Falcons Go With Ryan

For the Atlanta Falcons, a team struggling to creep out of the Michael Vick shadow, naming a rookie as the starting quarterback may be a risky move, but it is also the right move.

Atlanta, coming off a 4-12 season and well over a year of the Vick saga, desperately needs a new face to the franchise and they have it in Matt Ryan, who was named the starting quarterback on Monday.

Traditionally when a team drafts a quarterback (first round, third overall) they let him sit out a year or at least the first part of the season to let them adjust to the NFL game. The Falcons instead are throwing Ryan right into the fire. On a team that likely isn't going to make any noise in terms of a playoff chase this season this move makes some sense. Why not let him learn on the job first hand? The Falcons, as a whole, are a relatively young team. By allowing Ryan to start out with them right away it will allow the offense to form a chemistry that they can build off of in future years.

The Falcons may not be a team that makes noise this year, but with a big strong franchise quarterback to build around I like their chances in the years to come. Mark my words, the falcons will be a team to contend with in 2010!

Everyday Eddie is Back!

The Minnesota Twins made a minor trade today reacquiring left handed relief pitcher Eddie Guardado from the Texas Rangers in exchange for a minor leaguer.

Guardado, who spent ten seasons in Minnesota from 1993-2003, has a 3-3 record with four saves and a 3.65 ERA in 49 1/3 innings pitched this season. He is expected to serve as the set up man for closer Joe Nathan.

This is a useful move for the Twins who are without previous set up man Pat Neshek who is on the disabled list with an elbow injury. The Twins are just one back behind the Boston Red Sox in the wild card in the AL and very much still in the hunt.