Random Sports Babbling Post 2

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Wales last beat the All Blacks 53 years ago. Remember that Wales have historically been one of the world's best rugby teams.

 

The salary escalation insanity in major league baseball is just mind boggling. Carlos Lee just signed a 6 year $100 Million deal. If he is signing for that much then how much will it take for the Jays to resign Vernon Wells next year?

Not that the Jays can complain much given how they have greatly contributed to the inflationary spiral. Giving a two year $18 million deal to Frank Thomas certainly contributed to jumping the salary bar.

 

As for the Big Hurt, if he will increase ticket sales and provide protection in the lineup for Vernon Wells or anyone else in front of him, then it would help. Anything that can help them stick it to the yankees is fine by me!

 

What a weird turn of events on the Jays catcher front. Zahn rejects the Jays $6 million offer, they pretty much announce that they have signed Bajaras for $5.25 million but Bajaras turns around and fires his agent because he thinks that isn't enough and does not show up for his physical so the Jays turn around and sign Zahn for $7.25 million.

I always liked Zahn but I guess the real question at this point is after signing Thomas and Zahn how much budget is there left to get the additional pitching that the Jays will need to be competitive?

 

Wahey, Robinson finally gives up after 8 losses in 9 games. Most definitely a shove out the door.

 

I think that the Jays will have an increased budget for next year. On TSN's Off the Record, JP Richardi came out and said that $70 mil was not enough to compete with Boston and the Yankees, but that he was confident that he could do it cheaper than $140 million that the Red Sox spent last year. I'd like to see them grab a clear number 2 starter, meaning that a healthy Burnett would be a bonus, and maybe a solid 3 or 4 Starter in case Lilley tells them where to go and signs elsewhere.

 

Mohammed Yousuf breaks Sir Viv Richards record for the most runs in a calender year. What a player.

 

Shane Bond was red hot this morning against the Sri Lankans. He cleaned up their 3 best batsmen for sod all runs. Quality bowler.

 

Yes, but Sri Lanka have a certain quality bowler in their team, who is bamboozling the NZ batsmen on the same green pitch that gave Bond so much assistance yesterday. Muralitharan has taken 47 wickets in his last 4 test matches. That's insane!

 

It's the Murali and Bond show! 2nd innings Bond got 4 for 38 and 2 run-outs. Hopefully he can stay fit for a while this time...

 

Low scoring test matches are awesome IMO. Simply because you're almost always guaranteed a result.

 

Well, the game is all over in less than 3 days. Muralitharan is just awesome. We only really snuck home because of Vettori's rearguard batting. Apparently he has the higheest career average in test history for number 8 batsmen at about 37 (which surprises me somewhat - surely there must have been some really good ones).

 

Well you generally don't put someone who averages 37 at number 8. Surely he averages higher than some of the higher order NZ batsmen?

 

Well he has an overall test average of about 26, but he averages 37 when batting at number 8, which is higher than what any other batsman in history has averaged at that position. He was our second highest aggregate scorer last year (after Fleming - which really is a commentary on the state of the rest of our batsmen).

I'm just surprised that in the history of test cricket, there haven't been teams with good batting wicketkeepers and allrounders that haven't had someone really good at number 8 at some point.

 

Oh, sorry mate I had you wrong. I thought you meant his career test average is 37 (I did raise an eyebrow 'that seems high...').

But yeah, he's a genuine class all-rounder is Vettori and he's got good mental strength.

 

He opens that batting in first class cricket and is easily our most reliable batsman overall. He would have had the highest aggregate if Fleming hadn't scored that 242 against South Africa.

That's so sad. Our number 8 is our best batsman.

 

Que Ross Taylor.

 

Surely Ross Taylor has to be in the squad for the Tri Series in Australia. Surely!

 

I'd also like to see Jeetan Patel get more game time in place of one of the quicks (like Franklin who I really don't rate as international class). I think he and Vettori could be very dangerous bowling in tandem.

Test team...

How/Sinclair
Fleming
Styris
Taylor
Astle
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Bond
Patel
Martin

ODI team...

McCullum
Vincent/How
Astle
Fleming
Styris
Taylor
Oram
Vettori
Mills
Bond
Patel

 

I think I'd sooner have Jimmy Franklin than Chris Martin. Franklin can bat a bit too, Martin is a genuine rabbit.