MySports Today

Opening day for the 2009 MLB season officially kicks off Sunday with two games. The LA Dodgers will play San Francisco in SF and the Atlanta Braves will be in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies. The Phillies are the defending 2008 World Series champions. This should be a great year for baseball, with two new stadiums in NY and the Chicago Cubs have a new owner this could be any teams year. Will A-rod missing the start of the season hurt the Yankees? Who spent over $400 million in the off season.

The New York Mets have signed Gary Sheffield to a 1-year deal.  The recently released outfielder/slugger will split time in right field with Ryan Church.  Daniel Murphy will continue to start full-time in left field against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers and will likely be spelled from time to time by either Church or Sheffield.

The Detroit Tigers, who released Sheffield earlier this week, will pay $13.6 million of Sheffield’s $14 million contract for 2009.  The Mets will cover the additional $400,000 – nice deal for Omar Minaya and the Mets.  This isn’t Sheffield’s first stint in the Big Apple – he played for the Yankees from 2004 through 2006 and put up monster numbers in his 1st two season for the Yankees.  Sheffield battled injury issues through the 2006 MLB season and was later traded to the Detroit Tigers.

Sheffield is one home run shy of reaching the 500 home run plateau.  Sheffield is a career .292 hitter and he has 1,633 career RBI’s – good for 27th on the all-time list.

This is a nice pick up for the Mets.  He is cheap and he still has the ability to hit the longball in a reduced reserve role.  Limiting his play should also reduce the risk of injury on the 40-year old ballplayer.  Kudos to Minaya for going out and making the deal with Sheffield and his handlers.

WOW!!!

Bears fans never thought GM Jerry Angelo would ever be able to pull off the trade for the Denver Broncos’ disgruntled Quarterback Jay Cutler.  Well guess what Bears doubters, Angelo did it late this afternoon.  The Bears gave up a hefty price – their own Quarterback Jyle Orton, plus the 18th pick and the Bears 3rd round pick in the upcoming 2009 NFL Draft and the Bears 1st round pick in the 2010 NFL draft.  But to get the proven franchise quarterback the Bears have always sought, it should be well worth the cost.

Word is that the Bears also signed offensive tackle Orlando Pace to help improve the weak Bears offensive line play.  Pace is on the older side, but should be an upgrade to the Bears unit assuming he is healthy.

Read more Cutler trade news here and we’ll keep you posted with the latest details as they become available…

A Grand Rapids minor league baseball team is going to sell a $20 4 pound burger this season. The burger features five patties, five slices of cheese and about a cup of chili all on a 8-inch bun. The burger will top off at 4,800 calories and some people are not happy about it. A dietitian based in Washington send a letter to the team asking that they put a waring on the burger as a “dietary disaster. The team is not sure if they will add the label.