Recent Posts
Bugs & Cranks
Return To Blog Listing
At Bugs & Cranks we cover the good, the bad, and the ridiculous that is Major League Baseball. If you've got a favorite team, we're writing about them.
Recent Posts Tagged With 'mark townsend'
It’s Wrigley Field West
What the hell were Los Angeles Lakers fans thinking yesterday? Throwing foam fingers on the court? Really? Because the almighty Lakers decided to take Christmas Day off and had the tar beat out of them by the Cleveland Cavaliers? That’s r...
Four Awkward Minutes With Johnny Damon (Video)
Johnny Damon was the latest sports celebrity to guest host an edition of WWE’s Monday Night Raw. It was awkward. Here are a few of the… umm… highlight(s) I suppose you’d call them. Nice to see WWE is keeping up on current ev...
Washington Nationals Clinch First Playoff Berth
Jason Marquis will watch the playoffs from the dugout at Nationals Park this October. The Washington Nationals clinched the first playoff berth in their pathetic short history on Monday when they reached a two-year, $15 million agreement with free ag...
Helton Failed To Qualify For Gold Glove
For years I’ve been telling anyone who would listen that the coaches and managers who vote on the Gold Glove awards were lazy. I also said the award had completely lost its identity and credibility. Today, I’m here to tell you I was wrong...
Exclusive: Colorado’s Parting Gift to Garrett Atkins Revealed
Did I call the Rockies heartless for firing Garrett Atkins on his 30th birthday? I take it all back now. Just look at that pretty turf topper wedding cake topper thing they gave him as a parting gift for his six years of hard work and production. I&#...
The Life and Times of Garrett Atkins as a Rockie
Garrett Bernard Atkins (August 3, 2003 — December 12, 2009) Unlike past The Life and Times as a Rockie retrospectives (Valerio De La Santos, Kips Wells, Jayson Nix and Luis Vizcaino), I actually like liked the guy we’re honoring today. G...
Allan H. (Bud) Selig To The Rescue!
Our fearless commissioner of baseball stepped out of his cozy office today to announce his plans for a brand new 14-man “special committee for on field matters”. Matters such as pathetic umpiring, instant replay, pace of the game and my h...
The Hall Gets Its Groove On
The Bugs&Cranks family would like to congratulate Don “Groove” Baylor on his induction this morning into the Hall of Fame. Of course you know we’re not talking about THAT Hall of Fame. We’re talking about a much more pres...
Winter Meetings: Day 1 False Alarms
Congratulations to Tom Haines of phillyBurbs.com for “reporting” the first bogus story of the winter meetings via WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia. Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell has reportedly been swapped twice this morning, eventually landi...
Keeping Up With The Tracys
Left to right: Chad Tracy, Jim Tracy, Chad Tracy The Denver Post’s Troy Renck is reporting that the Rockies have expressed “prelimnary interest” in infielder Chad Tracy. That would be the Rockie killing Chad Tracy, who in 261 career...
Stop The Presses: I’m Siding With Rosenthal!
It’s not that I don’t think Ken Rosenthal is credible, I just don’t like him. He comes across as an arrogant little tool that looks down on folks like me who dare write about the game we love just because we have the freedom to do...
10 Better Sportsman of the Year Candidates
To Hell with Derek Sanderson Jeter. I gots 10 better Sportsman of the Years candidates right here. Tiger Woods Already the first and only 2-time winner of Sportsman of the Year (1996 & 2000), Woods closed out 2009 with a crash, a boom and a ban...
Josh Johnson Trade Rumors Bring Out The Meatballs
Reports surfaced over the weekend that the Florida Marlins would be willing to trade stud right-hander Josh Johnson if the “right package” comes along. Josh Johnson, in my opinion, was the most impressive pitcher in the NL last year. At...
Giving Thanks… And No Thanks
Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. I mean, does it get any better than turkey sandwiches, non-stop football and spending time with your loved ones (in that order)? It sure doesn’t, but the real purpose of the day is to give thank...
When catching a baseball (or a ham)
Do Follow the ball (or ham) with your eyes at all times. Estimate the location of the balls (or hams) descent. Move your body so that you are in line the ball (or ham). Raise your glove (or arms) into position. Watch the ball (or ham) into your glov...
Where I’d Like To See Milton Bradley In 2010
I had an uncomfortable experience over the Twitter the other night… A Cubs fan asked ME where I thought Milton Bradley would end up next season. I actually don’t know which part was more uncomfortable: interacting with a Cubs fan, or bein...
The Greatest Baseball Postseason Award Mystery Since…
Tuesday. At least in that case the writer identified himself as the culprit. The mystery today… Which BBWAA member left Jim Tracy off the MOY ballot? Was it you, writer from Pittsburgh? Whoever you are. (Clearly not Andy Smith. But on...
Baseball Belichicks?
Update 5;07 PM CST: I have no idea why I originally spelled Belichick’s name as Belichek and Belicheck throughout the piece. Let’s blame that on 2:30 AM as well. Sorry Bill. Hours later I’m still trying to make sense of what I ...
(Extended Video) Charles Barkley Takes On Sammy Sosa
For those who haven’t seen the Charles Barkley paints his face white while taking shots at Sammy Sosa yet (and even for those that have), here’s an extended look at the footage. This took place during last night’s NBA on TNT broadc...
Shows I’d Recommend Before Lopez Tonight (#274)
Damn, I really miss baseball games on TBS! Okay, maybe I don’t. But I really do miss those unbelievably awesome commercials for Lopez Tonight! Alright, I lied.I don’t miss those either. George is throwing a party starting tonight? That&...
Longest. Season. Ever.
At least that’s how it felt to me. Possible reasons for that… – MLB Network The network’s January 1st debut basically added three months to my season.  I don’t think it’ll quite have that affect next year n...
All Eyes On New York
As of right now the New York Yankees are three outs away from their 27th World Series Championship. One might think a city with 27 baseball championships would take their celebration lightly, but I don’t think that will be the case here. Espe...
Gene wants a Game 7 even more than I do
You fly into New York from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. You wander into the Ed Sullivan Theatre free of charge. You hassle David Letterman for World Series tickets. And this happens… Hold on tight, wait another 24 hours, or sell now ...
Can We Please Have A Game 7?
There is nothing better in sports life than one singular game that determines an entire season. That’s why we LOVE the Super Bowl. That’s why Game 163 is always remembered as the best game of that regular season. That’s why we g...
Top 10 Tweets From World Series Game 4
Of the 1 million or so tweets I scanned during and after last night’s World Series Game 4, 995,000 contained direct or indirect threats to the the physical well being of Brad Lidge. About 78% of those threats stopped just short of placing a b...
Ken Rosenthal Asks The Lamest Questions
Come on Ken! Even the dumbest of baseball bloggers/writers could ask better questions than those. Here, let me give it a shot. To A.J. Burnett after Game 2…. – How determined were you to not suck again tonight? – Were you as in...
Bud Selig Talks Umpiring During Late Show Appearance
Bud Selig made on appearance on last night’s Late Show with David Letterman as the second guest — behind Dr. McDreamy. Among the topics.. Awful playoff umpiring Pace/length of the game Competitive balance in the game today Bonus: L...
Sit Down Nim-Rod, You’re Blocking Ms. A-Rod’s View!
Doesn’t it just piss you when your boyfriend is batting with the bases loaded in Game 6 of the ALCS and the a-holes sitting next to you won’t sit down? Ah, that’s so annoying. She should have had her bodyguard deck the guy. Unle...
Better Management Resume: Lou Piniella or Captain Lou?
Professional wrestling personality/legend/icon Captain Lou Albano passed away from natural causes last week at the age 76. Yes, it’s possible for professional wrestlers to live well into their 70’s and pass from natural causes. Though...
18 Possible Explanations for Tim McClelland’s Incompetence
Tim McClelland had a REALLY bad night last night. Monumentally bad. Think about it. How often does a third base umpire get embroiled in so much controversy during the course of a single game? Once a year, tops? Usually never in a game of this i...
