Here's to you Donnie Baseball

If you are in your late 20's and early to mid 30's and a Yankee's fan, chances are you are a fan and an admirer of one Don Mattingly. In fact, chances are, at one time, you considered Mattingly your idol.

In a time long removed from the glitz of the dynasty, the four rings, the trips down the Canyon of Heroes, the melodramatic response to not winning a world series in seven years, the Yankees was a rutterless ship heading swiftly towards irrelevance. From 1981 to 1995 the team made not one appearance in the postseason, not one, and had not even flirted with a championship caliber team. The 1980's and a good portion of the 1990s was defined by bad trades, disgruntled veterans, scandals involving the team's owner, George Steinbrenner, a depleted farm system and a wayward direction for the future. In 1985 the Yankees won 95 games but missed the playoffs because of the Red Sox. It was their one bright moment, their one moment to shine. Before, and after, was disaterous, culminating in 1990 when the Yanks finished in last place.

Free agents Greg Maddux and Barry Bonds flirted with the Yankees in their walk years, pretending to be only days away from making the Bronx their home. The truth is, neither superstar had any intention of entering the Bronx. They simply looked to the Yankees to ratchet up the offers they received from the teams for which they truly wanted to play. It was a dead time in the Bronx. It was miserable.

In the midst of all of that was Don Mattingly.

Donnie Baseball was a GREAT player. From 1984 to 1990 you can make the case that Mattingly was the best player in the game. He had a lightning quick bat. He had power to all fields. He was a clutch player who seemed to be at his best when the team needed him the most. He was elegant at first base, playing the position to perfection. He had a cannon for an arm. And he played the game hard every single day, every single moment of every single game. There was no half way or part way for Donnie. He pushed his body and his talent to the limit.

While other players were playing to get out of the Bronx or going out of their way to express their unhappiness with the Yankees, Mattingly took the losing like a man. He never demanded a trade. He never demanded the team get better around him. He handled himself with class and dignity from day one. He was the face of the team, its true captain because of the way he carried himself. In an age where athletes proved time and again that their flaws are just as, or even more pronounced than the rest of us, Mattingly proved to be as good as person as he was a ballplayer.

And then Mattingly hurt his back.

The injury plagued him for the remaining six or seven years of his career. It turned a sure fire hall of fame career into one just on the outskirts of Cooperstown. It turned Mattingly into an aged veteran well before his time and it robbed Yankee fans of the thrill of watching Donnie Baseball at his best.

Yet Mattingly still played as hard and as focused as ever, trying desperately to help his undermanned and overmatched team succeed any way he could. The thrill of watching Mattingly's talents on display each day was replaced by the reverance one was forced to have for a man who refused to equivocate.

And then 1995 came.

The Yankees won the leagues first wild card spot in the playoffs and Mattingly, at 35, found new life, hitting .417 in the Division Series against the Mariners and resembling the star player Yankee fans had grown to love. The Yanks blew a two games to none lead and were ushered into the offseason when Ken Griffey, Jr. slid safely home in Game 5. Mattingly stepped away at the end of the year, retired from the sport he had loved for so long, one year before the Yanks went on their remarkable run of division titles and world series championships.

It has always seemed strange to me that Mattingly decided to step away from baseball at 35 off a year where the veteran seemed to figure out how to recapture a good portion of his power and health. I always assumed that the Yankees, looking to get younger at first base and wanting to separate themselves from the past, put pressure on Donnie to step away and Mattingly, the pride and power of the Yankees for so long, couldn't imagine going to another team.

But now, as Mattingly's second career as a manager has been derailed both by the Yankee decision to hire Joe Girardi over Donnie this fall and his departure from the Dodgers where he was to serve as Joe Torre's hitting coach, new revelations have to come to light.

Mattingly, who seems tailored made for a job in baseball as a manager, is stepping away because of personal problems. He and his wife of more than 25 years, Kim, are getting a divorce, but the circumstances surrounding that divorce seem to be messy. Kim Mattingly evidently has a drinking problem, one she has been dealing with for years. That drinking problem has evidently not only contributed to the divorce, but has become such a burden to the family that Mattingly feels his place must be with his children.

But the divorce has also revealed that this is not the first time Mattingly has been forced to choose his family over his career. Reports now indicate that Mattingly would have continued to play after 1995 and beyond had his wife not become more and more of an alcoholic. It was, as some friends have called it, a "major factor" in his decision to step away, as was chronicled by Jonathan Lemire of The Daily News today in his sad article about the problems Mattingly faces today.

As a Yankee fan, Mattingly's departure from the team always left a small hole of regret in those championship years for me. It seemed as if Mattingly was owed at least one of those championships. However, Tino Martinez's stellar play and the belief that Mattingly had given all he had left in that division series lessened the blow.

But now, knowing that Mattingly could have potentially played years past that 1995 season, and could have joined in on the dynasty run, saddens me to no end. He was robbed of his opportunity by problems that were outside of his control, and Donnie made the sacrifices necessary to try and save his family and protect his children.

Now, Mattingly's career is again on hold, but my hope is not for too long. I was a proponent of Mattingly getting the Yankee job when it became open last year, but as the good Lord would have it, being passed up for Joe Girardi was probably the best thing for him and for the team.

I hope, for Donnie's sake, that this sabaticle from the game does not last long and that Mattingly gets another opportunity to coach soon. The man deserves a break, and it doesn't seem like life has been too willing to give him one over these last few years. I never thought I could handle seeing Donnie Baseball in another team's uniform, but my sincere hope is that Donnie lands in a great spot, with a good franchise, with a chance to win a championship of his own sooner rather than later.

Besides, no matter where he goes, no matter what he does, Don Mattingly will always be a New York Yankee.

2008 Baseball Season Preview #3 - NL East

There is something brewing in the NL East.

For years, the team that dominated this league was the Atlanta Braves. Each year, you could set an egg timer to the amount of games it would take for them to distance themselves from the rest of the pack. They OWNED the Mets, routinely held off game Florida Marlins teams for the division title, and put an upstart Phillies' team in their place a few times.

But rebuilding (to a certain extent) has caught up to the Braves, meaning that, for the foreseeable future they are the third team in this division, and a new, chippier, more emotional rivalry is brewing between those Amazin Mets and the Phillies. You can just hear Jimmy Rollins talking boasting about something right now, can't you?

Washington Nationals: They have a new ball park and, by all accounts, it looks gorgeous. Situated right on the shores of the Potomac, the stadium gets the Nats out of a football stadium and into a stadium made for baseball. It should open up new revenue streams, as will their new television contract deal. People LOVE going to new stadiums, and since Washington D.C. is also one of the more popular tourist attractions, the stadium should see a packed house, at least for a while.

But what kind of team will people be watching? The Nationals, under GM Jim Bowden, are one of the more confusing teams in the league. First, Bowden completely overplayed his hand two years ago when he had the blue chip of all blue chips, Alfonso Soriano. Bowden was determined to get a king's ransom and, instead, ended up with nothing at all. Where is the young talent? Ryan Zimmerman looks to be the only true young, exciting played on the roster. Lastings Milledge? Possibly. His attitude may cloud judgement as to what kind of player he can be, but that attitude may actually effect what kind of levels he does eventually reach. He could join Zimmerman as the second "stud" youngster, or his flambouyant personality and arrogant belief in himself could derail him in D.C. as well. After that, the pickings are slim. Instead of trying to go young and build for the future, Bowden has put together a team of pretty much has-beens, many of whome weren't much to write home about even when they were in their prime.

Paul LoDuca's mouth has always been bigger than his bat, something the Mets concluded last year when they opted to trade for a catcher rather than resign LoDuca. Add on his penchant for injecting himself with HGH and that signing looks to be another Bowden special. Dmitri Young, Ronnie Belliard, Christian Guzman, and Wily Mo Pena make up the bulk of the lineup, with a capable Austin Kearns thrown in, backed up by the equally unimpressive bench of Nick Johnson, Aaron Boone and Elijah Dukes. This is a team building for the future?

The pitching is equally thin, with John Paterson the only legit pitcher in a bunch that includes the likes of Jason Bergman, Shawn Hill, and Matt Chico. With starting pitching like that, who, exactly, cares that Bowden decided to hang on to quality closer Chad Cordero, who should get about as many chances to close a game as Britney Spears will at Mother of the Year honors.

What is truly sad is the fact that the Nationals took over a Montreal Expos franchise that routinely had one of the best farm systems in baseball, and under Bowden, a GM cut from the Isiah Thomas cloth, that has been completely dismantled from the inside out. This is a team going now where, but they'll be doing it in new digs this year. Word to the Nationals ownership: you upgraded the building, now upgrade the front office. Get some smart, fresh faces in there and give your fans something to root for in the future.

Florida Marlins: Why do I like the Marlins more than the Nationals? Because I like Scott Olsen and Anibal Sanchez more than any starter on the Nationals. Because Hanley Ramirez is one of the best short stops in the game today and an MVP caliber player. Because Dan Uggla has the chance to be Chase Utley. Because Josh Wilingham can be the real deal. Because the Marlins always seem to play with an intensity and a passion that isn't reflected in the standings. And because the ball seems to be moving forward on their new stadium deal (bouyed by the Rays new deal just announced weeks ago) and that could infuse the team with a sense of hope for the future.

Now, don't get me wrong, the Marlins aren't poised for a 2006 caliber season. They aren't shocking anyone. They aren't contending. They have lost WAYYYY too much for that. We know about Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera going to Tigers, but equally devastating has been the loss of Josh Johnson, who will most likely spend all of '08 recovering from Tommy John surgery. That leaves a thin starting rotation behind Olsen and Sanchez, and an even more unproven bullpen backing them up, with Kevin Gregg slotted to be the closer.

When Johnson is fully recovered, the Marlins finally have a new home, and the team can begin to sign some of their top talent rather than treat their franchise like a rotatine door for players, then the Marlins can make the NL East a three team race again, but right now they will spend 2008 battling the Nationals for that fourth place finish.

Atlanta Braves: You don't make your bones in journalism by betting against certain teams, and one of those teams is the Atlanta Braves. This team will be solid, there is no question about that. They have some young players and some proven vets that still remember what it was like to dominate the division. The big three of Mark Texierera, Brian McCann and Chipper Jones will keep a young, talented lineup moving forward as long as Kelly Johnson continues to show he can progress from his very nice rookie season, and Jeff Francoeur continues to defy every stat geek in America in put up solid run production numbers despite his terrible OBP (want to see a Bill James, stat head follower's head explode? Tell them you think Francoeur is a top notch player. They'll beat you with their calculator and pocket protector).

The lineup should be fine, but the interesting thing will be the rotation. If this were 1997, this rotation would be one for the ages. John Smoltz will be followed up by Tim Hudson, who had a terrific bounce back year last year, and old friend Tom Glavine who, after helping the Mets finish off the greatest single collapse in the history of baseball, finally arrived home in Atlanta, where he always wanted to be. How much does Glavine have left? Towards the end, with the Mets, it didn't appear much, however a return home could revitalize him. How about Smoltz, how many more years can he continue to produce at an ace-caliber level? Then, at the back of the rotation, sits one Mike Hampton. Yes, that Mike Hampton. Does HE have ANYTHING left? Again, if this were 1997 the rotation would be historic. But right now, it simply looks old. Hampton has been done for years, Glavine is, at best, on his last leg, and Smoltz has already spit in the eye of father time a couple of instances already. Hudson seems to be a solid bet to stay solid, but will his geriatric compadres follow suit?

The other question, in my mind, will be whether Atlanta plans on signing Texieria to an exstention, which promises to be expensive, and, if not, whether they would consider trading him before the July 31 deadline.

If someone finds the fountain of youth in the next two months, the Braves might bring home another division title, but chances are the Braves are just too long in the tooth in the rotation to compete at the top level. (BTW, the Braves should sign Texieira to an extension. I understand that it will be expensive, but the truth is the Braves need a stabalizing force in that lineup and Texieira can be that for years to come, especially when Chipper goes the way of the dodo.)

New York Mets: Oh, my friends from Queens aint gonna be happy about this, but there are two main reasons why I am picking the Mets to come in second in the division. One, I am just not convinced this lineup can produce at a top level and, two, I don't believe that this rotation, behind Santana, will be as good as people think. I also believe that you have to beat the champ in order to be the champ, and the Phillies are the champs of the East.

Okay, we all know who the Mets traded for this offseason. I don't believe I have commented on this much, but the trade for Mr. Santana is one of the all time one sided transactions I have ever, ever seen. Not only did the Mets get Santana, but they didn't give up one player that was invaluable in their organization, and even got the opportunity to keep their two most prized minor leaguers in Mike Pelfrey and Francisco Martinez. But who comes in after Santana in the rotation?

Pedro Martinez is healthy and ready for the season, but when is the last time Martinez a.) showed he could be a consistently dominate pitcher and b.) showed he could stay somewhat healthy throughout a year? The answer is YEARS! So, suddenly, this year, Pedro is gonna start 30 games? And how much does Pedro have in that skinny little arm of his? He is a year older, yah know. Can he really be a number 2 in this league? After that, the Mets have Oliver Perez and John Maine, both of whom are equally average, with Perez always a candidate to implode and resemble the pitcher the Pirates were ready to FedEx to any team willing to cover the shipping costs two years ago. And how about El Duque? What is the over-under on El Duque's actual age? I would say it has to be 46, right? Heck, he might be Julio Franco's older brother for all we know. El Duques hasn't been injury free his entire career and has been exceptionally brittle the last few years. At this point, there is no guarantee that El Duque will even finish the first half of the season.

You know what you're gonna get from Johan, and John Maine has been solid, but there is a lot riding on the spaghetti arm of Pedro and, if he proves as unreliable and injury prone this year as he has been the last two years, I'm not sure the Mets have enough, especially with the always shaky Billy Wagner closing down games.

And how about this lineup?

Well, even though Jose Reyes had a horrible end to the year, both in production and concentration, he is still one of the most dynamic players in the game, and should have a huge year, as should David Wright, who has become one of the best third basemen in the league. Add in Carlos Beltran and the Mets have three potentially spectacular players. But after that, the Mets have a lot of question marks. Can any really expect Moises Alou to play close to 100 games this year? Is Ryan Church an every day player in this league and someone good enough to hold down the right field spot all year long? Can Brian Schneider give you anything at catcher? And, the million dollar question, was last year simply a down year for one Carlos Delgado or a sign of things to come?

As much as Pedro is the key to the rotation, Delgado is the key to the lineup. If he returns to 2006 form, the Mets could be a run-away train. If he continues to decline, it could leave Reyes, Wright, and Beltran all alone on an island.

Philadelphia Phillies: Jimmy Rollins said it, now I believe it. Last year, Rollins said the Phillies were the team to beat, and while it took until the last game of the season for that to ring true, Rollins' confidence was proven legit. Now, Rollins says the Phillies will win 100 games. Sign me up Jimmy, I'm with yah baby.

Now, I don't think they Phillies are gonna win 100 games, but I think they are gonna win one more game than the Mets, and that might be pretty darn close to the century mark. Why are the Phillies the team to beat in 2008?

The lineup is stacked. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, a rejuvinated Pat Burrel, the speedy Shane Victorino and newly acquired Pedro Feliz, who was one of San Francisco's best hitters last year, gives the Phillies more weapons and less question marks in the everyday lineup than the Mets. In fact, the Phillies have three guys - Howard, Utley, and Rollins - who could all challenge for an MVP.

But the biggest difference between this team and last year's team may very well be a guy in the bullpen many people have counted out. Brad Lidge has come over to the Phillies to become the closer for the Phillies. What does that do? A couple of important things: it lengthens the bullpen, moving Tom Gordon to the setup role andJC Romero and Ryan Madson to a nice one-two punch in the sixth/seventh innings. It also improves the rotation. Last year, Bret Myer had to move from the rotation to the bullpen in order to secure the closer role. Now, Myer can move back into the rotation, giving the Phillies a one-two punch of Cole Hamels and Bret Myers, as talented a first two in the rotation there is in the league. Couple that with the ageless Jamie Moyer and the exciting Kyle Kendrick and the Phillies have a deeper rotation than anyone else in the league.

That's a lot of pressure on Lidge to perform, and pressure has seemingly been his albatross, but there is something about Lidge that makes you want to root for him, and something about his persistence that makes you think he can rebound in a big way. If he does, the Phillies are the best team in the NL East.

Prediction: Phillies

Mets

Braves

Marlins

Nationals

Best player in the division: Hanley Ramirez

Best pitcher in the division: Johan Santana

Comeback player of the year: Scott Olsen

MVP of the league: Alfonso Soriano

Cy Young Award: Johan Santana

Wild Card winner: New York Mets

Part 2, 2008 Baseball Season Preview.........NL Central

Last week, I previewed the NL West. This week, it is the NL Central's turn. Despite turning out the only NL World Series champion in the last several years in the St. Louis Cardinals and two of the last three representatives in the big dance, the NL Central is sort of the forgotten, maligned, redheaded step child of the National League. It just doesn't seem that ANY team in the Central is getting a whole lot of credit. But one team may have every reason to believe this is their year to shine, and it may just be that they have the best chance to represent the NL Central in the playoffs this year. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Do you realize there is an entire generation of baseball fans who A.) don't realize that one Barry Bonds, a skinny kid with power and lightning speed, once played for the Pirates, that B.) Bobby Bonilia was once considered a stud player and was coveted by the New York Mets (I was at a game, when Bobby B was with the Pirates, where Mets fans were chanting his name), proving that everyone MUST be careful what they wish for and C.) That there was a player named Andy vanSlyke who was pretty damn good? That is how bad the Pirates have been for nearly 20 years now. They have been a team in utter chaos, offering their fanbase nothing to root for. Fanbase? Actually, how could one expect there to BE a fanbase left in Pittsburgh? Seriously, at this point, there are kids getting ready to go to college who have NEVER seen the Pirates play meaningful baseball in their lives. There are kids getting ready to GRADUATE from college who may have some vague recollection of their team being decent.

Well, 2008 promises to be more of the same, unfortunately.

Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Snell make for a capable, and relatively young, one-two punch that gave opposing lineups trouble last year, and Damaso Marte was able to prove himself an effective set-up man for Matt Capps last year. But the rest of the bullpen and rotation are thin, with the likes of washed up Matt Morris and never washed Zack Duke holding down spots in the one through five. And the lineup really isn't anything to write home about either. Jason Bay is the only legit, big time player on the team, but he has been grumbling for some time now, and it certainly isn't beyond all comprehension that Bay will end the 2008 season in a different uniform than the one he began with. After that, Xavier Nady is a nice player, as is Freddy Sanchez, and Adam LaRoche is one of those professional, solid players who will be around for a long, long time, but there is, as one would expect, a unique lack of star power on this team, especially for this new era in baseball where even the bottom dwellers seem to have two or even three star quality players to point to.

The Pirates season promises to be another in a long line of "hey, they still have a team there" types of seasons. The fanbase, what it is, deserves better.

Houston Astros: If anyone is looking, and no one was, when I made out my predictions for last year, I picked the Astros to win the division. Admitting that kinda makes me feel like Hugh Grant admitting that he had solicited a prostitute who looked like Charles Oakley after a 36 hour run at a Vegas Casino. Sometimes, it might just be better to deny, deny, deny.

So, this year, I am looking for the Astros to have the type of season they deserve to have after screwing me so badly last year. I don't like this team. I especially don't like their pitching. I don't like the move they made getting Miguel Tejada because Tejada may be facing criminal charges over his lying to a federal grand jury about his HGH use in the past. I don't like this team's bullpen, and I don't think that any team can just win trying to outslug every team they face, especially if the offense just isn't that great.

Don't get me wrong, there is some talent in that lineup. Assuming that Tejada isn't forced to go Harrison Ford in Fugitive on everyone at some point in the summer, joining him with Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, a revitalized Kaz Matsui, and the up and coming Hunter Pence should get the Stros a good amount of wins they were looking at when they put this team together: 8-7 slug fests. My problem is that I truly believe they will be at the wrong end of a lot of those decisions this year.

Roy Oswalt is still a master, and one of the best pitchers in the game, but after that you have Woody Williams, a shaky third starter, never mind a number two, Wayne Rodriguez, Brandon Bracke, and Felipe Paulino, the one "upside" youngster they have this year. That isn't exactly a HOF caliber 2-5 with which the Astros have surrounded Oswalt. And, if you're looking for the bullpen to save their ass and pitch them to glory, you have another thing coming. Doug Brocail is the setup man to Jose Valverde. That's right Houston, you're gonna get your 8-7 games, you're just not gonna win too many of them.

St. Louis Cardinals: A team just removed from a world series title by one year, and they are at the bottom of the league? Yepper. Have you taken a look at what St. Louis lost and WHAT they brought back?

No team has had the type of turnover the Cardinals have had. Bye bye long time Red Birds' Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. See yah later to Preston Wilson and David Eckstein. Nope, these aren't your 2006 St. Louis Cardinals. They ain't even your 2007 squad. This team has had an overhaul, and I don't know if all the pieces are gonna fit.

Of course, the mainstay of the team, Albert Pujols, is there, and promises to add another HOF caliber year to his already amazing resume. The red birds traded for Troy Glaus to take over for Scott Rolen, whose obvious dislike for manager Tony LaRussa (who seemed all too willing to return the favor) made staying in St. Louis almost an impossibility. Youngsters' Rick Ankiel and Chris Duncan will make up the bulk of the Cardinal outfield, and many within the organization hope, and feel, that they are the future of the team. That is a big if.

But this team's failures have everything to do with injuries and turnover and little to do with everyday players. The Cardinals will start the season with Adam Wainwright as their ace. That's because Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder (who may never be healthy again in his career) are both out until probably close to the All Star game. Look at the rotation the red birds will trot out there for the first half of the season. Wainwright, Braden Looper - another failed closer, whom Mets fans remember well - Joel Piniero, on his 8th team in the last two seasons it seems like, Anthony Reyes and Matt Clement. Are you kidding me? The bullpen is still manned by Izzy, Jason Isringhausen, and Ryan Franklin should find a home as a set-up man, but you have to GET to the bullpen first, before they can have an impact.

With everyone healthy, I still think the Cardinals are an average team, at best. Pujols and Glaus should provide some power and offense, but who knows how Ankiel will respond and how Duncan will be in year two. And without Carpenter or even Mulder, the rotation is just too weak. This will be a long season in St. Louis, one that will find the Cards battling the Astros for the fifth spot.

Cincinnatti Reds: Every year I root for the Reds to be good and almost every year I am disappointed. Maybe it's because I just love the uniforms, the history of the ball club, and Ken Griffey Jr. Or, maybe it's because I am always taken in by the younger talent they seem to trot out there every year. This year? I think they are right on the cusp.

The mix is really good. If Griffey can stay healthy, as he did for most of the season last year, and Dunn can do what Dunn does, which is mash, those two will anchor what is a very talented young lineup. Brandon Phillips estblished himself as one of the best young second basemen in the league. Edwin Encarnacion had a solid year last year, and many believe there is significant room to grow, while youngster Joey Votto will get a chance to man first base for an entire year, and prove that the impressive skill set he showed at the plater was not a fluke. Losing cinderella story Josh Hamilton to Texas in a trade was tough, and ultimately perhaps the wrong choice, because it forces Ryan Freel, best served as a "little of everything" utility guy to be an everyday player, that is until minor league player of the year Jay Bruce is ready for prime time. But that shouldn't stop the Reds from having a dynamic lineup overall.

Pitching? AHHHH, the big question, as it always is. If Bronson Arroyo can have the type of success he had in the first half of the season as opposed to the second, he could once again make a one-two punch of he and Aaron Harang, the team's bonafide ace, a tough matchup for opposing teams. But the big question mark is Homer Bailey. Think Phil Hughes of Joba Chamberlain or Clay Bucholtz when you think Homer Bailer. Yeah, he's that good. He has all the tools to be a top flight pitcher in this league. If he steps up, proves his worth, takes a leap towards being a top end type of guy, it makes the Reds very, very formidable. If not, they will probably have a hard time sustaining any long win streaks.

The bullpen received a shot in the arm with Francisco Cordero coming over from Texas (which sent Hamilton over to the Rangers, a large price to pay for a relief pitcher) and it gives them a legit end of the game guy to try and protect leads. The rest of the bullpen should be okay, with veteran pitchers David Weathers and Mike Stanton hopefully serving as back-up to the much younger, more talented reliever Jeremy Affeldt. And while new manager Dusty Baker isn't exactly Casey Stengal wrapped up in Tom Kelly, he is still a proven motivator with a world series appearance to his credit. That can't help but be a positive for this team who haven't sniffed the playoffs in years.

Watch this team, they should be a lot of fun and should give their fans something to root for down the stretch.

Milwaukee Brewers: You thought last year was gonna be their year, didn't yah? You could smell it. You could taste it. The mecca of Selig offspring was finally going to go back to the playoffs. But, then, everyone remembered they're the Brewers. They come from Milwaukee. They don't go to the playoffs. It isn't their thing.

Could this year be the year they forget who they are and ride off into the sunset? Maybe, but I don't think so.

I like everything the Brewers did this offseason. I like getting veteran players Jason Kendall and Mike Cameron. Neither one will be expected to be anything other than an add-on player, an environment that should allow them to thrive. Salomon Torres was a nice pick up, and should go well with new closer Eric Gagne. Yes, we all know how bad he was for the Red Sox, but he showed that he could stay healthy the entire year and, while in Texas, he had impressed, which is why he was traded for in the first place. It will be interesting to see how all the shifting and manuvering for new faces (rookie of the year Ryan Braun from third base to left field, Bill Hall from center field to third base, to make way for Cameron) will effect everyone on the field, and it will be interesting to see if anyone has a downslide to their numbers because of it, but assuming they do not, and assuming that Prince Fielder and JJ Hardy put up the numbers they did last year, that lineup promises to be a monster for starters to have to try and get through.

To me, the entire season for the Brew-crew comes down to Ben Sheets. When healthy, Sheets is one of the best pitchers in the game, a terrific talent. But can he stay healthy for an entire season? If he can, the rotation should be deep enough to challenge all year for the division and a playoff spot. Jeff Suppan, the veteran pitcher, had a little bit of an off year, but is still a solid pitcher who may have a bounce back performance in him for 2008. People in Milwaukee believe that Dave Bush is a better pitcher than his 5.12 ERA from last year indicates (more like his 2006, 4.41, 210 inning year) and, like Suppan, is a solid two or three pitcher in the NL, and how about Yovani Gallardo? The 21-year old showed some impressive stuff last year, pitching 110 innings and striking out 101. Can he be a stud youngster in the way of Jason Verlander or Felix Hernandez of a few years back? If so, the Brewers have the makings of a formidable rotation.

But what if Sheets has yet another injury ridden season?

That's why, to me, the Brewers will come up just short again. One pitcher can, and does, mean that much of a difference. Having Suppan and Bush as your two and three is no big deal with Sheets as your ace. Relying on Bush and Suppan to carry the entire load? Not very comforting.

The Brewers have all the pieces in place, and as long as they don't revert back to the Brew-crew of years past, where great young talent was developed then traded away as if it were a breeding ground for other teams, they will find themselves battling into October one of these years. Just not this year.

Chicago Cubs: It has been 100 years since the Cubs won the world series. Think of what this team making the series THIS year would mean? Think of the excitement. Think of the press coverage. It would be national news. It would transcend sports.

And I believe they are gonna have that chance to make the series this year because I believe they are the cream of the NL Central crop. They have the star quality: Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and ace pitcher Carlos Zambrano are all well-known, established, big time players in this league, all relatively young, all still in their primes, and all promise to be Cubs for a very long time. Geovany Soto will be the Cubs new, young catcher, and manager Lou Pinella evidently thinks the sky is the limit for this young man. Youngster's Felix Pie and Ronny Cedeno, one time major prospects, have another chance to estblish themselves (with Cedeno by no means guaranteed a spot in the everyday lineup) and veteran Mark DeRosa will offer his leadership skills once again.

The rotation remains solid, with Ted Lilly as the team's number two starter, behind Zambrano, but should get all the competition he wants from rising star Rich Hall. Newly acquired Jon Lieber should help solidify the rotation and take some pressure of Jason Marquis, who has a world of talent but lacks consistency.

The interest will be in the bullpen.

Veterans Bob Howry, Scott Eyre and Ryan Dempster give the Cubs quality arms to get outs in the pen, but who, exactly, will the one for which they set up? Youngster Carlos Marmol has a lot of talent and could conceivably close, but my money is on Kerry Wood entering the new phase of his career as a dominant closer. The problems with injuries for Wood has been chronicled in great detail, but a transition to the pen should save his arm from the constant wear and tear a 200 inning season inflicts. It will also allow him to consistently throw 98 or better, with his devastating curve. Wood will be the last line of defense for this team, and, I believe, will prove himself to be invaluable in that role.

In the end, it will be the Cubbies taking the Central, and giving their fans a reason to believe, and dream, that 100 years is just the right amount of time to wait.

Predicition: Cubs

Brewers

Reds

Cardinals

Astros

Pirates

Best player in the division: Alfonso Soriano

Best pitcher in the division: Roy Oswalt

Comeback player of the division: Mike Cameron

Never underestimate stupidity...........

I just don't understand the mindset some people have that Joba being in the pen makes any sense whatsoever. It is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. I mean, look at the arguements FOR Joba to be in the pen. None of them even hold the slightest bit of water:

The Yankees need an eighth inning guy to be the bridge to Mariano:

Am I missing something here? Have the Yankees NOT made the playoffs at some point in time the last seven years? Have they come in third at any point? And, also, have the Yanks lost ONE playoff series because of their eighth inning guy? ONE series?
The Yanks have made the playoffs every year for the past 7 (since the 2000 series) with a setup crew that has featured the likes of Tanyon Sturtze, Paul Quantrill, Tom Gordon, Scott Proctor, a nearly dead Mike Stanton, Kyle Farnsworth, Steve Karsay, a decaying Jeff Nelson, Ron Villone, Octavio Dotel, and Luis Vizcaino, just to name a few. Look at those names. There isn't a shut down, lights out guy among them. Yet, with the Yanks trotting those guys out in the seventh and eighth innings, they have MADE the playoffs each and every year, won the division every year except last year, and have not been knocked out of the playoffs ONCE because of that eighth inning bridge. What has knocked the Yanks out of the playoffs? Ummm, oh, I don't know, maybe a lack of FRONT LINE starting pitching. So, in the infinite wisdom of Brian Cashman, the yanks are going to take argueably their most talented overall pitcher and move him to a role on the team that is by no means as important? Please!!!!

You want to protect Joba's arm:

Why is pitching in the bullpen so much better for Joba's arm? Simply because of the innings? How about the constant use? I don't know, but I seem to recall Joe Torre wearing out a lot more relievers than starters in his time here. Why? Because of innings? No, because he used a guy two or three or four days straight. Having Joba in the pen doesn't mean you are protecting his arm, it simply means you are limiting innings. Well, less innings over a shorter period of time in more difficult situations (stress filled eighth inning moments) may actually do MORE HARM to his arm.

He will start in the pen and then move to the rotation:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dumbest thing I have heard the Yanks say yet. So, let me get this straight, you are going to start Joba in the pen, make him the eighth inning guy, make him the bridge to Mariano, and then, in the middle of the season, you are going to send him down to the minors for a few weeks, have him stretch it out as a starter, and then use him as a starter for the second half of the season? How the he.ll does any of that make any sense?

First, wouldn't it be smarter to, oh, I don't know, START Joba in the first half see what you have, and THEN move him to the pen? What if he isn't that great in the rotation? Then, moving him back to the pen wouldn't be a big deal. You know what you would be getting from him there. But how could you possibly justify moving him out of the bullpen if he has been doing well, into the rotation with no guarantee as to how effective he could be, for a SECOND HALF RUN!!!!!!!!!! Idiotic.

Plus, let's face it, it is absurd to believe that the yanks are actually going to send Joba down to the minors, in the middle of what promises to be a hotly contested season, to get some reps in as a starter before coming back up. Oh yeah, I'm sure that would go over really well with the fans, the media, and the players. "Hey guys, know your busy fighting the Sox for first place and battling the Indians for the wild card, but just wanted to know if some of you could help bring some of Joba's things down to the car since he is gonna be going back to Scaranton for a while to work on his curve ball. Thanks fellas." Oh yeah, that would be some smart baseball.

If Joba starts the season in the pen, he FINISHES the season in the pen, case closed.

It is the only way to limit his innings:

HUH? Are people serious when they say this? This is sort of like saying "my car ran out of gas, so the only thing I could think to do was to smash the windows in and dump it in the pond, then claim it had been stolen to collect the insurance money." All those PHDs and supposedly smart baseball people, and NONE of them could conceive of a way to keep a pitcher's innings down without bouncing him around between the pen and the rotation like a ping pong ball on HGH?
Hey, let me take a stab at it. How about, oh, I don't know, JUST LIMITING HIS STARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! How hard would it be to rest the kid every now and again? With Joba in, Kennedy would become the sixth starter, meaning that, from time to time, when the Yanks wanted to give Joba a rest, they could plug Kennedy in there. How hard is this? The Mets have been doing it for years with Pedro. In April, most of the time you don't even use your fifth starter because of the days off. Well, this time, just plug in that fifth starter. Then, in May, give the kid a few starts off, same thing in July, which would be even better because of the All Star break, and the kid should be fine to go.

Or, how about this, how about letting the kid get a few freakin innings under his belt, huh? I seem to remember the Tigers being cautious with Verlander but the kid PITCHED. He was big, strong, and worked through any dead arm issues. Now, he's a 200 innings a year pitcher. Why not let Joba have a stab at it? The kid is big and strong. Maybe you don't need to coddle him so much and maybe you need to let him pitch more than 140 innings this year. Maybe you let the kid play baseball. Maybe, Cashman, you put the pocket protector down for a minute and let a kid pitch. They used to actually do that in the old days, you know. Actually turned out okay for some people.

If you're one of the people sitting there thinking that I'm crazy and Joba NEEDS to be in the pen, ask yourself a few questions: 1.) name the other team in baseball that has their most talented, valueable young pitcher, who proved he could dominate as a starter in the minors and doesn't have a serious risk of injury issue, slated to be their eighth inning guy? If it was such a big, important position, you would think that most teams would have their best pitchers in that slot, right? 2.) what are the names of the CLOSERS, never mind the set up men, who have won championships over the last several years? Give up? Do names like Jenks, Wainwright, Foulke, and Looper ring a bell? You can win with pretty good bullpen pitching, you CAN'T win with okay starting pitching. 3.) how confident are you in the rotation Cash-Man has built for this year? Let's assume Pettite and Wang are stable and perform to their usual standards. With Joba in the pen, that leaves Hughes, Kennedy and Mussina. Let's look at this rationally. Hughes is the only one of the "big three" that showed himself to be exceptionally fragile, injuring himself twice last year. We are suppose to believe he is more of a lock to pitch deep into games and rack up innings without getting hurt than Joba is? Why, exactly? Joba didn't get hurt last year, Hughes did. Why is Hughes going to be more durable with more of a load. How about Kennedy? What, exactly, has this kid done to deserve any kind of confidence? He was with the team for a cup of coffee last year and didn't pitch in one meaningful game. He'll pitch in higher pressure games in the middle of April against the Sox this year. How about Mussina? The only reason we know what Kennedy looks like is because Mussina was so bad, was so washed up, Torre didn't think he could afford to put the dried up well of a pitcher on the mound anymore. Is anyone getting 200 innings from the body formerly known as The Moose? Wouldn't you want to keep your most talented pitcher in that kind of rotation to not only make it deeper, but give you a better chance to win games from the minute they begin, rather than hoping they get to the eighth inning on every other day so Joba can pitch? 4.) is it easier to replace Joba in the pen or in the rotation? I believe Joba has the chance, the makeup to be a Beckett, Peavy, Oswalt, Halladay type of lock down pitcher. He has the chance to be that rare pitcher: dominant and intimidating. That's what I believe and I think a lot of other people believe the same. So, let's ask it this way, would it be easier for the Sox to replace Beckett or Okajima? I would say Okajima is a little easier to replace, wouldn't you say? Or, how about this, has it been easier for the Yanks to replace the starters they had during their dynasty run, or the bullpen guys they had during that time? I don't know about you, but if you told me I could have this starting staff with the Stanton, Nelson, Mendoza, bullpen, or this bullpen with Cone, Wells, Hernandez, Pettite, I'll take them starters any day of the week and twice on Saturday.

Baseball 2008.............season preview part 1

Prediction time baby!

This is where educated sports fans get to make absolute fools of themselves trying to predict what is going to happen in the upcoming baseball season. Want to know why this is such a stupid thing to do? Last year, I predicted the Athletics would win the AL West, the Astros the NL Central, and that Rich Harden would win the Cy Young Award in the AL. Yepper, I had me one good prediction session, didn't I?

Well, if at first you don't succees...........give up because it will just hurt more if you keep trying. But I'll ignore my advice and look at the baseball season for 2008. In my first part, I'll look at the NL and see who has the goods to go all the way this year.

AL West:

San Francisco Giants: This is a pretty strange team. Usually, MLB organizations have a decent lineup, decent position players, and a lack of starting pitching, especially young starting pitching. The Giants are the opposite. They have a starting rotation that has the potential to perhaps be the best in baseball. Barry Zito didn't exactly take to the NL last year, but one would have to assume he will bounce back this year (he's still a pretty damn good pitcher). Add in Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Noah Lowry and, 1-4, that is about as a good a mix of talented young pitchers as you're gonna get. The problem is, there isn't one position player on the team an opposing pitcher needs to worry about. There best player, and perhaps best power threat, is mid-level Aaron Rowand, who hit for power in band box stadiums in Chicago (White Sox) and Phillie, but is probably closer to a 15 homer guy than he is a 25 to 30 homer guy. That, my friends, is your 2008 power threat for the San Fran Giants. After that? You think anyone is waking up in a cold sweat at night worrying about whether Randy Winn or Dave Roberts is gonna be playing the next day? Ummmm...........probably not.

And the bullpen isn't much better. Brian Wilson (not the singer, well, not the Beach Boy singer anyway) will get the chance at the closer position. He has decent quality stuff but he has never taken on this type of a role for an entire season. I can't imagine it is gonna be smooth sailing. After that? Vinnie Chulk promises to be the Giants setup man. I am sure there is a die hard Giant supporter who knows who is, but I haven't met them.

It all spells a last place finish for the G-Men of baseball, and a pretty depressing way for the once proud franchise to celebrate their 50th anniversary in the Bay area.

Colorado Rockies: Let's face it, we all love us some Rockies. They shocked the world last year, earning a wild card birth, winning two improbable playoff series, and taking the Rockies to the World Series for the first time. Now, when they got to the series they promptly forgot how to play the game, laying down for the Red Sox in four games, but the run to potential glory was impressive. Having said that, it was an improbable run that won't be duplicated again.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad team. In fact, they are a pretty good team, and they won't be losing by much. They have some star power in Matt Holliday, Garret Atkins (who just signed an extension), Troy "Spell my name B**ch" Tulowitzki, and the definition of the veteran star, Todd Helton. It was a fun and dynamic lineup to watch last year and I can't see why it won't be a fun and dynamic lineup this year as well.

But I just don't buy their pitching. Is Jeff Francis as good as he looked last year? How about Aaron Cook? Can Jason Hirsch, the former Astros' farm hand with all the "Big Texan" talent in the world, step up and be more than just talent locked in an arm but a reliable MLB pitcher? And how about that bullpen? Can the Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas continue to keep teams at bay in the late innings in Coors Field? Can Taylor Bucholtz step up and be the set-up man in that bullpen? I just don't have a lot of confidence in them to do that.

L.A. Dodgers: This is where we get into our three team race. The first of the three is the Dodgers. They made a lot of noise this offseason by jumping on Joe Torre after the former Yankee manager was let go (oh, sorry, resigned) for the Bombers early after the team was ousted by The Indians. Torre should bring a calming influence to a clubhouse that was anything but. The young guys on the team consistently clashed with the older guys on the team and the discontent seemed to seep out onto the field. Torre should truly help quell any of those problems.

But Torre isn't a miracle worker. The players on the field need to step up and play better baseball, and, on paper, they have the talent to do it. The signing of Andruw Jones seemed to be overshadowed by all the Johan Santana trade talk, but it could turn out to be one of the best, if not the best, free agent signing of the year. While it may seem like Jones has been around since the dawn of the wheel, he is still only 30 years old. His market value took a big hit last year with his anemic .222 batting average and paltry .311 OBP, but he still had 26 homers and 94 RBI's and he is one year removed from a 41 homer 129 RBI season, a season that would have garnered him $20 mill per year had it been his walk year. That is, potentially, the type of player the Dodgers have plugged into their four spot in the lineup now. After that, the Dodgers just have a litany of talented players: James Looney, Russel Martin, Matt Kemp, Andy LaRoche, and veteran's like Jeff Kent and Juan Pierre and Nomar Garciaparra. It is a young, talented lineup, with a big power guy in the middle (Jones) and future stars littered all over the field.

And their pitching is just as talented. Brad Penny and Derek Lowe are still the one-two punch of the rotation, but talented youngster Chad Billingsley certainly has the capablility of being one of the best pitchers in the NL West. Jason Schmidt had a terrible, down year for the team last year, after signing a big contract, and it is unclear how much the fireballer righty might have left, but what if there is a little something left in the tank? Schmidt returning to form could make the Dodgers a four deep rotation that could compete with anyone. The bullpen, with Saito anchoring the closer roll, should be solid if not spectacular, but is simply an appendage to the impressive starting staff.

The question mark? This is a team that imploded on itself last year. If Torre finds the right formula, the Dodgers may prove to be the class of this league. However, I am going to have to see it to believe it. Right now, they come in second, in my opinion.

Arizona Diamondbacks: I see the Diamond backs, much like the Rockies, coming back to the pack this year. Yes, their pitching is even more formidable than it was last year when they won the division. Yes, they have some talented young studs that could possibly take a leap forward this year. But this is also a team that was outscored by their opponent for the entire season. It is a RARE team, and a rare occurence, when a team is outscored overall for an entire season and still makes the playoffs. I just don't see their pitching compensating that much for what remains a very shaky lineup.

The rotation is impressive, no doubt, and it is one of the reasons why I believe the West is truly a three team race. No one is gonna run and hide on this group. Their one through five is scary good. Brandon Webb is the reigning NL Cy Young winner, Dan Haren should see his ERA stay under three in the easier national league this year, Micah Ownings was considered one of the best young pitching prospects in baseball, and has a world of talent, and The Big Unit, Randy Johnson, may still have some juice left in the tank. If nothing else, the 1-2-3 punch of Webb, Haren, Ownings should be enough to prevent any big losing streaks.

The bullpen is young but talents, and Brandon Lyon really impressed in his role as the closer last year. Chad Qualls was, at times, dominate last year and could be a huge factor this year. But how many games is this team going to be able to win 3-2 or 2-1?

The fact is, the lineup needs to show that it is more than a bunch of good defenders forced to bat four times a game. The trifecta of Connor Jackson, Chad Tracy and Stephen Drew, all three major talents that rose from the D-Backs farm system, showed themselves to be ultimately average last year, with not one of them taking a huge leap forward (all three were expected to have big years last year). Eric Byrnes has turned himself into a quality major leaguer, and should continue to provide an offensive spark to the team, but this team will only go as far as the other before mentioned youngsters will take them. Do they have a big year in them? I just don't think you can go from inept to ominous in one year. The pitching keeps them in it, but I think they end up in second place when the season is over, just ahead of the Dodgers until they can prove the family can all get along.

(Note: In all honesty, I think the Diamondbacks are probably the third place team and the Dodgers could actually win the division, but I think you have to respect a deivision champion. Either way, none of these teams are running away with it, and they could all end up anywhere between one and three. I look at the West coming down to the last week of the season.)

San Diego Padres: When you look at the Padres, they just remind me of an old train that never breaks down and seems to always make it to the station on time. There are no frills. There are no superstars on this team. But they have a tremendous balance of great young players and grizzled veterans who have accepted a secondary role and just know how to win.

Just look at the lineup: Josh Bard, Adrian Gonzalez, and Kevin Kouzmanoff, the young, all world talents, are joined by Brian Giles and new veteran stalworths Tadahito Iguchi and Jim Edmonds. Those guys have been to the World Series before, have won World Series, and know how to win. They add a dimension to the Padres lineup they haven't had before; proven winners.

The rotation has a similar feel to it: Joining stud starters Jake Peavy and Chris Young is Greg Maddux, the future Hall of Famer who has more playoff wins than Peavy and Young do in their careers. The Padres also added veteran lefty Randy Wolf and took a flier on Mark Prior, who, if he ever regained his former self for even a moment, would make the Padres a favorite to win the World Series this year.

Trevor Hoffman is still holding serve in the bullpen, and while Trevor has had his problems in the big moments, there are still few closers in the game as reliable as he.

The men behind Hoffman won't knock your socks off, but they were solid last year and should be solid this year as well.

The problem? That damn ballpark is so twisted and strange, it gives the Padre players as many fits as it gives opposing teams. To me, Petco is kinda like Coors. I am gonna have to see a team playing in that ballpark win in the big spot, in the big moment, to believe it can be done. But, for the regular season, I think the Padres are the best equipped to take control of a well balanced division.

Of course, Edmonds could be done, Gonzalez could take a step back, and Maddux could prove that, eventually, the fountain of youth dries out. But if that doesn't happen, this is the team to beat.

Prediction: Padres

Diamondbacks

Dodgers

Rockies

Giants

Best pitcher in the division: Jake Peavy

Best hitter in the division: Troy Tulowitzki

Comeback player of the year: Jim Edmonds

So what do we do now?

This is where sports sort of hits a lull. February is a pretty bleak month in general. It's usually pretty cold, rainy and snowy, and no one wants to leave the house for more than maybe five minutes. It's a weird month as well, what with the short month, the possibility of leap year, and not one sporting event that really matters.

So what do we watch?

NCAA, it's fantastic!

There is nothing like March Madness, but before you can get to the madness you have to get through the grind of the regular season. College basketball is sort of an after thought from December through January. Only the most hard core fans (like me) are watching every game. But when February rolls around, that's when things get interesting. Over the course of the next two weeks, teams will either see their bubble burst or expand. The elites will battle it out for better seeding, hoping to avoid big showdowns in the second round, while smaller teams will vie for an opportunity to go to the big dance, perhaps for the very first time. This is when the confernece rivalries really heat up. This is when the games get a little more intense, a little more meaningful, and everyone is playing 100%.

I love this time of year because this is where you can get the "out of the blue" games, like the Maryland, Duke game from a few years ago, when Maryland blew a 10 point lead with about a minute to go, launching Duke's season and stalling Maryland's season. This is where you get the big performances from big players, like the 24 point, 15 rebound, 6 blocks performance by Hasheem Thabeet yesterday versus Georgia Tech. You begin to learn the names of guys who will become household mid way through March, and fans of certain programs will begin "scout" other teams from other conferences, as if they were dilligently putting together a report for the coaching staff.

As a Uconn fan and alum, Big East basketball is king. It's a war. You have to BE a Big East fan, I believe, to appreciate the style. It is rough and tumble, smash mouth kind of play. Teams, many times, just plain don't like each other. The players seem a little bigger, a little stronger in the Big East than in any other league. The games aren't always pretty. In fact, they are rarely ever pretty. But the quality of the competition, and the energy brought to each game is unmacthed. Plus, now that the league has 18 schools, and now that well over half of those schools are top notch programs, it is hard to find a push over game anywhere on the schedule.

For the next two weeks the Big East is going to absolutely destroy each other. This week, Uconn plays Notre Dame, a battle between two of the top four teams in the league. It should be a heated competition, a blood bath, and it should be enjoyable to everyone watching. There are only three weeks before March Madness truly kicks off with Championship week, but if you sleep on these next 8 or 9 games, as teams really position themselves for a run in March, you are gonna miss a whole lot of good basketball. And, like I said, what else, exactly, are you gonna watch?

Field of Dreams!

Okay, there isn't much here, but just the thought of pitchers and catchers makes me a little giddy, like Britney Spears at an open bar. I mean, when you turn on your television next week and you hear those first sounds, that first crack of the bat, the first pop of the glove, isn't your heart gonna race a little faster? I know mine will.

The beauty of this spring training is that there is a lot of subplots that people are gonna want to watch. Everyone is gonna be tuning in to see what Johan Santana looks like in a new Mets uniform. People are gonna be interested to see how Erik Bedard looks in a Mariners' uniform. Also, there are still trades and signings that have yet to take place. Will someone anti up and get Joe Blanton, a solid major league pitcher, only 27 years old, has a career 4.11 ERA, but that career number is inflated due to a very bad 2006. Blanton could be a welcome addition to any team's starting rotation, but how much will it take and who will be willing to pay a price for him?

What about some of the veterans? Mike Piazza is still on the market, as is Barry Bonds. So is slammin Sammy Sosa. Does anyone take a chance on any of those future Hall of Famers? How about some lesser guys, like Trot Nixon, who may not have the pedigree of Piazza and Bonds but is still a capable, solid, veteran major leaguer with big game ability. Does he land with a team?

Plus, isn't it amazing, for those of us who live in the northern parts to the country, to watch as people frolic in the warm winds of Florida for an entire month? (Note to any reporters covering spring training: I understand that exhibition games can get tedious, and I', sure there aint much to write about after a while, but please, please, please spare us the usual "God, I am so bored down here, when will the season start" columns that always seem to make their way into publication this time of year. Most of us have our 9-5 routines that we have to go to every single freakin day, getting up at the a** crack of dawn, trying desperately to convince ourselves to go to work rather than to call in sick, braving the cold February mornings just to get our 8 hours in. Sitting at Legends Field, with a cool breeze behind you, watching some rookie out fielder botch a ball in center field, as you down a free lunch and listen to some tunes in the press box, isn't exactly forcing a tear out. Enjoy your time, and your life. It aint that bad.)

NBA? Really?

I don't know, I am trying to get into the sport a little more. I feel like I owe it to the Birds and Magics and Michaels. I used to love the NBA, but now, not so much. But here is something I have found; high definition can actually MAKE you a fan of the NBA. Why? Because, for some reason, the NBA looks FANTASTIC on high def. Seriously, it feels like you're at the game. It feels like Ron Artest is going to jump through the set and kick the sh*t out of you at any second. There is no separation from the action.

Now, I am a little late to the high def. game, and I'm sure baseball looks just as good. But I was already in Bud Selig's pocket before high def. came along. He had me at collusion. But the NBA? I haven't really CARED about the NBA for years. Watching those big bastards pound each other night in and night out in the clearest possble fashion has gotten me all giddy. I have been watching the Celtics and TRYING to watch the Nets. My hope? My prayer? Now that the NBA has returned to my viewing schedule, I just want the Knicks to fire Thomas, trade Curry, trade Crawford, buy out Starbury, and draft AJ Price in next year's draft, and then trade for Emeka Okafor. Give me Uconn, NBA and I'll be buying Knick attire like it's the last wardrobe I'll ever own.

Cheatin bastards go down...................

When I think back over the course of my sports fan career, and it is a career, I have truly been one of the lucky ones. I don't have a Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox losing streak tied around my neck. I didn't grow up a Notre Dame fan in the 1980's and watch as a program that once dominated the sport now tries desperately to matter again. I don't root for the Arizona Cardinals or the L.A. Clippers, teams that have never proven they can muster any kind of a championship run.

No, my sports fan career has been truly blessed.

I became a Giants fan in 1989 and watched as, two years later, that team of gizzled veterans beat what looked like an immoveable object in the Buffalo Bills to win Super Bowl XXV in one of the all time great games ever played in the sport. I became a Yankee fan virtually from birth on, struggled through the 1980s, felt as far removed from the glory days of the franchise as one could, and then watched as a batch of veterans and youngsters went on an improbable run, creating a dynasty (perhaps the last dynasty) in baseball. I saw my team win four world championships. I was there, personally, to watch David Cone pitch a perfect game. I have seen the rise of the likes of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. I became a Uconn Basketball fan during the program's cinderella season of 1990, when the team not only made the tournament, but won a sweet sixteen game that would simply become known as the Clemson Game, and the watched as they gave one of the great programs in the country, Duke, perhaps the best game in that entire tournament, losing on a last second shot to Christian Laetner. Nine years later, I watched from my dorm room at Uconn as the team, the school, the program I had rooted for all my life, beat that same Duke program in a miracle win. Again, it was one of the best games in the history of the sport. I have seen Uconn go on to win more Big East titles, appear in another Final Four and win ANOTHER national championship, beating Duke, again, on their way to the title.

Of course, it hasn't been all roses. I lived through the Ray Handley years as a Giants fan and watched as Jim Fassel's crew was dismantled in 2001 by the Baltimore Ravens. I have seen the Yankees blow a 3-0 lead against the hated Red Sox, forever destroying my favorite "1918" chant. I watched as Uconn carried the best team in the country into the NCAA Tourney in 2006 and saw an no name George Mason team pull off one of the all time great upsets in NCAA history. Trust me, it hasn't always been great moments.

But on Sunday, I got yet another gift from the sports Gods, and it might go down as one of the biggest, best gifts they have ever handed out.

See, let me explain something. At this time last year the New York Football Giants were on the bottom rung of my rooting interests. I had desperately wanted them to miss the playoffs. I had actively rooted against them in the final game of the season versus the Redskins. I disliked the team intensely. I couldn't stand Tom Coughlin, his drill sargent attitude, his "never my fault" post game press conferences, and his seeming lack of ability to ever outcoach an opponent. I hated Eli Manning, believed him to be all hype and no substance, watched as Eli through flutter ball after flutter ball to confused and annoyed receivers, and sat back awe struck at his ability to turn the ball over at an almost Ryan Leaf pace.

The defense? A bully defense lead by the ultimate bully player, Michael Strahan, who talked a big game, played huge in small situations, and always seemed to be invisible when the team needed him most. They were a paper tiger, easily split when the time was right, and they seemed to be the opposite of the great Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks, Pepper Johnson defenses of the late 80's early 90's that were still revered by all New Yorkers.

The team had a gluttony of bad attitude players, from Jeremy Shockey to Plaxico Burress to Michael Strahan. They were tipified by Tiki Barber, a GREAT player who walked this earth as if he had actually accomplished something more than simple numbers on a stat sheet. His play was astounding. His attitude atrocious, and Tiki made it impossible to root for him.

The Giants were a bad attitude, weak minded team, and I wasn't alone in wanting the whole thing blown up.

But the Giants, unlike most other sports franchises in New York, are an extremely patient organization, almost to a fault. They didn't let Tom Coughlin go, rather they hung on to him, giving him a one year extension. They didn't clean house, but rather hung on to all the major components that had left such a bad taste in most Giants' fans' mouth over the last several years. They hired Jerry Reese, a long time front office guy for the team, who seemed to immediately go into hibernation when several high-profile running backs switched teams via free agency and the Giants were left with unproven runners to replace the retired Tiki. Reese's big signing before draft day was Rueben Droughns.

And let's not kid ourselves, Giants fans. This team didn't exactly make believers out of all of us right away. In fact, for 15 games this year the feeling amoung most Giants fans was the same as it had been the year before: fire Coughlin, run your offense AROUND Eli rather than through him, blow up the team, clean house, and start over. Yes, they had won 10 games by the time week 17 rolled around. Yes, they had clinched a third playoff birth in a row. But as John Madden said during their week 14 game against the Redskins, "eventually, you have to start PLAYING like a playoff team, not just a team that made the playoffs." NO ONE in New York thought they would.

Then week 17 happened.

The Giants didn't have anything to play for. They were banged up. They had lost their starting tight end in Jeremy Shockey for the rest of the season. They had their best wide receiver, Plaxico Burress, limping around like an old maid. The debate raged in New York. Some said they needed to play the Patriots, fighting to be only the second team in history to complete a regular season undefeated, all out, resting no one and giving the Pats all they could handle. That way, the Giants could look at themselves in the mirror and know they made the Pats earn history. Others said such talk was nonsense, that they weren't beating the Pats anyway, that they owed their fans, their organization, and the city of New York a time to sit back and prepare for the playoffs. Winning in the postseaon was more important than anything else, they said, even history.

Tom Coughlin, however, decided to play it to the bone.

Now, history will look at that game as the unlikely turning point of a Giants season that was all but over when they lost to the Pats 38-35 that night. Most people thought the Giants would lose to Tampa the next week, and even if they won against the Bucs, they wouldn't be able to navigate past the vaunted Cowboys and, probably, the legendary Packers. But it was more than just the turning point for the team. It was the turning point for the fans as well.

The Giants, on that night, cast aside all the assumptions fans and media had about them. They fought gallantly against a better, stronger foe fighting for history. They forshadowed things to come by playing a GREAT game as the Pats played a GREAT game, just coming up a little short in the end. They were no longer a bully team or a bully defense. They didn't shrink from the challenge, they rose to it. They made the hustle plays, the little plays that didn't show up in the stat sheet, and they played mistake free football.

They also went from an utterly unlikeable bunch of players to a fresh group of guys playing their heart out. Week 17 was the first time any Giants fan really saw Steve Smith show the hands of glue he had throughout the playoffs. No one even knew who this Domenik Hixon out of Akron was until he started returning big kicks for the Giants in that game. Front office people had been raving about Tight End Kevin Boss, but it was in that game where fans got their first glimpse of a blocking end with great hands and a terrific ability to run the right routes. Justin Tuck had a perfectly fine year up until that point, but it was in that game where he joined Osi Uminuyra as the juggernaut pass rush combo they would become.

Before Week 17, Eli Manning was the kid brother of Peyton, an overhyped child who couldn't carry his weight. While the likes of Ben Rothleisberger and Phil Rivers were leading their teams to victories, Eli seemed to be regressing. He was coming off a year when he threw more interceptions than touchdowns, had turned the ball over more times than anyone else in the league, and at times just looked befuddled. But on that day, in week 17, he looked poised, controlled, and ready for the big stage.

None of that would have seemed possible in week 16. None of it would have seemed possible through the entire 2007 season. But in one game, the last game of the regular season, the Giants team changed.

By now you have read every recap of the Giants-Patriots Super Bowl. It will go down as one of the great games ever played in the league, one of the great upsets in the history of sports. It was a thrill ride, and it reminded everyone why they watch sports, even if they weren't rooting for one team or another. But what makes that game so special for a Giants fan is that, by the time Super Bowl XXXXII rolled around, the Giants had become an easy team to root for. There were no consessions that needed to be made. Fans didn't need to wear the face of hypocrisy to suddenly root for a team that seemed so unlikeable only a few weeks before. This group had gone on one of the great runs in football history, and they had done it with confidence, dignity, class, and a group of guys who suddenly screamed class.

What made it even sweeter was what the Patriots had become before the Super Bowl ever even kicked off. They were the cheaters who had gone out of their way to try and get an unfair advantage on their opponent, even if it was a small advantage. They had the sullen, unlikeable coach who had gone out of his way to run up the score on lesser teams throughout the year and had never once apologized for it. They had the deliquent wide receiver who, on the eve of the Super Bowl, had a restraining order placed against him for beating up a woman. They had a steriod cheat who was less than apologetic about his abuse of a performance enhancing drug. They had a skilled yet yappy, trash talking runt of a receiver in Wes Welker who made it impossible to appreciate his talents on the field. They had become the unlikeable team, a group of guys you couldn't root for unless you were related. And the fans, oh, the fans. The Patriot fans, this year, proved why Boston fans are universally hated more than any other fan base, even the New York fan base. They went out of their way to defend the Spygate scandal and villify Eric Mangini for having the balls to actually turn his old coach in for illegal activity. They brushed aside the Pats running up the score, coming out with the idiotic "if they don't want to get beat that bad, they should play better" routine. A fan base that has taken great glee in attacking everyone from Roger Clemens to Barry Bonds for their steriod use in baseball seemed perfectly happy that Rodney Harrison was sticking a needle in his a** every few days to try and gain an unfair advantage over his opponent, and NO ONE seemed to mind that the steroid freak was also considered the dirtiest player in the league. And how could anyone ignore the amazingly arrogant attitude both the players and the fans carried into the Super Bowl, giving the G-Men NO RESPECT whatsoever. They planned their 19-0 party, sold tickets, and invited celebrities to join in the celebration. They had the tee shirts and the posters already made. The game, in their mind, was a fait accompli.

That is what makes this victory oh so special. Rarely in football do you have a matchup that feature such an unlikeable team, so deserving of a humbling loss, like the one they got at the hands of the Giants. And the beauty is, the Giants just beat the Pats. There was no gluttony of turnovers. There was no injury that changed the complexion of the game. There was no big mistake that game one team the advantage over the other. The Giants didn't catch the Pats on a bad day. They just walked in and beat the living snot out of them. They just played better football in a well played football game.

Maybe, if those two teams play 10 times, the Pats win 8. Or maybe, if those two teams played 10 times we would find out that, on NO DAY could the Pats O-line match up with the Big Blue Monsters the Giants were throwing their way. Maybe we would find out that Randy Moss NEVER would have wanted to go over the middle consistently and that Tom Brady would remain inconsistent because of the pressure he was constantly under.

And maybe we would find out that, in the end, the Pats defense was old and vulnerable, and that, after years of throwing off offenses and just out thinking his opponent, Bill Belichick just flat out ran out of moves. There are only so many plays a football team can run, and maybe the genius coach just doesn't have another trick up his sleeve the league hasn't seen before. Mayeb matchups do make a game, like in boxing, and maybe we would learn, in 10 such meetings, that the Pats just never matched up with this Giants team at all.

But that is an arguement without an answer. Distraught, irrational Pats fans will convince themselves the Pats lost rather than the Giants won the game. The talk of "sluggish" play has already been wheeled out by the Beantown faithful. "They took no joy from the game anymore" is what many have already been saying. We, in New York, have a different view. We KNOW the Giants TOOK that joy from them when the Pats decided they wanted to impose their will on a team they way they had all season long, and they found that the Giants weren't going to sit still for it. The Giants TOOK their ability to respond because NO QB can go down the field and attack the other team when the other team is attacking first. This was a pre-emptive war on the part of the G-Men. Instead of waiting to be dictated to, they went out on a mission to set the tone, and they did.

For me, I will always remember that this game was the perfect win a fan could possibly have. Great plays, picture perfect finish, an easy team to root for, an even easier team to root against, and a magical drive that featured a magical play to essentially win the game. It was story book. It was made for the movies. It is a game and a season that will be written about and talked about for years to come. As a fan, you aren't promised that in your life. You may see a championship, you may not. You may see a great play, you may not. But no fan is ever guaranteed that they will see a game for the ages, a play for the ages, and have it be their team that comes out on the winning end.

I have gotten to see that now several times in my life and I hope I'm not done seeing them. But the one thing I know is, no matter what great games are left to come for me and for the teams I root for, nothing will ever TOP what I witnessed, as a Giants fan, on Sunday night.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is going to be a very short post, but Super Bowl XLII was one of the great teams I have ever seen, with the Giants pulling out a stunning, amazing, unbelievable win over the vaunted Pats tonight, 17-14.

The Giants won a game where they outplayed the Pats in every facet of the game. They were the more physical team tonight, dominating both lines and putting the type of pressure on Brady that NO ONE has seen in the last several years. Brady was under pressure, under fire almost every play, and I have a feeling that Tom Terrific is gonna be having nightmares about Osi Uminaorya and Justin Tuck coming from the right side on almost every play. The Giants defense put on one of the all-time great performances in Super Bowl history.

I will write more about this game tomorrow after I have some time to think about it, but this game is one of the most important games in New York sports history, and this Giants team, each and every player on it, will be remembered for years and years to come. The Giants went a road never traveled before to win this game. They didn't just get to the Super Bowl, they argueably beat three of the top five teams in the league to win this championship, ALL of them on the road.

This game is about the front four and about Eli. There has been too much said, written, thought about Eli to tackle at 12:18 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, but suffice it to say that I will be eating my words about the little Manning for a long time to come. Eli had one of the great playoff runs ever, and his game tonight is a history making game. Eli's stats in the first half were simply average, but his play in the fourth is classic, and his throw to the soon-to-be famous David Tyree will be remembered forever, up there with the Dwight Clark catch and any other major catch in Super Bowl history. Manning has gone from a bust to the best this town has seen; the fastest transition we have seen for a pro athlete perhaps in the town's history. Eli Manning wasn't just named Super Bowl MVP, he EARNED the Super Bowl MVP.

More to come on this game, on the Pats, on the Giants, but, for now, just a terrific game and a large, loud congratulations to the New York Football Giants, their franchise, their fans, and everyone connected to the team. One of the best games in the history of the sport has come out on the side of the Giants. Tremendous job.

Odds and ends...................

A couple of things to touch on for this week in sports...........................

Okay, here it is. I am a Giants fan. I always have been. I remember that Bills/Giants Superbowl like it was yesterday. I remember Whitney Houston and her amazing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner (back before Whintney became the original strung out, rehab diva). I remember David Megget and OJ Anderson combining to make one of the great running tandems in Super Bowl history. I remember the Giants starting the third quarter on a historic drive that ate up 10 minutes and eventually gave them the lead. I remember Thurman Thomas breaking a run in the fourth, out of no where, that seemed to signifiy the Giants finally gasp. I remember Hostetler leading the team down the field for the go ahead score and, of course, I remember wide right.

I love the Giants, and like most NY fans, I have really grown to enjoy this Giant's team. It seems as if, in the blink of an eye, this team went from a group of overpriced prima donnas who always found a way to lose to the better team to a blue collar team or classy veterans and talented young players that make up a core group of players I can see myself getting behind for a lot of years to come.

Having said that, I am pretty sure they are gonna lose on Sunday.

Can I make a case for them winning this game? Damn straight I can. First, they have already played the Giants, meaning that any intimidation factor will be gone when they meet on Sunday. The Giants aren't gonna be surprised by the Pats speed or their schemes or their size or their aggressive nature. They aren't gonna be scared of the Pats, even if the team gets up on them early. The Giants might lose, but they aren't gonna lose because of fear. They legitimately believe they SHOULD have beaten the Pats in week 17. That's a good confidence to have.
Also, the teams that have given the Pats the most trouble over the last few weeks have been physical, aggressive teams that take the action right to them. The Giants fit that description to a tee. They blitz, they hit, they tackle, they play to, and sometimes even past, the whistle. The Pats don't love getting hit, and it has, from time to time, forced them into making some mistakes. It could again on Sunday.

Then you have the odds factor. For the past month, most teams have had a chance to beat the Pats in the fourther quarter. Let's face it, there are only so many times you can let good teams hang around till the final quarter of a game until it will come back to bite you. The Pats defense is old, the team is 18-0, meaning they have had a bullseye on their backs for months now, and playing under that kind of strain has to take its toll.

That's the case for the Giants.

In reality? I think the Giants lose this game 35-24, with the final score not really indicating how one-sided the contest truly was. I can break down all the reasons why, but it comes down to one simple fact for me: when a great player (Tom Brady) and a great coach (Bill Belichick) bring the BEST team they have had to the big game or championship series, they usually win that game. Look at the '98 Yankees, the '86 Celtics, the '84 49ers, and the list can go on and on. When the great coach, combined with the great player/team, make it to the championship level, they usually take care of business.

Is it that simple? For me, it really is. The Giants are fighting an all time team here, the final piece to perhaps the last true dynasty we are going to see in professional football in a long, long time, and it is hard for me to believe the Giants are going to stand in their way of putting a stamp on the season on Sunday.

Now, back to baseball...................

Johan Santana, see you at Shea this year.

First, let me just say cudos to Omar Minaya. He read this situation perfectly. He waited until the Red Sox and Yankees were really pretty much out of it, knowing he couldn't compete with either of those teams if they were truly interested in trading with the Twins. He stuck to his guns and didn't let the Twins bully him into giving up the prospect he coveted, believeing that, at the end of the day, unless the Twinkies wanted to be left holding the bag, they would have to deal with the Mets.

When you look at the deal, it is truly astounding considering how onesided it is. Carlos Gomez is a nice player, a Mmelky Cabrera if you will. He could start for my team any day of the week. He has intangibles you love, and I believe he is one of those players where the stats don't truly tell the whole story. However, you don't make a guy like that the centerpiece of a deal for the best pitcher in all of baseball. The Mets just landed their ace; a young lefty with nasty stuff who has shown no durability issues whatsoever (I don't buy the rumblings that he was hurt last year at the end of the year, accounting for his bad end of the season stats. First, the guy was obviously pissed about the Luis Castillo deal, he felt as if the organization was throwing in the towel, and he just phoned it in the second half. If he HAD been injured, or if he were experiencing dead arm issues, don't you think he would have hung them up for the season? He was on a walk year, he was playing for a team that was already out of it, and he had already expressed his desire to leave. What, exactly, would have been his purpose for going out there every fifth day and pitching if he were hurt? He could have rested towards the end of the season and NEVER had it effect his worth on open market). But what's even better than landing your ace? How about landing your ace AND retaining the position player (Franklin Martinez) and the pitcher (Mike Pelfrey) you wanted to keep at almost all costs. That, my friends, is a swindle.

But the real story here is the Twins GM, Bill Smith, a rookie who just made one of the worst trades in baseball history. In his efforts to get the best possible deal, he was forced into making the worst deal he possibly could. This is the Jim Bowden school of trading. Try so hard to make the deal one-sided on your end, you get nothing in return. Smith had the opportunity on Dec. 2 to get Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, and two pretty good prospects from the Yanks and he came back and demanded Ian Kennedy as well. After being rejected by the Yanks, he could have traded Santana to the Red Sox for one of two deals: one centered around John Lester, one centered around Jacob Ellsbury. All three of those options were far superior to what the Mets just sent the Twins way. Smith read the market wrong, believing that, since he owned the biggest pitcher in baseball, he would eventually get everything and ANYTHING he wanted for him. He seemingly believed that the Yanks and Sox would make their next battle in their baseball cold war on his front door, and the prospects would begin to fly once both of those teams began to compete for the lefty's services. The problem was, the Sox had already WON a world series, have arguably the best big game pitcher in the sport in Josh Beckett (only in his late 20's himself), a very good #2 starter in Dice K, who they believe will take a step forward this year rather than back, a veteran coming back in Schilling, and then two terrific young pitching prospects in John Lester and Clay Buckholtz. The Sox, rightfully so, decided that they didn't NEED Santana to make their team complete. They simply wanted to drive up the price on him for the Yanks. The Yanks? Well, I will be arguing for a long time on this blog whether the Yanks SHOULD have made this deal, but the fact is Smith totally misread the Bombers and their intentions. Instead of being willing to give up the farm to get Santana, the Yanks were hesitant from the beginning even at the notion of giving up just ONE of their coveted pitchers. There was a window where Smith could have had Phil Hughes, and once he missed that window, that was it. Smith didn't realize three very important things: Yankee GM Brian Cashman has a strange man-crush on EVERY prospect he has helped developed in the system over the last several years. He didn't want to give up Hughes for ANYONE and was fighting against a deal from the beginning. Hal Steinbrenner, the second half of the Fredo Brothers who have taken over the baseball operations in the Bronx, was obviously hesitant from the start at the idea of giving up so much money. Hal has come in with a definite idea of what a "budget" should look like, and while it appears there was a time Hal could have been on board in giving Johan a big contract, that time quickly passed. Finally, they obviously didn't read Hank Steinbrenner. Baby Boss has the last say over all things baseball with the Yanks, that's pretty obvious. Hal is the money, Hank is the diamond. When the deal was on the table for Hughes and Cabrera, it was Hank driving that deal to happen. But Hank has already shown himself to be erratic, sort of like his father. Hank made his offer, the offer was countered, Hank was insulted and pulled the Yanks out. Negotiating tactic? Perhaps. Hank may simply have been playing the game and the Twins simply ran out of time before Cash and Hal could convince Little Stein that the deal wasn't worth it. Or, Hank showed himself to be a throw back wanna be, where men make handshake agreements in back rooms and stick to them. Hank firmly believed the Yanks had made the best offer. When it was obvious the Twins wanted to create a bidding war between the Bombers and the Beantowners, Hank was insulted. There is an unpredictability with Hank, and the Twins were never counting on that uneven temper HURTING their chances for a trade.

If you're a Twins fan right now, you just saw the best pitcher in baseball walk out the door, with nothing coming back in. In my opinion, the Twins fanbase has been the most abused in the sport. They are good fans, they support their team, and with a terrible owner and now an inept front office, the only thing the Twinkie faithfil have to hang their hat on is a new stadium and the comfort in knowing their minor league scouts are still some of the best in the business in finding young talent. Here's to hoping someone uncovers a pitching diamond in the rough very soon for these fans so they can get over the disaster that was the last three months.

And how about a little basketball......................

Paul Gasol was traded to the Lakers for Kwame Brown, a rookie point guard, and two #1 draft picks. This is a pretty special deal for the Lakers. For now, Gasol will become the Laker's center, but when Bynum returns from injury, the Lakers will feature a starting five of Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Paul Gasol at power forward and Andrew Bynum at center. It also strengthens the teams bench by making current starter Luke Walton the first man off the bench. Not bad.

Too bad there weren't any moves like that to be made for the local teams.

And while we are on the subject of the local teams, two thoughts: One, if the Nets are smart they will trade BOTH Jason Kidd and Vince Carter away and amass some draft picks and perhaps a good player or two to build around. The big three days are over. Kidd wants out, Carter has obviously become a problem (and was never really a winning player anyway) and Jefferson is being stifled by the two sullen superstars. Trade these guys NOW. The Nets are a few years away from moving into their new home in Brooklyn. They have some nice young guys like Josh Boone and Antoine Wright already in house, and if they have a few good drafts, plus bring back a few good players, there's no reason why a smart organization like the Nets can't be back in the East in only a few years. Now is the time to blow it all up. If you have to bite the bullet on Kidd and take a lot less than what you would natually have, so be it. The object is to get these guys off the team.

As far as the Knicks? Lost cause. FIRE Isiah. TRADE Eddie Curry. MAKE SURE Stephon "Star" bury never plays for the team again. Try and trade Jamal Crawford. BLOW the whole thing, up, try and amass draft picks, ala the Nets, and build around a very good Zach Randolph, David Lee, Nate Robinson, and a few others. But the Knicks seem to be content with their 14 win season so far, as if their spunky, yet losing play means something in the grand scheme of things. One has to wonder whether James Dolan is simply letting Thomas play out the year and THEN will fire him, or if Dolan is so clueless that he actually still believes this team can be turned around by a man with only losing experience in the front office.

Perhaps LeBron wants to add a Knicks jersey to his Yankee's hat in a few years when he comes up for free agency?