Jeff Kent Hates HomoSexuals

According to a news article posted by the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers second basemen Jeff Kent is apparently supporting the YES on PROP 8 campaign. PROP 8, if passed, would ban same-sex marriages that would impose a California constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being between one man and one woman:

Jeff Kent, who played second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, has stepped into the emotional world of same-sex marriage, giving $15,000 to backers of the California proposition on Tuesday's ballot that would ban it.

In a disclosure filed with the California secretary of state, Kent listed his occupation as professional baseball player for the Dodgers and his address as Austin, Texas. He gave the $15,000 in a transaction dated Monday but which only now is public.

Congratulation Phillies

We here at 108 Red Stitches would like to extend our congratulations to the 2008 World Series Champions; the Philadelphia Phillies.

In honor of their second World Championship, we bring you this hysterical clip of the Phillie Phanatic attempting to seduce an umpire, with a little help from Alicia Keys:

Angels Make Roster Moves

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announced that they will be picking up John Lackey and Vladimir Guerrero's option, but will choose to buyout Garret Anderson's.

Lackey's option will cost the Halos $9 million (buyout was $500,000) and Vlad's option ran up a $15 million bar tab ($3 million buyout).

Anderson, who has played for the Angels his entire career, received $3 million as part of the buyout package. His option was worth $14 million, if the team chose to pick him up. He will become a free agent at the start of the offseason.

108 Red Stitches Rating:

Updates from Around the League

We understand that there may be fans from cities across the United States that could give two muffins about the Phillies-Rays World Series right now.

Frankly, we're bored out of our skulls. So, here are some updates from around the league:

Seems like Joba's not the only one with a drinking problem. Good for you Luis Vizcaino!

Willie Randolph is denying reports that he turned down/received offers to help coach the Washington Nationals. We totally get it Willie, steer clear of DC.

With Phillies GM Pat Gillick set to retire at the end of the season, all sources point towards Ruben Amaro Jr replacing the 71 year old front office mastermind.

The Giants, Blue Jays, and Royals all seem to be interested in Florida's Mike Jacobs, with the Royals having the upper hand in trade talks.

Dayton Moore cries "Liar, liar, pants on fire" in regards to reports that the Royals were talking to the Indians about a deal involving Mark Teahan.

World Series Game 5 Preview

Scott Kazmir, LHP (0-1, 4.50)
Rays
Cole Hamels, LHP (1-0, 2.57)
Phillies

Scouting Report:
Rays: Kazmir pitched well in Game 1 when he held the Phillies to three runs on six hits in six innings at Tropicana Field, but he took the loss. The left-hander has now pieced together two quality starts in his last two postseason outings -- including Game 5 of the American League Championship Series when he scattered two hits over six scoreless innings, though he did not get the win as the Red Sox erased a 7-0 deficit after Kazmir left the game. Kazmir has been using his slider more lately and the results have been encouraging.

Phillies: Hamels will not only attempt to pitch the Phillies to their first World Series title since 1980 Monday against the Rays, but he'll be attempting to do something no other postseason pitcher has ever done -- go 5-0. Hamels is 4-0 with one Division Series win, two NLCS wins and the Game 1 World Series win in which he held the Rays to two runs on five hits over seven innings. In Game 1, Hamels threw 102 pitches, 38 of them changeups. Since 27 of his 66 strikes came off the changeup, that clearly was his most effective pitch.

World Series Game 4 Preview

Andy Sonnanstine, RHP
Rays
Joe Blanton, RHP
Phillies

Scouting Report:
Rays: Sonnanstine, who posted a career-high 13 wins in just his second big league campaign, got the win in Game 4 of the ALCS on Oct. 14 in Boston. The righty allowed the Sox four runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings to give the Rays a commanding 3-1 ALCS lead. Sonnanstine is a master of deception, employing an array of pitches that he can throw from all different angles. But he has learned to primarily use his fastball to set up the other pitches.

Phillies: Blanton started once in each of the Phillies' series, winning in the Division Series against the Brewers and getting no decision in a five-inning start against the Dodgers.

World Series Game 3 Preview

Matt Garza, RHP
Rays
Jamie Moyer, LHP
Phillies

Scouting Report:
Rays: Garza was simply dominant en route to his ALCS MVP award. The offseason acquisition from the Twins posted a 1.38 ERA in two starts. In Game 3 at Fenway Park on Oct. 13, allowed only one run over six-plus innings of the Rays' 9-1 victory. In the pennant-clinching victory Sunday night, Garza again allowed just one run and two hits over seven dazzling innings of work. The 24-year-old right-hander has a mid-90s fastball that sinks, a curve, a slider and a changeup.

Phillies: Concern followed Moyer after he endured his year's worst outing in the National League Championship Series, allowing six runs over 1 1/3 innings in Game 3. And that occurred eight days after he lasted just four innings in a Division Series loss to the Brewers. The Phillies have lost two games this postseason, and Moyer has started both of them.

World Series Game 2 Preview

Brett Myers, RHP
Phillies
James Shields, RHP
Rays

Scouting Report:
Phillies: Myers has proven to be a better pitcher at Citizens Bank Park, where he produced a 3.01 ERA in the regular season and two wins in the playoffs. On the road, by contrast, he was 3-8 with a 6.21 ERA. Yet manager Charlie Manuel chose to start Myers on the road in Game 2.

Rays: Shields was 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA in two ALCS starts. In Game 1 on Oct. 10, the right-hander allowed just two runs over 7 1/3 innings, but he was outdueled by the Red Sox's Daisuke Matsuzaka, who allowed only four hits in seven-plus scoreless innings of the Rays' 2-0 loss. In Game 6 at Tropicana Field on Saturday, Shields surrendered four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings in Tampa Bay's 4-2 loss. The 26-year-old right-hander's best pitch has always been his changeup, but he also has a plus fastball and curve and he's added a cutter that has helped him throw inside to left-handers.

Canseco to Step into Ring Again

Baseball's overgrown sweetheart will take to the boxing ring again, this time facing former child actor Danny Bonaduce.

Joes Canseco is set to step into the ring, January 17, 2009, against the "Partridge Family" star.

Bonaduce is fresh off of a decisive victory over dinosaur comedian and Howard Stern Show regular; the Reverend Bob Levy.

According to an article posted on philly.com, Bonaduce says that knocking out Cansaco will be easy; "The bigger they are, the harder they fall," boasts Bonaduce. "Think of what Mike Tyson used to do to bigger guys. That's what I'm going to do to Canseco."

In Canseco's last fight, he was knocked out by former Philadelphia Eagles return man Vai Sikahema As posted on ESPN.com:

Sikahema, who is also a sportscaster, has some experience in the ring. He has had more than 80 fights as an amateur boxer, according to the Press. Canseco said he had a background in martial arts.

Sikahema knocked Canseco down twice -- once with a left hook, and the second after a flurry of punches -- as the bout was called before the end of the first round.

Canseco was recently picked up by a Boarder Patrol Unit near San Diego, and was found carrying human chorionic gonadotropin, a drug that is used to restore testosterone production in former steroid users. It's illegal in the United States, unless given by perscription.

Call us naive, but why would Canseco be using a drug that helps promote testosterone production in former steroid users? Did Canseco actually use steroids? This could open up a whole can of worms! Could you image what would happen if Canseco was using steroids while playing in the Majors? Gosh, that would be a nightmare...What if Canseco was using, and he wasn't the only one?!?! Someone should look into this.....

World Series Game 1 Preview

Cole Hamels, LHP
Phillies
Kazmir, LHP
Rays

Scouting Report:
Phillies: The 24-year-old Hamels has been nothing short of outstanding this postseason, winning all three of his starts while posting a 1.23 ERA and holding opponents to 13 hits, and striking out 22 of them, in 22 innings. He won the NLCS MVP award for holding the Dodgers to three runs in 14 innings.

Rays: Kazmir experienced a subpar outing in Game 2 of the ALCS but rebounded nicely at Fenway Park in Game 5 when he scattered two hits over six scoreless innings, though he did not get the win as the Red Sox erased a 7-0 deficit after Kazmir left the game. Kazmir used his slider more in Game 5 �- to go along with a plus fastball and changeup -� and the results were encouraging. Rays manager Joe Maddon believes that the left-hander's Game 5 performance will serve as a growth experience for his next start.

Rays Eliminate BoSox, Headed to World Series

Look out Fox Broadcasting Company, with the Rays eliminating the Red Sox and advancing into the World Series for the first time in franchise history, your ratings just went straight to hell.

In what may possibly be one of the most "ho-hum" World Series in the recent playoff history, the Philadelphia Phillies are anxiously awaiting the AL power house Tampa Bay Rays.

Any one West of the Mississippi River will probably tune this one out, as two East Coast teams will battle for the Commissioner's Trophy, leaving much of Baseball America searching for something else on the television.

The best match-up for Fox would have been the lovable Dodgers (or Cubs) vs the Boston Red Sox. Instead, thanks to the Baseball Gods giving us the middle finger, we'll be the recipient of countless cut away shots to Dick Vitale screaming his bald head off and the Phillie Phanatic, launching a hot dog into the seats/blowing something up/sexually violating a sting ray.

Phillies Advance to World Series

The Phillies finished off the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 last night, setting the NL West Champs down in convincing fashion.

The Phillies controlled almost every aspect of the game throughout the series; timely hitting, solid pitching, a great bench (see Stairs, Matt), and a lights out bullpen.

Joe Torre's team had no answer for Utley, the 'Flying Hawaiian", Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hammels, and Brad Lidge. Charlie Manuel out-managed Torre, making all the right moves when necessary.

The Phillies now await the winner of the Rays/Red Sox Series, with Tampa Bay leading the series 3-1.

Bidding War Averted

by Chris Lima
108 Red Stitches

Breathe easy Minnesota Twins fans, you've just witnessed your General Manager diffusing a potentially earth shattering situation:

A bidding war for Mike Redmond.

The Twins picked up Redmond's $950,000 option, keeping the veteran backup catcher for one more season.

Thank God they got him now, you know, before he set the free agent market on fire.

Bonds Puts Juice into Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

by Chris Lima
108 Red Stitches

Well, Macy's couldn't have picked a better Honorary Chair for this year's Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, selecting the Big Juicer to add a little juice to the tree's lights.

The ceremony will take place November 28th, and we all here at 108 Red Stitches would pay big money if one of the lighting workers "accidentally" spelled out (in lights) the phrase "Bonds Cheated".

In other Bonds news, he's happy to be away from the game of baseball.

We all are Barry, we all are.

Collective Head Slapping Registers on Richter Scale

by Chris Lima
108 Red Stitches

A small earthquake was registered throughout the United States last night, as Cubs fans throughout the country collectively and repeatedly slapped their foreheads in continued disbelief.

The Cubs cemented their 100 years of frustration after being swept out of the playoffs for the second straight season.

The Cubs did little to "reverse the curse" committing six errors during the short series, and were outscored by the Dodger 20-6.

For more fun Cubs "Curse Continues" links, visit these wonderful sites to ease (or promote) your pain:

- Help guide the Cubs through to the playoffs in this 80's style shoot-em-up type Arkanoid game.

- Read about the Cubs game plan that went horribly right.

- The Cubs have to start planning for the future, one that might not include Mark DeRosa.

- Could be worse, you could be Eddie Brinkman.

- Or this guy.

Playoffs? Playoffs? Who's Talking About Playoffs?

Well, season is over for all but eight teams (BoSox, Rays, Cubs, White Sox, Angels, Phillies, Dodgers) but that doesn't mean its the end of the news-making line for all the other unlucky, unprepared, underperforming teams around the majors.

The Yankees resigned general manager, Brian Cashman, to a three year deal. He's got a long road ahead of him if he wants to get the Bombers back to the post season.

Congratulations to Lou Pinella, Cubbie's manager, you'll be steering the ship well into the 2010 season.

Kevin Towers says Bud Black isn't fully to blame for the Padres horrific season, and that he's got the skipper's back. Great, that dreaded vote of confidence rears its ugly head. Look for Black to be the first manager fired this offseason.

Cardinals re-sign dominant right hander Kyle Loshe, in what the great Scott Proctor's Arm Blog is dubbing as the next Carl Pavano like signing.

Met's right hander John Maine had shoulder surgery to remove a lesion from the back of his right shoulder socket (wherever the hell that is) and should be ready for the start of spring training.

And finally, congratulations to Brad Lidge and Cliff Lee, this year's recipients of Major League Baseball's Comeback Player of the Year Award. The criteria for winning the award? The ability to stop sucking.