Wire Check - 7/1/09

Baseball

Sometimes Kruuk goes a little too Ron Santo on us. Ratto says, "Grab some pine, MEAT!"

Gwen Knapp pours over a MLB manager popularity poll answered by big leaguers.

Ann Killion's latest details one of the reasons the Giants rule the Bay Area over the A's. The Giants embrace their history, the A's? Not so much.

Bruce Jenkins handicaps the NL Wild Card race.

Is it just me or are the combination of Lincecum and Haren making Billy Beane look foolish? Buster Olney on Haren:

his ERA is 2.19, a league low; his ratio of walks and hits to innings of 0.81 is easily the best in the NL. His ratio of strikeouts to walks, at 7.53, is the best in the majors.And stats from last night:

Why he won, from Trevor Ebaugh of ESPN Stats & Information:

A. Opposing batters went 0-9, 4 K (all looking) against the fastball.
B. Retired 13 of 14 batters in two-strike counts.
C. Threw 82 percent (14 of 17) strikes with the curveball.

So, Billy Beane decides to cash in on Haren and get some prospects before the A's have to give Haren big money. We all know how Beane operates. But, why couldn't the A's have kept Haren and turned him into their version of Lincecum? From Cot's Contracts, here is what Haren is making in Arizona:

• 4 years/$44.75M (2009-12), plus 2013 club option
• signed extension with Arizona 8/5/08, replacing option year & final guaranteed year of previous contract
• 09:$7.5M, 10:$8.25M, 11:$12.75M, 12:$12.75M, 13:$15.5M club option ($3.5M buyout)

Haren is 28 and will earn all of the money Arizona pays him. At least the A's would have a dominant face of the franchise to build fan support around. Being a fan might mean you're rooting for laundry, but you also want a personal connection to the team and that's what the A's are missing. And, Eric Chavez is making $11 M this season, $12 M next season(If he doesn't retire) and a $3M buyout in 2012. Also, Matt Holiday is making $13.5M this season, almost double what Haren is making.

Basketball

Free Agency started last night and not much has happened as of yet besides guys choosing not to opt out: Kobe, Boozer and Okur. Rockets' GM, Darryl Morey is taking a progressive approach to free agency, via Twitter.

Amare in a Warriors uniform is looking less likely and it has nothing to do with including Stephan Curry.

Football

Barrows goes in-depth with the LBs, part 1. Part 2, featuring P-Willy!

Hockey

Mark Purdy is still around to put heat on the Sharks to get something done.

David Pollack is reading the tea leaves.