So it's the NHL Trade Deadline!

Turns out I AM still alive, and I know my reader(ship) has disappeared, but that's my bad.

ANYWAY, it's the NHL Trade deadline today, 12pm PST, and here's the Ducks moves thus far:

Ducks send Evgeny Artyuhkin to ATL for D Oystrick and future considerations (or was it conditional picks?)

Ducks Acquire Aaron Ward from Carolina for G Justin Pogge.

Updates:
D Ryan Whitney to Edmonton for D Lubomir Visnovsky
F Petteri Nokelainen to Phoenix for Draft Pick
D Nick Boynton to Chicago for Future Considerations
G Vesa Toskala to Calgary for G Curtis McElhinney
7th Round pick to Toronto for G Joey MAcDonald

I have to do some homework regarding the salary numbers here, but it looks like we did some lowering on the cap hit, though not much. We DID do a big ol' Musical Chairs w/ Toronto goalies...Sending former Toronto goalie to Calgary and acquiring another Toronto backup in separate deals.

The Whitney move is great to shore up our Defense, and I like adding Ward, a good solid stay at home veteran.

Now just re-sign Whitney before he hits the RFA market. like, Now.


So far. . that's it...stay tuned. let's pray that Bobby Ryan is here come the end of the day.

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IT'S OFFICIAL: Spring Training 2010 Begins!

Pitchers and Catchers reported to Tempe Arizona today for the official beginning to Spring Training 2010.

Thank the maker on this one.

I love even TYPING that sentence.

I seriously love baseball.

I'm also a huge hockey nerd, and to be honest, I'm quite enjoying the Olympic games thus far, especially that beat down that Canada put on Norway yesterday - - 8-0? Yikes.

Btw? Perry, Getzlaf and Ryan have scored so far in the playoffs, and Ryans was the first Mens' goal overall.

Go Ducks! Way to represent.

Wait, what? Ryan scored on Hiller? eek. Sorry mate.

ANYWAY...

Back to Baseball.

I love the smell of a live ballgame.

There's no place better on a gorgeous clear night in May or June than the third baseline, Angel Stadium.

That's so much closer now that the season has officially "begun to begin".

Can I even say that? Who cares! Nobody is reading this.

Keep a look out for a big Pre-season breakdown of the Angels, beginning this weekend.

I'll also have some roundup from some friends in Vancouver covering the games.

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Gigeure to Toronto? Uhm, ok?

So the Ducks pulled the trigger on something that had been bantered about for a while now.

And it makes total sense on paper.

I get it.

The Ducks traded veteran netminder J.S. Giguere to the Toronto Maple Leafs, receiving Goalie Vesa Toskala in return along with Jason Blake.

This move reunites Giguere not only with long-time supporter and former Ducks GM Brian Burke in Toronto, but also longtime goaltending coach Francois Allaire - formerly of Anaheim - - now in Toronto.

This move is great because My favorite home team - - the Ducks - - helped out some significant holes in the Leafs - my lifelong favorite original six team.

It also makes sense financially. Giguere, who waived his no trade clause to play in Toronto, was set to mae over 4M this season and next, but the Ducks had been somewhat handcuffed with that salary. Jonas Hiller, who'd all but decidedly won the starting job from Giguere this season, was cheaper, and had been playing better, and carrying that much salary for a backup - - who clearly can and wants to start - - is a waste. Toronto had a need, they had the people Giguere was familiar with, and it was an easy fit.

Toronto also moved to get Dion Phaneuf from Calgary, a defender who'd fell out of favor and starting losing playing time minutes, in Calgary. Both Phaneuf and Giguere are exactly the type of big names that Toronto's Burke needs: Proven players, marquee names, and some semblance of direction by the long beleaguered club.

I will miss Giguere in Anaheim, but can't wait for him to don the Leafs Jersey. Much luck to him and his family on this one.

Beyond that, The Ducks new backup, Toskala, was once touted as an up and coming force in the NHL and should allow his often injury plagued play to be improved by less pressure in Anaheim.

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GMJr to Mets?

MLBTradeRumors is quoting Heyman, saying that the Mets have acquired Gary Matthews Jr from the Angels.

No idea or any note as to who he's been traded for, though rumors abound that it was for a Pair of front row tickets to Spam-A-Lot off, off, off broadway and a case of game balls.


In defense to GMJr...wait, there's no defending the guy. The guy used HGH to have a career year in a contract walk year. Cashed in, and then complained about playing time even though he was a shell of that walk-year self.

He got his money, and will continue to get it, as it's rumored that Angels are picking upa considerable chunk of his salary.

So who do you think is coming our way?

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Joel Pineiro? Why not Sheets?

MLBTradeRumors.com is reporting that the Angels are in on starting pitcher Joel Pineiro.

This will undoubtedly prove that they are in on him just enough to make it interesting for fans to follow up until the time the he is signed by either the Mets or the Dodgers.

Looking at his stats, he's a seemingly ground ball pitcher who started 32 games last year for the Cardinals...

Numbers...

15-12 W/L
214.0 IP
105/27 K/BB
1.14 WHIP
3.49 ERA

Sure, those are ok, but the guy's been absolutely hammered in the AL.

Why not Ben Sheets? Sheets, though definitely a high risk guy battling injury, would be a better option, though cheaper.

The only way Pineiro makes ANY sense for the Halos is a cheap 2 year deal.

Don't over-spend for the sake of signing someone. Please.

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