MH Interview: Three-Time All-Star 1B Sean Casey

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure to talk to "The Mayor", three-time All-Star 1B and Upper St. Clair's own Sean Casey, on a variety of topics, including his MLB career, his time in Pittsburgh, the state of the Pirates,  his work on the MLB Network, his recent trip to Haiti with Max Talbot and Mike Rupp, and his new charity, Casey's Clubhouse.

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Don Cannon was arrested. Sad news from the state of California, where former WTAE and KDKA newsman Don Cannon was arrested on bench warrants issued for failure to serve his sentences for two DUI convictions in Allegheny County. The 69-year-old Cannon (real name Donald James Clark), moved to the West Coast after his October 2008 DUI convictions in Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park.

As the Morning Freak Show blog wisely pointed out, he was pretty much the Pittsburgh version of Ron Burgundy - and they've got the videos to prove it. [Trib, 96.1 Morning Freak Show]

Mark Eaton is hurt. It wouldn't be a day of the week unless a Penguin was injured, and today's lucky winner is Mark Eaton, who is experiencing back spasms. Chris Lee was recalled in case Eaton can't go. If not, Lee should probably stick around, because I'm sure someone else will get hurt. [PittsburghPenguins.com]

Max Talbot and Sergei Gonchar are healthy. Talbot will be making his season debut tonight against Ottawa, while Gonch will lace them up for the first time since breaking his wrist on October 20. I say they play the game encased in bubble wrap just to be safe. [Trib]

Jason Bay turned down $60 million dollars. "I laugh at your paltry offer," said the former Pirate slugger. Well, he actually didn't say that. But imagine the look on Theo Epstein's face if he did. [ESPN]

James Harrison got himself fined. The 2008 Defensive Player of the Year has $5,000 less to his name today thanks to his punch of Cincinnati OT Andrew Whitworth on Sunday. The punch landed on Whitworth's helmet, which I'm sure is very badly bruised from the incident. [PG]

The Pirates are reportedly getting $80 million from MLB. And that's before tickets, parking, or concessions. Maybe they could use some of that Major League moolah to bring back Jason Bay? No? How about Derek Bell, strictly for nostalgic/comedic purposes only? [Bob Smizik Blog]

Pitt vs. Miami? The two teams are definitely playing next year at Heinz Field, but if the USA Today projections are correct, they will meet in this year's Gator Bowl on New Year's Day. Which incorrectly (I hope) assumes that Pitt will be beaten by Cincinnati on December 5. [USA Today]

Deer Gone Wild: Seems that our area has a little bit of a problem with the local Bambi population (as this story about the overwhelmed and severely backed-up dead deer collector would illustrate.) [PB&G, WTAE]

Hines Ward, Humanitarian. #86 is continuing his commendable work with biracial children from South Korea, and here is a round-up of some of the interesting and helpful endeavors Hines has participated in recently. [Brian in Jeollanam-do]

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UPDATED: ADAM LAROCHE TRADED TO RED SOX

The Buck Commander will be reunited with old teammate Jason Bay, as Adam LaRoche has apparently been dealt to the Boston Red Sox. That's all the details I have for now, but regardless of who the Pirates get back in return, this should be cause for the third sports-related parade through the streets of Pittsburgh.

Check back soon to find out the Buccos' return.

UPDATE:

It looks like your new Pirates are SS Argenis Diaz and P Hunter Strickland. Give me some time to do a little digging on this dynamic duo.

UPDATE 2.0:

From SoxProspects.com:

Hunter Strickland:

"Tall righty with projectable frame. Fastball sits about 88-91 mph, topping out around 93. Fastball is a little flat, but shows some good movement when he takes something off of it. Strickland has a slow, easy delivery without much explosion at the moment. Good balance. Also works in a 79-82 mph slurve along with a change that sits at 83-85 mph. Changeup could stand to have some more separation from his fastball, look for that to be an area of improvement in 2009.Repeats delivery well, needs to work on his release point to improve his command. His father played in the Tigers organization."

Argenis Diaz:

"Diaz is an elite defensive shortstop, and if he improves his concentration on routine plays, he could compete for a gold glove in the bigs right now. He has plus range, excellent footing, an impressive glove, and an outstanding arm. Makes impossible plays in the field. However, he does make a lot of errors on off-the-mark long throws off of grounders that he has no business getting to in the first place. He also really struggles with routine plays on occasion, almost as if he has a mental block. That is a definite area in need of improvement. The other key for Diaz is how much he will hit. He's a slap hitter with below average to average on base ability and without much power, but he's swung the bat very well during a few prolonged stints here and there. Good bat speed through the zone. Struggles with advanced off-speed stuff. Can show lack of plate discipline in stretches. Hits lefties significantly better than righties. Excellent at laying down bunts. Won't steal a lot of bases."

Red Sox Acquire Adam LaRoche [MLB Trade Rumors]

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JASON BAY, AS INTRODUCED TO BOSTON

Earlier this morning, I agreed to write a post introducing Jason Bay to the Red Sox blog Center Field. And since I never really gave Beaker his official send-off, consider this the belated edition. Enjoy him, Red Sox Nation.

How do I describe Jason Bay in just a few short paragraphs? Well, there's times when you love him, and times when you love him just a little less. He's not the kind of guy that ever would inspire any of the hatred directed at, let's say, the player who he was traded for.

My best synopsis of what you're getting out of Bay could be taken from my 2008 Pirates preview for Deadspin, entitled, 16 Reasons Why the Pirates Streak Won't End in 2008:

5. Jason Bay is not happy

Jason Bay usually makes about as much noise as your average mime. Never before have I seen a player so inappropriately thrust into a leadership role. So you can imagine my surprise when the muted one finally opened his mouth to reveal that he was disappointed with the Pirates' offseason inactivity.

Fantastic. I'm glad that Bay feels comfortable enough to speak his mind. Unfortunately, the 2004 NL Rookie of the Year chose a time when he's coming off his most disappointing year as a Pirate, as his numbers fell from 35/109/.286 in 2006 to 21/84/.247 in 2007. As previously mentioned, he's turned the called strike three into an art form, which the city has dually noted.

His impeccable timing has already irked the new front office, who preferred that Bay aired his grievances with them rather than through the media. It's good to see that one of our star players is starting off on such a good foot with his new bosses.

He's obviously bitter over the dead-end trade with Cleveland, but that's for two obvious reasons:

1. All he was worth was Cliff Lee, which is a major shot to anyone's ego, and

2. He's still stuck in Pittsburgh, at least until he pulls a Raul Mondesi and concocts an extortion plot to get his release.

---

Looking back on it, I guess Cliff Lee wouldn't have been such a bad return on that proposed deal, considering he's 14-2 with a 2.58 ERA on a 47-60 team. Of course, when the deal was proposed, Lee was coming off of a 2007 in which he went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA, and I'm guessing that wouldn't have gone over with us long-suffering Pirate fans.

As I alluded to earlier, Bay never came across to fans as a vocal leader-type. He was more of a laid-back personality, which can be good at times and bad at times. He developed quite a rep in these parts for a sphincter that seemed to tighten in the rare clutch situation, so I hope he can hold up to the microscope of Boston (much like the microscope that Pittsburgh puts their football players under). The difference is that he's not the #1 guy in Boston with the weight of the franchise on his shoulders. I always thought that Bay would be best-suited as a 2nd or 3rd offensive option, and I think he can thrive in this role with the Sox.

What I'll most miss about Bay, however, is his presence in my annual Pittsburgh Pirates: The Movie posts. After three editions, Beaker is going to be out of work!

BAY TRADED...FOR LAROCHE

For those of you who've complained that the Pirates have one LaRoche too many, your troubles just got doubled, for the Pirates appear to have just traded Jason Bay to the Boston Red Sox in a three team deal that nets the Buccos Los Angeles 3B Andy LaRoche and Class-A RHP Bryan Morris, as well as Boston RF Brandon Moss and right-handed reliever Craig Hansen. The Dodgers get human question mark/RBI machine Manny Ramirez.

Ramirez traded to Dodgers in three-way deal [ESPN]

Source: Red Sox trade Manny to Dodgers [Fox]

AS THE BAY TURNS

As trade deadlines go, this year's version has been pretty awesome. Look at all the big names changing teams: Ken Griffey Jr., Rich Harden, Ivan Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, and Mark Teixiera, to name a few.

But as a Pirate fan, we've become accustomed to Dave Littlefield having demands deemed by opposing GMs as way too high, followed by a price-slash panic near the deadline that brought us returns like Bobby Hill for Aramis Ramirez in the past. We are conditioned to dread this time of year.

Fortunately, Neil Huntington has been much more efficient (or so it appears) in his first trading deadline, so much to the point that Dejan Kovacevic said "...there seems to be this growing sense that it is the Pirates really dictating this process," when discussing the Bay deal. So that gives Pirate fans a small (*just a small) glimmer of hope for some better decision-making in the future.

The current buzz has ManRam approving the trade, coupled with the news of Peter Gammons suggesting the Marlins want the Sox to pony up as much as $9 million to cover more of Ramirez's salary. Of course, as I type this, I hear Jayson Stark at 1:44 PM on ESPN saying this is close to a dead deal.

Stay tuned for more updates, as we've got about two hours to go until the non-waiver deadline. Remember, trades do go down after the deadline, as witnessed by Brian Giles going to San Diego on August 26, 2003.

PBC Blog [PG]

PREPARE FOR LIFE WITHOUT BEAKER

After hearing the news that the Pirates may be part of a trade involving Manny Ramirez, I was intrigued. Imagine acquiring "The Next Manny Ramirez" (Jose Tabata) and the real Manny Ramirez within a few days of each other! The world has never seen such a combination of craziness fused with RBI.

Of course, my hopes were dashed with the news that Manny would instead be heading to Florida as part of a three-way trade with the Marlins, who see no problem taking on a guy who has an entire Wikipedia section devoted to his brain-freeze moments. All they can see is "16 years, 1672 RBI, .313 BA, .409 OBP, 510 HR" dancing in their heads.

In return for Manny, the Marlins would send the Pirates OF Jeremy Hermida and a package of prospects, rumored to include 21-year-old right-handed starter Ryan Tucker and Low-A slugger Mike Stanton.

And for their part in the deal, the Pirates would finally part ways with Jason Bay (shown below), as well as P John Grabow, who would both be going to Boston for direct competition with Yankees Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte.

Keep in mind that these are all rumors and that absolutely nothing is official. Also keep in mind that with all these changes, I'll have my work cut out for me with so many new cast members for next year's Pittsburgh Pirates: The Movie IV.

This just in: Ian Snell to the Mets? It's being discussed.

Pirates talk Bay trade in multiple directons [PG]

MLB Trade Rumors

Classified Ads

Mondesi's House is now accepting classified ads to buy, sell, or trade your goods, or to announce news, lost and found, and job opportunities. Here is our initial batch:

WANTED:
3 Consecutive playoff wins
I am looking for three straight Eastern Conference playoff wins. I need one as early as Thursday. I am desperate. Please contact Michel T. with more information.

LOST:
20 Year Old Russian Male
I have recently lost track of a 20-year-old male that has come to this country from Russia for work purposes. He is 6'3", 192 pounds, has a bowl-shaped haircut, and speaks absolutely no English. Often travels with a translator. Last seen wearing a jean jacket. He has been missing for quite some time. Answers to the name "Evgeni" or "Geno". Please call Ray S. if you have any information regarding his whereabouts. Urgent return rewarded. Here is a photo:

FOUND:
One Power Hitter
I recently found one stray power hitter. I am located in the St. Louis area. He appeared today. He is approximately 6'3", 205 pounds. He has a red beard and appears to have ADD. He is left-handed and says he is from Atlanta, that is where he wants to return to. I found him wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates jersey. Willing to give to a loving home.

LOST:
One Dose of Credibility
I am in a desperate situation. My business depends on credibility to be accepted by consumers, and I lost most of it on Sunday afternoon in Dallas. This is not the first time I've lost credibility, but if we move quickly, we might save it. Please help. Handsome reward offered. Contact D. Stern in New York for more details.

FOUND:
One Piece of Pizza
I was recently attending a Boston Red Sox game and had the good fortune to find a piece of Fenway Pizza on the ground. The pizza was thrown by one Sox fan at another Sox fan who interfered with the play. However, it is in great condition, and has authentic dirt from the Fenway Stands on some of the pepperoni. I have a video posted to prove authenticity. $1,000 OBO.

HELP WANTED:
16 weeks a year- top dollar!
Due to unforseen circumstances, we have an immediate opening in Tennessee for one defensive back. Kick and punt returning capabilities a plus. Background check and drug test not necessary. One year commitment with potential for greater role. $13 million dollar signing bonus. Qualified applicants can call Jeff F. Be sure to mention times in the 40-yard dash. Degree not needed.

Leon Washington - the New Billy Ripken?, Duquesne Opener, $51 Million to Negotiate, Power Rankings, PA Casinos

The Red Sox pay $51 million to negotiate with a Japanese pitcher , which is more than the 2006 opening day payrolls in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Colorado, Tampa Bay and Florida. Yep, baseball's in great shape.

ESPN's Andy Katz writes a nice piece on Duquesne's season opener on Monday night.

Stewart Mandel unleashes his College Football rankings on us. Let's see...1, Big 10...2, Big 10...3, SEC...4, SEC...

On the topic of Power Rankings, our Penguins fall to #16 according to the puckheads at SI.

We have a J.R. House sighting! Thanks to reader Jason for the link.

Beckett.com's story on the Leon Washington middle finger rookie card. This generation's Billy Ripken F-Face. I'm certainly hoping this will get kids interested in cards again.

Pennsylvania's first casino opens in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. That might be a bad influence on all those Baby Penguins.

Pre-Mondesi Archive: ESPNYYBOS

Some time ago, I had tinkered around with the idea of blogging. I had written a few pieces, but really had no idea what I was doing. While doing some computer maintenance tonight, I found some of these articles. Looking back on it now, you can see the early roots of Mondesi's House in these pieces.

So I present an article from the pre-Mondesi Archive: a parody piece called "ESPNNYYBOS". This was written after an extremely obnoxious weekend series between the Yankees and Red Sox, and I was clearly frustrated at the overcoverage by The Worldwide Leader.

Think of it as one of those times when you see an early clip of The Simpsons on the Tracey Ullman Show: no, they don't look or sound exactly the same, but you can see where it evolved. No photos, no photo captions, but the trademarks lists were alive and well.

I give you "ESPNNYYBOS"....


ESPN is proud to announce the following changes, effective immediately:

1. We will air every Yankees/Red Sox game, every Yankees/Red Sox grapefruit league game, every Yankees/Red Sox Old Timers game, every Yankees/Red Sox minor league game at all levels, and every Yankees/Red Sox Father/Son game.

2. At each game, we will construct an on-site set for Peter Gammons, John Kruk, Harold Reynolds and Tim Kurkjian. Each personality will alternate wearing Red Sox or Yankees jerseys on air.

3. We will change our call letters from "ESPN" to "ESPNYYBOS"

4. We will lobby Major League Baseball to disband the rest of the league. Since we stopped covering them, no ones even realizes they exist.

5. We will broadcast the draft of all the disbanded players

6. We will broadcast a mock draft of all the disbanded players

7. Pedro Gomez will no longer follow Barry Bonds on a daily basis. He is now assigned to follow Curt Schilling's bloody sock, and recap the sock's day on SportsCenter, PTI, Around the Horn, Baseball Tonight, and all ESPN Radio shows.

8. Peter Gammons must wear a Red Sox cap on his Hall of Fame bust.

9. Every ESPN.com, Page 2, Page 3, and Bill Simmons article must have some mention of the Yankees, Red Sox, or the rivalry, even if the article is not about baseball.

10. Every ESPN The Magazine article will focus on a different player from the Red Sox or Yankees. The first article will be on Johnny Damon, who has gotten very little press since winning the World Series.

11. ESPN will produce "Fever Pitch 2" as part of its' ESPN Original Movies series.

12. Mel Kiper must promo the next Yankee/Red Sox game after each pick in the NFL draft next week.

13. All ESPNYYBOS shows must now have rivalry-related names. "Around the Horn" becomes "Yankees Suck". "PTI" becomes "Bucky F-ing Dent".

14. Dan Shaughnessy, Bob Ryan and Mike Lupica will anchor The New York and Boston Sports Reporters

15. Darren Rovell will be required to provide daily reports on the price of scalped tickets on eBay on the 6 PM SoxCenter.