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Minors and Majors: December 27th

December 27th, 2008

Today on Minors and Majors I was joined by George Kottaras. The 25-year-old catcher hit a career-high 22 home runs in the the minor leagues last year while with AAA-Pawtucket. He also made his first three appearances in a major league game with the Boston Red Sox. It’s expected that Boston is going to add a starting catcher before the start of the season, but there is a chance that Kottaras could end up being the backstop for the Red Sox this season.

He’s the only catcher on the team’s current 40-man roster with any major league experience. A native of Canada who played his college baseball in Oklahoma and who has Greek-born parents, Kottaras didn’t start playing baseball until he was 15-years-old. At one time he was considered one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball. He was ranked as the second best prospect in San Diego at one point before being shipped to Boston in a trade that netted the Padres David Wells in return. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

‘Skins Top Eagles: Post Game Quotes

December 22nd, 2008

The Redskins beat the Eagles 10-3 on Sunday in a defensive struggle at FedEx Field. Here are some of the quotes I gathered from various players during interviews in the locker room after the game.

Laron Landry:

On the final play:
“About two plays before that they tried to run the same route, and I broke that one up. The number-one receiver kind of came in and set it down, he didn’t run straight through so I took the deep one away because I thought he was going to go over the top again. But I saw [Reggie Brown] turn his shoudler so I just broke down ‘cuz I knew where the goal-line was. They had to score a touchdown so I was playing the goal-line, ready. I just broke straight down and I knew if he didn’t cross me, game over.

On where the hit ranks on the Landry hit-ometer:
“Ahh, man. I really got started off to a slow start since the start of the season with the hamstring injury and everything like that, so I’d give it about a 4. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, NFL, Washington Redskins

Minors and Majors: December 20th

December 20th, 2008

Collin Balester guaranteed that the Washignton Nationals would win the World Series in 2009. If, according to the team’s 22-year-old starting pitcher, the club is able to sign free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira.

Balester did so while on my show, Minors and Majors, which airs each Saturday morning on XM Satellite Radio’s MLB Home Plate, ch. 175. A regular on the show, the right-handed pitcher is quickly becoming a fan favorite on both the XM airwaves and at National’s Park in DC. The main topic of conversation with Balester this week was Teixeira.

“If that happens it’s going to be a dream come true,” Balester said about the chance that his team could still land the top free-agent on the market. “That guy is a great player and if he comes to the nation’s capital watch out. We’re going to the World Series and we are winning it all. I’m calling it right now. We’re playing four games in the World Series, sweep, see ya!” Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

Redskins Suffer Devastating Loss

December 14th, 2008

Before Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals had won once in thirteen games. They have now won twice.

The Washington Redskins couldn’t come back from a 17-0 first quarter deficit on the road. It looked like Washington was about to tie the game in the third quarter while trailing 17-10. Fullback Mike Sellers was awarded a touchdown from two-yards out, pulling the Redskins to within a point with an extra point moments away. The touchdown was challenged by Cincinnati Head Coach Marvin Lewis though. Lewis and the Bengals won the challenge. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, NFL, Washington Redskins, Articles

Redskins Getting Bengals at a Good Time

December 13th, 2008

The majority of life’s problems are fixable. Food cures hunger, sleep cures fatigue and medication cures most illnesses. In the same way that deodorant treats stench, playing the Cincinnati Bengals can serve as a remedy for an ailing football team.

There’s a lot not going right for the Redskins these days. Another loss would mean that the playoffs would nearly out of the question. Running back Clinton Portis spent the first part of the week blasting Head Coach Jim Zorn on a local radio station. Left tackle Chris Samuels was lost for the remainder of the season during last Sunday’s loss to the Ravens. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General

Redskins: Desperate but Battered

December 12th, 2008

A loss this weekend in Cincinnati would all but end the Washington Redskins’ chances at making the playoffs. In fact, a loss in the next three weeks at all - against the Bengals, the Eagles, or the 49ers - would probably spell the end for the burgundy-and-gold.

The good news is that the Bengals are really bad at football. The bad news is that the Redskins haven’t been a whole lot better at staying healthy lately. The injury report the team released today paints a gloomy picture about Sunday’s pivotal road tilt. Here is how things are shaping up for the injured Redskins two days before kickoff. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, NFL, Washington Redskins

Wieters Time

December 11th, 2008

Matt Wieters became the Baltimore Orioles’ top prospect the instant he was drafted. All he has done since is hit. Well, than as well as sky-rocketing up prospect rankings. The former Georgia Tech catcher has long been considered “the face of the future” for baseball in Baltimore. Judging by the Orioles’ actions at the winter meetings, the future might be now.

Veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. The trade netted the Orioles utility-man Ryan Freel as well as two mid-level prospects. More importantly though, it cleared the way for Baltimore to turn the catching duties over to Wieters. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB, Articles, Baltimore Orioles

Ravens Blitz Redskins

December 8th, 2008

The Baltimore Ravens beat up on the Washington Redskins last night. They were the better team and they deserved to win Sunday night’s “Battle of the Beltway” by more than the score that they did (24-10).

Washington’s offense hit rock bottom in the loss. Clinton Portis was knocked out of the game with an apparent injury, and Jason Campbell had no time to throw the football. The Redskins’ offensive line got dominated by Baltimore’s defensive front. By the end of the game both of Washington’s starting tackles, Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels, were on the sideline with knee and elbow injuries. Samuels is going to miss the remainder of the season. Read the rest »