Instant Trade Analysis: Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants get: OF Hunter Pence

Philadelphia Phillies get: OF Nate Schierholtz, RP Seth Rosin, C/1B Tommy Joseph

GM Ruben Amaro and the Phillies started the second act of their rebuilding process by trading outfielder Hunter Pence to the offense-starved San Francisco Giants, just minutes after shipping fellow OF Shane Victorino to the Los AngelesDodgers. Amaro has single-handedly fortified the NL West by addressing the needs of the two contenders for the division crown.

In Pence, SF oddly enough gets a bat and glove very similar to former Giants outfielder and financial millstone Aaron Rowand. The now former Phillie has proven to be an annual 25 homer threat, having hit an anomalous 25 every season between 2008 and 2010, with 22 in 2011 and 17 this year. He's a near lock for a performance of around a .280 batting average, 90 runs, 25 homers of course and 90 RBI. Pence has shown some plus speed, but his stolen base numbers have tapered off as he's gotten closer to 30. Defensively, he'll fit in very well alongside Melky Cabrera in left and Angel Pagan in center. The Giants could very well have the most steady defensive outfield unit in the NL West, along with their rivals in Southern California. 

Instant Trade Analysis: Shane Victorino to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers get: OF Shane Victorino
Philadelphia Phillies get: RP Josh Lindblom, SP Ethan Martin

In another deal that's going a long way to dispatch the plentiful Ned Colletti haters, the Dodgers GM acquired Shane Victorino before the trade deadline expired today for two young pitchers, Lindblom and Martin.
Victorino, 31, is a noted Dodgers-killer, holds a .795 OPS against the team in regular season play, and a memorable 12 RBIs in 10 games over two consecutive NLCS series in 2008 and 2009.  The latter series was the Flyin' Hawaiian's most memorable, in which he stroked a .368 batting average, .842 slugging and a homer at Chavez Ravine that's only just landed right next to Matt Stairs' from the year before. Although his gaunt island countenance still haunts Angelenos dreams everywhere, it now might be the key to the first Dodgers pennant in over twenty years.

Instant Trade Analysis: Zack Greinke to the Anaheim Angels

Anaheim Angels get: SP Zack Greinke

Milwaukee Brewers get: SS Jean Segura, SP Ariel Pena, SP Jim Hellweg (all prospects)

Angels GM Jerry DiPoto earned his SoCal front office ninja stripes today, stealthily and suddenly trading for All-Star pitcher Zack Greinke of the Milwaukee Brewers. Much like the Lakers' Mitch Kupchak and the Dodgers' Ned Colleti trading for stars Steve Nash and Hanley Ramirez, respectively, without much notification, DiPoto has made a deal that no only ranks as one of the most biggest of the trade deadline, but perhaps one of the most significant in regards to postseason play.

Team USA Basketball For Dummies

Over the next two weeks, the 27th Olympic Games will take place in London, United Kingdom. The Games traditionally overtake the current events sphere, with various websites and newspapers delivering an unnatural amount of attention to sports, both popular and obscure. Daily conversation will turn from local news and politics to how many records will Michael Phelps break and how close that gymnast was to Mary Lou Retton's perfect score. I suppose the Olympics are part sports, part human interest stories and of course, the undividable bond to politics. Either way, every four years, the average Joe with zero interest in athletics will wade into the waters of watching competitive games. For many of the sports, the learning curve is slim; there are very few that are dedicated swimming aficionados, and the greco-roman wrestling fanbase hasn't exactly grown by leaps and bounds.

Which of course leads us to men's basketball. Now I realize that if you're a regular MAMBINO purveyor, you probably have some interest in hoops. However, I've realized that in the next few weeks, unlike diving or equestrian, there's going to be quite a few people who can talk basketball up and down, all day and night.

Us being the magnanimous writers that we are, the MAMBINO team wanted to throw up a crash course post on everything you'd need to know about the US Olympic Basketball squad, and the competitive field in general.  After reading this post, those of you that are casual fans can sound like the psychopaths that reside on the digital high horse that is this blog. Presenting "Team USA For Dummies".

Trade Analysis: How Cole Hamels Signing Changes the Trade Market

Philadelphia Phillies get: SP Cole Hamels, six years, $144 million dollars

Cole Hamels signed up for six more years with the only team he's played for earlier today. It was the second biggest contract in terms of dollars ever shelled out to a pitcher. After all the gushing things he had to say about the Phillies and their fans, it is probably safe to assume that he's off the market. That means that the 19 teams that are competing for either the Wild Card or the division right now need to turn their attention elsewhere.

What it doesn't mean though is that the Phillies are going to make a run.

Signing Hamels was more of a move to ensure that he never had to deal with the temptation of free agency. He is 28 years old, won a World Series MVP (and NLCS MVP that same year), throws left-handed, has the 9th best active ERA, and 3rd best active WHIP. Dude can pitch and has done so every year of his career. If he hit the open market, he could get as much as Josh Hamilton or any other player this winter.