FUCK YEAH, MATTY ICE. Losing 31-17, scored two touchdowns in six minutes (the last with 28 seconds remaining) to force OT. Awesome. ♥

If only Boston College had a quarterback that good … oh wait.

(And of course they lose in OT. But you know. Matty was still badass.)

What’s wrong with a man being humble in his moment of greatness? Giving his glory to God instead of soaking it all in for himself? Humans have corrupted religion’s principles, using it to fly airplanes into buildings, but how can it be wrong for a man to win Rookie of the Year and be filled with such joy that his immediate reaction isn’t me-me-me but rather to bow his head in blessed gratitude? Coghlan isn’t force-feeding you his faith. He just knows, sure as that glove fits on his hand, that he isn’t out in left field all alone.

But, as gentle and polite as he can be, he wants you to understand something else clearly, too: “When it is time to play, it is time to play,” he says. In other words, if you are grabbing a possible double-play relay around second base, rest assured that Coghlan and Jesus Christ are coming straight for your knees. And if you throw at one of Coghlan’s Marlins teammates, good God, what’s coming out of that dugout ain’t going to feel very pious.

Coghlan lost his father at 15 and was angry for a long time after that. Interesting, though, in baseball and in attitude, how the most subtle adjustments can make the difference between foul and sweet spot. Coghlan decided one day — and it was very much a decision — that he could lament all the lost years without his father or he could celebrate the 15 great ones that he got. And so Dad taught him baseball, and Dad plays with him still. He chooses to share the victories instead of wallow in loss, by God.

[…]

It isn’t easy winning this award — an award won by the likes of Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols — when you aren’t even in the big leagues for the first month of the season. Isn’t easy hitting .321 with a .390 on-base percentage while learning how to lead off and play the outfield for the first time as a converted second baseman. It isn’t easy putting up better numbers against the world’s best pitchers than you did in the Southern League, the Florida League and the New York-Penn League.

“A blessing,” Coghlan calls this season.

It’s hard to argue.

And why would you?

♥. Usually players preaching about their faith lose points with me, but the way he says it. He’s not shoving it down anyone’s throat, he just knows what works for him, and … you know what? Good for him.

(He really is perfect, isn’t he? It’s starting to scare me.)

brighteryellow:

Outfielders Matt Holliday and Rick Ankiel, left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez and third baseman Adrian Beltre have all been discussed, according to a major league source today.

Holliday’s name is certainly no surprise, since the Red Sox consider him as an alternative – perhaps more desirable, certainly more expensive – to free agent Jason Bay, should those talks fail.

Ankiel is an interesting name, a left-handed hitter (like new outfielder Jeremy Hermida) with intriguing hitting and athletic skills but not a great track record in the on-base percentage department (.311 career).

Ha, Ankiel in Boston.

Whoa, WHAT? How many OFs are the Red Sox going to collect this offseason? First Hermy, now they want both Ankiel AND Holliday? o.O

Also - as Sam knows… If Ank ever ends up in Boston .. I will explode. eep!

“I knew,” Baird said, “we had to do what was right for this kid. He was going to be a father one day, and a husband, and a grandfather. So, baseball, when this went down, it was a lot bigger than that. We had to think about the person over the player. There was a real young man that needed to be in a better place.”

Baird was fired in the spring of 2006, not long after Greinke left the club. He stayed in touch with Greinke, and Greinke with him. In the first week of the 2007 season, Greinke had started his way back. He pitched against the Red Sox, Baird’s new team, in the third game of the season, a game better known as Daisuke Matsuzaka’s big league debut.

Afterward, Baird and Greinke sat together and talked about the game, the Red Sox lineup and what had gotten them both there. Baird recalled leaving that conversation knowing Zack would be OK, that Zack would pitch well, and that it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t.

In the bleachers on Tuesday, he got the word. Zack had won. But, of course, Allard Baird already knew that.

“I’m still amazed,” he said.

So. Much. Love. ♥

There will be no long-term contract for pitcher Josh Johnson with the Florida Marlins this winter, his agent said Friday.

Agent Matt Sosnick told ESPN.com that negotiations between the Marlins and Johnson have reached an “impasse,” and Johnson expects to play under a one-year deal in 2010. Johnson will be eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, and a failure to reach agreement on a multiyear contract would probably force the Marlins to explore a trade before then.

[…]

Johnson and his agents used Zack Greinke’s four-year, $38 million contract with the Kansas City Royals as a framework in contract discussions. Sosnick said talks broke down when the Marlins declined to offer more than a three-year deal — which would buy out only one year of free agency for Johnson. Sosnick declined to discuss any differences over money in negotiations.

“Josh made it clear that his first choice was to sign a deal and stay with the Marlins,” Sosnick said. “He loves the Marlins and he loves Florida. We were willing to give the Marlins what we thought was a significant break, but they just weren’t comfortable going to the fourth year.”

(ESPN.com)

Say it with me now: FUCK. X(

I can understand the Marlins walking away if JJ’s agent was asking for $100+ mil. But 4/$38? He deserves that, absolutely. And plus: three-year deal? WHY would he take that, when he’s going to be a free agent in two years? Dumb.

Ugh. Marlins. I swear. >:(