Justin Masterson

I’d be really surprised if the Cardinals made another deal before the 3 p.m. CT deadline.  Expect John Mozeliak to keep his top young players like pitcher Carlos Martinez and outfielder Oscar Tavares.  Don’t expect the Cardinals to land a big hitter.  There’s not much out there.

The big deal for the Cardinals is acquiring Justin Masterson.  Is it a good move?  How will it pay off this season?  I share my thoughts, plus share the thoughts of Mozeliak who appeared on Fox Sports Midwest before yesterday’s Cardinals-Padres game.

Masterson was actually born in Jamaica, but grew up in Ohio. He was a 2nd round draft pick of the Red Sox in 2006. He was traded to Cleveland in 2009 and will be a free agent after the season. For his career he’s 57-69 with an ERA of 4.16. Last year, he was an All-Star, winning ten games before the All Star break. This season, just 4-6. He had right knee issues that landed him on the DL earlier this month and he’s made two rehab starts before the trade. GM John Mozeliak thinks Masterson is healthy enough and is hoping he can deliver consistency.

Ping pong or table tennis…whatever you call it, this is amazing.

I’m back into the swing of things at work after a nice 10-day vacation.  So are my videos.  The best part about vacation as a sports guy is I’m not ashamed to say I completely shut myself off from the sports world.  I didn’t follow Twitter, I didn’t post stories, I didn’t check ESPN or local papers for stories.  The closest I came to sports was watching my daughter play in the Show Me Games and coaching a rec softball team.

Anyway, it took me a couple of days to get back into “work” mode.  Today I share my thoughts on the suspension of Mizzou wide receiver Levi Copelin, not so much on his absence, but what the Tigers have at that position.

Plus, if you haven’t seen it yet, one of the best table tennis rallies you will see.  This isn’t down in your buddy’s basement ping pong…this is world class table tennis between some of the world’s top talent.

The U.S. men’s national team will advance in the World Cup (photo/ussoccer.com)

I shot my mouth off on Thursday saying there was no way the outcome between the USA and Germany in the third pool game of the World Cup would end up any differently than a tie.  Yet, Germany won 1-0 and we still advance to the knockout round.  With a tie, it was guaranteed both the Americans and Germans would advance, but I didn’t study up the goal differentials.

In soccer terms, it would have been near impossible for the U.S. to not advance unless they got blown out or there was a blow out in the Portugal-Ghana match up.

But…I predicted a tie and didn’t get it.  Now you can watch as I get what I deserve.

Here’s your get out of work note.

By the time you watch this video, the game between the U.S. and Germany could well be over.  Or it may still be going on because the referee added additional time at the end.  (Again, one of the dumbest rules in ALL of sports.  If you can’t decide a soccer match in 90 minutes and play around all the flopping, what’s another two or three minutes going to do?)

Anyway.  I’m really not trying to bad mouth soccer.  I’m trying to enjoy the game, but I’m looking for a fan to sit with me, have a beer and discuss and show me the strategy of the game so I can come to appreciate it like the many others  in our country who are getting ready for this match that starts at 11 a.m. Central.

I thought a clever tweet was sent out by U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann…the same guy who said the U.S. didn’t stand any real chance of getting out of pool play.  Klinsmann created a “get out of work” note that you could take to your employer to get the day off so you can watch the mid-morning match.  I like it…very creative.

Here’s the one problem.  As Coach Klinsmann writes about this “critical” game…it’s anything but critical.  We all know what’s going to happen, or what should happen.  This game will end in a tie.  If it does, Germany advances to the next round and so does the U.S.  I know the Germans are mathematically not in the next round yet, and while both teams says they don’t have an agreement to play to a tie, it’s going to end that way.  I guarantee it.  If not…I’ll take a soccer ball to the head on my next video!

St. Louis Cardinals Yadier Molina is tagged out at homeplate by Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy as he tries to steal home in the eighth inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on August 5, 2012. St. Louis won the game 3-0. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

This is the time of year when Major League teams start campaigning for their players to get more All-Star votes out of their fans.  It usually comes from the smaller market teams who have a player putting together a career year.

We’ve seen the Royals try to make this push, especially for Alex Gordon, who has put together a couple of solid seasons.  However, we know it’s tough to unseat perennial All-Stars, like Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.

We know about Yadi’s defensive skills and his offensive numbers are consistent and he’s one of the best two strike hitters.  However, the Milwaukee Brewers are circulating a video pushing for fans to vote for their catcher Jonathan Lucroy.  The Brewers organization is taking an interesting twist (and having fun…don’t get too worked up) by producing a mock political commercial, saying it’s time for change.  They go as far as to proclaim Lucroy the “best catcher in the National League.”

It’s laughable, right?  I know the Brewers are in first place and all, but Lucroy over Yadi?  I was ready to rip Milwaukee until I looked at the numbers.

In all of the key offensive numbers that I looked at, such as batting average, home runs, RBIs, on base percentage and slugging percentage, the comparisons are pretty equal.  Even defensively, Lucroy is slightly better than the MLB average for gunning down base runners.

The San Antonio Spurs…best sports franchise in the U.S. in the last 20 years? No doubt

When the San Antonio Spurs capped off their fifth title by beating the Miami Heat in a rematch between NBA powerhouses, it touched off a discussion here at work, about just how dominating the Spurs have been in recent memory.  Going back to the last 20 seasons, there hasn’t been an NBA team, let alone another franchise in the NFL, MLB, or NHL that has come close to what the Spurs have been able to do in the regular season to go along with their post season success.

The Spurs have a better record that the Heat over the last four regulars seasons by seven games. (231 wins for Duncan and the Spurs, compared to 224 for LeBron and Miami).  San Antonio has also gone 19 of the last 21 regular seasons with 50 or more wins.  Only one of those two, non-50+ win seasons, came on an 82 game slate.  The Spurs went 20-62.  The other season, ’98-’99, was the lockout season when the Spurs won 37 of 50 games and their first NBA title.

I want to see more coverage of the Spurs and less on the Heat and their drama that we’ve had to endure over the last four years.

Soccer, known for players taking a flop every now and then, but this is ridiculous.

Flopping for a foul call has been a problem in the NBA for awhile, but the world of soccer has perfected the “flop” to true art form.  Well, almost.  After I saw this latest attempt to…you know I’m not sure what the coach is going for here?  Is he looking for an ejection?  Is he later hoping to sue for damages?   I’m not sure, but his attempt to stir up controversy is quickly squashed which leads to (in my mind) one of the most exciting 20 seconds of soccer you’ll see.