Fan Huddle.com-Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Pitchers

Here is the latest edition of my fantasy baseball "Pitcher Pickups", featured at Fan Huddle.com.

Link: http://fanhuddlefantasy.com/2011/07/fantasy-baseball-pitcher-pickups-72911/

612 Sports.Net: Minnesota Vikings Post Lockout Checklist

Here is my latest post featured at 612 Sports, taking a look at what should be on the agenda of the Minnesota Vikings now that the NFL lockout is over.

Link To Article: http://www.612sports.net/pros/vikings/vikings-latest-news/373-minnesota-vikings-post-lockout-checklist

Yahoo!/Associated Content: Minnesota Twins Trade Candidate-Delmon Young

Here is another another recently published post featured at Yahoo!/Associated Content, this time looking at outfielder Delmon Young as a potential trade chip for the Minnesota Twins.

Link To Article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8225039/minnesota_twins_trade_candidate_delmon.html?cat=49

Yahoo!/Associated Content: Minnesota Twins Trade Candidate-Kevin Slowey

Here is one of my latest published pieces featured at Yahoo!/Associated Content, looking at Minnesota Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey as a possible trade candidate.

Link To Article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8215687/minnesota_twins_trade_candidate_kevin.html?cat=49

Bruno Boys Fantasy Football: 2011 NFL Free Agency Preview: Quarterbacks

With the NFL looking to get back to business sometime soon, here is my latest post at Bruno Boys Fantasy Football taking a look at some quarterbacks that could be available in free agency and perhaps via trade. 

Link To Article: http://www.brunoboys.net/entry/2011-nfl-free-agency-preview-quarterbacks/

Yahoo!/Associated Content: Minnesota Twins Trade Candidate-Francisco Liriano

This is my latest published piece at Yahoo!/Associated Content, taking a look at Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano as a possible trade candidate heading toward the July 31 trade deadline.

Link To Article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8212541/minnesota_twins_trade_candidate_francisco.html

Fan Huddle.com-Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Pitchers

Here is this week's edition of my fantasy baseball "Pitcher Pickups, featured at Fan Huddle.com.

Link: http://fanhuddlefantasy.com/2011/07/fantasy-baseball-pitcher-pickups-72111/

Fantasy Daddy.com-Fantasy Baseball-"Buy And Sell": Pitchers

Here is the latest edition of my fantasy baseball "Buy and Sell" for pitchers, featured at Fantasy Daddy.com.

Link: http://www.fantasydaddy.com/baseball/421-fantasy-baseball-buy-and-sell-pitchers.html

612 Sports.Net: Minnesota Vikings Free Agent Target-WR Steve Breaston

Here is my latest post at 612 Sports, looking at (possibly former) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Steve Breaston as a potential free agent target for the Minnesota Vikings.

Link To Article: http://www.612sports.net/pros/vikings/vikings-latest-news/368-minnesota-vikings-free-agent-target-wr-steve-breaston

Fan Huddle.com-Fantasy Football 2011 Rankings:Top 10 Running Backs

Here is my latest post for Fan Huddle.com, my top 10 fantasy football running backs for 2011.

Link: http://fanhuddlefantasy.com/2011/07/fantasy-football-2011-top-10-running-backs/

Fan Huddle.com: Pitchers To Watch In The Second Half

Here is my latest post at Fan Huddle.com, taking a look at three pitchers fantasy baseball owners should be aware of as the second half of the season starts.

Link: http://fanhuddlefantasy.com/2011/07/mlb-fantasy-pitchers-to-watch-in-the-second-half/

Yahoo!/Associated Content: Tony Oliva-A Hall of Fame Snub?

Here is my latest published post at Yahoo!/Associated Content, taking a look at the Hall of Fame credentials of former Minnesota Twins outfielder Tony Oliva.

Link To Article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8203847/tony_oliva_a_hall_of_fame_snub.html?cat=14

Yahoo!/Associated Content: Minnesota Twins Trade Candidate-Michael Cuddyer

This is my most recent published piece at Yahoo/Associated Content, looking at Minnesota Twins OF/1B, and 2011 All-Star, Michael Cuddyer as a possible candidate to be traded before the July 31 deadline.

Link To Article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8166515/minnesota_twins_trade_candidate_michael.html?cat=49

Yahoo!/Associated Content: Minnesota Twins 2011 First Round Pick Levi Michael

This was my first published piece featured Yahoo!/Associated Content, taking a look at North Carolina SS Levi Michael, the Minnesota Twins' first round pick in June's draft.

Link To Article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8124821/2011_mlb_draft_minnesota_twins_first.html?cat=14

Fan Huddle.com-Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Pitchers

Here is this week's edition of my fantasy baseball "Pitcher Pickups", featured at Fan Huddle.com.

Link: http://fanhuddlefantasy.com/2011/07/mlb-pitcher-pickups-7711/

Johnny Damon: Hall of Famer?

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Johnny Damon got his 2,654th career hit on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds.  That would not be particularly notable except that he tied Hall of Famer Ted Williams for 71st place on the all-time hit list.

Earlier this season Damon hit the 500th double of his career, becoming the 11th player with at least 2,500 hits, 500 doubles, 200 home runs and 100 triples.  The other ten are all Hall of Famers: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, George Brett, Robin Yount, Al Simmons, Paul Molitor and Goose Goslin.  Elite company for sure, and leads to the question of Damon's own Hall of Fame credentials.

Damon is in his 17th major league season, and the Tampa Bay Rays are the sixth team he has played for.  He has been part of two World Series champions, in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox and 2009 with the New York Yankees.  But he would not be considered among the elite players of his era, as he has only been selected to two All-Star teams (2002 and 2005). 

As of this writing, Damon has a .287 career batting average with the aforementioned 2,654 career hits, 501 doubles, 224 home runs, 1,084 RBI and 102 triples with 392 stolen bases.  His career-high for home runs is 24, which he has done twice (2006, 2009).  He led the American League in runs scored (136) and stolen bases (46) in 2000 with the Kansas City Royals, and also led the American League in triples in 2002 with 11.  Those are the only times Damon has led the league in any category during in his career.

Damon does rank in the top 10 of active players in hits (fifth), doubles (sixth), triples (second), stolen bases (fifth) and runs scored (1,603-third), which all qualify as fairly unglamorous categories that stand to be overlooked considering the era in which he played a large portion of his career. 

In my opinion, Damon is a borderline Hall of Famer that looks likely to lose votes to his more heralded peers.  If there was a "Hall of Very Good" he may belong, and his longevity should be noted, but he is simply not among the best players of the past decade and a half or so.  There is the possibility Damon will get more votes as voters that choose to take a stance against players that are thought to be tainted by performance-enhancing drugs become eligible.  Those voters may take a closer look at his numbers and consider putting him on their ballot.