The Brewers announced this weekend that they have picked up the 2009 option for manager Ned Yost.

No doubt, the upper management was feeling empowered by Yost’s successful drive to second place this past season. It’s a bit easy to make fun of Yost, considering his losing record as a manager and how he failed to hold an 8 1/2 game lead over the Cubs. However, that might be a touch unfair. I mean, he was a catcher when he was a major league player, and those guys are always great managers.

Last year, a lot of people here were hoping the Reds could get Craig Wilson. Well, this year, we got him. Though he may be playing in Louisville. He signed a minor league deal.

I wasn’t expecting this, I must say. Last I heard, it was the Mets who were going to sign him.

Wilson was traded to the Yankees in 2006, in part because he was about to become a free agent, and Pittsburgh expected him to get $5 or 6 million a year – more than the notoriously cheap Pirates wanted to pay.

But he never played well for the Yankees. In 2007, he signed with Atlanta for only 2 million – less than half of what many expected him to get. He was truly awful, and they released him in May. The White Sox then signed him to a minor league deal. He was awful for the Charlotte Knights, too…but it turns out there was a reason. He had chronic shoulder tendinitis. In June, he finally had his right shoulder roto-rootered. The surgery ended his season.

If he can bounce back to be anything like his former self, this is a bargain for the Reds. He could be the replacement for Jeff Conine: righty bat off the bench, half of a first base platoon, occasional corner outfielder. Wilson actually came up as a catcher, so he could be an emergency catcher, too. Maybe the Reds wouldn’t have to carry three catchers!

The strange and kinda pathetic saga that is Roger Clemens’ retirement from the Majors continues to develop. When last we left our intrepid anti-hero, he was recording phone conversations and professing to sue to prove his innocence.

Well, now there’s a new wrinkle to the story. Brian McNamee, the big bad villain who ratted on so many players in the Mitchell Report and the recipient of Roger Clemens’ lawsuit, has announced he has physical evidence of Clemens’ steroids use (via The Crawfish Boxes).

I think my first response to that is, “Um, ew.” My second response to that is one of nodding my head. I mean, who wouldn’t keep bloody syringes and vials around for most of a decade? Like I always say, you always have to be prepared for blackmail.

Plus, it only makes sense. I mean, isn’t it the ultimate Clemens baseball souvenir? Of course, that leads us to the real heart of the issue here. Is the needle more or less valuable with Clemens’ autograph on it?

Welcome to round 1 of the Jason Romano Commemorative NLC’s hottest blogger contest. 15 of the best-looking players on NLC (plus one fella in limbo) face off in a single-elimination tournament.

Finally we’re to the penultimate first-round match-up of the Hottest Baller competition. It’ll be much easier in round two when I don’t have to look up photos for these guys every time.

Today’s match up finds the golden boy of St. Louis, Chris Carpenter up against the reason the Ladies of Treasure Belisle-land swoon, Matt Belisle. Carpenter, expect for the lame little soul patch, does that that sweet look to him. Belisle has the wholesome all-Americanness. I think it’s going to be a significantly better Hottest Baller contest than it would be a pitching duel.

Chris Carpenter
ht: 6-6 wt: 230 dob: 04/27/1975
He’s tall. He’s talented. He’s in the possession of a Cy Young award. What the hell else do you want, people?

Matt Belisle
ht: 6-3 wt: 230 dob: 06/06/1980
Sure, he suffers from a mild case of the Beavis-smile, but he’s a strapping young lad to be sure.
[poll=16]

There’s not a lot to say on the baseball front this week, but we’re very pleased to see the Patriots lose and the end of the football season.

We did, however, get together 15 minutes together about:

• Pirates signed Freddy Sanchez to 2 year deal with option for 3rd. He’s getting $4.3 M in 2008.
• Reds signed Matt Belisle to $1.25 M. And how much are they offering Phillips again?
• Astros have 2 arbitration eligible players, INF Mark Loretta and Closer Jose Valverde.
• Nobody in the central landed Johan Santana

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