Sports ‘n Stuff 12/20/22
MLB teams have already spent a reported $3 Billion in free agency signings in the last 2 weeks
Bleacher Report has graded each team so for in off season moves and have given the Cleveland Guardians an -A
- Free-Agency Adds: 1B Josh Bell, C Mike Zunino
Free-Agency Losses: C Austin Hedges, C Luke Maile, RHP Bryan Shaw
Noteworthy Trades: Nolan Jones to Colorado Rockies for IF Juan Brito; Carlos Vargas to Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Ross Carver
Re-Signings/Extensions: n/a
Grade: A-
The Guardians won 92 games last season, and all they had hitting free agency was a pair of replacement-level catchers and a 34-year-old reliever who has posted an ERA north of 5.00 in four of the past five years.
As such, adding a catcher and perhaps upgrading at first base to allow Josh Naylor to become the full-time DH was pretty much the entire offseason wish list for the Guardians, which they pretty well knocked out of the park.
On the first base front, they got a good one in Josh Bell. He had a rough stretch with the Padres over the second half of last season, but he has a good bat and a good enough glove to hold down the fort. And at $16.5 million with a player option for the same amount in 2024, they didn’t need to break the bank to get him.
On the catcher front, signing Willson Contreras or trading for Sean Murphy would have been the preferred route, but maybe they’ll get the 2021 version of Mike Zunino who got MVP votes as opposed to the 2022 version who couldn’t hit anything or stay healthy. He’s an intriguing buy-low candidate for just $6 million.
Longtime ESPN personality David Jacoby is moving on from the company.
Jacoby, who served as a co-host on the popular daily talk show Jalen & Jacoby alongside NBA analyst Jalen Rose.
A recent ad on Facebook last month promoting an “Experience with Sylvester Stallone LIVE,” has gone South-Paw….
Fans paid for anywhere from $750 – $1200 for a meal, meet and greet, Sly doing some talking on-stage, a memorabilia auction, and a photo op with the man himself, but were later told the event was oversold. Apparently about 100 fans at least got an apology from The Italian Stallion!
A couple of Bowl Games today
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State kicked off at 3:30
RoofClaim. com Boca Raton Bowl. Liberty vs. Toledo 7:30 both games on ESPN
Current NBA Power Rankings per the Athletic
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Boston Celtics
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- New Orleans Pelicans
NFL power rankings Week 16
1. Philadelphia Eagles 13-1 (previous week: 1)
2. Buffalo Bills 11-3 (2)
3. Kansas City Chiefs 11-3 (3)
4. San Francisco 49ers 10-4 (4)
5. Cincinnati Bengals 10-4 (6)
22. Cleveland Browns 6-8 (24)
The Browns have played well against division foes to put up some respectable results as they reboot late offensively with Deshaun Watson. They can only wonder what could have been with better run defense.
The Browns on twitter today
We have designated C Ethan Pocic to return from injured reserve
A new documentary coming out titled “Lamar Odom: Sex, Drugs & Kardashians”,
it airs on Fox January 2 and on Hulu the day after.
In other words, a new Kim Kardashian Sex Tape is about to go viral.
Today is Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Today in Sports History
1946 – Sugar Ray Robinson was crowned welterweight champion at Madison Square Garden.
1966 – The NBA granted a franchise to Seattle. They moved to OKC in 2008.
2008 – The Dallas Cowboys played their final game in Texas Stadium before moving to their new stadium in Arlington, TX.
Celebrating Birthdays today
Jonah Hill is 39 (“Superbad,” “Knocked Up,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” ‘Sausage Party, “Superbad”)
KISS’ Peter Criss is 77 original drummer of Kiss “Batman”
