The Coffin Corner

Be Thankful Red Sox Fans

2011-04-21T08:50:00.000-04:00

As the Los Angeles Dodgers implode with MLB taking over day-to-day operations from Frank McCourt, Boston fans should take a moment and be thankful it wasn't them.

McCourt was an early bidder for the Red Sox before they were sold to the group headed by John Henry and Tom Werner in 2002. He wanted to move the Sox from Fenway to a park to be constructed on land he owned in South Boston. But McCourt dropped out of the bidding when it topped $600 million.

In January 2004, McCourt acquired another trophy franchise, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Unlike the Sox, the Dodgers don't have a cable network to generate cash for their owners -- but they do have Dodger Stadium, the Dodgertown spring training complex in Vero Beach, Florida, and a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic. The club and its properties sold for $430 million.

The story goes on to mention how highly leveraged McCourt was to even buy the Dodgers. He borrowed every dollar he used to pay for the team and an extra $45 million for working capital.

And that is the dirty secret everyone forgets as MLB executes it's takeover of the Dodgers...they allowed a man to buy this team with 100% borrowed money. Which is insane. And then when the divorce came, one of the ugliest ever...is it surprising that McCourt couldn't afford to keep the team running?

It's a shame and a travesty all the way around for such a proud franchise. But I know I am saying "There but for the grace of God..." because it could easily have been the Red Sox in this position today.

Old School Beckett

2011-04-11T11:56:00.000-04:00

Well, that was a nice thing to see last night.

With a dominant performance from former/future ace Josh Beckett, the Sox were able to beat the Yankees, take two out of three games in the series and inject a spark of hope into Boston fans everywhere. And while wins in April are as important as wins in September, it is important to keep perspective. Boston still has 153 games left to play and are only four games back, not fourteen. Crawford and Youk will not continue to have sub-.200 batting averages.

And we may be getting back the Josh Beckett we all know and love.

What makes this important is that Beckett didn't win this game against the Royals or the Mariners. He took apart a team that owned him last year. He outpitched one of the contenders for the 2010 CY Young award. And he did it easily.

Eight innings, only two hits, ten strikeouts and one walk. Most importantly, no runs. Here's some perspective. The last game Beckett had 10 strikeouts or more was July 27, 2009 against Oakland. The last game Beckett didn't give up an earned run was almost exactly a year ago. He got a no-decision in a 3-1 loss to the Rays on April 16, 2010. And the last time he did both in a single game? Try April 10, 2005, when he pitched a complete game, 11 strikeout shutout for the Marlins against the Washington Nationals. So this was an impressive performance by the standards of his own career.

As always, the big question is whether Beckett can continue to perform at this level. Only one time in 2010 was he able to record back-to-back wins. Hopefully that will not be the case in 2011.

But if Beckett can return to form while Lester and Buchholz get back in the groove, that will go a long way towards erasing an ugly opening week for the Sox.

Make Some Room, Kansas

2011-04-05T13:47:00.000-04:00

With UConn's 53-41 win over Butler for the NCAA Championship, UConn moves into an elite group of colleges. Only seven schools have won three or more titles. They are: UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and now UConn is added to that list.

This is a huge achievement for a program that as recently as 1986 was playing games in the old Field House, a cramped facility that was more suited for 1950s basketball. In 25 years, Jim Calhoun has turned UConn into an elite program. For that, he deserves all the credit in the world.

There have been bumps along the way. I personally remember when he brought his son, Jeff, onto the team while I was a student at UConn. He had no business being on that squad. Then there were the unfortunate ethical issues that have cropped up this past year. And there is also the low graduation rate of 33.3%. However, that is due in part to the fact that a large number of UConn's players go pro before they finish school. When Kemba Walker goes in the top 10 of the 2011 NBA draft, should that be a black mark on Calhoun because Walker chose to leave as a junior?

But that view also ignores the massive amount of charity work that Calhoun does in the state along with his wife and the tireless devotion he has given to the university. It has been a great partnership and one that alumni like myself are thankful for.

To see UConn now with the great programs is something that is astounding and amazing and pretty wonderful. And they deserve to be there. Over the past 15 years, only one school has won three titles. And it's located in Storrs, CT.

Can Boston Win 100 Games?

2011-03-29T13:01:00.000-04:00

That is a question being asked out and about the Intertubes. It's based off of a comment Josh Beckett made during spring training, where he said he thought this squad could win 100 games.

So can they? On the face of it, why not? The Sox have a much deadlier lineup with the addition of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez in particular should feast on pitching in Fenway. Consider some of the parks where he has had his best hitting efforts over the past three years:

From 2008-2010
Busch Stadium (2009-10): .375 Avg | 1.037 OPS

Citizens Bank Park: .357 Avg | 1.310 OPS

Miller Park: .419 Avg | 1.277 OPS

Wrigley Field: .293 Avg | 1.042 OPS

All these field have a right field line of 330 ft or more. Wrigley's is over 350 ft. Of course, as we all know, Fenway's right line is a mere 302 feet. And Gonzalez has an amazing talent for pulling the ball. Add to that Fenway's short left field line (310) and Gonzalez should be destroying Fenway down the lines in 2011.

Add in Carl Crawford and his abilities, and you have a lineup where you really can't pitch around anyone until you get to #7 in the lineup. Tack on their excellent gloves and they will be preventing runs from scoring as well. Then you have a revamped bullpen which, on paper, is one of the best in the AL.

So where does Boston's potential barrier to 100 wins reside? In the starting rotation. For as good as Lester and Buchholz were in 2010, there are a whole lot of questions coming after.

How will Lackey pitch? Will we get a vintage Beckett from 2007 or 2009? Will we get a sub-par Beckett from 2008 or 2010? Which Daisuke will we see? And God forbid this happens, but how will Boston cope with an injury? We have Wakes and then...what exactly?

The rotation is strong but there is little if any depth behind it. And that will be the single biggest determining factor as to whether Boston can win 100 games this year.

There is one other factor...history. Boston has won 100 or more games just three times. The last time was in 1946, when Boston went 104-50. And that took two 20-game winners (Tex Hughson and Dave "Boo" Ferriss), Mickey Harris having a career season (17-9, he never won more than eight games in any other season) and the team ranking first in the AL in batting average, OBP, slugging, OPS and fielding percentage. The closest Boston has come since then is 1978 (99-64) and 2004 (98-64).

Bottom line? Boston definitely has the talent to win 100 games. But it hinges on their starting pitching remaining healthy and some key players returning to form.

The Top Five Red Sox Players to Wear Number 15

2011-03-28T13:39:00.001-04:00

If you have perused this site for even a moment or two, you will notice that there is a HUGE gap in writing. Suffice it to say, I had some major issues going on in my life. "Major" being an all-time understatement. I am now trying to get back into the swing and I thought I would start by reprinting a piece from an ongoing series I had (and will hopefully restart). This is from way back in 2008.

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The '15' has been around quite a bit. An astonishing 51 players have worn the jersey. More than once it has seen multiple holders in a single season. But it has seen some remarkable seasons and players in its time, including it's current owner.

5. Earl Webb (1931-32) - Webb was the original owner of the '15' jersey. He joined the Sox in 1930 when he was traded by the Senators to Boston for "Whispering Bill" Barrett, a native of Cambridge*. Webb had a decent season that year, hitting .323 with 16 homers and 66 RBI. But Webb busted out in a big way in 1931. He hit .333, had 14 homers and 104 RBI. His OPS was .932, he had 196 hits and led the AL with 67 doubles. That mark still stands as the all-time doubles record in one season for the Sox. And Webb did all that at the age of 33. He finished sixth in the AL MVP voting that year

Webb fell off in 1932, starting the season with a .281 average. After 52 games the Sox traded Webb to the Tigers for Dale Alexander and Roy Johnson. Alexander came and went but Johnson had a couple of decent years.

4. Kevin Millar (2003-05) - Cowboy up, indeed. The funny thing about Kevin Millar is that you think he didn't do all that much on the field. And then you look at his numbers and realize that wasn't the case. He hit 25 homers and had 96 RBI in 2003. In 2004 he was just shy of a .300 average (.297), knocked in 18 homers and 74 RBI, and had an OPS of .857. The man could swing the stick.

And he could field as well. Millar usually covered first. His worst fielding percentage over that three-year period was .989. That's not Youkilis good, but it isn't bad either. He was one of those guys who holds the team together and contributes in almost a stealth fashion. I still think the Sox made a mistake in not holding onto him.

3. Mike Nagy (1969-72) - A native of the Bronx no less, Nagy was a pitcher drafted by the Sox in 1966, and made his debut with Boston in 1969 at the age of 21. He proceeded to go 12-2 that year with a 3.11 ERA. Despite walking more batters than he struck out, he was still runner-up in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. Some no-name called Lou Piniella beat him. He was voted the AL ROY Pitcher of the Year, however.

And that was the high-point of Nagy's career. Thanks to arm troubles, over the next three years his numbers steadily declined** and, after the 1972 season, he was traded to Cardinals for Lance Clemons. Clemons appeared in six games for the Sox in 1974 and never played in the majors again. Nagy bounced around in the NL for a couple of years and retired. Another cautionary tale of expecting too much from young pitchers.

2. Dustin Pedroia (2007- Whenever He Damn Well Feels Like It!) - Pedroia has exploded onto the scene in his first two seasons as Boston's second baseman. He was AL Rookie of the Year in 2007. In his sophmore campaign he has improved his numbers across the board, putting himself into serious contention for the 2008 AL MVP award. He's a slick-fielding second baseman with a lifetime .990 fielding percentage. He's a run generator and hard to strike out***. And he does all this standing at just 5' 9".

In another year or so Pedroia would be the top name on this list. Hell, if he keeps this up he'll be the last guy to ever wear this jersey. But he just hasn't played long enough to take the top spot. But it's just a matter of time.

1. Joe Dobson (1946-50) - No, it's not that crazy Fundamentalist who keeps trying to ban television shows. Joe "Burrhead" Dobson**** started playing for Boston during World War Two after being traded from the Indians in 1940. He played decently during the war years (taking 1944-45 off to serve in the war himself) but didn't wear the '15' until the first post-war season of 1946. And then his talent took off.*****

Dobson went 13-7 in 1946 and followed that up in 1947 with the best year of his career. Dobson went 18-8 with a 2.95 ERA. He finished in the Top 30 for MVP voting and his WHIP was second-best in the AL. In 1948 his numbers were down slightly (16-10, 3.56 ERA) but Dobson earned his first and only trip to the All-Star game and finished 24th in the MVP voting that season. During his five years wearing the '15', Dobson had a cumulative record of 76-47, threw 64 complete games and was a solid, if not spectacular, pitcher. All together he won 106 games for the Sox.

But in 1950 the Sox made him part of a multi-player deal that sent him to the White Sox. He had three decent years there, came back to Boston for a cup of coffee and retired at the age of 37 in 1954.

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* He wasn't very good. He had two good years in 1925-26 for the White Sox and a lot of mediocre ones. Hell of a nickname, though.

** Nagy never had a single season where his strikeout total exceeded his walk total, which is bizarre to me. Two times he was able to match the totals. Otherwise he always walked more batters than he struck out. And you thought Daisuke had control issues.

*** And that is no exaggeration. He struck out 47 times in 2007 and only 48 times so far this year. What's odd is that his walk totals are practically identical. Pedroia plate discipline is amazing. He is almost always putting the ball in play or drawing a walk. Which I find impressive. (Update: This has remained the case across his career thus far. After the 2010 season, his Walk/K totals for his career are 215/184. Over his career, he has struck out (on average per season) 7.5% of the time and walked 8.7% of the time. The major league strikeout average per season, by contrast, is 17.6%)

**** Not only did Dobson have a great nickname, he was also handicapped. Literally; he blew two fingers off his left hand at the age of nine while playing with a dynamite cap. So Dobson put together a solid career in baseball and fought in a war missing half his hand. What did YOU do today?

***** Usually in that period you see players stats spike in the war years and then tail off when the regulars came back at war's end. Dobson did the reverse, which makes me admire him even more.

Oki Heads To The Bucket

2011-03-28T13:16:00.000-04:00

I can't say this was particularly surprising:

This could not have been an easy day for Hideki Okajima. After four seasons as Boston's No. 1 left-handed option out of the bullpen, the one-time "hero in the shadows" was optioned Monday to Triple-A Pawtucket as the Red Sox made their final roster decisions.

The Red Sox announced that Alfredo Aceves also was optioned to Pawtucket, with Dennys Reyes retained as the bullpen's only left-hander and former Orioles reliever Matt Albers kept as a right-handed long man.

Okajima had two things working against him: diminishing performance over the past two seasons and remaining options. Put those together and it was a no-brainer of a move. And, as Gordon Edes points out, it preserves some depth for the season.

On the downside, the Sox now have only one left-hander in the 'pen. Dennys Reyes will be 34 on April 19. He has been a reliable, if not stellar, arm in relief. But is it wise for Boston to have just one lefty? I guess we'll find out if that is actually a requirement. Of course, if Matt Albers continues pitching like he has, then no one will even care about how many lefties are in the pen.

Big East Breakdown

2011-03-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

I grew up in Connecticut (aka Newyorkachusetts) and UConn is my alma mater, so I am obviously rooting for the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament and, in a larger sense, the Big East as a whole.

I remember making fun of the Big 10 over the years, how they'd send five or six teams to the Big Dance and then they'd crash out in grand style in the first round. Not us, though. We were the Big East, the toughest conference in the college game. And this season seemed to prove it, with the Big East sending a record 11 teams to the tournament.

But oh, how the mighty have fallen. Perhaps the conference is too loaded, too tough. The conference wars - and they are wars, the Big East is physical - seem to have taken their toll. Out of 11 teams, only two - my UConn and Marquette - have made it to the Sweet 16.

The other nine? Some were victims of internecine warfare (UConn took out Cincy, Marquette shot down Syracuse), some got taken down by questionable calls (Pitt) and some just didn't bother showing up (Louisville, ND in round 2*).

The end result is that the Big East is now the Big 10 - a conference that is somewhat riding its reputation. And it will have an effect next year and in the years to come. I doubt you'll ever see 11 teams go again. Maybe even 10. It looks bad for the selection committee when so many picks don't play up to their seeding. And they hate looking bad.

But on the upside, UConn is still in. Although they have a tough road if they want to get to Houston. San Diego State is up and then the winner of Duke/Arizona. Another Duke/UConn bout? It'd be great basketball...and I really dislike Duke.

Important Question Marks

2011-03-18T15:49:00.000-04:00

I talked yesterday briefly about Beckett dropping to the #4 pitcher in the Boston rotation. Today, the Globe's Tony Massarotti goes more in-depth about the questions surrounding Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon.

Let's start with Beckett. No matter how you slice it, the Red Sox' decision to place him fourth, ahead of only Daisuke Matsuzaka, speaks volumes. Whatever the real explanation for the move, the Red Sox are now at a point where they feel they need to protect Beckett, bring him along slowly, ease him into things. They are treating him far more like Dice-K than they are Jon Lester. A year ago at this time, Beckett's future with the Sox was front and center, the team ultimately signing him to a four-year, $68 million contract (an average of $17 million per) that has yet to even begin.
....

Papelbon returned to the team following easily his worst season as a major league closer. Once regarded as a sure thing, he blew as many saves last season (eight) as he had blown in the two previous years combined. The rate of walks he issues has climbed as steadily as gas prices (now up to 3.76 per nine innings.) Papelbon really has not been the same since October 2008, when the Red Sox leaned on him heavily in the postseason and when he might not have been able to pitch in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series had the situation called for it.

Yeah...as reliable as both men have been for Boston over the years, they are very much unknown quantities going into 2011. Beckett has literally been up-and-down since 2007. In 2007 and 2009, Beckett posted at least 17 wins, had sub-4 ERAs and made the All-Star team. In 2008 and 2010...ERA's over 4 and under 200 IP. 2010 in particular was horrid: 5.78 ERA, only 21 starts and a 1.535 WHIP. It remains to be seen if Beckett can recapture his form, but I think he has to do better than last year.

Paps, on the other hand...the one thing that cannot be argued against is his save total: 35 or more saves in each of the first five years of his career. No other pitcher (at least none I could find) in the modern history of the game has done that. On the other hand, in 2010 his ERA hit a career high (3.95) as did his WHIP (1.269), W/9 ratio (3.8) and blown saves (8). His WAR was 0.4, which is a horrid number for any starting player, let alone your closer. And frankly, he hasn't been all that encouraging in spring training.

Now, the Sox have more leeway when it comes to Paps. With Bard and Jenks, they can pull Paps if his 2010 form continues. If Beckett goes off the rails, though...it gets dicey. The Sox have the immortal Tim Wakefield if needed and Aceves could pull spot starter duty. Later in the year, Junichi Tazawa could factor back in since he'll be recovered from Tommy John surgery. But other than that, the Sox do not have a lot of Fenway-ready starting pitching. It's Boston's real weak spot. Beckett needs to find his form if Boston is going to fulfill their potential this year.

Is Lackey Right For #2?

2011-03-17T12:18:00.000-04:00

According to the Globe, Boston's rotation is set.

April 1 at Texas: Jon Lester

April 2 at Texas: John Lackey

April 3 at Texas: Clay Buchholz

April 5 at Cleveland: Josh Beckett

April 6 at Cleveland: Daisuke Matsuzaka

April 7 at Cleveland: Lester

April 8: New York: Lackey

April 9 New York: Buchholz

April 10 New York: Beckett

The two things that stand out are that Beckett is currently the fourth pitcher and Lackey is the second pitcher. Beckett not facing Texas makes sense, as they shellacked him last year. But Lackey slotting in between Lester and Buchholz...is that a good idea?

On the down side, some of Lackey's numbers weren't great in 2010. He posted his highest ERA since 2005, surrendered the most hits in one season (233) in his career, posted his highest WHIP since 2003 and his lowest K/BB ratio since his rookie year of 2002. Not good.

On the other hand, he won 14 games, the most he had since 2007 and the second-highest single-season total in his career. He pitched 215 innings, the most since 2007. His 156 strikeouts were the most since 2007 and his 33 starts matched a career high. Lackey's 21 quality starts were his most since 2007 and led the Sox in 2010. And one should also keep in mind that Lackey was helping his wife through some health issues. That can take a toll on anyone.

I think it is safe to say that Lackey frustrated the hell out of Boston fans last year. For what he was paid, a lot of Boston fans wanted more. Personally, the pay issue doesn't affect me that much. Boston can pay a premium for pitchers that perform decently but beneath their "value" without going broke.

Still...some of his key numbers from 2010 are pretty mediocre. But his endurance numbers (starts, IP, QS) are up. Which means that if he can recapture some of his earlier form then Lackey is in a position to contribute a lot more to Boston. And take it for what it is worth, but Lackey's spring training has been going well. His 1.74 ERA is anong the lowest on the squad and he has yet to walk a batter.

Lackey breaking up the 1-2 punch of Lester and Buchholz may look odd at first. But if Lackey even improves back to his 2008 form, he would likely have at least 15 wins and cut his ERA by almost a full run.

Lester Gets The Start

2011-03-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

Yeah...if you aren't a Sox fan then this means next to nothing to you. But for the rest of us, it's a well-deserved honor:

Manager Terry Francona said today that Jon Lester would be the Opening Day starter for the Red Sox.

The season starts April 1 in Texas. Lester will oppose C.J. Wilson in the 4:05 p.m. game.

The announcement, which came as no surprise, was made before Lester's start against the Braves today.

The 27-year-old lefthander was 19-9 with a 3.25 earned run average last season and finished fourth in the American League Cy Young Award voting. He struck out 225 in 208 innings.

Not only did he earn it with last year's performance, but he's been earning it the last three years. Here is Lester's line for the 2008-2010 seasons:

97 Games Started | 621.2 IP | 50-23 | .685% | 3.29 ERA | 602 K | 213 W | 1.235 WHIP

Yeah...pretty good. Lester's closest comparables are Cole Hamels, Tim Hudson and Johan Santana. He has, hands down, been Boston's best pitcher over the last three years and is one of the best pitchers in the game today.

Boston's rotation has some question marks. But Lester is definitely not one of them.

Silly, Silly Mets

2011-03-09T12:36:00.000-05:00

I despise the Yankees, but the Mets come a close second. Not only because they crushed my boyhood heart in 1986, but because they are from New York. And if we know anything, New York City is an evil place when it comes to sports teams.

So reading this piece at MLB Trade Rumors about the Mets likely eating $12M to jettison Oliver Perez made me laugh. Not only because it's $12M the Mets can't afford, but because there is this nugget at the piece's end about what Jon Heyman said when the contract was signed.

The Mets had to get Oliver Perez back. They weren't comfortable with their main fallback option, which was [Randy] Wolf.

You know where this is going, right?

Oliver Perez

2009-2010: 3-9, 21 GS, 112.1 IP, 6.81 ERA, 100W, 99K, ERA+ 59, 1.985 WHIP
Randy Wolf

2009-2010: 24-19, 68 GS, 430 IP, 3.70 ERA, 145W, 302K, ERA+ 107, 1.247 WHIP

Say what you will about Madoff and the Wilpons sinking the Mets, but it's personnel decisions like this one that put the Mets in the ground.

Wouldn't It Be Nice...

2011-03-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

if Alfredo Aceves keeps pitching like this?

After he fractured the clavicle of his left shoulder in a bicycle accident last November, the Yankees deemed Aceves damaged goods. The fact that he had a 14-1 record (3.21 ERA) in three seasons with the Yankees, including a 2-0 mark in nine career starts vs. the Red Sox, piqued Boston’s interest.

“He’s a pretty interesting guy,’’ said Sox manager Terry Francona after Aceves pitched two scoreless innings yesterday.

The righty faced eight batters, allowing just one hit and one walk while throwing just 12 pitches, eight for strikes.

The kid can pitch. If he can stay healthy (and a clavicle fracture isn't career-ending) the Sox may have stolen a solid bullpen pitcher from the Yankees for a song.

Is Albert Pujols worth $300M?

2011-02-16T11:15:00.001-05:00

That's the big question, right? Should the Cardinals phenomenal first baseman become baseball's first $30M/yr man?

Let's get something out of the way first. No one is worth this money in a sane world. But we aren't talking about sanity here, we're talking about baseball contracts. So it's a valid question.

This kind of money became possible than to one man...and no, it isn't Alex Rodriguez. It's Tom Hicks, who decided that paying A-Rod $252M over ten years was okay. That contract blew up the salary structure. So Albert asking for $30M a year is crazy and ridiculous, but it's consistent with a new structure that owners put into place.

So...is he worth it? I think you would be hard-pressed to argue against it.

He has the 2nd most home runs over last 10 years (408), 2nd most RBI (1230), leads in WAR (83.8) and is second in OPS+ (172). He is a three-time NL MVP who has finished no lower than fourth in the MVP voting nine out of the last ten years. He currently leads all active players with a scorching .426 OBP and an insane 1.050 OPS. According to baseball-reference.com, the players that Pujols has most closely mirrored in his career have been Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx and Frank Robinson.

Yeah, he's pretty good. He's the best player in the league. He's already a Hall of Fame lock and is only 30 years old. Based on the guidelines that baseball has set for itself, he is easily worth $30M a year. Heck, he's probably worth more.

The problem for the Cardinals is this: the worth of a phenomenal player has accelerated so fast that it consumes more and more of a team's total salary amount. The Cardinals' projected payroll for 2011 is $104M, with Pujols making $16M this year. If everything else stays stable (with some salaries going up and others down) then a $30M/yr deal for Pujols will mean he alone will account for roughly 29% of St. Louis' payroll. That's a lot of cash to sink into one player. Money you can't use to strengthen the team elsewhere. Money you can't use to extend another player or a talented rookie. Unless you are willing to increase your payroll, tying close to one-third of your money is one player is a dangerous plan. Even with a player as talented as Pujols.

The other side of the argument is that in Pujols you have a once-in-a-lifetime player, a solid citizen and someone who far exceeds the other players at his position. Can you actually make up his production with other players? He averages over 40 homers and 120 RBI per season. Oh, and he has a solid glove to boot. How do you let someone like that walk?

So, is Pujols worth what he's asking for? By the standards of common sense, no. But common sense left the stable a long time ago. Based on the current standards of baseball, standards created both by the players and the owners, Pujols is worth $30M. And the Cardinals have to decide whether to sign him knowing it will limit their ability to sign and retain other players, or to risk losing him in free agency after the season ends.

Burned

2009-04-10T10:54:00.000-04:00

If you throw 100 pitches before you hit seven innings of work, odds are you will end up with the big "L" next to your name in the boxscore.

Now, if you happen to be Daisuke Matsuzaka you beat the odds on this more often that not. In 2008, you threw 100+ pitches 14 times in the regular season in less than seven innings of work. In those games you went 10-0 with four no-decisions. Daisuke should've been on a plane to Vegas with an odds-defying performance like that.

But math is a cold and harsh mistress. It has no give, and one of the rules is that the odds eventually even out.

Now, I am not saying that Daisuke is going to go 5-14 this year. I don't believe that for a second. What I am saying is that he won't be able to dance on that edge this year and get away with it like he did in 2008. Daisuke has to learn better control. Three home runs and three walks in five innings won't get it done this year. And that is why the Sox lost 4-3 last night to Tampa, a result that has a painfully familiar feel to it.

This Sox team is built on pitching and defense. That isn't to say their bats aren't powerful; even without Manny this team can drive in runs. Although if Jed Lowrie doesn't start doing something with his bat I may do the unthinkable and pine for the return of Julio Lugo. But Boston's pitching will determine their finish come September. And if Daisuke doesn't get it going, it will be that much harder for Boston to play baseball in October.

At least Youk is pulling his own weight...

Back To Earth

2009-04-09T10:17:00.002-04:00

I guess it wouldn't make sense to get too despondent over last night's loss, just as it didn't make sense to get too ecstatic over Boston's Opening Night win. But I feel a little trepidation over Lester's performance.

He wasn't even that bad; if you allow for the lousy fifth, he did a good job. But I keep coming back to this column from Tom Verducci at SI about pitchers in danger of a dropoff. After listing his 10 pitchers (which was headlined by Lester), Verducci writes:

How much should those guys be worried? Over the previous three years I red-flagged a total of 24 young pitchers at the start of those seasons. Of those 24 at-risk pitchers, 16 were hurt in that same season. Only one of the 24 pitchers managed to stay healthy and lower his ERA: Ubaldo Jimenez of Colorado, a guy I said would be less at risk because of his powerful body type.

He does say that Lester stands a better chance of overcoming this trend due to his size and his age. Also, the Red Sox coaches are notorious for their caution with pitching.

But Cole Hamels and Tim Lincecum are on this list as well. Hamels is out right now with a gimpy elbow and Lincecum got shelled in the Giants' opener against the Brewers. One game does not a season make, but it's a little question in the back of my mind that isn't going to go away any time soon.

But enough of that for now. It's Daisuke on the mound this afternoon. I am expecting a lot of walks but no runs. I know, I'm really out on a limb here...

Good Start To The Season

2009-04-08T09:53:00.003-04:00

So, where do you begin? Mighty Mite's second-pitch homer? Varitek wrapping one around the Pesky Pole? How about Josh Beckett looking like he is almost in mid-season form?

I say all of the above. With only a couple of hiccups in the bullpen, the Red Sox looked solid in their 5-3 win over Tampa.

Yes, it's only one game into the season. But how can you not be encouraged by the performance of Josh Beckett? Seven innings of two-hit ball to go with one earned run and 10 strikeouts...hell of a lot better than Sabathia's opening. Beckett was really working his curve ball for strikes as well with an occasional hard slider. If Beckett can stay healthy, we could be looking at another 2007 season.

If I was worried about anything, it would be Ellsbury going 0-4 at the top of the lineup and Oki's problems. Ellsbury needs to get on base at least once in a game, especially with a potent bat like Pedroia's right behind him. As for Oki, he looked like he had little in the way of control. Of course, he started slow last year and picked up the pace. So maybe we're just doing it that way again.

Bottom line is that the Sox have a one-game lead on the Rays and Yanks. Yes, it is only April. But the wins that come now tend to matter in September.

For One Day

2009-04-07T09:14:00.002-04:00

For one day, watching the new Yankees team play on the field was a thing of beauty.

You had CC Sabathia give up six runs in 4.1 innings, which gives him a stellar ERA of 12.42 to start the year. He didn't have a single strikeout, the first such o-fer for Sabathia since 2005. And Yankee fans, take heart; he started out the same way last year. And he improved to 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA before getting traded to the Brewers. I am sure his NL numbers will translate back to the American League. Isn't that always the way?

And then there was Teixeira. With A-Rod down, you can see him trying to take over that role in the lineup. When he went 0-4, I was amazed at how Teixeira really seemed to get what A-Rod was all about. And that fielder's choice to end the eighth with two runners on and the Yanks down one? I thought that was A-Rod at the plate.

Yes sir, for one day it was a joy to watch the Yankees. Now, if we can only get Burnett to channel Pavano...

Looking Back: 2005 NFL Draft

2009-04-06T11:09:00.000-04:00

With the 2009 NFL Draft coming up and the Patriots holding a bounty of picks in the top 100, I thought it would be interesting to see how their past few drafts have played out. So let's take a look at the draft class of 2005.

1st Round: Logan Mankins (OG, Fresno State) - The first guard taken in the draft, this pick was masterful. The Pats picked up their left guard for the next 10-15 years. Mankins has been to a Pro Bowl (2007) and was named an All-Pro guard that same year. It goes without saying that Mankins has to be given an extension by the Pats before he hits the market. Players like Logan don't come around too often.

2nd Round: None (traded to Baltimore) - In return, the Patriots received the Ravens 2005 3rd round pick, one of their 6th round picks and their 2006 3rd round pick.

3rd Round (1): Ellis Hobbs (CB, Iowa State) - Another solid pick by the Pats, and the one made with Baltimore's 3rd rounder. Hobbs has been a starter in the backfield since 2007.

3rd Round (2): Nick Kaczur (OG, Toledo) - Another 2005 pick who starts for the Pats. Kaczur was moved to right tackle and has been the starter there since 2006.

4th Round: James Sanders (S, Fresno State) - The second Bulldog chosen by the Patriots in the 2005 draft and another player who starts for the Patriots today. Sanders signed a three-year deal with the Pats last month, turning down more money elsewhere to return to the team.

5th Round (1): None - Traded to the Lions along with a sixth-round pick for Detroit's 2006 4th-round pick

5th Round (2): Ryan Claridge (LB, UNLV) - The first miss by the Pats brain trust in 2005. Claridge stuck with the team for one season and was released in 2006. He is currently out of the NFL.

6th Round: None - The Pats traded their 6th and 7th round picks to the Packers for this pick, which they then traded to the Raiders for their 7th-round pick and their 2006 5th-round pick.

7th Round (1): Matt Cassel (QB, USC) - This would be the Raiders' 7th-round pick. As we know, the Pats eventually would flip this into a 2nd-round pick in the talent-rich 2009 NFL draft. Cassel now starts for the Chiefs.

7th Round (2): Andy Stokes (TE, William Penn) - Andy was Mr. Irrelevant in 2005. He was cut by the Pats during training camp.

So...that's a pretty good draft. Out of seven players, five are in the NFL and four are starting for the Patriots in 2009. That's the kind of record you aim for in the draft. If the Pats can hit like this in 2009, they'll be in good shape.

Opening Day?

2009-04-06T10:25:00.002-04:00

Don't count on it. With a thunderstorm in the offing around 3 or so, and rain before that, I am guessing we'll get a doubleheader tomorrow if we're lucky.

(Update: Stupid me. Read the schedule wrong. There is no game scheduled tomorrow for just this very reason. And sure enough, the Sox postponed the game until 4:05 tomorrow afternoon. So it's still just one game. And I need to get some glasses.)

But if we do, it should be a hell of a way to kick off the year. Beckett and Shields face off in a rematch from Game Six of the ALCS. Beckett got the better of Shields that day and we can only hope that trend continues.

Going into this season, the big questions all seem to revolve around health. The health of Papi and Lowell. The health of Beckett and Daisuke. The health of Saito and Penny. That always makes one a wee bit nervous. But, on the upside, all these gentlemen have looked hale and healthy in the spring.

The bigger question, to me, is whether the Rays can repeat as champions. Last year they caught a lot of breaks, most of their key guys were healthy and they snuck up on a lot of teams. Don't take that as a dig, Tampa fans. That's how teams get to the World Series; they catch the breaks and keep their main players on the field. But the odds of them doing it two years in a row are rather slim.

The last time a team showed up in two or more consecutive World Series was when the Yankees did it from 1998 to 2001, and half their team was roided out in the process. Nowadays, it is very hard for a team to get to the finals two years in a row. I think the Rays will be contenders for years to come, provided they can pay their players. But I don't see them going back.

And we all know how I feel about the Yankees...check out my posts at Sox vs. Stripes for a more detailed breakdown.

But I will throw one random prediction out right now; watch out for Kansas City. Remember how Tampa snuck everyone last year? Well, I don't think the Royals are going to the World Series, but they will break .500 this year.

They have a solid 1-2 punch in their rotation with Meche and Grienke, and Kyle Davies could be a decent #3. The bullpen isn't atrocious and they have a lights-out closer in Joakim Soria. KC has Crisp leading off, which improves their lineup right away. And they have some decent bats.

So that is my "out on a limb" prediction; the Royals will go 85-77. Which doesn't seem like much, but for the Royals that's a parade-worthy season.

Note About New "Read More" link

2009-04-05T18:44:00.003-04:00

They are only valid for the last post forward. So when you see them on older posts, ignore them. It's an unfortunate byproduct of changing the template.

Boston Vs. New York: Position Players

2009-04-05T16:52:00.005-04:00

This is cross-posted from my new site, Sox vs. Stripes. I'll still do plenty of Sox stuff here, but this was part of a series.

The last part in my Boston/New York head-to-head comparison is, in many ways, the most contentious of all. Comparing position players is guaranteed to generate arguments and chaos, even amongst fans of the same team.

Keep in mind, this isn't just a comparison of bats. It's a comparison of gloves as well. Keeping a run from crossing the plate is as important as knocking in a run. So rather than match up batter to batter, I am matching up fielder to fielder. Either way has it's drawbacks, but I like this one better. So, with that in mind...

Catcher: Jason Varitek vs. Jorge Posada

When it comes to the stick, Posada has the edge. Even if 'Tek bounces back from last year's horror show, he'll still likely have an average under .250. I would guess Posada will be around .275 and have a better OBP.

But the glove? I still think that Varitek wins in that department. Posada was out for much of 2008, but Varitek still had a better fielding percentage, range factor and catcher's ERA (CERA) than Posada in 2008. Just as he did in 2007. I don't see any reason that won't continue in 2009.

Decision: Push - Posada's bat and Varitek's glove cancel out each other. The truth is that these two veterans are very close to one another in production and fielding. If you want to get hyper-technical, 'Tek may have a slightly better season overall since he is more familiar with the majority of Boston's rotation, whereas Posada has two new starters to deal with.

First Base: Kevin Youkilis vs. Mark Teixeira

Two players in their prime. Two players who can put up the numbers with their bat. Two players who have a solid glove at first.

Youkilis was the 2008 Hank Aaron Award winner in the AL. He put up career numbers (29 HR, 115 RBI, .958 OPS) and had his usual great fielding performance at first. Teixeira actually did a little better at the plate (33 HR, 121 RBI, .962 OPS) but was inferior to Youkilis at first with his glove. I don't see this changing in 2009.

Decision: Push - Get used to seeing that a lot. The Sox and Yankees are comparable at many positions, and this is another one of them. Teixeira will likely have the better year at the plate, but I would wager on Youkilis having the better glove since he's familiar with Fenway and his teammates, something Teixiera doesn't have going for him.

Second Base: Dustin Pedroia vs. Robinson Cano

The defending AL MVP and one of New York's up-and-comers. Pedroia had an amazing season in 2008. He not only won the MVP but also tacked on the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards for second base. He's only 26, so there is no reason to not think he can't keep up this level of production.

Cano was the first next-gen everyday player from New York's farm system to stick in the majors. He could easily match Pedroia's offensive output, although with his swing he tends to strike out more and get on base less. But his glove simply isn't as good as Dustin's. I think even Aviv would have to acknowledge that.

Decision: Boston - This isn't a dig on Cano, who is better than a lot of people think. But he isn't the complete package that Pedroia gives Boston. If Cano could raise up his fielding, this would be a push as well.

Shortstop: Jed Lowrie vs. Derek Jeter

A mismatch on paper. You have a second-year guy in Boston against a living legend. The new kid and Mr. Yankee. But the thing is...it's closer than you would think.

Lowrie is going to have to improve his batting. A .258 average and .739 OPS isn't going to get it done year-after-year. What Lowrie does have going for him is a stellar glove. Last year he was flawless at short and there is no reason he can't keep it up in 2009. Also keep in mind he was playing injured most of 2008.

Jeter is still a solid leadoff batter, although his average, RBI, hits and OPS have declined each of the past three years. But that's a decline from great to good. Jeter's problem is his glove. He simply doesn't have the range he used to and his glove was never that great to begin with. Now he is decidedly average as a fielder.

Decision: Push - This will cause some major issues with Yankee fans, and it is understandable. But Lowrie is better on the field and Jeter is at the plate. As a total player, Lowrie is Jeter's equal at this point in his career. If I was feeling really evil, I could easily argue that Lowrie will be better overall in 2009. But that's for another post.

Third Base: Mike Lowell vs. A-Rod

Don't worry, Yankee fans. Even I can't make a case for Lowell here. Coming off a hip injury and getting up in age, he simply isn't the player he was in 2007 when he won the World Series MVP? You remember the World Series, right Yankee fans?

And A-Rod is A-Rod. Even with the drug scandal and the personal drama and the erotic moments with a mirror, he is still the best hitting third-baseman in the game and one of the better fielders.

Decision: New York - Boston evens out here for the first month when Cody Ransom fills in for the injured A-Rod. But once A-Rod comes back, New York wins this hands down. Caveat: if A-Rod doesn't come back this could swing to a push depending on Lowell's production.

Left Field: Jason Bay vs. Johnny Damon

You know what you are getting with Bay; around 30 homers and 100 RBI, give or take a couple either way. You are also getting a solid fielder; Bay had one error with the Sox last year and four overall in 2008. And at age 30, he is entering a contract year. And while Bay plays hard every game, expect even more production with money on the line.

Damon is getting old and slowing down. That isn't a well-deserved dig at him but simply the truth. Even by his standards his arm is pathetically weak. And last year was, in my opinion, the classic "bump year", where an aging veteran arrests his decline for one last season before the bottom falls out (see Willie Mays in 1971, Cecil Cooper in 1985). Time has simply caught up to him.

Decision: Boston - Bay is in his prime and entering a contract year while Damon is playing out the string. Boston holds the advantage here.

Center Field: Jacoby Ellsbury vs. Brett Gardner

Ellsbury enters what some consider a make-or-break year while Gardner tries to prove he belongs on the big stage. Both players will be inspired to have strong seasons.

It's more likely that Ellsbury will achieve that goal. He should be able to fix the major flaw in his swing (missing those inside fastballs) and improve upon his .280 average while improving his already-solid steal numbers (50 SB with an 82% success rate). And his fielding...he played all three outfield positions, racked up 1174 innings and committed zero errors. He deserved a Gold Glove for that performance.

Gardner is an unknown. His bat was weak in his short time up in 2008 (.228 BA, .582 OPS) but he looked good in the outfield with no errors in 306 innings. I would guess his batting numbers get a little better while his fielding percentage drops somewhat.

Decision: Boston - Ellsbury is simply the better talent between these two young players. It's not that Gardner is a bad player, just that Ellsbury has the potential to be an All-Star on a regular basis. Whether he achieves that goal is still a matter of debate, but he is the better player right now.

Right Field: J.D. Drew vs. Xavier Nady

J.D. Drew...the most frustrating player on the Sox. When healthy, he is a rare talent. But that's the problem; rarely is he healthy for long periods of time. Not once in his career has he played 150 or more games. But by the same token, his lowest OPS in the past six years was .796 and he always is producing and scoring runs. When he isn't on the DL. And while he isn't a Gold Glove player in right, he gets the job done most of the time.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the Yankees were considering moving Nady in the off-season. Yes, his production dropped when he came over from Pittsburgh, but he wasn't horrendous. And he was flawless when playing in right field. Add to that he is only 30 years old and I think Nady will do better than people think.

Decision: New York - If I thought Drew would be healthy, I would give this to Boston. But you and I and everyone else knows that won't happen. Drew will pull a muscle or get a hangnail and sit on the DL. At the same time, I think Nady will prove a lot of nay-sayers wrong.

DH: David Ortiz vs. Hideki Matsui

The big question is whether these two guys can stay healthy all year. If they can, both can put up huge numbers.

But if they do both stay healthy, I think Ortiz gets the edge. Papi is younger and has more power. But Matsui has looked better in the spring. Truth is, until we get a month or so into the season, we won't know who is better at the DH spot.

Decision: Push - Still too many questions about both guys coming into the season. We won't know how healthy they are until they get about 100 at-bats under their respective belts. But if they are both healthy and playing to their best, Ortiz is the better hitter.

Bench

Not a position per se, but still very important. These are the guys who fill in the gaps, who rest your starters, who play the second game in a doubleheader. You may not think about them much, but they can make or break a season.

The Sox have a decent bench. George Kottaras has earned a shot at the big time. He had a solid spring and caught Time Wakefield quite well. Nick Green, a former Yankee, holds the utility infielder spot as Julio Lugo heals up (take your time, Julio). Rocco Baldelli is the steal of the off-season as the fourth outfielder. But the revelation has been Chris Carter, who has been raking the ball. If Papi goes down, he is a legit replacement at DH. And to think Theo traded Wily Mo Pena to the Nationals for Carter. Another legacy of Jim Bowden.

The Yankees have Melky Cabrera, who is in danger of entering Wily Mo territory as a player who runs out of options and sees his career suffer for it. Nick Swisher could end up as a steal for New York if he can do better than his .219 BA last year. I'd also guess he's a little pissed that Teixiera was brought in and took the starting job at first and Nady is starting in right. Molina isn't the worst backup catcher in the game. And Aviv can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Ramiro Pena is on the bench as well. New York's answer to Jed Lowrie, it still is an open question if he can make it in the majors. But if he pans out, he could force the "Jeter to center" issue to the fore.

Decision: Push - I really wanted to put Boston here because of Baldelli. Both benches have talent and production...if everyone plays to their potential. But both benches will also change when injured starters return. So we really won't know about the benches until we are well into the season.

Final Verdict: Boston (by a hair)

The Sox win 3-2 over New York with five pushes. As the season goes, Boston could pull away or New York could overtake the Sox. As with everything else, Boston and New York are close to one another. But Boston is just a bit better. And that is why they'll definitely be in the post-season and the Yankees will be dueling with the Rays for the wild-card spot.

Bye-Bye Burress

2009-04-04T19:30:00.002-04:00

When did NFL teams grow a pair all of a sudden? Just a day after crybaby Jay Cutler got traded out of Denver, the New York Giants cut ties with Plaxico Burress.

A senior Giants official told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio it had become clear in January that Burress didn't want to be in New York when agent Drew Rosenhaus sent an e-mail to the rest of the league saying Burress could be available in a trade.

The delay in ending the court case this week also appeared to play a role in the Giants' decision.

First off, kudos for Rosenhaus for getting back into the "Douchebag Agent of the Year" race. I'm sure the Giants appreciated that email.

More importantly, though, is that New York made this move even though they knew that wide receiver was one of their weakest positions last year. That will hopefully spur a movement in the NFL to stop tolerating poor behavior from players simply because they are talented.

As for Burress...what team will go after him now? Cincinnati must be on the list; they need another receiver and we all know that issues with the law mean nothing to them,

Fenway Going Nowhere

2009-04-03T12:50:00.002-04:00

In case you were worried about seeing Fenway Park before you passed from this mortal coil, rest easy. It will be around for some time to come.

Crews were putting the finishing touches Thursday on major league baseball's oldest stadium, the Boston Red Sox's eighth straight offseason of improving the ballpark so it might last up to another 50 years.

The work on the 97-year-old park included repairing concrete and waterproofing the original lower seating area built in 1912, adding 191 seats and 100 standing room spaces atop the roof along the right-field foul line and repairing an adjacent building that houses club offices.

So plan a trip some time in the next five years to visit the best stadium in the game. And hey, those lower-rung seats that cost $100 are a steal compared to the small mortgage you'll need to enjoy a game at the New Yankee Stadium.

Bye-Bye, Jay

2009-04-03T10:20:00.003-04:00

Well, Jay Cutler got his wish. After finding out he could have been traded, Jay Cutler...demanded to be traded. And now the one-time Broncos quarterback will be the new Chicago quarterback.

The Chicago Bears acquired disgruntled Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler in a trade on Thursday afternoon, giving up quarterback Kyle Orton and first-round picks in 2009 (18th overall) and 2010, along with a third-round pick (84th overall) in 2009 to do it.

To complete the trade, the Broncos had to give back a fifth-round pick (140th overall) in 2009. That pick was acquired by the Broncos from the Seattle Seahawks in a trade for wide receiver Keary Colbert.

That is a remarkable haul for the Broncos, who I think came out the clear winners in this deal.

Cutler is a gunslinger, the type of QB that doesn't work well in the Patriots' offense that Josh McDaniels is bringing to Denver. Kyle Orton is more suited for that kind of offense. And to get two firsts and a third out of it? Well done, Denver.

Orton also comes into an offense that has a solid O-line, running attack and some decent receivers. Cutler brings his cannon arm to Chicago where he gets to throw to...Rashied Davis. Not exactly Eddie Royal, is he?

But such are the wages that crying like a baby earns you. Cutler has damaged his reputation in the NFL and now comes to a Chicago team that has to be wary of him to some extent. In Denver, for better or worse, McDaniels has made his mark and now owns the success or failure of the franchise.

But those draft picks...now the Broncos can rebuild their mediocre defense with some solid picks. It may take a year or two to pay off, but the Broncos made themselves a much better team last night.

Role Reversal

2009-04-02T10:22:00.000-04:00

Remember when the Yankees used to have a manager that stayed for years and years while the Sox would swap skippers every couple of years? Well, much like with the ability to win a title, those roles have changed.

Having managed the first Yankee team to miss the playoffs since 1993, Girardi watched as the front office invested $423.5 million in three players this season, stocking the starting rotation with the top two starters on the free-agent market while adding a bona fide No. 3 hitter to the lineup.

Throw in the fact that the Yankees are opening their brand new state-of-the-art ballpark and it all adds up to one thing: Girardi may have more pressure on him to win than any manager or head coach in pro sports history.

Also throw in the Yankees are opening their brand new state-of-the-art ballpark and are having trouble selling tickets. You add all of that together and Hank could fire Girardi if he blows a hit-and-run call.

Meanwhile, you look at the Red Sox. Tito is beginning his sixth straight year as manager in Boston. Which doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize that it has been sixty years since a Boston manager has lasted that long. The last man to pull at least six straight years as Boston's skipper was Joe Cronin, who led the Sox from 1935 through 1947. Pinky Higgins almost pulled it off in the late 1950s but he got pushed out during the 1959 season in his fifth year. In 1960 he was brought back about a third of the way through the season and then managed two more years. So while he led the Sox for eight years, they weren't consecutive thanks to a bizarre case of managerial Musical Chairs*.

------------------------

* I hate even mentioning Cronin and Higgins in the same breath as Terry Francona, considering those two guys were instrumental in enforcing the "whites only" code the Sox labored under through the 40s and most of the 50s. Consider this; Ted Williams could have played with both Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson if these morons weren't running the show. Hell, I'm surprised they let Williams on the team considering he was part Mexican.

New Site

2009-04-01T11:23:00.002-04:00

While I will still be cranking out stuff here at the Corner, a good friend and I have created a new site, Sox Vs. Stripes. If you couldn't tell, it's devoted to Sox/Yankees talk and/or insults.

Aviv (the evil Yankee fan) actually has an extensive background in sports journalism. But he is hamstrung by having to support a lame franchise like the Yankees. That allows me to make up the gap with my natural enthusiasm and boyish charm.

So check it out. It's just starting up right now and I wouldn't doubt we'll be working out some bumps here and there. But it'll give you a good look into the disturbing mental workings that result in a Yankee fan. I mean, he thinks they're going to win a title this year. If that isn't crazy, I don't know what is.

Crybaby Gets His Bottle

2009-04-01T10:22:00.001-04:00

And that's another way of saying that Jay Cutler is getting traded from the Denver Broncos.

It's more than a little weird that Cutler, who was upset that Denver wanted to trade him, responded by wanting to get traded. But you see behavior like that now and again in the NFL. What you don't see is a grown man throwing the equivalent of a hissy fit. Cutler wouldn't attend meetings, wouldn't answer phone calls and acted like a major diva. Frankly, Denver fans should consider themselves lucky to have this happen. Did you guys really want someone this fragile running your team for the next decade?

The bigger question is to whom the Broncos will deal Cutler. Everyone is saying the Jets, but what do they have to offer Denver in return? Besides, they are in the AFC and Denver won't want to have Cutler coming back to haunt them (if that is possible). Washington makes a lot more sense, with Jason Campbell available as swap material in addition to a draft pick. And if they are comfortable with Chris Sims running the show, maybe they could pluck Detroit's second first-round pick and a third in what many consider to be a deep draft.

But why would a team want Cutler? Yes, he has a great arm and his talent is undeniable. But he has just shown himself to be mentally weak. The NFL is a business. Players get traded or discussed as trade bait all the time; that's the nature of the game. And if you can't handle that, or use it to raise your game to the next level, then why are you even playing football? And why should a team surrenders players and/or picks to bring you onto their team?

50 Million Reasons Scott Boras Is An Ass

2009-03-31T10:41:00.000-04:00

There are certain limits in the world. Terminal velocity. The speed of light. The amount of milk one person can drink before they vomit.

Another limit is $10.5 million. That would be the cost of the contract the Cubs gave to Mark Prior after the 2001 draft. That total has been considered the unofficial "top" to rookie contracts.

One guess on who wants to upset the apple cart.

Scott Boras is representing a pitcher out of San Diego State named Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg is considered by many to be the best pitching prospect in more than a decade. That time period covers guys like Josh Beckett, Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir. Starsburg hits 100+ on the radar gun more than a few times per game. He is, apparently, everything a team could want in a pitcher.

Which is why Boras wants $50 million for Strasburg. No, that isn't a misprint. Boras wants some major league team to commit over $50 million to a player that has never thrown a single pitch in the major leagues.

Boras is off his rocker.

You may be interested to know that he is using Sidd Finch as a comparable. Yes, the mythical, made-up pitcher that SI used to con everyone back in 1985. It was one of George Plimpton's best pieces of work. Boras thinks it works as a baseline.

The other comparable for Boras? Daisuke's $52 million deal with the Red Sox that, of course, Boras helped negotiate. There is a big difference here. Daisuke pitched in the NPB for seven years against professional talent and also played in the World Baseball Classic before coming to the Red Sox. Strasburg has been pitching against UNLV and UC Davis. I don't think that is comparable.

As great a talent as Strasburg appears to be, the past decade is littered with "once-in-a-decade" arms that didn't live up to the hype. Kip Wells, Matt Harrington, Mark Prior, Kyle Sleeth, Philip Humber...all touted as "can't miss" prospects that have missed for a variety of reasons. Where is the guarantee that the same won't happen to Strasburg?

There isn't one, which is why that unofficial $10 million limit is in place. Because for all the talent a kid shows you in high school or in college, there is no guarantee at all you'll see that talent in the big leagues. And expecting a team like the Nationals to drop $50 million on an unproven pitcher is just bad business.

But that doesn't concern Boras. It's all about ego and bragging rights for him.

Doing The Safety Dance In New England

2009-03-30T12:14:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend the Pats announced they are bringing in three safeties for a pre-draft visit. Each team is allotted 30 of these visits at their facility. As Reece points out in the story:

From this view, the visits are helpful to chart, but also important to keep in perspective.

The Patriots, for example, did not host Logan Mankins on a pre-draft visit prior to drafting him in the first round in 2005. On the flip side, the team did host linebacker Jerod Mayo last year.

So it could be a smokescreen or it could be a genuine declaration of interest. I do think it is interesting that the Pats burned 10% of their visits on one position. The three players are Patrick Chung (Oregon), William Moore (Missouri) and Louis Delmas (Western Michigan).

Of the three, Delmas is the first-round talent in the bunch. That said, however, I would guess the Pats are eying him with that #34 pick in the second-round. If they truly do want Delmas.

Chung is a solid player who is a mid-round projection, the kind of guy the Pats love to pick up on Day 2. Moore...well, this gets interesting. He is a big one - 6 feet and 222 pounds. More than one publication has said he could make a move to inside linebacker. Not only because of his size, but because his run support skills are far superior to his man-on-man skills. Maybe the Pats will look to Moore as another young ILB in the later rounds

Also, the Pats are hosting Cincinnati defensive end Connor Barwin today. Barwin led the Big East with 11 sacks and plays hard. I saw him a couple of times of television and he never took a down off. The one thing against him is that he's been a DE for all of one year; he's a converted tight end. His combine performance and Pro Day work out have made his stock soar; from a mid-round pick to first day potential. I'll let you decide for yourself how to feel about that.

Remember Alysheba

2009-03-29T12:07:00.000-04:00

One of the greatest thoroughbreds in recent memory, Alysheba was euthanized at the age of 25.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Alysheba, winner of the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and chosen 1988 Horse of the Year, has died. The champion stallion was 25.

The charismatic star, dubbed "America's Horse" by racing fans, Alysheba was euthanized Friday night following a fall in his stall at the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions, where he was buried Saturday.

The son of racing legend Alydar became a sensation for trainer Jack Van Berg and owners Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer during a brilliant career that included a win in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired as horse racing's all-time money winner with more than $6.6 million in earnings from 11 victories in 26 lifetime starts.

I used to like to watch horse racing. I object to almost every instance of using animals in sport. I detest dog racing and the Iditarod. I don't even like dog shows.

But horses are born to work and born to run. And when they are treated right...well, they have a life like Alysheba's. They retire at age 5 and go out to stud for the next 20 years.

He was an amazing horse. The only other horse than captured my imagination as a kid was Pleasant Colony in 1981, another thoroughbred that won the first two legs of the Triple Crown before losing the Belmont Stakes.

Alysheba had an impressive lineage. His father was Alydar*, well-known for finished second to Affirmed in all three races in the 1978 Triple Crown. His mother was Bel sheba, who came from a bloodline including War Admiral and Man O' War.

All the above said...horse racing is in serious crisis now. Alydar's time was one where horses were, overall, treated well. When you look at today's horse racing scene...it's not so good. Over-breeding, fed food full of sugar, kept in their stalls almost all day and given drugs to mask their injuries. The results of this new way of raising racing horses? You get Eight Bells shattering her front ankles at the 2008 Kentucky Derby and getting put down on national television. Because you can always replace her with another racing horse. Or you have Rick Dutrow pumping Big Brown full of stanozolol because it isn't illegal in any of the states where the Triple Crown is held. Horse racing needs to take a serious look at itself, because right now they are racing themselves into the death of a sport.
---------------------

*Alydar's history is a look into the unfortunate dark side of what can happen to horses after retirement. Bred and owned by Calumet Farms in Kentucky, the farm went into major financial trouble while Alydar was there after his career. His leg was broken by the owner at the time, JT Lundy, to try and collect insurance. Alydar had to be euthanized as a result. And while Lundy was caught, arrested and sent to prison for four years (way too short a sentence for the depravity of his crime), it is not an isolated event for a horse to be treated poorly post-career. Just look at what happened to 1986 Derby winner Ferdinand...slaughtered in Japan because he was "too old".

How Stupid Do You Have To Be...

2009-03-28T11:16:00.003-04:00

If you even get mentioned as a possible selection in the NFL Draft, don't you have an obligation to do everything you can to ensure you get drafted? Isn't that the whole goal of what you have dedicated a good portion of your life towards?

Then why would you do something stupid like this?

Although the NFL teams have yet to receive the list of players who tested positive for substances of abuse and/or banned substances at last month’s Scouting Combine, rumors already are circulating as to players who tested positive.

Specifically, we have heard the names of two potential first-rounders. For obvious legal reasons, we won’t be disclosing the names until official confirmation is obtained.

One league source told us that there’s simply no way to know at this point whether the rumors are accurate.

The story here isn't the rumor of two first-rounders testing positive (although it will be if those rumors are true). It's that there is a list every year naming players who failed a drug test at the Combine.

How idiotic do you have to be to throw your career away by doing drugs before the Combine? Isn't Ricky Williams' struggle to get back to the NFL a story everyone knows by now? And he didn't even test positive until he was in the league. These kids on this list won't even get that far.

Self-Delusion

2009-03-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

See, this is why I hate the Jets. A bunch of narcissistic fools they are.

Leon Washington addressed the prospect of signing a long-term contract extension with the Jets and, although he didn't mention any specific parameters, he made it quite clear that he wants a lot of money. Discussing his value to the team in the future, Washington said he wants to "revolutionize" the game by being an all-purpose weapon the caliber of Hall of Famer Gale Sayers.

....

"I don't want to label myself as a specific guy," Washington said. "I'm trying to revolutionize the game, trying to take it to the next level like the guys back in the day, like a Dave Meggett, Gale Sayers, guys that did so much and did it so well. I want to bring that style of football back at a high level. In my opinion, that, plus the leadership you have in the locker room, is priceless."

First of all Leon, if you want to do what Gale Sayers did, you aren't going to "revolutionize" the game. You'll be doing what Sayers did.

Second of all...you're no Gale Sayers, Leon. Let's take a three-year block and compare.

Gale Sayers (1965-67): 41 games, 581 carries for 2978 yards, 29 rushing TDs, 79 catches for 1080 yards, 9 receiving TDs, 60 kickoff returns for 1981 yards, 6 return TDs.

Leon Washington (2006-08): 48 games, 298 carries for 1,451 yards, 13 rushing TDs, 108 catches for 838 yards, 2 receiving TDs. No kickoff returns.

Don't flatter yourself, Leon. You're a good player but your ego is setting standards you aren't close to achieving right now. Why not compare yourself to Jim Brown and be done with it?

Masterson In The Rotation?

2009-03-27T11:23:00.001-04:00

It's possible. And it isn't as crazy as some may think.

The fifth spot is the question here. Right now the three names we think of are Penny, Smoltz and Buchholz. Smoltz is out until June. Penny is still trying to come back. As well as he pitched a couple of days ago, he still has to build his stamina back to the level of a starter.

Then there is Buchholz.As good as he has looked this spring (and he has looked good), you have to be careful with him. He is regaining his confidence. The best place to cement that growth is in the Bucket and not Fenway. At least not yet.

Which brings us to Masterson. He threw 4 2/3 innings the other day in a AAA game and looked good doing it. And we know from experience that Masterson can pitch, and win, in the big leagues.

Now, this may have been problematic before since putting Masterson in the rotation leaves a hole in the bullpen. But the emergence of Daniel Bard means that, short-term, you could have him in the bullpen at Fenway while Masterson starts. Then, when Penny is ready, you can option Bard back to the Bucket and Masterson can go back to the bullpen.

You really can never have too much pitching, can you?

Why Stop At Two Trades?

2009-03-26T10:19:00.000-04:00

Source: Chiefs TE Gonzalez wants trade

Would they take Dave Thomas and Ben Watson in a two-fer deal?

What would be the expected market for a hall-of-fame caliber tight-end on the backside of his career? Consider that last year, despite being one of just two offensive options for the Chiefs (Dwayne Bowe being the other), Gonzalez caught 96 passes for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those are eye-popping numbers for a tight-end in his 30s. Now imagine a player like that in the Pats' offense.

I'm guessing that, were this to be true and New England wanted Tony, the Pats would have to give back that second-round pick. Which would make the deal Cassel and Vrabel for Gonzalez. Which wouldn't be that bad a result either.

The most likely result is that Tony stays in Kansas City. With new leadership and a new QB, he may want to see what KC can do in 2009.

Or...Tony will want to try and finally get a Super Bowl ring. He has one or two years, based on statements he has made before, left in the NFL. Can Kansas City be a contender in that time frame? No; I don't think Pioli would dispute that if you gave him some truth serum. That would necessitate Gonzalez leaving KC for a team that can win this year. There are just a handful of teams that make the grade. And New England is still the pre-eminent franchise.

Why not dream a little. Moss, Welker and Gonzalez on the field. How would a defense even begin to cover all three players?

Penny Looks Good

2009-03-24T10:19:00.001-04:00

It's still spring training, but Brad Penny made Theo look like a genius the other day.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - By the time Brad Penny had finished his work yesterday and retreated to the dugout, Red Sox manager Terry Francona did not know the speed of Penny's fastball. He didn't need to.

"The hitters will let you know," Francona said.

Penny faced 10 of them in his first start against a major league team this spring, and dominated nearly every one. He allowed no hits and one walk, striking out three, in three rapid innings. He blazed his fastball without hesitation - reaching 93-95 miles per hour - the fatigue that originally bumped Penny off schedule having disappeared.

If Penny holds up, you are looking at Boston's fifth pitcher. And how many teams have a two-time All Star that can hit 95+ on the radar gun as their fifth starter?

If not...well, the Sox still have Smoltz (eventually) and Buchholz to plug in there. Or they could move Masterson to the fifth slot and call Bard up to Boston.

Some sports writer said Boston had the most underrated off-season of any team. I think he may have been right. If their moves pay off - and so far that looks like the case - then the Sox are going to be hard to score on this year.

And So The Argument Begins Again

2009-03-23T12:59:00.000-04:00

If you didn't hear, Curt Schilling announced his retirement today on his website in between marathon sessions of Everquest. He had a 20-year career that saw him play in Baltimore, Houston, Philly, Arizona and Boston. Which is, ironically, where Curt began his career as a 2nd-round draft choice of Boston 1986. As you remember, he was part of the deal that brought us Mike Boddicker in 1998. Yay.

Curt's final numbers (baring a St. Brett of the Perpetual Interception refusal to accept reality):

216-146 record (80th all-time in wins)
3.46 ERA (11th among active pitchers)
83 complete games (3rd among active pitchers)
20 shutouts (5th among active pitchers)
3261 innings pitched (95th all-time)
3116 strikeouts (15th all-time)
K/BB ratio: 4.38 (2nd all-time)
Post-season record: 11-2, 2.23 ERA, 4 complete games, 133.1 innings pitched, 120 strikeouts
Three World Series rings
Six All-Star Appearances
1993 NLCS MVP
2001 World Series MVP
2001, 2002 Sporting News Pitcher of the Year

And with those numbers, the debate about Schilling getting into the Hall of Fame begins.

I wrote about this once before. That time, it dealt with CHB saying Schilling didn't belong because he only had 216 wins. My point was by that standard, CHB should want Sandy Koufax to get booted.

CHB hasn't shown his freaky perm yet on this, but I'll wager we get a load of insults topped by a "You must, MUST, put Jack Morris in before Schilling gets into the HoF!" And would we expect any less? Or more?

But I think Schilling's numbers are definitely HoF-worthy. First, he has over 3,000 strikeouts, a total that is insanely difficult to achieve. Consider that pitchers like Tommy John, Christy Mathewson, Early Wynn, Tom Glavine, Bob Feller and Jim Palmer all threw more innings than Schilling but didn't crack 3,000 strikeouts for their career.

Then consider his post-season record. You could make a legit argument that Curt is one of the greatest post-season pitchers in the history of the game. Look at some other guys:

Warren Spahn: 4-3, 3.05 ERA
Nolan Ryan: 2-2, 3.07 ERA
Whitey Ford: 10-8, 2.71 ERA
Greg Maddux: 11-14, 3.27 ERA
Randy Johnson: 7-9, 3.50 ERA

The only guy who I can think of in the modern era that matches up, post-season, with Curt is Bob Gibson. That is how dominant Curt was in October.

While his ERA, complete game and shutout numbers aren't great all-time, they are excellent when compared to his peers. And that matters when it comes to complete games and shutouts; the game has changed in such a fashion that no modern pitcher will ever approach the top numbers in those categories. And while his ERA is high, the only active pitcher with a sub-3 ERA is Pedro*.

But the number that blows me away is Curt's K/BB ratio of 4.38. That is the second-best in the history of the sport. The only pitcher to ever do better than Curt is a throwback, a hurler from Ireland by the name of Tommy Bond. Bond hailed from Granard, Ireland and played from 1874-1884, taking 1883 off. He played most of his games for the Boston Red Caps** at the old South End Grounds***. In 10 seasons he won 234 games and had a 2.31 ERA. He registered 879 strikeouts and walked just 198 batters. That gives Bond a K/BB ratio of 4.44 and just edges out Curt. But that doesn't diminish for a second how incredible Curt's number actually is. The amount of control required to put up a number like that is amazing.

I think Schilling definitely deserves to be in the Hall. The only question should be about how long it will take.

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* And don't get me started on Pedro. If he isn't a first-ballot entry, someone is getting punched in the neck.

** And I don't mean just year-wise by team. Tommy Bond actually played most of the games. For example, in 1877 the season was roughly 60 games long. Tommy Bond started 58 games that year. He went 40-17 and threw a total of 521 innings. Which really makes AJ Burnett look like a baby.

*** If you want to know where this was, go visit the Ruggles MBTA Station in Boston on the Orange Line. During the day. In a large crowd. Preferably with a cop or twelve. The funny thing is that the Red Sox old Huntington Grounds park was on the other side of Rt. 9.

First Cuts

2009-03-23T10:20:00.003-04:00

And so the winnowing of Boston's roster begins.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - In their first major league camp with the Red Sox, Junichi Tazawa and Daniel Bard each made his own grand impression. Tazawa, 22, came from a different country and an inferior level of baseball, yet was as stingy and poised as any veteran. Bard was more blunt. He fired a 100-mile-per-hour fastball, his brute force overwhelming batters and making it easy for fans to envision his lanky frame climbing the Fenway Park mound some time this summer.

Their performances portend big futures, but yesterday Tazawa and Bard headlined a significant round of cuts, Tazawa optioned to Double A Portland and Bard reassigned to the minor league camp. The Sox also optioned pitcher Michael Bowden to Triple A Pawtucket and reassigned pitchers Marcus McBeth and Billy Traber and outfielder/first baseman Paul McAnulty to minor league camp.

This, of course, is no surprise. Everyone expected Bard and Tazawa to be sent down. What few people expected, though, is how well they performed in camp.

Tazawa was viewed as a raw talent. He impressed in the Japanese Industrial League but had never played in a pro game. All he need was give up one run in nine innings of work while striking out 10 and walking one. He's got this crazy windup that looks like it shouldn't work; he takes the ball out of his glove too early and almost looks like he is pushing it before his arm comes around and he whips it in. But it works; his delivery time is 1.1 seconds. That is insanely fast and makes stealing a base near impossible. I just wish Francona wouldn't talk about "working" on his windup. It works, Tito! Leave it be!

A visual representation of Tazawa's windup, courtesy of some Japanese website:

Click on it for a bigger visual.

Bard, meanwhile, I think will end up in the Bucket to start the year and I would be shocked if he doesn't get a Boston call-up this year. Bard and his 100+ MPH fastball were devastating in spring training. He didn't give up a run all spring training and looked completely in control. The idea of him joining a bullpen with Papelbon, Okajima, Saito, Delcarmen and Lopez...wow.

Bowden...Francona says in the piece that it's not surprising that Bowden struggled this spring because his windup is complicated. Doesn't that sound like a cop-out to some extent? He has a ton of talent, though, and hopefully Tito is right and Bowden sets the Bucket on fire once the season starts.

And then there is Buchholz, still hanging with the pro team. There is no arguing that he has looked great this spring, going 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Maybe it's because the pressure is truly off Clay right now. After the debacle in Boston last year, the expectations on Buchholz, from a fan's perspective, have diminished. With Smoltz and Penny in the rotation, Clay has fallen to the back-burner. And that looks like something Buchholz needed. He looks much more like the pitcher of 2007 than the pitcher of 2008. And if he has gotten his head back in the game, then the Red Sox have a rotation second-to-none in the majors.

$2,625

2009-03-22T09:05:00.002-04:00

That, friends, is the price you will have to pay, per game, for sitting in the front row at the new Pit O' Stank (aka - Yankee Stadium).

And for that princely sum you can watch:

A-Rod make out with himself in a mirror when he isn't on the DL
See the Yankees start Cody Ransom at third and Brett Gardner in left
Thrill to CC Sabathia eating so much he achieves his own personal gravitational field
Sit back as Hank and Co. move Joba between starting and relieving about 30 times in one season.

Or you can shell out $150 bucks for a deck seat and watch the same disaster unfold. But at least you'll have some extra money for the beer you'll need for drowning your sorrows.

Clutch Win For The Celtics

2009-03-21T08:57:00.003-04:00

How many of us thought the Celtics could walk into San Antonio with Garnett limited to 1.5 quarters of action and come away with the win?

Me neither.

And yet here we are this morning reading about Boston's 80-77 win over the Spurs. And while KG had a major impact during his minutes (10 points and four rebounds), the big shot came from Big Baby. Davis' jumper with just over five seconds left secured the win for Boston.

It didn't hurt that San Antonio went cold at the line late (to the tune of missing six straight free throws), but Boston showed lot of grit and never quit. Down seven as the third quarter began thanks to two Tim Duncan free throws, the Celtics went on a 16-6 run that was capped by a Ray Allen trey to take a 53-50 lead with about 6.5 minutes left to play. They kept it close the rest of the way and were able to pull away for the win.

More impressively, they did it with a short bench. Walker suited up but didn't play, and KG had his limited minutes. So the Celtics were essentially playing with an eight-man team.

They are 51-17 now with the Atlantic Division in their pocket. I'd like to see them shoot for 60+ wins again this year. But really, at this point, isn't their health more important? As long as they don't pull a Bruins and spiral into disaster, I wouldn't mind seeing Baby, Powe, House and Starbury getting more minutes. Keeping the Big 3 fresh (and healthy) for the post-season should be the main concern right now.

Duke Sucks

2009-03-20T10:22:00.001-04:00

I hate Duke. And I mean that in every sense of the word. It began back when I was about to go to UConn and Duke barely beat the Huskies in the 1990 Tournament. And then they beat us bad in 1991.* Of course, one of the best moments of my life was when the Huskies beat Duke for the championship in 1999.

They are arrogant and smarmy and cry about every foul, real or imagined, like a baby with colic. The worst thing I can say about UNC's Tyler Hansborough is that he belongs on Duke because of the way he complains. Duke acts like they are the greatest program in history, even though they haven't won a title since 2001 and have only three to their name.

What makes it worse, though, is how they always get the reach-around from the officials. To wit, here is the latest example of Duke favortism.

If you can't see the picture at the link, every starter on the Binghamton team had at least one foul before the first television time out. It was six team fouls in 3:30, which is unheard of. And the final foul shot total was 25-5 in Duke's favor.

25-5.

Just another way to grease the skids for the Blue Devils.

I hate Duke.

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* The best part of this game was Rod Sellers falling down on Laettner and then using his forrarm to pound Laettner's head into the court. It was awesome.

Youk Goes Down

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-04:00

I still like the WBC. But I have to admit, watching all these players drop like flies makes me a bit queasy. And the news that Kevin Youkilis hurt his ankle makes me quite a bit more queasy.

When Youkilis returned yesterday, he was checked out by the medical staff and diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain and mild Achilles' tendinitis, according to a statement released by the Red Sox. The first baseman had two MRIs yesterday, both of which were negative, according to the team.

The statement also said that "to limit movement and allow his ankle to heal, Youkilis will wear a walking boot for the next several days but is not expected to miss significant time.

"Achilles' tendinitis". Boy, that doesn't get me nervous as hell about Youk's 2009 season one bit. I hear "Achilles" and I just laugh.

Ugh.

With the slew of injuries to MLB players and the overuse of others (do you think the Mets like watching K-Rod and his new $37 million deal get overworked by Venezuela?), I would bet the participation of top-notch major-leaguers in future WBC tournaments is somewhat in doubt. At the end of the day, their teams won't allow them to risk injury in a competition that doesn't profit the MLB team in any fashion and exposes them to a high amount of risk.

Come On Down, Kottaras!

2009-03-18T14:31:00.001-04:00

You think Josh Bard is sick of Boston yet?

If you missed the news, Bard was released by the Sox today. That makes two times the Sox have brought him in and jettisoned him. I just can't see there being a third time.

And that means that George Kottaras, the player to be named later in 2006 when the Sox sent David Wells to San Diego, will be Varitek's backup in 2009. Should we be pleased? Sad? Confused?

Kottaras had a good 2008 in the Bucket; 22 homers and 65 RBI over 107 games with a .804 OPS. And he has experience with the knuckleball, catching Zink in AAA. And as a left-handed hitter he provides a bat from that side of the plate that 'Tek can no longer reliably deliver.

Probably the bigger reason Kottaras is staying up is that he is out of options. I doubt he would clear waivers and he is talented enough that losing him that way would be a major waste.

So we finally get to take a real look at the catching talent in the Boston system. Hopefully it works out as well as the infield and pitching call-ups from the past few years.

Peppers Too Expensive?

2009-03-18T11:36:00.001-04:00

That's been the line making the rounds both on sports radio and in the papers.

Players have taken less to come to New England, but how much less than the $16.68 million he is scheduled to make in 2009 or the $13.9 million he made last season would Peppers take? The best comparison for Peppers as a 3-4 outside linebacker would be Baltimore hybrid Terrell Suggs, who was franchised for the second straight year. Suggs, who in six seasons has 53 career sacks, received a 20 percent bump from the $8.475 million he made last season, pushing his salary to $10.17 million.

So, would Peppers, the owner of 70.5 career sacks in seven seasons, accept less than $10 million a year in a long-term deal?

Even at $9.5 million a year, Peppers could be a problem for the Patriots, who have a high-profile class of 2010 free agents that includes nose tackle Vince Wilfork, defensive end Richard Seymour, left guard Logan Mankins, cornerback Ellis Hobbs, and running back Kevin Faulk.

I've heard people all day on both sides of this. One side says that the Pats are the masters of staying under the cap and getting the players they need. That they will be able to sign Peppers and re-up their existing players.

The other side says that Wilfork will remembers the Pats paying Peppers a ton of cash come the end of the 2009-10 season and won't give the Pats a discount of any kind. And that there is no way they can sign Peppers and keep all these players. So you can forget about Peppers coming to New England/

I think that, as always, the truth lies somewhere in between. I think the Pats are interested in brining Peppers to New England. And they recognize that if they do, and they get the numbers they want, then they will have to let some players walk. And of the names mentioned, I think you would see Seymour and Hobbs leaving New England.

It's just a matter of importance. To the Pats right now, Wilfork and Mankins are much more important to the team's future than Seymour or Hobbs. Seymour's cap number this year is $11,346,720 and Hobbs is making $2.545 million. That is almost $14 million the Pats could then use to extend Wilfork, Mankins and Faulk.

This isn't to discount what Seymour and Hobbs have done for the team. But the Pats have more depth in the secondary right now with the addition of Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs. And in the 3-4 alignment, the main guy isn't the DE, it's the NT. The Pats need Wilfork more than Seymour, simple as that.

All that said, two other things could happen. If the Pats are confident that 2010 will be an uncapped year, then can pay these guys whatever they want in 2010. You could see contracts front-loaded with $15 million or more.

Or they could decide that Peppers is too costly and sign Jason Taylor. He'd be 35 at the start of the season and is coming off a bad year in Washington. So his price wouldn't be too high. But I don't think 2008 is indicative of his skill level. And coming to New England could be just what Taylor needs to return to his usual standard of excellence.

As much as I want to see Peppers come to New England (and I do), the Taylor scenario makes a lot more sense. It plays into the New England way of extracting maximum value from any deal or transaction. And they'd keep that second-round pick.

But one thing is sure; the off-season just got a lot more interesting.

No Post Today

2009-03-17T22:21:00.001-04:00

Brought my daughter home from the hospital. Plus, I have to fill that bracket out!

Peppers To New England?

2009-03-16T16:39:00.003-04:00

It's been discussed on message boards and on the radio ad infinitum; the idea of Carolina Panthers' defensive stalwart Julius Peppers coming to New England. But there has never been anything to substantiate that plan.

That may have just changed.

Julius Peppers, outside linebacker, New England Patriots?

Turns out it's more than just daydream for creative-minded Patriots fans. According to a report by NFL.com's Vic Carucci this afternoon, there's a good possibility it will become reality before the NFL Draft in April.

The Carucci column goes on to say that the Pats would deal the Chiefs second-round pick (34th overall) to Carolina for Peppers. I would guess a reworked contract is part of the deal, since Peppers was franchised at $16.68 million by the Panthers.

Peppers plays DE in Carolina, but he'd likely see more time at OLB in New England were he to arrive here via trade. And one of Carucci's sources has some negative things to say about that:

"This is a guy who totally went on strike two years ago because he wasn't happy with his contract," the player personnel source said. "He's also very long [in the torso], which is not ideal for a 3-4 outside linebacker. And he can't drop into coverage. He's very stiff.

As to his "going on strike", that's what they said about Randy Moss and I think that deal turned out well for New England. As far as his ability to drop back in coverage...I would point out that Peppers has had five or more passes defensed each year since 2004. And that is as a defensive end.

Besides, that isn't why the Pats would bring him here. What they will want Peppers to do mostly is pressure the QB. And coming off the outside with Adalius Thomas on the other side...I just had to wipe a bit of drool off my chin.

And this brings the earlier trades with KC into focus. If Carolina would settle for a second-round pick for Peppers, why would the Pats try to extract a first-round selection? The Pats are on the verge of essentially swapping Vrabel and Cassel for Peppers. Does anyone have a problem with that?

Peppers and Thomas, with Mayo on the inside...

There's that drool again.

Red Sox Tidbits

2009-03-16T10:19:00.004-04:00

Not that it is new news, but having Lester finalize his five-year deal is wonderful news. Between this and the Youk and Pedroia deals, the Sox have locked in three of their best players at very favorable numbers. And their being homegrown to boot just makes it sweeter.

Speaking of Youk...interesting little dig he threw at Big Papi in the Sunday Globe. When talking about the lineup this year, Youk said...

As for the Sox lineup, all winter David Ortiz has talked about adding another power hitter, making references to the fact that he's not as protected in the lineup. It has almost come off as a slap against Youkilis, the guy who hit behind Ortiz in the lineup most often after Manny Ramírez was traded to the Dodgers.

Asked whether he was worried about the offense, Youkilis said, "No. There's only one guy on the team who feels we need more. I don't know why he thinks that or whether he's brought that up again.

"I guess he feels that way and he's entitled to that. I like our team. I like every hitter in our lineup.

Youk went on to point out that the Boston lineup is actually pretty deep when everyone is on the field. And I agree with him. If you look at the 2-7 hitters, you have Pedroia, Ortiz, Youk, Bay, Lowell and Drew. Is there a deeper part of the lineup than that in the league right now? And if Ellsbury can get back in gear (and I think he will), then that is even better.

Of course, that does leave the 8-9 area that accounts for almost a quarter of the lineup. Lowrie wasn't bad last year and is ripping the cover off the ball this spring (.357 average). So we can hope that performance carries over to the regular season.

And then there's Tek. The man who is being out-slugged by Brad Wilkerson. The man who has a batting average of .091 and looks like that is what he should be hitting. At what point does his weak bat outweigh his pitch-calling? Can the Sox afford to have a black hole at the end of the lineup for 100 games or more?

Let's be fair to Tek too and point out that David Ortiz is having a worse spring (.083). And that brings up the question of exactly who should be complaining about the lineup. Because the truth is that Youk had a better year than Ortiz in 2008 and has the Hank Aaron Award to prove it.

It makes more sense to question Papi going into 2009 than Youk. Will Ortiz have a better season? Has he recovered from his injuries? His body type is not exactly one that augurs for a long career or makes healing an easier process.

And don't take this as criticism of Papi. I love the guy and I want to see the 2007 Ortiz again. I just think it's ridiculous for him to complain about the lineup when he has a guy batting behind him who was an offensive force in 2008.

And So Ends The Julio Lugo Comeback Tour

2009-03-15T20:26:00.002-04:00

Nothing like a torn meniscus to end a position competition before it begins.

With Lugo out for what will likely be at least one month, the shortstop battle is Lowrie's by default. And I am willing to wager he will play well enough that when Lugo comes back, Julio will be given a choice of bench player or trade bait. Because it's not like Lugo won the position yet this spring. This isn't a case of "you don't lose your position through injury". Lugo just had some bad luck.

The real question is who will be Lowrie's backup. And wouldn't it be something if Nick Green got that role. Last seen with the Yankees in their farm system, it would be high comedy if Green won the backup role with Boston when the Yankees desperately need some infield help.

AARRRGGGHHH!!

2009-03-14T18:16:00.002-04:00

It's the Apocalypse!!

Team USA second baseman Dustin Pedroia left the team Saturday to be examined by Red Sox doctors in Fort Myers due to a strained muscle near his rib cage.

The Red Sox second baseman said he hoped to return to the American squad if doctors allow, but that Boston officials are expected to take a cautious approach.

I kid, of course. I doubt Mighty Mite will be down more than a week. And with about a month to Opening Day, I am sure he'll be starting at second for the Sox when the first pitch is thrown.

But expect this to add to the chorus of people who want the WBC to go away. That is a shame because I have been thoroughly enjoying this tournament. It's not the World Cup, but it is way better than I ever thought it would be.

But more and more people seem to think that the WBC is nothing but a team-killing exercise, waiting to snap tendons and break bones at a moment's notice. Unfortunately, those people tend to work for MLB teams. On the upside, the players are enjoying the hell out of this. Hopefully that will matter more in the end.

Paps: Manny Was "A Cancer"

2009-03-12T15:13:00.002-04:00

I guess Papelbon is taking over the "incredibly outspoken player" role with the Red Sox. Because he held nothing back when talking about one-time teammate Manny Ramirez.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon compared former teammate Manny Ramirez to cancer, saying Boston made the right decision when it traded the slugging left fielder to the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer.

"He was on a different train! And you saw what happened with that. We got rid of him, and we moved on without him," Papelbon was quoted in the April issue of Esquire. The story was posted on the magazine's Web site Thursday.

"So Manny was tough for us," Papelbon added. "You have somebody like him, you know at any point in the ballgame, he can dictate the outcome of the game. And for him not to be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man! It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that's exactly what was happening."

"Once we saw that, we weren't afraid to get rid of him. It's like cancer. That's what he was. Cancer. He had to go. It sucked, but that was the only scenario that was going to work. That was it for us. And after, you could feel it in the air in the clubhouse. We got Jason Bay -- Johnny Ballgame, plays the game right, plays through broken knees, runs out every ground ball -- and it was like a breath of fresh air, man! Awesome! No question."

I can't say I agree or disagree 100% with Papelbon on this. I think enough has come out to show that there is blame on both sides over Manny's departure, although I personally feel that Manny deserves more of it.

But Papelbon is 100% right when he says that not having a talent like Manny on the same page as the rest of the team is damaging to the team. Having Lugo not on the same page isn't a season-killer. Having one of the greatest all-time hitters in baseball not on the same page is the death of a season.

And I do think the Sox were better off with Jason Bay. He supplied good pop with a better glove. I don't think the Sox would have made the post-season with Manny in left. It was just a case of a relationship being too far gone.

Now, should Paps be popping off on this to Esquire? No. Talking out of school about teammates, even ex-teammates, is a no-no in my book. I suppose if no one knew what was going on then it may make sense. But every Sox fan knew what was going on. Paps is basically piling on here and I just don't think it's the right thing to do.

Say "Hi" To Leigh Bodden

2009-03-10T19:09:00.002-04:00

And another piece of the secondary puzzle falls into place.

According to a league source, the Patriots have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with free agent cornerback Leigh Bodden.

The 27-year-old Bodden was released by the Detroit Lions on Feb. 9, after a season in which he had one interception -- although it was the only interception by a defensive back for the 0-16 Lions, who had just four all season.

His time with the Lions isn't really indicative of Bodden's career. In 2007 he had six interceptions with the Browns. And at the age of 27, Bodden is in the prime of his career. That makes it a little different than some of Belichick's previous veteran signings in the backfield. And the one-year deal is, as always, cap-friendly to the Pats.

I still don't know how I feel about the Shawn Springs signing, though. Dude is 34 years old. But the trade for Greg Lewis from Philly to replace Gaffney was a nice one, although I'll miss Gaffney.

The Future Is Lester

2009-03-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

That's how the Globe sees it (video link) and I can't really argue with that assessment.

The plain truth is that Jon Lester is the best left-handed pitcher to come out of the Sox system since Bruce Hurst made his major league debut in 1980 on the road against the Brewers. With a no-hitter and world championship to his name, combined with a breakout 2008 season, Lester is the linchpin for the Boston rotation going into the future.

And that is what makes this 5-year, $30 million contract with the option year for $13 million such a steal. Boston is locking up one of the best lefties in the game today until he is 31. That's pretty much the entire prime of his career and two free-agent years to boot. And it's a good deal for Lester as well; it's fair value and to lock up that kind of cash in this economy is a no-brainer.

And don't be surprised if Masterson ultimately makes the move back to starter. He has looked great this spring and I just get the feeling that is where he will pitching a year or two from now. Or maybe even by the fall.

Toss in potential battery mates like Bowden and Buchholz* and the Sox could have a rotation of mostly home-grown pitchers. Or they could be trade bait.

But it all begins with Lester. He's as hard-nosed a pitcher as there is in the game. And for all his political bluster, having someone like Schilling take Lester under his wing was invaluable to his development.

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* Remember when all the buzz was about these two guys? And yet it is Masterson and Lester that have found the greatest success so far. Which goes to show you that, for all the Moneyball talk these days, drafting and scouting is still a crap-shoot to some extent.

Cancer

2009-03-06T18:56:00.002-05:00

It's a hard word to read, harder to type and heartbreaking when you have to use it for a family member.

My four-year old daughter has cancer. And it's a rare one called rhabdomyosarcoma, a bunch of gibberish that means my little girl has a year's worth of chemo and possible radiation treatments coming up with surgery to boot. If any cancer can be called good...this isn't one of them.

But it could be worse. It could be bone cancer, or pancreatic cancer or brain cancer or a hundred other types that leave you no room for hope.

We have hope. People do get better from this. And if there is anyone that can beat those odds, it's my little girl.

She may be able to come home as early as next week. And when the treatment starts, the only thing we cannot do is let her chemo line get wet. Which will piss her off to no end when swimming season starts.

And that is what is so great about her. She is a spunky fighter and that attitude is so critical in fights like this.

This is a fight. She will be the winner. It may be a tough road ahead, but at the end she will come out on top.

God I wish we didn't have to fight this to begin with.

But by God we will come out on top.

Hiatus

2009-03-03T23:41:00.001-05:00

My four-year old daughter is currently in a hospital bed with a tube draining fluid out of her chest cavity. I don't know when she will be coming home, so I am taking a break from writing as we work to get her well and get her home.

This is just a break, not an ending. And for all I know, I may need to write from time to time just to give myself a mental break.

Keep us in your prayers.

Dave

Small Move That Matters

2009-03-03T10:15:00.003-05:00

With all the free-agent moves and trades going on, it would have been easy to miss that Lonnie Paxton, long-time long snapper for the Pats, has moved on to Denver. Which makes the re-signing of Russ Hochstein all the more important. As the story says, he does a little of everything.

...a reserve center/guard, backup long snapper, blocking tight end, and bulldozing fullback.

You can make that "starting long snapper" because I can't imagine the Pats would sign someone just for that role. And if frees up another roster spot for a free agent. It's just one of those little deals that matters more than it seems at first.

Looking Deeper Into The Pats/Chiefs Deal

2009-03-02T13:47:00.000-05:00

After I wrote my post last night, long-time reader (and guy who should really start posting again!) Shane pointed out that the Pats turned down the 12th pick from Denver in a three-way deal with Tampa Bay. That came first from Chris Mortensen at ESPN and seems to have been confirmed.

So, if that has been established, then why did Belichick turn that deal down? I think Peter King has a couple of good points about what may have driven Belichick.

First, the three-way deal came about late in what was apparently a deteriorating market for Cassel. The combination of those two things made the three-way deal a more unstable proposition as opposed to the straight deal with Kansas City. In short, Belichick took the sure thing at a lower return as opposed to accepting higher risk for a possible higher reward.

The other thing King points out are the financial ramifications of the deal. Right now, the Pats hold four of the first 60 picks (23, 34, 47 and 58). Based on 2008 numbers, the 8th pick last year - Derrick Harvey- was guaranteed $17.47 million in his deal. The four picks held by New England, combined, will cost them $14.11 million in guaranteed money. Getting multiple high round picks at cheaper money is a Belichick trademark. And, as King points out, if someone offered you a lower first-round pick and three second-round picks for the 8th overall, wouldn't you take it in a heartbeat? I sure would. So how does that translate relative to the 12th pick? Is that pick worth that much more than the 34th when you factor in everything else?

This also allows New England the financial flexibility to take care of players like Mankins and Wilfork, which is more important to their long-term success than the 12th pick. It also lets them bring in some free agents to fill the gaps. I think Fred Taylor will be a great asset to the running back corps. And if the Pats can get someone else in the backfield (like a Leigh Bodden) then so much the better. I still don't know I feel about re-upping James Sanders. If he stops letting guys get by him in the backfield, it'll be a good deal.

So did the Pats get all they could? No. Could it have been played better? Perhaps. But when you consider everything, this is a deal that does fall into how the Pats do business. And considering they got a 2nd-round pick for a seventh-round player, that is a good rate of return.

So Long, Matt

2009-02-28T18:35:00.002-05:00

I knew it was coming. I just didn't it would be for a second-round pick.

The New England Patriots traded quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs today in exchange for a 2009 second-round draft choice (34th overall).

Cassel, who turns 27 in May, will be reunited with former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, the Chiefs' first-year general manager.

I have to say, at first blush this looks like a steal for the Chiefs. They get a young QB who thrived in his first year as a starter and a veteran linebacker to whip their defense into shape. And all they give up is the 34th pick.

But taking a minute to roll it around, I think I see where the Pats are coming from. This trade gives the Pats three second round picks and a total of four in the first 60. This is supposed to be a deep draft, so the Pats will not only be getting quality players, but getting them cheap. Which is something they always like.

This trade also frees up around a total of $19-20 million in cap space, which I think brings them to around $24 million under the cap. That's before you figure in Fred Taylor and Chris Baker, but the remaining space is still substantial.

That allows the Pats to extend key players (*cough*vincewilfork*cough*) that are vital to their long-term success (*cough*loganmankins*cough*). And maybe add another free-agent on the defensive side (Leigh Boddens? Keith Brooking? Cato June?).

In a perfect world, I personally think it would have been the Pats getting Detroit's second first-round pick. But this isn't as bad as it looks at first.

Vrabel Traded To Chiefs

2009-02-27T15:25:00.000-05:00

No real story on it yet. Just a confirmation from Vrabel to the Globe. But the bottom line is one of the defensive leaders on the Patriots is going to Kansas City.

With my heart, I hate this trade because I love the way Vrabel plays. But with my head, I know this is a good deal.

Vrabel is in the last year of his current deal. He will be 34 when the season starts. But he is still effective (although his numbers were down across the board from 2007 to 2008) and his value is even higher as a veteran presence on defense for a young team. And that is where KC comes in.

The Pats are always looking to maximize value and this trade fits that ideal perfectly. It could also be part of something larger, i.e. Cassel.

But until we know, just repeat "In Bill We Trust". It's worked pretty well so far.

Taylor Comes To New England

2009-02-27T12:05:00.000-05:00

The clock is ticking, Mr. Maroney.

The New England Patriots addressed their need for depth at running back on Thursday evening, reaching an agreement with free agent Fred Taylor.

Taylor, an 11-year veteran, was released by Jacksonville last week for salary cap reasons, after playing his entire career with the Jaguars. The 33-year-old was scheduled to earn a base salary of $6 million in 2009 and was also due a $1 million bonus in coming weeks.

The terms and financial details of the contract, which will be officially signed on Friday, were not immediately available. The deal was confirmed by team sources and sources close to the player.

I would guess that Taylor is not getting $6 million this year. But I would also guess that he is getting a two-year deal with some serious incentives. We'll see on that.

The bigger question is "Is Taylor worth it?" I think so. The big knock on him has been durability, a great talent but as fragile as a china cup. But in the last three years, Taylor has played 15, 15, and 13 games respectively. In 2006 and 2007 he ran for over 1100 yards each year. The reason he didn't do so in 2008 was because the Jags were moving to Maurice Jones-Drew.

So now you're bringing Taylor to a team with Lamont Jordan and Sammy Morris, as well as BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Heath Evans. That will give Taylor the rest he needs to stay effective. And, as we all found out last year, you can't have too many running-backs.

You also may have noticed that I didn't include Maroney on that list. That's because I don't think he's sticking around. He has never played a full season and has never cracked 1,000 yards. He is, sadly, a bust. He says he will break out in 2009. He also said that in 2008. And I just don't see him staying with Taylor entering the mix.

The One Recession-Free Zone In The US

2009-02-27T11:17:00.000-05:00

That would be Dan Snyder's wallet.

Ever since he took over as owner of the Washington Redskins in 1999, the Redskins have done two things:

Make money off the field
Fail on the field

Each year the Redskins make in excess of $100 million (although that will likely be a challenging target this year). But on the field they have only made the playoffs three times in 10 season and are 2-3, never making it past the second round.

One reason for that, in my opinion, is that Snyder relies way too heavily on free agents. Rather than build through the draft and supplement with free agents, Snyder has gone the other way. Each year we hear about high-priced free agents joining the Redskins with lavish contracts that financially hamstring the team due to the salary cap*. It also doesn't help that those free agents usually suck (see Archuleta, Adam and Taylor, Jason). To be honest, their drafting hasn't been great either.

But it has been the pricey free-agents that usually kill the Redskins since it forces them to release/not re-sign other players so they can afford these guys to stay under the cap. Which brings us to today.

First it was DeAngelo Hall's six-year, $54 million deal. It also guarantees Hall $22.5 million. That makes it one of the most expensive contracts for a cornerback in the NFL. You can debate whether Hall's two interceptions for Washington and his good behavior are indicative of his talent/makeup or the fact he was in a contract year.

But the big news was Snyder dropping a huge chunk of change for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Albert Haynesworth hit the free-agent jackpot Friday morning by reaching agreement on a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins that could end up maxing out at $115 million based on his performance, according to sources.

The deal, which was reached early Friday morning, includes $41 million in guarantees. During the first 13 months of the contract, Haynesworth will earn approximately $32 million.

Wow. I have never, to my recollection, seen a contract in the NFL that guaranteed over $40 million. That is a huge amount of money. Especially for a defensive tackle.

And not to belittle his talent, but aren't the Redskins even concerned a little that Haynesworth's 72 tackles and career high 8.5 sacks came in a contract year? And that he hasn't played a full season since 2002?

I already know the answer, of course. Snyder has always run the Redskins as a fantasy team, grabbing big names because he thinks that is how you build a team. I think he is bound to be disappointed yet again.

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* I know that part of the reason that these big contracts are coming down is because under the current CBA, 2010 is an uncapped year. By putting all the money up front, you get all that cash off the cap in time for 2010 and beyond and set yourself up nicely for the years ahead. That said, Snyder is taking a gamble. Who is to say that we'll get to 2010 before a new CBA is signed? I cannot imagine that small-city owners want to have a year where the big-money teams can pummel them.

Congratulations?

2009-02-27T10:05:00.001-05:00

This isn't really even sports news. It's sports gossip, so feel free to skip this if you hate that stuff. Trust me, I won't be offended.

Tom Brady finally got hitched. Supposedly.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady married girlfriend Gisele Bundchen yesterday in Los Angeles, according to a report posted last night on Usmagazine .com.

The website, which did not disclose its source, said the three-time Super Bowl champion and the Brazilian supermodel were married at the St. Monica Catholic Church, in a "very small and intimate" ceremony attended by immediate family members, including John Edward Thomas Moynahan, Brady's 1 1/2-year-old son with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.

And the rest of the story is all about how no one can actually confirm this.

The only reason I bring this up is because my wife is terrified of Brady getting hitched. She is convinced that his play will suffer as a result and he just needs to keep his bachelor groove going.

I don't know if I agree with her. Looking at Bledsoe's stats from back in the day, he got hitched in 1996 and had his best two years in 1996 and 1997. After that his numbers dropped each year. So is that marriage or just getting old?

I think my concern is that all I ever see of Brady in the news is him running around to various hotspots and chilling by the pool. Which is great and all; I don't fault the man for wanting to hang with Gisele. But shouldn't he be in the gym more? Hell, I'd be happy just to hear he is in the gym and working hard. But I haven't heard that either.

D-League Coming To Maine

2009-02-26T10:43:00.000-05:00

The big news up here in the Frozen North was the announcement that Portland, Maine is receiving a NBA Developmental League franchise starting in the 2009-10 season.

The big question is obvious: are they affiliated with the Celtics? The answer is an unofficial, unstated but very obvious "yes." See, they can't say anything while the current season is ongoing. And there has to be the standard negotiations and what-not.

But when Ray Allen sends a videotaped message to Portland congratulating the city on getting a D-League franchise...well, we know what that means. The new Maine franchise will also be affiliated with a second team (all D-League teams have two parent teams). I have no idea who that would be, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it be Toronto or New York. Both teams have affiliates out west and would likely want the shorter travel time to Portland for their players. Long-term, I would guess the goal is to have one team for each franchise.

You can check out all the news on the new franchise here. It's pretty exciting stuff.

Oh, to answer the question some of you must have (Why Maine??). Maine is goofy for basketball just like Indiana is goofy for basketball. And trust me, that isn't an exaggeration. High-school hoops up here is an obsession. The D-League averages about 3,000 people per game in attendance. The new Maine team will have no problem making that number.

Where Are They Now...

2009-02-25T16:49:00.000-05:00

Remember back in 2006 when some Sox fans had a heart attack over the deal that brought Coco Crisp to Boston? Part of the reason was that third-base prospect Andy Marte was included. He was supposed to be a blue-chip prospect. He was supposed to be unstoppable.

Guess again.

You can breathe easy. Andy Marte isn't going anywhere. His memorable tenure with the Tribe continues.

Marte cleared waivers today, so the Indians were able to outright him to Triple-A Columbus. He'll be back in camp tomorrow as a non-roster invitee.

That's right; Andy Marte couldn't hold down a job in the bigs and is now back in the minor-league system. Not one team would take him for free and give him a shot on their major-league roster. Not even the Nationals.

So I guess losing Marte was no big deal. The real problem with that trade was giving up Kelly Shoppach. But that's for another post.

Here Comes Starbury

2009-02-25T11:27:00.000-05:00

It's going to happen, people.

LOS ANGELES — Not long after getting Mikki Moore signed today, the Celtics were able to begin envisioning what Stephon Marbury would look like in their uniform, too.

After several months of being embroiled in a soap opera, the Knicks worked out a buyout of Marbury’s $21 million contract today. Two NBA sources said that once the two-time All-Star clears waivers — which is expected to be Friday morning — he will sign with the Celtics for a prorated $1.3 million minimum contract for the rest of the season.

I don't think you can question Marbury's talent. The man can score and as a second-unit point guard he can do some serious damage. The questions, though, are large.

Will he play defense?
Will he be a distraction?

If Marbury fails in either of these areas, he will be a net negative on the Celtics. That said, I think that if there is any team that can rein in Marbury's destructive tendencies, it is Boston.

It's been established in SI and other publications that Garnett and Marbury are not...close. Marbury was jealous of Garnett when he eclipsed him in Minnesota and that, in part, fueled his demand to be traded to the Nets back in 1999. And the rancor didn't stop there. There was this epic exchange in 2002 after Marbury went to the Suns and they played Minnesota. The exchange involves the comparison of Amare Stoudemire (then 20 years old) to Garnett.

Since Marbury saw Garnett, who came directly from high school, early in his career, it figured that would be the next question

"It's not even close," Marbury said. "He doesn't even compare to Amare. It's two different people. It's like Michael Jordan and Mario Elie. It's not even close.

And KG's response?

"He's using the young fella to come at me. As much as I supposedly didn't want none of him, he didn't guard me either. The young fella had a good night. Nobody is disputing that. This ain't even about the young fella. This is Steph being jealous. You all know this from Jersey, from him leaving here, which was a great situation, and never recouping from that. I'm more professional with that.

...

"This is bizarre. This is really kind of funny. Anybody who has followed Steph's career knows that ever since he left Minnesota he's been in envy of Kevin Garnett. It's kind of fun though. Out of all his things, he's got what, three kids, a wife, bills. But I'm on his mind every day. It's kind of flattering. It's like a girl."

So you can see where their relationship may be rocky. What saves this for Boston is the presence of Pierce and Allen, who have bought in 100% to Garnett's way of doing things. Marbury won't be able to rock the boat will all three of them in the locker room.

As for defense? That is Boston's trademark and if Marbury slacks on D, it'll stick out like a sore thumb. And he'll get benched because in Boston's system, scoring means shit if you don't prevent it on the other end.

This is a bit of a risk for the Celtics. But they have a strong locker room. If they can channel Marbury's energy onto the court, he will give them a scoring punch few other teams possess coming off the bench. And keep this in mind; Marbury has never won anything of note. That carrot is dangling in front of him and could go a long way in keeping him under control.

Minor Leagues For Major Fun

2009-02-24T10:11:00.001-05:00

Good article in the Globe today about the affordability of minor-league games as opposed to their major league counterparts.

I have always tried to extol the positives about attending minor-league games. I grew up watching the Sox AA-affiliate when they were in Connecticut, both at Bristol and New Britain. And now I get to do the same thing in Portland watching the Sea Dogs. And while I don't get to see Lester anymore and will likely never see Jason Bay in person, it's worth it.

Hadlock Field is clean, has great sight lines all the way around and is family friendly. And it is cheap; four tickets in the reserved section behind home-plate runs you $32. Parking is $5 just across the street from the stadium. Even the food is relatively inexpensive. And, if you want to buy Red Sox gear, you can grab it at the Sea Dogs' souvenir shop for cheaper than it would cost at Fenway. There is nothing bad I can possibly say about any trip I have taken to Hadlock Field. My son loves the place and we'll pay a visit more than once this season.

But the best part is you get to see the Boston stars of the future. When I was a kid I saw Marty Barrett, Wade Boggs and Bruce Hurst play in Bristol. Now I've been able to see Lester, Papelbon, Ellsbury and Pedroia before they hit the majors. I'll probably get to see a little more of Lars Anderson before he goes to the Bucket, and I'll definitely pay attention to Junichi Tazawa. I also want to see more of Argenis Diaz; the kid has the best glove in the system and I would even put it up against anyone's in Boston.

Everything I have said here extends throughout the Boston system. Games in the Bucket or Lowell are just as fun. And now all you Boston ex-pats in the Metro DC area have a chance to see some Boston baseball...if you don't mind a three-hour drive. The Sox moved their A-affiliate from Lancaster, CA to Salem, VA. Read more about it here. As incentive, they have a lot of position players that could hit Boston in 3-4 years time; Luis Exposito, Oscar Tejeda, Yamacio Navarro, Che-Husan Lin and Ryan Kalish.

Minor-league ball is a blast. Check it out if you get a chance and I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

What Is Up With Andre Smith?

2009-02-23T11:34:00.000-05:00

If the name isn't familiar to you, Andre Smith was the dominating left tackle for Alabama. He was routinely being touted as a top 5 pick in the NFL Draft. I am almost sure that Mel Kiper and his vinyl hairdo had him as the first overall pick at one point.

And now he is throwing it all away. He showed up at the Combine all out of shape. He disappeared for a whole day. And his interviews have been atrocious. The result is that now Smith has fallen from an elite pick to a guy who may go in the second round.

And that isn't even guaranteed. If you run a team, are you going to waste a 1st or 2nd round pick on a guy who can't motivate himself to work out and answer a few questions? Especially when his career and millions of dollars are on the line? I'd rather take someone like UConn's William Beatty*, who has played himself from an UFA status in the summer of 2008 to a potential first-round pick in the Draft.

I can't claim to know what Smith is thinking. But this screams of someone who is afraid to risk failure. Of someone who, when presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve greatness, shrinks from it because he may fall short. And you can't fail if you don't try.

-----------------

* Yes, I am prejudiced since he played for my school. But Beatty is actually damn good. He's better than a lot of people think and I would love to see the Pats grab him if at all possible and have him compete with Kaczur for the right tackle position. By which I mean trade Kaczur.

Pats Looking Linebacker Again?

2009-02-23T10:07:00.001-05:00

The Globe throws that possibility out there. I would guess it will all depend on whether there is a player that the Pats feel is worth the pick. Obviously, Mayo paid off big-time. And the fact that they are weak on the outside could make them a little more aggressive in picking someone for the position.

Belichick mentions Brian Orakpo and Larry English as two major talents. Which I find interesting since he doesn't mention Wake Forest's Aaron Curry, who is a monster at OLB. That may be simply because he doesn't think that Curry will last until the Pats' first pick. Or he may be trying to misdirect some other teams.

Another guy who'd work well (I think) is Virginia's Clint Sintim. He's one of those hard-nosed players who gets the job done without a lot of flash.

Whatever happens, I do think the Pats are going defense again. I am just not sure if it will be linebacker or cornerback.

Just Another 'Roid Story In The Bronx

2009-02-21T10:18:00.003-05:00

Does it ever end with the Drug Bunch?

The son of Yankees senior vice president Felix Lopez Jr. was busted in 2002 for trafficking in a banned date-rape drug that has been used by athletes for muscle recovery, and for possession of anabolic steroids at his Tampa apartment, records reveal.

Felix Lopez III, who in recent weeks has been spotted at the Yankees' minor league facility in Tampa working out in official team sweats, served 19 months of probation after pleading guilty to reduced charges in 2003.

I'm not going to insinuate anything here. I just find it fascinating that more and more steroid/PED stories keep coming out and they all involve the Yankees. We already know that their 1998-2000 streak was heavily tainted by the use of PEDs. Their marquee athlete has admitted to using them. And now this. It's all very...fascinating.

Bad, Bad News

2009-02-20T10:50:00.001-05:00

It can't get much worse than this for the Celtics.

The Celtics lost Kevin Garnett to a knee injury late in the first half and faded in the stretch against the Jazz, falling, 90-85, last night.

Garnett's condition will be evaluated today and his status is undetermined for Sunday's game at Phoenix.

Garnett strained his right knee going for an alley-oop late in the second quarter and did not play in the second half. Garnett, who earned a jump ball by diving for a loose ball earlier in the second quarter, departed with 1:08 remaining. He then hopped on his left foot into the locker room.

He's coming back to Boston for an MRI today where, God willing, nothing serious will be detected.

But even if it is found to be fine, maybe the Celtics should just rest him a little bit. I mean, even with the loss, Boston is 44-12. With 26 games left, they only need to go 16-10 to get to 60 wins. They should be able to get most of those wins without KG. So if if he was able to rest a couple of weeks and be that much more rested for the post-season...maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing?

Welcome Back, Tully

2009-02-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

After his release from the 49ers, the Patriots brought back Tully Banta-Cain. The terms of the deal were undisclosed.

I always had a soft spot for Banta-Cain, a seventh-round pick in the 2003 draft who willed himself into a spot on the squad and became a reliable rushing OLB. He had 5.5 sacks in 2006 to go with 43 tackles and he parlayed that into a nice contract with San Francisco.

He had a good first year in SF (3.5 sacks, 41 tackles) but in 2008 the wheels fell off. He only had 18 tackles and a half-sack to his name. I don't know if that had anything to do with Singletary taking over the team or not, but now Tully is out. The Niners do save $2.575 million on the cap with his release, and that might be the real reason he was let go.

But this is good for the Pats. They get a veteran in his prime who knows the system and can help out on special teams.

The Next "Clean" Hope?

2009-02-19T10:06:00.000-05:00

It was supposed to be A-Rod. He was supposed to wipe clean the stain of Barry Bonds in the record book. But now that is an impossibility. So who will step up to take that role?

It should have been Griffey. Of all the players over the last 10-15 years, I will believe to my dying day that he was clean the whole time. He never bulked up or even got ripped. His career arc is free of blips and odd spikes. He got injured more than once. Griffey is just the best natural talent to touch the field in my lifetime. I got to watch him live a couple of times when he was with Seattle. He excelled at every facet of the game. But those damned injuries in Cincy between 2002-2004 robbed him of any chance of breaking the home run record. You're talking about 70-80 lost homers over that three-year span.

Now, the great hope is Albert Pujols. He is the only active player who is under the age of 30 and in the top 100 all-time in homers (319). He turned 29 in January.

Pujols has been a monster from the day he took his first major-league cuts. 37 homers, 130 RBI and a .329 batting average made him Rookie of the Year in 2001. He has never hit fewer than 32 homers in a season, but he has also never hit 50 in a season. He has been very consistent in all his season totals over his career. His RBI totals are all in the 103-137 range. His hit totals range between 185 and 212 (he only cracked 200+ hits once, in 2003). There isn't a single season or spread of seasons that makes you go "What was he doing then?" Of course, people said the same thing about A-Rod.

But Pujols' build has never changed (just look at A-Rod in the late 90s and today). He consistently hits for a high average and doesn't simply mash the ball. And damn it, doesn't one of these great players have to be clean?? Just one??

Pujols is entering his ninth season. If he averages 40 homers a year over the next ten seasons (which seems doable), he'll have 719 going into his 19th season at the age of 39. That would put Bonds' bullshit number of 762 within reach with two more decent years. I hope he can do it. And I pray that he tests clean that whole time. If Pujols goes down...

The Big Question About A-Rod

2009-02-18T13:32:00.000-05:00

Watching that self-serving joke of a press conference by A-Rod, you come away with more questions. Everything sounds made up or carefully constructed to hide further transgressions on his part. How can you be "young and stupid" in your mid-20s? What's with this "boli" crap that no one has ever heard of before? Who in their right mind would take a drug they couldn't identify for three years??

But put all that aside. This is what confuses me more than anything else:

1996: 16.69

1997: 25.52

1998: 16.33

1999: 11.95

2000: 13.51

2001: 12.15

2002: 10.94

2003: 12.91

2004: 16.69

2005: 12.60

2006: 16.34

2007: 10.79

2008: 14.57

These are the ratios of home runs to at-bats for A-Rod from his first full season in Seattle (1996) to his last full season with New York (2008). What is striking about his three seasons in Texas (2001 - 2003) is that they are not wildly out of place in his career. This isn't like Bonds at the age of 39 having a ratio of 8.28 or Brady Anderson leaping from a 34.625 in 1995 to a 11.58 in his 50 HR season of 1996. A-Rod numbers fit into his career pretty well. His all-time lowest ratio (10.79) was in 2007. His third lowest ratio (11.95) was in Seattle in 1999. His three admitted seasons of PED useage didn't create a spike in his output.

So why was he taking them? Or is there more here? Did his usage actually begin in Seattle? Look at those numbers again; 1999 and 2000 dovetail very nicely into his Texas numbers. And frankly, A-Rod's 2007 season stands out like a sore thumb when weighed against his five seasons in New York. So who really knows when A-Rod began or ended his PED usage.

Claiming his PED usage was limited to Texas is convenient for A-Rod for exactly that reason; it puts his usage into an easily-defined period of time, limited to one team that he can blame for "the culture" that deceived a naive, innocent 25-year old child into taking PEDs.

But the numbers don't really support that story. And I don't think that we have heard the last of this by a long shot.

By the way, that 1999 Seattle Mariners squad included David Segui, David Bell, Jay Buhner and Shane Monahan, all of whom have either been linked to or rumored to have used PEDs of one kind or another.

Papi Is Worried

2009-02-18T10:44:00.001-05:00

Well, that may be reading a little too much into his recent interview. But he is somewhat concerned about Boston's offense going into 2009.

"Because you have a guy going out there and trying to [throw] seven good innings, eight good innings, and you don't produce for him, what's going to happen at the end of the night? He might end up losing the game, 2-1, 2-0, 1-0, and you don't want to be facing that kind of situation. The better hitters and the [more] hitters you have, I think the better chances for you to win the game."

I think Papi is discounting the effect the Sox's bullpen will have on pitching this year. It is, by far, the best in both leagues right now. That will allow Tito to use his starters less and extend their effectiveness through the season.

That said, the Sox lineup does look weaker on paper. But is it really that bad? Let's look at a theoretical lineup for 2009 using their 162-game averages

Ellsbury: .293, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 107 R, 54 SB

Pedroia: .313, 13 HR, 69 RBI, 104 R, 48 2B

Ortiz: .287, 36 HR, 121 RBI, 101 R, 43 2B, .936 OPS

Bay: .282, 31 HR, 103 RBI, 100 R, 165 H, .891 OPS

Youkilis: .289, 19 HR, 92 RBI, 95 R, 163 H, .857 OPS

Drew: .284, 26 HR, 85 RBI, 103 R, 152 H, .894 OPS

Lowell: .279, 23 HR, 98 RBI, 80 R, 165 H, .810 OPS

Lowrie: .258, 4 HR, 92 RBI, 68 R, 134 H, .739 OPS

Varitek: .263, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 70 R, 141 H, .785 OPS

Now, I know that this needs to be taken with a large grain of salt. Lowrie only has one year in the bigs. Drew is an injury machine. Lowell may not start the season. Tek may be a washout. On the upside, Youk's numbers have gotten better each year; his 162-game average is way under what he did in 2008. And Pedroia should do better as well. Taken as a whole, though, this lineup is still pretty good. Using these numbers, they would generate 828 runs. That is only 17 fewer runs than they scored in 2008 and would have been good for third in the AL in 2008 (behind Texas and Minnesota and not having Boston in second, which is where they were). Their theoretical 799 RBI is only eight off of Boston's 2008 total and would have been good enough for second in the AL in 2008, which is where Boston ended up. For the record, Tampa Bay finished ninth in both categories.

I mention that because in pitching, Tampa was Boston's better in almost every category. They were ahead of the Sox in ERA (3.82 - 4.01), saves (52 - 47), complete games (7 - 5), innings pitched (1457.2 - 1446.1) and BAA (.246 - .250). At the end of the day, where the Sox will win or lose isn't at the plate but at the mound.

That isn't to discount Papi's concern about the lineup. It's a finely balanced thing and one big injury could throw it out of whack (prediction: you'll see Lars Anderson in Boston a lot sooner than you thought you would). That would put a lot more pressure on the pitching staff. But on the whole, Boston has as good a lineup as any in the AL.

What it will come down to, what it always comes down to, is pitching. And Boston has the best rotation/bullpen combo in the majors right now. That bodes very well for their post-season ambitions.

Boston And PEDs

2009-02-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

Two stories that touch on the problems of performance enhancing drugs with a Boston angle. The first one is David Ortiz's declaration that anyone caught using steroids should be suspended for a year.

"I think you clean up the game by the testing," Ortiz said. "I test you, you test positive, you're going to be out. Serious. I know that if I test positive for using any kind of substance, I know that I'm going to disrespect my family, the game, the fans, and everybody. I don't want to be facing that situation, so what I will do, I won't use."

Asked if he would consent to blood tests, which are currently the only reliable way to test for human growth hormone, Ortiz said, "I don't care. Whatever. I just want to go out there and make sure that people aren't looking at you like, 'Oh look at this guy, he's big now. What is going on?'

For the record, I don't think that Ortiz has ever used PEDs. He has never had huge jumps in his numbers but steady growth (and possible decline) that mirrors his age. His body type has never changed.

All that said...you had best not be lying, Papi. Because if you are, and you get caught, not only would that be worse than Palmeiro's finger-wagging in Congress, it would be devastating to the Boston fans.

The other news today is that Patriots' special-teams captain Larry Izzo is a witness in the Barry Bonds trial. And it isn't as a character witness.

After years of downplaying his role in the steroids scandal, Patriots special teams captain Larry Izzo is prepared to testify at Barry Bonds's criminal trial that Bonds's personal trainer, Greg Anderson, gave Izzo performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 with instructions and a schedule for using them, according to federal prosecutors.

In retrospect, is this that surprising? There is no tougher job in football than special-teams, where you fly down the field and run into another grown man doing the same thing at speeds rarely attained during the rest of the game. Izzo has done that job for more than a decade and has done it well. That is a long time to play that particular role without a major injury. And now we know part of the reason that Izzo was able to avoid that kind of injury.

This is the major skeleton in the NFL's closet. Sooner or later, the drug culture of the NFL will come to light and it will make baseball's problems seem small by comparison. Whether it is a major star (Merriman) or a career special-teamer, the use of PEDs is undoubtedly widespread in the NFL. Hell, the Steelers of the 1970s were juicing. Do you think it is any different now?

Least Surprising News Ever

2009-02-15T16:16:00.002-05:00

Care to guess which Red Sox player is already injured?

The problem remains the herniated disc that he suffered from last season, one that kept him out for a good chunk down the stretch, though he was able to return in the playoffs. The plan now is to try to keep the back from flaring up, or getting inflamed. He added that the back issue doesn't seem major enough for a procedure at this point, though it could be something he might have to deal with years from now.

Drew has never played 150+ games in a season in his entire career. Last year he appeared in just 109 games. So in my opinion this is "major enough". Our starting right fielder can't even appear in 2/3 of the season...that isn't good. And we're paying him $14 million per year for this? Oy vey...

Can't we void his contract after this year if he is out with a shoulder injury for 35 games or more?

Delusions Of Grandeur

2009-02-12T11:54:00.001-05:00

More hot air coming out of the Bronx:

TAMPA - Joba Chamberlain thinks the team to beat in the AL East this season is the Yankees, though that should come as no surprise.

"We're always the team to beat, and we have that in our minds from the get-go," Chamberlain said yesterday. "With the year the Rays had, people are going to look at it that they're the team to beat. But . . . we're always going to be the hunted just because of who we are and . . . we always go with the mindset that we are the best and that's the way you have to play."

Whatever you say, Fatty McBoozer. You are the team that finished third last year, yes? And what have you done to improve your bullpen and your defense this year. That's right...nothing!

It's one thing to be arrogant because you are just that damn good. It's another to be arrogant because you're cruising on the fumes of a steroid-fueled title run from a decade ago.

Bottom line: another playoff-free year in the Bronx and Chubsy von Drunkenstein is on the DL for at least 25 games this year.

A Enjoyable Win

2009-02-12T10:06:00.001-05:00

Without much to talk about in Boston*, I thought I'd go international and mention that, once again, the United States crushed Mexico in a World Cup qualifier.

Even if you aren't a big fan of soccer, you would love the vicious US-Mexico rivalry. We hate them and they hate us. And that attitude spills onto the field, almost always in the form of a Mexican player breaking the rules and trying to injure a US player. To wit:

Mexico captain Rafael Marquez was ejected in the 65th minute when he went high to spike goalkeeper Tim Howard as they went for a loose ball. Howard, who angrily threw the ball down while he flexed his leg, also picked up a yellow card for delay of game on the ensuing free kick.

And the story doesn't even mention how Mexican assistant coach Jesus Ramirez tried to attack American defenseman Frankie Hejduk after the game.

High spikes, intent to injure and post-game chicanery is old hat for the Mexicans. In 2005 they tried repeatedly to injure DaMarcus Beasley since they couldn't handle him straight-up. In 2002, Rafael Marquez (again!) was ejected from the US 2-0 victory (again!) at the FIFA World Cup after he head-butted Cobi Jones. So the fact the Mexicans can't handle the US and resort to thug tactics is not news.

World Cup soccer, even the qualifiers, is soccer played at its highest level. If you have never gotten into the game, give it a chance. It really is a sublime sport when played by the best players in the world.

------------------

* Celtics win. Bruins win. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Brett-Free In 2009??

2009-02-11T11:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not holding my breath.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Brett Favre informed the New York Jets on Wednesday he will retire after 18 seasons, ending a record-setting career in which he was one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks.

The 39-year-old instructed agent James "Bus" Cook to tell the team of his decision, six weeks after Favre's only season with the Jets ended in disappointment as New York failed to make the playoffs.

In an e-mail to ESPN, Favre said he has no regrets about ending his career in New York and praised owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and fired coach Eric Mangini.

So St. Brett of the Perpetual Interception is finally hanging up the cleats? Really? My guess is that this lasts as long as it takes for Minnesota to come calling after they miss out on the Cassel Sweepstakes.

After all, this makes two seasons in a row where he "retired" after his last pass of the season was a mistake. In 2007 he threw an interception that cost the Packers a trip to the Super Bowl. In 2008 it was a pathetic illegal forward pass in a game the Jets needed to win to even have a shot at the playoffs. Can St. Brett's massive ego allow him to go out like this?

I'm not buying it. I don't believe for one second that he is leaving the NFL. Come late March we'll start to hear the rumblings again. Peter King will have his obligatory "Brett is Teh Awesome!" article and sports journalists country-wide will strap on their well-worn kneepads for one more season. And the result will be another mediocre season for St. Brett that ends because of his shot arm.

Anyone want to bet against that?

News From Dallas Gets Oakland A Second Mention

2009-02-11T10:05:00.000-05:00

Apparently there is serious momentum to the news that Dallas wants to jettison Terrell Owens from the team. First Peter King said the following in his Monday Morning QB column:

I think everyone doing free-agent lists should add one name in pencil: Terrell Owens. I'll bet you a month's worth of lattes he'll be free in six weeks.

And now Michael Lombardi seconds the notion:

Now, for the real news out of Dallas regarding Terrell Owens. Peter King wrote this yesterday in his Monday Morning QB, and I believe he is dead-on accurate. When, not if, is the real question everyone is asking about T.O. He will not be back, but the team is still deciding when to make the announcement of his termination or trade.

Maybe Jones can work a trade out to send Owens to the Raiders since they have a huge need at wideout and have never been afraid to take on a big challenge. This will be interesting to follow as it develops.

That makes three teams that couldn't stand to have T.O. in their locker-room. But if there is any team that would take a chance on the talented-yet-cancerous Owens, it's Oakland. Al Davis has that perfect mix of "F-you" attitude and senility to make a crazy deal like this.

What would the price be? Normally it would go through the roof, because he is insanely talented. But Owens' negatives tamp the price down; at this point you know you'll have him for a year or two before he destroys the locker room. I would guess if the Cowboys can get a 3rd and 5th from Oakland, they'd take it in a second.

I will never, never understand why Owens acts the way he does. He plays hard on the field. Outside of the stadium, he gets in no trouble at all. But he acts like the world is against him and that no one deserves more than him. It's bizarre.

More Comedy Out Of Oakland

2009-02-11T09:48:00.001-05:00

Is there a franchise that has fallen further than the Oakland Raiders? Once a feared opponent on the gridiron, they are now marked on their opponents' calendars as an easy win. And any news out of Oakland holds the promise of a moment of levity.

Take the recent announcement of University of Washington offensive coordinator Jim Michalczik going to Oakland to be the o-line coach. Contained with the story was this little nugget:

New Raiders coach Tom Cable -- who had the interim tag removed from his title last week -- had filled all of his coaching staff except for offensive line coach. The Raiders won't have an official offensive coordinator.

Which is fine, because they don't have an offense either.

And yes, I wrote this whole post just for that joke.

Five Questions Facing The Sox

2009-02-10T11:34:00.001-05:00

As we head into Spring Training, these are the big questions facing Boston.

Is Papi healthy? By most accounts, he is looking good down in the Dominican Republic. Last year he played in only 109 games, had his lowest batting average (.264) since 2001 and didn't crack 100+ RBI for the first time since 2002. I find it hard to believe that he will suffer a similar season this year. Papi takes a lot of pride in his work, he's heard people questioning his weight/age and I bet he gives us 40 homers and 130+ RBI. And you better hope I am right, or else Boston's offense is going to take a serious hit.

Is Lowell healthy? His surgery last October was a success and he started hitting off a tee in late January. He is supposed to be ready to go for spring training. If you look at his stats, he was on track for 20 homers and close to 100 RBI had he been healthy through 2008. But he only played 113 games. If the Sox can get Lowell to give them that 20/100 and an OPS around .820 - .850 (which is easily doable for him), then they will be in good shape for 2009. People all obsessed with losing Teixeira seem to forget that the Sox lost Lowell and Papi for an extensive period of time and still came within one win of the World Series.

Will Jason Bay produce? As in "Will he fill the Manny void over the course of a full season?" Well, let's look at the last three seasons (2006 - 2008) in aggregate for each player:

Manny Ramirez: 92 HR, 311 RBI, 470 H, 848 Total Bases, .990 OPS
Jason Bay: 87 HR, 294 RBI, 461 H, 829 Total Bases, .859 OPS

Manny's numbers are better...but not by that much. The only wide gap in their output is in .OPS, which may just be a reflection of Manny hitting more homers and wall-balls in Fenway. Bay should (if he stays healthy) be able to give Boston an amount of offensive power comparable to what Manny provided over the last three years. Add in his better defense and base-running skills and it's almost a wash.

Which Beckett will we see? Will it be the bulldog of 2007 or the 2008 all-too human version who went 12-10 with a 4.03 ERA and couldn't crack 200 innings? The answer to that question will provide a lot of guidance on how the Sox do this year. With an improved bullpen, Beckett may be able to get out of games earlier, which will cut down on wear-and-tear and keep him fresh. And that should give a boost to his numbers. And with a better situation in the #5 slot in the rotation, the pressure to get a win isn't as prevalent. That should allow him to just focus on pitching and not on carrying the team. If the Sox can get 15+ wins out of Beckett and have him keep his ERA in the mid-3s, that will be a very good thing for Boston.

Does the Sox pitching match up in the AL East? Here are the rotations for Tampa, Boston, and the Yankees

Shields, Kazmir, Garza, Price, Sonnanstine
Beckett, Daisuke, Lester, Wakefield, Penny
Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Pettitte, Chamberlain

They're all brutal for opposing batters and you could make an argument for (or against) any of those rotations. But then you get to the bullpens:

Percival, Howell, Balfour, Nelson, Bradford, Wheeler (closer)
Okajima, Saito, Delcarmen, Masterson, Lopez, Papelbon (closer)
Marte, Ramirez, Albaladejo, Veras, Bruney, Rivera (closer)

I'm sorry, but there is no contest here. I didn't even include Wes Littleton and Ramon Ramirez in that list. The Boston bullpen is, by far, the best in the AL East and one of the best in baseball. That allows the starters to come out earlier, which keeps them fresh longer through the season. How dangerous will Burnett be in New York when he has to go 7+ innings each time because his bullpen can't hold a lead?

A-Fraud Comes Clean

2009-02-09T15:28:00.001-05:00

He admits it.

His voice shaking at times, Alex Rodriguez met head-on allegations that he tested positive for steroids six years ago, telling ESPN on Monday that he did take performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers during a three-year period beginning in 2001.

"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure, felt all the weight of the world on top of me to perform, and perform at a high level every day," Rodriguez told ESPN's Peter Gammons in an interview in Miami Beach, Fla. An extended interview will air on SportsCenter at 6 p.m. ET.

"Back then, [baseball] was a different culture," Rodriguez said. "It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time.

"I did take a banned substance. For that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful."

This was, by far, the smartest thing Rodriguez could have ever done. He met the allegations head-on, admitted he did it (and more) while in Texas, explained why he did it and apologized for it. Call it the "Anti-Bonds" method of handling a PED scandal. It doesn't excuse what he did. But it allows for the scandal to begin to fade somewhat. And it earns him some goodwill going forward. In the end, he'll be a lot more like Pettitte than Clemens in how he is judged.

The one caveat; he claims that he didn't use once he left Texas. If any test from 2004 on comes up dirty, he is done for good. The American people tend to forgive a mistake when admitted to. But we hate being lied to again afterward.

What baffles me about the whole thing is why Rodriguez did it. His first full year (1996) at age 20 he hit 36 homers and 123 RBI with the Mariners. He hit 42 homers and 124 RBI in 1998. But there is a noticeable spike in his home run total at the time he started using. Two of his three 50+ homer seasons came in 2001 and 2002 with the Rangers. But that is the only stat where there is a huge jump like that. He, like Bonds, didn't need it. So why?? Rodriguez claims it was the pressure of his new contract. There may be some validity to that since that deal was record-making, but he earned it by playing clean (he claims) in Seattle. Was he that insecure about his ability?

ESPN has a little chart up comparing his 2001-03 seasons with the other 10. I don't know how accurate that is since you are comparing a small sample and a large one. But take it for what it is, I guess.

Should Yankees Dump A-Fraud?

2009-02-09T10:31:00.000-05:00

Hey, I'm not asking the question. This one comes courtesy of Bill Madden at the Daily News.

Now that A-Rod's pursuit looks as counterfeit as Bonds', they should do what's best for the organization:

Cut him loose - no matter the cost.

As difficult as it is to imagine eating $270 million, the Bombers will be making a statement, not just for the Yankee brand but for baseball as a whole.

They will be applauded for it.

The Yankees operate under two basic tenets: The relentless pursuit of championships and the fierce protection of their brand. If they are going to remain true to both, then they have no choice but to sever ties with Rodriguez.

Now, there are 270 million reasons for them to not cut A-Fraud . One of them being that he is, needles and all, still the best all-around player in the game today. Cutting him would leave a gaping hole in the Yankees' defense and lineup. As Madden points out in his piece, the New York system sucks and they don't have a valid third-base prospect in there. And whomever you got out of free agency wouldn't likely give you even 70% of A-Fraud's production.

But A-Fraud is also a standing symbol of a period in baseball that everyone in the game wants to forget. He has been a member of the two most drug-riddled teams from the period (the Rangers and Yankees)*. He is useless to the Yanks as a marketing tool. He is unloved by the fans and is a public-relations disaster**.

In the end, although I think Madden is right on a "perfect world" level, it would make no sense for the Yanks to cut A-Fraud. Bottom line is that they have to win and they have a better chance of doing that with him in the lineup. At least during the regular season.

-------------------------------

* Look at the Rangers roster from that time. A-Fraud, Palmiero, Ruben Sierra, Randy Velarde, I-Rod, Juan Gonzalez...all of them involved. Oh, and who played first base in 2003, A-Fraud's last year? Someone named Mark Teixeira. And it is also worth noting that the drug issues continued after A-Fraud left.Gary Matthews Jr., anyone? Eric Gagne***? As for the Yanks...we all know about their extensive issues with PEDs.

** Bottom-line; you can't really sell a guy who leaves his wife at home with their child so he can bang a blonde stripper in a hotel.

*** And how bad are you when you take PEDs and still suck like Gagne? Yes, I still hate him for his shit performances in Boston.

Is Anyone Clean?

2009-02-07T12:09:00.002-05:00

The bombshell today, if you missed it, is that A-Rod tested positive for steroids back in 2003, his last year with the Rangers.

In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.

That testing was supposed to be anonymous. But the Feds seized the list when they executed a search warrant on the testing lab in 2004 as a part of the BALCO investigation. And now A-Rod's name has leaked.

The big drug A-Rod used was a steroid known as Primobolan. And it's pretty obvious why he used it.

Primobolan, which is also known by the chemical name methenolone, is an injected or orally administered drug that is more expensive than most steroids. (A 12-week cycle can cost $500.) It improves strength and maintains lean muscle with minimal bulk development, according to steroid experts, and has relatively few side effects. Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse employee who in 2007 pleaded guilty to illegal distribution of steroids to numerous major league players, described in his recent book, Bases Loaded: The Inside Story of the Steroid Era in Baseball by the Central Figure in the Mitchell Report, how players increasingly turned to drugs such as Primobolan in 2003, in part to avoid detection in testing.

This throws the entire era into question. A-Rod was a monster in his first full year in the bigs and has stayed at that level ever since. If he was using in 2003, doesn't that throw even his early years into doubt, since there really was no major increase in his performance after his usage?

And what about the other names on that list? Some of them are likely the ones we know already, like Bonds and Clemens. But who else is on there? Just how deep does the rot go in this?

And there is one other thing. Apparently, MLBPA Chief Operating Officer Gene Orza warned A-Rod about a test in 2004. If that is true, Orza should be fired on the spot. Hell, he should be fired anyway since it was the union's refusal to do testing for years that created this mess.

Also, how will this affect HoF voting? It's becoming clear that the 90s and early 2000s were just flooded with performance enhancing drugs. Do we declare anyone from that era off-limits to voting? Do we give up and vote people like Clemens and Sosa in even though we know they juiced to reach their marks? Maybe we take a suggestion some have made and create a wing at the HoF just for players from this era. Sure, they made their mark, but they cheated to do it.

What about records? Should Bonds' homers really count over Aaron's? I already think it's bullshit and stories like this one just reinforce that for me.

And there is one name I am praying isn't on that list: Greg Maddux. I have always been a fan of his. It would kill me to see the best pitcher of the past 20 years (and it has always been him, NOT Clemens) get pinched in this.

The Best Team...From 2001

2009-02-06T11:05:00.002-05:00

Guess who's talking about joining the Jets?

Could it be that one of the baddest linebackers in the NFL could be coming to the Jets as a free agent this off-season?

If you listen to Ravens' LB Ray Lewis, known as one of the hardest-hitting, most vociferous defensive players in the land, that possibility is far from a pipe dream. He is, after all, an unrestricted free agent and the signing period begins on Feb. 27.

Lewis, 33, speaking yesterday with the NFL Network while in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl, called the Jets an "attractive option" with Rex Ryan, his defensive coordinator in Baltimore, now the Jets head coach.

Likely this is just a negotiation ploy to try and get Baltimore to give him a decent deal. But say he did go to the Jets. Would Ray Lewis be a gamechanger in the AFC East?

Ummm...no. Look, Lewis is a damn good linebacker. But he has benefited greatly from playing with Suggs, Bart Scott and Haloti Ngata. If he goes to the Jets, Lewis is rolling with Calvin Pace, Eric Barton and Kris Jenkins. It just ain't the same, baby*.

But boy, you get Lewis and Favre on the same team and you're kicking some ass...back in 2001.

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* I would like to take this moment to petition the Pats front office to at least look into Terrell Suggs and what his demands would be. The prospect of having Suggs and Thomas on the outside with Mayo on the inside gets me all light-headed.**

** Actually, this would work with Lewis as well. Have him inside with Mayo? That would not be a bad thing. I think what I am driving at here is raiding the Ravens' linebacker corps is almost always a good idea.

Truck Day!!

2009-02-06T10:34:00.002-05:00

Really, doesn't this photo just get you a little giddy inside?

I love this day. Now I know baseball is just around the corner.

Duh?

2009-02-05T10:49:00.001-05:00

Patriots are likely to franchise QB

I don't know why some people still think this won't happen. If there is a hallmark of the "Patriots way", it is that they are masters of maximizing value. It drives every personnel choice they make. They have an unique opportunity here in being able to parlay a backup QB who they drafted in the seventh round (230th overall!) into multiple draft picks and/or a player. When does that ever happen in the NFL? The Pats would be fools not to take advantage of that situation.

The only questions are where Cassel will go and what the Pats will get in return. Actually, here's one more; what will the Pats do for their 2nd/3rd QB? Well, I have a suggestion. The Chiefs have five QBs right now, and it'll be six if Cassel goes there. Why not take Damon Huard off their hands? He knows the system. And that gives the Pats a veteran backup while O'Connell continues to learn the system.

Yes, this is all predicated on Brady coming back. But I am optimistic that he will make a full recovery and want to prove himself in 09.

Quick Hits

2009-02-04T10:09:00.000-05:00

Ray Allen was awesome last night in the C's 100-99 win over the 76ers. He hit two 3-pointers in the last minutes, including the game-winner with 0.5 seconds left on the clock. That was the first time the Celtics led in the fourth quarter.

Allen was chosen to replace Jameer Nelson on the All-Star team yesterday as well, a honor that he definitely deserves. Allen is averaging 18 points and just under three assists per game, and those numbers would be higher if it wasn't for a very weak October. Since December 28, Allen hasn't scored fewer than 11 points in any game. He has really stepped up in the last month.

Great article in the Globe today about Yaz's grandson carrying on the family business. Think about how lucky this kid is; he gets to learn the game from one of the greatest players ever. Who just happened to talk about hitting with an all-time legend. Mike Yastrzemski is getting hints and tips, second-hand, from Ted Williams.

So Michael Phelps smoked a bong. Stupid? Yes. But unless pot somehow became a performance enhancer, it shouldn't be that big a deal. Unless you're a southern sheriff with a stick up your ass. Then it's a big deal. Mike, just stay out of the South and save yourself the hassle.

As if we all needed one more reason to love Jon Lester, the boy goes and shows up in Fort Meyers nine days early. He beat the trucks there by almost a week. Say what we may about Curt Schilling's big mouth and political views, but the man has a work ethic second to none and it has rubbed off on Lester. Which only means good things for him, the Sox and us fans down the road.

Detroit can't quit Matt Millen. Wait...that should be "Detroit can't quit hating Matt Millen." I wish more stations would do this.

The Raiders still suck and still don't have a clue. Has a franchise that was once so successful ever fallen this far this fast? They were in the Super Bowl as recently as 2002. Now it doesn't look like they'll make it back until 3002.

If you get the new Joe Torre book, you'll find out all sorts of interesting things. One of them is Roger Clemens' pre-game ritual, which I heard about on WEEI when John Dennis read an excerpt over the air. It involved having a trainer rubbing liniment all over him from ankles to wrists. And then (and you have permission to bitch me out for the mental image I am about to present) Clemens would have the trainer rub the hottest liniment he had on his testicles. And then Clemens would snort like a bull and that is how the Yankees knew he was ready to pitch.

Good God. The news just never gets better for Roger, does it?

Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come

2009-02-03T10:15:00.001-05:00

It's not only one of my favorite blues tunes (sung most notably by Wilbert Harrison as well as by blues guitar legend Albert King), but it is also the likely destination for one Matt Cassel, should he be franchised and traded by the Pats. That obviously has a lot to do with Pioli. But it would be a good situation for Cassel as well.

A quarterback needs weapons to be successful in the NFL. And while a team like Detroit (Charles Johnson) or Minnesota (Adrian Peterson) would give Cassel one target, only KC from amongst all the potential suitors would give him multiple high-quality receivers. Having Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez as receivers would be a luxury for any quarterback.

And this counter-argument about the "system" being responsible for Cassel's success is ridiculous. No matter the system, you still have to be able to execute. Was Montana a product of the 49ers system under Walsh or was he a damn good QB? Is Peyton Manning a product of the Tony Dungy system? Cassel can play, people. And I am sure Pioli knows that.

But will he be willing to give up that first-round pick? That I am not so sure about, although we know his philosophy in NE along with Belichick was to trade down from those high picks if possible. But KC has a lot to work to do, and Tyler Thigpen didn't totally suck as the KC QB last year. That first-round pick is important.

So maybe the Pats and Chiefs would swap first-rounders and then Cassel would go to KC and the Pats would also get a 3rd and a 5th. That would be fair. KC is a really young team and can survive losing a pick or two. Then the Pats could trade down from the #3 overall (which should be possible since other teams will be gunning for Stafford or Sanchez at that slot for QB), still have a decent first-round slot and bank a couple more picks. That's the ideal scenario, of course. But it is a plausible one.

In the end, KC just makes too much sense for Cassel with Pioli there.

Super Bowl Wrap-Up

2009-02-02T10:26:00.000-05:00

That was the best Super Bowl I have watched since the Pats-Rams tilt back in 2002. And that fourth quarter was the single best quarter (excitement-wise) I have ever seen in the Super Bowl. Just a great game, exceeding all expectations.

If it wasn't for Santonio Holmes' amazing TD catch that won the game for the Steelers, I think the MVP should have gone to Larry Fitzgerald. Even if the Steelers had won with someone like Nate Washington making the winning catch, I think Fitz should have won for single-handedly pulling the Cardinals back into that game. But Holmes did enough to earn it.

And how is this for ironic. If Holmes' catch late in the 4th had counted, instead of that holding penalty in the end zone that resulted in a safety for the Cardinals, the Steelers would have won and Holmes would likely have not won the MVP. Instead, he gets to go to Disney World.

Where is Warner's Messiah now? I have to admit I am taking a bit o' joy in the fact that Warner cost his team the trophy. He throws that interception that goes to Harrison for the TD. And then he just coughs it up at the end. That's six points and a shot at a last-second TD with the best receiver in the game going up in smoke because Grocery Boy wilted like a hothouse flower. Is this God's fault (since he gets all the credit from Warner for the wins), a case of hand-signal spying by the Steelers or just plain Karma? Who cares? Warner blew it and that is all that matters.

This Super Bowl victory confirms the Steelers place among the great franchises in NFL history. But is it the greatest? Some people have said that, but I cannot agree. If you only consider the Super Bowl era (1966-2009) then you have a case since the Steelers have won 14% of all the title games played. But if you consider the history of the NFL as a whole, then it is still the Green Bay Packers, who have nine NFL titles and three Super Bowl wins to their name. I would rank the Steelers third all-time, behind the Packers and Giants. But the Steelers have been the most consistent team over the past 40+ years. Rarely, if ever, are they out of contention. It's a testament to the franchise that the Rooney's have built.

Explain something to me; how can PETA's ad get the kibosh but GoDaddy's pervy "Let's watch Danica Patrick shower with a German teacher" ad get the go-ahead? I am much less offended by a woman licking a pumpkin than any GoDaddy ad. But I guess that is why I am not an ad exec. It's also why I still have a soul.

I think that Mike Tomlin is a hundred kinds of lucky that his decision to kick that first possession field-goal didn't cost Pittsburgh the game. You're on the one inch line, Mike! Pound it in!

Last-Minute Super Bowl Switch

2009-02-01T11:29:00.003-05:00

So I am all set to root for the Cardinals today. Seven-point underdogs with one of my favorite players in Larry Fitzgerald. Going up against a team I despise in the Pittsburgh Steelers. And then I have to go and read this:

Warner wasn’t smiling. Since September of 2007, when the news of the Spygate scandal broke, Warner had wondered whether the Patriots had carried an unfair competitive edge into that game. Even after former Patriots employee Matt Walsh, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and New England coach Bill Belichick declared that Walsh had not, in fact, taped the walkthrough, the uneasy feeling about the way things unfolded remained.

In Warner’s eyes, Belichick’s players seemed to have a very good sense of what the Rams were doing on offense that day – and remember, St. Louis, one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history, scored just three points until a late flurry. It has been substantiated that the Patriots’ practice of videotaping the hand signals of opposing coaches, a violation of NFL policy, went back a number of years. The Rams and Patriots had played earlier that season, and logic suggests that Belichick might have gained an advantage through surveillance for the rematch.

“You can’t help but wonder,” Warner said Tuesday night. “Perhaps it didn’t happen that way – obviously, it could have been good coaching. But it’s possible that something else was also going on, and if so, think about the ramifications. People’s careers were altered. I hate to think about it that way, but it’s human nature.”

So screw it, I'm rooting for the Steelers.

How long is Warner going to whine about this? The Rams didn't lose because the Pats cheated.* They lost because Warner and the offense were softer than a marshmallow and all you had to do was smack Warner and Faulk in the mouth to disrupt them.

And let's just say, for the sake of making a point, that the Pats had taped their hand signals earlier in that year. The Pats and Rams first played in Week 10 of the 2001-02 season. Which means that the Rams didn't change their signals for the last seven weeks of the regular season, the playoffs and the Super Bowl. That's just incompetent on their part. Frankly, you deserve to lose if you're that stupid.

So thanks to Mr. "I'm not getting my kids a puppy/I can't draw God/I'm the biggest freakin' baby on the planet" Warner, I am forced to root for a team I cannot stand. Nice job...jerk.

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* Lest we forget, the Pats actually saw someone watching them from a hotel room across from their practice field at Tulane prior to the game. Think that was a curious fan or a Rams coach? Glass houses and all that, Kurt.

D-Day For Tek

2009-01-30T10:20:00.001-05:00

Update at 3:12 - Jason blinked:

Varitek, who turns 37 on April 11, will earn $5 million in 2009, with the club holding a $5 million option for 2010. If the Red Sox do not pick up that option, Varitek has the choice of remaining with the club on a $3 million deal. In '10, he can earn another $2 million in incentives based on playing time, beginning at 80 games started.

That $2 million applies only to the player option, so it evens out no matter who exercises the option.

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Today is the day we find out if Jason Varitek will return to the Sox or sit out the 2009 season.

We also find out which matters more to him; his legacy or his wallet.

That is what this whole saga has come down to. After all the posturing and point-scoring, it is as simply as that.

Jason Varitek is arguably the best catcher the Red Sox have ever had. He has more hits and RBI than any Sox catcher in history. He has caught more games than any catcher in Sox history. He has two titles to his credit and has caught four no-hitters. He has been a rock on this team for more than a decade and is only the third player to be named captain since 1923.

Varitek is also turning 37 years old early in the 2009 season. In 2008, he hit just .187 after May 21. That isn't just below the Mendoza Line, it's so far down you can't look up and see the Mendoza Line. His OPS for the season was .672, the worst mark in his career.

And that is what the Sox had to weigh when making their offer. And in this economic climate, offering Varitek a deal that guarantees him two years and $8 million at a minimum is a good offer. He could also take a guaranteed one-year, $5 million deal. Considering his performance last year, those are two damned good deals. Andy Pettitte is getting $5 million from the Yankees and he was a .500 pitcher last year. For Varitek to get the same kind of money means Boston's offer is more than generous.

And yet there is word that Jason will choose to sit the year out or actually retire, rather than take the deal. Which means that, when tens of thousands of Americans are losing their jobs each day, Jason is insulted by a $5 million offer to play a game.

That hasn't sat well with Sox fans. Look at comments following stories on this saga, or on message boards. Almost to a person, they are all ripping Varitek a new one. The popular captain is becoming a target of scorn and disgust.

At least when Fisk left it was because the front office screwed up his negotations and Haywood Sullivan was an idiot. Varitek could leave Boston because of simple greed and ego. And if that is the case, if that is truly what drives Varitek, then all I can say is "good bye."

Go, and let's end the foolishness now. Give the captaincy to Pedroia or Youkilis. Trade for Montero or Salty or Teagarden. And let's get on with 2009.

Would I prefer to have Varitek on the Sox? Of course. But I have had it with this. The economy is in the toilet, thousands of jobs are being lost every day, and Tek can't decide on whether or not to take a $5 million deal? That's stupid, shallow or both.

Decide, and let's be done with it.

Ticket Registration

2009-01-29T10:12:00.001-05:00

If you want to have a shot at Monster seats, or a Sox-Yankees tilt, don't forget to go online and register for the drawings.

I think this is a great move on the part of the Sox. If these were simply left open to regular purchasing methods, you know the ticket scalping agencies would have a ton of them and charge you a price that makes the face value look reasonable. This way we all get an equal and fair shot at some of the best games and seats in Fenway. I haven't seena Boston-NY game live since 1997. At least this way I know I have a fair shot at getting a ticket without taking a mortgage out.

Has Brady "Gone Soft"?

2009-01-28T11:15:00.000-05:00

If you haven't read the Dan Shaughnessy column in the Globe that is causing a rather large rucus, here's a taste:

Yesterday was the last straw. You know what I'm talking about. You opened your newspaper (or perhaps viewed online) and saw the photograph of Gisele Bundchen feeding Brady at poolside in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

That did it. The tipping point. The coup de grace. The shark jumped.

She was feeding him.

We put up with a lot. We were OK with Tom as Gisele's errand boy, Tom bringing home the flowers, Tom walking Gisele's dog. We were good with Tom and Gisele canoodling in the candlelight, holding hands coming out of a restaurant.

But you simply cannot have your quarterback being fed like an infant at poolside. Remember, people - this is a football player we're talking about. This is your quarterback. Think there's any photographic evidence of Johnny Unitas being spoon-fed? Bet Slingin' Sammy Baugh's wife never tried to sling any hash into his mouth.

Now, I think that, as usual, CHB has his crazy dial jacked up to 11. Gisele feeding Brady a piece of food is not evidence that Brady cannot take a hit or throw the bomb to Moss. But behind even the craziest of columns you can usually find a kernel of truth.

The thing that bothered me going into 2008 was the parking space. Brady owned that parking space closest to the stadium year-in and year-out because he was in the practice facility non-stop during the pre-season. And then in 2008, without barely a peep, he lost it. Then on top of that was all the time he spent away from the facility with Gisele.

That doesn't make him soft. But don't you have to question whether his commitment is as complete as it was in years past? Whether he is as focused on the game as he was when he began his career?

If he wasn't, I wouldn't blame him. There have been many talented players who, at their peak, decided they wanted to do something else (Minnesota's ex-running back Robert Smith being one of the most recent). So if Brady looked at his career, decided it was good enough and wanted to go off into the sunset with Gisele on his arm, then more power to him.

But if that is the case, then he owes it to the Patriots to tell them that. He needs to tell them he isn't as focused as he once was. And then that would allow the team to make a decision with all the information they need.

Personally, I think that Tom is simply staying off the knee until his doctors say he can start full-on rehab. I think that he will be disappointed in 2008 and re-dedicate himself to the team for 2009.

But that parking space...I cannot forget about that parking space. That will be the indicator. If Brady gets it back, then all is good. If not...well, it's a bit of a crap-shoot then, isn't it?

The Top Five Red Sox Players to Wear Number 17

2009-01-27T13:26:00.002-05:00

Previous Installments: 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

The heyday for Boston's "17" was in the past. Recently the bearers of the number have been coaches or forgettable players (Willie Banks, anyone?). And while he doesn't make the list for now, Manny Delcarmen could make it a number of note once again in the future.

5. Bret Saberhagen (1997-99, 2001) - I was always a fan of Sabes, even when he was in KC. So I was thrilled when the Sox signed him in the winter of 1996*. And then he, of course, promptly missed most of 1997 with an injury. But he came back in 1998, winning the AL Comeback Player of Year Award by going 15-8 with a 3.96 ERA. He even had a decent 1999 with a 10-6 record and 2.95 ERA while dealing with injuries again. But he fell apart in the playoffs and then he missed all of 2000 before a brief comeback in 2001 that ended with his retirement after pitching in just three games. But for 1998-99 he gave the Sox rotation some solid outings.

4. Cecil Cooper (1971-76) - The proverbial "one that got away." Cooper was a 6th-round pick in the 1968 draft and the Sox never really commited to him 100%. The most games he played in one season was 123 games in 1976. But he had a solid glove and a good bat and all he needed was a real chance to prove himself. But whether it was his poor batting in the '75 World Series or a bizarre desire on the part of Sox management to turn back the clock after the '76 season, he was traded away to the Brewers for Bernie Carbo and George Scott. At which point he went on to have a borderline Hall of Fame career. And he absolutely killed Boston over his career. There was one series in 1982 when he hit four homers and the Brewers overtook Boston for first. You think the Sox would have liked to have him at first then? That "logjam" argument for trading Coop always struck me as so much bullshit. When you have talent, you find a place for it.

Think about it. What would Coop have meant to the Sox in 1978? 1982? Coming off the bench in 1986? As much as I liked the Boomer as a kid, that trade in 1976 was 100 kinds of stupid.

3. Marty Barrett (1982-1990) - For a generation of Sox fans, this was your second baseman while you grew up. And while he was never a great player, Barrett was always a good player. He understood the game and how it worked. He was also one of the most disciplined batters that Boston ever had. In a 10-year career where Barrett had 3378 at-bats, he struck out only 209 times. That is one strikeout every 16.16 at-bats, and that was matched by 304 walks. Walking more than you strikeout over your career is not an easy trick to pull off. And Barrett was a monster in the 1986 playoffs. He won the ALCS MVP Award and if the Sox hadn't choked away the Series to the Mets, he was in line to win the MVP for that as well.

Barrett likely would have played longer for the Sox but he wrecked his knee in a bizarre base-running accident in 1989 when he tripped over first-base. Then he claimed Arthur Pappas screwed his knee up post-injury and ended his career early**. It was a crap ending for a player who deserved better. Barrett was one of those guys who played the game the right way.

2. Dick Radatz (1962-65) - If you aren't familiar with "The Monster", just think of him as a Papelbon for your dad's Red Sox. From 1962-64, there wasn't a better reliever in the American League. Radatz was a two-time All-Star and was 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1962. He also was in the Top 10 for AL MVP in 1963 and 1964. And he got better each year he pitched:

1962: 9-6, 62 games, 24 saves, 124.7 innings, 144 strikeouts, 2.24 ERA

1963: 15-6, 66 games, 25 saves, 132.3 innings, 162 strikeouts, 1.97 ERA

1964: 16-9, 79 games, 29 saves, 157.0 innings, 181 strikeouts, 2.29 ERA

He wasn't called "Monster" for nothing. He terrified opposing batters with a hellacious fastball. Add to that the fact that Radatz was 6'6" and not afraid to throw that fastball inside, and you can see why he was so successful. And he wasn't a reliever like we have them today. Radatz rarely threw one inning. There were games he'd be out there for four or more innings. He was an impressive pitcher.

And then Ted Williams came along.

Radatz only had one pitch; his fastball. But, as the legendary sportswriter Jim Murray said, "Dick Radatz brings one weapon - a fastball. It's like saying all a country brings to a war is an atom bomb." However, the Boston brass were worried about their star reliever only having one pitch. So they had Williams approach Radatz about adding another pitch to his arsenal. The result was predictably disastrous***. In 1965 Radatz had a mediocre season that ended in shoulder surgery. He never regained his form and was traded in the middle of the 1966 season to the Indians for Don McMahon and Lee Stange. The whole episode stands as a shining reminder that, sometimes, the front office is full of idiots****. Sadly, Radatz died in 2005 when he fell down the stairs at his home in Easton, MA.

1. Mel Parnell (1947-56) - "Dusty" Parnell was a mainstay in the Sox rotation for most of his 10-year career. Between 1948-53 he never won fewer than 12 games and won 20+ two times (25-7 in 1949 and 21-8 in 1953). He was a two-time All-Star (1949, 51).

Parnell is one of the best lefties to ever pitch for the Sox. He is fourth all-time for Boston in wins, with 123 victories. He started 232 games for Boston, fifth all-time. Of those 232 games, he completed 113 of them. His 20 shutouts are 6th all-time for the Sox.

After his strong 1953 season, Parnell was hit by a pitch in 1954 that broke his arm and pretty much ended his career slowly over the next three years. But he had one last moment of glory. In 1956, he threw a no-hitter against the White Sox.

Parnell is probably one of the more under-appreciated Sox pitchers. He won over 60% of his games (62.1%, to be precise). And he was a lefty, a breed which has not historically found a lot of success in Fenway over the years*****. In his prime, he was one of Boston's best.

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* Actually, my favorite memory of Sabes isn't even from the ballpark. His wife played in a band (the name is lost in the fog of time) and they were playing at The Harp one night in the spring of 1998. So after Sabes pitched the Sox to a win (which I saw), me and some friends rolled over to The Harp and watched the band. Then Sabes and Wakefield came out and jammed with them for a few songs, which was pretty cool. It was a really laid-back, fun night.

** Barrett was right about Pappas having a conflict of interest. How can your doctor also be a part-owner? It's obvious he'll care more about the team than the player.

*** I will never understand why teams mess with their pitchers' deliveries and/or pitches when they work. Look at the number the Sox did on Buchholz in 2008. It was obvious the problem was in his head. Instead they started screwing with his delivery and the bottom fell out of his season. Pitchers are like fine-tuned engines. You can't just start whacking on them with a wrench.

**** For example, look at New York and their insistence on making Joba a starter. Right now, that makes their back-up closer to Rivera the 34-year old Damaso Marte. Would that fill you with confidence in the late innings of a game? Meanwhile, they have a born closer in Joba pitching every five days. All that said, I hope they continue down this path of stupidity.

***** Go back over Boston's history. The only lefties that appear in the record books besides Parnell are old-timers like Dutch Leonard and Babe Ruth. I suppose you could throw Lefty Grove in there as well, and you could make a weak case for Bruce Hurst. But how many pitchers is that in the sum total of hurlers to ever toe the rubber for the Sox in Fenway? That makes what Jon Lester is doing right now even more impressive. If he can keep his level of success where it, or improve on it, he could be the best lefty the Sox ever had pitch in Fenway.

More News On The Varitek Offer

2009-01-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

On WEEI and in Boston.com, some details have come down about the offer the Red Sox made to Varitek.

It's a two-year deal with $5 million in year one. Then the second year is either a club option for $5 million or a player option for $3 million. Incentives have also been worked into the offer. And the Sox have set a deadline for his decision.

So best case for Varitek is a base of two years and $10 million with backup of two years and $8 million. So either way Varitek will have his two years in Boston if he wants them. The question is whether it's about being in Boston or the money. Maybe the incentives boost it to a total value of two years and $12, but is that enough for Varitek?

The reports keep saying that Varitek wants something around $10 million a year, which is absolutely nuts. No one is going to give him that kind of money. And if that kind of thinking ultimately kills his return to Boston, then you know that has Boras written all over it.

Two and ten is a very fair offer. If Tek even has a decent season then you know the Sox will bring him back. And the number is reasonable which makes it even more likely the Sox would bring him back.

I just hope that Tek cares more about his legacy in Boston than he does a certain number. Because we may have missed it, but Tek is the best catcher in Sox history. Two more homers in '09 and he'll have more homers than Fisk in Boston (162). He already has more RBI and hits than Fisk. And he backstopped the Sox to two World Series titles. Varitek is a part of the history of the Red Sox, an important part. I hope he can see that and accept the deal.

Is Tek Coming Home?

2009-01-25T10:25:00.003-05:00

Apparently, the Sox and Jason Varitek are closing in on a deal.

According to a baseball source, the Sox have formally presented an offer to Varitek's agent, Scott Boras, that could appease the catcher's desire for a second guaranteed season. While the precise value or term of the proposal was unclear, the Sox could ensure Varitek a second year by guaranteeing it outright or making it attainable through an option.

In the latter scenario, Varitek could trigger the option through reachable incentives (like at-bats or games played), or the club could grant him a player option for the 2010 season. Another possibility would involve a dual option, first giving the Sox the choice of bringing back Varitek next season (at a higher number) and, subsequently, Varitek the right to return of his own volition (at a lower number than the team's option).

This is apparently what everything has hinged upon; a second year. I don't have a problem with it, provided the Sox aren't paying Varitek a ton of cash over the two year period. If they were to give him $12M over two years, I could live with that.

And it would be nice to have him in Boston as a mentor for whichever young catcher starts getting groomed for Boston, be it a guy in-house or a possible trade target. Tek knows how to call a game and that ability is vital for any catcher that wants to succeed in the majors.

All that said, I am also sure that part of the reason it has taken this long is because the Sox want to stick it to Boras just a little bit. After the way he played them on Teixeira, I don't doubt that Theo wants to return the favor.

Damn You, Bill Simmons

2009-01-23T11:20:00.001-05:00

You go and make me cry like it's the end of Field of Dreams.

For the record, this is how you know if people are good or not. If they consider their dogs/cats/ferrets/whathaveyou as family members, they're good people. If not, then they have no soul.

As a coincidence, I also had a dog named Rufus for many years. Dumb as a stump but lovable as hell.

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

2009-01-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

Not if you're Jay McGwire.

A new book proposal, submitted by the admittedly estranged brother of Mark McGwire, claims the former major league slugger used both steroids and human growth hormone during his career.

In the proposal, first reported Wednesday on Deadspin.com, Jay McGwire alleges that Mark used Deca-Durabolin and that he introduced Mark to performance-enhancing drugs in 1994.

According to the report, Jay McGwire writes in his proposal that his brother "began to use, but in low dosages so he wouldn't lift his way out of baseball. Deca-Durabolin helped with his joint problems and recovery, while growth hormone helped his strength, making him leaner in the process. I became the first person to inject him, like most first-timers he couldn't plunge in the needle himself. Later a girlfriend injected him."

If true, that would put the best years of McGwire's career (1995-1999) under even more of a cloud. Between this and his abysmal Congressional performance, things do not look good for McGwire.

Also consider the timeline here. McGwire was a beast when he started in Oakland in 1987. Between then and 1992, he racked up 30+ homers and 95+ RBI in five of six seasons. Then, in 1993, McGwire injured his foot. That injury also kept him out for most of 1994, which is when Jay McGwire says he introduced Mark to PEDs.

Remarkably, in 1995, despite playing in only 104 games, he put up HR/RBI numbers (39 and 90) that rivaled his full-season numbers pre-injury. And then his totals went into the stratosphere.

Is that undeniable proof that McGwire juiced? No. But it is more than a little suspicious. And it would fit the pattern of someone being worried his game was dropping off and doing whatever it took to regain it.

You saw the same ridiculous jump statistically in Barry Bonds' career. Look at his declining numbers in 1998 and 1999 before his "miraculous" comeback at age 35 in 2000 and the subsequent chemically-enhanced stats between 2000 and 2004. The irony with Bonds is that he was a Hall of Famer before this; it was his ego that got in the way.

Or take Roger Clemens (please...). Anyone not from New England seems to still be unaware that he was a fat choad when he left Boston in 1996 at age 33. Between 1993 and 1996, his combined record was 29-25 with an ERA somewhere around 3.60. And then he somehow turned into a young pitcher again. Of course, we all now know how that happened.

McGwire's career parallels those of Bonds and Clemens in its dips and improbable rises. And that, to me, gives his brother's story a level of legitimacy. Enough that I think it is more contingent upon Mark to disprove the story.

Not Bloody Likely

2009-01-21T10:14:00.001-05:00

It's a slow day on the Boston sports scene. Paps got his one-year deal and 'Tek is still out in the cold. So let's instead focus on some foolishness coming out of Chicago.

Mayor Richard M. Daley is a longtime advocate of having two NFL teams in Chicago. If memory serves, this notion was revisited during NFL owners meetings in the '80s.

"We should have a second NFL team in Chicago. If San Francisco has two, New York has two, Florida has three teams … and when you take Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia, they have three teams there in that region, we could easily support a second pro football team," Daley recently reiterated to Mike North and Dan Jiggetts on Comcast SportsNet's "Monsters in the Morning."

"The population is here, the business community is here. ... [The NFL] should really look at Chicago."

First off, let's correct a couple of issues. San Francisco has only one NFL team; the other one (of course) is in Oakland. New York has zero teams as both reside in New Jersey. I don't even understand how three teams spread across a large state makes the case for a second NFL team in Chicago.

Also, in the last three cases he mentions, the metro areas (when combined) have a higher population total than Chicago. The only one smaller than Chicago is the San Fran and Oakland metro area. But there is a difference in the two fan bases there that simply doesn't exist in Chicago.

And maybe Daley hasn't noticed, but Chicago isn't doing a great job right now supporting two baseball teams. The White Sox are playing to crowds that roughly average 75% of capacity. What evidence is there to support the idea of bringing in another football team? Besides, hasn't it already been decided that the next city to get a team, come hell or high water, is Los Angeles?

Does Baseball Need A Salary Cap?

2009-01-15T12:36:00.000-05:00

According to some owners, it's something to consider.

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Some baseball owners say it may be time to reconsider a salary cap after the New York Yankees spent nearly a half-billion dollars on free agents during a recession that may cause some teams to retrench.

"I would ask, if it's such a bad idea, what sport doesn't have a salary cap other than us?" Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said Wednesday.

A salary cap isn't on the agenda of the major league owners meetings this week. But it could become an issue when the present collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2011 season -- especially if the economy worsens.

"I think there's a lot of owners that would like to have that right now," Oakland owner Lew Wolff said. "I think the parity is what we're looking for, and the more ways you can get to parity the better. I think it's pretty good now, but I think it could be better.

I think this is bullshit.

First of all, the Brewers won the NL Wild Card last year and lost to Philly in the NLDS, in part, because their big-time pitcher collapsed like Lehman Brothers. The Athletics were in the ALCS as recently as 2006. So a "lack" of funds hasn't kept them from being competitive.

But the larger point is that a salary cap is no guarantee of competitive fairness. Look at the Yankees; what has all their spending netted them since 2000? Nothing. The Tigers broke the bank last year and finished in last place in the AL Central. Meanwhile, a scrappy underfunded Rays team almost took the title.

And there already is competitive fairness to some extent. Look at the World Series since 2000; in those nine years there have been eight different champions. 14 different teams have made an appearance over those eight years. And look at some of the teams that have won; Florida in 2003, the White Sox in 2005 and the Phillies in 2008. Are any of those teams considered "big-money" teams? The Astros, Tigers, Rays, Rockies and Cardinals have made it to the series as well. Are any of those teams perpetual big spenders in free agency?

If anything, what baseball needs is a salary base. Owners like David Glass in Kansas City rake in luxury tax dollars and then sit on it and don't spend a dime on their team. The ownership in Pittsburgh won't spend a dime, and then Bob Nutting has the brass balls to ask for a salary cap. If these guys would spend for better players, more people would come see their teams.

All that said, money is an issue in two areas: overseas talent and signing draft picks. A team with deep pockets can offer big bonuses to high-potential draftees that smaller teams can't. How do you think the Sox signed Lars Anderson in 2006? And big teams can scour the globe and sign foreign talent without them ever entering the draft. Again, look at Boston as an example. Of their top 20 prospects in the minors, eight of them are international free-agent signees. If money plays a unbalancing role anywhere in baseball, it is here.

However, that doesn't change the point that these smaller teams have owners sitting on their money. Oakland is a smaller team but somehow seems to consistently have awesome talent in their system. So I would guess Glass and Nutting could spend a couple million on scouting and build teams that are more competitive.