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Shanoff’s Wake-Up Call: CC, Manny, Trades

Jul 29, 2008, 12:28 PM UTC

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Today’s Calls: CC Sabathia vs. Cy Young, Greg Maddux vs. Manny Ramirez, Renaldo Balkman vs. Kwame Brown, LeBron James vs. Barack Obama and More.â†µThe Opening Pitch: OK, so maybe “CC Sabathia for the NL Cy” was a wee bit premature.â†µâ†µI think everyone was ready to call him the new frontrunner if he was able to lead the Brewers past the Cubs in the opener to the week’s biggest series.â†µ

â†µâ†µInstead, Sabathia was tagged for 3 runs in less than 7 IP, which might have been enough if not for Salomon Torres’ spotty, game-choking work in the 9th.â†µ

â†µâ†µFor lesser pitchers, a start like that might have been just fine; for Sabathia -- with those Cy-sized expectations -- it wasn’t enough.â†µ

â†µâ†µOh, and the Brewers missed a chance to pull into a tie in the NL Central with the Cubs; they now sit 2 games back (but still 2 games in front of the Cards for the NL Wild Card).â†µ

â†µâ†µCC as Cy-Cy will have to wait.â†µ

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â†µMore Rivalry Games: Twins blank White Sox, thanks to a CG shutout (6 H) by Kevin Slowey, only the 3rd AL pitcher to throw 3 CG.â†µ

â†µâ†µAnd the Angels own the Red Sox, having beaten Boston 6 straight; again, it’s entirely worthless if they can’t beat them in October.â†µ

â†µâ†µMilestones: Manny being masher. Ramirez became only the 8th player ever to hit 20 HR in 14 straight seasons. (Trade him? Ha!)â†µ

â†µâ†µMeanwhile, are the Phillies so good that they don’t need Manny? Really? (So they would have to stick him in RF: Who cares? You aren’t getting him for his D.)â†µ

â†µâ†µMore Milestones: Greg Maddux wins No. 351, and it was so much more thrilling than 350: He had gone 14 straights starts without a win.â†µ

â†µâ†µMore MLB Trade Deadline Names: Is Mark Teixeira on his way to Arizona? In a division that could be had with 81 wins, he could be the difference. ... AJ Burnett sure makes a lot of money for a guy who just matched his career-high for wins at an underwhelming 12 (he’s also unlikely to be traded anymore). ... Adrian Beltre is a fantasy stud (2 HR, 4 RBI).â†µ

â†µâ†µInjury Watch: As expected, Jorge Posada will miss the rest of the season with shoulder surgery. If the Yankees are going to make a playoff push, it won’t be with their longtime catcher.â†µ

â†µâ†µNFL Camping: Imagine being Aaron Rodgers right now. The good news for Packers fans is that no game could possibly be more pressure-packed than his first camp session as Brett Favre’s replacement.â†µ

â†µâ†µMeanwhile, what really matters is how NFL camping affects your fantasy football draft prep. Here are SN’s latest rankings.â†µ

â†µâ†µIs the NFL’s discipline policy uneven? I’d say so; Marshawn Lynch won’t be penalized for his offseason hit-and-run.â†µ

â†µâ†µTim Donaghy to be sentenced today: The max is 33 months, but I’d put the over/under at 24. (The smart money would take the over.)â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Trade: Renaldo Balkman to the Nuggets, which strikes me as little more than Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh giving a big middle finger to Isiah Thomas and his recent draft strategies.â†µ

â†µâ†µKwame Brown joins the Pistons: As any Wizards or Lakers fan will tell you, Detroit can’t possibly win the East now.â†µ

â†µâ†µUSA Oops: LeBron practices, and Coach K doesn’t want to be Larry Brown and leave talent on the bench.â†µ

â†µâ†µMore Olympics: Paul Hamm drops out. The 2004 gold winner in men’s all-around gymnastics is simply too hurt to compete this year, ending what was one of the more dramatic comebacks of these Games.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe IOC’s decision to store Olympic athletes’ drug samples for 8 years means that we’re due for a scandal just in time for, oh, 2016.â†µ

â†µâ†µCFB: Notre Dame’s 3-win season (and the accompanying all-time-great schadenfreude) was likely the highlight of the year for many of us. Just confirming: They can’t possibly do worse, right?â†µ

â†µâ†µCBB: Tom Crean gets 2-year extension through 2017-18, which is funny, because that was the over/under for the end of IU’s NCAA probation.â†µ

â†µâ†µSports and Politics: LeBron donated $20K to Barack Obama, which instantly makes LeBron more politically active than Michael Jordan ever was. Is this new combined force of nature called “LeBama?”â†µ

â†µâ†µ(Would it really surprise you that James supported the greatest basketball player to ever run for President?)â†µ

â†µâ†µBlogs: Did you enjoy yesterday’s Favre-for-Manny trade scenario? Tirico Suave follows me, but makes up for it with Photoshop goodness.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Last Word: Valdosta, Georgia as “Titletown, USA?” Eh, I would have picked Gainesville. But points for contrarian obscurity.â†µ

â†µâ†µDan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com.â†µ

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