Redskins Making More Noise

It seems like the Washington Redskins don’t mind signing the controversial player. On the same day as signing defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the Redskins came to terms with cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Hall is set to make $54 million over six years with $22.5 million guaranteed.

Hall has had his issues in the past, most notably his temperamental outbursts with the Atlanta Falcons’ management. Those outbursts prompted the Falcons to trade him following the 2007 season to the Raiders. Hall was waived after eight games for the Raiders and picked up by the Redskins.

So it looks as if the Redskins are willing to deal with players with a shaky past in order to build a championship team talent wise.

Haynesworth Hits The Jackpot

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was the most sought after free agent this offseason and as soon as teams were allowed to contact players, Haynesworth got offers from at least six teams. He made his decision today to play for the Washington Redskins. The deal is record setting—seven years, $100 million. Haynesworth also gets $41 million guaranteed money which is also a record.

Defenses win championships. So apparently teams are willing to spend any amount to build up a championship defense. Whether it’s the Giants defensive line that knocked Brady and the Patriots off their game in the 2007 Super Bowl or the Steelers defensive line which was #1 in the NFL in run defense (allowing only 3.3 yards per carry and 80.3 rush yards per game) last season en route to their Super Bowl victory, teams are looking for that defensive force on the line that can change a game. Haynesworth is the newest hype to hit the free agent market and he cashed in big time.

Haynesworth has had his troubles in the past, but the Redskins hope those are left in the past. He served the longest suspension ever in the NFL for an on field altercation when he stepped on Andre Gurode’s face in 2006. After a five game suspension and anger management classes, Haynesworth has seemed to clean up his act.

Another problem with Haynesworth is that he sometimes takes plays off which should have hurt his value. It looks like the Redskins were willing to deal with that aspect of his game to get his dominant side.

The Haynesworth signing only makes the Redskins defense stronger. (The Redskins defense finished fourth overall last season in yards allowed.) The Redskins needed to make a statement playing in the NFC East and signing Albert Haynesworth is that statement.

Spending Money The Right Way

Money equals power. That seems a logical rule for all major sports around the world. In baseball, that phrase is on a whole other level. Teams constantly spend money to keep their top players together so they can field a winner. With this spending come wise investments and flops that could cost people their jobs. There are still a couple of signings that leave my jaw inches from the floor and others this offseason that leave me scratching my head.

Carl Pavano: Pavano signed a huge four-year, $39.95 million deal after the 2004 season in which he went 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA. Those are solid numbers—but it was definitely a fluke. Pavano was 39-50 before the start of that 2004 season with an ERA of 4.59. Anyone want to spend $40 mil on a player as mediocre as that? To add insult to injury (pun intended) Pavano appeared in only 26 games over three years for the Yankees (only nine games in the last two seasons) because of numerous injuries. Pavano gets a fresh start in Cleveland where he signed for only $1.5 million, but could make up to $5.3 million in performance bonuses. Pavano’s best is definitely behind him. So how about that $40 million…

Roy Halladay: I had to mention Halladay’s name when I brought up Carl Pavano. The Yankees threw $40 million out the window when they signed Pavano, but the Blue Jays would be willing to throw $40 million more at Roy Halladay in order to keep him in a Blue Jays uniform. He signed a three-year, $40 million deal with Toronto before the 2008 season. Halladay is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball and is sometimes overlooked because he plays in the AL East for neither the Red Sox or Yankees. He hasn’t walked 50 batters in a season since 2002 and even then he won 19 games. Halladay’s record since 2002 is 113-49, an incredible .698 winning percentage. And he plays for a team that has only won one more game than they’ve lost since 2002 (The Blue Jays are 567-566 since 2002 or a .500 winning percentage). Not to mention, every time Halladay takes the mound, he expects to finish it. His nine complete games last season were second in the majors to CC Sabathia, the man who signed for $161 million. So the $40 million the Blue Jays spent on Roy Halladay was a tremendous investment.

Carlos Silva: Here’s to the mediocre guy who is really going to change a team around. Let’s give Silva $48 million over four years to go 4-15 with an ERA of 6.46. Just shy of $50 million for a pitcher with a career record under .500 (59-61) and an ERA of 4.61. Hmm…Yeah I just don’t know about that. Silva signed the $48 million contract after a season in which he went 13-14 with a 4.19 ERA. The previous year he was 11-15 with a 5.94 ERA. Those are incredibly ugly numbers for a player making so much money. Pair Silva with teammate Miguel Batista, and the Mariners were one of the worst teams in the Major Leagues last year.

Francisco Rodriguez: The signing would be great for the Mets regardless of finances. This team should have been in the playoffs for two straight years, but fell short both times. The bullpen was cause for concern and the Mets shored up the need by signing K-Rod. Although K-Rod’s $37 million deal over three years is the second highest for a relief pitcher (Mariano Rivera), I would much rather be paying under $40 million for a proven closer than just about $50 million for a complete busted starting pitcher.

Gary Matthews: The first positional player to make the overpaid list. Matthews signed a monster five-year, $50 million deal following the 2006 season with the Rangers after hitting .313 with 19 home runs and 79 RBIs. Those are solid numbers, but look back at his past and you will see a player who never hit over .280 or had more than 17 home runs in a single season before that 2006 season. Talk about performing well in a contract year. Gary Matthews did just that. Not only has he hit only .247 with the Angels, but he also committed a career high eight errors last season in the outfield. Not exactly what the Angels were looking for when they signed him two years ago.

Hanley Ramirez: A true player who deserves every penny of the $70 million he will earn over the next six years. The phrase five-tool talent is thrown around so much nowadays, but Ramirez defines that term to perfection. He’s stolen over 50 bases two out of the last three seasons and has increased his power every season (29 two years ago and 33 last year) since playing every day in 2006. The only think lacking in Ramirez’s game is his defense. He has cut down on his errors from year to year but still needs to improve that aspect of his game. This youngster will remain a prominent face in baseball for many years to come.

Kevin Millwood: Millwood’s back to back seasons with an ERA over 5 as the Rangers’ ace aren’t worth the $60 million he signed for back in 2006. In the last five years, he has only had an ERA under 4.50 once, and of course that was the year before he signed his big deal with the Rangers. While Millwood returns as the Rangers’ ace, he will need to pitch more consistently to prove he was worth the $60 million the Rangers threw his way.

Jose Reyes: Reyes is a similar player to Hanley Ramirez except he signed for nearly $50 million less. His four-year, $23.25 million deal was a steal for the Mets who have Reyes locked up through the 2010 season with a 2011 club option. The 25-year old is the face of the franchise. When he does well, his team does well. He deserves every cent of his contract.

Barry Zito: I think everyone knew that this one was coming. With Zito making $126 million over seven years, any slipup will draw skepticism. His “slipup” this year was tied for the Major League lead with 17 losses. His 5.15 ERA didn’t help matters either. If the numbers weren’t enough, Zito has lost about five miles per hour on his fastball and hitters are picking up the curveball easier. It’s been a disaster for the Giants on this signing.

Brandon Webb: Webb has posted a winning record every season except one, in 2004 when the Diamondbacks lost 111 games. Webb’s career winning percentage of .584 (.654 over the last four seasons) trumps the Diamondbacks’ winning percentage over the same span of .473. Webb is making only $19.75 million over four years (signed the deal in 2006) while teammate Doug Davis is making $22 million over three years. Webb has never once had a season with an ERA over 3.60. Davis has only had one season out of ten in which his ERA was under 3.60 and that was way back in 2004. Any way you look at this one, Brandon Webb is vastly underpaid.

Andruw Jones: This might have been the worst signing in all of baseball over the last two years. Coming off a season in which he hit .222, the Dodgers rewarded Andruw Jones with a two-year, $36.2 million deal. Jones rewarded the Dodgers by hitting .158 with only three home runs last season. The Dodgers let Jones go in the offseason because of his underperformance. The Rangers took a chance on Jones this offseason and signed him to a Minor League contract with an invitation to spring training.

Jimmy Rollins: He’s the heart and soul for the defending World Champions. And he’s only making $8 million per year to do it. Compare his career numbers with Dodgers’ shortstop Rafael Furcal, who makes $2 million more per year, (and made $5 million more per year from 2006-2008) and you’ll see why Rollins is underpaid. And don’t forget, Rollins’ numbers are not the only reason why he should make more money—he is a natural leader and an MVP winner. Rollins and Furcal both entered the league in 2000 and since then Rollins has outplayed Furcal hitting 80 more doubles, 37 more triples, 42 more home runs, 126 more RBIs, and stole 36 more bases. Let’s not forget that Rollins has not fielded under .980 in five straight seasons—an incredible task for a shortstop. Furcal has only fielded over .980 once in his career—he is a .967 career fielder—Rollins is .982. So add the numbers up, combine that with leadership and defense and Rollins is not making as much money as he should be.

Mike Hampton: He was the Barry Zito bust before Zito signed his big deal. Hampton signed an eight-year, $121 million deal in 2001 making him the highest paid pitcher in 2001. He was only the second pitcher ever to sign a deal of over $100 million, Kevin Brown being the other. Did anyone actually consider Mike Hampton the best pitcher in the league in 2001? I really hope not. Let’s put the deal aside and talk about performance. Hampton has missed plenty of games of the past couple of seasons due to injury which just adds to the overpaid tag. And if that wasn’t enough, Hampton responded to the deal by going 14-13 with a 5.41 ERA in 2001, and 7-15 with a 6.15 ERA in 2002. Yikes!! Hampton is looking for a fresh start with the Houston Astros after he signed a $2 million contract. Now that money is more like it for Hampton.

Ryan Ludwick: Ludwick turned out a great season hitting .299 with 37 home runs and 113 RBIs. He was rewarded with a $3.7 million contract this offseason which is a nice deal. Ludwick was a late bloomer, not playing full time until this season at the age of 30. So the Cardinals got a good deal by signing the slugger for only $3.7 million.

Jeff Suppan: The Brewers finally broke their tradition of spending little in free agency to develop talent through the Minor Leagues. They probably should have stood firm to their tradition of developing talent. Suppan hasn’t panned out the way the Brewers hoped. He is only 22-22 with a 4.78 ERA with the Crew. His career numbers aren’t much better—128-123 with a 4.63 ERA. Onto the monetary issues: he’s making $42 million over four years. He brings experience to a young staff this year, but sometimes youth is better to have. And in this case, it probably is.

Adrian Gonzalez: He is the only player on the Padres that can hit for both average and power. His last two seasons he averaged 33 home runs and 109 RBIs. And what does he get in return? $9.5 million for four years. Carlos Silva makes more than that in one year!! I don’t think anything more needs to be said on this issue except he is one of the most underpaid players in the league.

These four players signed deals this offseason that made me question who is making management decisions for some teams.

A.J. Burnett: Burnett is now the fifth highest paid player on the Yankees—$82.5 million for five years. Burnett represents the classic case of playing well in a contract season. He went 18-10 last year and led the American League with 231 strikeouts. The problem with the signing isn’t lack of “stuff”, but rather his injury history. Burnett was 69-66 entering last season, but the real red flag is the fact that he has only pitched in 30 games three seasons out of his 10 in the league. $82.5 million is a hefty price to pay for a risk like that, but that’s what makes the Yankees the Yankees.

Tim Lincecum: The reigning National League Cy Young winner signed a contract today worth $650,000?! That is a true fact. The 18 game winner who led all of Major League baseball with 265 strikeouts signed a one-year deal for less than a million. This automatically makes the 24-year old underpaid. If Lincecum could win 18 games with the Giants last year, imagine what he could do for a team with an offense. Lincecum is a bright, young star and has a fantastic career ahead of him.

Milton Bradley: I have stood firm on my belief that the Milton Bradley signing was a poor decision by the Cubs (January 16th article on the right type of risk). Bradley reminds me a lot like Gary Matthews—he’s a career .280 hitter but never hit more than 19 home runs in a season before last year when he hit 22. He also completed the task as a designated hitter with the Rangers last year. He will now have to play in the outfield, something he has only done 78 times over the last three years. Injuries have plagued Bradley in the past and I have a feeling that next year will be no different. The Cubs disagree with me and they decided to give Bradley $30 million over three years. I have a feeling that they will look back on this one and regret their decision.

Josh Hamilton: He is the equivalent of Tim Lincecum except the hitter. He signed a one-year, $555 thousand deal two days ago. I realize Hamilton has had a shaky past with his drug problems, but that is far in the rearview window. He is now a born again Christian who gets tested three times a week for drugs. On the field, he is a monster. He set the record for most home runs in a single round in the home run derby last year with 28. Not only did he blast 28 home runs, but each home run he hit seemed to travel farther and farther. It was priceless to hear Chris Berman doing his back, back, back, back, gone! The season also went well for Hamilton who hit .304 with 32 home runs and 130 RBIs. He led all of Major League Baseball with those 130 driven in and he was rewarded with half a million dollars. Hamilton is a feel good story and an even better player who deserves to be making more money. Therefore, he might be one of the most underpaid players in all of the league.

So teams might want to be more careful with how they spend their money. You don’t want to be the team representing another dud who stumbles once the money is in his hands. So for all those general managers and team owners out there, beware on how you spend your money because in today’s world, you can never be too careful.

Broken Bone Ends James’ Marquette Career

It looks like the end of the road for Dominic James’ playing days at Marquette. The four-year starter fractured a bone in his left foot which will sideline him for the season. Although I have been hard on James in the past, (Dominic James-Lottery Pick To D-League) I realize that he is still a leader to the entire Marquette basketball team. He has improved his ball handling over the years resulting in the best assist to turnover ratio in his four years in school. He also plays stellar defense, pick pocketing over two steals a game. And although his free throw percentage is under 50%, he does other things well that are going to be missed by the entire team as they continue with their brutal remaining schedule.

The broken bone came at such an inopportune moment—not that there is ever a good time for a player to break a bone. The reason it was so tough for the team is because the big three guard combination of James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews are all seniors and this is their last shot at dancing deep come March. Without James leading the way, Marquette will need other players, most notably junior guard Maurice Acker, to step up in James’ absence.

With three key games remaining on the schedule (at #6 Louisville, at #1 Pitt, and home against a tough Syracuse team) before the Big East tournament, Marquette will need as much help as they can get. This team can’t sputter down the stretch because they are fighting for a high seed in the upcoming big dance. So while James will be missed by his teammates, those same teammates better not feel sorry for themselves but rather realize that they will have to step up in his absence.

Let The Games Begin

The feeling of relief and excitement washes over fans as baseball finally returns to the field. Of course spring training is just the start to a new year of baseball where every team has a chance to field a winner. The process to get there starts with spring training—the time where no namers play more than the regulars and fans get to see the action up close and personal. So with all the excitement in the air, would day one live up to the hype?

Well first things first. Alex Rodriguez figured the best way for people to forget about the steroid allegations was to hit his way out of headlines. So he knocked a home run in his first official at-bat (it was his second plate appearance because he walked twice). The Yankees went on to win easily over the Blue Jays, 6-1.

The first grand slam of spring training was blasted by Cincinnati Reds utility man, Jerry Hairston Jr. against the defending AL champion Tampa Bay Rays. The Reds’ pitchers shut down the Rays' offense allowing just four hits while striking out nine.

The second slam came shortly after as Micah Hoffpauir hit a 5th inning grand salami off Dodgers’ reliever Ramon Troncoso in the Cubs 5-3 win.

The Giants got help from the offense today! First baseman Travis Ishikawa belted two home runs helping the Giants win 10-7 over the Cleveland Indians.

There were two ties on the first day as the Marlins and Cardinals tied 5-5, and the Athletics and Brewers tied at 3-3.

Lastly, one of the bottom feeders in the National League knocked off the World Champions. The Pittsburgh Pirates scored eight runs, with help from a three-run home run by Shelby Ford, to defeat the Phillies 8-2. Jamie Moyer still did his part by pitching two scoreless innings and only giving up one hit.

So day one comes to a close. In just one day, two grand slams were hit, two ties occurred, two home runs were hit by the same player, and the two World Series’ representatives from last year fell on the same day. With all of the excitement day one brought, it’s hard to imagine day two living up to the hype. Will there be any more Shelby Fords or Jerry Hairstons tomorrow? Who knows? But there is one thing I know for certain—it’s great to have baseball back.

Dodgers Make (New) Offer To Ramirez

The Manny sweepstakes might finally be coming to an end. After a two and a half hour meeting between the Dodgers' general manager, chairman and Ramirez’s infamous agent, Scott Boras, one thing is certain—the Dodgers don’t want to offer any more than two years. The formal offer the Dodgers made was two years and $45 million—$25 million the first year and $20 million for the second. This sounds awfully similar to the first contract offer the Dodgers made to Manny which also included a third-year option of $15 million. The third-year option was dropped for the new deal and Boras wanted the second year to be a player option so Ramirez could leave for free agency after the first season if he wanted to.

So the Dodgers didn’t give in to Manny’s demands of a minimum four-year deal. The way it’s turning out, the Dodgers’ decision looks like a good one. No other team is actively looking to sign Ramirez (although the Giants might give it a shot if the Dodgers drop out of consideration). So Manny is really at the mercy of the Dodgers. It looks as if two years and $45 million is the best he is going to get.

With neither side looking to give in and the season approaching fast, it looks like Manny has less and less power to demand what he wants. The Dodgers are standing firm to their two-year offer and it’s just a matter of time before Manny signs his name at the bottom. It looks like that’s just how the market turned out this year for baseball: players asking for too much money while teams are trying harder to limit spending. Because of this, it just seems like Manny is out of options, except for that second year on his soon to be contract.

Take A Pay Cut Or Get Cut

Take a pay cut or get cut. That doesn’t sound like something most athletes want, especially when that athlete is a future Hall of Famer. But that’s exactly what happened to Marvin Harrison today. The Colts simply couldn’t afford to keep Harrison with the amount of money he was making. So instead of working out a deal, Marvin Harrison will test free agency, making it the first time he will be in a different uniform throughout his entire NFL career.

Harrison was one of Manning’s favorite targets for many years, but injuries to the veteran sidelined him for most of the 2007 season and affected his play in the 2008 season. With wide out Anthony Gonzalez entering his third year in the league, the Colts were happy with their situation at receiver. That’s not saying they wouldn’t like to have Harrison back, but they seemed to do just fine with him hurt over the last two years.

While the Colts won’t be the same dynasty they have been over the past few years, (Harrison gone and Tony Dungy’s retirement) they still seem to be in a good shape with Manning, receiver Reggie Wayne, and running back Joseph Addai returning to a balanced offense. So while Colts fans will mourn the loss of a Hall of Famer, the Colts will move on and try to win another Super Bowl.

That’s life as a professional athlete though—players getting bounced around from team to team through trades, free agency, and salary limitations. It all leads to difficulties in trying to keep a player on the same team for his entire career. So while seeing another Hall of Famer in a different uniform might hurt devoted fans, (see: Brett Favre) that’s just how the NFL works.

All Business

In other Beloit College sports news Philadelphia Phillies closer, Brad Lidge, was recently spotted at one of the baseball team’s practices. He was again spotted in Commons eating dinner with the players on the team. This story, folks, is not a hoax. The man in the Phillies jacket is none other than Brad Lidge.

What’s it like practicing with a Major Leaguer? Just ask second-year player, Michael Eastburn. “It’s an inspiration and an honor. Most people dream about just seeing a guy this important, let alone meeting one and working with him. We’ve had the pleasure of doing both. He just does things the right way and is a hard worker. He truly is All Business.”

Lidge says that he will continue practicing with the team until further notice. With a guy of his caliber teaching what he knows about the game, the Beloit College baseball team has a lot of expectations on their shoulders for the upcoming season. It’s time to get down to all business.

So Much For Franchise QB

The Minnesota Vikings are close to acquiring Houston Texan veteran quarterback Sage Rosenfels. This deal hasn’t come out of the blue. The Vikings were interested in Sage Rosenfels last season but nothing came of it. It would probably cost the Vikings a third to fourth round draft pick to acquire him. But now you have to ask yourself—is the move worth it?

The Vikings have two capable quarterbacks in 37-year old Gus Frerotte and QB of the future, Tarvaris Jackson. Frerotte isn’t getting any younger, but jeopardizing Jackson’s confidence by bringing in someone else might not be the smartest option. Rosenfels is by no means young himself. He will turn 31 on March 6th, and only has one more touchdown pass than interception in his career—30 to 29. His 81.2 QB rating is nothing to get excited about. Tarvaris only has a 76.5 career QB rating, but compiled a 95.4 rating last season in limited play. He played well towards the end of the season when Gus Frerotte was injured. Another year of limited play will only hurt the long-term effects on Jackson who can create more plays than the more limited Rosenfels.

The Vikings defense was the strong point last season finishing 6th in total defense for yards allowed and 1st overall in rush defense—holding opponents to only 76.9 rush yards a game. With the defense in place, the Vikings don’t need to ask too much of Tarvaris. Adrian Peterson is the league’s best all-around runner which will take pressure off of Jackson. So will the offensive line who together are one of the best in the business. Jackson shouldn’t get too many happy feet moments.

So why risk the entire learning process by bringing in a 31-year old veteran who is just as much unproven as Tarvaris? To me it doesn’t make any sense, but there’s a reason why I’m a sports fan and not a general manager of an NFL team. But it still just doesn’t seem like the right personnel move at this time in my eyes.

Time For The Truth

The news has officially been leaked to the media. The news that a certain player was part of the Duke basketball team has been uncovered as a complete hoax. He was too busy running his mouth over his accomplishments that soon people started looking into the truth. Research was done and the truth was unveiled. The player, Mitch Dubin, could face laundering charges that could result in up to two years in prison. The likely outcome will be 100 hours of community service on the low end to 90 days in jail on the high end. His court date is yet to be announced.

Dubin, a “freshman” baseball player at Beloit College, claims that he played a year at Duke before transferring to smaller Beloit College.

“He sports that [Duke] jacket like he went there or something. Then he told me that he did. I had no idea.” These words came from sophomore utility man Michael Eastburn about Mitch’s Duke jacket that he wears everywhere. “Not only did I find out he wasn’t on the basketball team at Duke, I also found out that he didn’t even go to the school at all.”

Dubin is just one of many players who have a dream of playing at a big-time program. Unlike other players, he took the process one, or two, or three steps too far. By announcing he played for Duke, people started digging for facts. When it was uncovered that Dubin lied about his Duke experience, he lost a lot of credibility among his Beloit teammates. Although Dubin evaded the media, I’m sure he doesn’t have much to say on the issue.

We’re hoping for an official apology from Mitch in the near future. Until then ladies and gentlemen, Mitch Dubin is a complete liar and disgrace to the game. Let this be a lesson to younger players to have a dream and go for it—not make it up.

No-Show Results In Release

So much for first impressions. Odalis Perez was cut by the Washington Nationals today even before spring training games began. Perez, who didn’t show up for the mandatory reporting date for all players, was out of a job less than 24 hours later.

Perez signed a Minor League deal with the Nationals back on February 5th. The reason he missed the mandatory reporting date was because he was having regrets about signing a Minor League deal. He felt he deserved a Major League contract. So instead of working hard to make the team, (how hard can it be to make the Nationals squad?) he decided he wouldn’t show up at all to camp. That was a nice professional decision. (Anyone catch my sarcasm?) So now Perez is out of a job and the only baseball he will be playing this month will be for the Dominican Republic squad in the World Baseball Classic.

So if any team is still looking for pitching depth, Odalis will be happy to sign under any circumstances—except it has to be a Major League contract for big money. Sorry Odalis, but I don’t think that you can sign for that. The attitude problem shown this spring will be a red flag for other teams who might need help.

So, I applaud the decision Odalis made. By not showing up he hurt himself professionally and also in a baseball sense. He likely won’t be signed by anyone this close to the season starting. So congratulations, Odalis—have fun in the World Baseball Classic. Because it could be the last baseball you will be playing this year.

Not So Sunny In Phoenix

The NBA trade deadline may have come and gone without any major moves, but a day after the deadline passed, the Suns found out the forward/center Amare Stoudemire may be out for the rest of the regular season with damage to his retina in his right eye. Stoudemire, who injured the same eye in October, could miss up to eight weeks for surgery to repair a partially detached retina.

This is terrible news for Suns fans who now know that the playoff picture is slowly fading away. The Suns are one game back from the final seed and with their big man out eight weeks, that number could continue to grow. More bad news for the Suns—Stoudemire was striving under new coach Alvin Gentry. The Suns were primed for their return to fast paced offense from the Mike D’Antoni days. Having Stoudemire out could trickle down to the rest of the team. Stoudemire was Nash’s favorite target on pick and rolls. Shaq can’t afford more minutes on his aging body.

So all the optimism that Suns fans had when the front office didn’t unload Shaq or Stoudemire at the trade deadline is now gone. It will be up to new coach Gentry to work with the players he has to keep this team in playoff contention until Stoudemire returns—if he does. But for now, things don’t look too good for the Phoenix Suns.

Orlando In LA?

It seems that the Dodgers have more than just Manny on their minds. In trying to build a more all-around team, the Dodgers looked into signing free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson to replace recently retired Jeff Kent. When talks stalled and the Dodgers uncertain whether or not they would reach an agreement with Hudson, they Dodgers moved to another Orlando.

Orlando Cabrera, the two-two Gold Glover at shortstop told the club that he wouldn’t mind moving to second base if the Dodgers were to sign him. Cabrera is coming off a .281 season, but finished strong hitting .298 after the All-Star break. With uncertainty at second base, (Blake DeWitt and Mark Loretta battling) the Dodgers wanted depth and consistency. Plus, shortstop Rafael Furcal played in only 36 games due to injury. Cabrera could be insurance if Furcal was to go down again.

The drawback to signing Orlando Cabrera would be the draft pick that the team would lose. Cabrera (and Hudson) is a Type A free agent, meaning the Dodgers would have to give a first round compensation draft pick to the Chicago White Sox if they signed him. But then again, the Dodgers aren’t looking at building for the future. They are looking to win now and Orlando Cabrera (along with Manny) could be an answer they are looking for.

Leach To Stay In Lubbock

Just when it seemed like contract talks might have stalled between coach Mike Leach and Texas Tech, the two sides agreed on a five-year, $12.7 million deal. The deal was significant because it allowed for Leach to interview other universities as long as notified the athletic director in writing beforehand. This is probably a direct effect of former Boston College coach and current offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jeff Jagodzinski. Jagodzinski was warned that if he interviewed for an NFL head coaching job that he would be fired as head coach for Boston College. When he decided to interview anyway, the school let him go.

Leach was intent with continuing on his current five-year, $10 million deal, (he had two years left on that contract) because there was no clause for negotiating with other schools. Now that Leach only has to notify the athletic director in writing, he decided to go forward in contract negotiations.

Texas Tech is coming off one of their best seasons ever, getting as high as #2 in the rankings. They played spoiler when they beat Texas on a last second pass to Michael Crabtree. A lot of that has to be credited to Leach who is open to spreading the field. Giving his quarterback plenty of options makes for quick scores and confusion on defense which is exactly what Leach wants.

Tech could be in for a tough year next season though. Quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree are gone and replacing them will be next to impossible. But then again, Leach is used to having a challenge in front of him. He resolved one issue today, and only time will tell if the other issue will be resolved.

#1 Is Back

Tiger Woods has decided that he is ready to return to the links. He announced today that he will play in next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.

This is great news for golf in general. Since Tiger was out with his knee surgery and rehab, ratings have dropped significantly. Tiger’s domination makes people want to watch. So it’s nice to see him ready to continue his reign on top of the golf world.

Tiger coming back to play match play is a good decision. Because he hasn’t played in eight months, match play is not quite as demanding as stroke play. (For golf rookies, match play is when two players square off and whoever shoots a lower score on the hole wins it. Players still play all 18 holes, unless a winner can be decided before that because they are up by more than there are holes remaining. If you win a hole by two or three shots, you only get one point—you win that hole.) This isn’t as demanding to Tiger because if he struggles on one hole, he can lose only one point and fix his problem on the next hole. He won’t be fighting against an entire field of players while keeping his score as low as possible. He will only be going against one other golfer so it won’t be too mentally and physically draining.

Either way, I hope Tiger does well because I, like many golf fans, want to see Tiger return to his dominant self. It will be nice to see him out on the golf course again sporting that legendary Sunday red shirt when he really turns up his game. It’s once again time for Tiger to shatter more records.

Bringing It Back Full Circle

A couple of veterans looking for playing time late in their careers return home to where it all started—their first Major League clubs. Ken Griffey Jr. signed a $2 million deal, with $500 thousand in incentives based on at-bats and attendance with the Seattle Mariners yesterday. Today the Braves reached an agreement with long time Brave Tom Glavine. Glavine’s deal could be as much as $4.5 million with incentives. For both Braves and Mariners fans, seeing these guys back on their clubs has to bring back great memories.

Both signings weren’t major deals that could turn around a team. But, they weren’t just completed for a reunion of player and team. Seattle needs a power bat in a lineup consisting mainly of contact hitters (Russell Branyan does not count). Not to mention the additional ticket sales that will result from Griffey putting on a Mariners uniform. Griffey still has pop left in his bat. If his knee remains healthy, he could put up another 25 to 30 home runs next year.

Tom Glavine was the games’ last 300 game winner. So we know that he can pitch. He has struggled the last two years with command and injuries but still brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to a rather young pitching core. Youngsters Jair Jurrjens and Jo-Jo Reyes could benefit from having Glavine around.

So although this might seem like two teams trying to reunite with a star that made their careers take off with them, it’s much more than that. These two guys can help both teams that struggled last season even though both had lots of talent.

Not So Taylor-Made

After finally getting the respect he deserves by making his first Pro Bowl appearance in his 10th year in the league in 2007, Fred Taylor was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, February 16th just little over a year later. It was hard for both player and team as the Jaguars saw their franchise player of 11 seasons walk out the door to begin a new chapter in his life.

“This was a difficult decision to come to, but a decision that had to be made despite how we all feel about Fred.” These words came from general manager Gene Smith, who having two very talented running backs decided to move forward and give the load to one, Maurice Jones-Drew.

Jones-Drew and Taylor shared the load together which kept each other fresh. The two combined to lead a prominent Jaguars rushing attack that finished in the top three in total rushing yards twice over the last three seasons since Jones-Drew entered the league. Now the career rushing leader of the Jaguars franchise with 11,271 yards (16th on the all-time list) is looking for a new home.

Over the past couple of seasons, teams that have had two running backs have done statistically better than those that have only one primary back. The Giants, Panthers, Vikings, and Titans ranked one, three, five, and seven respectively in total rushing yards this past season. All four of those teams had two (or in the Giants case three) ball carriers that were capable of handling a heavy workload. More importantly, the Giants and Panthers were one and two in the NFL in yards per attempt at 5.0 and 4.8. The Vikings and Titans weren’t too far behind—both in the top 10. The point I’m getting at is that many teams in the NFL need to improve their running game. Fred Taylor, even at the age of 33, can help a team in need of another guy to take pressure off of one primary back.

So although Taylor will be wearing a different uniform next season for the first time since college, he can still make a significant impact on a team looking for a tough spark-plug. Taylor can fill that role and more if a team is willing to pick him up.

Watch Out For These 2009 Sleepers

The start of spring training brings high expectations. Every team is a contender in April. I mean, who really saw the Rays in the World Series last season? If the stars fall into place and players believe, who knows what could happen? So although not every team has the talent to go to the World Series, some teams might surprise the everyday fan and make a run at the postseason.

Cleveland Indians: The AL Central is always the biggest hodgepodge of teams trading places at the top and bottom of the standings. The last three seasons have shown a different winner atop the AL Central, and this season could be the year of the Indians. It will all boil down to pitching. If Cliff Lee can maintain his dominance, and Fausto Carmona can bounce back to 2007 form, this team has a very nice 1-2 punch that can shut down any team. With Kerry Wood shutting the door, blown games are unlikely. One of the main stories over the year will be whether or not Travis Hafner can break out of his funk and become the power hitter he once was. But, with every team, there will be question marks. It just comes down to whether the issue gets addressed and the team gets hot at the right time. The Indians have the personnel for a late-season run.

Cincinnati Reds: Although I don’t see this team as the NL Central winner, (Cubs got this one) they could surprise many people next year. For a team that hasn’t been to the postseason in 13 years, there is a lot of uncertainty. But I think this team has enough raw talent to at least challenge late in the year for a playoff spot. The rotation has a nice blend of older and younger players. Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo return coming off down years. If they pitch well in ’09 and youngsters Edinson Volquez, (2008 NL All-Star) Johnny Cueto, and Homer Bailey mature quickly, this team has a good chance to be in a lot of ballgames. And being in a lot of close ballgames calls for a shutdown closer. Francisco Cordero can be that guy. Coming off a 34 save season, he seems to still bring heat and mix it in with a late-breaking slider. The offense lacks only power. With Adam Dunn gone, (he finished up 2008 with the Diamondbacks and is now first baseman for the Washington Nationals) the returning starter with the most home runs is first baseman, Joey Votto, who only hit 24. In a time when the home run ball is the thing in baseball can the Reds defy the odds and win in 2009? Only time will tell.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Arizona’s pitching has been a staple for the last couple of years and it will continue next season. Brandon Webb and Dan Haren combined to win 38 games last year and both will be back. The dependable Doug Davis and recently added Jon Garland can hold their own and bring 200 innings year in and year out. Fireballer Max Scherzer will most likely round out the rotation. With the pitching in place, can the offense do just enough to make a run? With the fourth worst offense (.251 team batting average) in the league and no major free agent pickups, this group will have to break out of their shells and live up to potential (see: Chris Young and Justin Upton).

It’s been said time and time again that winning in baseball comes from pitching and defense. These three teams have those in place and could be a surprise next year.

Can One Player Really Make A Difference?

Although Manny Ramirez remains unsigned and turned down the Dodgers one-year offer, the two sides have not given up on each other. The Dodgers owner really wants Manny back and Manny is not going to find more money anywhere else. The thing that is holding Manny back is the length of the contract. He feels that he deserves more than a one-year deal, but the Dodgers are hesitant to give it to him because of his lack of effort in the past.

Although Manny has been known to take plays off, most notably anything he hits on the ground, he is one of the most feared hitters in the game today and that cannot be overlooked. He may not be the ideal guy that a team wants—he comes with baggage—but just like Terrell Owens, he is a game changer. You always have a chance to win the game when he steps up to the plate. His ability to make mid-at-bat adjustments is incredible. And he seems to continue at a Hall of Fame pace even though he isn’t getting younger by the day (he will be 37 in May).

So the Dodgers need to weigh their options and figure out what is best for the team. Although I’m not a Manny fan in the least, I know what a special player he is and how vital he can be to a team with his bat. I think that the Dodgers should sacrifice his lackluster effort for what he can bring to the team offensively.

With Ramirez in the lineup, the team would have a perfect blend of power and speed. Juan Pierre and Rafael Furcal would get on base for the big hitters, Matt Kemp, Ramirez, and James Loney to drive them in. Without Ramirez, the Dodgers lack a true power threat that is crucial late in games and throughout the entire season. The pitching staff is solid with ace Chad Billingsley coming off a 16-win season, Cub killer Hiroki Kuroda, 20-year old phenom Clayton Kershaw, recently signed Randy Wolf, and possibly the injured Jason Schmidt rounding out the rotation. The bullpen is stocked with power arms led by the 290-pound presence, Jonathan Broxton.

This team (and Ramirez) showed maturity in the 2008 playoffs by knocking off one of the most balanced teams in the league. I don’t know if they will be able to do it again without Ramirez. So although I know it drives managers crazy when Manny pulls one of his stunts, it drives other managers equally crazy to see the man step up to the plate as the winning run. Because when push comes to shove, Ramirez will be that guy to clutch up and win the game.

Griffey Close To Reuniting With Seattle

With free agency and players going for more and more money nowadays, it’s harder for teams to reunite with the players that made a name for themselves in their city, their ballpark, their team. Fans would love to have that player back, if only for one more year or glory and remembering what he brought to the team. So Mariners fans have to be ecstatic that the Mariners and Griffey are close to a one-year deal.

The first affect Griffey would have is on ticket sales. For a team with as much talent as Seattle had last year, they were one of the bigger busts of the season—next to the Detroit Tigers. So bringing in more fans is a priority and Griffey can do that. But, obviously a team isn’t going to sign a player just for ticket sales.

Griffey has been battling injuries throughout his entire career and 2008 was no different. He needed surgery on his left knee this offseason from an injury that occurred in April. Because the injury was to his knee, his numbers dropped to 18 home runs and 71 RBIs—down from 30 home runs and 93 RBIs from the year before. With the surgery and a positive rehab, Griffey is looking to return to his ’07 form. The Mariners are praying for him to return to form too. They really can’t have another player underperforming (see: Miguel Batista’s 6.26 ERA or Carlos Silva’s 6.46—both players are making over $8 million a year).

So while the move may seem like a reunion, it is also a move that could help the Mariners. If Griffey returns to his ’07 form, he would help a team in need of power—the Mariners finished 26th out of 30 teams last season with only 124 home runs.

So this looks like a good deal for both sides. Griffey gets to go back to where he started and play loose and relaxed. The Mariners get a man who can still hit and bring fans to the stadium. It seems like a match made in heaven.

Just Another Reason The Nationals Don’t Get Any Better

The Nationals are a team in complete disarray. Poor management decisions (not trading Soriano at the trade deadline is one that comes to mind), poor scouting, and poor play have plagued this team since their move to Washington from Montreal. The Nationals think they made a step in the right direction by signing big time slugger, Adam Dunn, to a two-year contract worth $20 million. I am taking the other side on this one. The Adam Dunn signing will hurt the team more than it will help.

First of all, Adam Dunn is a proven Major League hitter who has knocked out 40 or more home runs for five years straight. Although he strikes out far too much, he manages to walk a lot to make up for some of those strikeouts. For a .247 career hitter, a .381 on base percentage isn’t too shabby.

The reason I see this signing as a bad decision by the Nationals is the fact that the team doesn’t have top Major League talent. Coming off a 102-loss season, most people would expect the Nationals to be in rebuilding mode (I think they’ve been in rebuilding mode for seven years now). This signing contradicts the rebuilding process. By throwing $20 million out the window, it will be hard for the Nationals to maintain a young core of players. The Nationals were already 5th worst in total team payroll last season, so with a limited amount of money, I think the money should have been saved and spent in other ways.

Winning is baseball comes down to pitching and defense—two things that the Nationals do not possess (five bucks for anyone who can name the five Nationals’ starters this season—even just two for that matter). I believe the Nationals need to concentrate on developing and drafting young arms that can help them down the road. Signing a slugger will help in the short run, but it won’t help this team down the road.

So maybe the Nationals should think about the future instead of bringing in a couple more fans this season. They already play in a tough division where the Phillies and Mets have enough talent to win a World Series. The Nationals need to come up with a plan for the future, and throwing away money on veterans is not the route this team needs to go at this time.

**No money will actually be awarded for guessing the starting rotation. Sorry guys.

Gone For Good

This news won’t last throughout the entire spring and summer like last season, but it is still important news to all sports fans—Brett Favre has decided to retire, again. This time will most likely be the last retirement for Favre. After jumping out to a great start to the season, including six touchdowns in one game against the Super Bowl runner-ups, Arizona Cardinals, he sputtered down the stretch as the Jets missed the playoffs. He took a lot of criticism from sportswriters and “experts” alike and also his teammates. Running back Thomas Jones and safety Kerry Rhodes were two players who both criticized Favre’s play in the final weeks of the season. Favre didn’t have any hard feelings for the teammates or coaches: “Mike and Woody, as well as the entire organization, have been nothing short of outstanding. My teammates—Thomas and Kerry included—were a pleasure to play with. Eric [Mangini] could not have been any better.”

Even as Favre struggled through adversary, he remained a class act through it all. He was grateful for the Jets for giving him a chance to play and grateful to his teammates and coaches. And even though many bitter Packer fans don’t want to admit, he was even grateful to his fans. He made watching football fun because he was having fun playing. It was too bad that he received so much criticism towards the end of his career, but that comes with playing in a big city like New York.

So as Favre calls it quits one more time, he still remains one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game of football. He holds many records including most wins by a QB, most consecutive starts, most career passing yards, most career touchdown passes, most career completions, and of course, most career interceptions. He was as tough as they came and played for the glory and passion.

So the NFL is losing an icon. But of course, the NFL will move on and remain successful. But it is still sad to see him go.

Being a loyal Packer fan I would like wish Brett good luck for life after football. Thank you, Brett, for the joys (and bitterness—2007 NFC Championship Game…) you have provided for many fans like myself throughout your NFL career.

Dominic James—Lottery Pick To D-League?

The big three (small three? All three are guards) for the Marquette Golden Eagles have all been vital this season as Marquette jumped out to 20-2 start and atop the Big East standings. The three, all seniors, are Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews. And while all three players have had solid seasons, one player is still not playing up to his full potential and it has hurt Marquette as they dropped two straight Big East games. I bet all you smart readers out there can guess which of the three players has stumbled—hint: look at the headline. So while McNeal and Matthews have stepped up in their senior years, James looks lost at times—mostly when he loses his dribble, decides to try a mid-air pass to no one, or just shooting the ball in general. His leadership will be needed more than ever if Marquette is to press for a Big East title and a run in the NCAA tournament.

I consider Jerel McNeal the best of the three players. He is the most all-around player who won Big East Defensive Player of the Year honor in the 2006-2007 season. His offense has drastically improved as his scoring went from 11 points per game as a freshman to 20 per game as a senior. One stat that jumps off the page is his .472 three-point field goal percentage. Pair the defense with the lethal deep threat, and McNeal is NBA ready.

Wesley Matthews was sort of a late bloomer. He was highly recruited and surprised many when he chose Marquette over Wisconsin. His 11.3 points per game as a junior were okay, but his 18.9 points per game as a senior have been a huge lift to a team in need of another go-to guy. He has especially come up big in the second half of games when Marquette needs him most. He always finds a way to get to the free throw line where his 175 free throw attempts rank 9th in the country.

So McNeal and Matthews have put up great numbers. Can the same be said for Dominic James? It can be argued that he is playing better than years past, but that doesn’t mean that he is playing well. James sprang onto the scene with an incredible freshman season of 15.3 points per game and 5.4 assists per game. He was contemplating the NBA draft. That dream slowly faded as his production has dropped every year since his freshman year. His points per game dropped (every year’s points per game were worse than his previous year) to 11.7 points per game his senior year. His sporadic shooting was supposed to improve from his freshman year. That hasn’t happened yet. The stat that jumps out for him is his free throw percentage. A career .652 free throw shooter entering his senior year wasn’t great—a guard shooting 65% from the line is never great. Boy would Marquette fans give anything to have that number back. James is shooting an astonishing 45% from the free throw line! Hell, Shaq’s career free throw percentage is 7% higher than that. And to top it all off, James is shooting just over 27% from the three-point line. Those numbers aren’t going to get anybody into the NBA, let alone the national title game.

One key to Marquette’s season and tournament run will be on Dominic James’ shoulders. And Dominic needs to prove that he can play in small as well as big games. At South Florida, (2-7 in conference play heading into the Marquette game) James was 0 for 2 from the free throw line (not a surprise) and 1 for 9 from three in a loss. What is James doing shooting 9 three pointers in the first place? James needs to understand that he needs to be a ball distributor and third option to McNeal and Matthews. He also needs to work harder than ever on his free throw shooting. Look at how important free throw shooting is. We should have been talking about the 2008 National Champion Memphis team who instead blew the game at the line and lost. James cannot have the same thing happen if Marquette wants to win and it starts with the fundamentals.

So while Marquette is enjoying a great season, it should look to shore up some weaknesses before heading into the Big East Tournament. James’ free throw shooting (and three-point shooting for that matter) is a major weakness that needs to be fixed if Marquette wants to be a contender instead of a pretender. If James can improve his shooting, Marquette could find themselves in a deep tournament run down the road.

Angels To Sign Abreu

Bobby Abreu might have finally found a home after a long winter in which he couldn’t find the right deal or team. The White Sox tried their luck, but Abreu wasn’t a good fit as he can really only play corner outfield and the White Sox are set there. The Angels, on the other hand, were more interested in a corner outfielder after losing 15-year veteran, Garrett Anderson, to free agency (Anderson played all 15 seasons with the Angels). So even though the Angels’ outfield is a logjam of players, the club decided it was better to have a great player than two or three good players fighting for a spot.

The details of the deal have not been announced, because it is not certain whether or not Abreu is officially an Angel. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reported that the Angels were likely going to give Abreu a one-year deal.

Regardless of the details, I like the signing. I’ve always been a Bobby Abreu fan—mainly because I get him on my fantasy team and he performs well for me. Many people feel differently about the 34-year old than I do. They point at his drop in power over the last couple of seasons. I point at the fact that a down year for Bobby Abreu is .290, 20 home runs, 100 RBIs, 20 stolen bases and a .370 on base percentage. Not to mention, Abreu can still play a good right field and still has an above average throwing arm.

Over the last eight seasons, Abreu has had over 100 RBIs in seven of those years. He has stolen 22 or more bases for 10 straight seasons. His lowest on base percentage in his entire career (since becoming a full-time starter in 1998) is .369. Who wouldn’t want a player who does everything so well?

Although the news is not official, if it does turn out to be true, the Angels are even more of a contender in my eyes. Abreu will help bring balance to a pre-dominantly right-handed lineup. Not to mention a 3-4-5 combination of Abreu, Vladimir Guerrero, and Torii Hunter is enough to give any pitcher a headache. Props to the Angels for bringing in another player that could help them in their playoff push next season.

Why Not Just Tell The Truth?

Whenever the issue of steroids seems to surface in baseball, it always seems that the player has nothing to say to the media. In many cases the silence leads to denial and lying, which in turn leads to court appearances and possibly jail time. Has nobody learned that lying about steroids is not the route to go? Baseball has the harshest penalties over any major sport in the U.S. and when players lie about steroid use, a huge trial is sure to follow. Take a look at the players who admit to it and move on: Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, Paul Byrd, and now Alex Rodriguez are some big name players who have admitted to it and their careers move on. People might not look at them the same, but they will never be hated as much as players such as Rafael Palmeiro or Barry Bonds. The latest culprit in the steroid scandal: Miguel Tejada.

Although Tejada’s name has already surfaced in steroid talks, (he was listed in the Mitchell Report) it has been reported that he lied about issuing steroids to teammates and about buying some for himself. In August of 2005, just months after Palmeiro ratted out Tejada for giving him steroids, Tejada denied having used performance-enhancing drugs and said he was not aware of steroid use by others in baseball. The funny thing is, when the Mitchell Report came out in December of 2007, Tejada’s name was in the report. It claimed that former teammate to Tejada, Adam Piatt provided steroids, testosterone, and HGH to Tejada in 2003. So much for never using performance-enhancing drugs. If that wasn’t enough, Tejada was caught lying about his age. Ever since he came into the league, he claimed that he was born in 1976. Truth is, he is really born in 1974. He claimed that he wanted to seem like a younger prospect when he entered the league.

People lose a lot of credibility when a positive test comes back and the player tries to fight it. People lose a lot more credibility when their real age is revealed and they lie about it. So just imagine what happened after Tejada was listed in the Mitchell Report. It was big news for awhile, but because so many names were listed, the news was off the radar within a short period. It has resurfaced now because Tejada has been officially charged with lying to congressional investigators.

The maximum penalty that Tejada could face is one year in jail. The most likely scenario will be probation to six months in jail.

So all athletes, not just baseball players, should learn from this case. When your name turns up in a steroid scandal, don’t lie about it and make matters worse. Either way, guilty or innocent, your name is tarnished after the news is leaked. Fighting the inevitable can only darken your name even more. So if anything can be taken from the Tejada case it should be that athletes wise up and tell the truth regarding their actions. Nothing good can come from lying.

Spring Brings New Hope For Fans

With just two days until pitchers and catchers report to camp, many fans are just itching for baseball to start. Spring training brings hope that the real season is soon to follow. It also gives hope to fans who see their team as a real contender—I guess every team is a contender in March.

This spring brings extra hope to baseball fans who get to see extra competition earlier than normal. That’s right—the World Baseball Classic is set to start in early March. So while the diehard fans make the trip to Arizona or Florida to see their team in spring training, the more common fan gets a special treat with early baseball.

Most Major League teams do not want their players to play in the Classic for fear of injury. Some players might make the same decision—they don’t want to risk injury for the upcoming season. Regardless of players and clubs’ decisions, many great players are still willing to represent their country in the second World Baseball Classic. Japan is the returning champ but Team USA is ready to challenge for the top spot. With plenty of talent still being showcased in the tournament, this team is a legit threat to win it all.

And once the action is all over, just two weeks separate the end of the World Baseball Classic and the start to the 2009 season where excitement begins all over again. So fear not baseball fans—baseball will shortly be underway beginning with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. Shortly thereafter will be the World Baseball Classic with the new MLB Network televising 16 of the games. And the cap it off, the 2009 season will follow shortly after the Classic. Baseball fans just can’t get enough but for 2009, the beginning is almost here.

From Star To Minor Leaguer

I guess the economy does affect sports. Although there were some monster deals (Teixeira, Sabathia, Burnett—surprise, all Yankees) many players still find themselves without a home. The biggest names still remain optimistic, (Manny Ramirez and Adam Dunn to name a few) but many other players have gone a different route. Because many teams already have their 40-man rosters set and don’t want to make any changes, and with the monetary problems today, many teams are not willing to pay for big name free agents this offseason. Take these players as examples.

Andruw Jones: Jones signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers worth up to $1 million in incentives. That’s quite a dip from the two-year, $36.2 million contract he signed with the Dodgers last offseason. He is one of many players who are willing to sign a minor league deal with a chance to crack the 25-man roster. Jones, a five-time All-Star and 10 time Gold-Glover, has seen a drop in production mainly due to his knee problems. This is one reason why teams didn’t press hard to sign Jones. Another reason could be the .222 average in 2007 followed up by a .158 average in 75 games in 2008. Either way, the Rangers got a guy for cheap, and the benefits of the deal outweigh the negatives.

Omar Vizquel: The Rangers made another signing of a veteran and proven player. The 11-time Gold Glover can still play a mean shortstop but his offensive production has dropped steadily since 2006. It probably has to do with the fact that Vizquel is a 41-year old player. But as Julio Franco and Jamie Moyer, age isn’t too big of a factor. So Vizquel is looking to have a nice spring and maybe crack the roster. If nothing else, he will be a nice backup if uber-prospect Elvis Andrus doesn’t live up to the hype.

Freddy Garcia: The Mets’ main goal in the offseason was to upgrade pitching. Signing Garcia was a nice move and a security blanket if any other starters should falter. Garcia has a World Series ring from 2005 and looks to help the Mets finally make the playoffs. Nagging injuries have limited his playing time over the last couple of years and that’s why he had to sign a minor league deal.

There are a plethora of other players who have signed minor league deals that have plenty of Major League experience. As every offseason, players that don’t find the right deal will sign minor league deals and help out their teams when they are called upon. This offseason is different because it is so slow and the economy scares off the lesser teams with less money. Due to this, more players might have to sign minor league deals and prove that they deserve to be on a Major League team.

Coming Clean

Alex Rodriguez did the right thing by admitting the wrong that he did so many years ago. By coming out right away and admitting that he used steroids from 2001-2003, he will gain respect back from many fans who lost it just a few days ago. By not lying and dragging on a time consuming process, (see: Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens) he could put this ugly mess behind him like Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte did. The difference between Pettitte, Giambi, and Rodriguez is the fact that A-Rod has the chance to break a huge milestone. Not to mention he is arguably the best baseball player today. So only time will tell whether or not people will forgive and forget about an incident that happened when he was a young man.

You can’t help but feel that Rodriguez is telling the truth and doing it in a sincere way. He explains that he was young and naïve and wanted to make a statement after signing his monster deal with the Rangers: “I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me, and I needed to perform—and perform at a high level—every day.” This is just one of the many quotes from A-Rod’s interview with Peter Gammons. The video footage can be found here.

I am writing once again in defense for Alex. I believe that he did wrong in the first place by taking performance enhancing drugs but he did it in a time when it wasn’t illegal so I can understand his reasoning. I also believe that he is telling the truth about being clean since 2003. He has passed numerous steroid tests and even the mandatory ones for the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

As sad as it is to see another Major League baseball player caught using performance enhancing drugs, it is nice to know that a player of Alex’s caliber can face the media and tell the truth and get ready to move on in his career. He closed a sorry chapter in his life and he is now ready to write the next—staying clean.

So everybody who was quick to judge Alex and say he was just like Barry Bonds needs to think again. He didn’t hesitate and continually lie about his steroid use. If only Bonds did the same as Rodriguez, maybe he would have a lot more respect from fans who would see some sincerity in him.

Alex will not be penalized because the test was administered before there were penalties and I believe that’s how it should be. Don’t penalize someone for doing something when it wasn’t illegal. And don’t penalize someone for coming out and telling the truth (i.e. Hall of Fame voting in the future). As far as it stands in my eyes, Alex is a great baseball player who made one blunder and is ready to move forward. Let’s all allow him and baseball to do this.

More Positives In New York City

Word travels quickly. When the word is about a Hall of Famer who has a great chance to break the all-time home run record set by Barry Bonds, then it travels even faster. Four Sports Illustrated sources announced and confirmed that Alex Rodriguez, the 2003 AL MVP winner, tested positive for two anabolic steroids in 2003. The reason the news is just coming out now is because the results were supposed to be disclosed and the players who were tested were supposed to have remained anonymous.
In 2003, there were no penalties in place for testing positive for steroids. The reason for the random testing was to see if Major League Baseball would impose penalties and random testing for the 2004 season. So although Rodriguez did not break any rules, he still used the steroids.

Rodriguez was questioned about the testing and he didn’t have much to say: “You’ll have to talk to the union. I’m not saying anything.”

This is incredibly sad for all of baseball for one main reason—Rodriguez was supposed to be the face of baseball who remained clean throughout all the turmoil of stars testing positive for steroids. He was the one who was supposed to break Barry Bonds’ home run record and do it in a 100% clean and natural way. This positive test breaks all hope of that happening. Although there were no penalties in place in the 2003 season for testing positive, the fact that he still used them at one point in his career trumps the fact that hasn’t tested positive since 2003.

I know that these allegations are serious regardless of rules in place. But I am going to be one of the few who defend him. Even if the allegations turn out to be true, as morally wrong as using steroids is, he did it in a time when it wasn’t illegal in baseball. It wasn’t promoted, but players could use them and risk the fact of getting caught. The reason I defend A-Rod is because once he was tested in 2003, he has never tested positive since. He was clean throughout the Mitchell Report and remains that way today. No positive tests since ’03 confirms this. So although people will look down on him in a way that is justifiable, he scrapped the drugs once they became illegal. Is that not enough for a player to do? Not to mention, when he tested positive in 2003, he hit 47 home runs and 118 RBIs. He has had better seasons since then (most notably 2007 when he hit 54 home runs and drove in 156) while he has remained clean. In a time where getting caught with steroids resulted in harsh penalties, and the Mitchell Report spelling doom to more and more players, A-Rod remained clean and put up stronger numbers.

So what will it take for more people to understand what A-Rod did? It may never come to the point where people truly forgive him for what he did, but it should be stated that the accusations may not be true. If the news is just coming out now—6 years later—how reliable can it be?

I am by no means promoting steroid use in any sport, but I am saying that I understand (but not agree with) where Rodriguez was coming from and I’m glad he quit when he did. Whether or not other people feel the same way is not mine or Alex’s problem. He knows what he did, and he knows that he stopped when it became illegal. That should be good enough for people to understand and forgive him for what he did even if they don’t agree with his decision.

The Salary Cap In Baseball

It’s about time for a salary cap implemented in baseball. It is used in all three other major sports: football, basketball, and hockey. So it only seems right that baseball should follow suit and enforce its own cap. It would help balance the playing field and it would dismantle dynasties. The problem is… the salary cap would probably accomplish the reverse affect.

I recently read an article written by Shawn Hoffman that deals with baseball and whether it should enforce a salary cap or not (the article can be found here). He made some great points about why the system would not work. I will sum it up with a few key points.

First of all, with a salary cap, there needs to be a salary floor. A salary floor would be put in place with all 30 teams’ salaries. Hoffman explains that the numbers show a $77 million price floor and $103 million cap. So, nine teams would have been over the $103 million cap resulting in penalties. But, 14 teams would be under the $77 million price floor. This would result in those teams signing veterans just to eat up salary to reach the floor. And for some teams that makes no sense. In fact it could hurt them if they are rebuilding.

The next point was an example using the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates’ team president said he was in favor of a salary cap. Once again, that would mean there would have to be a floor. So let’s say the Pirates struggle in ’09 and lose $10 million from the ’08 revenues. On the flip side, the Yankees and Mets each make $50 million more in revenues with new stadiums and great seasons. That’s a surplus of $90 million (if the rest of the teams keep pace on their ’08 revenues) and so the price floor would increase making it even harder on the Pirates.

Hoffman’s last point was having an uncapped league, with limited local revenue sharing to support small-market teams, and a post-season system that rewards teams who get hot. The point he is making is that system is already in place.

So the salary cap may sound good in theory, but it would just bring on more problems for the smaller-market teams. So in reality, those teams should think about building up a team of young talent (see: Tampa Bay Rays) and hope for the best.

*My information and source can be found here.

The Quiet Free Agent Front

Amidst all the news (or lack thereof) of the players who remain unsigned this offseason, there is one player that many people may have forgotten. He has been left out of the news and rumors and yet this player is a sure-thing Hall of Famer. Would it help if I told you this player was a catcher? Putting games aside, the player is Ivan Rodriguez. Take a minute to think about that. I bet most of the people that read this forgot about him and now wonder why he is still available. The answer is complicated and unlucky for a player of his caliber.

First of all, Rodriguez is a bonafide All-Star and future Hall of Famer and could be an upgrade to many teams, regardless of his age. Although Pudge’s (Rodriguez’s nickname) batting average dipped to .276 last season, that number would still be better than two-thirds of the rest of the league’s starting catchers. His career .301 batting average is second in active catchers to Joe Mauer. And to top it off, he is still considered one of the best defensive catchers ever.

So what’s the problem? Well first of all, most teams are content with the catchers that they have. Nobody wants to jeopardize a young man’s chance to play by signing an aging catcher. Secondly, although Pudge has consistently been a great average hitter, he is a free swinger who rarely walks and therefore rarely gets on base via the walk. His on base percentage dipped below .300 twice in the last four years although his average never dropped below .276 in those same four years. So once again, teams would rather see what young talent they have or stick with the veteran they already have.

Pudge needs only 395 more hits to reach the historic 3000th. So it would be sad to see a guy like him go out without a chance. That is why I can see him either prematurely retiring and then signing a midseason deal when a team’s catcher goes down and someone is needed or sign a Minor League deal and try to crack a team’s roster. Either way I hope some team gives Pudge a chance because he could be the first ever full-time catcher to 3000 hits (Craig Biggio has over 3000 as a catcher, second baseman, and outfielder—mainly second base). Now that's something that will make the news.

Not The Weekest Link

For all the crap that Rickie Weeks gets from every Brewers fan, including myself, he does deserve some credit for what he has accomplished. Although it may not seem like much, he does some things particularly well and he is getting better in many areas of his game. Don’t get me wrong—he has not been as good as advertised when the Brewers drafted him. But as I mentioned, he does do some things pretty well and needs to be recognized for his efforts.

I am bringing about the issue because the Brewers and Weeks avoided arbitration yesterday with a one-year contract worth $2.45 million. That’s a big chunk of money for a career .245 hitter. That’s what the typical fan might think. The following numbers might surprise you though.

So hopefully I have successfully engaged all those Rickie Weeks haters who are right now shaking their head at me for defending the man. How can a .245 hitter make $2.45 million in a year? The answer is by doing the other things right.

Remember when Weeks came into the league? Sure, he hit his first Major League home run off stud pitcher Johan Santana. Brewer fans were ecstatic at the young prospect. They then realized that his defense was about as bad as Mark Reynolds. 2005 and 2006, Weeks led (in ’05 he was tied with Alfonso Soriano with 21) all Major League second basemen with 21 and 22 errors respectively. His .952 fielding percentage was also near the bottom of the league. He worked hard to get rid of his image. His errors dropped from 22 to 13 the next season even though he played in 23 more games. That .952 fielding percentage climbed to .976. He kept it up the last season fielding .975. Now even I’ll admit that when a routine ball is hit to Rickie, I get that feeling that he will boot it. But through all the adversary, he has quietly improved his defense and might bring his error total to single digits next year.

So what about the other part of the game? Well I’ve already mentioned that he is a .245 hitter who is coming off his worst batting average season of .234. So what positives are there from this? The big number that jumps out is the .352 on base percentage. For those of you that don’t know if that’s good or not, get this: Weeks’ .352 on base percentage is higher than All-Star and potential Hall of Famer Jose Reyes’ .336. Yes those numbers are right—Weeks does have a higher on base percentage. And as a leadoff hitter, that’s all Rickie is asked to do. Get on base so the other hitters can drive him in. So that .245 doesn’t mean as much as the .352 does.

A leadoff hitter still needs to get himself in position to score. This leads me to my next point. After getting on base, Rickie has done a great job of getting to second base and giving his teammates an opportunity to drive him in. I’ve got more staggering numbers for you: .848, .799, and .770. You might be wondering what these numbers mean—and no they are not fielding percentages! They are success rates on steals for three players: Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, and Rickie Weeks. Care to guess who owns the .848 number? Well if you said Reyes or Ramirez, you are wrong. That’s right Weeks has a higher success rate than those two All-Stars.

So let’s recap. Weeks gets on base better than Jose Reyes and has a higher success rate on steals than both Reyes and Hanley Ramirez. And people still give him crap. It’s time to start realizing what Rickie brings to the Brewers—a man who is improving his defense, a guy who can get on base, and a guy who can make the most of his opportunities once he reaches base. So you may want to reconsider your stance when you talk about the holes in Rickie’s game and start to talk about what he does exceptionally well.