HEADLINE:!!!: “Cardinals Agree To Two-Year Deal With Carlos Beltran”

(Some Of The Article) By Mark Polishuk [December 22, 2011 at 6:49pm CST]–

The Cardinals have addressed the Albert Pujols-sized void in their lineup by agreeing to terms with free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran.  The contract is a two-year, $26MM deal that includes a full no-trade clause and will be finalized once Beltran passes a physical.  Beltran is represented by Dan Lozano.

Beltran, who turns 35 in April, hit .300/.385/.525 in 598 plate appearances for the Mets and Giants in 2011.  It was a solid return to good fitness for the six-time All-Star, who was plagued by knee injuries over the previous two seasons and made only 612 plate appearances combined in 2009-10.  Beltran is slated to play right field in St. Louis until Allen Craig returns from injury, and then Beltran will shift to center field (with Jon Jay still receiving significant playing time).  Beltran is also likely the Cardinals’ top DH option during interleague games in American League ballparks. …–

(Full Article Link

Here –>http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/12/cardinals-agree-to-two-year-deal-with-carlos-beltran.html

— — —

This Is How I PREFER To Remember Carlos Beltran. I Sincerely HOPE He Can Keep HIMSELF Together In St. Louis!!!

Hmm…

…Well…

…I’m Glad The Cardinals DID Snag Another “Big-Bat”…

…I Just Hope He Doesn’t FALL-APART-AND-DIE In St. Louis!

It’s Only a TWO-YEAR Contract

…So That DOES Make It MUCH MORE PALATABLE!

The Baseball Off-Season CONTINUES ONWARD!!!

“You Ever Try Picking-Up Your Teeth With Broken Fingers?” — Fergus (Stephen Rea) (“The Crying Game”)

THE CRYING GAME(1992) is One of My Personal-Film-Favorites, and a True Forgotten Classic!

Stephen Rea received a Best Actor Academy Award Nomination for The Character of “Fergus” in “THE CRYING GAME (which received SIX Academy Award Nominations, and WON for Best Screenplay).

“Someone’s Knockin’ At The Door. Somebody’s Ringin’ The Bell. Someone’s Knockin’ At The Door. Somebody’s Ringin’ The Bell. Do Me A Favor, Open The Door, And Let ‘Em In…” — Paul McCartney and Wings (“Let ‘Em In”)

You May Think Me Odd But, Honestly, "Let 'Em In" Is In A THREE-WAY-TIE For Being MY FAVORITE Song By Sir Paul and WINGS... The Other Two Are, OF COURSE, "With A Little Luck" and "Live And Let Die" !!! 😉

“…When I Feel You Put Your Arms Around Me. Baby, Baby, Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat? Then I’m Glad, I’m Mighty Glad I Found You. Baby, Baby, Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat?…” — Herman’s Hermits (“Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat?”)

I'm In A (rather) Sappy-Mood At The Moment, and I've Been Jammin' To "Herman's Hermits" ALL. DAY. LONG. I'd Say It's Just A Phase... but I've Been Listening To Them Since 1989! 😉

Bradley Alan AND “The Kreativ Blogger Award”

WOW.

PERIOD.

That’s Sincerely How I Felt When I’d Found-Out I’d Been “Nominated” For…

“The Kreativ Blogger Award”

I Was, Honestly, ASTONISHED.

I’ve Been “Nominated” For Awards Throughout My Life…

…Many-Multiple-Times, Actually.

I’ve Just NEVER WON Any Of Them.

As I’d Told Mr. Michael (http://jamesdez.wordpress.com/)

…aka “The Person Who Nominated Me”…

…I’ve ALWAYS Had The HORRID Misfortune…

…Of ALWAYS Coming In…

2ND!

Every-Single-Time I’ve EVER Been Up For ANY Award…

 …EVER EVER

…My “BEST FINISH” Was ALWAYS

2ND-Place!

The Most GLARING Example I Can Provide Y’all…

…Is From 1999…

…While I Was A Student At “DINFOS”

…aka “The Defense Information School.”

I Was In The Navy Then…

…Studying My Creative-Arse Off…

…In The Hopes Of Joining My Fellow Shipmates In The Fleet…

…As An OFFICIAL Navy Journalist.

It Was During The Radio-Broadcast-Portion Of My Training.

The Assignment WAS…

…To “Create An ORIGINAL Radio-Spot”…

…That Would Be Later Evaluated By Our Radio-Instructors.

The Prize At The End…

…Would Be The Presentation Of…

The Original Radio Spot Production Award

…And…

I. WANTED. THAT. AWARD.

PERIOD.

I Came Up With MY ORIGINAL Idea…

…I Worked VERY Hard On It…

…And Upon Completion…

…I Was DAMN-SURE The Award Was MINE.

However…

…(Yes, My Life Is A LENGTHY-SERIES of HOWEVER Upon HOWEVER)…

…There Was An Army Sergeant…

…Who Was SERIOUSLY Struggling With His “ORIGINAL” Idea.

He Knew I Knew What I Was Doing…

…And He Came To Me For Help.

I’m A Good-Guy…

…(well) When It Comes To People With The Balls To ASK FOR HELP.

So I Said “Sure Thing, Sarge, No Problem!”

And Boy Did I Help.

Sadly…

…For Your’s Truly

…When It Came Time For The Award-Presentation…

…I Sat (almost) Calmly…

…Awaiting To Hear MY NAME Read As…

The WINNER Of The Original Radio Spot Production Award

They Started With The “Honorable Mentions“…

…Then 3RD-Place

…And THEN Came The 2ND -Place Recipient.

In A Very Close Decision, 2ND-Place Goes To…”

ME!

WHAT?!?!?!

!!?!?!?!?!?!?!

REALLY?!?!?!

!?!?!?!?????!?!?!

ME!!!

But…

…HOW?????

I Was Blown-Away, To Say The Least.

However (yet again)…

…It Only Got WORSE

…When They Read The Name Of “THE WINNER.”

THAT

DAMNED

SERGEANT!!!

O.M.G.

!!!!!

I Have NEVER Been MORE ANGRY

…In My ENTIRE-CREATIVE-LIFE!

The Guy Who COULDN’T DO THE ASSIGNMENT

THAT I BASICALLY DID FOR HIM

…Was Named “THE BEST” !!! !!!

Those Who Knew What Was Up Said To Me…

Dude, You Shouldn’t Be Pissed

…It’s Still YOUR WORK That Won!”

But That Honestly DID NOT HELP.

It Really Only Made Me MORE ANGRY.

Grrrr!!!

Yes, My Peeps…

…I DID (eventually) Get-Over-It.

I Just “Felt-The-Need” To Get That Out There…

…So You Would Have SOME Insight Into My Lengthy-History Of…

ALWAYS. BEING. JUST. 2ND-Best.

… … … … …

OKAY OKAY OKAY, KIDS!

ENOUGH With “Bradley Alan’s Childish-Sob-Stories!”

ONTO THE GOOD STUFF, EH!!?!?!

YOU BETCHA!

… … … … …

As I’ve Learned…

…For The Award…

…I Must…

Share 10 Things About Myself

You May-Not-Know

…And THEN

…I Must…

Nominate (at least) 6-Other-Bloggers For The Award.

… … … … …

Soooooooo…

…Let Us Begin.

… … … … …

10 Things About Myself You May Not Know

#1.

MY FAVORITE FOOD, Is…

…”PB&J“!!!

#2.

I Honestly Prefer…

…”FACT” Over “FICTION“…

…As “THE FACTS” Are Often…

MORE UNBELIEVABLE!

#3.

I (totally) Understand…

…AND…

…I (totally) Accept…

…”THE FACT“…

…That…

…”MY FAVORITE“…

…Does NOT Always Mean It’s…

…”THE BEST.”

#4.

I THRIVE On…

…”CONTRADICTIONS“…

…And I ALWAYS Have!

#5.

MY FAVORITE MUSICAL, Is…

…”The Best Little Whore-House In Texas“!!!

#6.

I (almost) Always BET-ON

…And ROOT-FOR

…”The UNDERDOG!”

#7.

I (totally) SUCK At “Complex-Mathematics“…

…Yet (totally) LOVE “Statistics“!!!

#8.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE…

…”Dry“…

…”Stuffy“…

…”Intelligent“…

Humo(u)r!!!

#9.

MY FAVORITE “HISTORICAL AMERICAN“, Is…

Our 11Th President

JAMES K. POLK.

#10.

In My

(humble, yet not-so-humble)

Opinion

…The “Greatest City On Earth” Is…

VICTORIA, British Colombia, Canada!

… … … … …

😀

That Was HONESTLY Quite FUN!

Kinda Took FOREVER To DECIDE On My “10 Things”…

…But That In-Itself Was Quite FUN, Also!

😉

… … … … …

And…

…As For My Choices Of Other-Nominees…

…That Was EVEN HARDER To Accomplish!

HOWEVER (there it is again)…

…My Selections Are…

#1.

“Currently Chicago”

#2.

“Youthful Confessions”

#3.

“Matt & the Art of Motion Pictures”

#4.

“Command Performance Leadership”

#5.

“Bad Advice From My Brother”

#6.

“Too Soxy For My Shirt”

#7.

“Old Game Reviewer”

#8.

“Artfully Bedraggled Film Reviews”

#9. #9. #9. #9. #9.

“Earth Station One”

… … … … …

I Am (totally) SUPER-STOKED To Accept

“The Kreativ Blogger Award”

…And Just As (totally) SUPER-STOKED To Pass-It-On!

I’m VERY Grateful…

…VERY Humbled…

…AND…

…VERY VERY HAPPY!

… … … … …

–Thank You For Tuning-In, Kids.

And PLEASE Tune-In Next-Time…

…Same Brad-Time…

…Same Brad-Channel!–