Manship did update his AFL blog.

Please feel free to e-mail me at SethSpeaksNet@hotmail.com or Comment Here.

NFL “Expert” Picks

The Panel and The Standings

If you would like to know more about our panelists, or get up to date standings, click here. Here are the updated standings from our group through week eight:

The Week 9 Picks

With that, You can find our panel’s picks at www.SethSpeaks.net. Congratulations to Missy Lien who had her second child, a son just last Friday!

October 30, 2008 - Posted by Seth | Arizona Fall League, Halloween, Minnesota Twins, NFL Picks, Twins Minor Leagues | | 7 Comments

7 Comments »

100% agree with Halloween being a stupid holiday.

Valentine’s day should be a great holiday, we should all be celebrating love and its impact on us and the world, but that’s not how it has turned out….

Comment by mike wants wins | October 31, 2008 | Reply
I agree as well. Halloween is the stupidest holiday. I usually spend my 10/31’s hiding in a basement watching a movie, while making sure that no light shows upstairs.

Comment by TwinsFix | October 31, 2008 | Reply
I like Halloween in theory. But post-pubescent kids trick or treating and lame adult costumes can ruin it for me. But tonight I’m going to the Anoka haunted house and I’m psyched.

But there’s way dumber than Halloween. Columbus Day, for instance. Celebrating somone who was not only by most accounts a terrible person, but who never once stepped foot in our country and was beat to North America by others before him. And then giving the government the day off? Psshhh.

Comment by Beau | October 31, 2008 | Reply
This was posted over on an SI article I found online today. It is listed as a “radical move” and I think Texas would be crazy to give up this much (but they are desperate for pitching). What would people think of a deal like this? I think I’d do it in a heartbeat!

Baseball Prospectus offers these five proposals:

1. Minnesota trades Francisco Liriano to Texas for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, Hank Blalock and Omar Poveda.

The Twins weathered the loss of Johan Santana by replenishing the rotation from their deep farm system, and more live arms (Anthony Swarzak, Tyler Robertson, Jose Mijares, Yohan Pino) are on the way. Now, they can deal the lefthanded Liriano, 25, while his value is high to improve their anemic offense, especially on the left side of the infield. Andrus, 20, is a long-term solution at shortstop; Saltalamacchia, 23, a catcher who can DH; and Blalock, 27, an inexpensive short-term play at third. The Rangers, in turn, add the young ace (under team control through ‘11) that they’ve lacked since, well, forever, as they wait for Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz to develop.

Comment by Dome Dog | October 31, 2008 | Reply
Um, Salty wasn’t exactly effective last year as a hitter at all. He was hurt, I asume, or sent down. How can he DH, exactly (unless we all believe last year was a fluke – he was terrible)?

Blaylock has barely played the last two years, and in 2006 had only 16 HRs in a full season.

I assume the others are minor leaguers.

If the Twins can’t do better than that in the trade market, they have serious issues.

Comment by mike wants wins | October 31, 2008 | Reply
from Wikipedia:
Elvis Augusto Andrus (born August 26, 1988 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a shortstop who plays in the Texas Rangers organization. Listed at 6′ 0″, 185 lb., he bats and throws right-handed. Entering 2007, he was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization.

Andrus was signed in 2005 at age 16 to a six-figure contract. He started the year with the Orlando Braves of the Gulf Coast League, and was promoted to Danville late in the season. He spent 2006 with Class-A Rome, being named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team.

In 2007 Andrus joined the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Carolina League. During the midseason he was selected to the All-Star Futures Game; he was selected again for the Futures Game in 2008. [1] [2]

On July 31, 2007, Andrus, along with Jarrod Saltalamacchia and three other minor league pitchers (Matt Harrison, Neftali Feliz and Beau Jones ), was traded from the Braves to the Rangers for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay.

Andrus’ older brother Erold Andrus plays in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

and

Fos Sports:
DOB: 9/28/87
Signed: 2004, Venezuela
2007 Club: Clifton (Low A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Poveda is a 19-year-old prospect out of Venezuela that also has some good potential since he was signed in the International Scouting Period. However, Poveda didn’t have much to show for his gifts, going 4-13 with a 4.88 ERA in at Low A Clinton, but he fanned 133 while walking 37. Much of this can be blamed on an awful team as well as Poveda competing against prospects far ahead of his age group (the average Midwestern league age is 21).
Positives: Poveda has a solid fastball that clocks into the low to mid 90’s and his changeup is starting to become a plus pitch. He also throws a curveball and it’s coming along, but his primary calling card is that he’s got solid command. Scouts love his determination on the mound.
Negatives: Poveda cruised through much of last season by over-relying on his fastball. He needs to develop his changeup and his curveball if he wants to continue his success. He’s also very flyball friendly, not a good thing in the long run.
Projection: High. Poveda began to turn things around last season before wearing out due to exhaustion, but he’s got a lot of development and growing to do and needless to say he impressed greatly as a 18 year old playing in full season ball.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A Number Two or Three Starter
2007 Course Of Action: Poveda has emerged to be one of Clifton’s two staff aces. He recently made the Midwestern League All-Star team.

Comment by Shawn in Binghamton | October 31, 2008 | Reply
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