MLB Offseason Predictions

This has been a hectic offseason so far with plenty of big names on the move. The Angels and Marlisn have made some big signings while Oakland has been involved in the three biggest trades due to them trading Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Andrew Bailey for lots of more affordable prospects as they prepare for a move to San Jose. However, this offseason has a lot more time left in it and a few more big moves will happen. These are my predictions for what will happen over the rest of the offseason.

1. Prince Fielder to the Washington Nationals on an 8-year deal.
All signs are pointing towards the Washington Nationals in the race for Prince Fielder. Scott Boras has great relations with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo and Rizzo's comments have started to open the door for Fielder to come to the Nationals. The Nationals are a way better option then either the Baltimore Orioles or the Seattle Mariners. The Orioles have shown their concern about the Nationals lurking from their reported comments on how they are being used to get the Nationals involved. Prince Fielder would be the perfect fit in a Nationals uniform. The one problem would be what to do with Adam LaRoche. The worse case scenario for the Nationals is that they have to release LaRoche because of Fielder but they should be able to get a low prospect because LaRoche would be a good trade option for teams like Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Milwaukee. At the end of the day, the Nationals only threat is Texas and they really don't have much interest and Nolan Ryan is more concerned right now with the Yu Darvish negotiations. The Nationals won't be able to turn down the opportunity to have a lineup with Ryan Zimmerman, Fielder, and Michael Morse as the three guys in the middle of an order that could be one of the best in baseball since they also have Jayson Werth, Danny Espinosa, and the potential of Bryce Harper being in the lineup on Opening Day.

2. Matt Garza to the Detroit Tigers for a package that includes prospect Jacob Turner.
Matt Garza would love the opportunity to be on a winning team and the Tigers are a perfect match. The Tigers are looking to make a very good rotation even better and Garza would be a great fit. Garza knows how to win from the time he spent in Tampa. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are looking to bring in good young players to lead a rebuild effort in Chicago and Matt Garza is a player that can do just that. The biggest revalation in these trade talks was a report that Detroit is wiling to part with top prospect Jacob Turner for Matt Garza. The Cubs know that Turner has the potential to become a top-of-the-rotation starter. Garza would make Detroit's rotation one of the best in all of baseball with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, and Doug Fister. At the end of the day, Matt Garza will be pitching for the Detroit Tigers and the Cubs will have some good prospects including Jacob Turner.

3. Ryan Madson will sign a three-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals
Ryan Madson is in the same situation as Rafael Soriano was last year because both do not have any suitors. Last year, Boras was somehow able to get the Yankees to sign Soriano even though they didn't need him. Ryan Madson wants a situation where he can be a closer and the Cardinals would be crazy not to go get Madson. Ever since Jason Isringhausen left, the Cardinals have had no consistency at closer as Ryan Franklin only lasted a year and Jason Motte is not a proven closer. Ryan Madson would be the perfect fit for a Cardinals team that saved some money because they were not able to resign Albert Pujols. The Cardinals could probably get Madson for only 9 to 10 million a year instead of the 12 million he was asking for earlier in the winter. The Cardinals would have a proven closer in Madson who could get you those three outs at the end of games and that could get the Cardinals a few more wins because they have some consistency at the end of the game. The Cardinals will be that mystery team that Scott Boras is able to bring in to sign Madson to a multiyear deal.

Diego Mundur Dari Pelita Jaya Karena Diancam Limbong

Bek andalan tim Pelita Jaya, Diego Michiels, menyampaikan surat pengunduran diri dari klub yang saat ini berlaga di Liga Super Indonesia itu. Manajer Pelita Jaya Lalu Mara Satriawangsa mengatakan pengunduran diri Diego itu tidak murni berasal dari diri pemain 21 tahun itu, tapi di bawah ancaman pengurus Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI).

Lalu Mara pun bahkan langsung "tunjuk hidung" Ketua Komisi Disiplin PSSI Benhard Limbong sebagai otak di balik pengunduran diri Diego. Ia menjelaskan berdasar pengakuan Diego kepada mantan Deputi Bidang Teknis Badan Tim Nasional (BTN), Iman Arif, surat pengunduran dalam bahasa Inggris itu sudah disiapkan Limbong dan tinggal ditandatangani Diego. "Ini kan secara sengaja ataupun tidak sengaja telah mempengaruhi dan mengancam pemain saya," kata Lalu Mara melalui sambungan telepon, Sabtu, 31 Desember 2011.

Pelita Jaya, kata Lalu Mara, sampai saat ini masih memberi kesempatan kepada Diego untuk mempertimbangkan keputusannya itu. Jika pemain naturalisasi tersebut tetap bertahan dengan keputusannya itu, klub, menurut Lalu Mara, akan menempuh jalur hukum. "Sederhananya, kami akan mengikuti aturan hukum yang ada. Ia kan masih terikat kontrak dengan kami, ada risiko dan tanggung jawab yang harus diselesaikan," kata Lalu Mara.

Lalu Mara mengaku juga belum berkomunikasi langsung dengan Diego soal pengunduran diri itu. Surat pengunduran diri, kata Lalu Mara, dikirim kepada Ketua Umum Pelita Jaya, Gunawan Tamsir, sehingga ia belum mengetahui pasti isi surat tersebut. "Berdasar keterangan Pak Iman, Diego pun sampai saat ini sebenarnya ada dalam kondisi bimbang. Ia kan masih kecil," kata Lalu Mara lagi.

Peristiwa itu, terang Lalu Mara, bermula saat Diego dan beberapa pemain naturalisasi lain, baik yang bermain di Pelita Jaya maupun tidak bermain di Pelita Jaya, dihubungi Benhard Limbong dan dimintai menemuinya. Dari semua pemain itu, lanjut Lalu Mara, hanya Diego yang datang menemui Limbong, sedangkan pemain lain bergeming.

Diego yang tidak dijelaskan maksud pemanggilan itu oleh Limbong, kemudian disodori surat dan diminta menandatanganinya. "Apakah ia diancam akan kehilangan tempat di tim nasional jika tetap bermain di Liga super, saya belum tahu. Hari ini, kata Pak Iman, Diego akan menghubungi saya menjelaskan itu," kata Lalu Mara.

Diego Michiels merupakan salah satu dari beberapa pemain berdarah Belanda yang saat ini memperkuat Indonesia. Ia mencapai kepopuleran setelah bermain gemilang dalam SEA Games lalu, meski hanya meraih perak. Sebelumnya pemain kelahiran Deventer, Belanda, itu memperkuat klub Liga Belanda, Go Ahead Eagles.

Hingga berita ini diturunkan, Limbong belum berhasil dihubungi. Nomor ponselnya sibuk.

Muncul 2 PSSI, Versi Djohar Arifin dan Versi KPSI

Sepertinya induk sepak bola nasional atau PSSI akan terbagi dua. Lihat saja, PSSI di bawah kendali Djohar Arifin Husin tak mau dikudeta dengan alasan pihak yang akan melengserkannya dinilai tidak sah.

Sebaliknya, Komite Penyelamat Sepak bola Indonesia (KPSI) tetap memaksa bakal menyelenggarakan Kongres Luar Biasa (KLB) guna mereformasi sepak bola nasional dengan cara menggulingkan Djohar Cs. Jika saja kedua kubu tidak segera melakukan islah, tak mustahil jika PSSI tandingan yang digelorakan KPSI  segera terbentuk.

Keduanya juga memiliki 'massa' pendukung masing-masing. PSSI pimpinan Djohar mempunyai anggota dari unsur klub-klub Indonesia Premier League (IPL) dan Divisi Utama di bawah payung PT Liga Prima Indonesia Sportindo (PT LPIS).

Begitu pula KPSI yang segera menentukan ketua PSSI baru, memiliki 'basis massa' dari klub-klub yang berlaga di Indonesia Super League (ISL) dan Divisi Utama yang dikelola PT Liga Indonesia (PT LI). Tentu, salah satu dari kedua kubu pasti tidak akan diakui oleh federasi sepak bola internasional, dalam hal ini FIFA dan AFC.

Sebab, tak ada aturan yang membolehkan dua induk sepak bola nasional berdiri dalam satu negara. Jadi, siapa yang kuat pasti akan menang. Entah itu PSSI Djohar Arifin atau KPSI yang dipimpin Tony Apriliani. Meski agak terlambat, PSSI sendiri sebenarnya merespon keinginan KPSI yang akan menggelar KLB.

Namun, mereka meminta waktu lebih untuk merapatkan persoalan tersebut. Apalagi, pengurus juga sedang menjalani cuti bersama hingga awal Januari ini. Menurut Wakil Komisi Disiplin (Komdis) PSSI Catur Agus Saptono, dalam waktu dekat, induk sepak bola nasional akan menggelar pertemuan Exco untuk mengambil sikap atas gejolak yang terjadi saat ini.

"Akan ada rapat Exco untuk menyikapi keadaan ini. Mereka (KPSI-red) tidak bisa sesuka-suka mereka. Semua ada mekanismenya," kata Catur

Menurutnya, jika merujuk pada Statuta PSSI, seharusya usulan menggelar KLB yang disampaikan lebih dari 2/3 anggota tersebut tidak seperti ini. Exco PSSI semestinya memiliki waktu tiga bulan untuk mempertimbangkan usulan. Sementara yang terjadi, lanjut dia, PSSI hanya diberi batas waktu lima hari, sejak 23 Desember hingga 28 Desember lalu. "Saya yakin ini akan mendapat tanggapan keras dari Exco PSSI. Kita tunggu saja," jelasnya.

Sementara itu, Sekjen KPSI Hinca Pandjaitan mengatakan, persoalan yang terjadi saat ini sudah menjadi kehendak rakyat sepak bola nasional, yaitu lebih 2/3 anggota PSSI.

"Jadi, apapun yang diminta rakyat sepak bola, harus dituruti dan, ingat bahwa yang diminta rakyat sekarang, bukan meminta restu PSSI setuju KLB apa tidak. Tapi, anggota meminta kesanggupan PSSI menggelar KLB. Kalau mereka tidak sanggup, KPSI yang akan bertindak. Yang pasti, niat KLB tidak boleh dihalang-halangi karena sudah kehendak rakyat. Kita tidak boleh mundur, harus jalan terus," paparnya.

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January Transfer Predictions

The January transfer window has opened today and many moves should happen over the next month. Across the world, clubs are setting their budgets up for what could be a hectic transfer period. Big names like Junior Hoilett and Lukas Podolski might be at a new club by the end of the month. Here are my predictions for the January transfer window.

1. Gary Cahill to Chelsea for 8 million euros
England international Gary Cahill could be one of the best buys of the window. Right now, Cahill is working out a deal with Andre Villas-Boas which will get done. Cahill will be able to develop even more since he will be playing beside England captain John Terry. Cahill will get his wages worked out because the opportunity to play in Europe will be too hard to pass up.

2. Lukas Podolski stays at FC Cologne
The German international is one of the most underrated strikers in the world. Podolski has some great opportunities to move to the Premier League with possibly Arsenal or Liverpool. However, Podolski will not move to the Premier League yet because he would not have a permanent starting spot. Podolski would be stuck behind Robin Van Persie at Arsenal. Arsenal has Thierry Henry on loan to be behind Van Persie while Chamakh is at the Africa Championships. Liverpool would only use Podolski as a starter till Luis Suarez returned. Podolski will wait till the summer to make a move away.

3. Junior Hoilett to Newcastle United for 10 million euros.
Hoilett is one of the best young players in the Premier League right now. Hoilett would be a perfect for Newcastle because he could fill in for Demba Ba at striker while Ba is at the Africa Championships. When Ba gets back, Hoilett can move back out to the right wing and be a potent threat on the outside. Hoilett has the potential to be the piece that can keep Newcastle lurking for a spot in Europe over the next couple of years. Alan Pardew will make a smart buy in Hoilett.

4. Bobby Zamora to QPR for 9 million euros.
Zamora has played excellent over the last few years at Craven Cottage for Fulham. However, he is now unsettled and Neil Warnock knows that Zamora can bring the goals that will take QPR away from relegation danger. Zamora must get out of Fulham and QPR is the perfect place for him to create a new legacy. Warnock will make this swoop because Zamora will bring goals to a team that needs goals.

5. Nicky Maynard to Fulham for 5 million euros.
Maynard has become one of the best players in the Championship. Martin Jol is going to want a player who can develop into a player that is even better than Zamora was and Maynard is exactly that. Bristol City is looking to sell him since he is starting to become unsettled and the Premier League is preparing for him Maynard will want to make this move to take the next step in his development.

6. Liam Ridgewell to QPR for 2.5 million euros.
Ridgewell was a key part of a good backline for Birmingham last year. QPR needs a centerback and Ridgewell is a good fit that is not very expensive. Ridgewell would love the opportunity to return to the Premier League. Neil Warnock knows that Liam Ridgewell wants to come back to the top flight and he will spend the cash to bring him back up to it.

7. Chris Samba to Tottenham for 9 million euros.
Samba is one of the most underrated centerbacks in all of the world. Samba is on a Blackburn team that will not be headed for Europe over the next few years. Samba could turn that backline into one that can keep Tottenham in contention for the Premier League title this year. Harry Redknapp will make this move to give Tottenham an improved shot at a Premier League title.

8. Carlos Tevez to AC Milan for 30 million euros.
Carlos Tevez can be one of the best strikers in the world when he does what he is supposed to do. However, Tevez decided that he n longer wanted to play for Manchester City and manager Roberto Mancini is trying to move him now. AC Milan would love another star player and Tevez is the perfect fit. With the tight race they are in, Tevez can be the player that pushes AC Milan to the top of Serie A. AC Milan is ready to take the gamble that Carlos Tevez will play to his best.