Sportsaholics Anonymous

It IS Linsane

2012-02-13T14:48:00.005-05:00

I still can't believe the hype surrounding Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks. The guy has been phenomenal, don't get me wrong, but he has played less than a week of basketball at this level and has yet to play with the Knicks two biggest stars, Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Lin has been the answer for the Knicks after they lost Anthony to injury and Stoudemire to the death of his brother. However, Stoudemire is back and I don't see a problem with him playing with Lin. Instead, I see Melo being the question because Melo almost demands that the offense run through him. Look at what has happened to Stoudemire's stats since Melo joined the team as exhibit A.

Anyway, this blog isn't about how Jeremy Lin is going to fit in with the Knicks. I'm sure he will be fine. This post is about the insanity, or should I say Linsanity, surrounding everything Jeremy Lin. A quick scan of eBay will show astronomical prices on some Jeremy Lin rookie cards. Three weeks ago, people couldn't give these cards away. How much value did a guy who was cut by the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets and riding the bench for the Knicks warrant? None. Then, Lin started playing, and the Knicks started winning. That once worthless basketball card is now selling for $20 in most cases. Here is the link to an offering for a Jeremy Lin autographed RC going for $199.50 (with less than two minutes left as I write this)http://www.ebay.com/itm/JEREMY-LIN-2010-11-PANINI-TIMELESS-TREASURES-CARD-AUTO-10-299-ROOKIE-KNICKS-/320847880837?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab4062285.
It's crazy. It's Linsane! Want more? Just type in Jeremy Lin on eBay, or follow this link and prepare to be shocked. His jersey is selling out faster than stores can replenish them. He is putting the Knicks back on the radar because he has people excited again. For all of the hype that surrounded the Knicks going into this season with Stoudemire and Melo, and Tyson Chandler, it was Lin that made Knicks fans believe. Why?

In the sports world when you have someone come from out of nowhere and enjoy success it excites fans mostly because the fans can dream about doing it themselves. What kid wouldn't love to take Kobe to school on the court? Jeremy Lin never went to school at a basketball powerhouse. He was a HArvard boy with enough talent to barely get a look in the NBA. Then, all of a sudden, like Robert Redford in The Natural, he is hitting game winning shots and putting up rookie numbers that haven't been seen in a long time. With this type of success you will have people looking to cash in, especially on the secondary market.

Enter the eBay Lin craze. Enter the Lin craze in general. In a society fueled by the need to have the latest and greatest, people are running out and buying everything Jeremy Lin. Jeremy Lin is the new iPhone of the NBA. Everyone has to have his jersey. People want his autograph. People need to follow him on Twitter (his account by the way now has 217,195 followers as of 2:27 PM on Feb. 13th). People want to feel a part of "IT", whatever "IT" is. Right now, Jeremy Lin is "it" because he has helped turn around the Knicks season which was looking like it was going to be a huge disappointment. In a city with over 8 million people and a metro area of about 14 million, being the next big thing is huge. We have all seen the Facebook and Twitter posts of our friends who are suddenly interested in Knicks basketball again, even if the last Knick they could name was Patrick Ewing.

Jeremy Lin is bringing the swagger back to New York, especially on the heels of the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl. New York is becoming cool again in sports. Even the New York Rangers are atop the NHL standings and the Yankees are poised for another playoff run. New York has had it's share of winners over the years but the Knicks haven't had much success since Patrick Ewing left and now, with the help of a scrawny Harvard kid, the Knicks are relevant again in a way that might even make Patrick jealous.

So, will the Jeremy Lin market crash? In a conversation on Twitter with Beckett editor, Chris Olds, who clearly has a pulse on the card market, he believes there is a chance for the Lin market, at least the Lin card market to sustain these prices if people start putting them away and not flooding the market with it. He is right. There are limited numbers of these cards since card companies, like Panini, are not overproducing cards like they did in the 1980's and 1990's. If people are putting the Lin's away into their personal collections and the demand remains high then there won't be a crash. My personal belief is that greed will win out and these cards will keep on getting posted, especially if the Knicks make the playoffs and Jeremy Lin continues this absurd level of playing. People will always look to cash in. It's human nature. There will be a few who will keep their Jeremy Lin rookie cards, if I had one I might take advantage of the craze and post it up for sale but if I had doubles I would keep one for my own collection.

Bottom line, if you think the Jeremy Lin craze is at a fever pitch now, just wait if the Knicks get to the NBA Finals and this kid is still playing at this level. You ain't seen nothing yet.

Some of this and a little of that

2012-02-09T18:37:00.001-05:00

-Mets GM Sandy Alderson is now on Twitter and opened his account with a bit of a joke. It read, "Getting ready for Spring Training-Driving to FL but haven't left yet. Big fundraiser tonight for gas money. Also exploring PAC contribution." Pretty funny guy. Although this account isn't verified by Twitter just yet the Mets organization confirmed that it is Sandy's account. However, given the Mets propensity for misdiagnosing everything from injuries to free agent contracts I wouldn't hold my breath just yet.

-The New York Knicks have their Tim Tebow. Jeremy Lin has exploded in New York, and around the league. He has scored 25, 28, and 23 points in his last three games and has almost single handedly made Knicks fans forget that Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire are out with injury or, as in Stoudemire's case, out grieving a lost brother. It also helped that Lin won the game against Utah on February 6th. Yeah, the Knicks might have found an answer in Lin or they may have created more questions in the long run. Personally, I'll wait and see what happens when Carmelo and Amar'e come back and see how the kid handles the point guard position then. I also wonder if the monetary commitment to Baron Davis will make a difference in Lin's playing time when Davis comes back from injury. For now, it's hard not to like the kid. He went to Harvard and has come from out of nowhere. Of course he is going to be hyped. Time will tell if the kid is as good as these three games says he is. I, however, have liked what I have seen in the bits and pieces that I can stand to watch pro basketball. Here you can see Maurice Evans avoid being posterized by Lin as he goes in for a dynamic dunk. Nice defense Evans.

-The Yankees signed Russell Branyan to a minor league contract yesterday. Branyan is getting up there in age, he is 36 years old, and his production suffered mightily last season. Between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (can you please change your name back to the California Angels because this name sucks) and Arizona Diamondbacks he hit .197 with 5 homers and 14 RBI's. He has, however, hit two of the longest home runs ever at the new Yankee Stadium, the longest of which travelled 451 feet. He isn't that far removed from hitting 31 homers, which he did in Seattle in 2009 so it might be worth a shot. Branyan will either hit the ball deep or strike out so there won't be much suspense if he makes the team. Joining Branyan with the hopes of keeping their Major League dreams alive are DeWayne Wise (famous for his catch that saved Mark Buerhle's no-hitter), Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, and Bill Hall.

-Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd admits he was under the influence of cocaine when he pitched sometimes. Somehow, even as a kid, I had that feeling. He blames racism for his not getting another chance like Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, and Steve Howe. He claims that he was a loud and proud black man and he was discriminated against because of this. My question is, when was this guy not on cocaine? He says he pitched "two-thirds" of his games under the influence but he doesn't say when he actually quit the drug, if he did at all. That could have a lot to do with it. If he was stil using and wasn't performing why would ANY team give him a shot? At least in Gooden and Strawberry and Howe's cases, these men had stopped using, had entered treatment facilities and are, in Gooden and Strawberry's case, still dealing with the struggle to stay clean. Boyd needs to stop pointing the finger at a racist MLB and start looking in the mirror. He has nobody to blame but himself.

-Here is an interesting tidbit, Mike Napoli heads into arbitration as being one of only 4 catchers to average 20 homers a season in his first six seasons. The others? Oh, just Mike Piazza, Roy Campanella, and Johnny Bench. Amazing.

-The Yankees and Pirates are talking about a deal for AJ Burnett. According to Buster Olney, the Yankees are asking for Garrett Jones and the Pirates aren't interested in dealing him. I don't know if a deal will happen, in fact I'd be surprised. The Pirates will most likely ask the Yankees to eat most, if not all, of Burnett's contract while not giving up any decent players or prospects. Jones is a nice player who would fit in nicely in the OF/1B/DH rotation and provide some pop.

-After watching the New York Rangers lose a game-tying goal in the closing seconds of their game against the Devils thanks to a blown call by the referee, I think it is time the NHL adopt a review policy like that of the NFL. Simply reviewing that potentially-game altering play would have shown there was no penalty and that goal should have counted, thereby awarding each team one point. Instead, the game was over and the Devils got two points all because a referee got a call wrong. In the last minute of every game if there is a goal it should be reviewed, regardless if there is a penalty or not on the play. If no penalty is seen then the goal should count. Period. Just my two cents.

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Hall of Shame

2012-02-07T19:06:00.001-05:00

Right before the Super Bowl, the NFL announced it's Hall of Fame class. Needless to say I was shocked at the omissions. I'm not saying that these guys didn't deserve a shot at the Hall of Fame, but some of the omissions have left me angry at the NFL and the way people are elected into the Hall of Fame.

Cris Carter is second all-time among receivers with 130 TD receptions. He is also one of eight players to have over 1,000 receptions. He has been eligible since 2008 and yet he still finds himself on the outside looking in. Carter led the league in receptions one year (1994) with 122. The following year, Carter tied his career high with another 122 receptions. He led the league in touchdown catches three times. He was an 8x Pro Bowler to boot. There is no way Cortez Kennedy is more valuable than Cris Carter.

Let's talk about Cortez Kennedy. He was elected to the Pro Bowl 8 times, never led the league in a single category, and recorded double digit sacks just once, 14 in 1992. He was a good player but not Hall of Fame worthy in my opinion. His 568 tackles and 58 career sacks don't come close to the numbers that other, more deserving players put up. One of those players was Charles Haley.

Charles Haley did get elected to the Pro bowl as many times as Cortez Kennedy. Haley was only elected 5 times. However, Haley ended his NFL career with 100.5 sacks. More importantly, Haley led the 49ers defense to Super Bowls and then helped Dallas do the same. He was the heart of several Championship defenses and a terror to opposing quarterbacks. I know he had more of an impact on the game than Cortez Kennedy did. I'm not trying to diminish what Kennedy did but Haley was the best on some of the best defenses in the game. That has to count for something.

How Bill Parcells is left off is beyond me. That is just ludicrous. He turned around a pathetic Giants team and brought 2 Super Bowl Championships to New York. Then he took New England from the depths and brought them to a Super Bowl. Then, he became the head coach of the Jets and turned that franchise around. Next, he took a struggling Dallas team and remade them into title contenders. He even almost rejuvenated a Dolphins franchise. Everywhere he has gone he has won. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, period.

Andre Reed was the number one receiving option on one of the most explosive offenses in football history and yet did not get elected. Tim Brown is another of the best receivers of his generation and yet did not get elected. Something is fishy about the way the NFL allows people to vote. Surely it wouldn't hurt if they made people make their ballots public like they do in baseball. I say they do it so people can explain how they voted.

Super Bowl Hangover? Not in New York

2012-02-07T18:29:00.001-05:00

The New York Football Giants are Super Bowl Champions. The confetti has been cleaned up and the champagne has been drunk but there is no hangover in New York. The New York Giants defeated Tom Brady and the Patriots for the second time in 4 years in the sports biggest game and New York football has taken center-stage once again. Amazingly, it had nothing to do with Rex Ryan who must be on Zoloft by now after watching the team that shares a stadium with the Jets beat the team that reigns in their division. It happens sometimes, Rex. In all seriousness, that was the last shot I'm taking at Rex Ryan or the Jets in this post because it isn't about the Jets right now. It is about the New York Giants. They are the Champions of football once again. I never thought this team had a shot at the beginning of the year. Never. I don't think there was a Giants fan out there who thought the team would be Super Bowl bound after they were at 7-7 after losing to the Washington Redskins. I have seen every Giants Super Bowl and they all seem to have one moment (ok, not the Ravens Super Bowl debacle but all the wins do) that makes the game a classic. In 1986 there was Phil McConkey with the catch and Phil Simms setting the all-time Super Bowl completion percentage. In 1990 there was Mark Ingram's catch and Scott Norwood's wide right. Hell, even in 2000 Ron Dixon had the kickoff return for a TD. In 2007, there was David Tyree catching the ball against his helmet after Eli Manning escapes a sure sack. Then, there was the Plaxico Burress TD catch in the corner of the endzone. There was the defeat of a previously undefeated team and the thrill of victory. Then, this year, there was Mario Manningham's catch that led to the Giants game-winning "reluctant touchdown" by Ahmad Bradshaw. There was Eli Manning leading his team down the field for one more 4th quarter comeback in a season full of them. There was Chase Blackburn, the guy who started the year as a substitute teacher before being signed right before the Giants-Packers game in early December, getting a timely interception against Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, a tight end coming off of one of the best single seasons ever at his position.

As the Giants bring the Lombardi Trophy to the New York/New Jersey area, it is fitting to think about the history that the New York Giants have had in this game. No, they don't own the record for most Super Bowl victories. But, there is something special about Big Blue. Something that no other team can claim. The New York Giants were where some of the game's greatest coaches got their start, whether as head coach or assistant. A quick mental check reveals Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, and Tom Coughlin all began their coaching careers with Big Blue. It just seems fitting that the Lombardi Trophy now resides in New York.

It might be years before Giants fans stop talking about this past Super Bowl. The memories of the last Giants Super Bowl were still fresh in every Giants mind as they prepared for a rematch. I hope, as a Giants fan, that I don't have to wait more than two years for another Super Bowl but I know I will have this one to keep me warm for many winters to come if need be. Especially when the embers of the Giants Super Bowl XLII win still smolders all these years later. Thank you Big Blue.

Sandy and the Mets

2012-02-01T18:01:00.002-05:00

The New york Mets are in a bit of a bind. They have financial problems that threaten the entire organization, all stemming from the Wilpon's decision to invest in Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme. Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel were fired two seasons ago and now the Mets are run by Sandy Alderson, who some believe fostered sabermetrics in the baseball world and gave birth to Billy Beane, the star of Moneyball. Well, here in reality, I see Sandy Alderson, not as the father of sabermatricians everywhere but rather a shrewd evaluator of baseball talent. Here is a look at some of the players Alderson drafted during his tenure as general manager of the Oakland Athletics:

1984: Drafted Mark McGwire in the first round with the 10th overall pick. McGwire, with, or without the help of performance enhancers, would go on to become one of the greatest sluggers in the game. Oh, and he won the Rookie of the Year Award.

1985: Drafted Walt Weiss with the 11th overall pick in the first round. Weiss would win the Rookie of the Year award as well and would go on to become a serviceable player for years and helped lead the A's to a World Series title.

1986: Alderson drafted two players who would go on to have very productive careers, albeit for other teams. He drafted Kevin Tapani in the second round and Rod Beck in the 13th. Tapani would be a very good middle of the rotation starter for the Twins and Rod Beck would be a dominant closer for the Giants in the mid-1990's.

1987: This draft was a little lackluster. Scott Brosius, who went on to be traded for Kenny Rogers, would go on to help the Yankees win a World Series or two, or three.

1988: Nobody big drafted here. Just a few serviceable players like Darren Lewis and Joe Grahe.

1989: Another kind of blah year with Matt Mieske, Kurt Abbott, Craig Paquette, and Dana Allison types. Good enough to make the majors, maybe even have a very good year or two but not good enough to keep it up.

1990: Everyone who grew up collecting baseball cards in the 1990's remembers the name Todd Van Poppel. He was the top pitching prospect in all of baseball at one point but never came close to living up to expectations, mostly due to injury. Other serviceable Major Leaguers drafted that year include Tanyon Sturtze, Kirk Dressendorfer, Ernie Young, and Izzy Molina.

1991: Not a very good draft.

1992: Jason Giambi was picked in the 2nd round. He would only go on to win an MVP in an A's uniform before bolting for more money in the Bronx.

1993: Scott Spiezio was taken in the 6th round. He helped the Angels win the World Series in 2002.

1994: Ben Grieve, who would go on to win yet another Rookie of the Year Award for the A's was drafted here. He had a nice career but flamed out early on. I wouldn't mind having had Grieve's career in the Majors. Not for one second. Tim Hudson was also drafted but did not sign.

1995: Mark Bellhorn was drafted in the 2nd round. Bellhorn was a decent enough middle infielder. Other notables include Jeff DaVanon and David Newhan.

1996: Eric Chavez highlights this class. Chavez was one of the best third basemen in the entire Major Leagues. Too bad injuries sapped him of all of his Hall of Fame potential.

1997: Drafted Tim Hudson again in the 6th round and inked him to a contract this time. He only won 20 games and helped take the "Moneyball" A's to the playoffs. He was an ace and is still pitching very well for Atlanta.

1998: Mark Mulder, one of the three aces that had nothing to do with the success of the Oakland Athletics "Moneyball" years was taken with the 2nd overall pick. Mulder won 20 games but his career was shortened due to injury. Gerald Laird, and Eric Byrnes are the other notables from this draft class.

Then, the torch was passed to Billy Beane who profited more than any other general manager from his predecessors draft classes. Yes, Beane did draft Barry Zito to round out the big three but it was Alderson that laid the groundwork. It was Alderson who signed Miguel Tejada, drafted Eric Chavez, and Jason Giambi. Yes, none of those guys stayed but it was also their departures that paved the way for new draft picks like Nick Swisher, for example, who was taken with the compensation pick after the A's lost Giambi. Sandy Alderson made the A's into what Billy Beane got credit for. There is no doubt in my mind.

Since taking the reigns from Omar Minaya and the clueless Mets ownership that allowed Minaya to ink the likes of Jason Bay, Luis Castillo, and Oliver Perez to name a few, Alderson has set about rebuilding the Mets team. Granted, he doesn't have the resources that Minaya enjoyed but he has a plan and a keen eye for baseball talent that Minaya never had. Let's not forget that this is the same Omar Minaya that traded Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, and Brandon Phillips to the Indians for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew when he was GM of the Expos. Gee, I wonder if the Expos, who turned into the Nationals, would have liked to have a middle of the field that included Brandon Phillips at second, Grady in center, and Cliff Lee on the mound? Colon did go 10-4 with a 3.31 ERA for the Expos but he was traded to the White Sox for...get this...Rocky Biddle, Orlando Hernandez, and Jeff Liefer! Great job Minaya. You turned 3 players who made the All-Star team later on for basically a washed up El Duque, a middling middle reliever in Biddle, and a guy who barely made the Majors in Liefer. Congrats! Oh, and those playoff hopes that Minaya saw and dealt the future for? Well, the Expos finished 12 games out of the playoffs. So, ummm, yeah. It's hard taking over for stupidity. Well, I'll give him a bit of a pass because he did give up bopkus for a couple of good seasons of Johan Santana.

The Mets farm system hasn't produced a star since David Wright debuted in 2004. Before that it was Jose Reyes. The Mets haven't been known for their farm system in years. It has been neglected and abused over the years. Look at the "Top Prospects" that have come forth: Paul Wilson, Bill Pulsipher, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Gomez, Fernando Martinez, Alex Escobar...the list goes on. These were top prospects that were either rushed to the majors, suffered major injuries, or saw success on other teams, or all three. The Mets and farm system do NOT go together. Don't mention Ike Davis to me just yet, he has a lot to prove, including staying healthy. I have written about the Mets farm abuse before, you can look in the archives for those stories. This is nothing new. Enter Sandy Alderson.

Alderson has been the Mets GM for two seasons now. Really, he has one full season under his belt as Mets GM, having taken over in October of 2010. He has had one draft with the Mets. One. Yet, Mets fans are already ready to fire him. He let Jose Reyes walk. He spent $10 million on middle relievers and bench players. He drafted Brandon Nimmo who never played high school baseball. The list of complaints, all of them unwarranted, goes on. Alderson has not even gotten his office set up yet at Citi Field and already Mets fans want him gone, afraid that he is trying to turn the Mets into Oakland East. Let's not forget that Alderson did build a World Series winner using a fairly big payroll in 1989. His teams also went to two other World Series'. The man knows baseball, period. He turned Carlos Beltran, who was not coming back to Queens, into a top pitching prospect in Zack Wheeler. The Giants got half of a season out of Beltran who went to St. Louis. Score one for Alderson.

Alderson fleeced San Francisco again when he sent Angel Pagan to the Giants in exchange for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez. Torres and Pagan are kind of interchangeable. Pagan had a bit of a stigma as a clubhouse distraction and getting a similar player and a middle reliever in exchange for him was a solid move. Within hours of that trade, Alderson inked Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco to contracts. Both are middle relievers. Both should be decent enough in Citi Field, even with the fences moved in, to get some decent prospects in return come July when every MLB team in the race is looking for bullpen upgrades. None of these moves made this offseason are for this year. They are stopgaps and plugs to bide time until Alderson's draft classes, and Matt Harvey, and some others are ready to help take the reigns of the future. Most of the veterans are pieces to be used in trades for prospects which will allow Mets ownership to breathe a little and regroup. The goal of the Mets is NOT to become the A's of the East. There is no way fans would pay to watch that and the Wilpon's are businessmen who are probably tired of losing money at this point. Having an empty new stadium is probably not on their list of things they want.

Mets fans need to calm down and stop demanding Sandy Alderson's job already. He hasn't had a chance to execute his plan. Firing him now would only add years onto the Mets rebuilding plan and possibly destroy it. I'd have faith in a guy who found McGwire, Giambi, Tejada, Hudson, Mulder, and Chavez. Why wouldn't you?

"Media" Day

2012-02-01T14:23:00.001-05:00

I don't understand the NFL's vetting process for Super Bowl media day. Seriously, who lets some of these people in? Do we really need to have Artie Lang asking Bill Belichick on how to fix the Minnesota Timberwolves? Or, reporters from EXTRA running around wearing Tom Brady jerseys? Just what NFL knowledge does Ciara bring to the event? Oh, she trains with the same trainer Tom Brady does? Or how about the crackpot asking Pats tight end Aaron Hernandez if he wants to hold his dragon? For the record, the man was talking about a dragon he was wearing around his neck. Was it necessary to ask Logan Mankins, an All-Pro guard for the Patriots, who would win an arm wrestling match between King Kong and Godzilla? Do Super Bowl fans really care if Wes Welker can name the cast of the "Jersey Shore"? Why are reporters, wearing outrageous costumes and asking questions that have nothing to do with the Super Bowl, allowed to do this? It's a side show that, in my opinion, cheapens the whole event. Does anybody really care about fictitious arm-wrestling match-ups? There is no reason for these questions. None. I understand that the Super Bowl is the NFL's biggest stage but don't make stooges out of the players by allowing Larry, Moe, and Curly in to interview the players. Do we really care, as NFL fans, what kind of dance moves Aaron Hernandez, a Puerto Rican, will do in response to Victor Cruz who has made the salsa dance part of his end zone routine? The answer, NFL, is no, nobody gives a damn.

Here is an idea...check out who you are giving the credentials to. If you aren't going to do that then I want a pass for next year's media day so I can interview the players for my blog. I promise I will ask only football questions. Can we begin to take the NFL's most serious football game a little more seriously? Keep the crackpots for the Pro Bowl where this kind of atmosphere can be accepted. Stop jerking real NFL fans around and don't waste the time of the players. I honestly can't blame Osi Umenyiora for skipping out, who really wants to deal with that crap. Now, seeing Marisol Gonzalez in attire more suitable for a call girl (see video here) and Ines Sainz in tight fitting clothes isn't always a bad thing...but hey, they are foreign reporters and probably know more about football than most male reporters in their country. It's the guys wearing capes, the reporters asking King Kong questions, the "Jersey Shore" references, and the men with dragons around their necks. Enough already.

Pretty Close

2012-02-01T03:00:00.002-05:00

Call it insomnia or whatever, but I couldn't sleep last night and began flipping through some of this year's NFL Preview magazines. With the Super Bowl nearly upon us I wanted to see how their predictions fared and I was a little shocked to come across The Sporting News and their predictions. Going into the season not many people gave the Giants a shot but they did. Here's how they predicted:

AFC East
1. Patriots
2. Jets
3. Dolphins
4. Bills

AFC North
1. Ravens
2. Steelers
3. Bengals
4. Browns

AFC South

1. Colts
2. Texans
3. Titans
4. Jaguars

AFC West

1. Chargers
2. Raiders
3. Chiefs
4. Broncos

NFC East
1. Eagles
2. Giants
3. Cowboys
4. Redskins

NFC North
1. Packers
2. Lions
3. Bears
4. Vikings

NFC South
1. Falcons
2. Buccaneers
3. Saints
4. Panthers

NFC West
1. 49ers
2. Rams
3. Seahawks
4. Cardinals

Not terrible. a few ones wrong, a few very nicely picked. Here is how their playoff match-ups unfolded:

Wild Card Games:
Steelers over Chargers, Jets over Colts, Giants over 49ers (eerie they picked that these two teams would play each other, though two rounds early), Falcons over Buccaneers.

Divisional Games:
Patriots over Jets, Ravens over Steelers, Giants over Eagles, Packers over Falcons.

Championship Games:
Patriots over Ravens (nicely done) and Packers over Giants

Super Bowl:
Packers over Patriots.

Well, we know now that the Packers won't repeat because the Giants beat them in the divisional round. I was a little shocked that they were the only magazine to pick the Giants for the playoffs, and to go deep into them as well. They nailed two matchups for the Giants on the head, just in the wrong round. I have to give a lot of credit to The Sporting News staff for picking the Giants and 49ers to make the playoffs when most had them written off.
Paul Schwartz had this to say:

"There are enough quality athletes and players at marquee positions for the Giants to contend once again for the playoffs. If they clean up the turnover sloppiness, their offense should have little problem moving up and down the field and finding the end zone. The defense can get to the passer up front but must find a linebacker to make plays.
The Giants have stability at quarterback, which is always a plus, but Manning's offensive line--for so long a strength-- is banged up and in need of repair. Better overall depth is also needed, as the Giants have shown an alarming tendency to wear down late in the season, leading to swoons that are often costly."

I have to give a lot of credit to Schwartz here. He was pretty accurate in his assessment. The Giants made the playoffs because of their playmakers. They cleaned up the turnovers and moved the ball through the air like no other Giants offense in team history. The Giants got to the passer quite a bit and they struggled when their linebackers failed to make plays. Then, once the linebackers started to grasp the defensive playbook, the Giants began to win. These kids, and I will call them kids since they started 3 rookie linebackers at one point this season, took time to learn and once they did they showed a lot of promise.

They weren't perfect but I was surprised to see that any magazine picked the Giants for a bit of postseason glory. I was also surprised to see them pick the 49ers. Nice to see they had some confidence in that team.
What was also surprising to me was their forgetting the Saints in the playoff picture. They went with the cool team from last year in the Buccaneers who fell on their face but who can blame them. The Bucs, like the Giants, missed the playoffs after going 10-6 last year in a tough division. Little did they know what was in store for them this year. Their pick of the Colts gets a pass because that was based purely on Peyton Manning playing. Without him, we saw what happened. The Colts now have the first pick in the draft and Peyton may or may not be leaving Indianapolis. Either way, Andrew Luck will be a Colt unless they pull off some crazy deal. Anyway, in a year barely anyone picked the Giants to make the playoffs, The Sporting News gets a ton of credit in my book because they came very close to getting the Super Bowl matchup right, and that was before free agency, and even before we knew there would be a season.

Around the Leagues

2012-01-30T13:33:00.000-05:00

- The New York Knicks, despite all of the roster changes over the past year, are worse off now then they were before. There is no point guard, and even if Baron Davis comes back healthy I don't know if he is the answer. There is no defense, even with Tyson Chandler in the middle alleviating the one area that has plagued the Knicks since Patrick Ewing left, a big man who can play defense. Carmelo Anthony has not been the answer to compliment Amar'e Stoudemire. STAT has looked miserable since Melo arrived in New York and now rumors are out there, whether or not they are true, that Philadelphia is interested in trading for Stoudemire. This season has not gone as many Knicks fans hoped it would. They went to bed at night with dreams of an improved team ready to go deep in the playoffs. However, it looks like this team might not even make the playoffs. Coach Mike D'Antoni has to go. If for nothing else than to find someone who can coach defense, develop an offensive system that can distribute the ball to open scoring options, and pull this team out of a funk. D'Antoni is not that guy. He never wanted Melo. He wanted the younger kids like Danilo Gallinari, and a point guard that was thriving in his system like Raymond Felton. He now has Carmelo Anthony who would have been better off staying in Denver. Melo doesn't fit in the philosophy. D'Antoni's system is based on movement through the point guard, not the small forward. Look at Steve Nash in Phoenix. The guy won two MVP's under D'Antoni. Look at what Raymond Felton was doing before he was traded from New York. Now, the Knicks don't have Felton. They don't have Chauncey Billups, who was released for financial reasons. The Knicks don't have a point guard. Sure, Baron Davis is rumored to be a Knick but he has been injured since before they signed him and his road to recovery hasn't been as quick as some have hoped. Even if he does make it back there is no guarantee he will fit into D'Antoni's system. A quick look at the Knick point guard position will show you exactly what is wrong with this team. They don't have anyone able to create plays off the dribble. Toney Douglas is averaging 2.7 assists per game. Mike Bibby has looked old and confused at times. This is not a team. There doesn't seem to be a system in place that can work with these players. Exhibit A: The Knicks' performance against the Miami Heat. They launched 43 three-pointers. 43! They made 18 which is actually a nice percentage of 41.9% but the fact that they threw up that many three's in a game they lost only by 10 points is confusing. Hell, the Knicks were only down by four at half-time. Does that seem like a team that needed to toss up that many three's? Bill Walker led the team off the bench with 21 points in that game shooting 70% on his three pointers. He went 7-10 from three-point range. Toney Douglas went 4-8 from beyond the arc. It just doesn't make any sense. This team has talent. Loads of talent. Landry Fields is the kind of scrappy guy fans love. Tyson Chandler is a force in the middle, something the Knicks have lacked for years. Amar'e Stoudemire is a threat inside on offense. Melo is Melo and, when healthy, should be better than he has been this season which has still been good. Bill Walker is a perfect guy to come off the bench at any guard position. Iman Shumpert looks like he could be a very good player for a very long time. What's missing? A point guard. There is none. Toney douglas is NOT a starting point guard on any team in the NBA but the Knicks. Baron Davis should be the starting point guard but who knows when he comes back and what he has to offer. The Knicks should have signed Shane Battier this offseason. At least he would have offered defense and leadership on the floor. There is none right now. Not even on the bench in the suit. Is it too late to ask Jeff Van Gundy to come back? Time for the Knicks to bit the bullet, either they get players D'Antoni wants (not likely since they ignored him when they traded for Melo) or they fire their coach. Whatever they do they need to do it quickly.

- Great job by the NHL this past weekend with their skills competition. Adding in a little flare to attract some younger fans was a good thing. It has worked for the NBA with its Slam Dunk contest so bringing it in to the skills competition could only help a sport that has struggled to attract fans.

- The New York Rangers were on full display at the NHL All-Star game. Marian Gaborik won the MVP and Dan Girardi became the first ever Rangers defenseman to score a goal in the All-Star game. Also, allowing the players to choose their team is a great idea. It can be fun for fans to see Marian Gaborik skating against Henrik Lundqvist and other stars against teammates. It is different and fresh which is exactly what the NHL needs to be.

- The New York Yankees are reportedly interested in Bill Hall according to Ken Rosenthal on Twitter. Hall hit .211 last year with 2 home runs. He also plays multiple positions, ranging from 2nd, 3rd, and the outfield but he doesn't play any of them especially well. His best season came in 2006 when he his 35 homers, drove in 85, and hit .270. He is not that player anymore. He did hit 18 homers for Boston in 2010 but I am not a huge fan of this move. If this is Eric Chavez's replacement the Yankees are making the wrong move. Even with his DL time, Chavez is a huge improvement in the field over Hall at third, and is an all-around better hitter. Hall is a shell of the player he was years ago. Yes, there is some pop in the bat but he doesn't offer anything else. He doesn't hit for contact, doesn't walk a lot, strikes out a bunch, and doesn't play defense well. I'll take Chavez over Hall any day of the week, even if I know Chavez will miss a month with injury. With the 40-man roster full (Kevin Whelan was DFA'd to make room for Hiroki Kuroda last week) another move would have to be made if this a Major League deal. If this is a minor league deal then the move makes sense as no roster spot would have to be vacated unless Hall went with Yankees to New York at end of Spring Training. If this is a minor league deal then hard to argue with bringing in a veteran presence to push younger guys.

- The NFL Pro Bowl is beginning to be even more irrelevant than it ever was. Seriously, it's not even football anymore. All it is is an offensive skills competition. There is no reason for the game to be played when it is. Who wants to see an all-star team that is missing the best players from the two teams in the Super Bowl anyway? Besides, it isn't like people can actually go to the Pro Bowl. It takes place in Hawaii. What the NFL should do is rotate where the game is played, kind of like what MLB, NBA, and NHL do and allow each NFL city to be rewarded with fanfests and other fun, interactive things with the games best. It feels so isolated being in Hawaii. Yes, it's nice for the players who get time in Hawaii with their families but only 48,423 were in attendance. The capacity for the game is 50,000. They need to move this game in order to breathe new life into it. It can't even sell out a college stadium? Bad news NFL. Revamp or die. You are the most popular sport in America right now, there is no reason the Pro Bowl shouldn't be sold out, or at least be near capacity at a PRO football stadium. Reward the fans of all of the cities who support their football teams, especially the ones that can't get the Super Bowl. Should the fans of the Patriots, Packers, Giants, Jets (I know MetLife will host one Super Bowl in 2014 but it may only be once), Oakland, San Francisco, etc, etc. Fans around the country who brave the elements to root for their favorite team should be given the chance to see the best the NFL has to offer and all of the fanfare that goes along with it. Imagine the Pro Bowl in Lambau. Cold, yes. Coll? You bet. They did play one game in Florida at Sun Life Stadium in 2009 and drew 70,000+ fans but it has been a Hawaii thing for the most part since 1979. If the NFL is worried about the cold then play the game in the middle of the season when the weather is more tolerable. I know the owners and players are worried about injuries but when was the last time you heard of anyone getting injured in the Pro Bowl? They barely tackle in the game for crying out loud. Not to mention there are special rules for the game to prevent injuries such as no blitzing, no rushing punts, field goals, or PAT's, intentional grounding is legal, and a bunch of others that protect players. Even if it stayed an end-of season- thing, then at least bring it around to all of the different venues of the NFL. Reward the fans, introduce some football history, and celebrate the game. Don't hide it in Hawaii and keep it as a reward for players only. Sure, a trip to Hawaii sounds great but if it weren't for the fans in Green Bay, New York, Chicago, Foxboro, etc, there would be no football.

- The Mets are reportedly interested in OF Rick Ankiel. Ankiel, you may remember was the flame throwing pitcher who came up with the Cardinals, had a stellar second-half and was pegged as an ace of the future. Then, he couldn't find the strike zone, lost arm strength, and converted into a fairly successful outfielder. Ankiel makes sense for the Mets because he isn't expensive, plays both corners and can fill-in in center field, and isn't terrible at the plate. He won't be a star but he is serviceable. Serviceable is about all the Mets can afford these days anyway.

A Kingly sum for the Prince and Why I Hate This Move for Tigers

2012-01-24T18:15:00.002-05:00

Detroit has a new first baseman, who looks a lot like an old first baseman from the early 1990's. Prince Fielder, son of Cecil Fielder, has signed with the Tigers for 9 years and $214 million. That's about a $23.4 million annual salary. First, many people were taken by surprise at Fielder's joining the Tigers. Especially with Miguel Cabrera at first base, few people expected the Tigers to even be in play despite losing Victor Martinez to a season-ending ACL injury before the Spring Training even began. Hell, I expected Fielder to end up with the Nationals, a team that could have had a shot at the playoffs had they added Prince.

Now, Detroit will put Prince at first and move Miguel Cabrera to third. Their DH slot, which was supposed to be taken by Victor Martinez will probably go to Delmon Young, Brennan Boesch, Ryan Rayburn, or Don Kelly, or a combo of those guys. Their lineup will feature two of the most feared hitters in the game today in Prince and Miguel, with a solid surrounding cast. Delmon Young is pretty good and Rayburn and Boesch look like they may be decent regulars. They even have some good young pitchers with, obviously Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer.

However, and this is a big deal to me, why would the Tigers offer nine years to a position player who is close to 300 lbs? He will be 28 in May and is listed as 285 lbs. He has, probably 4 prime years left before a decline starts to happen. With his body, that decline could happen sooner, especially if he doesn't start to DH more in later years. It's not like he is a gold-glove first baseman either. Sure, he can make a play. Is he Mark Teixeira or Adrian Gonzalez, or Albert Pujols? Hell no. Was Miggy even a good defensive first baseman? Nope. He was so blah in the field at third he was moved to first. According to fangraphs.com, the last time Miggy played third was in 2007 and he ranked 16th out of 21 qualified third basemen on defense. Now you have two below average fielders at the corners and the defense up the middle is not the best in baseball either. Ramon Santiago is a good enough defensive second baseman but his range will be tested by the limited range of his first base partner. Jhonny Peralta has a decent bat but I'm not a huge fan of his in the field. Getting back to Prince's weight and body-type, let's not forget that his father, Cecil, was out of baseball after his age-34 season. Cecil also listed his playing weight at 230 lbs. That is 53 lbs lighter than his son is currently listed at for those keeping score at home.

What if Miguel Cabrera can't play third? What then? Do he and Prince share first and DH duties? Then what do you do with Victor Martinez? trade him? There isn't a team in baseball that would take on V-Mart and his money since he can't catch anymore and was faking it at first base to begin with. We can't forget V-Mart signed a 4-year, $50 million contract before last season. there will still be two years remaining on that deal when he comes back in 2013. Ace Justin Verlander signed a 5-year, $80 million deal that will run out in three years. I can't fathom what the Tigers are thinking here.

What makes all of this worse is the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that will levy huge fines, up to 50% of total payroll for being over the luxury tax limit two years in a row. That limit is $189 million right now. In three years the Tigers are going to be looking into dumping salaries, probably starting with Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. Cabrera signed an 8-year $153.3 million deal prior to the 2008 season. He will be a free agent after the 2015 season. Maybe the Tigers plan is to let Cabrera and Martinez walk and to re-sign Verlander and have a team of Verlander and Prince and a bunch of young kids or veteran cast-offs. I just can't picture how signing Prince Fielder does anything positive for the Tigers in the long-term. In the short-term they might be able to outslug a few teams and their lineup will be scary in a short playoff series for the next couple of years but their corner defense is now atrocious and it will only get worse next season when they need to find at bats for Miggy, Prince, and Martinez who all play the same position. I sincerely doubt Cabrera will be at third beyond this year.

Wow, Detroit, wow. Short-sighted. I don't see the long-term benefit for the ballclub. Not at all. Oh, and don't expect the Yankees to jump in and rescue you. Maybe the Dodgers would take Miguel Cabrera to play first after new ownership settles in since James Loney isn't a long-term solution there and the Tigers will more than likely have to eat a large portion of anyone's salary who they want to trade. Why wouldn't a team demand that? They have the Tigers by the toe.

What a Ride...A confession of sorts

2012-01-24T17:26:00.001-05:00

First, for those of you who don't know me, I am a New York Giants fan. This season has been one of the most amazing I can remember, probably more so than the 2007 season. I went from being down about the season after all of the injuries and free agent losses, to getting on board the Jerry Reese wagon and buying into the fact that this team was good. Then, the Giants hit a bump and I got off the playoff wagon, as I am apt to do when I see my team losing, it is more frustration than anything else. I am one of the idiots that called for Tom Coughlin's firing. yes, I admit it. I went on Facebook and Twitter and called for Coughlin's firing. I forgot the team was dealing with injuries and playing some of the best teams in football at the same time. I became upset and downtrodden when the Saints absolutely crushed the Giants. To be honest, the Giants did look lost. Stupid penalties were occurring, misreads, broken coverages, the list goes on. It looked like the team was in chaos.

I couldn't have been further from the truth. Look, Tom Coughlin is no evil genius like that former Giants defensive coordinator who liked to video his opponents practices in New England is made out to be. No, Tom Coughlin is one of the better coaches the Giants have ever had and he does it by, of all things, staying level. Sure, we make fun of Coughlin for his screaming rants at refs and his emotions he lets out during games. Most of that is media-driven. After all, what coach doesn't? Through the injuries and the losing streak where it looked like the Giants would never win another game again I bought into the distress. It was hard not to.

Football is the only sport I can't be even-keeled in. I can deal with a 10 game losing streak of the Yankees. I can deal with the Rangers going on a losing streak. Yes, they all suck. However, losing a football game is like a 10 game losing streak in and of itself. I look forward to the game all week and when I see my team perform poorly it makes me mad. I would love to get paid to get angry on a field and hit some folks (okay, so I might get killed but that's not the point). There are few football fans out there who don't live and die each Sunday with their team.

Back in August, I defended Eli Manning for his "Yes, I am elite" comments because I knew he had the talent. Back in November and early December, I still backed Eli but I was down on Coughlin and Perry Fewell. I saw nothing but the loss. Nothing else. I couldn't. I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to the Giants. Most Giants fans do. I shouldn't have thought that the Giants were out of it at any point but I did, most people did. Newspapers were speculating about who the next coach of the Giants was going to be. Hot seat couldn't be mentioned on pre-game shows without Tom's name being brought up.

After the Saints loss I was beginning to think about next year. A year which would feature a Giants secondary with their best cornerback back in the lineup in Terrell Thomas. A year where Prince Amukamara would have a full camp. Where the rookie linebackers like Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich, and Joaquin Williams would have a year of experience and a full camp under their belt. Next year was looking pretty good. Little did I know that next year doesn't enter the minds of the Giants, or any football team for that matter. It just doesn't. If there is a way there has to be a will to go with it.

Let me be clear, I never stopped rooting for the Giants. Not when they have gone 4-12, 7-9, 6-10, or any other record they have sported in the twenty-six years I have been a fan. I just wallowed in the muck that comes with getting blown out and losing ugly. The Redskins game in December threw me over the edge. Nothing the Giants did was right and I really began to question if the Giants had any heart. They did. It was on display the next two weeks and then again against the Falcons, the Packers, and the 49ers. This team won't quit. And, I apologize for ever thinking they had. Oh, and I still think the Giants will be a better team next season, even if they do win the Super Bowl this season.

Top 10 Yankee Prospects Revised

2012-01-18T15:16:00.005-05:00

The Yankees traded their top prospect, Jesus Montero,late last week for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. That has reordered the top prospect list forthe Yankees so I figured I would publish a new, updated one. I’m no expert but here goes anyway:

1. MannyBanuelos, LHP – His stats from last year, 6-7, 3.75ERA, 129.2IP, 71BB, 125K, .266BAA, are notexactly great. His walks were wayup. He began the year with a niceshowing in Spring Training and ended the year at AAA Scranton. He projects as a top of the rotation starterand nothing has changed. He should beready for the big leagues next year. This year he will fine-tune his repertoire in Scranton. It is possible the Yankees promote him,either a spot start due to injury to their rotation or later in the year as aSeptember call-up. He will be 21 inMarch so there is no need to rush him.

2. Dellin Betances, RHP – Like Banuelos,Betances’ walks were up big time last year. His stats from AA and AAA last year, 4-9, 3.70ERA, 126.1IP, 70BB, 142K,.217BAA, are pretty solid, except for the walks. If he learns to control the zone he could bean amazing pitcher. His batting averageagainst is superb, as is his strikeout rate. It’s the walks that have been a problem with Betances. He got his taste of the Major Leagues lastyear and struggled a little. It is hardto expect a lot from a kid who is just going to be 24 years old in March. Like Banuelos, the Yankees don’t feel likethey need to rush him. He will spend theyear at AAA and should make another cameo.

3. Gary Sanchez, C – I believe the attitudeproblems that he exhibited last year are behind him. He is very young and expects to begreat. When he struggled last year hebecame frustrated and reacted poorly. The Yankees handled him correctly and he came back mashing. He could very easily vault to the number oneslot on this list by next year if he has a good year. He managed to hit .256,17 homers, 26 doubles, and drive in 52 runs. His defense isn’t that great and is a work in progress, kind of likeMontero. However, the Yankees feelconfident now that he will take to catching and at least be serviceable. I also said the same about Montero. I wouldn’t be shocked if he made it to SingleA Tampa this season. He’ll probablystart at Low-A Charleston but could easily move up. He is still just 19 years-old.

4. Mason Williams, OF – Williams reminds me alittle of Austin Jackson, without all the strikeouts. He seemed to put it all together last year,hitting .349, 11 doubles, 6 triples, three homers, and stole 28 bases whiledriving in 31. If he has another verygood year I will find it hard not to move him up. I can see Williams becoming the Yankeescenter fielder in three years. Maybeless. This year he should start inTampa. I don’t know if the Yankees willmove him up to AA unless he goes bonkers in Tampa. There is no need to rush him. None at all. He will be 21 in August.

5. Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B – A lot of MLBDraftniks scratched their head when the Yankees chose Bichette so high (theirfirst pick in the draft, 2^nd round). Well, Bichette went nuts last year, hitting .335 with 17 doubles, 3triples, 4 homers, and drove in 48. Notbad at all for his first taste of pro ball. What surprised me were his 3 triples. After the Yankees drafted him I heard the only great thing aboutBichette was his power. Well, apparentlythe kid can hit all around. He will onlyimprove on those power numbers as he develops. Remember, this kid went from high school to pro ball and put up thosenumbers. Honestly, I don’t know enoughabout his defense yet. He will be 20 in September. I can see him starting the year at StatenIsland and moving up to Single A Tampa.

6. Austin Romine, C – I have him this highbecause he is very close to becoming a Major Leaguer and made his debut lastseason with the Yankees, collecting 3 hits in 19 at-bats. He struggled in the Majors but you have toexpect some growing pains. Besides, hehas never been touted to be an offensive threat. He will, however, be a very good Major Leaguecatcher and could hit occasionally. WhatI like about Romine is he is better than Francisco Cervelli right now, bothoffensively and defensively. Romine willfinally get a full year at AAA with Montero now gone. Last year he hit .279 with 13 doubles and 6homers and drove in 48. The defense isthere. The offense might come soon, orit might not. Still, at worst, theYankees have a back-up catcher in Romine that won’t embarrass you. At best he is their starting catcher in acouple of years.

7. Jose Campos, RHP – Campos, as most of youknow, was acquired as part of the Montero trade. His numbers in Low-A ball are pretty sick, 5-5,2.32ERA, 81.1IP, 13BB, 85K, .214BAA. I wrote a little about him in the trade blog post so I won’t go crazyhere. He needs some work but has anelectric fastball. I can see himstarting the year in Staten Island or Tampa. He will be just 20 in July so there is plenty of time for him to develophis other pitches. Every time I readsomething on him the more I think he will end up in the bullpen. I can see him as a closer candidate down theline.

8. Adam Warren, RHP – Warren might be ready forthe Majors right now. He doesn’t possessoverpowering stuff but pitches to contact and has seen some success from thatformula. He pitched to a 6-8, 3.60ERA,152.1IP, 53BB, 111K, .249BAA line. I was surprised the Yankees didn’t give him a taste of the Majors lastseason which leads me to believe the Yankees don’t think he can be any morethan a fifth starter. I can see himgoing on to have similar Major League success to Jake Westbrook.

9. Ravel Santana, OF – I wanted to put Santanaahead of Warren but Santana is a ways away from making the Majors. He is a toolsy kind of outfielder and I’m nota huge fan of toolsy guys in the lower minors. He posted a stat line of .296, 11(2B), 3(3B), 9HR, 29RBI, 10SBand struck out 40 times in 185 plate appearances while walking only 17times. That’s 40 strikeouts in 41 games. I’m interested to see how he develops outsideof the Dominican Summer League. The abovestats are from his first stateside action in the Rookie Gulf Coast League. I can see Santana getting to Charleston thisyear but I don’t think he will get to Staten Island or Tampa…not yet.

10. Slade Heathcott, OF – The only thing Sladehas known in his life is adversity. Fromoff the field to on the field he has battled problems. He was an alcoholic and the Yankees had tostep in and get him help. He was deemedto have attitude problems but he is maturing now. Now, his biggest problem is injury. His right shoulder has had two surgeries nowand has sapped a lot of his arm strength. He seemed to finally be putting it together when he went down with theshoulder injury last year. He posted abatting line of .279, 11(2B), 4(3B), 5HR, 17RBI which were allimprovements over the previous season. He had 5 homers across 2 levels in 53 games when the year prior he onlyhad 2 homers in 76 games. His battingaverage climbed and he was hitting for more power all around. However, there are a few red flags aboutSlade that caused me to place him at number 10. First, he strikes out a lot. Second, his injury history is beginning to get serious. Third, he has speed but has not shown anadeptness for stealing bags, getting caught 7 times last year while onlystealing 6. I used to be a huge fan ofSlade’s, and I guess I still am, if only because I root for him to overcomeadversity. At this point, I am beginningto wonder if he will make the Major Leagues. He needs to stay healthy. He mightstart in Tampa where he appeared in 1 game before the injury occurred, or hecould go back to Charleston to get his confidence up. It will be interesting to see how the Yankeesdevelop him. He will be 21 this season.

10A. J.R.Murphy, C – Another one of the Yankee catchers who can hit. The Yankees have played him in the outfieldat the corners and at first and third base. However, they say they are committing him to catcher more this yearafter he made improvements defensively. He is finally starting to hit, posting .287, 29(2B), 7HR, 46RBI. Those doubles should turn into more homers ashe fills out his frame. He is stillyoung, he won’t turn 21 until May, so there is plenty of time for him todevelop. I can see him becoming a solidcatcher or corner outfielder/infielder in the Majors. I gave him the 10A spot because I am not sosure about Heathcott these days. He hasto prove he can stay healthy. Murphycould catapult to the top five with a strong showing this year in Tampa. I can see him moving up to Trenton if he doeswell.

Mets Top Five Prospects

2012-01-15T14:32:00.003-05:00

I’ve done the Yankees Top prospect list, a listwhich now needs to be revised with the subtraction of Jesus Montero and theaddition of Jose Campos, but I figured I would do a top prospect list for theNew York Mets. For years the Mets farmsystem has suffered. Sure, there isDavid Wright and Jose Reyes and Mike Pelfrey. However, for every one of those players there is a Fernando Martinez, anAlex Ochoa, and an Alex Escobar. Thesame can be said for a lot of teams minor league systems. Anyway, here is a look at the Mets Top FiveProspects:

1. MattHarvey, RHP – Harvey is the closest thing to being a big arm ready for the bigleagues. He made it as far as AA lastseason, where he should start again this year. He didn’t have a great year at AA Binghamton. He walked 23 batters in 59.2 innings at AA comparedto walking only 24 in 76 innings at A Port St. Lucie. He will be 23 in March and should make it toAAA at some point this year. Afterwatching the Mets rush other prospects to the Majors and stunt theirdevelopment it is essential that the Mets promote Harvey at his own pace, notthe pace the Mets want, like what happened with Fernando Martinez. Arms are a finicky sort of thing and the Metswould do well to let Harvey develop and not rush him. He has a very good fastball and a prettydecent slider. His change-up is still awork in progress. If he can’t get hischange-up to develop or has trouble bringing a third pitch with him to theMajors then the Mets have the makings of a darn good closer. I project him to be a top of the rotationguy, somewhere around a #2 starter.

2. ZackWheeler, RHP – Wheeler was the prize of the Carlos Beltran trade with SanFrancisco. He will be 22 in May andfeatures a 93-96 MPH fastball, a very good curveball that sits in the 70’s, anda change-up that needs a lot of work. His control has been a big issue as he advances. He walked just under 5 men per nine inningslast season (4.7) for his career. Thestuff is there. He, like Harvey, needs timeto develop a third pitch. He has yet topitch above A ball but should see time in AA this year if he doesn’t start outthere to begin with. I project him as a#2 type starter. Not quite ace material,unless his change-up develops and his curveball finds the plate with moreconsistency. Personally, I think heneeds to learn how to pitch a bit more instead of throw. If he doesn’t develop a third pitch he willbe like Harvey, a closer type pitcher.

3. BrandonNimmo, OF – He was the Mets first-round draft pick last season. He is fresh out of high school and the Metshad to really do their scouting to find him since he didn’t play high schoolbaseball and instead played in American Legion games. Nimmo is an interesting case because therewas a complete lack of a hard-core scouting report on him. He has the tools though and I think he mightbe able to finally break the Mets failures with toolsy outfielders like AlexOchoa, Alex Escobar, and Fernando Martinez. He will need a lot of time in the minor leagues but that is not a badthing. I have him rated so high becauseI truly believe the Mets have their starting right fielder, or even centerfielder of the future in Nimmo. We willjust have to wait and see what this Wyoming kid can do. I can’t go off of his stats from his first tasteof rookie ball last season but he did display some power. He will need to learn patience at the plate,having struck out 14 times in 44 plate appearances. If the Mets rush him they should fire theentire team…everyone associated with the Mets would need to be let go. This kid needs time to develop and you mightnot see him in Queens for five years. Sometimes good things are worth waiting for.

4. JenrryMejia, RHP – Mejia was high on most Mets top prospect lists heading into lastseason. The Mets should have been jailedfor the way they handled him, having him bounce between starting andrelieving. He went down for Tommy Johnsurgery last year and will have a long road to recovery. The Mets need to stop dicking this kid aroundand either make him a starter or a reliever and stick to that plan. I wouldprefer to see him as a starter since good bullpen help is easier to find. If he flames out as a starter THEN and onlythen do you make him a reliever and see what he has to offer. The fact that he was in the Big Leagues at 20years old in 2010 is more of testament to the Mets not having good enoughprospects at the high levels and their impatience when it comes to developingprospects. I know he pitched well at AAAbut there was no reason to take one of your top prospects as a starter and thenmake him relieve just because you felt he could succeed there. In 2010, he went from Rookie A ball all theay to the Majors. That makes nosense. No wonder the kid blew his armout. He started at every level in theminors and then became a reliever in the Majors. Once the Mets figure out where he belongsthen they need to let him develop. Therewas no need to rush this kid to the Majors and yet they did it anyway. He could be an ace if he develops fully. Or, he could be a closer. The Mets starting pitching has been atrociouslately and having a young trio of Mejia, Harvey, and Wheeler anchoring therotation in 2014 is a good thing.

5. CesarPuello, OF – Stop me if you’ve heard the one about the toolsy Mets outfieldprospect. Puello is another one of theseguys. Does he have the tools? Yeah, they are there. He can steal bases, having stolen 45 in 55attempts at A Savannah in 2010. He canhit for some power, he hit 10 homers at Port St. Lucie last season in 441at-bats. He has been able to hit foraverage as well, posting a .305 mark in 2008, a .296 mark in 2009, and a .292mark in 2010. However, once he got tohigher A ball his average plummeted to .259 last season and his strikeouts wentthrough the roof, whiffing 103 times in 441 at-bats. A lot of scouts like him. Scouts love tools. Can he be good? Certainly, he won't even be 21 until April. Do the Mets have a track record developing tools guys? Nope. If the Mets don’t rush him like Fernando Martinez he might learn toadjust. Learning to adjust is the onetool no scout marks down on his pad and if he can’t do that then none of theother tools really matter.

Welcome to the Bronx Michael Pineda

2012-01-14T02:18:00.001-05:00

Jesus Montero, the Yankees number one prospect is now a Mariner. Michael Pineda is now a Yankee. Brian Cashman pulled off one of the gutsiest trades of his tenure as Yankee GM by trading Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. Pineda is the type of pitcher the Yankees have been looking for, a power pitcher with ace-like stuff to slide in behind C.C. Sabathia in the rotation. Pineda made the All-Star team last season but his numbers took a slide last season, pitching to a 4.74 ERA in his last 17 starts. Against AL East opponents last season, Pineda posted a 4.73 ERA in 9 starrts. He did poorly against the Yankees and Red Sox but was pretty good against the Rays. He gave up almost a homer per nine innings (.95 hr/9) but can miss a lot of bats, striking out almost 25% of the batters he faced. He is, however, a fly ball pitcher, obtaining only a ground ball rate just under 37%. Pineda's a fastball pitcher but also features a pretty good slider and drops an occasional change up. He has the makings of an ace. He will only be 23 next season and managed to throw a career high 171 innings last season.

Jose Campos is a young fire-baller. He can dial it up to 97 MPH and regularly sits around 93-94 MPH. He's 19 years old so he has plenty of time to develop his other pitches which he needs to do. He struck out 85 in 81.1 innings and has shown excellent command with his fastball. It's his other pitches that betray him from time to time and he sometimes struggles to find the plate with his other pitches, a change up and a slider/curve. Campos was the Mariners 5th best prospect and should move into the top ten in the Yankees system.

Montero is going to be missed. He was touted as a once-in-a-generation bat and frequently compared to Miguel Cabrera and Mike Piazza. Now, if you've read my previous posts you would have read about former Yankee prospects that drew hefty comparisons only to fall short. Ruben Rivera, Drew Henson, Nick Johnson, J.T. Snow, Hensley Meulens, the list goes on and on. Montero might turn out to be an amazing hitter, which I think he will, but he had no position with the Yankees. The Yankees didn't view him long term as a catcher and slated him in as the DH. The Yankees don't need a 23 year old DH. They need the DH slot to rest Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, and all of the other aging Yankees that will need a spell every now and then from the field. The Yankees have Austin Romine, Gary Sanchez, who many scouts think will be better all around than Montero, and J.R. Murphy in their top fifteen prospect lists and all are catchers so losing Montero might hurt a little but it shouldn't hurt long-term. I'll be honest, it hurts to lose Montero. I keep remembering a young prospect the Yankees had that was traded for 3 pitching prospects back in 1998. That prospects name was Mike Lowell. He was traded for Ed Yarnall, considered the best lefty pitching prospect in the game by Baseball Prospectus, Todd Noel, and Mark Johnson. None of those three pitchers made an impact for the Yankees or any other MLB team. However, it is hard to pass on a live young arm like Pineda, even if you are giving up a Montero.

Also going to Seattle is Hector Noesi. Noesi should slide into the Mariners rotation. Noesi was being considered for the 5th spot in the Yankee rotation and there were some in the Yankee organization that believed Noesi could develop into a 3rd or 4th starter. Those are easier to find than aces and #2's which is what Pineda and Campos project to. It is impossible to project what a ballplayer will be when his career is over. Brien Taylor was supposed to make New York see what might have been had Dwight Gooden never done drugs. Ruben Rivera was supposed to make Yankee fans reminisce about Mickey Mantle, or even forget about Mantle altogether. Mariano Rivera was only signed to get Ruben, his cousin, to sign a contract with them. The Yankees never thought Rivera would amount to anything more than organizational filler. My point is, highly touted prospects flame out while guys we never expected to succeed often become franchise cornerstones. Look how many teams passed over Robinson Cano at one time. The Rangers chose Joaquin Arias instead of Cano in the A-Rod trade. The Diamondbacks passed on Cano for Randy Johnson. You just never know.

It's going to take some time for the Yankees to get used to not having Montero to look forward to. He was hyped up beyond all reason. However, it is easier to find offense than it is good pitching. Pineda is a good pitcher. Pineda also gives the Yankees 5 years of team-controlled pitching which means, if he develops into what he can be, the Yankees won't have to go out and spend big on a free agent pitcher down the road. It also gives the Yankees payroll flexibility which is important above all else as the Yankees seek to get under the $189 million luxury tax limit in 2014.

After getting Pineda, Cashman swooped in and signed Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year deal for $10 million pending a physical. Cashman has liked Kuroda and inquired about him at the deadline last year but Kuroda didn't want to waive his no-trade clause. Now, Kuroda looks like he was willing to become a Yankee. Getting Kuroda for $10 million on a one year deal is a solid move by Cashman. The luxury tax will up the cost to the Yankees to about $13 million, or around the asking price for Kuroda originally at the onset of free agency. Not bad at all for the Yankees.

Moving forward, the Yankees went from searching for pitching to having a surplus of it. Pineda slides into the rotation behind Sabathia, Kuroda, and Nova. Freddy Garcia, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Adam Warren, and David Phelps will compete for the last two spots in the rotation. It is very possible that the Yankees make another trade, either before, during, or after Spring Training. If Phil Hughes reverts to the guy who made the All-Star team then then Yankees are going to have a very formidable, very young rotation. If not, he might be pushed to the bullpen or end up as part of a trade to fill a hole.

What is most amazing about this big trade is that the Yankees held onto Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances, their two best pitching prospects. Banuelos and Betances might team with Pineda, Sabathia, and Hughes or Nova to form one of baseball's best rotations down the road. The fact is, the Yankees have a lot of very good young pitching, the hardest commodity to acquire in the game. Even if this trade doesn't work out because Pineda doesn't live up to expectations this is a trade you have to make every time. Kudos to Cashman for having the guts to make this trade and even more kudos for getting Kuroda at a decent price.

Emerging from the Darkness: The 1990's New York Yankees

2012-01-13T17:56:00.002-05:00

Ahh, the 1990’s. You remember them, right? Most ofyou do, I’m sure and for those that don’t you missed one of the strangestdecades in Yankee baseball history. The1990’s started out with a Yankee team in transition. Don Mattingly, the Yankee first baseman andCaptain was beginning to feel the effects of a bad back. Billy Martin had come and gone, come and goneas Yankee manager. However, Billy diedbefore the Boss could bring him back one more time. The Yankees would start the season managed byBucky Dent and end with Stump Merrill on the bench. Dave Winfield would be traded to the Angelsfor Mike Witt. Andy Hawkins, theresident Yankee ace would pitch a no-hitter but lose the game, 4-0 to the WhiteSox thanks to 4 errors by the young Yankee team. There was a lot of hope in some young Yankeesthat were making their way through the farm system. Guys like Gerald Williams, Bernie Williams,Deion Sanders, Dave Eiland, Mike Blowers, Hensley Meulens, Roberto Kelly, KevinMaas, and Jim Leyritz were all going to come in and save the future of theYankees.

It didn’t happen. Sure, Bernie Williams will forever go down as a great Yankee but manyscouts thought Gerald was the better Williams. Hensley Meulens was supposed to be the next great Yankee thirdbaseman. He even had a cool nickname,Bam-Bam because he knocked the cover off of the ball at every Minor Leaguelevel. Mike Blowers was another highlytouted third base prospect that many teams coveted. Roberto Kelly was going to be the next greatYankee center fielder. He would evenmake an All-Star team with the Yankees in 1992 but would be traded before the1993 season for Paul O’Neill. Kelly wouldactually be part of a trade that saw him go from the Reds to the Braves andDeion Sanders, who the Yankees released at the end of the season, go from theBraves to the Reds. Dave Eiland nevermanaged to put it all together and settled for a middling career before tryinghis hand in coaching. Leyritz went on tobecome a World Series hero but his ego was always bigger than his actualtalent.

Yes, these were the 1990 New York Yankees. Right fielder Jesse Barfield led the team inhomers with 25. Kevin Maas finishedsecond with 21. Barfield also led theteam in RBI with 78. Roberto Kellyfinished second with 61. Can you imaginea Yankee team today with the top RBI guys having those numbers? Tim Leary would lead the league…in losseswith 19 while only winning 9 games. HisERA was 4.11 which was not awful but not great. Lee Guetterman, a relief pitcher, led the team with 11 wins. It was an awful time to be a Yankee fan. The team finished with a 67-95 record.

However, lost in the shuffle that was the 1990Yankees was the future foundation that was laid. What am I talking about? Well, sometimes being awful has its benefits. The 1990 Draft netted the Yankees some prettyimportant players for their future. BothJorge Posada and Andy Pettitte were drafted by the Yankees in the June AmateurDraft. Pettitte didn’t sign that yearbut would sign the next year after getting drafted. Apparently, the Yankees liked the kid. Also drafted that year was Shane Spencer and RickyLedee. Neither of them were greatYankees but both helped win titles and then were either discarded or traded forother players that also helped the Yankees win.

In 1991, the Yankees finished with a 71-91 record,an improvement from 1990. Hawkins wouldbe released after pitching in only four games and sporting an ERA of 9.95 (andyou thought A.J. Burnett was bad?). Scott Sanderson was the new Yankee ace and he would make the All-Starteam that year and end up winning 16 games after being purchased from theOakland Athletics. Tim Leary, aftersigning back with the Yankees as a free agent went 4-10 with a 6.49 ERA. Jeff Johnson would make 23 starts and go 6-11with a 5.95 ERA (again, you think A.J. is bad?). Wade Taylor, another youngster, would make 22starts and go 7-12 with a 6.27 ERA. Things were not looking good in Yankeeland, especially on themound. Sure, there were some brightspots. Steve Farr filled in nicely for arecently departed Dave Righetti. SteveHowe emerged as a semi-valuable bullpen arm after coming back from drugaddiction. Pascual Perez seemed to be adecent pitcher but he could never stay healthy, or apparently sober. Mike Witt was supposed to help stabilize therotation but instead blew his arm out after only a couple of starts. Things were so bad Alvaro Espinoza managed tooutpitch several Yankee pitchers, getting both batters he faced out in ablowout game. Yes, Yankeeland was not agood place to be. Yankee Stadium was afuneral parlor compared to what it would become in a couple of seasons.

Offensively, three Yankees topped 20 homers: RobertoKelly (20), Kevin Maas (23), and Matt Nokes (24). Steve Sax led the team with a .308 AVG andMel Hall led the team in RBI with 80, edging out Matt Nokes who was second with77. Don Mattingly, still not the sameplayer he was in the 1980’s finished 4^th on the team in RBI with 68,one behind Roberto Kelly. Mattinglywould also finish second in batting average, hitting at a .288 clip. Mel Hall would be the only other Yankee asidefrom Sax and Mattingly who hit above .270. Overall, the team hit .256 and scored 674 runs. Yikes.

The future, however, was brightened when the Yankeestook high school phenom, Brien Taylor with the number one overall pick in theJune Draft. Taylor was regarded as thebest high school pitcher ever and his minor league numbers offered a glimpse ofwhat the future ace would be capable of. Alas, it was never meant to be. In1993, Taylor, rated the number one prospect in all of baseball separated hisshoulder and tore his labrum in a fight that his brother was involved in. That was the end of his baseball career,though he tried to come back before officially retiring in 2000. According to Wikipedia, Taylor now works as abricklayer and still lives with his parents making $909 a month as of 2006. Regardless, the selection of Taylor with thefirst overall pick had many Yankee fans thinking about Dwight Gooden in hisprime with the Mets. Oh, what could havebeen!

In 1992, the outlook for the Yankees began to lookup. Danny Tartabull signed before theseason, giving the Yankees a legitimate bat in the middle of the order. Steve Sax was traded to the White Sox for 3young pitchers, Domingo Jean, Bob Wickman, and Melido Perez. Don Mattingly might revert to his old self atany moment. Melido Perez emerged as theYankee ace, supplanting Scott Sanderson who struggled with a 12-11 record and4.93 ERA. Perez went 13-16 with a 2.87ERA. He might have won 20 games if theYankees could hit. But, the Yankeesstill couldn’t hit. They did score 733runs, up from the previous season thanks to Mattingly (86 RBI), Tartabull (85RBI and a team leading 25 homers) and Mel Hall (81). Charlie Hayes became a fan favorite at third,hitting 18 homers and driving in 66. Still,the Yankees had no pitching depth and finished a paltry 76-86. Mike Stanley was the backup catcher and wasbeginning to show the Yankees what he was capable of and would soon supplantMatt Nokes as the starter.

Oh yes, the future was bright. Bernie Williams was starting to hit, hitting.280 in 1992. The Yankees had the #6selection in the Draft and selected a high school shortstop from Kalamazoo, MInamed Derek Jeter. Jeter and BrienTaylor would give the Yankees a young core that would take them into the nextcentury. Yessir, the future was surelybright. J.T. Snow was one of the bestprospects in baseball and would surely spell Don Mattingly at first base toease his back pain before taking the position over full-time. Bam Bam was still young enough to turn itaround and he hit 1 homer and had two other hits in 6 plate appearances thatyear without even striking out. He wasonly 25 and there was still time for him to become the player the Yankeesthought he could be. Oh boy, the futurewas looking good. Bam Bam could be thethird baseman, Snow at first, Taylor as the ace with Melido, who was still only26 in 1992, backing him up as the #2. Bernie in center field, Jeter at short, Pat Kelly at second, andTartabull in right field, and Roberto Kelly in left, man the Yankees were goingto be unstoppable.

Then, plans changed in 1993 for the Yankees and thefuture that looked so bright now had a different shine. Roberto Kelly was traded to the Reds for anunderachieving guy named Paul O’Neill. Charlie Hayes was taken by the Rockies in the expansion draft. J.T. Snow, Jerry Neilsen, and Russ Springerwere traded to the Angels for Jim Abbott, a one-handed pitcher who had a lot oftalent. Jimmy Key and Wade Boggs weresigned as free agents after the Yankees missed out on Greg Maddux and BarryBonds. Hey, the Yankees still had abright future. Spike Owen was signed toman the shortstop position until Jeter was ready.

The 1993 season was when the worm began to turn forthe New York Yankees. Key pieces to thepuzzle were in place. Wade Boggs wasresurrecting his career after the Red Sox thought he was done and went on tohit .302. Mike Stanley exploded for 26homers. Danny Tartabull led the teamwith 31 homers and became the first player in the 1990’s to drive in over 100runs with 102, although he only hit .250 with 156 strikeouts. Paul O’Neill hit 20 home runs and drove in 75runs while batting .311. Left fielderDion James hit .332. Don Mattingly hit17 home runs and got his batting average up to .291 and looked like his backproblems might finally start to be a thing of the past. Bernie Williams, still just 24 years old hit12 home runs. Jimmy Key won 18 games andsported a 3.00 ERA. Jim Abbott pitched ano-hitter on 9/4/93 against the Indians. The Yankees were in contention for a playoff spot and brought in veteranFrank Tanana to bolster their rotation after Melido Perez struggled. The bullpen regressed, however, with SteveHowe, Steve Farr, and Rich Monteleone, the main bullpen guys all sporting ERA’snorth of 4.20. Lee Smith joined Tananaas a late season acquisition and recorded 3 saves in 8 games and never alloweda run. Even with a shaky bullpen the Yankees went 88-74, their first winningseason in the 1990’s. Manager BuckShowalter had the Yankees playing up to their potential.

The 1994 season opened with a mix of optimism and alittle bit of dread. Brien Taylor’sfuture was in jeopardy. Derek Jetercommitted 56 errors at Single A Greensboro leaving some to wonder if he had themoxie to handle shortstop in the Majors. His bat was fine but his glove was making people wonder. Still, the Yankees won 88 games the yearbefore and there was no reason to doubt the Yankees wouldn’t improve on thatrecord. Terry Mulholland, fresh off of aWorld Series appearance and decent season with the Phillies was acquired in atrade. Jimmy Key was an ace. Xavier Hernandez, 28 years old at the timeand fresh off of a year where he struck out 101 batters in 96.2 innings withthe Astros was brought in via trade to replace the departed Steve Farr atcloser. Veteran Jeff Reardon was thereto step in if Hernandez needed help. Scott Kamieniecki looked poised to take the next step as a starter.

The season started well for the Yankees. Paul O’Neill was amazing, hitting .359 with21 homers and 83 RBI. Mike Stanley hit.300 with 17 homers and 57 RBI. WadeBoggs hit .342. Mattingly hit .304. Tartabull clubbed 19 homers. Jimmy Key won 17 games, on pace to win 24games. The Yankees were in first placein the American League and poised to make the playoffs for the first time since1981. Then, baseball went on strike on August12, 1994 and didn’t return until April 2, 1995. No playoffs for the Yankees.

A few adjustments needed to be made going into the1995 season. The Yankees acquired formerCy Young winner, Jack McDowell from the White Sox for Lyle Mouton and KeithHeberling. The Yankees also signed formerAll-Star Tony Fernandez to play shortstop, an improvement over Mike Gallego andSpike Owen of previous years. DannyTartabull was not living up to the expectations that came with his contract andwould find himself traded at the trade deadline for Ruben Sierra. David Cone would be acquired in a trade withthe Toronto Blue Jays for Marty Janzen and two other fringe prospects on July28^th after Jimmy Key hurt his shoulder. The Yankees now had 3 aces in Key (when hereturned), McDowell, and Cone. And, theYankees took a flyer on Darryl Strawberry who was attempting a comeback fromdrug and alcohol abuse. In the minorsone of baseball’s best prospects waited in the wings. His name was Ruben Rivera and he was alreadybeing compared to Mickey Mantle at age 21. Yankees fans were anxious for the 1995 season to begin.

The Yankees weren’t as good as expectations madethem out to be. Yankee fans wanted WorldSeries. Instead, they finished 7 gamesbehind the Red Sox in the AL East. But,being that this was the first year of a new playoff format, the Yankees went tothe playoffs for the first time since 1981 as the Wild Card. Oh yes, the Bronx was bumping again. Suddenly it was cool to be a Yankee fanagain. The Yankees were a playoff teamand there was still Ruben Rivera and Derek Jeter in the minors. Jeter even made his big league debut in1995. There were a couple of otherprospects that made their debut that year, Andy Pettitte, who won 12 games as arookie, Mariano Rivera, cousin to Ruben, made his debut as a starter at age 25,and some guy named Jorge Posada, who appeared in 1 game but never got anat-bat. New York was on the verge ofhysteria as the playoffs began.

The Yankees jumped out to a quick 2 games to nonelead over the Mariners who featured Ken Griffey, Jr., Randy Johnson, AlexRodriguez, Edgar Martinez, Tino Martinez, and Jay Buhner. It looked like the Yankees would be on theirway to a showdown with the Cleveland Indians for the American LeaguePennant. Then, the world collapsed. The Mariners battled back and eventually beatthe Yankees in the deciding 5^th game. As painful as that is, the New York Yankeeswould never be the same after that. Weall know what happened in 1996 and subsequent years.

Buck Showalter would be out of a job and replaced byJoe Torre, leaving many Yankee fans upset and the media calling Torre “CluelessJoe.” Ruben Rivera would be traded forHideki Irabu and become an all-time bust. Irabu himself would wear the bust label after coming over from Japantouted as the Japanese Nolan Ryan. Jeterwould start at shortstop after Tony Fernandez went down with an injury andMariano Duncan was signed to play second base. Tim Raines, one of the best players in the 1980’s, was acquired from theWhite Sox. Kenny Rogers, coming off of a17 win season, was signed as a free agent. Dwight Gooden, coming back from substance abuse, was the #5starter. The Yankees were poised to dosome damage. Even when Cone went downwith an aneurism, the Yankees were still able to weather the storm. They bolstered their bullpen by acquiringGraeme Llyod. Cecil Fielder was broughtin for prospect Matt Drews and disgruntled Ruben Sierra. Mariano Rivera was the perfect set-up man to newcloser John Wetteland. Derek Jeter wouldwin the Rookie of the Year award. Pettitte won 21 games. Goodenpitched a no-hitter against the Mariners on May 11^th. Oh, and the Yankees went on to win the WorldSeries. They did it again in 1998, 1999,and 2000 while winning the AL Pennant in 2001 and 2003 as well. Not bad for a team that was the worst inbaseball to start the decade.

I hope you enjoyed the journey from the darknessinto the light that was the Yankees dynasty in the late 1990’s.

Best Trades the Yankees Never Made

2012-01-13T14:20:00.002-05:00

Here is a look at some of the best trades theYankees never made. This was done offthe top of my head so if I am missing something please feel free to chime inwith a comment. Here we go, in noparticular order:

Joe DiMaggio for Ted Williams – This was prettyclose to happening. In fact, there was averbal agreement between Yankees GM Larry MacPhail and Red Sox owner Tom Yawkeyin 1947. Both men were drinking andbouncing ideas off of each other. MacPhail saw Williams and his left handed bat using the short rightfield post at Yankee Stadium to demolish opposing pitching. Yawkey saw DiMaggio and his right-handed bat abusingthe Green Monster in left field. Whenthe two men sobered up the next day, Yawkey came to MacPhail and said he justcouldn’t trade Williams. He was worriedabout the backlash from the Boston fanbase for trading another superstar to theYankees, even if he was receiving Joe DiMaggio in return. In hindsight, it is hard to imagine the Yankeeswithout DiMaggio or the Red Sox without Williams. I think both would have put up better numbersthan they did but they were both legends in their cities and this was a dealbetter off not done.

Frank Thomas for Mariano Rivera and others – Once upona time Mariano Rivera was a fringe starting pitcher. That was in 1995, when Rivera filled in as astarter for a bit. The Yankees covetedThomas and his awesome bat but were unwilling to deal Rivera. It turns out the Yankees were right not to doso. Can you imagine how different the1990’s would have been had Rivera not been a part? Can you imagine what Frank Thomas could havedone as a Yankee? Well, we got to seeThomas in a Yankee uniform to whet that appetite in one of the opening scenesin the Tom Selleck movie Mr. Baseballwhere Thomas is the young rookie that supplants an aging Selleck who reminds mea little of Don Mattingly. The Yankeesended up trading Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock to the Mariners for Tino Martinez,Jim Mecir, and Jeff Nelson. That tradeworked out for the Yankees big-time.

Andy Pettitte for Reggie Taylor, Adam Eaton, andAnthony Schumaker – This was pretty close to happening in 1999. George Steinbrenner was getting fed up withPettitte’s slow start and wanted Pettitte traded to send a message to theteam. GM Brian Cashman resisted the urgeto deal one of the greatest lefties the Yankees have ever had. Believe it or not, Reggie Taylor was once apretty highly regarded prospect but he never got beyond that. Adam Eaton was another pretty decent prospectbut again, he never got beyond that. Schumaker only made 8 big league appearances. Phew. Can you imagine if the Yankees made this deal? Wow. The Yankees supposedly would have flipped two of those guys to the DevilRays (as they were then called) for reliever Roberto Hernandez. Dodged a huge bullet on this one.

Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and others for JohanSantana – The Twins were dangling their lefty ace. The Yankees needed pitching. Talks went back and forth and the Twins askedfor Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy among others. The Yankees said no. That wasfive years ago. Santana was traded tothe Mets for Phil Humber, Carlos Gomez, and Kevin Mulvey. Humber is now with the White Sox. Gomez is with the Brewers. Mulvey is still toiling away in the minors…Ithink. The Yankees told the Twins theycould have either Hughes or Kennedy. TheTwins wanted both and ended up getting nothing in return for their ace. The Mets invested big dollars in Santana andgot a little return for their money as Santana was an ace before hurting hisshoulder. Now, he is kind of like CarlPavano for the Mets but if and when he does come back at least he will bebetter than Pavano. Ian Kennedy wastraded for Curtis Granderson so that worked out, even if Kennedy did win 20games this past season.

Robinson Cano for anyone – There was a time whenRobinson Cano seemed to be mentioned an awful lot in trade rumors. Here are some of the guys he was in tradetalks for: Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer,Alex Rodriguez (Texas chose Joaquin Arias instead of Cano in the Soriano forA-Rod trade), Troy Glaus, Russ Ortiz, and Randy Johnson among others. The Yankees eventually landed Garcia to adeal last year. They managed to getA-Rod because Texas chose the younger Arias. Russ Ortiz was signed as a minor league free agent a couple of years agobut was terrible. Randy Johnson became aYankee but Arizona didn’t want Cano. Itwould be hard to imagine what the Yankees would be like right now if Cano hadbeen traded away.

Every winter and every year n June and July we heardifferent rumors swirl around the Yankees. It is hard to tell which trades were close to happening and which werejust rumors. We know about theDiMaggio-Williams swap and that the Yankees came close to trading Cano and Moand Pettitte. We also know they wereclose to letting Bernie Williams walk as a free agent and would have insteadsigned Albert Belle in 1998. Belle wasan offensive force. However, he happenedto have a degenerative hip problem that cost him his career while Bernie isonly an All-Time Yankee great. We allalso know how close the Yankees came to signing Greg Maddux, Barry Bonds, BobbyBonilla, and Vladimir Guerrero in recent years. Maddux chose Atlanta in 1993 and the Yankees beat him in two WorldSeries in 1996 and 1999. Bonds went onto the Giants and setting records as well as getting involved in steroids. Bonilla was good for the Mets for a couple ofyears but didn’t live up to the contract he signed. Vlad’s back scared Yankee brass away. He went on to be a dynamic player and isstill playing, albeit at a much lesser level. Instead of Vlad the Yankees signed Gary Sheffield. Yankee fans can’t be too upset given whatSheff did as a Yank.

I just wanted to visit the things that almostaltered Yankee history, and ultimately baseball history. There is no telling what would have happenedhad any of these moves taken place. Would a World Series even have been a possibility without Mo? Would the Yankees have become the mostdominant team in sports if they had signed Maddux, Bonds, and Bonilla insteadof Danny Tartabull, Jimmy Key, and Wade Boggs? There is no way to know but it sure is fun to remember. Sometimes, keeping the prospect is betterthan trading him. We might soon be ableto add the Jesus Montero for Cliff Lee trade to this list in a couple ofyears. Who knows?

Can I Get a Do-Over? The 2001 NBA Draft

2012-01-12T16:27:00.001-05:00

There are good drafts, filled with talent and poised to bring in the next batch of NBA superstars. Then, there are bad drafts, with talent so thin you have to scratch your head and wonder how these guys ended up taken where they were. Let's take a look at the 2001 NBA Draft:

The first overall selection belonged to the Washington Wizards. The Michael Jordan-led Wizards. Who did they deem to be the best prospect in the entire draft? Kwame Brown. In Brown's defense, he is at least still in the league. Brown was taken right out of high school during a time where every NBA team was looking for the next Kobe Bryant (aren't they still?). Brown went on to average 4.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG in his rookie year. Hardly numbers worthy of a #1 overall pick. he has gone on to play for 6 different teams and has never come close to realizing his potential, or at least the potential everyone thought he had. Perhaps he didn't have any to begin with.

The second pick of the draft was another high school prodigy, Tyson Chandler, who was taken by the Clippers and traded to the Bulls. Chandler has been a very good player, helping the Mavericks win the championship last year. Worthy of the #2 overall pick? Nope. Very nice player to have on your team? Yep.

Pau Gasol was taken with the third overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks who would trade him to the Grizzlies who now reside in Memphis but were still in Vancouver at the time. Whew. Finally, a pick worthy of a top three selection. Gasol has been a very good big man in this league and has helped the Lakers win a Championship. By the way, the Lakers traded Kwame Brown, who they acquired from the Wizards, for Gasol. Yeah, I know, confusing.

Moving along to Eddy Curry, the 4th pick in the draft, selected by the Bulls. Wow, the Bulls with basically two top four picks. What was supposed to be the ushering in of a new era in Chicago turned out to be nothing more than a continuation of the old era. Curry did have a couple of decent seasons, one with the Knicks. However, he either developed a heart condition or just became lazy and vanished from the Knick radar. He is, amazingly, still playing, sort of. He recently signed a contract with the Miami Heat who are struggling to find anyone to fit under their cap to play even two minutes of basketball. However, Curry has yet to play a single minute for the Heat. Another thing Curry is noted for? Allegedly soliciting gay sex from his limo driver.

OK, the fifth pick in the draft has to be much better, right? Enter Jason Richardson, taken by the Golden State Warriors who are the only team in professional sports who don't list a city or state in their name. Perhaps because no state really wants to associate with them, not since Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin left anyway. Well, Richardson was good enough to make the All-Rookie team which is either saying he is talented or that everyone else from this class was lacking. Nah, Richardson is a good player. He just doesn't play for Golden Showe....errr, Golden State anymore. The "Warriors" traded him for the rights to Brendan Wright. So wrong. He's on Orlando now and still a threat to score.

Shane Battier was taken with the sixth overall pick. I grew up loving the way Battier played the game, still do. The guy won't put up huge numbers but he is someone you want on your team. He plays this thing that used to be played in the NBA called defense. Yeah, hard to come by and most of the other players think he has some communicable disease but it's just defense. Not worthy of a sixth pick in a draft but I would love to have the guy on my team. He'll make a great coach one day.

Now we get to the 7th pick, Eddie Griffin. Wait, doesn't this guy make bad B movies? Oh, different Eddie Griffin? OK. Griffin was selected # 7 overall by the Nets who traded him to Houston. Can you believe the Nets got Jason Collins, Richard Jefferson, and Brandon Armstrong in return for him? Wow. Griffin would become an alcoholic, get released from the Rockets, go to rehab, sign with the Wolves, got drunk again, got into car accident with parked car, got released, got drunk and then got hit by a train and died. Sad.

OK, hopefully the 8th overall pick will bring about some better news. With the 8th pick the Cavs selected DeSagana Diop. Yet another high schooler, Diop is yet another huge high school prospect that failed to live up to expectations. I swear, because of this draft the NBA banned high school kids from entering the draft. Diop averages less than 2 points per game and has averaged 2.1 PPG for his career. Hey, the good news is he still plays for the Bobcats and that he his career high for points in a game is 10, a plateau he has reached 4 times in his career! Awesome! Wow.

Rodney White is out #9 overall selection. Oh wow, Rodney White. Yeah, the hits just keep on coming. The Pistons were dumb enough, or maybe they were drunk enough to select White with the #9 overall pick. White never did much in the NBA but apparently he is branching out into new fields of endeavor. He was recently arrested and charged with felony manufacture of marijuana and 4 other things. Good job, Rodney.

The number 10 pick is at least someone who is still playing and someone who is still good. That man is Joe Johnson who was chosen by the Celtics. Midway through his rookie season he was traded with Randy Brown, Milt Palacio, and a first rounder to the Suns for Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk. Wow, Boston. Guess the Celtics wanted to see if they could top the Jeff Bagwell to Astros for Larry Andersen or Babe Ruth being sold to the Yankees. It's ok though, Johnson has only made 5 All-Star teams since leaving Boston.

Boston also had the 11th pick and chose Kedrick Brown. Did you know that Kedrick Brown is still playing? He is....in Turkey. He averaged a little over 3 PPG during his stay in the States. Way to go Kedrick!

OK, moving on to the twelfth pick now. Phew, my head is about to explode. It can't get any worse than this, can it? Enter Vladimir Radmanovic who was taken by the Seattle Supersonics, who no longer exist. Awesome. The Radman is still playing, but for the Hawks. He isn't a terrible player. He isn't a very good player. At least he is a player.

Who is lucky #13? Richard Jefferson, come on down! Jefferson was taken by the Rockets in this position who then traded him to the Nets for Eddie Griffin. I assume that the Rockets really wanted the actor and not the guy they actually got. Anyway, Jefferson went on to help lead the Nets out of obscurity with Jason Kidd and Co. and into the NBA Finals. Jefferson has had a nice career and now is a capable backup, no longer being the slashing threat he once was. At least he was good enough to make some money playing in this league.

At #14, the Golden State Warriors (seriously, can't they just say the Oakland Warriors or something?) selected Troy Murphy. Troy is of no relation to Brittany Murphy the late actress. He is still playing basketball in the United States with the Lakers. He was born in Morristown, NJ and grew up in Sparta Township near where I currently reside. for a local hero you would think there would have been more fanfare when he came to the Nets last season. Murphy was traded from the "Warriors" to the Pacers. From the Pacers he was traded to the Nets. Then the Nets traded him back to the Warriors who bought him out allowing the boy with the Irish name to sign with the Celtics. Now he is a Laker. Cool.

Pick #15 brings us to the Orlando Magic's selection of Stephen Hunter. Mr. Hunter, I think, is playing in Italy somewhere. He is 7' tall so I'm sure he is averagin at least 4 PPG in Italy.

Pick #16 belonged to the Charlotte Hornets (who are now in New Orleans). They chose, Kirk Haston. Yeah, I don't know who he is either. He averaged 1.2 PPG and played in 27 more NBA games than I did. Good for you, Kirk!

Pick #17 belonged to the Toronto Raptors, the only team to be named after a movie villain from Jurassic Park. They chose Michael Bradley. Bradley went on to have a much more successful career than Kirk Haston. Yep. Bradley played in 173 NBA games for 5 teams while averaging 2.8 PPG. He's now a coach at The Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati. I'm not sure if that's a grammar school or high school. Either way, he is probably the only one in the gym that can dunk anyway which makes him the closest thing to an All-Star he'll ever be.

Pick #18 was another one belonging to the Rockets. They chose Jason Collins before trading him to the Nets. Apparently, the Rockets felt bad for the Nets and wanted to give them all of their draft picks for a DVD compilation of Eddie Griffin's standup routines or something. Collins wasn't exactly a world beater. Oh, I was just informed he is still in the NBA! Wow. Collins is a backup center for the Atlanta Hawks. Good for you Jason!

The 19th pick in the draft was used by the Portland Jai...Trail Blazers to select Zach Randolph. Hey, finally a guy we've all heard of. Wow. A guy who is better than the previous five picks combined! Usually, you aren't supposed to find better talent at #19 than you do at #1 but, hey, sometimes the world gets tossed around a little bit. Randolph is still a very good player.

The Cleveland Cavaliers used the #20 pick to select Brendan Heywood. Heywood never suited up for the Cavs because he was traded to the Magic. He never suited up for the Magic because he was traded to the Wizards for Laron Profit and a first rounder. Either Heywood was the most unwanted man or the most wanted. Hard to tell which. Heywood is still doing some pretty good work out there in Dallas.

The 21st pick belonged to the Boston Celtics...again. Again, the Celtics screwed the pooch with their pick. They chose Joseph Forte who apparently went to school at North Carolina. According to Wikipedia, his most memorable NBA moment in the NBA came when he wore a Scooby-Doo t-shirt on the bench during a playoff game. He averaged 1.2 PPG for his "career" in the NBA. He has also been arrested in MAryland for drug AND gun charges. He was also later charged with assault for punching a man during a pick-up game giving him a better Crimes Committed Per Game Average than his PPG stats. Great work Forte.

With the 22nd pick, the Magic took Jeryl Sasser. Sasser played 2 years in the NBA and actually managed to put up a better PPG career average than the aforementioned Forte. Yep, Sasser averaged 2.5 PPG. He would later go on to play basketball in Kuwait...who knew they had pro basketball over there?

The 23rd pick was used by the Rockets to select another guy for New Jersey, Brandon Armstrong. Armstrong went on to have a slightly better career than Forte and a slightly, though less productive one than Jeryl Sasser.

The 24th pick brings us to the Utah Jazz's selection of Raul Lopez. Lopez, otherwise known as the "Spanish Fly" was featured on the Spanish version of the 2004 version of NBA Live. Cool, I guess. that's a much better accomplishment than well over half of the guys drafted before him. Senor Lopez no esta aqui. That means he isn't here anymore, I think. Lopez only played 2 years in the NBA but he had better numbers than Forte, Sasser, and Armstrong. The Spanish Fly flew back to Spain to play in the pro leagues over there where he was good enough to make the National Team and win a silver medal in the Olympics.

Pick #25 belonged to the Sacramento Kings and they chose Gerald Wallace. Wallace is a pretty good player. He barely played for Sacramento, mostly because Sacramento barely remembers they have a team. Anyway, the Bobcats chose him in their expansion draft three years later.He averaged 11.1 PPG his first year with the Bobcats which is better than almost 70% of the players previously mentioned. Wallace also plays that thing called defense. He would go on to average over 19 PPG with the Bobcats in in 2007-08 which is better than 80% of the previously mentioned players on this list. Wallace is still playing and averaging over 15 PPg for the Jai...Trail Blazers.

The 26th pick was Samuel Dalembert by the Philadephia 76ers. Dalembert was born in Haiti, moved to Canada, and then was drafted to Philly. He isn't a terrible player. He's a big man who can rebound and block a shot which gives him skills that 90% of the NBA no longer want or possess. He is now on the Sacramento Kings.

Pick #27 belonged to the Vancouver Grizzlies. No, the Grizzlies weren't good enough to earn the 27th pick they had to trade for it. They chose Jamaal Tinsley. Tinsley apparently passed gas when he was being welcomed to the Grizz because he was immediately dealt to Atlanta. The smell must have lingered because he was then immediately dealt to Indiana. Tinsley is a pretty good backup point guard these days. He went from the Pacers back to the Grizzlies once the Grizzlies wised up and moved to Memphis. He now plays for the Jazz.

And now, here we are, the last pick of the first round, pick #28. The San Antonio Spurs sat here wondering what talent could possibly be left. After all Kwame was gone. Forte was gone. Sasser was gone. Whom to take? Dilemma, dilemma. The Spurs put some names into a hat and emerged with Tony Parker. Yeah, the same Tony Parker that has helped them win like 100 Championships and stuff. Yeah, the French guy who slept with Eva Longoria and then married her. I think they are divorced now or something, eh, the French can get annoying after a few years of being around them and I'm sure Tony Parker (seriously, how is he French with a name like that?) grated on Miss Longoria after a while. Parker might be the best steal in the draft.

Other notables, ok, ok, notable from this draft was second round pick Gilbert Arenas by the Golden State Warriors. Seriously, they have to make some of the WORST personnel decisions in sports. First was to draft Arenas, then to trade him. Arenas went on to play and star for the Washington team formerly known as the Bullets, aka the Wizards where he would become embroiled in one of the strangest gun cases I've ever heard. Anyway, the team with the #1 overall pick actually ended up with a player worthy (at least among this bunch) of the #1 pick. Weird. Arenas is now in Orlando where he likes to scare little kids at Disney World in his spare time.

Just Some Stuff

2012-01-12T14:22:00.001-05:00

Just some random thoughts on the world of sports.

Now that the NFL season is over I don't think we will see a better end zone celebration than this:

Congrats to Michael Boley of the New York Giants for winning this year's Sportsaholics Anonymous TD celebration award.

A few weeks later the Giants Corey Webster would accidently slug a Patriots security guard after missing an interception. That can be seen here:

Nice to see there were no hard feelings. I could swear I remember seeing a Giants player slug a security guard who was standing behind the goalposts after a TD too but I guess I must be mistaken.

Anyway, Manny Ramirez is back in the news. Well, let me rephrase that, ESPN is putting Manny Ramirez back in the news. In a recent interview with the sports giant, Ramirez stated that he wanted to make a comeback to be a good role model for his children. He said he didn't want to leave them with the impression that when things get tough you quit. Instead, I'm guessing he wants to make sure that they understand when the going gets tough you cheat. Then you quit. Then you change your mind and try to make a comeback. Really, who will give Man-Ram the time of day? MLB pitied him and only levied a 50-game suspension on him instead of the 100-game one he should be serving. Why would anyone take a chance on a washed-up mental case who has been officially caught cheating 2 times and 1 time unofficially? He can't play defense and when he could he didn't want to. I'm sorry Man-Ram, baseball has left you behind and rightfully so. Bye. No, Manny, seriously. Bye.

I have watched enough of Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith to make me sick. OK, so one can get sick if watching for more than a few minutes, I realize that. However, I am a little annoyed at Stephen A. Smith and his hatred of Tim Tebow. I don't understand why Smith hates Tebow so much? Is it because Bayless likes him or is there some other motive? If Tim Tebow were black would Smith like him and Bayless hate him? Although, to Bayless' credit he did think the Eagles were better with Vince Young under center. Nobody said Skip was smart. But, I can't help but wonder if discrimination plays a part in their minds. Of course, neither will admit it if it were the case. It's just a thought.

The New York Rangers are sending Henrik Lundqvist, Dan Girardi, and Marian Gaborik to the NHL All-Star Game. Personally, I would throw in Michael Del Zotto and Brad Richards too. Maybe Ryan Callahan as well. Anyway, nice to see some Rangers get some love.

There were rumors swirling last night that Scott Boras met with Hal Steinbrenner to discuss Edwin Jackson. Before Yankee fans get all crazy allow me to point out that while Jackson is just 28 years-old he is not worth a five-year deal which is what many think he is pursuing. He also isn't worth $14 million a year. The Yankees have stayed quiet all winter long and with good reason. A pitcher that makes, say $13 million will actually cost the Yankees $17 million or so because of luxury taxes. That means the Yankees better think good and hard about anyone they bring in. Is Edwin Jackson a huge upgrade over anyone they already have? If so, by how much? Is Hiroki Kuroda worth $16 million for one year?
If the Yankees truly want to make a pitching splash they can wait until next year when Cole Hamels becomes a free agent. Though, Hamels is reportedly being offered a one-year extension by the Phillies. I honestly don't see the Yankees breaking the bank for anyone. Hell, they could technically go out and get Prince Fielder and plug him at DH and trade Jesus Montero and Manny Banuelos or Dellin Betances for an ace. That isn't cost-wise though. Montero will make less than $1 million and in the future when Tex, A-Rod, and Montero are all DH types where are you going to play these guys. Pipe dreams are nice but they usually don't escape to see the light.
A realistic scenario for the Yankees would be to sign Jackson to a one-year deal. Maybe a two-year deal. In two years the Yankee rotation will be in need of an overhaul anyway.

My next post will be about the hilarity that was the 2001 NBA Draft. Man, I bet some teams wish they could have a do over.

The New York Giants: Strength Through the Draft

2012-01-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

My last article focused on the New York Jets and how a lot of their problems stem from poor drafts. Now, I'm going to take a look at the New York Giants and how they have fared through the Draft since 2000. I'll be going a bit more in-depth here with the Giants because its my blog and I'm a Giants fan. There, I admit it.

The 2000 Giants were a team on the rise. They would make a Super Bowl in 2000 and get trounced by the Ravens. However, the Giants drafting has been pretty decent in the years following. Let's take a look:

The 2000 Draft was probably one of the worst in recent memory, if only because the 2000 Draft was pretty crappy in general. Still, high expectations came with First Rounder Ron Dayne who was coming off of a Heisman Trophy season at Wisconsin. Dayne was supposed to bring smash-mouth football back to the Meadowlands. Dayne had a decent rookie year, pairing with Tiki Barber to form the Thunder and Lightning combo that helped the Giants to the 2000 Super Bowl. Still, Dayne never lived up to the expectations that came with his trophy and he was gone after a few years. Second Round pick Cornelius Griffin, 4th Round pick Brandon Short, and 6th Round pick Dhani Jones have had decent careers in the NFL but nothing to write home about. Jones is probably most famous for his television show than his football work but he might have had the best career of all of the players the Giants drafted.

The 2001 Draft is noted for the Giants using their first two selections on cornerbacks. Will Allen showed blazing speed and some decent cover skills, but again, he never lived up to the expectations. Allen was a pretty good corner but nothing more. Will Peterson, now known as Will James, showed a lot of promise but injuries derailed his career. Nobody else the Giants drafted that year really made much of an impact in the NFL. Jesse Palmer is the most notable name in the group and he is now doing analysis on College Football after his stint on ABC's The Bachelor. Hardly a Draft worth writing home about. OK, maybe this was worse than the 2000 Draft.

The 2002 Draft brought in Jeremy Shockey, 3 borderline linebackers, and nobody else of note. Shockey emerged as one of the NFL's best tight ends before wearing out his welcome in New York a few years later. Still, they got a few Pro Bowl seasons out of him and the linebacker fodder filled in when injuries hit the Giants pretty hard. The Giants of these years were trying to rebuild on the fly, something that is pretty hard to do in any sport.

The 2003 Draft showcased one of the worst 1st Round picks in recent memory in William Joseph who was taken with the 25th pick in the Draft. Joseph never lived up to expectations. Osi Umenyiora was taken with the 56th overall pick. Umenyiora has recorded 69 sacks since becoming a Giants and helped the Giants win the Super Bowl in 2007. He is part of a long list of 2nd round success stories for the Giants, joining Amani Toomer and Tiki Barber among others. Also taken in the 2003 Draft was David Diehl in Round 5, David Tyree in Round 6, and Kevin Walter in Round 7. Diehl has been a staple on the Giants offensive line for several years now. Tyree was a Special Teams standout and who can forget his catch in the Super Bowl? Walter didn't do much with the Giants but has been a pretty good player for the Texans as a receiver and special teams returner. Walter is evidence that the Giants do their homework on later round players. (Disclaimer: A lot of teams do their home work on late round picks, just using Walter as an example for the Giants.)

The 2004 Draft is probably the most infamous of all the Giants Drafts and was GM Ernie Accorsi's last with the Giants. 2004, as you may remember, is when Eli Manning went #1 overall to the Chargers. The Giants wanted Eli and Eli wanted the Giants. With the #4 pick in the Draft, the Giants selected Philip Rivers and traded him, and a couple of other picks to San Diego for Eli. Eli is on pace to shatter every Giants passing mark, has a Super Bowl MVP under his belt, and almost passed for 5,000 yards this past season. The Giants second pick in this Draft is just as good as their first (see Giants 2nd Round successes) because they took guard Chris Snee with the 34th overall pick. Snee is the leader of the offensive line for the Giants and is a Pro Bowl type player. In the 7th Round, the Giants drafted Derrick Ward> ward was mostly a filler player for the first few years of his career before he exploded for 1,025 yards and a 5.6 yard per carry average in 2007. Ward hasn't been nearly as good since leaving the Giants but they got a quality season out of Ward who was a 7th rounder.

The 2005 Draft was the year the Giants had only 4 total draft picks because of the Eli trade. However, of those 4, the Giants nabbed Corey Webster in the 2nd Round, Justin Tuck in the 3rd, and Brandon Jacobs in the 4th. When you can grab an All-Pro defensive end, a starting corner, and a 1,000 yard running back in the same draft you must be doing something right. This was GM Jerry Reese's first draft and he came away with an A+ rating.

The 2006 Draft saw the Giants take Mathias Kiwanuka with the 32nd overall pick. Many people scratched their heads afterall the Giants already had Tuck and Umenyiora at defensive end. Well, Kiwanuka has developed into a pretty good linebacker who can line up at DE and get to the QB when needed. Injuries have hurt his career track but he figures to be in the Giants plans for years to come. Second Rounder Sinorice Moss didn't pan out and barely saw the field. He was the complete opposite of his brother Santana. Fourth Rounder DT Barry Cofield was a very nice pick. Cofield left as a free agent prior to this season, taking his services to Washington but Cofield did help solidify the middle of the Giants line. Fifth Rounder Charlie Peprah had a breakout year this past season with 5 INT's and 69 tackles. However, those picks and tackles came while he was wearing a Packer uniform. Again, a serviceable player taken in the later rounds.

The 2007 Draft might be one of the best in recent history. Why? Well, First Rounder Aaron Ross has been a solid corner in the NFL though he looks like he might not be re-signed this offseason. Second Rounder WR Steve Smith set the Giants single season receptions record with 107 in 2009 (another second round find!). Jay Alford, taken in the third round, had a couple of good years but injuries robbed much of his playing time. Fourth Rounder Zak DeOssie has been the Giants long-snapper and backup linebacker since being drafted. Fifth Rounder Kevin Boss was a favorite target for Eli until he left as a free agent prior to this past season, getting a pretty big contract with Oakland. In the 7th Round, the Giants took a little known running back with some personal problems named Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw is currently the Giants starting running back. He is also the third running back taken by the Giants that has put up a 1,000 yard season.

The 2008 Draft wasn't too bad either. The Giants tapped Kenny Phillips with their first selection. Phillips has dealt with injury problems to his knees in recent years, robbing him of a lot of the potential he possessed. However, Phillips is still a very good safety and he did have 4 picks this season. Second round pick Terrell Thomas was considered the best corner on the team going into this season. However, he went down for the year with an ACL injury. Thomas figures to be healthy for 2012 and should regain his spot as the Giants best corner (no offense to Corey Webster). Mario Manningham was the Giants third round pick and he has been an excellent receiver who has scored 18 touchdowns and amassed over 2,000 yards receiving. Jonathan Goff was taken in 5th Round and was slated to be the Giants starting middle linebacker before going out for the season with injury in the preseason. Goff should resume his duties at the MLB spot next season.

In 2009, the Giants drafted Hakeem Nicks to help offset the loss of Plaxico Burress who shot himself in the leg in a nightclub and then went to prison on a firearms charge. Nicks, when healthy, has been a go-to guy for Manning and he continues to emerge as one of the better receivers in the league. In the second round the Giants reached on linebacker Clint Sintim, another linebacker who hasn't lived up to expectations and has battled injuries. They also nabbed Will Beatty, who was the starting left tackle before being lost for the rest of the season after suffering a detached retina against the Eagles. Beatty has shown a lot of promise in his young career and he should be healthy and ready to go for next year. Tight End Travis Beckum, taken in the third round, hasn't lived up to expectations but has shown some flashes. Ramses Barden, another wide receiver who was drafted to help replace Plaxico, also has not lived up to expectations.

The Giants 2010 Draft produced Jason Pierre-Paul in the First Round, who led the Giants in sacks this past season with 16.5. Starting defensive tackle Linval Joseph was taken in the second round. Third Round pick Chad Jones was a player the team had high hopes for but he was injured in a car accident that nearly took his life. He continues to rehab with the hopes of one day getting back on the field. If he does that can only be a plus for the Giants. Phil Dillard and Mitch Petrus were taken in the 4th and 5th rounds respectively. Dillard is nothing more than a backup and Petrus was on the inactive list much of this year. However, Petrus was tabbed to start a few games for the Giants after injuries decimated the o-line and he performed very well.

It is way too early to judge the 2011 Draft but every player the Giants drafted made the team, with the exception of second rounder DT Marvin Austin who was lost to injury. Austin was a bit of a gamble because he didn't play his last season at North Carolina due to eligibility issues. Oh, hell, who am I kidding, the guy broke NCAA rules. Still, he has loads of talent and he will be counted on to help anchor the Giants defensive line in the future. First Rounder Prince Amukamara is a cornerback and going into this season the Giants already had three corners that were taken in either the first or second round. They lost Thomas to injury so taking Amukamara didn't seem like a bad idea. Then Prince went down with a broken foot and he was behind the learning curve already because of the lockout. Still, going into the Draft, Amukamara was considered the best cover corner in the entire Draft and the Giants picked him up with the 19th pick. Linebackers Greg Jones (6th Round) and Jacquin Williams (6th Round) have had to fill in as starters at times after the Giants linebacking corps was hit hard by injuries. Both have made some big plays as well as made some rookie mistakes. However, considering they were 6th round choices, the Giants seem to have found some good players who should at least serve as capable backups, or maybe even improve into very good linebackers. Only time will tell. The Giants other 6th Round selection was Tyler Sash, a safety who has shined on Special Teams. Fourth Round selection, OT James Brewer, is a project but the Giants believe he can become a very good offensive lineman in the near future. Jerrel Jernigan and Da'Rel Scott are both speedsters. Scott showed some flashes during the preseason with his ability to break out a big run but got into Tom Coughlin's doghouse with his fumbling. Jernigan was a bit of a reach for a 3rd rounder but the Giants see a Special Teams player who can help stretch defenses with his speed at WR. He better improve next season or he will not be a Giant much longer.

The point of this post was to point out how many starters the Giants have gotten in the Draft. There really hasn't been a huge free agent splash in recent years, not since Antrel Rolle signed a couple of seasons ago. Most of the Giants players come to the team from the Draft or are rookie free agents. WR Victor Cruz and LB Mark Herzlich both came to the Giants in this manner. Also, RB Ryan Grant was another undrafted free agent who has gone on to a pretty good career in Green Bay as their feature back. The Giants QB was acquired through a Draft-day trade. Both of their feature running backs came in through the Draft. Their top three wide receivers were either drafted or signed as rookie free agents. Their offensive line was built primarily through the draft. Three All-Pro defensive ends were drafted. Four cornerbacks and one starting safety were drafted. All of their linebackers are homegrown. One of their starting defensive tackles was drafted. Their starting tight end, Jake Ballard, was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2010 Draft. Fullback Henry Hynoski was an undrafted free agent signed after the Draft this past season.

The list goes on. Giants GM Jerry Reese believes in building through the draft and supplementing his players with a small sampling of free agents like Chris Canty, David Baas, and Antrel Rolle. The majority of this Giants team has grown up under Tom Coughlin's regime and have been integrated into the Giants framework since their first days in the NFL. Most NFL teams are like this. When compared with the Jets, one can see a huge difference in homegrown players. The Jets, for example, feature a team mostly built around free agency or through trades. Building through the draft offers a lot more flexibility than through free agency. For one, the players are younger and cheaper and grow up in the system. Free agents come from a variety of different systems and might not be as productive, or are content just collecting a paycheck as has happened in the past.

Are the Giants the best team in the NFL? No. I'm not saying that. However, the Giants wouldn't have won their Super Bowl in 2007 or made the playoffs this year if it hadn't been for strong drafts in recent years. The Packers are another example of a team that has built itself through the draft and complimented those players with a sprinkling of free agent signings. The Giants, so long as Jerry Reese is GM, will always look to the draft before free agency. This is one major reason the Giants have made the playoffs, and won 10 games last year (even though they missed the playoffs it is hard to be upset at a 10 win season). The Draft is the thing.

What is Wrong with the Jets?

2012-01-11T16:27:00.001-05:00

The New York Jets are a team in turmoil right now. They entered the season with Super Bowl hopes and leave it without even making the playoffs. During their loss to the Dolphins in Week 17, several Jets players called out WR Santonio Holmes for his quitting on the team. Later, during the cleaning out of the Jets practice facility, several Jets got themselves into hot water by cursing at the media or giving the middle finger to photographers as Bart Scott did. Then, last night, Offensive Coordinator was basically told either he goes or he finds a job elsewhere. He's gone and former Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano is in his place. Time will tell if Sparano can get the Jets offense moving in the right direction.

The Jets problems really stem from poor drafts. Yes, poor drafts. Aside from Darrelle Revis, who is on his way to becoming the greatest Jet to ever wear the uniform, the Jet's drafts have left a lot to be desired. What's worse, the best players not named Revis and Mangold whom the Jets have drafted are all playing for other teams right now. Let's take a quick look:

In 2000, the Jets had four first round draft picks and used those to nab John Abraham, Shaun Ellis, Chad Pennington, and Anthony Becht. Pennington's career was derailed by injuries. Becht was not worthy of a first-round pick in retrospect. Ellis and Abraham were supposed to be cornerstones of the Jets defense. Ellis left after last season as a free agent to the Patriots and Abraham was traded to the Falcons for a first-round draft pick, #29 in the 2006 Draft which was used on Nick Mangold. Abraham was the best pass rushed the Jets have had since Mark Gastineau hung them up. Ellis would have a nice career with the Jets but he was never the impact player Abraham was. The Jets have been searching for a pass rusher ever since. Granted, the 2000 Draft is known as a big bust draft and the Jets walked away with one of the best players in the draft in Abraham but they traded him.

In 2001, the Jets drafted Santana Moss with the 16th pick in the draft was another good pick. However, Moss has made more of an impact for the Redskins than the Jets. He was traded to bring former Jet Laveranues Coles back in 2005. Moss went on to have the best season of his career and has recorded 3 1,000 yard seasons since leaving the Jets. Coles is pretty much done with football now while Moss is still 31 years old and able to put up some pretty decent numbers.

In 2002, the Jets wasted a first round pick on DE Bryan Thomas with the 22nd pick. Two picks later the Baltimore Ravens selected Ed Reed. Clinton Portis was selected with the 51st pick. Andre Gurode was taken by the Cowboys with the 37th pick. Thomas is still with the Jets, albeit on injured reserve. He is a backup linebacker but is considered one of the worst first-round picks in recent Jets history.

In 2003, the Jets selected DT Dewayne Robertson, who was supposed to be the answer to the Jets struggles against the run. Robertson has not played football since 2008, never living up to any expectation that came with being the 4th overall pick of the draft. The Jets passed on a lot of good talent, such as Nnamdi Asomugha who was taken with the 31st pick, Troy Polamalu with the 16th, Dallas Clark with the 24th, Larry Johnson with the 27th, or Willis McGahee with the 23rd.

In 2004, the Jets selected LB Jonathan Vilma with the 12th overall pick. Vilma has been an excellent lineback, sadly, most of that work has come with the Saints. Vilma was traded to the Saints for a 4th round pick in the 2008 Draft and what turned out to be a third round pick in the 2009 Draft. Vilma should be the leader of the Jets defense right now but instead he is leading the Saints defense.

In 2005, the Jets didn't have a first round pick. Why? Because they traded it to Oakland for TE Doug Jolley and a second round pick. The JEts leadership felt there wouldn't be any good prospects available at that pick. Roddy White was taken with pick #27. TE Heath Miller was taken by the Steelers with the 30th overall pick. Logan Mankins was taken with the 32nd pick.

In 2006, the Jets selected two offensive linemen in D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. These were two solid picks and they are two of the best offensive linemen the Jets have had. Too bad the others on the line weren't this good.

In 2007, the Jets made another great pick in Darrelle Revis. Imagine if the Jets had taken Nnamdi in 2003 or Troy Polamalu. Wow.

In 2008, Vernon Gholston and Dustin Keller were taken. Gholston was supposed to be the answer as a pass rusher. He was awful and never even recorded a sack in his career with the Jets. He is no longer with the team. Keller, the third tight end the Jets have gone through since 2000 using a first round pick either by trade or draft, and the 4th since 1995 (Kyle Brady). Keller was the Jets leading receiver this past season and looks like he could be the answer at tight end for years to come. Gholston was the 6th overall pick. Surely they could have found someone better. Jordy Nelson was taken with the 36th pick in the same draft. But, to the Jets defense, not many guys who were drafted in the first round in 2008 have made an impact with the team that drafted them.

In 2009, the Jets picked QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez looked like he was going to be the answer to the Jets QB woes. Going into this season he looked like he might be ready to make the next step. After all Sanchez did help lead the Jets to two consecutive AFC Championship games. Now, there are reports that Jets players are sick of Sanchez and are lobbying for a trade for Peyton Manning. Many question Sanchez's drive and commitment. This is all very harsh for a QB that has not even been in the league for 4 years.

In 2010, the Jets used their first rounder on Kyle Wilson. The jury is still out on Wilson but he doesn't look to be anything more than a nickel corner. Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham were both available but the Jets had taken Keller two years before.

The 2011 selection of DT Muhammed Wilkerson seems like it might be a solid pick. Wilkerson won't make a Pro Bowl anytime soon but he should be a decent player, able to play both DE and DT depending on the need.

Three picks used to solve a problem at TE. Three Pro Bowlers traded away in Moss, Abraham, and Vilma. The Jets have been forced to look for answers in the free agent market, settling on older veterans and underwhelming draft choices taken in later rounds. A quick look at the Jets roster and one has to wonder why the Jets have swung and missed so many times in the draft. Sanchez's top two receivers were both brought in from other teams. Holmes was brought in through a trade with Pittsburgh and Plaxico Burress was brought in from his prison hiatus. The Jets did sign Derrick Mason at the beginning of the year to give Mason an extra target. That didn't work out and Mason was released after only a handful of games.

Head Coach Rex Ryan can only do so much with the talent on the roster. Without anyone getting to the QB on a consistent basis, the Jets defense is forced to rely on blitzes which can leave the team exposed for a big play. Give any QB time and eventually they will make a play, Revis or not. This is more indicative of GM Mike Tannenbaum, who also almost lost Revis during a contract dispute a couple of years ago. The GM has failed this team because he hasn't done his draft homework. No QB, not even Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, or Peyton Manning, can win when the supporting pieces are not in place. The Jets best chance at a Super Bowl was last season and there were no significant upgrades to the holes the team had, mainly in the pass rush department or on the offensive line. No really big playmakers were added at WR or RB, giving the Jets a very basic offense. Holmes has ability but Burress was coming off of a long stint in prison. Mason's best years were behind him and the Jets drafted two wide receivers in the 2011 draft, Jeremy Kerley and Scotty McKnight. McKnight never stepped foot on the field this season because of injury and Kerley never made an impact. With no second round pick, the Jets drafted Kenrick Ellis from Hampton in the 3rd round. He collected 7 tackles. Fourth rounder Bilal Powell carried the ball only 13 times all year and averaged just 1.6 yards per carry. QB Greg McElroy was placed on injured reserve. Wilkerson was the only one in this draft that had a real positive impact on the team with 3 sacks and 49 tackles. Kerley, who made the second largest contribution had 29 catches for 314 yards, was really a non-factor until later in the year. He didn't even have a catch until Week 5.

The Jets have failed to surround Mark Sanchez with the necessary pieces for success. Right tackle Wayne Hunter was not the answer. Vladimir Ducasse, the Jets 2nd round pick two years ago, has not developed into a starting offensive lineman as the Jets had hoped. The Jets problems are the result of poor decisions by Tannenbaum and nobody else. For the Jets team to put the burden of this past season on the shoulders of Mark Sanchez is not only unfair, it is wrong. Was Sanchez on the field when Denver marched over 90 yards on the game-winning drive?

What can the Jets do to improve? Well, they need to decide on whether or not Mark Sanchez can lead this team after this offseason. Can the Jets players who spoke out against Sanchez put their opinions away and play with him at QB? Can Sanchez deal with the criticism? Personally, I think giving up on a QB after only three seasons as a starter is foolish. It's not like he was putting up Jamarcus Russell numbers. Then, they need to figure out what to do with Santonio Holmes. Did he quit on the team? If so he has to go. There are some impact receivers like Steve Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Wes Welker, Reggie Wayne, Mario Manningham, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd, and Marques Colston to name a few that are going to be free agents. The only QB worth a shot would be Matt Flynn but he has one start under his belt. The Jets are pretty much stuck with Sanchez at QB unless they work out a trade. In the pass rush department, Robert Mathis, John Abraham, and Mario Williams are the best available. Abraham is getting old, Williams is likely to be re-signed by Houston so that leaves Mathis. Mathis would give the Jets something they lacked all year, a guy who can get to the QB. Maybe Aaron Maybin improves on his team-leading 6 sacks and emerges as the player many thought he could be when he was drafted by Buffalo.

The point is, Sanchez isn't going anywhere. If the Jets trade their draft picks for Peyton Manning they are foolish. Manning is 36 and coming off a potential career-threatening injury and is slated to make over $26 million. That money could be better spent on filling the holes that have been created by poor drafts. Like right tackle, guard, and defensive end. Maybe a safety since Jim Leonhard can't stay healthy. A running back to replace the aging LaDainian Tomlinson wouldn't be a bad idea. It doesn't look like the Jets are high on Bilal Powell or Joe McKnight, although McKnight showed some explosiveness on kick returns. If I owned the Jets I would replace the GM and get someone who knows how to draft well. That would go a long way to building a team that Jets fans can be proud of.

C'mon Jets fans, let me know how you would fix your team.

This, That, and Tebow

2012-01-09T11:53:00.002-05:00

- Does anyone else find it interesting that Tim Tebow throws for 316 yards in his first playoff game and the first game he throws for over 300 yards? Think about it. 316 yards, 3:16. This has to be a coincidence, right? Tebow completed 5 passes of 30 yards or more against a defense that had allowed only 7 passes of 30 yards or more all season.

- Speaking of Tim Tebow, 2011 was the 25th Anniversary of the Giants-Broncos Super Bowl. During the course of the 2011 season, the Giants and Broncos both made it into the playoffs. Denver did on the legs, and sometimes the arm, of Tim Tebow who engineered enough 4th Quarter miracles to make John Elway do a double-take.

- Lost in Tebow-Mania has been the play of Denver's defense. Denver's defense deserves a lot of the credit for Denver's resurgence. Also, the ability of Denver's wide receivers to get open. Have you seen how wide open these guys are when Tebow throws? I don't know if it is defenses breaking down because they don't want to be beaten by Denver's rushing attack or if it is the wide receiver's ability to get open. I think it is a combination but whatever it is it is helping Denver win football games.

- I think Denver's run in the playoffs ends against New England. The Patriots beat the snot out of Denver earlier this season and I think they can do it again. But, then again, I thought Denver didn't stand a chance against Pittsburgh either so take it for what it's worth.

- The New York Giants defense played their best game of the year yesterday. They didn't allow a single point to Atlanta's vaunted offense. Atlanta was held to just 247 total yards. Matt Ryan threw for 199 yards but the Falcons accrued only 183 yards through the air when you take sacks into account. Michael Turner was held to just 41 yards rushing and a 2.7 yard average. Roddy White was targeted 12 times but came away with only 5 catches for 52 yards, thanks to stellar play by Corey Webster. Julio Jones was targeted 8 times and had 7 catches but was never able to break free, averaging just over 9 yards a catch for 64 yards. The Giants defense had only 2 sacks but also had 7 QB hits and never allowed Matt Ryan to get comfortable in the pocket.

- Eli Manning is proving to everyone that he really is elite. First, he sets all-time single season team records for yards passing, shattering Kerry Collins' mark of 4,073 with a 4,933 yard season. He throws for the 4th highest TD total in franchise history with 29, falling 2 TD's short of his career high of 31 set last year. He went from throwing 25 interceptions last year to just 16 this year despite throwing a franchise record 589 times. He also beat his own franchise mark for completions in a single season, completing 359 passes. He has had four straight seasons of a 60% or higher completion percentage. Yes, kids, Eli is elite.

- The last three teams to beat the Falcons in the playoffs have gone on to the Super Bowl. The Eagles in 2004, the Cardinals in 2008, and the Packers last season. Could the Giants make it 4 for 4?

- The officiating in the playoffs so far has been dreadful. In yesterday's Giants-Falcons game both Troy Aikman and Joe Buck made light of missed calls or calls that shouldn't have been made, like the David Diehl holding penalty. In the Denver-Pittsburgh game, the officials dropped the ball by ruling a pass by Ben Roethlisberger incomplete when in fact it was a backwards pass and should have been ruled a fumble. Denver fell on the ball but a whistle blew and the refs told John Fox he couldn't challenge the ruling on the field. The Steelers maintained possession and ended up scoring. If that play is called correctly, there is no overtime, there is no chance the Steelers would have had a chance to win the game. In the Lions-Saints game, the officials might have cost the Lions a defensive touchdown. In that play Drew Brees was sacked and the ball came loose. The ball was recovered by Detroit's Justin Durant who might have scored easily had a referee not blown his whistle. They upheld the fumble but because of the whistle they didn't allow any advancement. That is 2 calls this round that official's whistles have blown and might have influenced the momentum of the game. To make matters worse, the officials in the Lions-Saints game and the Steelers-Broncos game had similar plays with different applications of essentially the same rule. Inadvertent whistles are not reviewable but the Lions were allowed possession while the Broncos were not. Hmmm. Seems like the NFL has some cleaning up to do. I see a rule change coming this offseason.

- The Giants' Aaron Ross left yesterday's game with a concussion. There is no telling whether he will be healthy for the Packers game next weekend. If Ross can't go, the Giants will have to depend on rookie Prince Amukamara to fill in. Prince has had a spotty rookie season, mostly due to missing almost all of camp and nine games this season. He has the talent but this could be an area of concern given the ability of the Packers receivers to exploit secondaries around the league. However, if the Giants can get pressure on Aaron Rodgers, that would mean less time for Green Bay receivers to get open and so Amukamara might not get exposed. Then again, it might not matter.

- Tonight is the NCAA Championship game. LSU vs. Alabama, again. LSU won the previous meeting, a defensive 9-6 OT battle that also featured 3 missed field goals by Alabama. This time, I think Alabama wins. I don't think it will be such a defensive battle, and even if it is I don't think Alabama will need to kick as many field goals, or attempt to as the case may be. I just see Alabama winning this thing.

- If I had a vote in the NFL MVP race I would give it to Aaron Rodgers. Despite Drew Bress' record setting season, Rodgers threw one fewer TD pass than Brees in 155 fewer attempts. He also ran for 3 TD's while Brees only ran for 1, giving Rodgers more TD's than Brees this season. I do have a hard time overlooking Brees' season, however, especially when you take into account that the top two receivers on the Saints were the tight end and a running back. It's also hard to overlook Brees' 71.2 completion percentage. Okay, if I could I would have them share the award.

Tidbits

2012-01-03T19:09:00.001-05:00

- Giants WR had more yard receiving (1,536) than Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress combined (1,266). This goes a long way to help people understand why the Jets weren't as good as they could have been. Most of the Jets problems lie in the trenches. Aside from Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson the Jets offensive line wasn't that great. And aaron Maybin, who played 13 games as a Jet, led the team in sacks with 6. The Jets finished 22nd in the NFL in rushing, and 21st in passing offense this season. That's just not good enough. Dustin Keller continues to emerge, however, as a legitimate star at tight end in this league. He led the Jets in receiving yards with 815 and averaged slightly above 50 yards receiving a game. The Jets also suffered because they were unable to get consistent production from the number three wide receiver slot. Derrick MAson was supposed to be that guy but he found himself out of a job after only five games with the team. Jeremy Kerley stepped up to grab 46 passes but averaged under 11 yards a catch. The Jets will need to address this situation if they really are serious about making the Super Bowl.

- The Rams fired head coach Steve Spagnuolo and Jeff Fisher might be his replacement. Fisher, formerly of the Titans, would be a good fit in St. Louis, adding some toughness to a team otherwise devoid of it.

- The Buccaneers also fired Rahim Morris. Morris' Bucs lost their last 10 games and finished a paltry 4-12. This was a big fall from grace after the Bucs finished a strong 10-6 last season. There is obviously talent on the Bucs roster, beginning with young QB Josh Freeman and running back LaGarrette Blount, but the team might have tuned Morris out at points during this season and anyone who does take the Bucs job will need to be someone who is tough enough to command respect in the locker room every week.

- I don't understand what san Diego's fascination is with Norv Turner. He was deemed safe this week in San Diego. Turner has gone 17-15 in his last two seasons and has missed the playoffs each of the last two years. He has never brought the Chargers deep into the playoffs, and has earned himself a bit of a reputation for not getting the most of his team come playoff time. I just don't get it. Turner is a great coordinator and I think he would be better off focusing only on one side of the ball.

- The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers put on a show for the ages yesterday in the NHL's Winter Classic. Watching hockey played outdoors is special and to see two teams with some pretty good recent history battling each other was definitely entertaining. Kudos to the folks that made Citizens Bank Ballpark into an icy wonder. Even Mother NAture provided some ambiance when a little snow began to fall. The NHL Classic is one of the best ideas the NHL has ever had and has brought a lot of attention to the game, which I think, is rising in popularity, at least in certain parts of the country.

- Speaking of the NHL, who would have thought the Rangers would be tied with the Blackhawks for most points in the NHL? Not me. This Rangers team is gritty, focused, and playing some of the best hockey I have ever seen on Broadway. John Tortorella has this team believing and it showed yesterday when, despite being down 2-0, the Rangers battled back and fought through some questionable non-calls and calls to beat the Flyers 3-2. Torts will surely be fined for his comments following the game when he called the officiating disgusting but the fact that the Rangers were able to persevere is something that has been lacking in recent years.

- The Yankees are now being linked to Edwin Jackson, the best available starter left on the market. It is believed Jackson, who is represented by Scott Boras, is seeking $15-17 million per year. For a pitcher with a career ERA of 4.41 and a .00 record that is just nuts. Sure, Jackson is only 28 and has been a bit of a workhorse but he isn't worth that money. I don't see the Yankees giving in to his price, not for the amount of years it would take to secure him. The Yankees would be better off signing Hiroki Kuroda or Roy Oswalt to one-year deals and hope for the best. Investing that much in Jackson severely crimps the Yankees future budget goal of a $189 million payroll by 2014. Then again, the Yankees are unpredictable but I just don't see them breaking the bank for a marginal talent such as Jackson.

- If I had a vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame here is whom I would cast my votes for:
Jeff Bagwell. 449 homers, 1529 RBI, 488 doubles, 1517 runs scored. The guy was an offensive force. His career was cut short a little early due to injury but he was one of the games best and he deserves to be in the Hall.
Tim Raines. Raines is arguably the second-best leadoff hitter in baseball history. Sadly, he was overshadowed by the best, Rickey Henderson, when he played. He stole 808 bags in his career, collected 2,605 hits, and hit .294. Raines is so often overlooked it is sad.
Fred McGriff. 493 homers is nothing to sneeze at. It used to be that the only player with 400 homers that wasn't in the Hall was Dave Kingman. Now, due to the steroid issue, it looks like there will be more (Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire). McGriff was one of the steadiest power hitters of his generation and if Jim Rice is a Hall of Famer then McGriff is as well.
Alan Trammell. His numbers pale in comparison to the steroid sluggers he played with and against but Trammell was one of the best shortstops in the game on both sides of the game. He was a 6x All-Star and won 4 Gold Gloves. He finished as high as second in the MVP voting in 1987, which was his only year with more than 100 RBI (105). Still, Trammell helped revolutionize the shortstop position with Cal Ripken, Jr. from light-hitting small guys who could field to big guys who could field and win the game with the bat.
Barry Larkin. Larkin won the MVP in 1995, appeared in 12 All-Star games, and was one of the best shortstops in the game when he played. He hit, he stole bases, he fielded, he did everything.

A Guide to Collecting

2011-12-29T15:40:00.001-05:00

I figured I would take a little time out and publish a quick guide to collecting sports memorabilia. Today, major companies in the industry like Steiner Sports has caused the price of autographs to go through the roof. There is also a lot of controversy surrounding some formerly reputable authenticators of autographed memorabilia ongoing. Neither of these is good for the industry, or for collectors. There are ways to grow your collection of autographs without investing a lot of time or money into it. While, my method of autograph collecting is not of authenticated stuff, it is a fun hobby and all the autographs can be authenticated later if so desired. So, how do I build my autograph collection?

Through the Mail, hereafter known as TTM, is one way to quickly build an autograph collection. There are still several Hall of Famers that will sign for free or for a nominal fee. Yogi Berra, for example, will sometimes sign for free, or if you want a surefire Yogi Berra autograph, send him $40 and you'll get your item signed for sure. $40 vs. over $100 at a place like Steiner. You do the math. others like Bobby Doerr, will sign for as little as $5. But, not everyone signs, nor does everyone charge for their signature.

All you need to get started is a pen, paper, looseleaf, envelopes (2 sizes preferably so one can fit inside the other and get the peel and stick to make it easier on the person signing), and stamps. First, write a nice note asking the person you are writing to for an autograph. Be polite. Always add a "please" and a "thank you." You don't have to write a book, usually two short paragraphs are enough. Remember these athletes get hundreds to thousands of requests for their signature and usually don't even bother reading the letter but there are some that do.

Include an item to get signed. NEVER ask for an autograph and expect the signer to include something. You should be the one providing the item, like a baseball or trading card. I always send no more than 1 to 3 cards, depending on the signing habits of the player. You can do some research on the signing habits of players at www.sportscardforum.com in the Autograph Central/Through the Mail section. It's a free membership and the folks on the site are very helpful, I should know, I'm a moderator there.

OK, so now you have your letter written and have found a card of that person to get signed. If the card is glossy, like most modern cards are, take a mechanical eraser and just gently co over the surface of the card. The eraser removes some of the gloss without damaging the card and allows the ink to adhere to the cardboard. Fold the letter up and drop the card into the letter. OK, now you need to get an address for that player. Sportscardforum.com has a pretty nice sized database of addresses for players both current and retired. There are also lists like Harvey Meiselman's list which is what I use. Just Google Harvy Meiselman and you should find his website for purchasing his address lists. If you want more info on the Harvey lists drop me a line and I will be happy to help you.

Address the bigger envelope to the player and include your return address in the top left. This is important because if the player refuses the letter, or the address is out of date (this happens but don't get discouraged) you will want your item to be returned to you, especially if it is a photo or ball. Then, on a small envelope (known as a SASE for self-addressed stamped envelope) write your address. Don't forget to put postage on it. NEVER expect the signer to pay for postage.

Put it in the mail and wait. I have had thousands of successes over the past few years and have had some athletes write me nice notes in return. One year I got a Christmas card from former Eagles running back Heath Sherman. Another time, former Giants running back sent me back my card signed, along with the unused SASE in a large package that included an 11x14 picture that he signed and personalized to me. It was one of the coolest returns I've ever had. I've also gotten Redskins WR Anthony Armstrong (he reads the letters) to sign for me twice, on the second go around he put "second time around" on the card. He is a pretty good guy and reads his mail. The first time he included a note complimenting me on my handwriting. Over the years I have gotten a lot of players who have sent nice notes wishing me luck on my collection, especially from former New York Giants. It's these little added notes and stuff that really make the collection fun. Other times players will include a signed testimonial card which describes how they found Jesus Christ. I like these because it is like and added bonus and kind of represents a certificate of authenticity for me. Frank Tanana, Kurt Warner, and a bunch of others send testimonial cards. Warner will only send signed testimonial cards but will return your card as well, albeit unsigned.

If you are going to try this hobby expect failure. Even with guys who are great signers you are not guaranteed anything. Letters get lost or moved...stuff happens. Don't get discouraged. Right now my success rate is hovering around 60% but I still get a SASE from a few years ago catch up to me, my old address in PA scrawled out in my handwriting. Just this past week former Cardinals pitcher Ricky Horton signed my two cards and sent them back. Considering I have been gone from PA for about two years I was amazed it caught up to me but it did.

I'll name a few atheltes who are good signers and help you get started. I have gotten signed cards back from everyone listed but I can't guarantee the same success. The addresses can be found at sportscardforum.com:
Josh Hamilton (takes a while but he signs), Lawrence Taylor, Leonard Marshall, David Robertson, C.C. Sabathia (only during Spring Training and it takes about a year), Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Karl Malone, George Martin, Devin McCourty, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Bob Griese, Anthony Armstrong, Frank Gore, Charlie Hough, Ike Hilliard, Mark Herzlich, Henry Hynoski, Jared Allen, Peyton Manning (requires small donation to his charity), Chad Greenway, Jason Giambi, Jeff George. The list goes on and on.

All it takes is the cost of two stamps and a trading card. That's a helluva lot cheaper than spending hundreds of dollars through Steiner Sports or some other outfit. Give it a try, what have you got to lose?

2014 Yankees

2011-12-29T11:39:00.001-05:00

I thought I would have a little fun and project the 2014 Yankees roster. I'm sure it will be completely wrong, but let's see how I do anyway. I would throw in the Mets as well but I don't know where they will be in their rebuilding stage and don't know about the financial situation that could have a tremendous impact on how they acquire players so I won't try as of yet. Anyway, here are the 2014 New York Yankees:

C Austin Romine - The Yankees may or may not end up trading him. Russell Martin is still younger than 30 right now but he has taken a lot of abuse behind the plate. I could see Martin being kept as a backup who plays 60 games.

1B Mark Teixeira - He still has power and still plays an excellent first base. He is one of four Yankees signed through 2014 and he isn't going anywhere.

2B Robinson Cano - He is due for a huge pay raise and deservedly so. He continues to get better every year but soon that won't be the case. By 2014 we will see Robbie peak and then see a slow decline as most middle infielders do when they get over 30.

SS Eduardo Nunez - Derek Jeter will most likely be retired by this point. If he isn't retired then he will not be the starting shortstop. Nunez is thought highly of by Yankee brass and will probably get first crack at replacing the legend of Jeter. I don't think he will perform terribly, giving the Yankees slightly below average defense but above average offense. He can hit, he just needs consistent playing time.

3B Alex Rodriguez - He will be approaching 40 years-old at this point or will be 40. He might be more of a DH at this point but don't expect the Yankees to go out and acquire a big name free agent. They will replace in house. It could be Brandon Laird splitting time with A-Rod or the Yankees using Nunez here and Hideki Nakajima at short. Whatever they do, don't expect a big-name free agent. Another darkhorse candidate would be Corban Joseph or David Adams.

LF Brett Gardner - Gardner has had his ups and downs. However, he will still be relatively cheap and still offer the Yankees the best base-stealing threat along with Nunez. There is no reason why the Yankees should get rid of Brett.

CF Curtis Granderson - Grandy will be starting to face some decline at this point. His days in center will be numbered with Mason Williams knocking on the door at AAA at this point. Granderson still holds some value, and can still hit for power and run. By 2015 he will be the Yankees right or left fielder while Mason Williams takes center.

RF Zoilo Almonte - Almonte is one of the Yankees most overlooked prospects. He has struggled at every level until he has adjusted and by 2014 he should start to be turning things around. I don't see him becoming a superstar but something along the lines of Juan Rivera isn't much of a stretch.

DH Jesus Montero - When the big righty isn't DH'ing he will be catching. He will be the big bat in the Yankees lineup at this point, hitting third or fourth. Right now he is the Yankees #1 Prospect for the 3rd year in a row and by 2014 he should be on his second All-Star team.

SP C.C. Sabathia - Another one who is actually signed to a contract for the 2014 season, Sabathia isn't going anywhere. He might start to decline, and given his physique, it will be interesting to see if it is rapid or gradual. He should still be an ace pitcher at this point, however.

SP Phil Hughes - I am one of the believers in Phil Hughes. There is a chance we have seen the best he had to offer in the first-half of 2010. But, there is also a chance that the pitcher we saw at that point is really the pitcher he will become. I am a believer that the best is yet to come. If Phil can stay healthy, a big if most assuredly, he can be a top of the rotation starter.

SP Manny Banuelos - He will start to come into his own at this point, his second full season. I believe Banuelos will be on his way to becoming the Yankee ace by 2014.

SP Ivan Nova - Nova enjoyed a lot of success last season and became the de facto number two starter. I don't see him as a top of the rotation kind of guy, and I don't know if the Yankees do either. Sure, he pitched well, but was it an aberration? Either way, I think Nova could be a consistent 12-17 game winner at the back end of the rotation like Orlando Hernandez.

SP Hector Noesi - The Yankees are grooming him to be a starting pitcher and I think he beats out Adam Warren and David Phelps. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if any of these three were in the Yankee rotation by 2014.

RP David Robertson - There is no reason he would be going anywhere unless he suddenly loses his ability to get hitters out. He might be in line for the closer's job along with Joba Chamberlain and Dellin Betances.

RP Joba Chamberlain - again, he could be the closer but I think he is better suited for a set-up role if he remains in the bullpen. I wrote a post yesterday that I think he would be better off as a starter, a position I have held since 2007.

CP Dellin Betances - IF he can control his walks he has the stuff to be a dominant closer. That is a big if, however. I don't know if Betances will be able to stick in the rotation but he has the stuff to close out games.

All of this is pure speculation on my part, of course. I don't see the Yankees going nuts for any free agents in the near future with the luxury tax hanging over their heads. They could still be a playoff team with this roster. I won't speculate on the bench positions or other bullpen arms because those are the most volatile positions in the game, changing everyday like a pair of underwear. Going forward, the Yankees will invest more time and effort into scouting players and developing them themselves. Having a few years of team control at affordable prices is the only way for the Yankees to keep away the luxury tax demon. There is plenty of talent in their minor league system, with the exception of the outfield corners, to keep young talent infused on this roster for years to come. Prospects that might begin playing a key role on the 2014 Yankees are as follows: Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B/1B; Gary Sanchez, C; Slade Heathcott, OF; Mason Williams, OF; David Adams, 2B; Corban Joseph, 2B; Ravel Santana, P; J.R. Murphy, C/1B/OF; Mark Montgomery, P; Tommy Kahnle, P; Graham Stoneburner, P; Jermey Bleich, P; Angelo Gumbs, SS; Ben Gamel, OF.

Filling a Need

2011-12-28T16:39:00.000-05:00

Entering this offseason, the New York Yankees had one major need above all else, starting pitching. They re-signed C.C. Sabathia after he opted out of his old deal. They brought back Freddy Garcia who pitched very well for the Yankees but seemed to fade down the stretch. They ignored the agents for C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle, Edwin Jackson, and passed on trades for John Danks and Gio Gonzalez. The Yankees even put it out there that they would eat some money if a team were to take A.J. Burnett off their hands. The Yankees have liked Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers for a few seasons now but have yet to pull the trigger on a one-year deal because there is no room on the payroll. They have also distanced themselves from Roy Oswalt, a high caliber pitcher when healthy, who is looking for a one-year deal. Why? Why would the Yankees suddenly become so tight-fisted when it comes to money?

The answer is simple. The luxury tax. The Yankees are sick of paying it. It isn't like this Yankee team is horrible, because it isn't. Remember, they finished 7 games ahead of Tamp in the AL East last season. There are a couple of obvious reasons outside of the money why the Yankees won't invest big dollars in a free agent, even if it is for one year. One reason is Alex Rodriguez. His contract is like a noose hanging around the neck of a condemned man, it is only a matter of time before it snaps the neck. What I mean is the Yankees WERE getting help from Texas to pay A-Rod's salary. Then A-Rod opted out and the Yankees went gaga for A-Rod and signed him to a ridiculous contract that will average about $27 million for the next SIX years! Considering A-Rod is 36 next year this is a big deal, especially when taking into account the fact that he hasn't been healthy. His MVP days are gone.

Another reason is Manny Banuelos, Hector Noesi, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, David Phelps, Ivan Nova, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and D.J. Mitchell. Some of those kids have yet to make a Major League appearance but can certainly battle for a rotation spot in the Spring. Others, like Hughes, and Chamberlain, are once highly regarding prospects. Chamberlain is included because the Yankees can take advantage of his injury and keep him in the minors rehabbing while he stretches his arm out to be a starter. Look, we can't judge Chamberlain's past performance on less than 230 innings pitched as a starter. Yes, he is very effective as a reliever. No, I don't like keeping an arm as rare as his in the bullpen unless it is Mariano Rivera-like. Chamberlain averaged over 9 strike outs per nine innings. That's not bad. If he had not walked as many as he did in his first true foray into starting we might not be having this debate because Joba would be the Yankees #3 starter right now. I know this has beaten into the dirt before but the Yankees don't need bullpen help, they need starting pitching. Joba is only 26 years-old and won't turn 27 until September of next year. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery and the Yankees could stretch his arm out easily during the rehab. They also might want to protect his arm long-term by not pitching him on consecutive days. With David Robertson stepping up the way he has and Rafael Soriano and his contract in the bullpen there is no need for Joba to be there. Joba could slide into a starting spot sometime in May or June and give the Yankees 150+ innings. Hey, it's an option. Otherwise, they hide Joba in the sixth inning.

You'll also notice that Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes made my list as well. Both are unproven but have had success in the past. Nova's came last year, Phil's two years ago when he won 18 games. Both are major cogs moving forward. Both should be able to hold down a rotation spot. Phil will turn 26 this season and Nova is going to be 25 next month. There is talent among those two and there is no reason why they can't build on past success. Signing a Kuroda only means the Yankees are throwing millions at a player who is 37 years-old and might not be as good as either Phil or Nova in the American League. These pitchers are still kids and there is no reason the Yankees should go out and spend millions on a problem that might not even be a problem moving forward.

Warren, Phelps, Noesi, and Mitchell represent the next crop of starting pitchers. None of them really project to top of the rotation starters but they have had success at every stop in the minor leagues. Can they get out Major League hitters? Who knows. we won't know until they try. Warren reminds me a little of Ian Kennedy in that he doesn't have overwhelming stuff but will get the job done. Kennedy can rack up the strikeouts, something Warren has not done but both have good breaking pitches, Warren just uses his to induce contact. Adam Warren can, and mark my words here, make the jump to the majors. The Yankees know what they have in the minor leagues. They know what these young kids are capable of. They are part of the reason the Yankees haven't gone crazy and signed a whole slew of pitchers this offseason.

Maybe the Yankees would have signed a Roy Oswalt or Mark Buehrle or C.J. Wilson or Yu Darvish if they didn't have all that money tied up in A-Rod, Soriano, and Burnett. Maybe they would have signed Prince Fielder if they didn't give a huge contract to Mark Teixeira. The fact is the Yankees did give out those contracts. They gave Derek Jeter a huge contract last offseason given his previous year's performance and his age. If you noticed last season, the Yankees played hardball with Jeter and Jeter eventually signed a contract that was good for both sides given the circumstances. The Yankees let Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP walk after the 2009 season. The Yankees let Jorge Posada walk after this past season. These are not the Yankees of George Steinbrenner. These are the Hal Steinbrenner Yankees, led by Brian Cashman. Hal learned the hard way last year what happens when Brian Cashman is forced into signing a player like what happened with Rafael Soriano. Hal and his boys were wrong and Cashman was right. Cashman re-signed this year because he knows he is in charge now. He knows what the plan is. He has a plan. The Yankees will be getting younger and cheaper. Sure, they will be stuck paying A-Rod, Jeter, Tex, and Sabathia for over $20 million per player per year for the next three to six years. But, little by little the money will start to come off the books. Little by little, guys like Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, Mason Williams, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, and on will get their shot wearing pinstripes.

Yankee fans have grown accustomed to going out and fixing any hole with money. The 2009 World Series was won that way. the Yankees threw money at C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. They went on to win the World Series. These Yankees don't operate like that anymore. Think back to 1996. I know it seems like forever ago but you can remember, I'll give you a second. You remember 1996 now? Derek Jeter, the rookie shortstop? Mariano Rivera the flame-throwing second year reliever? Jorge Posada the young catcher who got his first taste of the Majors? Andy Pettitte, the second year starter who blossomed into an ace? Would the Yankees have won any World Series titles if they didn't develop those players? Maybe one, no more than that. OK, now think back to 2005. The Yankees second baseman going into that season was Tony Womack, the free agent acquisition who was supposed to take over the leadoff spot for the Yanks and play second. Well, let me tell you how that turned out, Robinson Cano played 132 games at second that year. Womack was banished to left field and gone from the team after the season, and out of baseball the year after that. Robinson Cano was mentioned in trade talks but Cashman didn't budge. Another Yankee came up in 2005 that had a few good years before getting bitten by the injury bug, Chien Ming Wang. He won 19 games twice for the Yankees before injuries got the better of him.

My point is, some of the best Yankees weren't bought, they were developed. This is why I am glad the Yankees trade for Cliff Lee with the Mariners fell through. Jesus Montero for ten to fifteen years is more valuable than Cliff Lee for five. Granted, not every prospect becomes a great Major Leaguer. For every Robinson Cano there is a Ruben Rivera, Drew Henson, and Ed Yarnall. However, these kids don't cost as much as the A.J. Burnett's, A-Rod's, and on down the line. The way the Yankees are currently being run is the way they should be run. There may not be a World Series win in the immediate future but a few years down the line there will be a few, mark my words. The Yankees are rebuilding without tearing themselves apart. They will make the playoffs but they might not go far. I can deal with that while I watch Jesus Montero develop, Robbie Cano mature into a force, and Mason Williams and Dante Bichette, Jr. climb the ladder in the minors. I can deal with watching Banuelos and Betances struggle if in the long run they realize their potential. I can watch Joba pitch every five days and give the Yankees a solid performance if that's what happens. I can deal with the growing pains of Nova, Hughes, and Montero. Welcome to the new New York Yankees.

Surprise, Surprise

2011-12-28T14:17:00.000-05:00

I figured I would take a look at the most surprising stories, at least for me, in this past year in sports. I know there are still a few days left but there can't be anything too shocking that takes place so here it is, my year in review.

Best Story of the Year: Dallas Mavericks. Their playoff run went through the Lakers and the Heat. Everyone had basically given the Heat the championship at the beginning of the season and those that didn't figured the Lakers would reign. All were wrong. The Mavs used defense and teamwork to overcome every playoff hurdle. I'm not a huge NBA fan, I enjoy watching the Knicks and Nets... occasionally. It was nice to see the Mavs, the underdog every step of the way, pull through.

Worst Story of the Year: Everything that happened at Penn State. The coverups, the ignorance, the elitism. Everything that was ugly about human nature and college athletics was brought into the limelight. One of the best coaches in college football history, Joe Paterno, left disgraced. Jerry Sandusky left a more than just bad press for Penn State in his wake, he left victims who are still trying to overcome their trauma. Everything about this story makes me sick, angry, and disgusted.

Biggest NFL Surprise: Cam Newton. I was wrong about this kid and happy to say it. He rewrote the rookie record books and his future looks as bright as the sun. If this is what he can do as a rookie I wonder what the future holds.

Biggest NFL Disappointment: The Philadelphia Eagles. It takes a lot to overtake the New York Jets in this category but the Eagles have proven, and I wrote about this before the season began (you can find the story in the archives), you don't win the Super Bowl in the offseason.

Biggest MLB Surprise: The Tampa Bay Rays. For most of the season it looked like they were going to be the third place team in the AL East, on the outside looking in. Then, with a little help from the Boston Red Sox, or rather every team that played the Red Sox, the Rays took off and ended up sneaking into the playoffs on a walk-off home run by Evan Longoria. The whole country was abuzz with excitement. The Red Sox choked, the Yankees overcame a 7 game deficit in July to take first, and the Rays snuck into the playoffs. It was the greatest night in baseball history.

Biggest MLB Disappointment: This is a toss up between the Red Sox and Ryan Braun testing positive. The reason Ryan Braun isn't alone here is because there is a chance that his positive test result was an aberration. Besides, the Red Sox collapse was historic. You can't leave history out of this one. The Red Sox were crowned before the season began, see Eagles, Philadelphia, and looked pathetic early on. They caught fire midway into the season and had a 7 game lead on the second place Yankees. It all fell apart from there resulting in the most epic collapse in baseball history. Gone are General Manager Teho Epstein and Manager Terry Francona. The collapse by the Red Sox changed the entire makeup of the Red Sox team that won two World Series' since 2004. Ryan Braun, on the other hand, all I can say is wow. In this day and age, knowing that there are tests, to use use steroids is the epitome of stupid.

Biggest NHL Surprise: The Boston Bruins. Nobody thought they were Stanley Cup contenders. Nobody. They played the game right and won. They were like the Dallas Mavs of the NHL so everything I said about them echoes here.

Biggest NHL Disappointment: Vancouver Canucks. They won 54 games, tallied 117 points and lost in the 7th Game of the Stanley Cup. To make matters worse, the friendly neighbors to the North rioted after the game, turning Vancouver into a war zone for a few hours. The Mayor of Vancouver blamed anarchist thugs. Yeah, and I'm sure the fact that your city provided gathering places around the city with alcohol being sold had nothing to do with it.

Biggest NBA Surprise: Duh, the Mavs. See above.

Biggest NBA Disappointment: The Miami Heat. See above.

Crazy Predictions for 2012:

World Series winner: Philadelphia Phillies
Super Bowl Champions (for the 2012 season): Atlanta Falcons
Stanley Cup Champs: New York Rangers
NBA Champs: Miami Heat

New York, New York

2011-12-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

Half of the New York Metro area had a great Christmas while the other half did not. That's what happens when the Giants and the Jets play on Christmas Eve with the playoffs on the line. There was a lot of talk going into this game, mostly coming from the Jets camp and led by the Great Bloviator Rex Ryan whose mouth is actually bigger than his stomach but whose team's heart isn't nearly as big. OK, OK. So I took a shot at the Jets there. Sorry. Call it leftover hostility from some Jet fans who paraded into this season like they were the big dogs on the block in this city when it came to football. It was only made worse after the Jets beat the Giants in the preseason. Well, now that fifteen games are behind us there is only one team in New York in control of their own playoff destiny, the New York Giants.

OK, now I shall begin the objectivity.

If someone told me Eli Manning would be 9 for 27 I would have told you the Giants would lose. Enter Victor Cruz, the most prolific receiver the Giants have ever had. He saved the Giants and deflated the Jets with his 99 yard TD catch and run.

If you would have told me Mark Sanchez would complete 30 passes and have a worse QB rating than Eli Manning in this game I would have asked you when you were going to rehab. But, Eli had a 61.5 rating and Sanchez owned a 54.2 rating.

I can't understand why the Jets coaching staff thought it was a good idea to pass the ball 59 times. 59! And, that's not including the five sacks Sanchez took. What went through the heads of the Jets coaching staff to drop Sanchez back 64 times in a game? Why wouldn't they run the ball more? It made no sense. This isn't Sanchez's fault. His offensive line has been awful most of the season and the Giants are one of the better pass rushing teams in the NFL. Sure, the Giants secondary has been exploited a lot this year but you don't drop your QB back 64 times. That is insane. It's not like Shonn Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson were doing a bad job running the football. The Jets as a team rushed the ball 25 times for 105 yards. The failure of the Jets coaching staff to adapt their strategy during the game shows that they didn't know how to adapt. Maybe they don't.

During the first half, the Giants were held to 6 rushing yards. At the end of the game they had accumulated 115 yards on 26 carries. Whatever was working for the Jets defense obviously didn't translate into the second half. Again, it comes back to the Jets coaching staff. They weren't able to adapt to the Giants game plan.

Darrelle Revis talked a good game all week and backed it up. He is the best corner in football. He spent the afternoon shutting down Hakeem Nicks who only had one catch for twenty yards. Revis, for the most part, looked like he was a part of Nicks' jersey. The rest of the Jets secondary did a very good job...with the exception of a few plays. One of those being Cruz's 99-yard TD. Cruz was the target of a lot of criticism from some Jets going into this week. They made it seem like he was a nobody. Now, he will haunt their dreams.

The Jets, overall, are a good football team. There is talent on the roster. However, they are not a Super Bowl contending team. They are far from it. Their offensive line needs a lot of work. Their defensive line does not get to the quarterback often enough, causing the Jets to blitz too much. Aside from Darrelle Revis, the Jets secondary can be either very good or very bad. The loss of Jim Leonhard hurts a lot. He was the QB of that secondary. There doesn't seem to be any consistency in the unit after Revis.

The Jets linebackers are excellent. However, they are asked to pick up the slack too often for a line that can't get to the quarterback. This opens up the middle of the field for opponents to exploit. If the Jets want to be Super Bowl contenders they need a monster like Jared Allen, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Babin...someone like that who can create havoc on the opposing quarterback. Right now Aaron Maybin is their leader in sacks with 6. That is nowhere near good enough. The Jets as a team have 34 sacks, most coming from linebackers and blitz packages. That is not a good sign. It's not like they have DeMarcus Ware back there, someone who can get to the QB when sent on a blitz. David Harris, Calvin Pace, and Bart Scott are all good linebackers. However, they are not QB killers. If the Giants, for example, had those three linebackers to go along with the front four, the Giants defense would be head and shoulders better than they are now.

The bottom line is the Jets are taking steps backwards this season. The Giants, meanwhile seem to be running in place.

Injuries have decimated the Giants this season. They lost their best corner in Terrell Thomas before they even played a single regular season game. Then they lost their starting middle linebacker in Jon Goff. Then one of their more dynamic wide receivers in Domenik Hixon. Their big free-agent pick-up, center David Baas has spent a bunch of time on the sidelines with neck and head injuries. Marvin Austin, a rookie who was to be counted on to fill the middle was lost for the season before he even played a game. First round pick, Prince Amukamara, didn't play in his first game until November 20th and the lack of practice and game experience are showing in the limited amount of playing time he has had. However, he has shown glimpses of being a very good corner and should only improve going into next season.

Despite all the injuries, the Giants have once again proven to be a first-half team. The second half collapses the Giants have continued to undergo while under Tom Coughlin's leadership are mind-boggling. The talent is there. they ran with Green Bay and could have beaten them. They beat New England. The talent is there, contrary to the Jets. But, for whatever reason, the Giants come up wanting in the second half of the season year in and year out. They are, however, still the better team in New York. That, however, isn't saying much these days. Once again, New York will be watching two teams from outside the city (or Jersey as the case is) competing for the Lombardi trophy.

What's funny is if you combine Rex Ryan and Tom Coughlin you have the ultimate coach. Unfortunately, that won't happen, just like a Super Bowl...or the playoffs, for either team.

That's right, I said the Giants won't make the playoffs. They have had their chances time and time again and have come up short this season. Dallas comes into Giants Stadium, or MetLife Stadium as it is now formally called, and will beat the Giants. Not because Dallas is a better team. Not on paper they aren't. Dallas will win because Giants fans are riding high right now. Giants players are patting themselves on the back. And, worst of all, Giants players are talking smack about Dallas. So far this season, the Giants have disappointed every time they raise expectations. This week will be no different. This will be the third straight year the Giants miss the playoffs and Tom Coughlin will retire at the end of the year. I don't know who will replace him. I doubt it would be someone like Rob Ryan because he isn't the Mara type. Whomever it is, he will have a very good team to take over and will guide the Giants to the playoffs because this team is the most playoff ready team in New York. The New York Giants are the most Super Bowl ready team in New York...sadly, that isn't saying too much.

Hall of What?

2011-12-22T09:59:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the list of first-year eligible players on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot? Not exactly a team of all-stars by any stretch. Let's take a look at the 13 first time eligible players:

Bernie Williams, CF, Yankees. Probably the most deserving of any of the new candidates for Hall consideration. I don't know if that is a compliment to Bernie or an insult to the rest of the field. Bernie was a very good player. He won a batting title in 1998, won 4 Gold Gloves, made 5 All-Star appearances, and won a Silver Slugger in 2002. He finished his career with a .297 batting average, 287 home runs and 1257 RBI. He eclipsed 100 RBI 5 times in his career and 90 RBI 7 times. He gets a slight boost because he did this without steroids. He only hit 30 home runs once in his career but hit more than 20 homers 7 times during his career. He also drove in a record 80 runs in the postseason which has to count for something. Is he deserving of the Hall of Fame? Probably not. However, he was a main cog on 4 World Series winning teams and did accumulate 2,336 hits and scored 1,366 runs. Not shabby but not enough to make the Hall.

Vinny Castilla, 3B, Rockies. He put up some monster years in Coors Field before they figured out the humidor. Leads all Mexican-born Major Leaguers in home runs (320), hits (1,884), runs (902), and RBI (1,105). For a power hitter those numbers just aren't enough to garner Hall consideration.

Jeromy Burnitz, OF. From 1997 to 2004 he averaged 31 homers and 94 RBI. Still, he only had 315 homers and 981 RBI in his career while hitting .253. Sorry, Jeromy, you don't make it.

Brian Jordan, OF. Jordan was a fairly good player. He also started 31 NFL games for the Falcons. Sadly, being a fairly good player doesn't make you eligible for the Hall. Neither does hitting 184 homers or hitting .282.

Ruben Sierra, OF/DH. Oh, Ruben. You came into the league with such promise. Then your ego got ahold of you. The Rangers once traded Jose Canseco for him, when both players were considered to be among the best in the game. The Yankees traded Danny Tartabull to the A's for Sierra, got sick of Sierra's attitude and flipped him in 1996 for Cecil Fielder. The Yankees won the World Series and Sierra famously quipped that he didn't like Joe Torre because all he cared about was winning. Wow. Ruben changed organizations a whopping 16 times, including 3 times with the Rangers and twice with the Yankees. His career numbers of .268, 306 homers, and 1,322 RBI are not worthy of a Hall election, especially after 20 seasons in the Bigs. He will best be remembered for changing his attitude and becoming a good bat off the bench for the Yankees in early to mid-2000's.

Brad Radke, P, Twins. Radke was a decent pitcher. However, he was also an unlucky one. He led the league three times...in losses once (16 in 2000) and home runs surrendered twice (32 in 1995 and 40 in 1996). Those kind of distinctions are not exactly Hall material. Radke did win 20 games once, in 1997 and played for the Twins when they were awful. Still, you can't sport a 4.22 career ERA into any Hall, let alone the Hall of Fame. It also doesn't help when you averaged almost a home run given up per start, 326 in 378 games.

Terry Mulholland, P. Terry helped the Phillies to the 1993 World Series. You know, the one where Joe Carter showed Mitch Williams what to do with his fastball? Terry was a mediocre starting pitcher. But, because he was lefty was able to carve out a 20 year career with 15 teams. Finished with a 124-142 win/loss record and a 4.41 ERA. Ummm, sorry Terry.

Javy Lopez, C. Lopez was an excellent hitting catcher. He was even a 3x All-Star, something not many first year eligible players can say this go-around. He even drove in 100 runs twice in his career! At least he can say he was a good player and has a World Series ring to show for it.

Bill Mueller, 3B. When your career is only 11 years long it either says you suffered a catastrophic injury or you were mediocre. I'm not even sure which category he falls in. He did win a batting title in 2003, never made an All-Star game, but did help Boston win their first World Series in 86 years. So, there's that.

Phil Nevin, 1B/3B/OF. I was amazed to find out he made an All-Star game (2001 as a Padre) and he did hit 41 homers once (also 2001). His career numbers of .270, 208 homers, and 743 RBI are nice enough to make you a few million dollars over the course of a career but that's it.

Tim Salmon, OF. Started his career off right, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1993. He then finished in the top ten for MVP twice (he finished 7th both times in 1995 and 1997) in his first five years in the league. Then the injuries started. From 1998 until his retirement in 2006, Salmon would play in over 150 games only once (158 in 2000). He missed the entire 2005 season as well. He was a very good player who never made an All-Star team, never led the league in anything and finished 1 homer shy of 300. He was a good player, one I wouldn't mind roaming the corner on my team. If he had stayed healthy he might actually garner some interest but alas...

Tony Womack, 2B (sort of). Womack might be most famous for driving in the game-tying run in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. I was shocked to learn he made an All-Star team but then I saw it was with the Pirates back when I was the second best player on the Pirates and I never played baseball professionally. Womack did lead the league in triples once (14 in 2000) and stolen bases three times (1997-1999). So umm, yeah, at least he made $4 million from the Yankees for only hitting .249 and driving in only 15 runs while hitting 0 homers but he did steal 27 bases. Sorry, Tony, but you need to buy a ticket to visit the Hall.

Eric Young, 2B. He was a very good player and had some wheels on him. Unfortunately, when you are a base stealer you don't want to lead the league in caught stealing more than stolen bases (2 to 1). Still, Young was a nice player and there isn't much else to say about him.

So, ummm, wow. A player needs at least 5% of the vote to get on the next year's ballot and I think Bernie should get that. He was an excellent player on one of the best teams in baseball. That will count for something but not enough to allow him entry into the Hall of Fame but he should get his own plaque out there in Monument Park. He also plays a mean classical guitar.

Yu Gotta Be Kidding Me

2011-12-21T15:37:00.001-05:00

The Texas Rangers have won the rights to negotiate a contract with Japanese star pitcher Yu Darvish with a $51.8 million bid. That's a lot of dough for a an unproven commodity. Many thought the Yankees would be the favorite to land the Japanese import but the Yankees have become...wait for it...FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE! That's right, the Yankees didn't go out and spend like crazy for Yu Darvish, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and C.J. Wilson. They were scared away by the money being thrown at Mark Buehrle. They didn't even glance in the direction of Jose Reyes. Why? Because baseball's new labor agreement is taking aim at teams that exceed the luxury tax. The Yankees are sick of paying for everyone else to field a team and, quite frankly, I don't blame them.

The Yankees plan is to get under the $189 million luxury tax threshold by 2014. That won't be easy. Currently, the Yankees have a ton of money invested in Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and C.C. Sabathia. That's about $85 million when you factor in pensions and other benefits and the like. Three players, essentially $85 million gone. Rodriguez also gets a $6 million bonus for hitting home run #714 so if he does that, an unlikely scenario but a scenario nonetheless, add on another $6 million. That puts it at $91 million for the 2014 payroll and the Yankees haven't paid Robinson Cano yet. That could cost as much as $22 million or more. Now, the Yankees need to field a catcher, a center fielder, a left fielder, a right fielder, and a DH. Curtis Granderson should be a Yankee for a while but he could be very expensive in the future, at least $15 million. Derek Jeter also has an $8 million player option for 2014. This money is going bye-bye faster than a Kim Kardashian marriage.

I know what you are thinking, fellow Yankee fans. How do the Yankees actually get UNDER $189 million? Sure, the Yankees could try to trade away a contract or two. But, realistically, who will take on Rodriguez's contract or even Mark Teixeira's? A trade won't happen unless the Yankees eat most of the contract, kind of like what is happening with A.J. Burnett right now. By the way, Burnett will be off the books by 2014 in case you were wondering.

You know why the Yankees aren't giving up on their prospects? They are the replacements for the aging, high-priced veterans the Yankees have clogged their roster with. Figure if Jeter does come back in 2014 he will be in his twilight, most likely his last season or two. Also, who knows how long Rodriguez is physically capable of playing third base. His hips aren't getting any better and age will not help any. So, they could be in the market for a third baseman. Could Brandon Laird be that guy? Doubtful but possible.

Don't expect the Yankees to go crazy signing anyone in the next few years. Instead, start to get to know Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Jesus Montero, Mason Williams, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, J.R. Murphy, Zoilo Almonte, Dante Bichette, Jr. and a host of other prospects in the Yankees system. They will be replacing the older veterans. There is no way the Yankees can re-sign Nick Swisher after his contract is up. There is no way they sign Cole Hamels next year. There is no way they can afford to bring in any big-name free agent. Instead they will be relying on the young kids to take their place.

This is a complete philosophical change from Yankee teams in the past. George Steinbrenner's Yankees are gone. These are Hal's Yankees now. Fiscally responsible. In a lot of ways this will work out in the Yankees favor. They have an excellent scouting department and have uncovered a lot of talent in recent years. It also means no more A.J. Burnett contracts. That's a good thing. It also means no more Pedro Feliciano contracts. No more giving $4 million per year to a lefty veteran who blows out his arm without throwing a big league pitch in Pinstripes. Did you see what the Yankees did with the bullpen this past season? Did you see Luis Ayala put up a decent season? How about Cory Wade? The Yankees bullpen was one of the best in the game and it featured guys taken off the scrap heap or developed in their own system. Rafael Soriano was the exception. Expect David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, or some other prospect the Yankees bring up to get first crack at replacing Mariano Rivera. Don't expect the Yankees to go out and sign away some other closer from elsewhere. It ain't gonna happen. It can't happen if the Yankees are serious about this luxury tax threshold.

Free agents are not going to be raking in the kind of money they are now. No team wants to put themselves in a position to pay half of their payroll in luxury tax for being a repeat offender. On a $190 million payroll that would be $95 million in taxes. That is crazy. Think of it like a salary cap of sorts. Free agents will have to take less because teams won't offer as much. It's the way of the future in baseball. If the Yankees went into 2014 without changing the way they operate they would pay $105 million in taxes on a $210 million payroll. That's $315 million for player salaries alone. That is unsustainable. The Yankees need to change. They need to adapt. It starts now. This is why there was no Yu Darvish under the Christmas tree for Yankee fans and there will be no Yoenis Cespedes to ring in the new year. There will be no Prince Fielder at DH. No Cole Hamels to keep Yankees fans warm next winter. The times are changing.

Top Five Yankees Prospects

2011-12-21T14:34:00.000-05:00

I am by no means an expert, just a man with an opinion and a love for Yankees baseball. That qualifies me to put in my two cents on future Yankee stars with my Top 5 Prospect List right? Well, you're here and I'm writing it so you might as well read it.

1. Jesus Montero, C. He finally got his taste of the Majors this year and did not disappoint. He hit .328 with 4 homers and drove in 12 runs over 18 games. He sported a slash line of .328/.406/.590/.996. To have an OPS of .996 in your first big league taste is sick, like off the charts sick. He showed great opposite field power, using right field like his own personal landing zone. The potential has always been there offensively. It was his defense that many people questioned. The Yankees let him get a feel for action behind the plate, having him catch in 3 games. They will allow him to catch more this year while giving him the majority of his at-bats at DH. He is going to be a spectacular player and the Yankees will be glad they never traded him, even for Cliff Lee.

2. Manny Banuelos, P. This small lefty has kept his spot in the Top 3 because he is still very young, he won't be 21 until March, still has a lot of talent, and should get his first taste of the Majors this season. He didn't have a phenomenal season last year at AAA but you can't expect a kid, and he was the youngest player in AAA after getting called up, taking the distinction away from Jesus Montero, to dominate at every level. His walk rate rose a little, allowing 19 free passes in 34.1 innings at Scranton. However, his strikeout rate remained the same. Pitching is about learning and Banuelos showed he is a learner. He still projects to be a top of the rotation starter and should see some time in the Majors this season.

3. Dellin Betances, P. Betances got his feet wet in the Majors this season and showed he needed more seasoning. He walked 6 in 2.2 innings and sported a 6.75 ERA. The good news? Opponents hit only .125 off of him in those 2.2 innings. Betances has loads of talent. He suffers from loss of control at times but that can be corrected. He didn't do especially well in Scranton, making 4 starts and walking 15 in 21 innings. If he can cut the walks down he projects to a top of the rotation starter. There is a reason his name comes up along with Montero and Banuelos in every trade discussion. The Yankees are right in holding onto him.

4. Mason Williams, OF. He really seemed to put it together last season at Staten Island. His slash line was very nice for a 19 year-old, ..349/.395/.468/.863. The power isn't there and I'm not sure he will become a power hitter in the future but this kid has tools to work with. He has speed, is very good defensively, can steal bases, and make contact with the ball. He can be a dynamic player for years to come if last season is any indication. He won't hit for enough power to be a corner outfielder but when he is ready to take over centerfield for the Yankees Curtis Granderson should be sliding over to left or right.

5. Gary Sanchez, C. He was one of the top prospects in all of baseball going into last season. Then, he decided he was too cool for school and started acting out. The Yankees sent him down a level and humbled him very quickly. Then, he started to produce again. He is very young, still only 19, and immaturity can sometimes be part of dealing with young players. When he slumped early he acted out and found out that isn't the way to deal with things. If he can realize he needs to work his ass off to get to the Majors and continue to work he could be Montero-like, or better. However, he needs to prove it.

Honorable Mentions: Dante Bichette, Jr., 3B. Austin Romine, C. Slade Heathcott, OF. Ravel Santana, P. J.R. Murphy, C/1B. Adam Warren, P. David Phelps, P.

Welcome to Bizarro World

2011-12-11T18:23:00.001-05:00

I know it's been a while since I last posted and for that I apologize.

The baseball world has gone completely insane in the past couple of weeks. The Yankees announced they want to cut payroll to $189 million by 2014 to avoid hefty luxury taxes and the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have gone insane and have shelled out over $400 million on four players. The Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson within hours of each other and the Marlins, who offered Pujols more money than the Angels did, signed Jose Reyes and Mark Buerhle. The Angels alone spent almost $400 million in new contracts for two players. Owner Arte Moreno only paid $186 million for the whole franchise when he bought the team years ago. I bet they will regret those contracts, each team and each contract beofre they are all half-done.

The Mets were right to let Jose Reyes leave. He last played a near full season in 2008 when he appeared in 159 games. He has appeared in 36, 133, and 126 games over the past three seasons. He is a big injury risk with his hamstrings seemingly giving out every other month. That money is best used elsewhere for the Mets who are obviously rebuilding. I don't know if they should trade David Wright right now but they would be foolish not to listen to offers and see what falls in their laps. I think Sandy Alderson stole from the Giants in the Angel Pagan trade. Great job by him getting back Ramon Ramirez and Andres Torres. Torres is essentially the same player as Pagan and Ramirez will be a useful arm out of the bullpen. Alderson also did well in signing Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco. At worst Alderson might be able to flip those two at the deadline for prospects.

The Yankees are staying true to their word so far this offseason and have not gotten involved with C.J. Wilson, Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle, or anyone else because they deem the price tags too high. Both Pujols and Wilson's agents contacted the Yankees but were rebuffed. Yankees GM Brian Cashman feels that the pricetag is too high on Edwin Jackson as well and has not shown any interest. In a thin free agent market, Cashman is being wise not to overspend for questionable talent. He could jump in if the price tag comes down but right now it makes no sense. He is also offering $8 million to anyone who takes A.J. Burnett off of his hands. So, who will the Yankees feature in their rotation next season? After C.C. Sabathia there are nothing but question marks. Hughes has to show he can stay healthy and can get back to being the pitcher of the first half of 2010. Ivan Nova has to show that last season was not a fluke. Freddy Garcia has to prove last season was not an enigma as he wore down late last season. A.J. Burnett has to prove he can be an above replacement level pitcher, something he has not done in the past two years. Hector Noesi is doing well in Winter Ball but has a lot to prove. Can one of the young, highly touted prospects out of Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances step up? Will Adam Warren, David Phelps, or D.J. Mitchell be this year's Ivan Nova? so many questions, few answers. It remains to be seen if the Yankees put a bid on Yu Darvish but if they win the bid adding him should at least give another choice to the multiple choice question.

The New York Rangers are one of the best teams I have seen wear the blue sweater in years. They play team hockey, have an outstanding goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist, and have improved their special teams play. They still make stupid penalties here and there and will need to improve in that area going forward but at least they are overcoming their deficiencies. Also, they are playing without their number one defenseman in Marc Staal and are watching Brandon Dubinsky go through a recession in production. All in all, though, the Rangers should be in contention until the end.

Victor Cruz! That's all you need to say about that subject.

And finally, Jake Ballard and the giants were robbed of a TD in the Packers game. Instead of having a touchdown, the Giants had to settle for a field goal. Who knows how the game might have played out if the refs made the right call? Here is photo evidence of Ballard's knee being inbounds when it touched the ground:

I promise to update the blog more often.

Yankees and Free Agency

2011-11-08T15:14:00.000-05:00

The Yankees are entering this offseason without a lot of fanfare. There is no C.C. Sabathia (well, not since the Yankees re-signed him anyway), no Cliff Lee, and no Mark Teixeira. There is an Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder but the Yankees are not going to go after those two because they are set at first base. The general consensus is that Texas Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson is the best starter on the market. However, his October struggles this year might have scared a couple of teams away from offering him a big contract, including the Yankees. However, Wilson did go 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA with 206 strikeouts in 223.1 regular season innings. that stands in stark contrast to his postseason numbers of 0-3, 5.79 ERA, and 26 K's in 28 innings. He walked 19 batters in the postseason and gave up 6 homers after walking 74 and giving up 16 homers during the regular season. Which pitcher is Wilson? That is the question Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to ask himself and find out an answer to. Is Wilson worth an offer similar to the one the Yankees offered Cliff Lee? No. Is he worth an offer similar to A.J. Burnett? Yes, I would say so. Surely Wilson is better than A.J. and better than John Lackey so he will get a bigger contract than those two. The question is, can Cashman afford to have Wilson, Sabathia, and Burnett on the same payroll? Not many teams would be able to. The Yankees can afford it but it hampers their long-term flexibility.

The Yankees need a number two starter. Ivan Nova certainly gave the Yankees a lot of hope down the stretch last season and they have to hope he continues to develop along those lines. However, young pitching can be very finicky as evidenced by Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Counting on young pitching is not something the Yankees can afford but will gladly take contributions from if available. Will Phil Hughes bounce back and resemble the guy who won 18 games only two seasons ago? Will Ivan Nova fall back to earth or will he continue to exceed expectations? Will A.J. Burnett contribute anything of value going forward or will he just be a newer version of Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers, or Javier Vazquez? Will the Yankees roll the dice on guys like Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon again and hope they can contribute as they did last season? Surely Freddy Garcia deserves a new deal, nothing long term but something. There are so many questions surrounding the Yankees rotation for the second straight year. Cashman needs to find a solution. Wilson is the biggest name but is he the best solution?

Cashman has a couple of options entering the free agency period. He can avoid giving up a draft pick for someone like Wilson and bid to receive the services of Japanese ace Yu Darvish. There is a lot of talk about the Yankees past experiences with Japanese pitchers but Darvish is not Hideki Irabu or Kei Igawa. The Yankees admitted they didn't scout Igawa enough and reacted to the Red Sox signing of Daiske Matsuzaka. Darvish is only 25 years old and has pitched well in world tournaments like the World Baseball Classic. Sure, the history of Japanese pitchers having great success in the Major Leagues is not the best but it isn't devoid of success. Can Darvish buck the trend? Darvish is a high risk-high reward prospect, someone who can either be that top starter or someone who will remind the Yankees never to dabble in Japanese pitching ever again. Then again, nobody thought Japanese hitters could survive in the Majors and yet Ichiro is one his way to a Hall of Fame career and Hideki Matsui was the Yankees World Series MVP in 2009 so you can't judge one person based on the experiences of others. I would like to see the Yankees go after Darvish who I am willing to bet will be better than Igawa and Irabu. Most importantly, signing Darvish won't require the surrender of a draft pick. No matter what the Yankees do, if Darvish is posted they should make every attempt to get him. He might not be an ace but he might be good enough to hold down the fort while prospects like Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos get more seasoning at AAA. Darvish also represents a safer option to C.J. Wilson because he is five years younger and has, at this stage, a more lively fastball.

Cashman has gone into this offseason preaching about being conservative. What this means exactly is anybody's guess. It could mean he will chase someone like Mark Buehrle, who has pitched his entire career in the American League and has shown he can shut down an opposing offense on any given day as evidenced by his perfect game. Buehrle has not pitched less than 200 innings since his rookie campaign in 2001 so health is not a huge concern. He is 32 years old so age and mileage might come into question if he is asking for a long term deal. However, he is a known commodity, one that will give your team a chance to win every time out. His career ERA sits at 3.83, not bad considering he played a majority of his career in the steroids era of the longball and big offense. He won 13 games last year for a horrible White Sox club and posted a 3.59 ERA and 1.30 WHIP while owning a 4.8 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and .92 HR/9 and getting hitters to hit groundballs 44.9% of the time. Not terrible. On the surface Buehrle reminds me a lot of Andy Pettitte and, if he doesn't require a long term deal, could be just what the Yankees are looking for. He is no stranger to postseason play, having won a World Series with the White sox. His groundball numbers will not be a problem with the Yankees defense playing behind him so Buehrle could thrive in Yankee Stadium.

Right now the Yankees don't have much in the way of top prospects ready to contribute at the Major League level. Sure, Betances and Banuelos will be at AAA but they haven't exactly had much experience beyond a few starts at that level. Betaces got his feet wet this year and showed real promise but that is such a limited sample size you can't take anything away from that. Adam Warren and David Phelps are the two starters most ready for the majors but neither is projected as a top of the rotation starter. Granted, neither was Ivan Nova and look at what he gave the Yankees this year. However, do the Yankees want to enter the 2012 season with a rotation of Sabathia, Hughes, Garcia, Nova, and Burnett and Warren/Phelps battling amongst Garcia, Hughes, and Nova for a spot? Would the Yankees be better off with Sabathia, Buehrle, Nova, Hughes, and Burnett with Darvish/Warren/Phelps waiting in the minors to take over? Maybe Hughes goes to the bullpen and if he does that further complicates matters. Maybe the Yankees aren't planning on bringing A.J. along for the ride anymore. Maybe Cashman is comfortable using Warren and Phelps until Betances and Banuelos are ready. If I know the Yankees I think they will bring back Garcia, sign a pitcher or two amongst the Wilson, Darvish, and Buehrle group, maybe add another starter from among the second tier pitchers like Edwin Jackson for good measure, and hope that they have a surplus of pitching so that they can trade for any spare parts that pop up along the way while being able to retain top prospects like Jesus Montero, Banuelos, Betances, and Gary Sanchez. One thing is certain, the Yankees do not need much, if any help on the offensive side of the ball. This offseason should be all about stockpiling pitching because we have seen it is pitching that wins championships and having too much doesn't exist.

First and Goal

2011-11-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

- I think Eli went a long way in quieting his critics with his come from behind win over Tom Brady and the Patriots this past Sunday. Eli now has the best 4th quarter quarterback rating in all of football. Not too bad for a guy who many Giants fans wanted to run out of town only a month ago.

- I don't think I have ever seen an implosion like the one that has been occurring in Boston since the beginning of September. Not only did they blow a huge lead but they blew up their team afterwards with GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona bolting from the franchise. Epstein is now in Chicago with the Cubs to tackle a bigger curse and Francona is free to take another managerial job elsewhere (Chicago?) or to get into broadcasting which he did pretty well in his limited use during the American League Playoffs. Boston now will be without John Lackey next season and is facing big free agent decisions on closer Jonathan Papelbon and DH David Ortiz. With all the tumult that is surrounding this team I can't envision big free agents rushing to Boston. Just ask Carl Crawford how that worked out last season.

- The New York Giants are facing the toughest schedule in all of football over the rest of the season. However, they currently hold a two game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East and bolstered their confidence by going into New England and beating the Patriots on their home turf, something no team has done since 2008 when Matt Cassell was the starting quarterback while Brady recovered from injury. Nobody expected the Giants to be where they are now at this point in the season, not after losing their best cornerback in Terrell Thomas and losing key players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith and overhauling their offensive line over the condensed offseason. If the Giants can continue to play good football and force more turnovers than they give up they can be a Super Bowl contender. There are a lot of ifs and the Giants have been getting hit hard by the injury bug all season long but the chance is there and thats all a fan of any team ever asks for.

- The San Francisco Giants traded once top prospect to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.Sanchez struggled with his control this year but has very good stuff. IF the Royals can keep him healthy and Sanchez can find the strike zone the Royals might have a very good number two or three starter as they continue to introduce their young prospects to the Majors. The fact that Sanchez is still just 28 years old and helped carry the Giants to the 2010 World Series Championship represents a huge win for the Royals. Cabrera, although coming off of a career year, was made expendable by Lorenzo Cain who hit .312 at AAA this year and is a cheaper option for the Royals. Great job by the Royals. I have one mantra in baseball and that is never trade a possible impact arm for a fill-in bat.

- I don't understand how caddie Steve Williams' comments about Tiger Woods made global news. I don't believe there should be room for racism in sports but I also don't see how Williams' comment of wanting to "shove it up his [Wodds'] black arsehole" after winning a tournament with his new golfer was overtly racist. OK, so he mentioned the part-color of Woods' skin. Racially insensitive? Absolutely. Racist? No. I am sure Williams regrets those comments, something said in the heat of the moment in a relaxed atmosphere but I don't think the man is racist. I know he was a friend of Woods' through the many years he caddied for him and the two had a falling out after Williams left Woods following Tiger's sexual escapades and fall from the top in golf. One comment does not make a man racist. Silly, yes. I think the media is making way to much of this and should relax. Society has become so sensitive these days. Would there be any uproar if a black caddie had mentioned a white arsehole? Nope, probably not and rightfully so. Had Williams mentioned another golfer and said "white" in front of his statement people would have laughed and moved on.

- The New York Rangers look they are finding their stride. After a long and difficult road trip that saw them playing in Europe, then on Long Island, then on the West Coast, the Rangers returned home to the Garden and won 4 of 6 during that homestand giving them a 7-3-3 record in the teams first 13 games. Marian Gaborik seems to have found new life, Ryan Callahan continues to progress, Brad Richards is showing why he was the #1 free agent target of the off-season, and the Rangers have shown an ability to score on the power play as well, something that haunted them all of last season. And, they are still playing without Marc Staal, arguably their best defenseman. This team should only get better.

- It is looking like the Colts will be winners of the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. I can't see them discarding Peyton Manning and pinning their hopes on a rookie QB but I can see Andrew Luck sitting behind Peyton for a couple of years, like Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre, and then taking the starting job. I can also see some team willing to give up three #1 picks to obtain the rights to Luck. Either way the Colts are sitting pretty.

- Does anyone really notice there is no NBA right now? I mean seriously? Football, on both the collegiate and pro levels has been phenomenal and even the NHL has been enjoying a slight resurgence. Personally, I'll wait for college basketball as the pro game has lost all credibility with me. First its refs fixing games, then its stars getting calls despite the lack of fouls, now its a lack of agreement on financials between owners and players. The NBA didn't learn a thing from the NFL lockout and probably won't. So long, NBA, who cared to begin with?

Bring on the Offseason

2011-10-07T14:07:00.001-04:00

The Yankees season is officially over. It still hurts a little to say that but that's what happens when you load the bases twice in a game with one out and fail to score one run. Now, it is time to look forward to next year, if we can do that already. The free agency picture isn't completely clear right now because there are a lot of guys with options and a few with opt out clauses. However, we know the Yankees will have to be busy this winter because some of those options and opt-outs are currently on the roster.

Right now, the Yankees hold options on Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher. Cano is a no-brainer but I'm not so sure about Swisher. Sure, Swisher hits well enough in the regular season but his post-season numbers are atrocious. He has hit .169 in 5 ALDS series, 3 ALCS, and 1 World Series. .169! This past ALDS he hit .211 for the Yankees with 1 homer and 1 RBI. He doesn't do anything particularly well, hitting between 20-30 homers but has hit over 30 (35) only once and that was in 2006. He isn't worth the $10 million that the Yankees will have to pay him if they pick up his option. Sorry, Swisher, but your days of saluting in right field at Yankee Stadium are over.

C.C. Sabathia can opt out of his contract and elect for free agency. I see him opting out but I don't know if the Yankees will let him walk away. Yes, his conditioning is a major issue. I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher add weight during the season since David Wells and it looks like Sabathia ate all of Wells' portions on top of his own. Sabathia made three appearances in this ALDS and gave up at least one run in every single appearance. Not good. Sabathia needs to learn about how to get fit. Imagine what he could do if he stayed in shape?

Jorge Posada's Yankee career is over. There is no reason to get nostalgic over a 40-year old DH who had a great ALDS this year. It seemed as if Posada was always starting or always in the middle of a rally. He will be missed, as all Yankee legends are, but it is time for the Yankees to bring Jesus Montero up and give him a shot. Montero is younger and is probably a much bigger offensive threat at this point. The time has come to let the next generation of Yankee stars show what they can do.

As for the Yankee rotation, well let's just say there is no sure thing in this rotation at all. Sabathia can opt out. Burnett is a disaster, ALDS start included. Nova had a great year but he hasn't shown he can do this year and year out. Phil Hughes was a complete mystery this year. Bartolo Colon is probably done, his fighting with C.C. over post-game spreads won't be tolerated and the Yankees really don't want to bring back a 40-year old pitcher with health issues. They were lucky this season and shouldn't roll the dice on him again. Freddy Garcia pitched very well and was probably the Yankees most consistent starter all year long. The Yankees wouldn't be going out on a limb to give him a one or two-year deal and see what he can do.

I would expect the Yankees to target at least one starting pitcher this offseason even if Sabathia opts out and re-signs. C.J. Wilson, a lefty who has done nothing but win the last two years is probably going to get the phone call from GM Brian Cashman, who the Yankees also need to re-sign. After Wilson the talent level drops off, depending on options and opt-outs. Mark Buehrle of the White Sox has hinted at retirement but is still 33 years-old and has the ability to shut down opponents. He might get a courtesy call this winter from the Yankees as well.

Right now, none of the Yankees top pitching prospects are ready for the Majors. Adam Warren and David Phelps might be the closest but they are middle of the road prospects, not like Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances who projects as top two starters. Maybe the Yankees see what Warren can do, Nova, after all wasn't a top prospect either but he learned how to pitch. Either way I expect the Yankees to give one of Warren and Phelps a shot and for them to sign at least one other starter (Wilson) to go with Sabathia and Burnett and Nova. Phil Hughes will remain a question mark for the time being because of whatever arm issues he was dealing with. He pitched very well out of the pen and the Yankees could use him there. Having a bullpen that has Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano, Phil Hughes, Boone Logan, David Robertson, Luis Ayala, Cory Wade, and Mariano Rivera in the mix is something to hang your hat on. Whomever doesn't make the team in Spring Training out of the Hughes, Wade, Ayala group could be used in a trade.

As for the offense, well there are a lot of question marks here even with Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez being penciled in. A-Rod was not the same player he was before all of the injuries sapped him of his ability to hit. The Yankees might consider using him at DH more next year to keep him fresh. Eduardo Nunez was terrible in the field but was pretty good offensively and on the base paths. He could continue to spell A-Rod at third while he DH's. Another option might be to have A-Rod see what right field is like. Certainly he has the speed to cover ground out there and the wear and tear is nothing like it is at third. If A-Rod wants to show he is all about the team he should volunteer to take some fly balls out there. You never know, he could save his career out there. Jesus Montero showed what he was capable of and the Yankees will have to find a way to get his young, explosive bat into the lineup. He could be the backup catcher when he isn't DHing and should show the world why it was smart for the Yankees not to trade him. He is certainly better than Francisco Cervelli on both ends of the plate and it only makes sense for the Yankees to do this. If A-Rod DH's more than Montero can spell Martin behind the plate more often. The fact is the Yankees need to get his bat into this lineup. As for Swisher, he should not be brought back, as mentioned before. The Yankees would save themselves a lot of money and heartache in the postseason. Replacements for him aren't clear yet. I think the Yankees might kick the tires on Grady Sizemore or Jason Kubel. Sizemore has an injury history longer than Carl Pavano's, ok maybe not that bad, but this once promising player has seen his career go awry because he can't stay healthy. He is still only 29 or so and can be an upgrade over Swisher in right field if healthy. If the Yankees were willing to gamble on Colon, why not Sizemore who is younger? As for a utility guy I am a fan of bringing in Mark DeRosa who is a free agent. He can play anywhere on the field and has a .358 career postseason average. He is up there in age (37 next year) but can still hit, he hit .279 this season for San Francisco in a limited role and has shown his bat has some pop. He is also a Yankee fan who attended Bergen Catholic and he might be so excited to be a Yankee he surprises people. at worst you get a guy who plays solid defense everywhere he plays and will slap singles all over the field. He won't be expensive at all and has dreamed of being a Yankee since he was young. The Yankees need a guy like this who understands his role, has won a World Series and has performed in the postseason on a consistently great level.

The Yankees are in for a busy off-season. The first step is getting a GM in place, whether it is Cashman or a replacement. Then, bring in a starting pitcher, re-sign C.C., exercise option on Cano, hope Soriano opts out of his contract, stay away from ANY relievers in free agency, and find a new right fielder. It should be interesting to say the least.

Looking Back...Swami I am Not

2011-09-29T20:47:00.001-04:00

OK, the baseball season is now officially over, and what a finish it was. Who would have thought that the Red Sox would lose after taking a 3-2 lead into the ninth with two outs and two strikes on Nolan Reimold? Who would have figured the Rays would come back from being down 7-0 to the Yankees and win in the 12th inning on an Evan Longoria home run? Who would have figured the Braves would lose out on the playoffs in a similar fashion to the Red Sox and the Cardinals would come back from the dead to sneak in as a Wild Card? Well, let's see if any of my predictions came true:

1. The Braves will win the NL East: Ummm, no they didn't. 0 for 1
2. Curtis Granderson will flirt with 40-40 and have a breakout year: Hell yeah he did! He hit 41 homers but stole only 25 bases and got caught stealing 10 times. Well, he did something he never did before, he hit 40+ homers, that's gotta count for something, right?1 for 2!
3. Adrian Gonzalez will hit 45-50 homers: Nope, he didn't. 1 for 3.
4. The White Sox will beat out the Twins in the Central: Guess I forgot about the Tigers and all. 1 for 4.
5. The Mets will lose 95 games: Nope, they lost 85. 1 for 5.
6. Mark Prior will make an impact on the Yankees. Wow, I must have been drinking. 1 for 6.
7. The Giants will miss the playoffs. Yes, they did. Woohooo 2 for 7.
8. Austin Jackson will hit .300 and strike out 180 times. Well, he hit .249 and struck out 181 times. 2.5 for 8.
9. Jesus Montero will be traded. No he wasn't and thankfully I'm wrong. 2.5 for 9
10. The Red Sox will beat the Reds in World Series. Neither team made the playoffs. Oops. 2.5 for 10.
11. Derek Jeter will bat .309 and Ichiro will fail to reach 200 hits for first time. Jeter hit .297 and Ichiro only had 184 hits. Another half point, 3 for 11.

2 Minute Drill

2011-09-12T17:46:00.001-04:00

-The NFL Season is now truly under way and one thing is evident: Players are paying the price of the lockout. Injuries to key players through the preseason and the first week are really adding up. Chiefs safety Eric Berry joins Carolina LB Jon Beason, Giants LB Jon Goff, CB Terrell Thomas, and a slew of others on injured reserve, their season already over. Conditioning was a major concern among coaching staffs around the NFL and their fears are being realized. This is a violent game and injuries happen but teams will suffer because of the shortened camp and complete lack of mini-camps over the summer.

-The Giants will be terrible this year. Sure, they have the talent to turn it around but the amount of injuries to key personnel have really added up and seems to have devastated this team. It showed in Week 1 against the Redkins. The Giants receivers were not holding onto the football, Eli Manning was still making mistakes, Ahmad Bradshaw is not the answer in short-yardage situations, and the Giants secondary looked lost at times. Throw on top of that, the Giants offensive line is still adjusting to new roles and new faces and it has the makings of a loooong season. I did pick the Giants to make the playoffs and they still could. However, right now, they have a lot of work that needs to get done and it doesn't look like its gonna happen this year.

-The Jets-Cowboys game was a wild one. The Jets didn't do anything great until the second half when the blocked punt was returned for a TD and Darrelle Revis intercepted Tony Romo at a key time. The Jets defense stepped up when it needed to to, forcing turnovers and never giving up despite being down 14 points in the 4th quarter. This is a great win for the Jets and horrible loss for the Cowboys. Tony Romo is less trustworthy in key spots than Eli Manning in any spot. If Romo throws for only 9 interceptions in a season the chances are that all 9 will be significant because they will come at crucial points. The Cowboys are a QB away from being a damned good football team.

-As bad as the Giants looked yesterday there is a lot of talent on that football team. What is even scarier is how good they can be if they are healthy. Think about a secondary with Terrell Thomas, Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, Antrell Rolle, Kenny Phillips, and Deon Grant backing up a defensive line of Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyioura, Marvin Austin, Chris Canty, and Linval Joseph. Think about how good the Giants will be if Mark Herzlich becomes the player many thought he could become before cancer. Think about Greg Jones getting invaluable on-the-job training at middle linebacker and how much potential he has. Mathias Kiwanuka is a pass-rushing nightmare on QB's and O-linemen. This defense can be great. It just needs to be healthy and happy. Next year the Giants will be a playoff team, regardless of who coaches them, and will be back in a Super Bowl within three years. This was a freak offseason for the Giants and if it is Tom Coughlin's last year, the Giants will find a suitable coach who will be able to get the best out of this team. Take it to the bank.

-Cam Newton sure shut his critics up with one of the best week 1 performances I have ever seen out of a rookie QB. I certainly didn't think he was capable. Good job, Cam. Who knows, maybe you are that good.

-Do you think the Colts miss Peyton Manning yet? Do you think Kerry Collins wishes he stayed retired or is just thankful his name is not Donovan McNabb?

-Speaking of McNabb, I don't think he is THAT bad. I still don't think he has much left to offer but he could still be a playoff caliber QB for the Vikings.

-So Tedd Ginn, Jr. still plays football. Great game for him against the Seahawks. He always had the ability but he never allowed to translate. Fantasy owners everywhere are rushing to pick him up.

-George W. Bush performed the coin toss at the Jets-Cowboys game. In a predominantly democratic area the formerly unpopular Bush got a smattered of boos but they were hushed out by thunderous appaluse and chants of "U-S-A!"

-When did Ryan Fitzpatrick learn how to play QB? The Bills QB tossed 4 TD's against the Chiefs on Sunday as Buffalo romped and stomped Kansas City 41-7.

-Enjoy the double-header tonight on Monday Night Football. If the weekend has taught us anything it is to expect anything at anytime. What a crazy beginning to the football season.

Eli(te)?

2011-08-26T17:42:00.000-04:00

Recently Eli Manning came under fire from various circles because he considered himself an elite quarterback. Many of those taking fire at Eli were Giants fans. In fact, during the Giants preseason home opener against the Bears on August 22nd, there was a sign scrawled on a bedsheet that read "Eli-te? Show us!" As many of you know I am a Giants fan and I just don't understand the hatred some Giants fans show towards Eli. So, as any history major would do I did some research.

Many Giants fans consider Phil Simms to be the greatest Giants QB in the modern era. Also in this category are Y.A. Tittle, Fran Tarkenton, Charlie Conerly and even Kerry Collins. Eli Manning has a better career (during their time with the Giants) completion percentage than any of those except Kerry Collins who beats Manning by .5%. Manning has a higher completion percentage with the Giants than Hall of Famers Tittle, Tarkenton, and Conerly. Manning ranks second all-time in passing yardage with 22,646. Phil Simms leads all Giants QB's with an all-time mark of 33,462. The major difference is Simms, who was my favorite Giant growing up, had from 1979 to 1993 to amass that yardage. Eli has amassed his numbers since 2004 when he took over the reigns from Kurt Warner. Manning ranks third all-time in touchdowns behind Simms (199) and Conerly (173) with 156. Simms needed 14 years and Conerly 13 years to amass those numbers. Eli is on pace to break Simms' record in about 2 years. So by the end of 2012, Eli's 8th year in the league, he will have set the all-time mark for touchdowns by a Giants QB.

Eli's detractors will point out that he throws too many interceptions. Yes, Eli has thrown 113 INT's and is thrid all-time in that category as a Giant. However, Eli has the same interception rate as Phil Simms, 3.4%. That puts him ahead of Norm Snead, Charlie Conerly, Y.A. Tittle, and Fran Tarkenton to name a few. What makes that even more remarkable is Eli is second all-time in completions for a Giants QB and should surpass Simms in another 2 years. He is also second in career attempts so Eli has thrown a helluva lot more balls than some Hall of Famers and still has a lower interception percentage.

Eli's detractors will point out Eli doesn't win football games. Well, Eli owns a 60-43 mark as a QB. Only Phil Simms has more wins (95-64) than Eli. However, Eli bests Phil in career QB rating, 80.2 to 78.5. Quarterback rating is the only place Eli doesn't shine when compared with his Giants contemporaries.

Is Eli Manning an elite quarterback? Well, maybe he is. He is certainly the best quarterback the Giants have ever had and is on pace to set every single record for Giants QB's. There have only been four seasons in which a Giants quarterback has thrown for over 4,000 yards. Eli is the only one to do it twice. Eli is also only the second Giants QB to ever throw for 30 TD's in a season. Y.A. Tittle did it twice. Of the top ten all-time single season touchdown leaders, Eli makes the list five times. Tarkenton and Tittle make the list twice and Simms just once. Oh, and his 62.9 completion percentage from last season ranks tops all-time for a Giants QB.

Say what you want about Eli Manning. The facts are he is arguably the best quarterback the Giants have ever had. A case can be made for Tittle but he only played a few years for the Giants. Sure, a case can be made for Simms but the numbers show Manning is better. Is he elite? Well, Giants fans shouldn't be complaining about Eli to say the least.

Some NFL Predictions

2011-08-23T13:49:00.000-04:00

I figured I would throw out some predictions for this upcoming football season. Why not? The "experts" have a similar batting average as I do.

-The New York Giants, despite all of the tumult this offseason and the injuries this preseason will make the playoffs.

-Mike Vick will throw 14 or more INT's this year. He also won't play in all 16 Eagles games.

-The returns of kickoffs will drastically go down. Currently kicks are being run back from the halfway point of the endzone. Much of this can be attributed to guys trying to make NFL rosters and the only way they can do that is if they return the kicks for big yardage. Expect more touchbacks once the season starts. Currently, this preseason has seen 37% of kickoffs end up as touchbacks, up from 10% last year. That rate will only increase, probably somewhere close to 50% once the regular season starts.

-The Eagles will win the NFC East but won't get very far in the playoffs and certainly won't win the Super Bowl.

-The Raiders will not continue to improve and instead will regress this year. An 8-8 record is not gonna happen. 4-12 maybe, not 8-8 or 7-9.

-The Lions will make the playoffs IF Matthew Stafford stays healthy. Since he probably won't the Lions will once again miss the playoffs. But they are on the rise.

-Plaxico Burress will have more TD catches than Santonio Holmes.

-Eli Manning will throw less than 20 INT's this year. Hakeem Nicks will be a Pro Bowl WR and Mario Manningham will have over 1,000 yards receiving. And, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will each have 1,000 yards rushing.

-The Chicago Bears will not make the playoffs.

-The Green Bay Packers will not repeat as Super Bowl Champions but will win the North handily.

-Colt McCoy will show people he can be a QB in this league and will have better numbers than Joe Flacco.

-The Dallas Cowboys will finish the year 8-8.

-The Cleveland Browns will make the playoffs. Their toughest games are against division opponents (except the Bengals) and if the Browns can go .500 in their division they could sneak into a Wild Card spot.

-The Denver Broncos will improve, by 2 games on last years 4-12 record and finish ahead of Oakland.

-The San Diego Chargers will win the AFC West.

-Nobody will care who wins the NFC West.

-The NFC South will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

-The Redskins will win less than 5 games.

-Ray Rice will lead the league in rushing.

-Larry Fitzgerald will lead the league in receptions.

-There won't be any arrests of New York Jets players during the regular season.

-Kansas City will go 8-0 at home.

-The loss of Terrell Thomas will hurt the Giants but it won't kill them. Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, and Corey Webster will be able to fill the void well enough making this unit a huge strength going into 2012.

-Jason Pierre-Paul will have 13 sacks. Justin Tuck will have 12. And Osi Umenyiora will rack up 10 as the Giants lead the NFL in sacks.

Well, that's all for now. Got your own predictions? Click on the comments link and share 'em.

Weathermen aren't the only ones....

2011-08-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't we all be so lucky at our jobs if we could routinely get stuff wrong and still show up the next day at our jobs? Well, unless you are a weatherman or Major League umpire, keep dreaming. Last night, home plate umpire Chad Fairchild forgot what a strike zone was supposed to look like, especially during Jorge Posada's at bat that ended the game and then Crew Chief Dana DeMuth got a home run call wrong AFTER video replay and then refused to comment about it after the game. Major League Baseball needs to crack down on these umpires. The strike zone shouldn't differ by umpire on a given night but rather by the batter's height. Letter to the knees, the width of home plate. Is this so hard? And as for Mr. DeMuth, someone needs to understand the ground rules of the ballpark he is the crew chief in! Seriously, this is a home run, a play you have time to take a video replay on. And then, to add insult to injury, you refuse to comment, thereby refusing to take accountability or offer an explanation on the call? The audacity! The nerve. Umpires should always be a peripheral of the game, something that is part of the game but isn't THE game. When umps do this kind of stuff, thumbing their noses at the teams and the fans, that crosses a line. What's next? Umps ejecting fans for booing?

Needless to say I am not a fan of umpires. They don't enforce rules when they should, such as the 12 second rule between pitches, routinely letting pitchers take up to 30 seconds between pitches with nobody on base. If MLB were serious about speeding up the games they should enforce this rule instead of sending a note to a pitcher asking them to speed it up. Take longer than 12 seconds? Ball. Wanna do it again? Ball. And the same goes for hitters. Who needs to adjust batting gloves after every pitch? Seriously, you didn't even swing and you need to step out of the box? Stop it. Check out a game from the 1970's or early 1980's and check how many times batters stepped out of the box. Count how many seconds between pitches. How come games back then took about 2 hours and today we have to sit through games twice as long? I can understand a slugfest where outs are impossible to come by, like A.J. Burnett pitching against Carlos Zambrano with no bullpen help, but a 3 hour pitchers duel? MLB needs to tell its umps to get on players that bore us into not giving a damn anymore. I really have time to go take a leak between John Lackey pitches? I could have done that and gotten a beer with Steve Tracshel on the bump. Enforce the damn rules or eliminate them. And make the umpires accountable for calls they make. If MLB wants to keep the human element in the game then force the humans to be held accountable for calls they make.

You Don't Win Super Bowls in August

2011-08-09T11:52:00.000-04:00

The NFL lockout is over and teams have started their training camps. Some NFL free agents are still looking for homes and the Eagles have been declared the winners of the free agent signing frenzy that saw over 130 players switch teams in a little over a week. Media comparisons between the Eagles offseason and that of the Miami Heat last year are already making the rounds. I say rubbish. Yes, rubbish. You don't win Super Bowls in August. It has never happened and will never happen. Football is a game of attrition. It is 16 games over 17 weeks of pounding and pain. Players get hurt and others have off years. Before I go anointing the Eagles the 2012 Super Bowl Champion I would like everyone to take a few things under consideration:

-Michael Vick has only played in all 16 games once during his entire career, in 2006. He has played in 15 3 times and last year missed 4 weeks due to injury. He is not an iron man and the Eagles backup is Vince Young who has talent but is new to the system and has had issues in the past showing he can learn a teams system and thrive in it.

-There is a reason they play the games. As a Giants fan I came to truly understand this during the 2007 Super Bowl run. I, like most people in this country, had only a slight glimmer of hope that the Giants would beat the previously unbeaten Patriots. Well, they did and the Giants got the parade. The Patriots will only be remembered as the team that couldn't seal the deal. Like the 2001 Mariners. Nobody remembers they broke the record for the most wins in the AL in a regular season because they didn't win in the playoffs.

-Because of the lockout there is precious little time for new players to learn and adapt to new offensive and defensive schemes. This could possibly hurt teams that are relying on new free agents or rookies to make an immediate impact. Hell, its hard for players to learn new systems with full camps and access to playbooks starting in June and July and it is sometimes evident in the first weeks of a season. Now, they have 1-2 fewer months to get up to speed. This could mean certain players who are expected to make an impact right away might not do so until midway through the season.

-The Eagles start off their year in St. Louis and Atlanta followed by a home game against the Giants. If Philly loses in week 1 to St. Louis there will be a lot of pressure on this team to go into Atlanta and beat a Super Bowl contender in their own building which is tough. Then, they have to face a team that still remembers the sting left from that comeback win last December that knocked the Giants out of the playoffs. You can bet the Giants will be ready for that game. Can you imagine the pressure on the Eagles if they go into the Linc 0-2 with the Giants opening the Season in Philly? It is true that the Eagles could already be flying high and go into that game 2-0 with a confidence that comes with going into Atlanta and beating them at home.

-Much has been made about the new Eagles secondary after the addition of Dominque Rogers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha to Asante Samuel. But their linebacking corps lacks experience and impact. Sure, Casey Matthews has a lot of potential but he won't be a clone of his brother. Of course, as I write this the Eagles might be in negotiations to bring in a linebacker or two to shore up a unit that is, at the current moment, unimpressive.

-Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, two very good players from the Titans and Packers respectively, were brought in to shore up the defensive line which is led by Trent Cole. Cole is a very nice player, and had 10.0 sacks last year and 12.5 the year before. However, Jason Babin is coming off a career year where he recorded 12.5 sacks. He was in Philly in 2009 and despite playing in 16 games, only managed 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Could he have just broken out last year? Yeah, sure he could have. Could he have benefitted from Jeff Fisher's defensive schemes? Yes, that is possible as well. Call me a skeptic, but a guy who suddenly finds his game at 30 in the NFL makes me a little wary. Where was his supposed talent in Houston, Kansas City, and Philly before? As for Cullen Jenkins, he too is coming off of a career year, recording 7 sacks in only 11 games. Not bad. But that was as a 300+ lbs. defensive end. Most likely, Philly will have him play inside a lot more where he will be more susceptible to double teams. He has the power to shed them but, from what I have seen, he doesn't have much finesse. A quick look at Jenkins' sacks shows you he got them playing against some pretty mediocre offensive lines. He got 2 against San Francisco on December 5th, 1 each against Philly, Buffalo, Chicago, Atlanta, and Detroit. Out of that group Atlanta had the best O-line. Jenkins just doesn't strike me as an impact player. Could I be wrong? Yes. But I am willing to bet Jenkins goes down for at least 2 games with an injury.

-I rely on history an awful lot. History has shown us that teams that bring in a boatload of new faces generally don't click right away. Last year's Miami Heat come to mind. The South Beach Trio had some trouble clicking early on and in the Finals their lack of depth caused them big problems. The 1992 Mets spent a then-ridiculous amount of money of what they hoped was a return to their late 1980's glory. Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Bret Saberhagen, and Vince Coleman were brought in and the Mets flopped, becoming more famous for their off-field antics than their on-field heroics. Then there were the Cowboys the last couple of seasons. They were a sexy choice to win it all the last couple of seasons. They failed to live up to expectations. Granted, Andy Reid is not Wade Phillips but sometimes teams struggle to live up to the hype. Then of course, there is the 2008 Giants team. They were great, Super Bowl contenders, then their season went up in the smoke of Plaxico's gun. Or the 2009 Giants that started 5-0 and finished 8-8. Football has a strange aura about it. Sometimes great teams flop while teams emerge from out of nowhere and make a run. The Bears were supposed to be awful last year and made it all the way to the NFC Championship game. The Seahawks weren't even supposed to make the playoffs but did so with a losing record and then went out and trounced New Orleans.

You just never know in the NFL. This is why Super Bowl Champions are not crowned in August. The NFL season is long and teams are literally one injury away from being Super Bowl contenders to pretenders to chicken tenders. You play the games for a reason. Go ahead and crow Eagles fans, you have had a great offseason. Sadly, there is no award for good offseasons. Super Bowl titles are earned on the field not by the contracts that are signed.

Trade Deadline Grades for Yankees and Mets

2011-08-01T10:17:00.000-04:00

The non-waiver trading deadline in baseball has come and gone. The dust has settled and I'm ready to give out my grades for the two New York teams.

Yankees: Many thought the Yankees needed to do something. Many assumed they would be able to acquire that #2 starting pitcher after Cliff Lee spurned New York dollars for Philadelphia familiarity. It didn't happen. That's not to say it was for lack of trying. The Yankees kicked the tires on former Rockie and current Indian Ubaldo Jimenez. However, the Rockies asked for Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, Jesus Montero, and Manny Banuelos, or Dellin Betances. The Yankees rightfully said no. Jimenez, according to AL scouts, is not considered #2 starter material for the AL East. He may have been an ace in Colorado but the Al East is a different beast altogether. Then there was Wandy Rodriguez, the Astros lefty who is set to make $39 million over the next few years. He isn't an ace either but he is paid like one and was treated like one by the Astros in trade talks. GM Brian Cashman could have had either of those players but he felt the Yankees young prospects and Phil Hughes were all equal or had the potential to be greater than what was offered. Kudos to Cashman for not letting himself be held hostage. After all, the Rockies got less than what they were asking for from the Yankees in their trade with the Indians despite the fact that the Indians gave up some decent talent but it was nowhere close to the level of talent Cashman was asked to part with. Many of the experts have said the Yankees are losers at this trade deadline but I couldn't disagree more. As a GM of a contending team with a strong farm system you don't go out and make trades for the sake of making trades. Sure, this is the first season since 1999 that the Yankees failed to make any deal but did they really need to? Currently they are in contention with the Boston Red Sox for the AL East crown and they currently hold a comfortable lead in the Wild Card. They have done that with this so-called makeshift rotation behind C.C. Sabathia. The truth of the matter is the talent that was out there at this deadline did not represent enough of an upgrade to deal two prospects in Baseball America's Top 30 (Montero and Banuelos). Another hold up was the denial of the Yankees request to have an MRI taken of Jimenez's shoulder. Why would the Rockies deny an exam on an arm that they wanted so much for? In fact, why would the Rockies trade their ace who is under team control for a few more years and makes less than $5 million annually? It just doesn't add up. Perhaps there is something wrong there or there is something that worried Colorado enough to trade their best starter. The truth of the matter is that this year Ubaldo's numbers have looked eerily similar to A.J. Burnett's and the Yankees already have a Burnett, why mortgage the farm for another one? The experts can call the Yankees losers at the deadline all they want but their farm system has good depth at starting pitching and it should be able to step in if something happens to Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, or Phil Hughes. Because of this I give Cashman and the Yankees an A at this deadline. Refusing to be held hostage for players that did not significantly improve their chances of winning the World Series was the right move.

Mets: The Mets have been in a quandary for most of the season. They have been playing very good baseball and weren't that far out of it. However, GM Sandy Alderson took the Mets job with a plan, to get the Mets back to contention for years, not just a season. He traded away closer Francisco Rodriguez in a salary dump move. This freed up over $15 million next year because of the games finished clause in Rodriguez's contract that he was on pace to surpass. That money can now go towards re-signing Jose Reyes or, if Reyes bolts, bringing in a decent starter like C.J. Wilson. Alderson also traded away Carlos Beltran and, although the move was unpopular with some Mets fans, it brought back Zack Wheeler who could be a potential top-of-the-rotation kind of guy. Coupled with Matt Harvey and the Mets are now looking pretty solid pitching wise for 2013 and beyond. Alderson didn't blow up the team. He could have. But those returns would have been negligible. Instead he took two players who were not part of the long-term future and turned them into financial flexibility and a potential ace. Even if Wheeler doesn't pan out he still did the right thing so this analysis will not change over the years. Going into this season everyone expected the Mets to blow up the team and trade away David Wright and Jose Reyes. That didn't happen because it didn't have to. If the Mets are able to re-sign Jose Reyes and David Wright stays healthy and they get Ike Davis back at 100% next season and Johan Santana is healthy then you have a pretty decent team capable of making a run at a wild card spot. With Johan supposedly coming back this season the Mets can always use this time as an audition for other teams and trade him for younger pitchers if they so desire. The Mets now have options, something they needed. Alderson needed flexibility going into this offseason. He needed to put a little gas in the minor league tank. He achieved all of that. The Mets get an A.

1st and 10

2011-07-28T10:47:00.001-04:00

-The Seahawks have given Sidney Rice a five-year $41 million contract. That's great but who exactly is throwing the ball to him? Tavaris Jackson? Charlie Whitehurst? Good luck Pete Carroll.

-The New England Patriots obtained Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins for a 2013 fifth-round pick. Call me crazy but I think New England just got a steal here. Yes, Haynesworth was a huge baby in Washington but New England will either make him fall in line or cut him. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Haynesworth might have a big year. If he passes the physical which is as big an "if" as Haynesworth himself.

-Reggie Bush is now a Dolphin. Not sure if he is what the team needs. Yes, they needed a running back but Bush is not close to an every down kind of back and if the Dolphins are expecting second-round pick Daniel Thomas to shoulder the load they might have more problems than they think. Trusting a rookie this year to shoulder a significant load is dangerous.

-Is there anyone out there who has gotten less respect than Donovan McNabb? McNabb is now on his third team in three years after the Redskins traded him to Minnesota for two 6th round picks over the next two years. I think McNabb could have a decent season if Minnesota gives him reliable receivers. Letting Sidney Rice walk was not a good start.

-Now that the Pirates are hovering around first place is there any team that is synonymous with futility in sports anymore? For evidence I submit the Cincinnati Bengals. I think Bruce Gradkowski is going to be their starter. Wow. Fun. This whole Carson Palmer saga is like watching two little children fight over toys.

-The Jets have made Santonio Holmes a very rich man. They had no choice. Without him their offense stutters and probably falls on its face.

-I think the Redskins have been in Washington, D.C. too long because they are starting to operate like Congress. They spend money like it isn't theirs on useless projects, for example Albert Haynesworth, and just about every other free agent that walked in the locker room. They often get no results from said spending sprees and then try to fix the problems by going out and throwing money around. They have an owner who doesn't have a clue. They just signed a guy (Donte Stallworth) who killed a man while driving drunk. Yep, maybe the Redskins are truly at home n D.C. At least Congress will go out and root for them.

-The Giants released center Shaun O'Hara this past week and signed former 49er David Baas to a deal. Baas played center last season for the Niners and was a guard before that. It is still unclear if the Giants intend to use Baas as a guard and bring back O'Hara on a cheaper deal or if they will use Baas as center. Despite being injured last year O'Hara was one of the better centers in football and is an all around great guy. Personally, I think the Giants should bring him back but that could just be the fan in me talking.

-Speaking of the Giants, it appears they are one of two teams Plaxico Burress is interested in joining. The Steelers being the other. I don't think anyone would have predicted that. Most experts had him signed up for Philly the second he emerged from prison. I liked Burress during his time with the Giants and would love to see him back. However, I don't know where he fits in with Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, and youngsters Ramses Barden and Victor Cruz and Jarrell Jernigan at that spot. The idea of having Burress show Barden how to use his size in traffic is intriguing. Plus, it does create major matchup problems for opposing defenses. Eli can throw 50 times a game and rack up 4,300 yards with an effective Burress teaming up with that receiving corps.

-The Eagles signed Jason Babin, who had 12.5 sacks last year for the Titans. Babin teams up with Trent Cole to give the Eagles a very good defensive end tandem. Just what the rest of the NFC East wanted to hear.

-If the Giants want to contend this year they must sign Mathias Kiwanuka, Steve Smith, and Kevin Boss. All three are extremely talented players at their respective positions and Kiwanuka was leading the team in sacks last year and should be a number one priority along with Smith who also is coming off an injury plagued season. Those injuries should give the Giants a little bit of a discount as those players would have cost the Giants big money over a full season. They need to take advantage of that and get these guys signed.

Trade Candidates

2011-07-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

The July 31st, non-waiver trading deadline is quickly approaching so I thought I would take a look at some of the players who are being mentioned in rumors.

B.J. Upton, OF, Rays: Upton was once a highly touted prospect, showing that he possessed five tools. Now, his power is kind of there, his speed is still there, but his ability to hit for average has vanished. Earlier in the year I labeled Upton as one of the most overrated players in the game. So far this season he has only proven me correct by hitting .229 with 15 homers and 52 RBI's. He also has 13 doubles and no triples while stealing 23 bags. Upton has regressed almost every year after his stellar 2007 campaign where he hit .300 with 24 homers and 82 RBI's. He plays a decent centerfield, though not quite gold-glove caliber. The Washington Nationals are said to be lusting after Upton and, according to reports, would offer up the moon for him. To me that is just silly. Washington's best chance for success if further development of their young players, not trading them. Sure, Upton is only 26 but he has been in the league since he was 19 and has had seven years to prove something. The NAtionals would be wise to stay their course. They have a progressing Danny Espinosa who is being mentioned for NL Rookie of the Year, a rehabbing Stephen Strasburg who could return in September, the top prospect in all of baseball in Bryce Harper at AA, and a wealth of other prospects including Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Brad Peacock, Tom Milone, and a wealth of others. In the next five years this team should develop into a power in the NL. Why risk that by trading for a player who has only regressed every year since 2007-08? All Upton is is a strikeout waiting to happen. If they can get him without giving up major prospects or anyone on their current roster then I would give it a try. Maybe a change of scenery would help. More likely it won't. the only thing that will help Upton is Upton and I don't think he cares enough to do that.

Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets: Beltran is enjoying a resurgence this season. He leads the NL in doubles and has shown he can still hit the home run and his knees are holding up. The Mets are in limbo right now, not fully committed to a rebuild but not exactly stocking up for a stretch run. The Mets are stuck in a limbo of uncertainty. Injuries have derailed what could have been a surprise season for them. Maybe not a playoff berth but a winning record wasn't out of the question. Still isn't. However, Beltran is 34 and entering free agency this offseason. The Mets need to get something in return for him since he doesn't fit into their long-term plans. Teams like the Giants, Phillies, Braves, Pirates, Indians, and Rangers all could use Beltran's pop. The Mets are trying to pry a top prospect out of the deal since Beltran really is the best bat on the market right now. Getting a key player in return for Beltran is imperative for the Mets. They need someone who will be able to step in in a year or two, whether its a pitcher or position player, and contribute.

Mike Adams, RP, Padres: Adams is viewed as the best relief option on the market and the Padres are asking a lot in return for him. Yankees GM Brian Cashman has maintained that he won't go crazy for relief pitching this year, especially with Rafael Soriano coming off the DL this week. There are a lot of teams that could use Adams as either a set-up man or closer who might overpay for him. Personally, I'm not a big fan of giving out huge contracts or offering up big-time prospects for relievers. Look at the Yankees history with big name relievers to find out why. Relievers are probably the most volatile commodity in baseball, dominating for a year or a few and then flaming out. Rare is the Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, or Dennis Eckersley. With that being said, there are still team who have a real shot at making the playoffs this year who could use someone like Adams. The Pirates could always use someone to set-up for Joel Hanrahan who is enjoying a fine season. The Cardinals bullpen has been something of a spectacle this season as well and they could use him. Both the Cardinals and Pirates are tied with the Brewers for first place with the Reds breathing down all their necks and the Brewers now have Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford to close out games for them. Adams in St. Louis could mean the difference between playoffs or golf.

Tyler Clippard, RP, Nationals: Clippard is a wins vulture, somehow escaping even bad outings with a "W." A new baseball term has even come into fashion in his honor, "Clip" as in clip the win. He isn't dominating but gets the job done by keeping hitters off balance with a variety of breaking stuff and a decent enough fastball. Clippard is still young and is coming off his first All-Star Game appearance so he could bring in a decent prospect or two. The Braves, Yankees, Rangers, Red Sox, and a slew of other teams have shown an interest. I personally like Clippard having seen him pitch at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and meeting him a few times. However, being a nice guy and good pitcher in the minors are on the opposite pole of reality. Clippard is still a good set-up man but, like with Adams, I think the Nationals will have to be very pleased with the package they take away from the deal which would prohibit me from trying to acquire him, especially when combined with his mediocre performance level in high leverage situations.

Heath Bell, RP, Padres: Bell is the closer in San Diego but is not their best reliever (that would be the aforementioned Mike Adams). Bell would like to stay in the NL but you can't always get what you want. All the teams previously mentioned in the Adams and Clippard paragraphs would be in play for Bell as well. Since he would cost less in terms of prospects than Adams, I would target him instead if I'm the Cardinals GM. He has shown he can close and the cost is lower. In a bad economy, like this one for available players of all positions, you sometimes have to clip coupons and use them wisely. With Adams overshadowing Bell in drool factor among teams someone like the Cardinals just might be able to swoop in and grab Bell with their coupons.

The trade market this year is not as cut and dry as in years past. There are a ton of teams that are hovering around respectability that will prohibit them from becoming sellers. Hell, even the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in a tight race in the NL Central where three teams share the lead and the Reds are only 3 games out in 2nd. Not even the Twins, with their 47-54 record are conceding defeat. There is a complete lack of depth right now in the market. That's not to say trades won't develop. Hell, the Marlins could trade Hanley Ramirez tomorrow, you just can't predict it. Either way, this is among the best periods in all of sports and we should all sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully our favorite teams don't become stupid and trade their best prospects for spare parts.

Ubaldo and the Yankees

2011-07-17T00:27:00.000-04:00

Rumors have started swirling recently about a possible trade involving the Yankees and Rockies for Ubaldo Jimenez. It is rumored Colorado sees Yankees top prospect Jesus Montero as a possible solution at first base and a deal could center around him and either Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos, the Yankees top two pitching prospects plus some others. Given the Yankees recent history with National League pitchers I have to wonder if this deal makes sense for the Yankees.

So far this season, Ubaldo has struggled. Sure, he is pitching better now after an 0-5 start but the question must be asked, why did the guy who finished third in the NL Cy Young voting last year get off to such a rough start? Was he jealous of the deals Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki were given by Colorado? Was his arm not 100% after throwing all of those innings last year? His velocity has been down this year which could explain why he has been as hittable this season. His swing and miss rate is down to 7.5% after having never been below 8.9% between 2007 and 2010. Still, he does get a lot of strikeouts and groundballs, offsetting those numbers a little. However, his track record in the playoffs isn't very ace-like and his interleague numbers are very blah to say the least. His numbers against the American League are very similar to what A.J. Burnett is posting now. He owns a 6-4 record, 4.08 ERA, 7.3 K/9 ratio (down from his normal 8.1 career rate) in 79.1 innings against teams on the Junior Circuit.

The comparables to A.J. Burnett are pretty uncanny this season. Jimenez has thrown a couple of good starts only to look terrible on his next couple. This year Burnett's line is: 8-7, 4.15 ERA, 97 hits allowed in 119.1 innings, 52 walks, 100 K's (7.5 K/9) and a 1.24 WHIP. Jimenez sports a 5-8 record, 4.08 ERA, 101 hits allowed in 110.1 innings, 43 walks, 99 K's (8.1 K/9) and a 1.30 WHIP. Eerily similar. Burnett is a little wilder and gives up the long ball (17 this year compared to Jimenez's 8) a little more often but the numbers are very close to each other. Do the Yankees really want to give up a boatload of prospects for a guy who might just be another A.J. Burnett?

OK, so A.J. never had a season like Jimenez did last year. Jimenez was a true ace last season. However, this season he has been anything but. In a league where offense is no longer king, one has to wonder what is behind Jimenez's recent downturn. Is it arm related? He did have major shoulder surgery in 2004 while in the minors. Sure, it was in 2004 but shoulder problems can linger and become an issue again, especially is the pitcher puts a lot of strain on his shoulder, or even elbow. Jimenez throws a bunch of pitches that put strain on those joints. Aside from his 2 and 4 seam fastballs he throws a slider and splitter which can strain even the strongest elbows. I'm not saying he is injured but his long term health must be questioned if you are going to give up the farm.

Now for the big question, can Jimenez handle the American League? We have seen many good pitchers come over from the National League to the Yankees only to become shells of their former selves. Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright (he saw his big success come in the NL hence the 3 year, $21 million deal the Yankees gave him), Kyle Farnsworth, Javier Vazquez, Chris Hammond, Paul Quantrill, and even Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown come to mind although they were good or great in the AL before moving on to an extended NL stay. I'm not saying Jimenez would follow in their footsteps but it is worth noting.

All of this is just speculation, much like the speculation that Colorado would trade their ace pitcher who is under a team friendly contract until 2014. I don't see why they would even dangle their best pitcher, regardless of how tough a year he is having. Colorado is 8 games out of first place in the NL West and they have been known to make a crazy second half comeback. I just don't see why, unless they are completely blown away by an offer, they would part with their best pitcher who is still just 27 years-old. If an unbelievable offer came their way then I would understand but why would a team like the Yankees offer up a whole slew of their best prospects for a guy who is pulling an A.J. Burnett impersonation this season? The Yankees would be much better served to bring Jesus Montero up to the big leagues to replace Francisco Cervelli who has been downright dreadful on both sides of the game, allow Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances (both of whom have made every guru's top 50 prospects list) to develop and eventually take their places in the rotation or bullpen in the next couple of years. All three of those kids are among the top prospects in the game, and would all be cheaper and under team control for a long time. If they develop as projected, or if even one does, it still gives the Yankees more payroll flexibility and still gives them a helluva player at that position, whether it is DH, pitcher, or catcher. There are very few pitchers in this game right now that I would trade 2 of those kids for and three of them are on the Phillies roster (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels), two are on the Red Sox roster (Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz), one is already a Yankee (C.C.) and one is in Seattle (Felix Hernandez).

Bottom line, while Jimenez is intriguing because he might be the best available (or semi-available) starter on the market this year. However, I wouldn't give up the farm to get him. Nor would I trade him if I were the Rockies unless he was a real clubhouse cancer and just stopped pitching because he felt bad he wasn't given a new contract. I don't see this trade matching up.

Grading the Front Offices and Managers

2011-07-13T10:35:00.000-04:00

Both the Yankees and Mets entered this season with a ton of question marks. The Yankees lost out on Cliff Lee and saw Andy Pettitte retire leaving what appeared to be a gaping hole in their rotation. The Mets were surrounded by questions about their economic stability and are embroiled in a billion dollar lawsuit and new GM Sandy Alderson has had to work around a media that is always asking him when he will start the big fire sale. Life in New York is not easy. Not for Brian Cashman and not for Sandy Alderson. It doesn't get any easier on the field for Joe Girardi, who is expected to win the World Series every year, or Terry Collins who has to prove this Mets team is good enough to contend. Here are their grades for the first half of this year:

Brian Cashman: He lost out on Cliff Lee, saw Andy Pettitte retire, and saw the rival Red Sox sign Carl Crawford and trade for Adrian Gonzalez. Things were not looking good for the Yankees. It wouldn't get better for Cashman as days after losing out on Lee and with Crawford already in Boston, Yankee owndership circumvented Cashman and signed Rafael Soriano to a ridiculous contract leaving question about who is running the team swirling around the Bronx. Cashman's offseason looked impotent, especially when he signed Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to minor league deals. Colon and Garcia were considered by many to be washed up has-beens with nothing left to give. Still, Cashman needed arms to compete for roster spots. So far, the Colon and Garcia signings might have been the salvation of the Yankees first half. Both have pitched extremely well and have provided innings to ease the burden on a depleted bullpen that has seen Joba Chamberlain lost for the year and Rafael Soriano for an indefinite amount of time. The other big free agent signing of the year, Pedro Feliciano, was supposed to give the Yankees a veteran lefty arm to supplement Boone Logan and get lefty hitters like Crawford, Gonzalez, and David Ortiz out. Feliciano has yet to pitch in a game this year due to arm issues. Losing Feliciano, Cashman's big free agent signing, hurt. Cashman's first half, which includes this past offseason, was not very good when measured by expectations. He is saved only because Colon and Garcia are pitching well. Still, its hard to overlook the shot across his bow by the Steinbrenners with the Soriano signing, a disaster in itself so far, and the fact that he didn't land Cliff Lee, and Feliciano, who had been abused by the Mets over the years, goes down before getting into a game. I'm not even mentioning the child-like way he handled the Derek Jeter negotiations. Overall grade: C-

Joe Girardi: It's never easy being the manager of a team that everyone expects to win every year. Having the largest payroll will do that. To Girardi it's just another day at the office. Injuries to his main bullpen cogs not named Mariano have left him scrambling for answers. He has had to rely on kids like Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton, Cory Wade, Amaury Sanit, Jeff Marquez, and veteran retreads like Buddy Carlyle, Luis Ayala, and Sergio Mitre. Some have surprised, like Wade and Ayala. Others have been good. While others, like Sanit have been disasters. He has also had to deal with a contentious relationship with Jorge Posada whose outburst in Boston threatened to rip apart the team, questions about where a struggling Derek JEter should bat, and a host of other issues on a day to day basis. A 1-8 mark against the Red Sox hasn't helped matters either. Still, the Yankees are right there, hovering around first place with the Red Sox, and Girardi has this team playing well. Take away those losses to the Red Sox and the Yankees have a 6 game lead in the East. Right now the Yankees are on pace for 97-98 wins. Not too shabby. Grade: A-

Sandy Alderson: When he took the job as Mets GM he knew he was facing a daunting task. He was handed over the keys to a car that needed major repairs but would still be expected to take to the road. He surrounded himself with some very good baseball people in Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, among others and has not blown up the team for the sake of a total rebuild. The Mets have responded by going out and playing some good baseball despite the truckload of injuries to key players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Ike Davis, not to mention staff ace Johan Santana. He just traded Francisco Rodriguez and cash to the Brewers to prevent the Mets from having to pay $17.5 million in a vesting option for two players to be named later. Freeing up that money for next season helps pave the way to resigning Jose Reyes. It would have been very easy for him to just blow up a team that has not played up to its potential in recent years or has been hit by enough injuries that would make entire hospitals weep at the workload. With the trade deadline approaching he will have his work cut out for him but he has a plan and will be prepared. With a baseball braintrust like he has assembled, how can he not be? Alderson's overall grade: B+

Terry Collins: Managing the Mets might have been one of the least appealing jobs in all of baseball. The financial questions swirling around ownership, the roster of underachievers and DL candidates, and the New York press hovering about like vultures waiting for the death to swoop in and pick at the remnants. Into this cauldron stepped Terry Collins, a man who last managed in 1999 and whose 444-434 record didn't instill a ton of confidence in the Mets fanbase. Collins has responded by leading the Mets to a 46-45 record at the break, leaps and bounds above where anyone expected to see this team at this point. Throw into that the fact he has not had Johan Santana all year, has lost Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Jose Reyes to injuries for parts of this season, and has juggled a lineup that has included Justin Turner playing second and third, Willie Harris playing everywhere, and Scott Hairston getting significant playing time. Still, the Mets are above .500, a small miracle that has kept the Mets faithful hopeful that there might be a future for this club. His overall grade: B+

Grading the Mets

2011-07-12T18:55:00.000-04:00

Who would have thought they would be above .500 at this point in the season? Certainly not I. Injuries have hit this team like a runaway truck on the Santa Monica Freeway and yet their car is still able to drive. Let's grade them out.

Jose Reyes: Has put on a show of his talents as he is about to enter free agency. Still can't shake the injury bug though. When on the field he was the NL MVP. A+

Carlos Beltran: Has stayed healthy and has been very productive. Mets couldn't ask for more from him right now. A

Daniel Murphy: Has filled in beautifully for the injured Ike Davis. Whatever the Mets ask of him they get and then some. Not a power hitter but will get the job done. A

Justin Turner: Another guy the Mets have asked a lot of only to see results come forth. Timely hitting overcome his defensive shortcomings. Where would the Mets be without him? B

Ike Davis: Thirty-six games into this season he was lost to injury. He was on pace to emerge as one of the better first basemen in the NL. A-

David Wright: He was lost after 39 games. Hasn't been the same player he was only a couple of years ago. His defense is still outstanding but his bat needs to have its holes filled. C+

Josh Thole: Has been hit and miss all season. The Mets would like some consistency from him. C-

Ronny Paulino: The Mets catcher has surprised many by hitting .320. Has been everything Thole was supposed to be. B+

Ruben Tejada: He was never known for his bat but I think the Mets would sign for his .261 AVG if he continues to develop his defense. Learning on the job. B-

Jason Bay: A .237 AVG, 6 homers, and 28 RBI's is not what you would expect from him. He will have one good game followed by ten bad ones. He needs to step up or step down. F

Angel Pagan: Injuries impeded his season. The MEts need the Pagan from last year if they want to continue to progress. C+

Scott Hairston: An outfield fill in who has played up and down. Still, a nice 4th outfielder to have because there is pop in that bat. Maybe not at Citi Field but its there somewhere. C

Willie Harris: A lockerroom leader. Harris will play anywhere he is told. His offense isn't great but his versatility gives Terry Collins lots of options. C

R.A. Dickey: Started off poorly but his knuckleball came back and he reemerged as the surprise ace of last year. Where would the Mets be without him? B-

Dillon Gee: Whoa! Where did he come from? After Chris Young went down Gee came up and started winning.8-3 with a 3.76 ERA is something the Mets will take any day of the week. A-

Mike Pelfrey: Supposed to be the ace in Johan Santana's absence. Has regressed from any improvements he made last year. D-

Chris Capuano: A nice pick-up by the Mets. This cheap option has been pitching very well for them at the back end of the rotation. Tied for the lead in wins with 8 but has a .500 record. B-

Jon Niese: Continues to improve, exactly what the Mets were hoping for. He probably won't be an ace but he is a good lefty option right now for a team that badly needed him to take the next step forward. B

Francisco Rodriguez: This is the K-Rod the Mets were hoping for when they signed him to that huge contract. The Mets still want to get rid of him and his big money option for next season though. A

Jason Isringhausen: Back from the dead and pitching very well in the set-up role. Not bad for a guy many didn't think had it anymore. B

Bobby Parnell: The talent is there. The results? Getting there. Could be the future closer of the Mets if he continues to improve like he has. B+

Pedro Beato: Good ol' Petey Beato has done a good job, giving the Mets another late inning option. Not bad for a Rule 5 pick from the Orioles system. B-

Tim Byrdak: The 37 year old lefty has been, well he is in the League because he throws left-handed. Nothing more. Lefties are hitting .259 off of him so he hasn't been an ideal LOOGY guy. D

D.J. Carrasco: He comes in when the Mets want to punish themselves for playing above everyone's expectations. There are better options out there. F

Taylor Buchholz: Was pitching well until he was put on the DL for shoulder fatigue and will be kept there as he battles depression/anxiety. B

Grading the Yankees

2011-07-12T18:13:00.001-04:00

OK, so here we are at the All-Star break, fresh off of Jeter's momentous conclusion of his 3,000 hit milestone and of Robinson Cano's display of power during the Home Run Derby. Times are good for the Yankees and their fans. Here are my grades for the Yankees so far:

Derek Jeter: I will start with the Captain since he leads this team. His first half has been a sadly predictable one, ground balls and little power. However, after injuring his calf he came back with a seemingly renewed stroke that showed some extra base life. His play in the field has been steady. His batting average spiked after his 5-5 day and now sits at .270. The Yankees need more consistency out of him at the plate going forward. Hopefully, his rediscovered power after his DL return remains. C+

Curtis Granderson: Where would the Yankees be without Granderson? Offensively he is the Yankees MVP. He brings a dynamic that the Yankees offense has lacked for a while. This was the Curtis Granderson the Yankees were hoping for. A+

Mark Teixeira: The power is definitely there but not his batting average. Nobody would have thought a .244 average would be attached to Teixeira's name after his hot start. Then again, who would have pegged him for 25 homers either? He needs to be a little more consistent. B

Alex Rodriguez: His power has been sapped by nagging injuries but A-Rod has posted a .295 average or higher for most of the year. Currently on the DL after having knee surgery, he will miss 4-6 weeks. Hopefully his power returns as well. A-

Robinson Cano: Only for Robinson Cano would a .297, 15, 57 line be a little disappointing. He is still one of the best second basemen in the game, if not the best. Even though this might be a down year it is still a damn good one. A

Nick Swisher: This is a contract year for Swisher and he has not responded with production. He hovered around .200 for far too long but has really stepped it up to raise the average to .249. He was never a hitter for average anyway but his home run production is a bit off. He is currently on pace for 19-21 homers which is a bit below his norm. A strong second half is needed from him. C-

Jorge Posada: His season started off ugly. Aside from a few homers he wasn't hitting at all. His mental breakdown in Boston only complicated things but something seemed to click afterwards and he started hitting. His average sits at .230 and he only has 9 homers but what else can you expect from a 39 year-old former catcher? This should be his last season and Yankee fans should show him some appreciation as the clock winds down on a storied career. That said, he needs to keep hitting. D

Russell Martin: He started off looking like the Russell Martin of old, hitting for average and power. He has since tailed off and has seen his average dip to .220 and hasn't homered since June 29th, his 10th of the season. His defense has been solid, if not splendid. He earned a trip to the All-Star game but it looks like catching all of these games has taken its toll on him. Despite that, the Yankees thought he was only a stopgap and he has exceeded expectations. C+

Brett Gardner: A slow start and going back and forth in the lineup didn't help but he has turned it around. He needs to be more aggressive on the basepaths and smarter too. Still a catalyst. B-

CC Sabathia: He is the ace of the staff and has pitched his best baseball since donning the Pinstripes. Nothing more can be expected of him. Cy Young contender. A+

Bartolo Colon: When he signed few people thought he would even make the team. However, Colon has emerged as a workhorse #2, making him one of the best offseason signings in the first half. A short stint on the DL for a leg injury hasn't slowed him much. A

A.J. Burnett: After last season anything Burnett could give you past the 3rd inning would be a blessing. He hasn't been great but he has kept the Yankees in the game...for the most part. C+

Phil Hughes: After one of the worst starts ever, Phil spent quite a while on the DL, apparently suffering from a dead arm. He has made one so-so start since coming off the DL but looked much better. The Yankees thought they would be seeing an emerging ace. Instead, they are trying to save his career. Too few games for a grade though. Incomplete

Ivan Nova: He seemed to get better with every start. That still wasn't enough to save him from a demotion to AAA. That is not indicative of Nova's season but rather a testament that the Yankees rotation has been performing very well so far. He will get the ball every fifth day down in Scranton for the time being but he showed the Yankees he can be dependable. B+

Freddy Garcia: Like Colon, few thought he would stick. And, if he did stick, that he would be pedestrian enough to keep the Yankees in the game. Well, it looks like everyone is wrong. He has surpassed everyone's expectations and has pitched to the tune of a 3.13 ERA. He gets out of the jams he gets into and keeps the Yankees in games. Nobody expected this from him. A-

Mariano Rivera: Still Mariano. A+

David Robertson: Whatever the role he has filled it admirably. Walks too many but strikes out oh so many more. A+

Joba Chamberlain: Tommy John surgery ended his season but he was excellent before being shelved. Not enough to grade though. Incomplete

Rafael Soriano: He was awful before being shelved on May 14th with arm ailments. He would get an F if he were healthy. Incomplete

Luis Ayala: Didn't make the team out of Spring Training but that hasn't stopped him from being one of Girardi's most reliable bullpen arms this season. A complete surprise. A-

Boone Logan: What happened to the progress made last year? Hasn't gotten lefties out as he is supposed to. His failures have the Yankees searching for a replacement but has shown some improvement that might ease the Yankees fears. D-

Cory Wade, Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton: The bullpen fillers have been pretty good. Wade is emerging as a viable late inning reliever and Pendleton has performed a lot better than many expected. Noesi's future is probably still as a starter but he has shown he can get MLB hitters out. A

Andruw Jones: He was signed to hit lefties. He has a few homers off of them this year but that's about it. Defense is a mark above average but is no longer an offensive threat. F

Eduardo Nunez: Filled in nicely for Jeter offensively. His defense is still a big question mark though. Will get more playing time with A-Rod out. B-

Francisco Cervelli: Brian Cashman admitted Jesus Montero was better all around and Cervelli hasn't done anything to disprove that notion. His defense is atrocious. His offense is only there when men are on base. A .214 hitting catcher is acceptable only if the defense is there. It isn't. Still doesn't know Curtis Granderson doesn't play second base. F

Chris Dickerson: Filled-in here and there and didn't embarrass himself or the team. Not bad for a fifth outfielder who was sometimes called upon to start. Also has displayed excellent defense when necessary. B-

Eric Chavez: This poor guy has no luck. He was hitting well until he broke a foot running the bases. Seriously, how does that happen? Has had nothing but setbacks during rehab. He was hitting well and playing excellent defense when he was healthy though. Incomplete

Ramiro Pena: Batting under .100 with a .091 AVG. I knew he was a light hitter but not that light. His defense has been just so-so. The emergency AAAA infielder. Incomplete

Up Next: The New York Mets

Updated Top Ten Yankee Prospects

2011-07-08T09:47:00.001-04:00

Earlier this year I made my Top Ten List of Yankee Prospects which you can read here. Since we are now halfway through the 2011 season I thought I would do some revising. I have removed guys who have spent a significant amount of time in the Majors from the list so that eliminates Hector Noesi (#6) and Ivan Nova (#7). I don't think they have lost any shine from their future prospects but I felt they have acquitted themselves well enough at the big league level this year and that this list should focus on guys who have yet to make the Majors.

1. Jesus Montero, C. He was number one on my previous list and remains there. His season has been somewhat of a disappointment but he is still hitting .289 with 7 homers and 33 RBI's. Scouts have said he looks bored in Scranton and that could very well be the case. He proved last year he can handle AAA and this year is no different. Right now he is dealing with smoe back/side stiffness and is on the 7-Day DL but its nothing major. His defense isn't great but its improved a little this season. He would be a borderline backstop defensively in the Majors but that isn't what makes Montero special. He has good power and can hit for average. I am actually very surprised the Yankees have not made him the backup to Russell Martin yet like they did with Jorge Posada in the mid to late 1990's. He can use the challenge and a little love from the Yankees might go a long way. And, if the Yankees want to use him as a trade chip, having him show he can handle the Big Leagues would be a huge advantage.

2. Manny Banuelos, SP. He had a fabulous Spring Training this year but has regressed a little at AA but he retains the #2 spot on my list. His numbers aren't hideous or anything. In fact, his numbers still look quite good. In 16 games this season, Banuelos has compiled a 3-2 record, 3.28 ERA, and has struck out 77 in 74 innings. His one bugaboo so far has been his walks. He has allowed 39 walks this season after only allowing 25 in 64.2 innings all of last year. It isn't anything to get worried about. The stuff is still there. He has the makings of a future ace and the Yankees know it.

3. Dellin Betances, SP. Betances jumps from #4 to #3 and deservedly so. He could overtake Banuelos for the #2 spot at any time. His 2011 season at AA Trenton has been something of a display. He often gets into trouble by walking too many hitters but then proceeds to get out of those jams by striking guys out. So far this season he has a 4-3 record with a 2.62 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in 75.2 innings. He has allowed 40 walks, however, after allowing 22 in 85.1 all of last season. He has shown he can tame the wildness before and I am confident he will be able to do it in the future. What he projects to is either Mariano's heir or a staff ace. It might not be long before Betances is #1 on this list.

4. Gary Sanchez, C. He drops from #3 after a poor showing this year at Low-A Charleston. He was sent to Extended Spring Training after some attitude problems but has since returned and has shown some improvement. He is only hitting .239 at the moment but has 8 homers, which match last year's totals, and 30 RBI's. He is still very young, only 19, so I am sure he will outgrow his attitude problems. His defense has been awful this year, allowing a whopping 23 passed balls. He needs to focus more behind the plate and devote himself to the game. If he does that he could have a higher ceiling than Montero at least offensively. Sometimes kids just need a kick in the ass and Sanchez needs that right now.

5. Bryan Mitchell, SP. Mitchell was drafted by the Yankees in the 2009 Draft. They stole him away from the University of North Carolina with a huge bonus. He throws his fastball in the low 90's with a good slider and an outstanding, knee-buckling 12-6 curveball. It might seem like an awfully big jump for a 20 year-old kid with less than a full season of pro ball under his belt but this kid can pitch. He needs to cut down on his walks which are a result of him wanting to strike everyone out and be perfect all the time. If he learns to pitch to contact sometimes the Yankees could have another ace in their pocket who also has a "B" in his name. He should also be able to add some zip to his fastball as he packs on some weight to his 6'2" 175 lbs. frame. He makes it to number 5 based purely on talent and not statistics.

6. Mason Williams, CF. Williams is another of those toolsy guys and another first-timer on my list. Power was never considered to be a tool Williams possessed but that tool could develop over time. He has speed, an arm, hits for average, and understands the game. He is a pretty darn good outfielder, showing very good instincts and cat-like reflexes in the outfield. He might be a little too aggressive on the bases but he should learn when and where to steal a bag. In many ways he reminds me of a young Bernie Williams with a much better arm. He showed up to Staten Island ready to play this year, raking to the tune of a .325 AVG with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 12 RBI's, and 5 stolen bases (out of 9 attempts). The Yankees might have an upgraded version of Brett Gardner in Williams or the next Bernie Williams. Either way I think the Yankees would be happy. He just needs to cut down on the strikeouts.

7. J.R. Murphy, C/3B. Murphy has often been overlooked because the Yankees have like 400 catching prospects that rank. However, Murphy might just be the one who sneaks in and ends up squatting behind the plate for the Yankees. At Charleston he was hitting to the tune of .297 with 6 homers and 32 RBI before earning a promotion to High-A Tampa. He has struggled a little bit since his promotion but you can't base anything on the 41 at-bats he has at that level. He improved his defense significantly, enough so that the Yankees stopped playing him elsewhere on the field and started putting him behind the plate a little more often. He also has a great eye and is pretty hard to strikeout, at least for someone his age (20) and playing at his level. He is versatile enough so that if he doesn't make it as a catcher he can always play the outfield or DH or play some first or third.

8. Slade Heathcott, OF. He is currently on the DL but has earned himself a promotion to High-A Tampa. He still has some makeup issues after starting a brawl by getting hit by a pitch and then turning around and laying out the catcher. He served a 5 game suspension for that act but, considering his background, he has come a long way. He has one of the best outfield arms in all of minor league baseball and his bat looks like it is coming around. He hit .271 with 11 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 homers while amassing 16 RBI's and 6 stolen bases. He has the speed to become more aggressive on the basepaths but like Mason Williams he needs to learn when and where to steal. He should end up developing some decent power, probably in the 15-25 range at the big league level.

9. Andrew Brackman, SP/RP. Brackman entered the season at #5 on my list and closest to making the Majors out of the "Killer B's" but an extremely poor showing at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has eroded some of the shine off his prospect status. Last year, Brackman made major strides, going 10-11 with a 3.90 ERA while striking out 126 and walking only 39 in 140.2 innings. This year, however, Brackman has lost control. He leads the league in walks (51), hit batters (10), wild pitches (14) and has an ugly 7.96 ERA and 1.84 WHIP. He was removed from the SWB rotation and placed in the bullpen but that hasn't helped. The stuff is there but something is missing. His fastball velocity has been up and down, reaching as high as 94-95 and as low as 87 for a game. At 25 years old and having signed a Major League contract after being drafted time is running out on Brackman who could become a free agent after this season or next season, I'm not sure which.

10. Mark Montgomery, RP. So far this year he has pitched in a total of 7 games but that was enough to earn him a promotion from Staten Island to Charleston. On July 1st of this year he struck out 5 batters in one inning. His slider is devastating and it shows in the strikeout totals, 19 in 7 innings. Think about that for a second. Nineteen outs out of 21 were by strikeout. Granted, he did have that 5 in one inning appearance but even if you take those two extra away that is still 17 out of 21 outs made being achieved by a strikeout. He is a reliever to the core so the Yankees don't really have to worry much about innings limits or any of that nonsense that can impede the arrival of pitching prospects in the Big Leagues. The Yankees have proven they will advance him as he earns it, having already done so after only 4 innings at Staten Island. If he keeps it up he could be in the Bronx in a year.

11. Austin Romine, C. Considered to be the better all-around catcher among the Yankees catching prospects, Romine has also swung a hot bat at Trenton this year. He has 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 35 RBI to accompany his .294 AVG. Right now the lack of a roster spot and regular playing time behind the plate at AAA Scranton is the only thing keeping him from being promoted. Once Montero gets promoted or traded then Romine will move up. He was #10 on my last list but the emergence of others rather than Romine's poor play caused a slight drop. One could argue that Romine is better than Murphy but I am taking into account overall prospect status which means Murphy might have a higher ceiling than Romine but Romine will surely be a catcher in the Majors.

12. Adam Warren, SP. He was #8 on my previous list but, like Romine, he slipped due to the emergence of others rather than his lack of production. Warren has done very well for himself at AAA so far, amassing a 6-3 record, 3.20 ERA, and 67 K's over 104 innings. He doesn't strike many hitters out and has a tendency to walk too many but he has a poise that you can't teach and escapes the jams he gets into with minimal damage. He probably won't develop into an ace but he could easily fit into the back end of the rotation and perform similarly to Ivan Nova this season.

13. David Phelps, SP. Like Warren he won't strike many hitters out and pitches to contact. He has gone 4-6 with a 3.38 ERA with 74 K's in 85.1 innings. He won't be an ace but could, like Warren, be a back of the rotation type guy.

14. Tommy Kahnle, RP. Kahnle is, like Montgomery, a strikeout machine. He also has developed a wild streak as he tries to strike every hitter he faces out. He has 64 K's through 50 innings with Charleston this year and could find himself on his way to Tampa soon. He just needs to eliminate some of those free passes, he has walked 30 in those 50 innings. He has held opposing hitters to a .196 AVG and only 1 homer this season but has a 3.96 ERA. The talent is there, he just needs to harness it and use it effectively.

15. Graham Stoneburner, SP. Injuries have really set him back in his development. He is undersized at 6'1" and 190 lbs. but he can bring the heat at 94 MPH. He was pitching well for Trenton this year before an injury sidelined him. He is now making rehab starts with the GCL Yankees. He has a good delivery which explains why he has been able to have the success he has enjoyed. He really needs to develop a second pitch, and maybe a third. If he can get an off-speed breaking ball to be as consistent as his fastball then the sky is the limit for Stoneburner. If not, it looks like a relief role in the majors is where he will end up. I have faith in him and think he could be a viable #3 guy in the Yankees rotation in one to two years. He just needs to stay healthy, get his arm stretched out, and develop another pitch or two.

Honorable Mentions: David Adams, 2B (needs to stay healthy otherwise he makes this list); Brandon Laird, 3B (has struggled at AAA this year); Cito Culver, SS (surprising a lot of people with his bat and arm at SS); Caleb Cotham, P (will make this list once he gets healthy and puts a few innings under his belt); Tim Norton (was on pace to make his MLB debut this year until a career threatening injury derailed those plans. If he can recover from it he can be an excellent middle reliever); Shaeffer Hall, SP (another pitcher in the mold of Warren and Phelps); Ben Gamel, 1B (younger brother to Mat Gamel of the Brewers, can flat out rake).

The Yankees farm system is one of the best in baseball. There are a lot of intriguing prospects scattered throughout the many levels and some of them will develop into legitimate superstars. However, there will also be plenty of flameouts. Right now, the Yankees system has a few power arms but their pitching prospects closest to the Majors are more finesse, pitch to contact types who can either do well or get bombed in the Majors. On the offensive side there are a lot of high strikeout guys but there are some with real potential. Lately the Yankees have been drafting more toolsy type players instead of power hitters. This year, however, they drafted Dante Bichette, Jr. who is a power type prospect. At every single level there are guys to watch and by the end of the season I'm sure my list will have to be changed once again as guys like Zoilo Almonte play their way into contention. Nothing is harder than trying to project baseball players. Ruben Rivera was the next Mickey Mantle and Brien Taylor was the next Nolan Ryan. And nobody knew where Chien Ming Wang came from and few predicted Robinson Cano would develop as he has. That's what makes this so much fun. Nothing is better than watching a kid get drafted and come up through the Minors and then emerge on the Big League scene. All you need is patience.

So Long, Kerry!

2011-07-07T19:04:00.000-04:00

Kerry Collins announced his retirement today after 16 up and down years in the NFL. Collins had a rocky start to his NFL career after being selected by the Carolina Panthers #5 overall in the 1995 Draft. He never lived up to the hype in Carolina, throwing 49 INT's to 39 TD's while completing only 52.6% of his passes. During the 1998 season Collins was released by the Panthers after telling coach Dom Capers his heart wasn't in it anymore after starting the season 0-4. The Saints picked him up just before the police did for drunk driving. It seemed as if Collins would be nothing but another first round flameout.

The rumors about his alcohol problem had already begun making the rounds. He made national headlines in 1997 after it became public that he had called Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammed a racially derogatory term that begins with the letter "N" and supposedly also used similar language with Norberto Garrido, an offensive lineman of Hispanic heritage. Following the 1998 season he was not re-signed by the Saints. However, the New York Giants took a flyer on him and signed him in February of 1999.

New York isn't exactly the best place to try to resurrect a career that has been tainted by alcohol and racial bigotry (see: Rocker, John), even if it was inadvertent and an isolated incident. However, Collins would begin to live up to the promise he had showed in college and in 1996 when he made the Pro Bowl. This is when I began to take a true interest in Collins since I was a Giants fan.

The Giants had been looking for a quarterback since Phil Simms retired. The position was a revolving door of mediocrity with Kent Graham, Dave Brown, and Danny Kanell. That is until Kerry Collins showed up. His Giants career got off to a slow start, going 2-5 in 1999 but he completed 57.4% of his passes and began to get his life under control. The next year he led the Giants to a 12-4 record and steamrolled the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Championship game, throwing for 381 yards and 5 TD's. Collins had brought the Giants back to the Super Bowl. His Super Bowl performance was less than memorable but to me it didn't matter. I was 10 years-old the last time the Giants had made it to the Super Bowl. Now, at 19, I was seeing my favorite team back in the Big Game and able to appreciate it more. The loss hurt but the Giants finally had a QB. The 2001 season began with high hopes for the Giants. They were coming off their Super Bowl run and, at least to me, there was nowhere to go but up.

Even though the 2001 season was disappointing one for the Giants as they finished 7-9 but the future still looked bright. Collins had brought some stability to the QB position and had a young Amani Toomer to throw to and Tiki Barber running the ball. In 2002, Collins would become the first Giants QB since Phil Simms in 1984 to throw for more than 4,000 yards with 4,073 yards and led the Giants to a 10-6 mark and another playoff berth. Sadly, the Giants spit the bit in that game against San Francisco, blowing what looked like an easy win, as Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens made it look like the Giants didn't put anyone on defense. Still, Collins had a strong game, throwing for 342 yards and 4 TD's. However, the future didn't look as bright. The team just never recovered from that loss and went 4-9 in the 13 games Collins played in in 2003, his last season as a Giant.

After the 2003 season the Giants fired Jim Fassell, hired Tom Coughlin, signed Kurt Warner and traded for 2004 #1 pick Eli Manning. Collins was released and went on to sign with the Oakland Raiders where he put up decent numbers in the two years he played there despite playing on one of the worst teams in the NFL. Then, in 2006, Collins signed with the Tennessee Titans and made another Pro Bowl, his second, in 2008. He became the emergency guy, someone Titans coach could look to to step in when Vince Young struggled or went off the deep end. Collins never complained, he just did his job.

In 2008, Collins became just the 15th quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 35,000 yards. In 1998 nobody would have guessed Collins' career would take such an upward surge. While Kerry Collins will never go into the annals as one of the best quarterbacks of all-time he will be remembered by me for what he did as a Giant. I'll also remember him for teaching me a lesson in that no matter how low you go you can always get back to the top, always reverse bad fortune with some hard work. I still own my #5 Kerry Collins Giants jersey and have no intention of giving it up. The NFL might not have lost a legend but it did lose a class act and a true role model. Good luck, Kerry and thanks for the memories!

All Hail Harper!

2011-07-07T18:09:00.000-04:00

Ever since reading the June 8, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated (I know the date because it has become one of my prized possessions after I sent it to him for an autograph while he was still in high school and he obliged), I have been on the HarperMania bandwagon. How could you not be? Sure he can be a little flashy, like when he blew a kiss to the opposing pitcher after sending one to Saturn. Think about when you were 19 years old and now place yourself in his position, wouldn't you be just a little flashy? I know I would be. He will grow up when he reaches the big leagues, and he will reach the big leagues. Before this becomes a living let the kids have some fun and do stupid things, so long as stupid doesn't harm individuals or end up with jail time.

There has never been this kind of hype surrounding a position player in the history of the game. Social media and the competition in the sports media market is mostly responsible for this. After all, ESPN, SI, The Sporting News, and everything between, not to mention the one billion bloggers are all looking for the next big thing to increase readership and followers. Twitter and Facebook have accounts and pages dedicated to Harper and the mania he has created with his ability to send baseballs to Duluth with a flick of his wrists. So far, in his first professional season, he has not disappointed.

Harper started out the year at Hagerstown and quickly impressed scouts. He managed to hit .318 with 17 doubles, 14 homers, 46 RBI, 19 steals, and a .423 on-base percentage in 72. Scouts said he started to look bored and the Nationals braintrust agreed, promoting him to AA Harrisburg, a significant jump from Low-A ball. In his first three games at Harrisburg, Harper has hit .500 (5 for 10) with 2 RBI, 1 steal, and 1 walk. He has not struck out yet so clearly he doesn't think he is overmatched. Granted, that strikeout will come but it is evident AA is going to have to adjust to him rather than him adjusting to AA at this point.

So, what's next for the next Baseball King? I doubt Washington will rush him just for the sake of putting fans in the seats. That would most likely hinder Harper's development. However, if he shows he can handle AA pitching with the ease he handled A pitching a trip to AAA might be in order. The Nationals could keep him in AA this year and possibly promote him to AAA next year if he shows progress in Spring Training. Or, the Nats could promote him to AAA this year and put him on the Big League roster next season with a strong Spring. Unlike Stephen Strasburg (who should be back by the end of the year or will start fresh next season giving the Nats their needed ace), the Nats don't really have to protect anything on Harper's body except his mind. They don't want to hurt his confidence by promoting him just for the sake of selling tickets and risking stunting his development. They also don't want to keep him at minor league stops unnecessarily because he might get bored and let his mind wander like it appeared to do at Low A. Whatever the Nationals decide to do they know they have a gem and someone who will bring excitement and anticipation like Strasburg did last year. Soon, baseball will be very relevant in Washington, D.C. when Strasburg Jordan Zimmerman, and John Lannan are joined in the rotation by Brad Peacock who is lighting up AA right now. The lineup will be extremely formidable with Ryan Zimmerman, who is still only 26, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, and a host of others. The Nationals are going to be making it a 3-way race in the NL East like it is in the AL East right now. Bryce Harper is going to be a huge factor behind that.

Swings (and maybe some misses)

2011-07-06T16:16:00.000-04:00

-I am big fan of Brad Richards joining the New York Rangers. The fact that he took less money to join the Blueshirts says it wasn't all about the money, as with some past free agents who came to Broadway. He knows John Tortarella and has proven he can win in that system. He brings a playmaking ability, both on the power play and in even strength situations, that the Rangers have been sorely lacking for a couple of years now. While this doesn't necessarily mean that Lord Stanley's Cup is in this team's future, it does mean that at least, as of right now, that gleaming silver has caught the attention of the Rangers. There are still some things that need to happen with the Rangers before we pencil them in. Marian Gaborik has to prove he is tough enough to handle New York and Torts' system. Youngsters like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Michael Del Zotto, Michael Sauer, Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, and a host of others have to keep improving. And, in the case of Callahan, stay healthy. However, for the first time since Scott Gomez and Chris Drury signed on the dotted line a few years ago, there is real talk of contention. It is my opinion that the Rangers are much better now than they were then.

-Phil Hughes makes his first start since April tonight. He had shown increased velocity during his rehab outings in Trenton so there is always the hope that he comes back and regains the form he showed in the beginning of last season. If the Yankees get that pitcher back they significantly bolster their pitching staff which consists of C.C. Sabathia and the two surprises of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. If Hughes is the same pitcher he was at the beginning of last season then A.J. Burnett becomes the fifth starter by default which isn't a terrible thing. And, if anything happens to anyone there is always Ivan Nova waiting in Scranton.

-I can't help but wonder when Derek Jeter is finally going to reach 3,000 hits. If I had to guess it will come at home against Tampa Bay tomorrow or Friday. Yeah, I know I went out on a limb. I'm also betting that it come on a ground ball.

-The more I think about what the Yankees did with Ivan Nova the more I get a little miffed at the Yankees. Here was a guy who was really starting to turn the corner in his pr career and could be blossoming into a solid #3 starter and then bam! Down to the minors. The Yankee leadership said it was best for his development. Really? Giving the kid the impression that no matter how well he does he was never in the Yankees plans. Telling the kid that basically Freddy Garcia has more upside than you do? He seems like a level-headed enough youngster that maybe this doesn't really bother him. But, then again, he is young and was pitching the best baseball of his MLB career and he still couldn't hold down a job with the Yankees. Can't be good for anyone's confidence. With all that said, I don't envy the choices Brian Cashman has to make. Nova was pitching well but so was everyone else except A.J. Burnett. It probably wouldn't be the best thing for Nova to move to the bullpen because he takes a while to warm up and it also is a different form of pitching. Personally, gun to my head, I probably move Garcia into the bullpen, or Colon. Colon hasn't pitched this many innings in years and has had several injuries to his arm over that span. Garcia is having what is basically a career year and he is like 50 years old at this point. I just don't like "rewarding" kids with a demotion when they are playing well. Nor do I like stunting their development so that an aging veteran who doesn't have near the amount of upside can live off a Yankee Legacy like Jorge Posada is doing. Sure, Posada is hitting right now but is this Jorge really better than a Jesus Montero right now? No. Or, the Yankees could ease Montero into the bigs by sending Frankie "Throw it to Centerfield" Cervelli down to AAA and letting Montero catch a game or two a week and get a start at DH every now and then like the Yankees did with a young Posada.

-Added to the Yankee prospects to watch list are Cito Culver, the Yanks first round draft pick last year and Mark Montgomery, a relief pitcher with Low A Charleston who has struck out 16 batters in 6 innings. Culver, the man whom Keith Law said had no business being a first round pick is hitting .299 with 15 RBI's in 18 games. I'm not saying Culver is going to be the next Jeter but he is making real strides. And, for those interested, this year's first round draft pick Dante Bichette, Jr. is hitting .159 but has 15 walks in 13 games and only has 9 K's. He has something you can't teach there and for an 18 year-old kid thats not a bad start. However, it's Mason Williams that will soon be rocketing up prospect lists, especially if he keeps hitting like he is.

-Mets fans have something to be excited about and the name is Matt Harvey. Here is what ESPN's Keith Law said about Harvey as he heads into the Futures Game "Harvey was the seventh pick in last year's draft and came into pro ball boasting a plus fastball with good downhill plane and a solid average-or-better changeup but struggled with both breaking balls. Reports this year have the breaking balls improving but the changeup regressing -- which would still leave him a three-pitch guy, plenty to be a front-line starter given the strength of his fastball. Harvey tore through high Class A, which is what you'd expect a first-rounder drafted out of the ACC to do. He has made one start in Double-A, giving up four runs and allowing 11 baserunners in four-plus innings." The stuff is there with Harvey and I personally think he will be a future ace for the Mets, especially if they the ballpark as it is.

-For those of you expecting some sort of rant about the All-Star Game rosters, sorry. I just enjoy the game for what it is nowadays. It's always nce to see certain guys make it but its not like not making an All-Star team is like like losing a Gold Glove vote to a DH like Tino Martinez did to Rafael Palmeiro who only played 25 games at first.

And the Winner is....

2011-06-29T19:45:00.000-04:00

With the halfway point of the season rapidly approaching I have decided to hand out my midseason awards a week early.

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Red Sox. Nobody can argue with this one. Gonzalez has taken to being away from PetCo Park like a duck to water. Through Tuesday, Gonzalez was leading the American League in batting, hitting at a .356 clip to go along with 16 homers and 71 RBI's. He leads the league in hits and is also second in the AL in doubles. Runners Up: Jose Bautista, OF/3B Blue Jays, Curtis Granderson, OF, Yankees.

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers. He is 10-3, has added another no-hitter to his resume, owns a MLB leading 0.84 WHIP, has whiffed 124 batters, and possesses a 2.38 ERA. He has been one of the reasons the Tigers have made up all the ground on the Indians and are now battling for AL Central control. Runners Up: Jared Weaver, SP, Angels, James Shields, SP, Rays.

AL Rookie of the Year: Michael Pineda, SP, Mariners. Pineda has been one of the AL's dominant starters, forming a lethal tandem with Felix Hernandez. Pineda owns a 1.03 WHIP, 2.65 ERA, and 99 K's in 102+ innings. He will be mentioned in Cy Young conversations if he keeps this up. Runner Up: Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Rays.

NL MVP: Jose Reyes, SS, Mets. Reyes is setting himself up to be the first ever Mets player to win an MVP award by leading the Majors in triples with 15, hits with 119, is second in stolen bases with 30, and owns a .352 batting average, good enough for second in the majors. If he hits a single, it becomes a double. Reyes is, the most interesting man in baseball. Runners Up: Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers, Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers.

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies. What? You expected R.A. Dickey? Halladay is 10-3 with a 2.40 ERA, has 123 K's, and leads the NL in complete games. They will probably rename the NL version of the award after Halladay in a few years. He is the new Greg Maddux. Runners Up: Jair Jurrgens, SP, Braves, Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies.

NL Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, RP, Braves. Twenty-three saves, a 2.63 ERA, and 1.12 WHIP earn Kimbrel the honor here. He also has struck out 65 in 41 innings. Runner Up: Danny Espinosa, 2B, Nationals.

Trade Candidates

2011-06-27T12:00:00.001-04:00

July is almost here and the MLB rumor mill is starting to spin up. If you listen closely you can hear the gears starting to grind. This year things might be a little different. It seems as if some parody has crept into the Major League Baseball landscape making trading partners that much harder to find for teams that want to bolster their roster for playoff push. Even the 32-44 Minnesota Twins have a reasonable shot at making the playoffs right now, or maybe they did before their entire outfield landed on the DL and they lost five straight. Houston, San Diego, the Chicago Cubs, and perhaps the Royals all figure to be sellers when the dust settles. The Mets can go either way, as can the Pirates, Marlins and Dodgers. The White Sox could also look to unload a player or two. Well, let's take an early look at some of the guys who might be moved before or at the deadline.

Ryan Dempster, SP, Cubs. Dempster figures to be one of the few starters put on the market with a proven track record. He can strike hitters out, has shown he can win as a starter (48 wins over the last 4 seasons) and would fit in nicely in just about any needy contenders rotation, especially at the back end. He is 34 years old and holds a player option for next season. He signed a 3-year deal worth $38 million which isn't terrible in today's market for a #2-3 starting pitcher. The numbers are eerily similar to A.J. Burnett, only Dempster used to be a pretty good closer at one point. A team like the Yankees might be looking for pitching help. Phil Hughes is still on the DL, though he is rehabbing right now and cold return in a couple of weeks. Bartolo Colon is on the DL with a leg injury but he hasn't exactly had the best track record in recent years in regards to health. The Yankees have been connected to Dempster once this season, right around the Yankees visit to Wrigley. I would expect Dempster to exercise his right to become a free agent as he looks for one last good contract so he will be a rental player and shouldn't command a ton in prospects. Other potential suitors could be the Cleveland Indians where veteran presence in a rotation filled with unproven kids and Fausto Carmona is needed for a playoff push; the Arizona Diamondbacks whom nobody expected to contend and whose rotation is led by Ian Kennedy, a nice pitcher but not an ace; and the Texas Rangers who might be looking for some pitching help after Alexi Ogando has been getting rocked in his past couple of starts and might be better suited for the bullpen.

Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Mets. K-Rod has been having himself an excellent season so far. Bullpen help always seem to be a number one need of most playoff bound teams and adding K-Rod to either set-up or close games would be a huge bonus, at least in theory. K-Rod has announced he would be willing to set-up for a contender so that automatically put the Yankees in the conversation but I don't see them getting involved. The Yankees already have Rafael Soriano under contract to provide setup help for Mariano Rivera. Instead, I see the Texas Rangers being the biggest suitor for K-Rod. They can have him set-up this year and then move to the closer spot next year while shifting Neftali Feliz to a starting spot. The Boston Red Sox might be another landing spot for K-Rod. The Red Sox bullpen has been pounded by injuries and with the future status of Jonathan Papelbon up in the air the Red Sox might decide to pull the trigger on a deal here.

Heath Bell, RP, Padres. Another closer for a team out of contention, Bell has been consistent over the past few years and might be one of baseballs most underrated closers. Since the Phillies can't hope to pry K-Rod away from the Mets, Bell might be the apple of their eye. Ryan Madson has been filling in very well for Brad Lidge going 15 for 16 in save chances. However, I don't know if the Phillies are better with Madson closing over Heath Bell. Acquiring Bell would enable the Phillies to slide Madson into a setup role (or to place Bell there if they so desire) and strengthen a so-so bullpen. And, if Lidge makes it back there is another reliable arm with playoff experience to add to the mix. The Cardinals could also be in the market for Bell. Currently the Cardinals are relying on Fernando Salas to close their games. He has been good but isn't a known entity like Bell. The Rangers could also be in the mix.

Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Astros. The Astros are the worst team in baseball and figure to be sellers once their ownership situation gets settled. Rodriguez is probably their best trade chip and could command a nice haul of prospects to help rebuild. The Yankees might be in the mix since he represents a longer term option than Dempster and is two years younger than Dempster. The problem is finding out who is running the Astros and dealing with them. The Astros will treat Rodriguez like an ace in negotiations when he is more like #2-3 guy. I don't know if the Yankees would be willing to pay the ransom price for him but with few starting pitchers of value on the market they might have no choice if they don't see any options in the minors.

Michael Bourn, OF, Astros. Speed is reemerging in baseball and few possess the talents of Bourn who is leading the majors in stolen bases. He can hit leadoff and immediately get into scoring position. He has ten steals of third among his 33 stolen bases on the year so he is a threat. He is decednt in getting on base, doing so at a .351 clip so far this season. Bourn would be a boon to just about any team right now with a slim margin of making the playoffs. However, you can forget about the Yankees and Red Sox getting involved, they already have a quite a few good outfielders on their rosters. The Indians have a need in the outfield where Austin Kearns and his sub-.200 average are patrolling the outfield with Shelley Duncan the backup, or vice versa. Michael Brantley is ok as a leadoff guy but doesn't have nearly the speed and dynamic ability to change the game as Bourn does.

Brett Myers, SP, Astros. Diminished velocity and extreme fly ball rate are not exactly formulas for success. Myers has survived due to, well I don't know how he has survived...perhaps lack of options in Houston. Myers is only 30, and is currently sporting a 4.65 ERA in the pitcher friendly National League. His fastball sits around 87 MPH and has served up 1.81 HR/9 this year. To make him even more prohibitive, he is due to earn $11 million next season and can be bought out for $3 million after 2012, or his option can be picked up for a cool $10 million. I really don't see a good landing spot for Myers. The numbers don't add up and the Astros are sure to treat him like the ace he was last year but is definitely not this year. Maybe, if the Astros pick up a portion of the salary and don't ask for a lot in prospects they might be able to find a taker.

Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets. If the Mets decide to become sellers, Beltran would be one of their biggest trade chips and one who might garner the most interest. Several teams in need of some offensive pop could jump into the Beltran pool. Teams like the Twins, Rangers (although they seem set at OF they do have some injury prone OF'ers), Giants, and maybe even the Yankees could put their toes in the water.

Jose Reyes, SS, Mets. Reyes said he won't discuss a contract extension during the season so he is primed to hit the open market. The Mets right now are hovering around .500 and trading Reyes, who is arguably the National League's most dynamic player, would send shockwaves through an already shellshocked fanbase. If the Mets feel they can get better value than the two first round picks in next year's draft then they should bite. Still, Reyes is just a rental player so the chances of finding someone willing to take on a player who has announced he will test the market are going to be slim at that price. The Reyes situation mirrors the Mets season, in or out? Contending or not? Trade or no trade? Perhaps the Mets should hold onto Reyes and get the two draft picks. Or maybe they should trade him. Thankfully, I'm not Sandy Alderson whom I do not envy in this situation.

There are plenty more players out there who could make an impact at the deadline. Jason Kubel of the Twins, Joakim Soria and Jeff Francoueur of the Royals, and Mark Beurhle, Edwin Jackson, and John Danks of the White Sox all could be major chips cashed in by their respective teams. I will revisit this subject later.