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ABL Announces 2008 All Star Teams

Victorville, CA - June 3, 2008

The ABL announces its 2008 All Star teams. Managers Jarrod Sinclair and Ted Talbott hand selected their players for the upcoming All Star Game. This game will be played during our upcoming break. To date the AL & NL have split the meetings 2-2. Below are the links to the previous All Star games....

2004: Bayless vs Talbott: NL 6 AL 2 - Chipper Jones MVP

2005: Carver vs Wolford: AL 6 NL 4 - Juan Pierre & JD Drew Co-MVP

2006: Carver vs Talbott: NL 4 AL 2 - Andruw Jones MVP

2007: Sinclair vs Talbott: AL 5 NL 4 - Michael Young MVP

Rumblings before Spring Training?

Cardinals Introduce First Baseman Howard, New Pitching Staff

St. Louis, MO  - December 28, 2007

In just three weeks Cardinals GM Jake Eyre has shown how committed he is to fulfilling the promise he made of competing in 2008.  Today he and the Cardinals front office introduced the players that will take the team from the lottery into competition. First Baseman Ryan Howard, Starting Pitcher Dan Haren, Starting Pitcher Roy Oswalt,  Starting Pitcher Tim Hudson, Outfielder Chris Young, and Closer Trevor Hoffman were introduced to the media today.

When asked about joining the Cardinals all seemed very excited about the team’s chances. “I was on a team that went to the World Series in Los Angeles. I know what it takes to get there. I think that this Cardinals team has that potential.”  Howard, who led the league in RBI’s last season and was second in Home Runs should provide a healthy boost of power for the offense.

When asked about the opportunity to start for a contending team Chris Young responded “Its great! I enjoyed my time on the Reds but I look forward to getting the opportunity to show what I can do here. Playing as you can imagine behind Grady Sizemore makes it hard to get any playing time. When asked about the acquisition of Young, Eyre said “We are very happy that we were able to acquire the talents of Chris. We feel that going into this season and future seasons that he and Delmon will become a great combo out there, both defensively and offensively.

When asked about his other acquisitions Eyre said “One of this team’s major off-season goals was to acquire a pitching staff capable of challenging the Padres and Braves rotations for dominance in the National league. It is my philosophy that hitting wins games, and pitching wins championships. Getting Ryan, Raphael and Chris helped our offense greatly, but it was equally important that we got the pitching to help them compete.

Starting Pitchers Dan Haren and Tim Hudson, who were both acquired in a dramatic two trade arrangement sounded positive of the team’s chances. Haren, formerly of the Padres said that he looked forward pitching for the Cardinals. “I hope that my experience with the Padres will help the Cardinals win it all.” Hudson and Oswalt also sounded happy. Hudson was happy to hear about the trade. “I was flattered that the Cards would trade Josh Beckett to in part get me. When I look at the rotation that the front office has assembled I can’t help but smile. We will win a lot of games.”

Oswalt, who played for the now Braves franchise last year also seemed optimistic of the team’s chances. “Looking at the trades the front office has pulled off you can’t be anything but impressed. They are serious about winning.”

The Cardinals hold the third overall pick in the draft. When asked about how it would be used Eyre smiled and said that it would be used to complete “ A pressing off season goal.”

The Freddy Sanchez Show!

Atlanta, GA  - December 21, 2007

First, All-Star Freddy Sanchez gets the news that Pirates management is moving the team to Atlanta. Before he can pack his bags, Freddy gets dealt to a new team and a new league. So two weeks before Christmas, he packs his bags for Anaheim.

Angels' GM Jarrod Sinclair has other ideas, however, packaging Sanchez and two others to Kansas City for slugger Prince Fielder.

Not long in the Midwest, Sanchez will only change planes in Missouri on his way to meet up with his old team in Atlanta. The Braves and Royals agreed to a deal sending reliever Pedro Feliciano to KC for Sanchez along with a swap of draft picks.

Freddy is not the only player to be moved multiple times. The list of All-Stars who have changed addresses more than once includes Prince Fielder, Scott Rolen, Chris Young, and Carl Crawford. It must be Christmas time in the ABL!

Cincinnati Spells Out 2008 Campaign

Cincinnati, OH  - December 6, 2007

The 2007 ABL season was disappointing to say the least for first year owner Mike Thomas and is beloved Cincinnati Reds.  The range of emotions went from extatic upon having his bid accepted to purchase the franchise, to sheer disbelief as the team struggled beyond anyone's expectations. Finally when the team dropped 40 games behind the eventual World Series winning Padres Thomas was heard to have said that he wanted to move the team out of "this damned band box they built on the river!" 

While there has been no official contact made with the commissioner's office about relocating the franchise, the Reds have let it be known that a park that could assist it's young pitchers in keeping the ball in the park "would be considered if offers were tenured."  Beyond that the Reds figure to attempt to keep their youth movement on track and show some patience.  They have the first pick in this years draft which will allow them to continue to stock prospects.  They were able to move in salary and still bring in some young talent.  Talented CF Grady Sizemore was brought in for  a tenth of the price in the Magglio Ordonez deal.  While manager "Crash" Davis' job is secure for this season it is rumored that the Reds have made a multi year offer for recently released Pitching Coach Leo Mazzoni.  Neither the Reds nor Mazzoni's agent will comment.  The Reds stable of young talent has already drawn phone calls from several GM's.  While the Reds will never comment on deals publicly it is believed that anyone can be moved in the right deal, however, the Reds did confirm that they will only deal from strength and are building for the future.  "There is no quick fix for a team that finishes 40 games out. All trades will be weighed with how they fit our youth movement and our 5 year plan" said owner Mike Thomas as he was preparing for this year's winter meetings.  "Nothing is immanent, but we have had some inquiries. Some of the names are big and would surprise our fans, however, we haven't pulled the trigger.  We won't until we finalize our draft strategy for this year."

Here's a look at the 2008 Reds as of 06 December 2007:

Pitching--The future looks bright with 3 young arms in the rotation. Matt Cain should develop into an innings eating ace of this staff. 
Noah Lowry and Scott Olsen (his legal troubles aside) should develop into solid 3 and 4 guys in the not too distant future.  Manager Crash Davis has said that Adam Wainwright will be used as a starter this year and that Mark Buehrle is expected to bounce back this year.  The Reds also have Gil Meche and John Lester on the roster.  Woody Williams figures to be the odd man out and lefty Adam Loewen is scheduled for arm surgery and could miss the entire season.  Starting Pitching is an area of strength for Reds this year.  The bullpen isn't as solid.  It is anchored by closer Jason Isrnghausen and set up men Aaron Heilman and Jamie Walker.  After that there are some questions.  Youngsters Brian Bruny, McKay McBride,and Bill Bray are all question marks entering this season. Veterans Solomon Torres and Todd Coffey at time left much to be desired last season.  Definitely and area to work on this winter.

Offense--In the did you know column.  Did you know the Reds finished 3rd in their division in runs scored with 850 behind only the Pirates and Padres?  They also ended the season with a 6 game winning streak.  1B and Catcher are areas of concern for this ball club.  The Reds aren't happy with either Sexson or Overbay.  While Rob Quinlan is a great bit player he can't anchor 1B and the Reds think he had a career year last year.  2B is in good hands with veteran Brian Roberts with Rickie Weeks developing in the wings and Rafael Belliard as a solid backup if Weeks fails to develop.  Last years sometime starter Alex Cintron is expected to be released before the season starts as the Red have all but handed the starting job to 22 year old Troy Tulowitzki.  He has great range and a cannon at SS, the question is can he hit Major League pitching consistently.  Verteran Jack Wilson will be his back up and be the Utility IF, however, his name has been mentioned in some trade rumors.  3B is anchored by David Wright.  Wright hit .283 with 26 homeruns and drove in 98 runs.  The Reds expect that he will continue to improve and be a solid clubhouse guy.  The OF is another place the Reds have some depth.  Veteran Hideki Matsui and Jeff Conine played in LF last season.  If Matsui can stay healthy Conine will return to a PH and role player, which the Reds see as his best fit.  Grady Sizemore owns CF for as long as he wants it, however, Chris Young is a 5 tool player that will push this season for playing time. Nick Markakis under performed, however, the Reds see him developing nicely.  That leaves injured (shoulder surgery) Chris Denorfia, Jacque Jones, Jay Payton and Juan Encarnacion looking for playing time.  I can only imagine that any of these veterans could be had if a contender needed a solid bat.

The Reds are always willing to deal and made several moves in season last year and are currently getting their draft plan together.  They can draft for a need, or take the best available talent and trade. The front office is sorting through the offers as this reporter 
types.  The Reds don't figure to finish 40 games out this year, but also don't expect to dethrone the Padres just yet.  The team should 
be more competitive this year, and you can expect some new faces wearing the Red Stockings this year.  Manager "Crash" Davis says that the Reds will dedicate this season to the "old lefthander" Joe Nuxhall and retire his number sometime this summer.

New Owner Shocks the Yankee Pinstripes

Bronx, NY. - December 5, 2007

It took a 500 million dollar offer from NYC to keep the Yankees in the Bronx. New Owner Chris Walsh arrived at the Stadium with moving vans at 2am and was ready to take his team on the road. Former Mayor Guliani arranged the last minute deal to save the beloved team.

In his 1st press conference Walsh said" 3rd place is just not good enough for this team. We are looking for top line starting pitchers. We have plenty of offense to offer."

To this reporter it's meet the new boss same as the old boss.

Padres Looking At Major Roster Shakeup

San Diego, CA. - December 5, 2007

San Diego (Reuters) – With the Winter Trading Season right around the corner, the Padres have some pressing concerns to address going into the 2008 season. An aging lineup, suspect defense and too many starting pitchers are primary among these.

“Of course, you can never have enough pitching, “said GM Edward Talbott. “But that can be taken too far. Is Danny Haren going to play in the outfield? Should we give Snell a shot at the backup 2B/SS job? We’re obviously looking to make some moves this trading season.”

The Padres’ yearly search for a closer and outfield depth are still at the top of the list. In infielder to backup SS Miguel Tejada and 2B Orlando Hudson is also a pressing need.

“It’s always an option to address our roster needs through the draft, “said GM Talbott. “Relievers and infielders are usually available. We do have log jams at 1B, 3B and with our starting pitchers that should allow us to make some trades.”

Log jams, indeed. Splitting playing time among Garrett Atkins, Chipper Jones and Edwin Encarnacion at 3B just isn’t a good option. Having Kevin Youkilis, Lance Berkman and Ben Broussard at 1B is the same situation. Moving one of these bats to DH is a problem with Frank Thomas returning to the Padres after signing a one-year contract this off-season.

The starting pitching situation is even more interesting. Always at a premium, the Cardinals, Dodgers and Royals, to name a few, are in the market for quality starters. Here, the Padres have an eight quality starters: Jake Peavy, Johan Santana, Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Oliver Perez, Ian Snell, Scott Kazmir and Carlos Silva. Andrew Miller, slated to start the season at AAA Portland, is also in the mix. Carlos Villaneuva, who also started a few games last season, looks destined to be long relief going into spring training.

 “All of these pitchers could start for most of the teams in the league. It’ll just be a matter of finding the right match. These guys are all competitors…none of them want to sit in the bullpen or pitch in the minors in 2008. Hopefully we can work out something that’s good for both the teams and the players.”

The yearly “Where In The World Is Your Manager?” question was asked next.

“Unfortunately, the reports that manager Ted Talbott had been arrested in Sao Paolo , Brazil , on unspecified charges are true. We’re working diligently with the local authorities and the State Department to resolve the situation and, hopefully, secure his release as soon as possible. We’d hoped that he would have learned from what happened in Thailand last off-season but that obviously didn’t happen. We anticipate that he will be deported in time for Spring Training.”

BoSox management disappointed in how season ended

Boston, MA. -December 4, 2007

Upper management of the Red Sox while pleased to be in the playoffs were disappointed in being swept in 4 games by the Angels in the AL Championship Series. Management learned of some key issues that arose out of that series and have told the Boston press that changes will be made in the team makeup to insure a repeat does not happen again. The contract of reigning GM, Dan Bayless, was extended for 2008 and the club holds the option on the 2009 season. GM Bayless did say in his press conference that the team is close, 4 playoffs in 5 years, including 2 AL Championship Series. Unfortunately, an AP reporter made the following remark, “what if it took forever to win a World Series, say like 86 years……….at that point, GM Bayless walked out of the press conference.

The team once again will be built around reigning MVP, David Ortiz. A leadoff batter with speed will be one of the teams’ priorities as GM Bayless does not feel Chone Figgins is the right fit.

The Sox expect once again to be in the thick of the pennant race in the AL in 2008.

ABL Introduces 3 New Managers

Corona, CA.  - December 3, 2007

America's Baseball League enters its 6th season with three new managers. Joe Gumina has decided to take over the vacant Mariners, moving them to Baltimore. Steve Sutherlin has decided to take over the Phillies moving them to Shea Stadium, which is a first time in ABL history. Chris Walsh, hails to us from Albany, NY and has decided to keep his boys in the Bronx. 

The Commissioner's office extends our greatest welcome to our new managers. Good luck and have fun! 

Cardinals Have Ambitious Off-Season Plans

St. Louis, MO.  - December 3, 2007

Speculation of some ambitious off-season plans have become more than rumor now. In a press conference held by the management owner and GM Jake Eyre did anything but squash speculation concerning the team’s future. “Obviously we will do anything that we feel will move the club closer to a Championship. Eyre took over the Cardinals in the middle of last lesson with the very public goal of challenging the Padres for the NL crown.

Though the Cardinals finished with the third pick in the draft this year Eyre’s goal is still the same. “Next season will be different. Next season we will de-throne the Padres. I guarantee that.”  To that end Eyre stated that the team will be looking to acquire Jhonny Peralta, Troy Glaus, Paul Lo Duca and Ken Griffey Jr. all of who have recently stated a desire to play elsewhere.  “They have told me that they wish to play elsewhere. Management will look into the options for trading them.”

Torre Weaps Over Starting Pitching! 

Los Angeles, CA.  - December 1, 2007

New Manager Joe Torre sat down in his new office. Looking over the files of his new team. Inwardly groaning he wondered just why it was he had taken this job. Looking over the roster of starting pitchers, I thought this guy was retired he thought. Hell, this guy should be retired. Not a bad infield except for second base. Catching could use a little boost and right field by committee. To top it all thought Torre, now I'm in the same division as those damned Padres.

Cleveland GM Is At It Again! 

Cleveland, OH.  - November 30, 2007

With the new 2008 season ready to get underway the Indians have already made a couple moves to help out an offense that struggled in the 2007 season. They recently acquired players that will solve the Indians needs in their rotation and depth at some positions. Maggilo Ordonez has expressed an interest to play elsewhere, and the management will try to accommodate his wishes as much as they can. Maggs had the best year of his career last year and this writer believes the Tribe's management will try to take advantage of that. 

The Indians are looking to move up in the draft and build on relief pitching to be their main goal in 2008 season. "The more arms, the better", said GM Lucas from his beachside home in Orlando, FL.  Some descent bats can also be traded such as Gary Sheffield, Ryan Garko or Bobby Abreu. 

"There are no new changes in any uniforms/park dimensions or how many cans of skoal that will be allowed in the dugout as there has been in the past" Lucas described. The tribe will only supply each away team with only 2 cans of insect repellant this year. "Too many teams wined about having to play at the Jake. Our boys are used to it by now. Isn't that what they call home-field advantage", chuckled Lucas.  

The Indians will be all but quiet at this years Winter Meetings. Fast and furious is GM Lucas' style and it will be hard to keep track of the players coming in and out of the Indians organization. Fortunately we have learned that Commissioner Bayless has provided all managers with an Indians score card to keep track of the trades that will be flying. Indians wanted to wish everybody in the league a Merry Christmas. 

HOT STOVE HEATER - Kansas City Royals

Kansas City, MO.  - November 30, 2007

The Royals bring a lot of wood to the tables as they search for quality pitching.  "No one on the roster is untouchable," explained Jeff Carver, manager.  "However, some players will definitely cost more than others."  A source close to the Royals hints that Matt Holliday, Ivan Rodriguez, and AROD were practically un-touchable.  However, the abundance of bats on this team is tremendous.  With players like Prince Fielder (National League HR leader and 5th in RBI's) and the incomparable Ichiro Suzuki (American League's #2 Batting average), the offensive producers have to look very appealing to other teams in the league. 

Could Travis Hafner or Ryan Howard Be On The Move?                         **********HOT STOVE HEATER

Nashville, TN.  - November 29, 2007

The ABL Winter Meetings are about to take place this December, managers started putting the word out on possible moves.  

A source has advised the Atlanta Journal that after arriving in Atlanta, owner and GM John Wolford started making calls. Apparently there is a rumor that Travis Hafner may be on the move. "We will neither confirm or deny any discussions about trades or trade rumors" said Wolford. 

Wolford always known for his wheeling and dealing will definitely not be standing pat. In an email sent to all the GM's of  America's Baseball League, Wolford announced the possibility of some moves. He does have some untouchables though, such as Fausto Carmona, Francisco Rodriguez &  CC Sabathia. 

Also in the news today out of the Orange County Register, the Angels have been linked to some trade discussions regarding Ryan Howard. Angels owner and GM Jarrod Sinclair stated in a press conference today, "there have been some calls received in our office about Ryan Howard, but nothing of any significance". The Angels received Howard as part of a blockbuster deal that send starting pitchers Mike Mussina and Kenny Rogers to the New York Yankees in exchange, near the trade deadline. A trade that was heavily criticized at the time and again after the ABL World Series. One of the major issues the Angels faced in the World Series was their starting pitching. 

The ABL trade blackout should be lifted on or about December 11, 2007, then watch the trades and the pens fly!  

Padres Announce New Uniforms

Ramona, CA.  - November 27, 2007

Padres owner Ted Talbott held an online chat session where he announced his teams new look for 2008.

"Road uniforms for 2008 will feature a defiant friar (defiant pose designs are being considered) with prominent cross-hairs centered on the head. To date, two designs have been rejected: the first with the friar’s middle finger upraised and the second with the friar displaying his prominent derriere. The team is, however, considering using these designs for road uniforms when traveling to Philadelphia …."

This writer has no idea why the Padres would be traveling to Philadelphia. The ABL does not own a Phillies franchise? Maybe they have not sobered up yet from the World Series celebration. 

Talbott further goes on to state that the home uniforms for 2008 will feature a slightly embarrassed looking friar struggling to hold three championship trophies.

Chicago's Vennis Responds Back To Atlanta's Recent Move

Pittsburgh, PA.  - November 27, 2007

Second year owner Todd Vennis got a call from the local Mayor asking if it might be possible to move his club to Pittsburgh, which Vennis quickly accepted. "We need to have a baseball presence in this town", Mayor Buc said during a press conference held earlier today in front of city hall. "The Cubs did not really draw the attendance as expected in Chicago last year, partly due to the fact that they lost 90 games. However, the town of Pittsburgh will show their loyalty to this squad" said Buc. 

Todd Vennis gladly accepted and proudly moved his team, in the second overnight move in as many days! 

"We are really looking forward to the opportunity to bring a championship to this town, a task that was not completed in the past!" Vennis replied via text message before taking off to the Dominican Republic to check on some. 

Pittsburgh packs up

Atlanta, GA.  - November 26, 2007

Pittsburgh owner John  Wolford, having enough of the harassment from the press in Pittsburgh packed up overnight and moved to Atlanta much like the NFL Baltimore Colts did. The Pirates faced some healthy criticism from the locals after dominating all season to get run over in the 2007 National League Championship Series by the eventual World Champion Padres. 

In a statement provided by Wolford, he states "This town is not a good environment for our players. I grew up in the Georgia atmosphere and it is a fine place to play. Not to mention that Travis Hafner and company will like the nice weather at Wolford Field. Oh yeah, with us moving down there, they renamed the park after me, which I thought was a nice touch!"