PIRATES TRADE VASQUEZ TO TAMPA

The Pirates made a minor move today, sending pitcher Virgil Vasquez to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a player to be named later. I'm going out on a limb and guessing that player will not turn out to be Evan Longoria. But seriously, the return should be very minimal for Vasquez.

The 27-year old hurler, signed in 2009 off waivers from San Diego, went 2-5 with a 8.64 ERA in 14 games (seven starts) last season for the Pirates. He was slated to start the 2010 campaign as a starter at Triple-A Indianapolis, but his departure may open a spot for Jeff Karstens in the Indianapolis rotation.

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In other news that Pirate fans will find very interesting, it was recently announced that Dejan Kovacevic's PBC Blog on the Post-Gazette website will be moving to the PG-Plus pay site on May 1. 

Kovacevic's blog has been tremendously popular from day one, and for good reason: it mixes news, insight, opinion, and access in a way few other newspaper-driven blogs can or have done. The initial reaction from his readers gives the predictable mixed bag of those who will pay, those who will protest, and those who refuse to pay for a blog considering they already pay for a newspaper subscription. The PG- Plus runs $2.99 per month on an annual subscription ($35.88 total) or $3.99 going month to month (here is the introductory page). In comparison, a one-year subscription to the PG newspaper will run you $182.

Kovacevic has to be looked at as a huge asset to the PG, and his bosses have identified his blog as a potential source of revenue in an industry that continues to bleed money. Whether that was the right or the wrong decision will be known in time, but apparently it was a move they thought was worth making at this point.

A's vs. Twins, AP Voters Revealed, and an HDTV List

Today begins the MLB playoffs with a weekday-afternoon, March-Madness style kickoff. I'm sure baseball-loving kids in Oakland are thrilled that the A's are on at 10 AM this morning. This game makes the playoff debut of one Jason Kendall, after 1,545 career MLB games. Tomorrow, Kendall will catch Esteban Loaiza, forming an all-ex-Pirate battery. All the A's need is Kevin Polcovich for a 1997 Pirates reunion tour.

An early gem from ESPN's much-hated Joe Morgan in this game:

"When you're diving, you're in the air, you're not running" - Morgan, following a Nick Punto bunt.

Here's some more links to keep you from working today...

Ever wonder what football media member voted for what team in the AP Poll? Your curiosity can now be fulfilled. FYI, Chris Fowler has Louisville #7 and WVU #8, Kirk Herbstreit has WVU #7, and the Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo has PSU at #24.

"AP College Football Voters" (Associated Press)

I've heard of this list in years past, but the 2006 list is now out---the best and worst looking celebrities in Hi-Def TV. Teri Hatcher falls from #1 worst in 2005 to #3 in '06. Who is the worst? You won't be surprised.

"Swanni's HD Horribles" and "Swanni's HD Honeys" (TV Predictions.com)

Three Months of Mondesi

This week marked the three-month anniversary of Mondesi's House. I must say, it has been an eventful three months, to say the least. The audience has been expanding on a regular basis, and as I visit one of my numerous "traffic counters" this morning, I see Mondesi's House has welcomed 43,737 visitors as of this writing.

With that as the backdrop, there are many thank-yous in order. My first article, "10 Worst McClatchy/Nutting Pirates Moves", was picked up by Deadspin. Since then, I have been linked by Deadspin eight times and asked to write the Steelers Preview, which ran on Labor Day. The traffic they have provided has been invaluable. They are one of the most-visited sports sites on the internet, and their endorsement means a great deal to me.

Locally, I must thank 102.5 WDVE for several in-studio appearances on their morning show to discuss some of my pieces in greater length. The traffic from the appearances and from their website introduced even more readers to Mondesi's House on a regular basis. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also interviewed me for an article about Pirates-related websites back in June, and have mentioned Mondesi's House several times on their Blog N Gold Steelers site. Those mentions are always appreciated.

The Pittsburgh-related sites have been very good to me, with many sending a significant amount of traffic on a daily basis. Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke, Honest Wagner, Bucs Dugout, and Irate Fans are the leaders, but there are a number of other sites that link here (please check out the right sidebar for a full list). To each of these sites, I thank you.

Most of all, I would like to thank the readers. Without readers, there would be no Mondesi's House. So let me mention some of our outstanding "commentors", such as Worstavid, Louis Lipps is My Homeboy, Bucdaddy, Vinnie, Steeltown Mike, Bern1, TheJim, MiniMe, Polevaultking, and all those who wish to remain "anonymous". Reader participation really adds to the experience, especially in stories like "In Person Athlete Encounters". I thank all of the readers and everyone who emails Mondesi to friends. Your word-of-mouth support has been spectacular.

I also must thank my brother and father for the Mondesi's House logo design, and reader Jeffrey Scherer for animating the logo. I think the logo is one of the better on the web, and I appreciate the assistance!

So where does Mondesi's House go in the future? I would like to hear your likes, dislikes, what you would like more of, what you would like less of, etc. Please feel free to post in the comments section or email me at mondesishouse@gmail.com.

As always, the site is a work-in-progress, as I am still cutting my blogger teeth, so to speak. But I am committed to making this one of the best sports sites on the internet. Sometimes my work in Steelcityauctions.com world can slow me up, but I try my best to keep fresh content for the Mondesi Nation.

I appreciate your readership and I hope to entertain you for a long time!

Don

Some required reading

Follow me for a second...Everyone in the free world hates Terrell Owens, probably more than Osama Bin Laden, as recently as yesterday. Then a report surfaces that he tried and failed to commit suicide. So everyone who hated him then felt sorry for him. Then his PR rep basically accused the police of fabricating their report. And now, Owens may play on Sunday. Only one thing is clear: Owens will be like raw meat for starved wolves when the Cowboys visit Philly on October 8.

For ESPN, an Owens suicide threat is like Christmas, the Super Bowl, and O.J.'s Bronco rolled into one. A perceived "must-watch" story from the TV Gods involving a mercurial football star and his alleged off-the-field suicide attempt/overdose is a script no writer could dare dream of. Throw in some controversy with the police, a cranky Bill Parcells, and a game coming up on Sunday, and the script keeps writing itself.

An excellent Owens Recap (from Deadspin)

Terrell Owens Police Report (from The Smoking Gun)

With today's Owens news, a Seattle-based website brings up the story of Ken Griffey, Jr., swallowing 277 aspirin in January of 1988 in an attempt to kill himself. Somehow, I have never heard this story until now.

18 Years Ago, a Suicide Attempt by a Seattle Athlete (from the Seattlest, link via Deadspin)

If you're like me, you enjoy reading ESPN.com's Bill Simmons...on most occasions when he's not in Patriots/Celtics/Red Sox/Curious Guy overload. Today, Simmons chats for around 4 hours with The SportsNation on a variety of topics, including Owens, Ed Hochuli, Matt Damon, and Tony Kornheiser (who seems to be losing the Monday Night Football-watching public more and more with each passing week).

Bill Simmons Chat (ESPN.com)

There was recently a little dustup at a Tacoma, Washington-area Hooters centering on a Steelers banner on display. No word on whether any Hooters Rooters were involved.

Steel-ightfully Tacky, Yet Unrefined (from the Post-Gazette's Blog N Gold